The Matchmaker's Replacement

  “Lex?” Gabi wrapped her arms around my waist. “Are you turning yourself on by holding my cheap little bra?”

  “No,” I lied, voice gruff. “I’m—just . . .”

  “Lex!” Ian’s voice sounded from downstairs.

  Gabi smacked me in the chest just as I ran over to my bed and shoved her bra under my pillow.

  “Seriously?” she hissed.

  “What? It’s not like I have any spare teeth I can put under there, and word on the street is, the F fairy only visits a select few.”

  “The F fairy?” Gabi repeated.

  I shoved my hands into my pockets to keep myself from pulling her into my arms. “The Fu—”

  “Lex!” Ian pushed the door open. His face was red, and he looked ready to set Lex on fire. “What the hell? Stop bringing home sluts!”

  I nodded. “Won’t happen again.”

  “Damn right it won’t happen again. You can’t just sleep with someone because they look lost! Or sad! Or hungry!”

  “Right.” I nodded slowly. “Or sick.”

  “Yes!” Ian agreed. “Or that.” His gaze flickered from me to Gabi. “Wait. What’s going on?”

  The room most definitely smelled like sex.

  Ian’s eyes narrowed.

  “I chased the skank out with my hair spray,” Gabi lied flawlessly. “Sprayed it in her face and told her it was tear gas. She cried, fell down the stairs, and ran into the door making her escape, so the good news is, you’re skank free. The bad news is—”

  “She may sue,” I finished.

  “WHAT?” Ian bellowed.

  “Relax.” Gabi hid her smile behind her hand and barely managed to turn away from Ian in time to laugh.

  “You think this is funny?” Ian’s voice rose. “And why the hell are you in his room? If the skank is gone, your work here is done. Damn, Gabs, the last thing you need is to be exposed to—” His nose scrunched up, and then his eyes narrowed in on the bed. “You kept her bra?”

  Shit! I thought I’d shoved it completely under the pillow. “She was probably too distracted by Gabi’s screaming to grab all of her clothes.”

  “Thanks, Gabi.” Ian sighed. “At least I can count on you to be the mature housemate.”

  Gabi’s smile was sweet. “Oh, Ian, of course. The last thing I want is for Lex to die from some sort of incurable STD.”

  “Really?” Ian and I asked at the same time.

  “And have the illness steal all my glory?” Gabi started walking toward the door. “Yeah, right. If anyone kills Lex, it’s going to be me.”

  There we go. I rolled my eyes like I usually did, then flipped her off. Only this time, my heart was beating so fast I could have sworn Ian was suspicious.

  “So, any broken bones?” Ian turned to face me just as Gabs made her way out, her middle finger proudly on display in the air before she slammed the door behind her.

  “Not that I know of.” I coughed into my hand. “And sorry, man, it won’t happen again.”

  “What was her name?”

  “When do I ever learn their names?” I countered quickly.

  He still wasn’t convinced. Shit, Gabi and I were going to have to rain hell on the house that night, get him focused on the one true thing he’s always been able to count on.

  Me and Gabs fighting.

  After I finally convinced Ian to leave, I grabbed my cell and sent a text to Gabs.

  Lex Luthor: He’s suspicious . . . and Blake isn’t here, so he’s going to poke around. He does that when he’s bored.

  Gabs: If only we could just put a movie on for him or something.

  I burst out laughing, then texted back right away.

  Lex Luthor: We could try Game of Thrones, but last time he wanted everyone to watch it with him . . .

  Gabs: Well, only one thing left to do.

  Lex Luthor: ?

  Gabs: You ready for WW3?

  Lex Luthor: Bring it on, Gabs. Let’s just see how convincing you can be after my mouth has been on you.

  Gabs: Yawn . . . I’ve already forgotten what your mouth feels like. You sure you brought your A game tonight?

  Lex Luthor: You’re gonna pay for that.

  Gabs: Promise?

