The sincerity in his voice was so powerful Lexi barely whispered back, “Maybe.”
With one more short, gentle kiss Trevor said, “Sweet dreams, angel.”
Through the glass in her door, Lexi watched as he got into his truck and drove away. She brought a fingertip to her lips, loving that she could still taste him there.
****
He watched the silvertruck drive off. Could see Alexis—Lexi—Hamilton moving away from the doorway and disappearing into the shadows of her home. At first, he’d thought the two were just friends.
He’d considered moving on, taking on a different route to achieve his goal. But, there’d been something about the way Lexi and Soldier Boy had been looking at each other lately.
That and the way Soldier Boy and his shaggy-haired sidekick had so valiantly come to her rescue yesterday.
The fact that Lexi and Soldier Boy were seeing each other didn’t deter him. In fact, it made his plan that much more rewarding.
He’d damn near decided to go after Lexi tonight. From the trees, he’d watched as the other two employees left. Thirty minutes later, he’d stood behind the cover of trees and watched as she walked to her car. Alone.
The opportunity couldn’t have been more perfect. Unfortunately for him, it was too soon. As much as he’d wanted to take her right then, he’d waited. Needing to be certain before he made his move.
The longer he gave them, the more devastating his end game would be. And, it would be devastating. For both of them.
Seeing Soldier Boy practically run back to her porch and go at her the way he had...right there, on her front stoop, for all to see...yeah, friends didn’t kiss like that. He would know.
The fiery rage he felt every time he thought about it threatened to consume him. He glanced at the Craftsman-style home again, just as the upstairs light went off.
He wanted to go in now. Knew he could break in easily enough. He’d tried it earlier this evening, while the bitch and her new lover were probably back fucking in the diner’s kitchen.
The waitress and the soldier. It sounded like a cheesy romantic comedy.
Laughing silently to himself, he turned his car on and put it in drive. As he drove down the quiet street, he thought about what he had planned for little Miss Lexi. He wasn’t quite ready for his big move, but he needed to do something soon.
He wouldn’t kill her. That would come later.
For now, he’d keep it simple. Just enough to show the bubbly blonde and her Soldier Boy he could get to her whenever he wanted. His smile grew as he pulled his car onto the interstate, knowing this story would have anything but a happy ending.
****
Lexi picked up thetwo paper sacks full of groceries and walked toward the set of large, automatic doors. Most people didn’t use paper anymore, but she liked them.
For one thing, she didn’t feel as though her fingers were going to be sliced in half by the time she carried them into her house. But the real reason Lexi usually asked for paper instead of plastic was that they reminded her of when she was younger and would go to the store with her mom.
Blinking back her tears, she stepped outside and inhaled, breathing in the cool, night air. After two years, you’d think she’d quit getting weepy eyed with every thought of her mom.
Time didn’t seem to matter, though. Not when it came to missing her.
But tonight wasn’t about that. Trevor would be at her house in an hour, and she needed to hurry and get home. After the fiasco of their first date the night before, Lexi was determined to make this one go smoothly.
Gina had called last night, right after Trevor left, and asked if Lexi would switch shifts with her. Apparently, she’d taken a second job to help with her bills, and they needed her that morning. Knowing it would free up her evening, Lexi had jumped at the chance to work the early shift.
This morning, after being dropped off at the garage and getting her car, she’d texted Trevor to see if he was free for dinner, more than excited when he accepted.
She hadn’t mentioned his buying her four new tires. She was waiting to have that conversation in person.
Lex had tried to get the guy to take all but the one off and put her old ones back on, but he’d told her he couldn’t. Apparently, once they were securely placed on the car, they were no longer considered ‘new’ tires, and they’d have to sell them as used. In turn, the garage would lose money on them.
She wasn’t sure if that was true, or if Trevor had just made sure the guy didn’t take no for an answer. Either way, she intended to have a discussion about boundaries with him tonight.
Lexi liked Trevor. More than she’d liked a man in probably forever. But she needed him to know that, even though the gesture was amazingly sweet, it was too much.
