17

Lexi's POV:

I was partially expecting to be woken up by rambunctious kids, but I was very far off with that expectation.

I wake up on my own time, light just barely peeking through the windows. The house is still really quiet, letting me know that the kids are all still asleep. I slither off of the couch, stretching my arms as far as I can above my head.

"Morning." A delicate voice makes me jump.

"Oh, shit. You scared me." I gasp, putting my hand over my heart. "I thought you were still asleep." I say. My eyes fall over Evan's body, which is only partially covered by a bright-white towel. Her damp hair lays over her shoulders and she grips a coffee mug in her hands, grinning.

"Nope. Too restless to sleep in." She sighs. "You hungry?"

I shake my head no and shove my bed-head around, hoping to look less homely. "No, I'm alright."

"Lex, you've hardly eaten since you've been here. All you had at dinner last night was a salad! You have to eat." Evan presses, her maternal nature on full display.

I cut my eyes at her, "mommy Evan is out this morning, I see." I taunt her.

She cuts her eyes right back, "get in here." She instructs, wandering back to the kitchen.

I follow her, drawn mainly by her barely-covered body, not the threatening tone in her voice. "Yes, ma'am?" She sticks her middle finger up instantly and I giggle, "fiesty."

"What would you like to eat, Lexi?" She sighs, motioning towards the stocked pantry. "Take your pick."

Unable to let the opportunity pass, my eyes wander over her face and exposed chest. "What about you?"

There is a very brief pause and Evan glances at me, knowing exactly what I meant by the comment, but disregarding it. "No, I'm not hungry."

I smirk and she turns away from me, presumably hiding a smile.

My eyes fixate on her exposed upper back. She's so sexy. Every last inch of her is completely and utterly sexy.

"Pancakes?" I mutter.

She glances over her shoulder at me, "I can make that happen. Let me get dressed." She nods, headed back to the bedroom to get changed.

"That's boring, Ev." I joke.

"Shut up, Lexi." She scoffs, not having the playful banter this morning.

I wait patiently for the blonde to come back to the kitchen, and when she does she's dressed. Bummer.

I watch her as she starts on breakfast, not speaking a whole lot.

Nothing happened last night, but that was most certainly the closest we've been in a while, physically at least. It felt... nice. It was familiar. It was also very tense for obvious reasons.

"What ever happened with you and that dude?" I ask, the question coming out before I can even think about it.

Evan scrunches her nose, "who?"

"Don't play stupid. The one you fucked." I laugh. "He gave you the nice decoration on your chest, remember?"

She smirks, "no clue what you're talking about."

I give a sarcastic laugh, "ha. Right. I'm serious! You still seeing him?"

Evan sighs, "he wishes. He likes me more than I like him... and I don't even like him. I like the sex, but even then... not the best." She admits, her shoulders shrugging.

I nod slowly, "guess you'll have to get your fix elsewhere."

"I'll manage." She replies, looking me in my eyes.

Stop that.

I smirk, "I'm gonna go wake everyone up, chef."

* * *

Evan's POV:

I would be lying if I said today hasn't been one of the best days I have had in a while. Between spending time with my kids, who absolutely adore Lexi, and having Lexi around to have adult conversations with... I couldn't ask for a better weekend (considering everything else going on).

Lexi runs into the kitchen, chasing Mason around the house. I smirk and shake my head at the two, "you're going to break something! Be careful."

Lexi giggles and her smile slowly fades. Mason keeps running, leaving Lexi and I alone in the kitchen. She sighs softly, "what are you cooking?"

"Spahgetti, per Mason's request. After dinner I have to drive them back to Scott's house." I frown, dreading the task already.

Lexi nods, "oh, damn. Can I help cook or anything? I feel bad not helping."

I shake my head, "you entertaining them is more than enough, Lex. You being here is doing more than you know." I explain. Her brows furrow, not understanding. "Don"t get me wrong, I love my kids. I would spend every day with them and be the happiest person alive, but sometimes it is nice to have someone to have an adult conversation with. There is only so much you can say to a kid.."

Lexi nods, "psh, Ava and Grace act like they're grown. I am sure you could have a very adult conversation with either of them." She jokes. She presses her palms to the counter and hoists herself up, sitting herself there to watch me.

"Right..."

"I know what you mean though. I enjoy being here too. And I really do appreciate you." Lexi flashes a tiny smile.

Things fall a bit quiet, but I have a question burning in my head that I can't kick.

"So, I feel like the longer I don't address it the weirder it is going to make it..." I sigh, turning my full attention to Lexi, who is watching and listening intently. "I'm not trying to bring any difficult shit up, but what you said the other day about Mia thinking that you're... you know where I am going with this."

I watch Lexi swallow a lump in her throat and she drags her tongue across her teeth. "Ev, I shouldn't have even mentioned that. I was tipsy and it was fresh... we don't have to talk about it."

"I think we should, Lex." I admit. I glance through the window, making sure my daughters are still in the backyard and not listening to our conversation. "Mia thinks you're 'in love' with me? Why the hell would she think that, Lex?"

Lexi shifts uncomfortably, letting out a frustrated sigh. "I don't fucking know, Evan. She just- I don't know. Go ask her." Her tone takes a defensive nature and I am not fond of it... at all.

I cut my eyes at Lexi and slowly go closer to her. "Lexi, look at me."

Before I know it I am standing between her thighs and she still refuses to look at me. My hand slides up her neck and scoops her defined jaw, forcing her to look at me. "Why would she think that, Lexi?" I ask.

Her timid eyes finally connect with mine and I see the tiniest shimmer in them. Before I can drag an answer out of her stubborn ass, the backdoor swings open and I hear the grumbles and groans of my daughters.

