Lex (Unconventional Hearts) (40 page)

Me:
Awe… I miss you too my Suit Master.
I’m looking forward to Saturday. How’s my girl?

Him:
Our girl is doing well. She’s healing
up, been playing with those toys you had delivered yesterday.
Wherever you got that pink shimmering winged pony, you did a great
job. She slept with that thing yesterday and refused to eat
breakfast if LEX, her new pony couldn’t eat with her.

Me:
She named her pony Lex? And I’m glad
she’s healing up. I miss her.

Him:
She misses you too and yes, Lex is
her pony’s name. Although it’s Alexa but she calls it Lex for
short. I think she thinks your name is short for something. Which I
didn’t have the heart to tell her it’s not.

I chuckle; smiling so big my face nearly
hurts.

That’s true. I have a strange name. My father
is the one who named me Lex. Most people think its short for Lexi,
Alexis, Alexa, or Alexandrea. It’s not. It’s just
Lex
, named
after Alexander Luther aka Lex Luther from Superman. My dad was a
fan of super villains, no shocker there. So, my mother conceded and
let him name me Lex. According to her, she wanted to name me
Douglas, which is ten times worse. That would have been extra hard
to pass as a female name. At least Lex is unisex. Guess I lucked
out on that one.

Me:
Give her my love, and I send a big
juicy kiss to you. I’ve got to get back to work and I’m sure you do
too. See you this weekend. Text you tonight while I’m in bed,
naked, thinking of you. Have a great day honey.

Him:
Yes, work is busy as always, although
I am kind of digging this working from home thing. You should try
it. It’s pretty great. You better text me tonight and I’ll be
picturing my hot woman in bed, naked and thinking of me. I’m hard
already thinking about it. See what you do to me? I don’t think
I’ll be able to get any work done. Love you, TTYL.

Dropping my phone back into my top drawer in
my desk with a grin and a warm heart, I turn my focus back to the
next six hours of work I have ahead of me. As I allow pictures of
Gage to dance in my head.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Friday

Lex

“Are you about ready to go?” Roni yells up
the stairs.

“Yes, five minutes and I’ll be down.” I yell
back, loud enough so she can hear me over Patsy, who’s serenading
me while I put the finishing touches on my make-up.

I’m standing in my bathroom, hovering over my
sink, my right leg bent resting on the top. I lean forward to apply
the last bit of my eyeliner and mascara perfectly. Tonight Roni and
I are having an impromptu quasi girl’s night out. Typically, I know
days ahead of time. Tonight is different. Roni dropped by my office
today around two and asked me to have drinks with her so we could
catch up. I’ve barely spent more than an hour with her this week
combined. Too much of her time has been caught up in Bob and I’ve
been working late. No time to run into one another.

Popping my freshly lacquered red lips in the
mirror, I rub my fingers under my eyes to catch any stray eye
shadow that might have fallen.
Perfect
, now I’m finished.
Tonight I am going va-va-va-voom sexy in my black, designer
strapless cocktail dress that clings to my body like a glove. I
don’t wear it often because it’s a little on the expensive side.
Tonight though, I don’t care. I’ve spent all week away from my…
well I guess I should call him what he is, my
boyfriend
. And
I miss Roni. It’s time to relax; I think I’ve earned it.

Twirling in the mirror, I stop, run my
fingers through my slightly curled hair and voila, I’m finished.
Grabbing my purse from my bed and slipping my black glossy heels
on. I ‘click’ my way out of my bedroom door and down the stairs.
Some women need to be careful when they walk in heels. I need to be
careful when I don’t. I feel weird without them on. Even the
flip-flops I wear in the summer are leather with heels on them. I
have a serious addiction. As I’m sure you’ve realized.

“Woo wee, look at you hottie-patatie.” Sassy
Britches kids, fanning herself with gusto.

I laugh, shaking my head at her silliness.
“Whatever. Look who’s talking, Miss
I’m-wearing-makeup-and-a-tight-shirt.” I joke back, flashing her an
over the top grin.

Ignoring my compliment, we follow each other
out back. I lock up the house and we take her truck to the Devil’s
Den, the only suitable joint in town other than restaurants who
serve alcohol. It’s past dinner time, and we already ate delivery
pizza at home for supper, my half with mushrooms and banana
peppers, her half meat lovers. So, drinks at the Devil’s Den, it
is.

