Mason’s face told her he entertained similar thoughts.
Flattening her palms on the tabletop, she tried to ignore the sensual ache spreading through her midsection. “Let’s compromise.”
“About?”
“Pretend last night didn’t happen. We’re just two old friends getting together and having dinner. We can catch up and do all the things we didn’t do last night.” They’d ridden an adrenaline high and, coupled with the shock of being reunited, of course they’d made bad decisions.
“I’ll agree to all of it except pretending last night didn’t happen.” He pulled out a chair for her. When she didn’t sit right away, he gave her a sidelong look. “Lexi, we can fight over every little thing and the food can get cold or we can sit and eat. Which would you prefer?”
“I hate it when you’re reasonable.” Whirling, she headed back into the kitchen. “I want wine if we’re going to walk down memory lane.” Opening the fridge, she pulled out a beer for him. “I also got this while I was out today.” A microbrewery made lager, similar to the kind they’d all drunk a few weeks before his parents died.
“You planned on me coming back?” Surprise laced his question. He left the bag on the table and walked toward her slowly.
“Hoped,” she admitted, to herself as much as to him. “I didn’t want to wait ten years to see you again.” That possibility made her heart hurt.
“Lexi,” he cupped her face. “I can’t stay forever.”
Somehow, she’d known that. “I’m not asking for forever.”
“Liar.” His playfulness vanished and he looked so damn sad.
“I’m not. I can want something and not ask for it. Hell, we don’t even know each other anymore.” She drew away from his touch and offered him a lager. “Let’s eat and fix that.”
When he accepted the drink and withdrew to the table, she tried not to read anything into his actions. Fetching the red wine, a corkscrew and a wine glass, she followed him. She wanted to make the most of the time they had together.
At least Mason had come back. That’s something, right?
He should never have come back. Lexi sat opposite him, looking absolutely fuckable in green cotton pajama bottoms and a tank top. Unlike the night before, she’d pulled back her hair into a tight ponytail, which emphasized her bone structure.
Every single time she took a sip from her wine glass, he focused on her mouth. Maybe he should stare at his food.
“So, you do construction?” They were the first words she’d said since agreeing to eat with him. They’d served the food, he’d opened her wine then his lager and they ate and drank in silence.
Hell, silent dining with Lexi was better than any other meal he’d consumed in the last few years. “It’s hard physical labor. I’m good at it.” He shrugged, then found himself adding, “The work keeps me mobile and I like the freedom of moving on once a project is finished.”
“You said you were part the crew on this building.” Though it wasn’t a question, he nodded. “Are you on a project now?”
“I’m in between jobs at the moment.” He didn’t want to mislead her. “What about you? You never told me why you were here.”
“Yes, I did. I told you I wanted a different life.” She speared a piece of shrimp on her fork.
Maybe he needed to approach from another angle. “Define different life .”
She licked her lips, stirred the noodles and he thought she might continue with her earlier refusal to answer, but she only sighed. “I need a whole lot more wine if you want me to tell you.”
What had been so bad that she had needed to leave? Alexis hadn’t always gotten along with her year mates, but they were pack. Pack fought then made up. They looked after each other. Obliging her request for more wine, he refilled the glass and studied her. She did an excellent job of avoiding his gaze.
“Fine.” She pushed her plate away. Since she’d eaten over half of what he’d
Flattening her palms on the tabletop, she tried to ignore the sensual ache spreading through her midsection. “Let’s compromise.”
“About?”
“Pretend last night didn’t happen. We’re just two old friends getting together and having dinner. We can catch up and do all the things we didn’t do last night.” They’d ridden an adrenaline high and, coupled with the shock of being reunited, of course they’d made bad decisions.
“I’ll agree to all of it except pretending last night didn’t happen.” He pulled out a chair for her. When she didn’t sit right away, he gave her a sidelong look. “Lexi, we can fight over every little thing and the food can get cold or we can sit and eat. Which would you prefer?”
“I hate it when you’re reasonable.” Whirling, she headed back into the kitchen. “I want wine if we’re going to walk down memory lane.” Opening the fridge, she pulled out a beer for him. “I also got this while I was out today.” A microbrewery made lager, similar to the kind they’d all drunk a few weeks before his parents died.
“You planned on me coming back?” Surprise laced his question. He left the bag on the table and walked toward her slowly.
“Hoped,” she admitted, to herself as much as to him. “I didn’t want to wait ten years to see you again.” That possibility made her heart hurt.
“Lexi,” he cupped her face. “I can’t stay forever.”
Somehow, she’d known that. “I’m not asking for forever.”
“Liar.” His playfulness vanished and he looked so damn sad.
“I’m not. I can want something and not ask for it. Hell, we don’t even know each other anymore.” She drew away from his touch and offered him a lager. “Let’s eat and fix that.”
When he accepted the drink and withdrew to the table, she tried not to read anything into his actions. Fetching the red wine, a corkscrew and a wine glass, she followed him. She wanted to make the most of the time they had together.
At least Mason had come back. That’s something, right?
He should never have come back. Lexi sat opposite him, looking absolutely fuckable in green cotton pajama bottoms and a tank top. Unlike the night before, she’d pulled back her hair into a tight ponytail, which emphasized her bone structure.
Every single time she took a sip from her wine glass, he focused on her mouth. Maybe he should stare at his food.
“So, you do construction?” They were the first words she’d said since agreeing to eat with him. They’d served the food, he’d opened her wine then his lager and they ate and drank in silence.
Hell, silent dining with Lexi was better than any other meal he’d consumed in the last few years. “It’s hard physical labor. I’m good at it.” He shrugged, then found himself adding, “The work keeps me mobile and I like the freedom of moving on once a project is finished.”
“You said you were part the crew on this building.” Though it wasn’t a question, he nodded. “Are you on a project now?”
“I’m in between jobs at the moment.” He didn’t want to mislead her. “What about you? You never told me why you were here.”
“Yes, I did. I told you I wanted a different life.” She speared a piece of shrimp on her fork.
Maybe he needed to approach from another angle. “Define different life .”
She licked her lips, stirred the noodles and he thought she might continue with her earlier refusal to answer, but she only sighed. “I need a whole lot more wine if you want me to tell you.”
What had been so bad that she had needed to leave? Alexis hadn’t always gotten along with her year mates, but they were pack. Pack fought then made up. They looked after each other. Obliging her request for more wine, he refilled the glass and studied her. She did an excellent job of avoiding his gaze.
“Fine.” She pushed her plate away. Since she’d eaten over half of what he’d
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