  I hesitated, my fingers hovering over my phone. What the hell was I doing? What were we doing? And why was I acting like a chick? Reading into everything? Damn it.

  We were flirting.

  Crossing into dangerous territory—no longer in one-night-stand land, but moving on to something more serious. Did I want that? My heart nearly burst at the thought, but yeah, I think I did. Because I wasn’t feeling panicked. Maybe a bit confused and frustrated because Ian was my best friend, and you told your best friend when you were falling for someone. But I couldn’t risk it. I couldn’t risk losing the guy who had been like a brother to me growing up. And what if Gabi wasn’t even thinking along those lines? See. Chick. I was a chick. I settled for something taunting and pressed “Send.” Keep it simple, right? Keep it fun.

  Lex Luthor: Loser gets tied up.

  Gabs: You’re on.

  Lex Luthor: Hope you don’t mind rope burn.

  Gabs: Says the loser . . .

  I nervously chucked my phone onto the bed and crossed my arms. Ian walked by my room again, this time pausing in the doorway. “I want to talk to you about business stuff, and then after, you wanna watch a movie?”

  “Sure.” I didn’t turn around, mainly because my conversation with Gabs had caused a serious problem that I didn’t need Ian commenting on.

  “Cool, I’ll see if Gabs wants to watch too.”

  “Great.” I waved him off. “See you downstairs in a few.”

  Chapter

  Thirty-One

  Gabi

  I ignored the warning bells going off in my head, right along with the elation I felt the minute I made my way into the kitchen and saw Lex grabbing a beer.

  My body was still humming with pleasure.

  “Gabs,” Lex said gruffly. He slapped me on the butt, then squeezed it right before Ian walked into the room.

  Lex jerked away from me and winked over his beer bottle as Ian started talking.

  “Action or horror?”

  Well, here went nothing. “Since Lex has already had enough whores”—I lingered on the word—“why don’t we watch action?”

  “Jealous?” Lex fired back, though his eyes were twinkling, bright, like he was enjoying the fight.

  “Oh, so jealous.” I nodded dumbly. “If only I didn’t know how to count to four! Then maybe, just maybe, the godly Lex Luthor would sleep with me!”

  “The last girl could count to five.” Lex grinned wickedly while my belly heated. “I let her count orgasms.”

  “How charitable of you.” I clenched my teeth. The bastard! Had it been five? He held up five fingers on his free hand, then dropped all but one and mouthed “six” when Ian turned around to grab a beer from the fridge.

  “That’s what I do up there, Gabs. Charity work, helping save girls from poor bastards who can’t find their G-spots, one sexual experience at a time.”

  My eyes widened while my body jerked to attention. “Gross, Lex.”

  “Gross, Lex?” he challenged. “That all you got, Sunshine? How about please, Lex? More, Lex? Yes, Lex.” He started grinding against the counter, damn him. “Right. There. Lex.”

  “Careful, Lex, you’re going to get the granite pregnant,” I joked, even though my voice came out hoarse. I knew I sounded turned-on, and I was going to kill him.

  “One time a girl said I got her pregnant by looking at her.” Lex winked. “Another threw me her bra because she wa
s convinced I was famous . . . I signed it.”

  “You’re a regular Boy Scout,” I said with heavy sarcasm.

  “I learned all kinds of things in the Scouts,” Lex said seriously. “Want me to show you?” He tilted his head, then held out his fingers and counted. “I’m pretty sure it would only take me three minutes, since you’re so . . . new.”

  “New?”

  “Virgin-like.” I noticed he didn’t say “virgin,” and my face heated even more.

  “Aw . . .” Two could play that game. I slapped him on the shoulder. “Not anymore.”

  Ian’s eyes went wide and then crazy as water spewed out of his mouth. “What the hell do you mean, ‘not anymore’?”

  “Oh, I took off my chastity belt. It was getting really uncomfortable,” I joked.

  “The hell?” Ian leaned against the counter. “Who is he? The bastard! Who touched you?”