Walking into the Devil’s Den an older
gentleman graciously opens the door for us, and we go inside. The
place never changes. Still the plain watering hole it’s always
been. Tonight a DJ is running the show and there’s a rap song on
singing ‘
slide to the left, slide to the right
’. It appears
to be a line dance because the dance floor is heavily saturated in
bar goers.

We take up two stools at the bar and I drop
my purse on the top and pull out my phone. I told Gage I was going
out tonight. He said
‘have fun,’
but I have a feeling it
wasn’t very sincere.

“What can I get cha?” The silver fox
bartender asks, flashing us a genuine smile. He’s pretty yummy for
an older gentleman. I think he’s the owner because I swear I’ve
seen him behind the bar each time I’ve been in here. He’s hard not
to notice with his soulful blue gray eyes, and an amazing heart
stopping smile. It’s sexy on him. I bet he’s in his early fifties
and in better shape than most men I know. For whatever reason, he
always seems to wear a gray t-shirt that clings to his well-built
physique.

“Get whatever the hell she wants, Deuce. I’m
buyin’.” A rough familiar voice orders.

Both Roni and I turn our heads to see Tank
approaching us. With his big tank sized body clad in a pair of
dirty work jeans and a black t-shirt, his long brown hair pulled
back into a ponytail. I turn back to Roni and shoot her a raised
brow, and whisper. “Gage is going to be mad if we hang with him.
After what happened last weekend, this isn’t a good idea.”

“I know, but they’re all friends. I won’t let
him cross a line.”

Touching her hand that’s on the bar, I reply.
“Okay, promise? Gage will kill him if he does.”

“I know, and I promise.”

Tank drops into the open stool next to mine
and bumps his shoulder into me, a little too hard. “Hey there sexy,
Lex.”

“Hey, Tank.” I feign a smile, trying to be
polite. “Where’s the boys?”

Please say the men are here. Maybe they can
keep him at bay. He reeks of beer and I didn’t come here to play
babysitter. I’ve worked hard this week; I just wanted a night out
with my friend to let off some steam.

“Naw, Bob is working late with Auto at the
shop. Gage is I dunno. By the looks of it, he should be here.” He
stares none too discreetly at my cleavage.

“He’s with Emma tonight. We have a date
tomorrow. I miss him.” Please let this convince him to stop ogling
me. I realize drinking is like feeding someone a truth serum.
Doesn’t mean I have to like it.

Roni slides me over a glass of red wine. I
forgot to order, guess she took the liberty to do it for me. Thank
God for Roni, my attention is a little too preoccupied at the
moment.

“Thanks.” I wink at her and she returns the
gesture.

Fumbling with the wine, I sip it and run my
finger around the edge, trying not to pay attention to the man eye
banging me.

Roni’s the first to break the foggy silence.
“So Bob and I have some news.”

“Really? What?”

“Well…. I found out on Monday that well….
I’m…”

“You’re pregnant!!!” I scream, finishing her
sentence for her.

Turning bright red, she takes a sip of her
drink. Which I hadn’t noticed is just pop.

“You are!?” I grab her thigh to make her look
at me.

She slowly bobs her head, “Yes, I don’t know
how. We used protection and I’m on the pill. But those little
buggers of his are so potent. I don’t know what to do. He seems
okay with it. I’m not. I don’t know the first thing about being a
mom. I wanted to tell you sooner. But with the Emma thing and then
work, I couldn’t find the right time.”

Wrapping my arm around her shoulder, I pull
her into an uncomfortable hug. “I’m very happy for you both. Just
pray you have a boy.” I tease and she punches me in the side.

“Don’t remind me. I’m scared enough as it is
and if I have a girl, I will be screwed. If I have a girl, will you
keep her? You’re so good with Emma. I wouldn’t know the first thing
to do with a girl.”

“You will, I promise. I’ll help if you have a
girl. I’m the best girl I know.” I tease and she barks an awkward
laugh.

“You got the right.”

“And the hottest.” Tank chimes in.

I momentarily forgot he was sitting with us.
That moment was a great one.

Ignoring his comment, I unlock my hold on
Roni and politely ask. “Can I tell Gage? Do you mind?”

“No. I don’t hide anything from Bob; I
wouldn’t expect you do hide anything from your boyfriend.”

