Tell Me Lies (8 page)

When he kissed her, it was surprising and expected at the same time. His mouth took hers, not asking for permission.

She opened her mouth to him, and his hands encircled her waist, holding her tight against him as he kissed her.

She thought he’d want to take her right into the room, but he kept her there in the hal way, kissing her for what seemed like forever. He teased her lips, pul ing back, speeding up, making her breathless with anticipation. She’d never been kissed like this before. Her knees were week, and she was so turned on she could hardly take it.

“Do you want to come in?” she asked final y.

“Do
you
want me to come in?” He sounded flirtatious, but Alexis could see the want and desire burning in his eyes.

“Yes.” She searched her purse for the key card, final y finding it only to drop it on the floor. Reid picked it up for her, then slid it into the slot and grabbed her hand.

They fel onto the bed in a tangle of arms and legs and kisses. His hands skimmed down her sides and up under her tank top, his fingers moving over her stomach.

Her whole body was on fire. She wanted him more than she’d ever wanted anyone.

He kissed her again, his lips moving down her neck, over her breasts, down her torso until he reached the bottom of her shirt. He slid the material up slowly, sliding his tongue over the curve of her abdomen before final y pul ing the shirt over her head and tossing it on the floor.

She pul ed him back down on top of her. A moment away from his body felt like forever. She hooked her hands around the back of his shoulders, pul ing him as close to her as she could.

Their lips met again, their kiss deep and hard this time, until Reid stopped to pul his shift off. Alexis forced herself to slow down so she could take in the magnificent splendor that was his body. He looked like an Abercrombie model, al flat abs and wide shoulders and tan skin.

He pul ed her back into his arms, and then rol ed over so that she was on top of him. His hands snaked around her back, unhooked her bra and then pul ed her down, taking the tip of her nipple into his mouth. Pleasure flowed through her body, and she was afraid she was going to have an orgasm just from his mouth on her breast.

She moaned and tossed her head back as he sucked on her tightened nipples, warmth and ecstasy flowing through her body.

When he stopped, there was only a second to catch her breath before he was unbuttoning her shorts, and pul ing down her panties. His hand slid down her stomach as his mouth returned to hers. His thumb found her clit, and he rubbed slow circles on it as they kissed.

She moaned and opened her legs for him.

“God, you feel good,” he whispered in her ear. His breath was hot against her skin, and his fingers began to up the rhythm, taking her to the edge and back before he final y stood up and took off his shorts.

His cock was rock hard, and in a flash, he was right back on top of her. She felt his hardness rubbing against her, getting her even wetter than she already was.

“Reid,” she breathed.

He pul ed back and looked into her eyes, smoothed her hair out of her face. He was asking her permission now.

She could see on his face how bad he wanted her, how much he wanted to be inside of her. But he wanted to make sure it was what she wanted, too.

She nodded slightly, and then he slid inside of her. The feeling was instant bliss.

He rubbed a finger down over her lips and slipped it into her mouth, and Alexis sucked on it gently to keep herself from crying out.

He began to move inside of her, slowly at first, then faster.

He pul ed his finger out of her mouth and ran it down her body until he got to her clit. It was the most intense and best feeling she’d ever had in her life. He picked up the rhythm, his cock and finger moving in tandem until she couldn’t take it anymore.

She moaned as her orgasm rushed through her. She felt him coming inside of her at the same time, and it made her orgasm that much more intense.

He stayed inside of her for a moment after they were both stil . When her heartbeat final y began to slow, he pul ed back and kissed her.

“You’re amazing,” he said.

Alexis took in a deep breath, not trusting herself to speak.

“So,” Reid said. “Should I sleep in here for a little while? My meeting’s at ten, but we have a few hours before I have to leave.”

A wave of regret washed through Alexis’ body. What the hel had she been thinking? Sleeping with Reid? She hardly knew him. No, scratch that. She didn’t know him at al . He was basical y one step up from a stranger. She’d never slept with a stranger before. In fact, she’d only ever slept with one other man in her whole life. And now here she was, going around opening her legs for the first guy who’d taken an interest in her.

