"Like you forgot lip gloss. It's cotton candy. May as well make an impression when he kisses you."
There was no arguing that logic. After applying some to her lips she held it up. "Can I take it with me?"
"It's yours," Rachel said. "Now go before I make you watch Pretty Woman with me."
"Rach?"
"Oh my God, what?"
"I love you."
Rachel threw a pillow at Alexa. "I love you too. Don't make me tell you again to get out of my face."
It wasn't possible to leave from the front door, not if Aunt Gabby was downstairs, so Alexa pointed at the window and waited for further instructions from Rachel.
"Yes," Rachel said. "The window. It's not a far jump. Just get a good grip on the side of the roof and lower yourself down then sort of let yourself drop."
Alexa had never been grounded long enough to seek freedom. She'd never been so in love with someone either. She guessed there were first times for everything.
Being divested of her cell phone made it difficult to call a cab. Instead, Alexa wandered a few blocks over to the neighborhood pub, knowing that taxi's waited outside for easy fares. She hailed one down and gave him Sawyer's address.
As the car drove down familiar streets, her heart began to race with the prospect of seeing him. She was both excited and terrified.
Sawyer cracked a third beer and lit a smoke. Worry had passed about an hour ago. Now he just felt sick to his stomach. The last time he really saw her was a quick goodbye before he'd tried to patch things up with Devin. Before that, Alexa was witness to a portion of the insanity that was his life. What if she didn't like it? What if it scared her away?
She'd had coffee with Lane that afternoon. What happened there? Did Lane pull his deep thinking shit and get Alexa all strung out on nerves and caffeine? Why the hell wasn't she answering her phone? Or his texts?
Sawyer slugged back some of the amber colored liquid and thanked God there was still almost a full case in the fridge. He had every intention of drinking himself into oblivion until the buzzer to the apartment door went.
He bolted upright, pissed at himself for being so bloody eager. It wasn't his thing to fall all over some chick. But she wasn't some chick, she hadn't been for a while, she was his. He walked to the front door and pushed the intercom button. "Yeah?"
"Sawyer?"
It was about time. He didn't bother answering, instead, buzzing her through so she could come up. He opened the door and rested along the frame, waiting. The light on the elevator moved slowly and he wondered if it felt the same for her. He was totally prepared to lay into her for not responding to him but when the elevator doors parted, he had to stop and catch his breath.
A dusting of rose color painted her pale cheeks. Her hair, still bright hung in loose waves and the jeans she wore made him squirm. Her shoulder offered the most beautiful curve he'd ever set his eyes on.
When she smiled and gave him a small wave, he forgot why he was mad in the first place.
"Hi," she said.
Sawyer couldn't find his voice. He turned his body sideways, allowing her to pass him. He closed the door behind him, making sure to click the locks in place. He moved to face her and as she opened her mouth to speak, he held up his pointer finger.
Chapter Thirty
Start from the beginning
