Mitch’s tree trunk thigh pressed against the side of Lexie’s own, and she shivered at the contact.
“You cold?” Cole asked her.
“Not really,” she said. “Just one of those freak things.”
“Why are we even sitting right now anyway?” Berkley asked. “I thought we came to dance?”
“You make a good point, Daniels,” Lexie said, then turned to Mitch. “Can you let me out please?”
He licked his lips and settled his gaze on her mouth. This close to him, she was enveloped by his scent: classic Old Spice deodorant and one hundred percent American male. Mitch was a no-frills kind of guy and didn’t care about buying the latest, trendiest, most expensive cologne on the market. In fact, he didn’t even wear cologne. His scent was unique to him, bringing Lexie back to lazy days in bed, and curling up against his chest when one of them finally came home after a road trip.
Everything went a little hazy around the edges as they stared at each other in their own little bubble.
And then Berkley said, “You gonna move, Mitch?” And the whole thing popped, bringing them back to reality.
Mitch shook his head and instantly turned away from Lexie, unfolding his body from the booth before extending a hand to help her out of the booth. Reluctantly, she accepted it, goosebumps raising on her arm as it settled around her slender one.
The second she was on her feet, she pulled her hand free from his and practically sprinted toward the dance floor, Berkley hot on her heels.
“Is it just me, or is it hot in here?” Berkley said, fanning herself and raising an eyebrow at Lexie.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Lexie said, spinning away from her friend and losing herself in the beat pulsing from the speakers.
It was apparently 90s night, and as one song blurred into the next, Lexie gave herself wholly to the music. It had been too damn long since she had let loose like this, and she was reminded how much she loved it. She didn’t give a fuck if she looked ridiculous, jumping around and bopping her head, swinging her hips back and forth, or grabbing Berkley and towing her around the dance floor when a slow song came on.
Eventually, the boys decided they wanted in on the fun. Brent and Cole made their way into their little group, Brent settling his hands on Berkley’s hips and pressing a kiss to her neck as Cole grabbed Lexie’s hands and twirled her around to a one hit wonder while everyone shouted the words until they were breathless.
Cole had become a great friend of Lexie’s over the course of the last year. First, as they bonded over Mitch leaving, and then became closer and closer the more time they spent together. Lexie considered him a brother, and he considered her a sister. But Mitch didn’t know that, and when Cole spun her around and pulled her back to his chest, she laughed and tried to pull away.
“What are you doing?” She shouted at him over her shoulder.
“Trying to make Mitch jealous,” he yelled back, that perfect smile settling into a wicked grin. “Let’s see how long it takes for him to come out here.”
“That’s not what this is about,” Lexie told him.
He leaned down and pressed his mouth right against her ear. “Look, you’re hot. You know it, I know it. If you were anyone else, we’d already be in a cab back to my place. But you’re not. Whether you’re ready to admit it to yourself or not, there’s never going to be anyone else for you but him. I’m not trying to get in between true love and all that. That’s just bad karma.”
She turned her head, and their faces were close enough that moving a scant inch forward would have her lips pressed against his. “You’re ridiculous.”
“But I’m also right.” His head snapped up, and the heat at her back left.
“My turn,” someone growled, and Lexie instinctively knew it was Mitch.
She spun on him. “What if I don’t want to dance with you?”
“Too damn bad,” he told her, gripping her hips and pulling her toward him so that her front was flush with his.
The song changed to some Boyz II Men baby-making slow jam, and Lexie knew this entire night was a lost cause.
Given all the times she had found herself in this exact position with him before, it shouldn’t surprise Lexie how well she and Mitch fit together. But it had been so long since he held her like this, and she couldn’t help but marvel at how easy it would be to tip her head back and allow him to lower his mouth to hers.
But like she’d told him at the loft, she needed time. So much had happened between them. So much drama and bullshit and misunderstandings that honestly could’ve been solved with a phone call and a few words. Now it all just felt insurmountable, and she didn’t even know where to begin to wade through it and come out safely on the other side.
So she rested her cheek against his chest as they swayed to the song. Familiarity and muscle memory took over, and Lexie couldn’t help burying her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck. She felt his breath hitch, and he bent his head, his lips coming to rest against the sensitive spot right below her ear. When she didn’t move away, he pursed his lips and pressed a kiss there.
“I miss you so much,” he whispered, his voice nearly swept away by the pulsing of the music. She shivered as his breath fanned over her skin.
Pulling away, she looked up at him, his eyes pleading, cutting right through her, nearly shattering her resolve. “I…” she started. “I’m sorry.” She pulled away and sprinted for the bathroom.
