She took another swig from the bottle, and Jeremy and I exchanged a glance. I’d only dated Danny Moyer to get my mind off him, and it seemed as if my little sister was following in my footsteps. And I wanted her story to turn out as happily as mine had.
But, before I could respond, Lexi continued.
“I don’t want to sound cheesy. Or even envious. But…I want what you guys have. I also want the heat and the passion. I don’t mean I want to meet someone and start banging them right away, but I want someone who kisses me breathless. I want to feel the urge to sprint across the room and jump into someone’s arms because I can’t stand another minute not being in them. Is that really too much to ask?”
Jeremy nodded towards me, letting me know that this one was all mine. So I grabbed the rum from her. For a split second, she tried to keep it in her clutches, but I was able to get it from her and took my own swig.
“No, of course not. That’s not too much to ask. That’s the type of man you should be with. You should feel those things, and if you don’t, then you’re just wasting your time.”
“It’s your fault, you know. Both of you,” she said, eyeing us. “You may have taken a little bit of time to get together, but since then, you’ve made it look so easy.”
I couldn’t argue with that. It was the truth. We’d had a smooth-sailing relationship for a long time.
“Lexi,” Jeremy spoke up. “It has been easy, but you’re right. For a while there, we were idiots. We wasted a lot of time we could’ve had together because we were too scared or too stubborn to admit our feelings.”
“You guys were pretty dumb,” she giggled.
Hello, Pot. Meet Kettle. But I kept my mouth shut.
Jeremy grinned. “We were. And, when we got over it, look what that led to. All I’m saying is, if you ever do find yourself feeling that way about someone, don’t hold it in until you burst. Don’t keep it hidden. You tell him, because at the end of day, you may just find he feels the same.”
I knew what he was getting at, and I hoped Lexi did, too. But all she did was give him a wistful smile.
“Do you think Jace will be kicked off the team?” she asked, her eyes suddenly rounding with horror at the thought.
Jeremy held his cell up. “He already texted. Coach didn’t actually witness who punched Aaron, and Aaron refused to say who did it. He got a warning, but if anything else happens, he’s done.”
“I can’t believe he did that,” Lexi whispered, shaking her head.
Jeremy and I exchanged a glance, thinking the same thing. Jace would’ve done anything for Lexi. She just couldn’t see what the rest of us could, and it was a crying shame.
I’d hoped Jace and Lexi would’ve ridden off into the sunset after that, but it never happened. They still acted like friends who were trying to save face after the disasters with both Aaron and Mallory. I was proud of Lexi for holding her head high in the hall, especially when it became clear Aaron and Mallory hadn’t missed a beat from being a couple of cheating assholes to dating. Good riddance to them, I told both Jace and my sister.
Now, I’m just wondering how I was going to get them to open their eyes and see what was standing right in front of them. I’d been brainstorming all day, and I planned on making Jeremy help me figure it out after he got home from his weightlifting session.
The house was dark when I pulled into the drive. Mom and Dad had gone away for the weekend, celebrating their anniversary at some posh hotel in Atlanta. They’d only gone after receiving the promise from the Banks parentals that they’d look in on us from time to time. I wouldn’t have been shocked if Dad had put a lock on my window. Not that my parents had anything to worry about in that department. At least, not really.
As I walked towards my house, I glanced to his, wondering when he’d be home from the gym. We had plans that night, and even though all they involved were dinner and a movie, I was looking forward to some cuddling time on the couch with him.
Out of nowhere, a strong set of hands wound around my waist and pulled me back against a sturdy, muscular chest. The warm, familiar scent of surf, sand, and a little bit of sweat enveloped me, riling up the same swarm of butterflies I’d had ever since Jeremy had first kissed me.
“Hey, baby,” he greeted, his deep voice rumbling as his warm breath tickled my neck. “I couldn’t help but notice you over here all by yourself. How about you take me inside and let me have my dirty, wicked way with you?”
I squirmed in his arms, but he held me tighter.
“Wicked?” I asked breathlessly.
“Yes,” he replied. “The new Harry Potter movie just came out and it’s in my back pocket. What’s it gonna be, pretty lady? Will you take me inside or do I have to Slytherin?”
His ridiculous joke was as adorable as he was. I giggled and turned in his arms. My heart fluttered as he smiled down at me with all the affection in the world. God, would I ever get used to this? To him? To us? Probably never, and that was okay with me. I never wanted to lose this feeling.
I didn’t think I had to worry about it. I was sure I never would. It’d been nearly three years and he still affected me as much as he had the first time he’d kissed me. Hell, probably even more so. With each passing day, I fell more in love with Jeremy, and I couldn’t imagine my life without him in it.
“You know you’re not the first to make that joke, right?”
“Perhaps not, but I’m the only one who can execute that move for you. Now, what do you say we go inside and take a look at that wand?”
Another giggle bubbled up, and I swooned in his arms. “Oh, handsome, you sure know how to seduce a girl,” I whispered, batting my eyelashes at him. “I have a DVD player just waiting for your disc to Slytherin.”
He grinned down at me then took my hand. “Lead the way, pretty lady.”
And I did just that. But, once we’d walked into the kitchen from the garage, I stopped in my tracks. Jeremy ran into my back, and I tilted my head to look up at him.
“Do you hear that?” I whispered.
We both grew deathly silent—I hadn’t been hearing things. Hushed tones were coming from the living room. So I glanced around the kitchen and saw Lexi’s keys sitting next to a familiar brown wallet and an even-more-familiar Navarre Raiders baseball hat.
“Jace,” I mouthed, and Jeremy grinned and did a fist pump.
I held a finger to my lips and started to tiptoe to the swinging doors that separated the kitchen and the living room.
I almost giggled when I peeked through the crack and saw Lexi sitting on the couch, a plastic knife held to her chest. Ah, yes. Apparently, I had missed the memo that it was The Princess Bride night. It was something she made Jace do often—watch the movie, not hold a knife to her precious lady parts. She was staring at Jace expectantly, and he was staring back, trying too hard not to let his eyes fall down to get a peek of her cleavage. I mentally starting cheering him on.
Take a peek! Take a peek!
My brain waves didn't penetrate though, because he just shook his head at her. He kept his gaze up, not looking down at the girls Lexi had on display.
“Say it, Jace!” Lexi implored, and I silently chanted along with her. Yeah, Jace. Say it!
“No way. You’re the weirdo who always wants to act it out. Can’t we just watch?”
She walked over to the couch, plastic tool in hand, and stood right in front of him. She quirked one eyebrow up, ready to pounce. You go girl.
“If you don’t say it, then I’m afraid there’s going to be a boob amputation and it’s not going to be pretty.”
Smooth, Lexi. Real smooth.