Distractions (The Rebound Series) (2 page)

Christ, he had missed her.
 
And it had only been a few days since he had last seen her.

A few painfully long days
, he reminded himself.

“I figured you would tell me not to come if I called,” he found himself explaining as he stood in front of her apartment door.
 
“But I had to see you.”

Regret burned in his chest as he remembered the hurt look on her face as she rushed out of his house on Sunday.
 
The tears in her eyes when she drove away had been permanently branded in his memory, making him feel like more of jackass than he already thought he was.

Olivia gazed up at him with those big blue eyes, uncertainty and wariness etched into her features.
 
He wanted to erase both of them from her expressive face.

He felt the need to fill the silence, something that had never bothered him before this moment.
 
“Please let me explain what happened on Sunday.”

She seemed to shake herself at his words.
 
He felt intense relief course through him when she nodded.
 
He watched as she unlocked her apartment door with shaking fingers, but when she finally pushed the heavy door open, she gestured for him to enter.

Her scent hit him as soon as he stepped in.
 
Lavender
.
 
The smell made his body tighten out of reflex as he automatically recalled the sweet taste of her skin and the soft scent of her hair.

“Would you like something to drink?” she offered, placing her bag and jacket on a hook by the door.
 
He felt pleasure at her voice, a sound he had found himself missing more than once during the past few days.

“I’m alright,” he replied softly.

When she hadn’t responded to his text, he had feared the worst.
 
He hovered around his phone more than usual, waiting eagerly for her reply.
 
But it never came.

He hadn’t wanted to call her because it seemed too pushy and he didn’t want to drive her away.
 
Alex had wanted to give her space, since it was something he figured she needed.
 
But earlier today, when he discovered he had hardly done any work, he knew he had to see her.
 
He had come to her apartment immediately after work.

He watched silently as she went to her fridge, flipping on the kitchen light to illuminate the dark apartment.
 
She reached in and pulled out a bottled water for herself.
 
As she twisted off the plastic cap, she looked at him.
 
“Let’s go sit on the couch,” she suggested.

He followed her wordlessly even though he wanted nothing more than to simply touch her…or kiss her.
 
The overpowering need to pull her soft curves against him and lose himself in her was so overwhelming that he clenched his fists tightly, his fingernails biting half-moons into his palms.

He looked around her apartment to distract himself as he took a seat next to her on her comfy couch.

The stark contrast between her home and his was so startling that he wondered how he could have missed it before.

Her living room was done up in feminine colors, soft pastels with bright pops of blue.
 
White Christmas lights hung around her window and she had various knick-knacks lining her shelves.
 
Nothing like his own home, where everything was arranged around sharp angles in monochromatic colors.

And she had photos
everywhere
.
 
On her television stand, on top of her huge bookcase, in her shelving, tacked to her walls.
 
Of family and friends, he presumed.

His home suddenly felt empty and cold.
 
Without a doubt, he knew it must seem that way to her.
 
For the first time, he wondered if she even liked his home.

“You have a lot of pictures,” he murmured, trying to think of a way to start off this conversation.
 
It was a lame attempt but he knew he was stalling for time.

Her lips quirked up at his observation.
 
“And you don’t have a lot of pictures,” she replied simply.

He let out a small laugh, “No, I suppose I don’t.”
 
There was silence again as Olivia waited for Alex to begin.
 
He turned more fully towards her, noticing her rigid posture.
 
She held the water bottle in her hands as though it was a barrier between the two of them.
 
“Did you get my text?” he asked in a low voice.

Olivia nodded, biting her lip.
 
“I did.”
 
She paused.
 
“I was going to respond, but I just needed some time after what happened.”

He didn’t blame her.
 
In his driveway, she had confessed that she had feelings for him.
 
And he had stood there like an idiot, completely mute.
 
He had watched in rising horror as she interpreted his quietness as rejection and he had felt powerless to stop it.
 
The realization had shown plainly on her face.
 
Even though it was completely untrue, it still killed him that he hadn’t responded.

He exhaled a slow breath.
 
Better start now
.
 
And he always liked the direct approach best.
 
“Luke and I haven’t been on the best terms for the past year,” he began.

Olivia didn’t say anything.
 
She simply waited for him to continue.
 
Her bent knee was touching his thigh and he focused on that simple, comforting contact as he continued.

“My ex-girlfriend and I broke up over a year ago.
 
Her name was Julia.
 
We had been together for about a year and a half.
 
But then I found out that she and Luke had slept together about a year into our relationship.
 
And even though I forgave Luke, I haven’t been able to fully trust him since then.”
 
His voice was thick and his throat was dry.
 
He really didn’t want to revisit old memories, but he knew Olivia deserved the truth.

“How could he do that to you?” she whispered to him, horror evident in her tone.

He shook his head, closing his eyes for a brief moment.
 
“He didn’t know.”

“How could he not have known?” she asked in disbelief.

“I never introduced them to one another.
 
I never even told him her name.
 
Luke was living in San Diego during most of our relationship and we only touched base occasionally.
 
He only recently moved back up here this past year to help run his father’s business,” he explained, rubbing a hand down his tired face.
 
“You see, our families all run in the same social circle.
 
Mine, Luke’s, Julia’s.
 
Julia is the daughter of my father’s business partner, which is how I met her.
 
Luke’s father is an old family friend and he owns Branford Construction.”

