Chapter 26

Birthday countdown: 33 days

Since meeting her: 13 days

Company takeover: 40 days

“Fuck, Lexi,” I growl in her ear, knowing we’re on a path of destruction together. “This wasn’t supposed to happen.”

“I know.” Her soft lips trace the outside of mine as she holds on to my shirt. It’s tight in her fists, but she doesn’t have to force me, not when every fucking cell in my body pulls me toward her. “Are you going to kiss me?” she whispers, and it’s desperate.

I smile against her lips. “Do you want me to?”

“Please.”

Our lips crash together, and a hurricane of emotions floods through me. Her arms wrap around my neck, and the kiss deepens. Her tongue is greedy and tastes like the fruity champagne we drank on the way here. We’re desperate, dangerous, and drunk on each other’s touch.

“Are you just going to tease me every fucking day?” she asks, unbuttoning the top button of my shirt and quickly working on the next one. “I don’t think I can take this for a year.”

“Lexi,” I whisper. I want to ask her if she’s changed her mind about giving love a chance.

“I can’t make any promises, Easton,” she says, reading my thoughts. “That’s my truth.”

“All I need is confirmation that we have a chance,” I say. It might be cocky as fuck, but I know if there’s a possibility for us, I could have her.

She continues working on my buttons, but those angel eyes lock in on mine.

She nods and smirks. “Yes.”

“That’s all I fucking need, my little heartbreaker.”

I gently grab her wrists, holding them above her head, pinning her to the door as my mouth memorizes the soft skin of her neck. I slide my lips across her jaw and to her hot, greedy mouth.

“We haven’t made it to day fifteen yet,” she mutters, her breasts rising and falling with each ragged breath.

I love the way her sweet skin tastes. “It won’t change the way I feel.”

She laughs, her stance straightening. “You’re sure?”

“Positive.” I let her loose, my fingers trailing down her arms. I gently cup her gorgeous face, hoping she knows how raw I’m being. This is real to me. The need, the want, and the fire burning between us are almost too much.

“I don’t know how I’ll get over you,” she admits, wrapping her arms around my neck and pulling me in for another kiss.

“Then, don’t,” I say. “Go with the goddamn flow.”

She places her hands on my stomach, guiding me toward the bed. Instead of falling back, I sit on the edge, pulling her toward me. My cock is so fucking hard; it might bust the seams of my pants. She glances down at it and swallows hard.

“Scared?” I lift a brow.

“Fuck no. I’m ready,” she admits, wrapping my tie around her hand, pulling me toward her. She breathes into my ear, “Do you beg?”

I smirk. “Never.”

“Mmm. German shepherd energy,” she mutters, capturing my lips. “My favorite.”

Lexi removes my tie and finishes taking off my shirt. Her fingers run down my shoulders and she peppers kisses across my skin, climbing onto my lap and straddling me. She rocks against me, her ass tightening as I hold her steady against my chest.

“Worshipable,” I whisper, meeting her gaze. “You drive me insane.”

“You’re just as guilty,” she admits, pushing me back on the bed.

“So beautiful.”

“When you say things like that …”

“I mean it,” I confirm.

My hands slide under her shirt, holding her waist, and she pulls her T-shirt over her head.

She tosses it to the floor before reaching behind her back and unsnapping her bra.

The sun sets in the distance, and the room glows golden as I memorize how her hair and eyes shine. Timeless beauty. This woman quickly stumbled into my life and grabbed my heart before she fell.

Lexi leans forward, unbuckling my belt, watching me.

“You feel so good,” she whispers, grinding harder against me.

The only thing between us right now is our clothes. I groan, licking my lips. She bends down, kissing me, running her fingers through my hair.

“Please tell me you packed condoms,” she whispers.

I sigh. “No.”

She groans, chewing on the edge of her lip. “Why not?”

“Because that would have been presumptuous.”

“It’s called being prepared, Easton. But I guess there are other ways,” she says, kissing down my chest.

Then, she unzips my suit pants, reaching inside my boxers to grab me.

Her breath hitches when her small hand wraps around my girth. “Okay, now, I’m scared.”

I laugh out loud and she smiles, keeping her grip on me, stroking.

“Fuck,” I growl, not wanting to take my gaze from her.

“May I?” She licks her lips and I place my hands behind my head, watching her.

“Mmm. Using manners like a good girl,” I say, and she holds back a grin.

As she pulls my cock out, ready to take me in her hot mouth, a hard knock at the door rings out.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” I hiss, frustrated.

It scares the shit out of Lexi, and she looks at me with wide eyes before placing her finger over her mouth. We’re desperate for each other, breathing heavily, needy, and whoever that is needs to go the fuck away.

“Open up!” I hear in a deep voice that sounds oddly like my brother.

“Weston?” Lexi whispers, studying me.

“Hello?” my brother asks. “I know you’re in there.”

The haze we were in quickly vanishes.

“Excuse me?” I say, fucking livid as I tuck my cock back into my boxers and pull up my pants.

“I came to say surprise!” he says, leaning closer to the crack of the door. “What are you two doing in there?”

“Fuck off!” I yell as Lexi slides off the bed and grabs her bra and shirt.

She quickly dresses, walks toward the door, and unlocks it.

I can’t say the word don’t before she’s cracking it. I adjust myself and stand as my brother pushes it open, looking around the place, wearing a shit-eating grin.

“I told you I wouldn’t let you visit Texas without me,” he says, smirking with his brow arched. He shoves his hands in his pockets, glancing between us. “Oh, did I interrupt something?”

Lexi glares at him like she might murder him. Her hair is messy on her head and her lips are swollen. There are no doubts about what was happening.

Guilt covers us.

“Get. The. Fuck. Out,” I bark, crossing my arms over my bare chest, jaw locked, ready to fight.

“Just know, I bet on you two,” he says, and I remember he placed wagers.

“Weston,” I growl.

“Okay, well, before I go …” he says, pulling something from his pocket and tossing it toward me. When I catch it, I glance down at the keys, noticing the snake on it. “Thought you might need this.”

The door shuts.

Lexi looks down at my hand. “What is that?”

I hold them up. “Keys.”

She tilts her head, rushing to the window. I join her and see outside sits the white Mustang Shelby Cobra, and Remi stares at it with amazement. Alexis opens the window.

“Are you kidding me?” Remi yells. “This is … oh my God!”

Lexi laughs, and I place my hand on her ass as she leans over to chat. “I drove it.”

“No way. Let me, please.”

I shake my head and speak loud enough for Remi to hear. “Absolutely not.”

“You’ll have to ask his brother. He’s the only one who gives the keys away.”

“He’s a dick,” I mutter.

“Brother?” Remi asks as Weston steps off the porch, walking toward her. “Twins. I knew it. You seemed … different.”

“She has a twin brother,” Lexi says.

“Ahh, she’s lucky he can’t pose as her.”

As Weston chats with Remi, Lexi turns to me. “You gonna tell me what it means now?”

I move forward, place my palm against her cheek, and brush my thumb across it. “That I’m falling in love.”

Her lips turn into a smile, as if she knows my truth. It’s like nothing else in the world fucking matters.

All consequences be damned.

I’m not reckless, but I’m willingly risking it all for a chance with this woman.