And why? Because he’d like some stupid idea she’d come up with for an advertising campaign? Was she real y that pathetic?

“You don’t have to stay,” she said.

“I know I don’t
have
to,” he said, rol ing over. “I want to.”

He went to pul her close, but she stiffened. Suddenly, she wanted him to go.

The whole thing felt too intimate, too fake. There was no way he real y wanted to be here, holding her. Why didn’t he take it for what it was – a sexual escapade that didn’t have to mean more than it did?

“What’s wrong?’ he asked.

“Nothing,” She got out of bed and headed to the bathroom, where she splashed some water on her face and studied herself in the mirror. Her cheeks were flushed and her lips were swol en from Reid’s kisses. What the hel had she just done?

She closed her eyes, wishing she could take the whole thing back. But of course she couldn’t. After a few more seconds, she took a deep breath and returned to the hotel room.

Reid was sitting on the bed. He’d put his jeans back on, but his shirt was stil on the floor.

“What’s going on?” he asked. He sounded confused and concerned, which was worse than if he’d been angry. Angry meant he actual y cared – concerned only meant he thought she was deserving of his sympathy.

“Nothing,” Alexis said. She climbed into the bed and slid under the covers.

“Then why are you acting weird?”

“I’m not acting weird.”

“Yes, you are.” He shook his head. “I don’t have to stay here if you don’t want me to.”

“I don’t real y care what you do.” It was a lie. Although if she was being completely honest, she wasn’t sure which was worse – him leaving or staying. Half of her wanted him to go back to his own room, the other half wanted him to pul her close and hold her until he had to leave for his meeting.

“Do you real y mean that?”

“Do I real y mean what?” She was trying to sound flirty and flippant, but it came out annoyed.

He shook his head, then stood up and picked his shirt up off the ground, shoving his head through the hole angrily.

“You know, you’re some piece of work, you know that?”

“What?” She was taken aback.

“You heard me. You show up at my apartment, you eat my peanut butter and jelIy, you make me come and get you from the hospital and bring you on this stupid work trip with me, and now you’re acting like you want nothing to do with me? No thanks.”

“I’m not acting like I want nothing to do with you,” she said.

Her eyes started to fil with tears.

“What is it?” Reid asked, sitting down next to her. “What’s going on with you, Alexis? What are you running from?” His eyes were blazing and his face was serious.

“It’s okay,” he said, reaching for her hand. “Whatever it is, you can tel me. We can figure it out.”

He sounded like he meant it. And she wanted to tel him the truth – she wanted someone else to know what had been going on, someone who could tel her what to do, someone who could help her figure out the crazy thoughts that had been swirling through her brain.

But why should she trust him? Yes, he’d been perfectly nice to her, but that hadn’t stopped him from sleeping with her pretty much the first chance he got. She’d only known him for two days. If she told him, he’d run.

And that would hurt more than if he thought she was a complete bitch.

She shook her head. “Nothing,” she said. “Nothing’s going on with me. And I’l pay you back for the peanut butter and jel y.”

His jaw dropped. “You’l pay me back for the
peanut butter
and jelly?”
he yel ed. “You think I give a fuck about the peanut butter and jel y?” He dropped her hand, then stood up and began pacing the room.

“Wel obviously, since you brought it up.”

“I brought it up because it was just one of the many things I’ve done for you.”

“So what do you want? A medal?”

“That’s not what I meant,” he said, shaking his head in frustration. He sat back down on the bed and took her hand again. “Alexis. Whatever it is that you’re running from, it can’t be that bad.”

She averted her gaze and pul ed her hand back from his.

“What the hel would you know about it?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I mean that I saw the pictures in your room. I saw your life, Reid. The trophies, Harvard, the girls. What the hel would you know about it?”

He shook his head. “You don’t know anything about me,” he said.

“You’re right,” she said simply. “And you don’t know anything about me.”

He took in a deep breath, and she could see the hurt and anger on his face. “I’m going to go.”