“The name on your t-shirt you gave me to wear,” Olivia murmured, recognition dawning in her eyes.
 
“That’s where I’ve seen his name before.”

Alex nodded and continued, “Luke and Julia met at a charity event in San Diego, one that I wasn’t able to attend.
 
I had a big account that I needed to close on that week.
 
And Luke is very…persuasive when it comes to women.
 
He’s always been that way,” he said softly, averting his gaze from Olivia.
 
“I didn’t find out until Luke moved back up here.
 
When I finally introduced them over dinner.”
 
He almost smiled when he remembered the horrified look on his friend’s face.
 
But it was still a bitter memory because of the damage it caused.
 
“Luke and I have been friends since childhood, but our relationship has never been the same.
 
I know that it wasn’t his fault, that he couldn’t have known, but I can’t bring myself to completely trust him.
 
Especially around a woman in my life.”

He felt her fingertips touch his arm hesitantly.
 
He grabbed her hand quickly before she could pull away, savoring her soft skin against his.
 
“Alex,” she whispered.
 
“I’m so sorry.”

“It happened a while ago,” he replied, shrugging.

Olivia was quiet until she asked, “Did you love her?”

“I thought I did at the time,” he admitted, feeling foolish.
 
“But then I discovered the real woman that she truly was.
 
When I broke things off with her, she told me she had only been with me because of my family’s social status and my money.
 
She said my looks were just a bonus.”
 
He felt Olivia flinch at his harsh words, but she didn’t pull away.
 
“She was cold, Liv.
 
Every woman I’ve ever been with has been cold, one way or another.”

“I can’t believe that,” Olivia said quietly, stroking his palm lightly.

He turned to gaze at her, feeling the way she comforted him even after everything he had done to her.
 
“Everyone except you.”

She made a small sound in the back of her throat as she froze.
 
Now, he knew why she hated it so much when he went cold on her.

He reached out and cradled her warm face in his hands, wanting her to know why he had acted the way he had on Sunday.
 
“I’m sorry that I didn’t introduce you to Luke.
 
I know that you thought it was because I didn’t want my friends to know about you, but that’s ridiculous and it couldn’t be farther from the truth.
 
Luke just caught me off guard and I handled it poorly.
 
Really poorly,” he said gruffly, his eyes pleading with hers.

“So you thought that if you introduced me to Luke, I would sleep with him,” she clarified slowly as she pulled herself away.
 
His empty hands fell to his lap as the ridiculousness of her statement reached his ears.

“No.
 
I just…,” he trailed off.
 
God
, how to explain this to her?
 
He knew she would never do something like that.
 
But the doubt had been buzzing around in his mind like a pesky bug, nevertheless.
 
Which was absurd.
 
Absolutely absurd.
 
And now, she looked downright offended.
 
Great
.
 
This was not going as planned.
 
“Olivia, I’m sorry.
 
I don’t know what else I can say besides the fact that I regret what happened on Sunday.
 
I was a complete fucking idiot and I wish I handled it better.
 
I know you would never do anything like that.”

Olivia was silent for a moment and he sat still, waiting for her response, wondering if he even deserved one.

But Olivia finally blew out a long breath and he closed his eyes when he felt her warm hand brush his forehead.
 
His heart pounded in his chest and he heard her scoot closer to him.

His eyes flew open when her soft lips brushed his cheek and his jaw.

“I forgive you,” she whispered finally against his lips.
 
A jolt of relief struck his body and Alex immediately brought his arms around her, crushing her to him.
 
This woman was a marvel.
 
And he never wanted to make her cry again.

Alex kissed her softly, his hand weaving through her silky hair, tethering her to him.
 
She tasted sweet and felt warm.
 
And he would never be able to get enough of her.

But when their kiss became more heated, she pulled back with a sigh.
 
“But no sex tonight.”

He blew out a breath, leaning his forehead against hers.
 
“Of course,” he agreed, calming the desire that raced through him.
 
He hadn’t even brought condoms.
 
He hadn’t been sure she would have even forgiven him.
 
“I should go.
 
But are you free tomorrow night for dinner?”

“Yes,” she replied, gazing at him with that dazed look he loved.

“I’ll pick you up at 8:30?” he asked, tucking a strand behind her ear.
 
She nodded.

Satisfied, he rose from her couch, pulling her up by the hand.
 
He walked to her front door and tugged it open.

“Bye, darling.
 
I’ll see you tomorrow,” he murmured, looking down at her as florescent lighting flooded her apartment from the hallway.
 
She stood on her toes to give him a quick kiss and he smiled at her, giving her hand a squeeze before letting go.

“Bye,” she whispered, smiling.

“You left me no choice, Olivia.
 
You never call me anymore,” a woman’s voice sounded from Olivia’s old cell phone.
 
It was currently pressed up against her shoulder and ear as she hastily filled her cupcake pans with batter.
 
A strand of Olivia’s hair had come out of her messy bun, making her appear as frazzled as she felt.

“Mom, I really can’t talk right now.
 
I have a line out the door and I’m running low on everything,” she said hurriedly.
 
When she finished filling the pan, she popped it into her industrial oven, setting the timer.

Lillian rushed through the kitchen door from the front shop.
 
“Livy, we’re out of red velvet.”

“Shoot,” she muttered, wiping a floured hand down the front of her apron.
 
“Mom, I really have to go.
 
I’ll have to call you later.”