When we broke apart, we stared at each other, breathless.
“What are you doing to me, Lexi?” he asked in a voice that was a mix of shock and reverence as he took me in. I met his gaze steadily.
“Whatever I did, it wasn’t on purpose.” I ruefully sat up, reaching for my clothes.
“Leaving so soon?” he asked as he watched me pull my bra on.
I nodded. “I have an early morning tomorrow.”
I need to be there when Evie wakes up and runs to find me in my room.
It was the one constant she had in her life after I walked out on her dad three years ago, and I would not rob her of it.
He was silent for a moment, then got up and walked to the bathroom. He returned just as I had fished my panties from the floor and found my dress. He was holding a damp towel in his hand and used his free hand to gently hold me on the bed.
“One minute,” he said, gently wiping between my legs and along my thighs with the damp towel before switching to a dry one to finish cleaning me off. “Now you can get dressed,” he said.
I smiled, wondering if he did this for every woman he had sex with. What a gentle thing to do, I thought as I tugged my dress over my head. He lay back down on the bed, watching me intently.
He propped himself up on his elbow. “Tell me something. Where did you go to school to learn to code?”
I grinned, aware that my answer lacked the Ivy League school names he was probably hoping to hear. “I didn’t graduate from college,” I said. I thought back to Dylan and the reason I’d never finished college.
“I’m a self-taught coder,” I added, grabbing my handbag.
He hummed in agreement. “Why pay someone when you can do it yourself?” he asked with a wry smile.
I nodded, realizing that it summed up who I was. I could imagine he was the opposite. He’d pay someone to do almost everything for him that didn’t need his expertise. How had the two of us been attracted to each other?
“How many Ivy League schools have you graduated from, Jonah, just to get where you are?” I asked, pausing near the door but wishing I didn’t have to leave.
He let out a throaty, full-bodied laugh. “You got that right, Lexi. I’ve collected a few degrees over the years, but they’re just expensive pieces of paper now.”
My gaze drifted to the corner of the bed where his phone lay, the screen having lit up more than a few times throughout the night. It was a stark reminder that he was a very busy man. I’d had his complete attention for hours, and I knew I should be glad for that instead of feeling regret over not having more.
“I guess you’re a workaholic,” I said.
He smiled even wider. “And a loner, Lexi. I don’t like anyone laying claim to my personal time.”
What a pity. That answered a question I’d had about why he wasn’t in a long-term relationship.
I inhaled and tore my gaze away. No matter how much I looked at him it would never be enough. At the doorway, I stopped and turned for a quick look. He was still watching me. I dropped my handbag and went back to him on impulse. I climbed onto the bed while he stilled, surprised, until I put my lips to his, giving him a wet, lush kiss. He hooked one arm over my back, stopping me from leaving instantly like I’d planned and instead kissing me back passionately, his tongue going deep into my mouth.
When we broke apart, we stared at each other, unable to believe the attraction we still felt. What a pity this was the last I would see of him. “Bye, Jonah.”
“Bye, Princess.”
4
LEXI
“Mommy, Mommy.” The words rang through the apartment on Monday morning as I poured orange juice into a cup and set it on the table.
Evie came walking down the stairs, clutching her doll and still in her pajamas. Strands of her yellow-gold hair were coming out of the plait I’d made for her, and she looked adorable.
“Good morning, sweetheart,” I said, scooping her up into my arms and giving her a cuddle. She held out a piece of paper with two very pretty unicorns drawn on it. “I made this for you, Mama,” she said, her voice filled with pride. “It’s a mommy and a baby unicorn. I made it all done when you went out that night and I thought it was lost but it wasn’t really lost.”
“It’s beautiful, darling,” I said, kissing her. “Thank you so much.”