I look at her and she smiles. “He’s your
boyfriend isn’t he?”

“Yes, nosy Veronica Phoenix he is my
boy-friend
.” I enunciate and give her the squished up icky
face like I’m back in elementary as if my boyfriend has cooties.
Which makes her laugh.

Taking my phone with me, I excuse myself and
head outside where it’s quieter and I call Gage to tell him the
exciting news. I can’t wait to tell him I’m going to be an
aunt!

“Hello?” A female voice answers and my
stomach drops fifty stories.

“Um… Is this Gage’s phone?” Hesitantly I ask,
praying that I have the wrong number.

“Yes, he can’t come to the phone right now,
may I ask who’s calling?”

Why is a female I’ve never heard before,
answering his personal cell phone? Especially since he’s supposed
to be at home with Emma. This has
bad news
flashing on a
bright neon sign. What is Gage doing behind my back!?

“Hello… who’s calling?” The overly feminine
voice pleasantly asks again.

“Oh sorry, it’s Lex. Lex Keagan. Can you
please have him return my call?”

“Mex? Yes I shall.”

“No it’s…” The phone goes dead.

This isn’t good. I just texted with him like
two hours ago. Now it’s ten at night and a female with a rather
sexy voice answers his phone. I think I just died a little.

Slumping my way back into the bar, I
depressively drop into my stool and lay my head on the bar, trying
desperately not to cry.

“What’s wrong?” Roni, comes back from god
knows where, and sits back down beside me.

I shake my head not wanting to talk about
it.

A large heavy hand lands on my shoulder.
“Talk to us sexy.”

I turn my head and glower at Tank, and he
removes his unwelcomed hand. “Don’t call me that.”

“Okay, sorry. I thought women liked honest
men.” He shrugs, looking like I just hit him in the face with a
baseball bat making me feel ten times worse than I already do.

How could Gage have another woman answer his
phone?

“I’m sorry, Tank. You’re right, we do. I’m
upset because it wasn’t Gage who answered his phone when I called,
it was a woman.”

Roni gasps, and Tank pounds his fist on the
counter, making me jump. “That fucker! I knew it!”

“Knew what?!” I shoot up, my heart pounding
in my chest. Knowing damn well the next words to leave Tank’s lips
are going to crush me.

“I bet it was Megan who answered.”

“It’s ten on a Friday night, Tank. Why would
his secretary be picking up his phone?”

“She wasn’t always his secretary.”

Yep, its official, I died. How would he do
this to me?!

Immediately Roni has her arms wrapped around
me from behind, holding me, and knowing well enough, that I am
cracking apart on the inside. The feelings and love I felt are
gone, blasted to smithereens. Shrapnel of heavily weighted pain
engulfs my chest.

“What are they?” Roni asks Tank.

“Fuck buddies; have been for like ten months
or so. Every Friday night after Emma crashes out, she goes to his
place where he fucks her until she can’t walk the next day. It
might happen at work too. I can’t be sure. I just know Friday
nights are no go’s for Gage because he’s busy fuckin’ her. That’s
why our motorcycle rides happen on Saturday mornings, and that’s
why he’s always in such a cheery mood then. He got some ass,
literally. He doesn’t like pussy, only anal. If he goes out on a
rare occasion on Friday nights, he goes to her place afterward. I’m
sure the night with Corey he did the same thing. I’ve never known
Gage to go without sex for even a week. I’ve been buds with him
since we were fuckin’ ten. We used to bang the hell outa some
bitches when we were fifteen and they were nineteen, some sweet
fuckin cunts. Then about ah… I dunno…four maybe five years ago he
stopped pussy altogether. Saying his taste only lies in the ass.
His words not mine, not that I can blame him. I personally fuck
both women and men, ain’t no damn secret. This Tank is one crazy
kinky fucker just like my pops. Kinda figured since he started with
you.” He lazily points to me. “Like he’s been seriously head over
heels to do for years. I kinda thought he’d stop the Megan fuckin’.
You two banged yet?” he asks me, with the raise of his chin.

“No they haven’t.” Roni explains for me.

Thank you Roni. I’m in complete shock. I have
no other word to describe it.

“Have they done anything other than him
getting her off?”

Roni looks to me and I solemnly shake my
head, no.

Banging his fist on the bar again, Tank
grunts, his face cloaked in disgust.