He stood up, but didn’t move toward the door.

Alexis sensed that if she told him to stay, he would. He’d get back in bed with her, and she could tel him everything.

And then what? Maybe he’d help her, maybe he wouldn’t.

Maybe he would think she was a pathetic loser, or maybe he’d feel sorry for her. Maybe he’d even keep her around for a few months. But then what?

Reid was wrong when he said she didn’t know anything about him. She knew exactly what kind of guy he was. He was the kind of guy who didn’t do the girlfriend thing, the kind of guy who brought home a different woman every night, the kind of guy who was too good-looking for his own good, the kind of guy who was used to having things work out the way he wanted them to.

So Alexis turned away.

“Yes,” she said softly, “I think you better go.”

A second later, she heard the door shut behind him.

When Reid met up with Richard Muel er in the lobby of the hotel so that they could ride over to The Vista Col ection offices together, his mind was on anything but work. Al he could think about was Alexis.

“Did you get the email I sent you this morning?” Richard asked. “It was the new list of ideas I came up with after you left the other day for your ‘personal problem’.” He made air quotes with his fingers and then chuckled loudly, like he was making some kind of joke and not just being a complete douche bag.

“No,” Reid lied. He’d gotten the email almost as soon as it landed in his inbox, but he hadn’t bothered to read it. What was the point? Reid and Alexis had come up with a completely new campaign, one he was sure was going to knock the socks off the executives at Vista Col ection. Who cared about Richard’s half-baked ideas?

“Wel , when did you plan on reading it?” Richard asked.

“There’s only an hour until the meeting. That’s cutting it close, even for you.” He did another big hearty laugh, like he couldn’t remember the last time he’d heard anything even remotely as funny as his own stupid joke.

Reid resisted the urge to reach over and punch him in the face. He was stil reeling after what had happened with Alexis a few hours ago, and he had no problem taking his frustration and anger out on Richard.

“I’m not reading the email,” Reid said. They’d been walking while they talked, and now both men were standing on the sidewalk in front of the hotel, waiting for the car that they’d cal ed to drive them to Vista Col ection.

After he’d doubled checked everything, Reid had the materials for the pitch messengered over to the client’s offices first thing this morning. Nothing screamed unprofessional more than showing up carrying a bunch of poster board, no matter how expensive that poster board had been.

“What do you mean you’re not reading it?” Richard asked.

“Just what I said.” The car pul ed up in front of them, and Reid didn’t wait for the driver. He opened the door himself and climbed into the backseat.

“Why aren’t you going to read it?” Richard asked. “Unless you want me to take over the meeting, which I’l be happy to do.” He puffed up his chest.

“No, I don’t want you to take over the meeting,” Reid said.

“We have a new idea that we’re going to present. Didn’t you get
my
email?” There was no email, of course.

“No.” Richard frowned.

“Oh,” Reid said innocently. “It must not have gone through.

Let me forward it to you.” He pul ed his Blackberry out and found the email he and Alexis had come up with late last night. He tapped in Richard’s email address and hit send.

“I think I should cal Mark and make sure he knows about this,” Richard said, as if the thought of their boss being cal ed was going to scare Reid.

“Don’t bother,” Reid said. “I already told him.”

He reached into his briefcase and pul ed out his iPod and stuck the ear buds in his ears. He liked to listen to music before pitches. It helped him to drown out the world and get into a zone of concentration. Of course, this time the music did double duty, making sure that Reid didn’t have to talk to Richard.

The car slid through the streets of Tampa, and Reid tried to get into a zone and concentrate on his presentation. But he couldn’t.

Al he could think about was Alexis. He couldn’t believe a girl he’d just met a few days ago was having this kind of impact on him. She was mysterious and secretive, and he was intrigued by her, that was true. But there was something else, some kind of connection between them that had knocked him for a loop.

It was insane. But he couldn’t stop thinking about her. Her smile. The way her body felt against his. The way her skin felt under his fingers. The hurt in her eyes when he’d left her room this morning.