I instantly snatch my hand back and go to the opposite side of the kitchen. I don't know why I'm still so jumpy around Lex when my kids come around. It's not like I'm still married to Scott, nor am I dating Lexi, but I just feel weird about it.

The kids love Lexi, and I don't want them to get the wrong idea about anything, though I'm not even sure they'd know enough to formulate any ideas.

"I'll be right back." Lexi excuses herself, using the girls' entry as her chance to slip out of the conversation.

I watch her leave and turn to my daughters, "what's with the whining?"

"We want you to come outside with us." She sighs. "We're bored, mom."

I point towards the stove, "I'm cooking, babe. Maybe Lexi will come outside with you? You'll have to ask her... be extra nice." I suggest.

Ava stomps away, going to find Lexi and pester her. To my surprise, Lexi willingly goes outside with them... not even one complaint about it.

I know she's getting tired of catering to the kids, especially two eleven year olds full of sass, but she is being a really good sport about it. For that, I applaud her.

Once dinner is ready, I call everyone to the table and we all sit and eat together.

"Do we have to go back to daddy's?" Mason asks, sucking up noodle after noodle from his bowl.

"You know the answer to that, kiddo." I sigh, hating it just as much as he does.

"Is Lexi staying here for more nights?" Ava asks, clearly having a reason for asking.

"I- she might. Why?" I ask, laughing a little.

"If Lexi gets to stay, I think we should get to stay." Ava sasses, giving me all sorts of attitude with her facial expressions.

"Easy with the 'tude, babe." I giggle at my daughter.

Lexi smirks beside me, "wonder where she got it from." She taunts, hinting towards me. "And I'm not staying, so you won't be missing too much here." She explains, doing her best to comfort my daughter.

I raise my brows, not expecting that. I thought she'd stay for at least one more night. It'd save her some cash on a hotel room, that's for sure.

"I don't want you to go! I like when you are here. Can you come to our dad's?" Grace asks.

Lexi plays in her food with her fork, searching for an answer. It's not like she can just come out and say that their dad hates Lexi for fucking me five years ago. "Lexi has to work, you guys." I blurt.

"Well can she drop us off at dad's?" Ava asks, having it all figured out in her head. They have an answer for everything.

Lexi... going to Scott's? Yikes. That is something I hadn't thought about. "I... I don't know." I shrug.

"Please?" I'm begged by the twins.

I let out a deep exhale, "maybe. Finish eating." I grumble, wanting to change the subject.

After the kids eat Lexi wastes no time cleaning up the entire kitchen. I try to help, but she beats me to it.

"You didn't have to do all of that. It's sweet of you though." I say to her, arms folded over my chest and eyeing her from across the room.

Her shoulders shrug, "just doing my part. I'm gonna-"

"I was thinking about what the girls asked. You can ride with me if you want... I could use the company." I admit, thinking about the quiet two hour drive back. And I have an ulterior motive, but that doesn't needed to be addressed at the moment.

Lexi's nose scrunches, "it's gonna be late by the time we get back. I don't know if I'll be able to find-"

"Oh my god, shut up. Yout ass is sleeping right in there on that couch again tonight. Do not argue with me, Lexi." I hiss, my eyes rolling.

She raises her brows and I see a tiny smirk on her lips, "okay then, ma'am. If you say so."

I eye her hard and my eyes crawl over her face, hanging on her lips. "Mmhm." I mumble, walking away.

I pack the kids up and load them into the car, Lexi occupying the seat beside me.

The two hour ride there isn't bad, mainly because I have two eleven year olds and an eight year old talking my ear off the whole time.

Once we get there, Lexi gets to see a tiny piece of the misery I deal with every other weekend. She stays in the car, not trying to be seen and recognized by Scott. That would be a whole other ordeal.

The kids all cry, per usual, and I force myself to say goodbye. They walk away and I return to my car, only controlling my emotions because Lexi is present.

"That is heartbreaking. What the fuck? They hate it...." she points out.

"I'm glad I'm not the only one who notices that." I sigh.

Lexi bites her cheek, looking angry for me and the kids. "He's such a dick. Fuck him."

I smirk, "worst decision I've ever made."

She rolls her eyes, "I'll disagree. As much as it repulses me to think about you fucking Scott, of all people, those kids are literal angels, Ev."

I glance at her, "you don't have to pretend that you love dealing with them, Lex. I know they're a lot. I'm not expecting you to-"

"I'm not pretending anything, Ev. Why would I? I really do love being with them, as weird as it sounds. They put a smile on my face." She admits.

I nod my head and we continue chatting about the kids and Scott's dickhead-ways for the next couple of hours.

By the time I'm turning into my driveway, the conversation shifts to a heavier subject... which I may or may not have planned.

"So, I never got an answer from you." I sigh, knowing Lexi is going to try to avoid it.

"Funny how to trap me and then ask me some shit like this." She laughs, looking out the window.

"Well, you're acting shady as hell about it, Lex. I want an answer... and we both know I get what I want." I smirk.

Lexi glances over her shoulder and cuts her eyes at me, "you got what you wanted five years ago, but now I'm the one who gets what she wants, Evan." Her voice takes on a tone that, to be frank, turns me on.

She pops the handle and exits my car, walking into my house. I follow her, not ready to give up on the conversation.

"Why does she think that, Lexi?" I press, shutting the door behind me.

"Evan-"

"Tell me, dammit." I laugh, needing to hear her say it to let me know I'm not crazy for even thinking it.

She looks at me from the doorway and it gets quiet. After the longest fifteen seconds of my life, she walks towards me and speaks.

"You really need me to tell you that I'm still crazy about you?" Lexi's words slip out and her lips clash with mine. Her hands finally touch me; one snakes around my waist and the other holds my neck carefully.

The taste and feel of her lips flood my senses, and every last feeling, memory, and moment from our past flashes rapidly in my brain.