  Lex’s panicked expression helped my mood immensely.

  “It was a small”—I smirked so Lex would know I was kidding—“little—tiny, really—moment. I hardly remember it, Ian.”

  “Good.” Ian nodded. “That’s . . . good. But no more.” He paced in front of both of us. “You can’t. That is, you can’t sleep around and work for me.”

  My eyes widened as I burst out laughing. “Are you being serious right now? Lex sleeps around every day!”

  “Lex is Lex! It’s like controlling a horny tomcat! Eventually it’s going to break out of the litter box and get some.”

  “That was the worst example I’ve ever heard.” Lex shook his head. “Can we get back to the problem at hand?”

  “Which is?” Ian’s crazed eyes met Lex’s.

  “Well, I should think that would be obvious.” Lex shrugged in my direction. I really wished I could read minds. “We need to lock Gabs in her room, away from the dangers of the opposite sex.”

  “Yes.” Ian snapped his fingers and began nodding. “We’ll leave bread and water by the door.”

  “I’ll take the night shifts.” Lex’s lips twitched, while I covered my mouth with my hand and turned around so Ian wouldn’t see me laugh.

  “The problem is the day,” Ian said in a serious tone.

  “Guys!” I turned back to face them. “Can we please stop talking about my sex life and watch the movie?”

  “As long as Gabi sits on the floor—you know, where all canines belong—I’m down for that.” Lex shoved my shoulder, so I reached around and pinched his ass.

  He let out a little yelp while Ian stared at the ceramic tile.

  “Dude!” Lex popped him in the head. “It’s okay that she’s finally hit puberty. I mean, at least now we won’t have to pay someone to date her, you know? That list was getting mighty short.”

  “Oh good grief.” I shoved past both of them and found a spot on the couch, then winked at Lex. “Look! Your spot.”

  I could have sworn his eye twitched. “But that’s where I always sit.”

  “Hey, Lex, who did you have in your room before Ian got home?”

  Lex growled and then jumped into the spot right next to me, his hand reaching beneath my blanket and gripping my thigh as he hissed out, “Don’t play with fire, Sunshine . . .”

  “I’m made of fire.” I licked my lips as his eyes narrowed. “Don’t get burned.” I was referencing the Sunshine nickname, but I think Lex’s focus was on something else completely as he leaned in.

  “Can you guys stop bickering? For ten minutes?” Ian made his way into the living room with two more bottles of water and then turned on the TV.

  “I’ll get the lights.” Lex stood and walked over to the light switches, then flicked them off.

  Something about being in the darkness made the air crackle with electricity—with awareness, especially when Lex sat down next to me, his palm pressed against my thigh underneath the blanket.

  I squirmed beneath his large hand, trying to get comfortable, hating that my body was responding to a hand.

  That was it.

  Lex’s hand was magical.

  Ian had decided on Scream. Something we’d all seen and could quote and make fun of.

  But I wasn’t paying attention to anything except the fact that if Lex’s hand moved up a few inches, it would be exactly where I wanted him.

  My heartbeat pounded in my ears as I slipped my hand underneath the blanket and pressed it against the front of his jeans, then gingerly dipped my fingertips into his waistband.

  Every muscle in his body went taut.

  “Right, Lex?” Ian elbowed him.

  I quickly pulled my hand away, embarrassed. What was I doing? I tried to move away from Lex, but his grip on my thigh made it impossible.

  “Right,” Lex agreed, then turned to me and mouthed, “Go with it.”

  “Huh?”

  “What the HELL!” Lex jumped up. “Are you kidding me, Gabs?”

  “What’s your problem, you jackass?” I yelled back.

  “You!” he roared. “You’re my problem, and I’m tired of dealing with your shit all the time!”

  “So close.” Ian groaned, leaning his head back against the couch.

  “I was trying to be nice, letting you have my spot and the blanket, and you pinch me the entire time? Name-calling? Really, Gabs?”

  “Oh please! Like you weren’t doing worse!”

  “That’s it!” Lex gripped my hand. “You wanna fight? We’ll fight, away from Ian, whose only crime is wanting to watch a movie with his best friend.”

  “Friends!”

  “Friend,” Lex said, louder. “You’re just the third wheel we put up with because Ian feels guilty.”

  My eyes widened. “You bastard!”

  “Guys!” Ian shouted.

  “Stay out of it!” we both fired back.

  Lex grabbed my hand, dragged me toward the nearest downstairs bedroom, and slammed the door behind him. Then he lifted me into the air and pushed me against the door.

  “You dirty . . .” He kissed my mouth hungrily. “Wicked . . .” Another kiss. “Girl.”

  I yearned for him, my body stretching out to meet him, my hands tangled in his shirt as I tried to yank it off his body.

  A knock sounded on the door. “You guys alive?” Ian asked.

  “Barely,” I whimpered as Lex braced me against the door, his knee sliding between my thighs. “Just . . . barely.”

  “No blood.” Ian sounded bored. “Want me to pause the movie?”

  “No.” Lex’s eyes pierced mine. “This is gonna take a while.”

  “Take your time.” Ian’s footsteps grew fainter as he went back into the living room.

  “Oh, I intend to.” Lex’s grin was evil as he pulled me down on his leg. The sensation of straddling a part of him was too much for my body to handle. I was ready to explode from his touch, his strokes.

  “Bed,” I commanded.

  “No time.” He jerked down my leggings while I reached for the button on his jeans.

  “What happened to taking your time?”

  “Can’t,” he panted, pressing another hungry kiss against my neck, his lips moving against my skin as his hands gripped my bare ass. “Need you.”

  “Then take me,” I begged, finally getting his jeans past his hips. He let out a groan as he freed himself and locked eyes with me. “Tell me you’re on the pill.”

  “Since I was fourteen.”

  “I’m clean. I know you think it’s a line, but I get tested, and I need you, all of you, every part of you. I need”—his hands dug into my flesh as he brought my body near his heat—“you. I’ve always needed just you.”

  “Always?” I asked, confused.

/>   His clear eyes looked panicked as he whispered, “Since Christmas . . .” He sighed. “Four years ago.”

  It was exactly what I needed to hear, what I’d craved, and I let go, completely let go and gave my heart to him. But the joke was on me, because Lex had always had it. I was just too stupid to realize it.

  And now, he had all the power.

  And I knew, if he left . . .

  It wouldn’t just break me.

  But ruin me forever.

  “Gabi.” He thrust into me, filling me so deeply that I let out a gasp, gripping his shoulders for balance. But there was no balance with him, no calm, only crazy, wild, frenzied movements that caused foreign moans to escape between my lips as I clenched my thighs together in order to contain him, contain what was happening between us.

  “Lex—” I exhaled as my body shuddered against his, unable to keep up with his pace, not sure I even wanted to as he took complete control with his movements. I was dizzy with feeling, with yearning. “I need you closer.”

  “Sweetheart, we can’t get any closer.”

  “Try!” I whimpered.

  He chuckled and then, with a grunt, tugged my leggings the rest of the way off my feet and helped me wrap my legs tighter around him. “Hold on tight.”

  “Drop me”—I sighed in rapture—“and I kill you.”

  “You’re killing me right now.” Our mouths met again, one way, then another, each new angle causing me to lose my mind as he continued his rhythm. With a curse, he pressed me against the wall and pinned my hands above my head. With one final thrust, I shattered against him, my body exhausted as I tried to catch my breath.

  “You guys done fighting yet?” Ian knocked again.

  “Yeah.” My voice was husky. “We just signed a peace treaty.”

  “Thank God,” he muttered. “I’ll go make popcorn.”

  “Peace treaty, hmm?” Lex’s mouth covered mine again, and again, before he finally pulled out of me and helped me grab my clothes.