Page 110 of Golden Ruin

Something about having them with me just felt right.

As I picture her waking up groggy, sporting the cutest bedhead I’ve ever seen in my life, Lexi joins me and Jax in the kitchen. He’s at the island, finishing a bowl of cereal when she stops to press a kiss to the top of his hair. Then, we lock eyes, and it does something to me when she smiles a little, somehow looking every bit as fuckable in lavender pawprint scrubs as she did last night.

“Good morning, Sterling,” she says, being playfully formal.

“Morning, Rodriguez.”

She steps beside me as I drink my shake, pouring herself a cup of the coffee I made her. We don’t speak as we stand there, sipping, electricity passing between us.

“Mom, guess what!” Jax says with a gasp, milk dribbling down his chin.

Lex laughs but a look of disgust takes over. “How about you tell me after you swallow your food?”

The suggestion goes right over Jax’s head, and he’s rambling the next second. “My teacher says it’s my turn for show-and-tell soon. Can I bring Goose?”

Lexi and I both sigh. Hers is probably because she’s wondering how to nicely say no. Mine is because I could’ve gone without the reminder that Matt is still a factor.

“Tell you what. Why don’t you pick your favorite two stuffed animals, and you can take those instead. I’m pretty sure pets aren’t allowed, sweetie.”

“Aww man,” Jax whines, but when he goes back to his cereal without another word, it seems we’re off the hook.

“Smooth,” I say quietly, only loud enough for her to hear. “Way to make the kid cry before eight a.m.”

“It’s an art I’ve perfected over the years.” She side-eyes me, trying to hold in her smile.

“You must teach me your ways.”

She nudges me with her elbow, but I see her eyeing my shake from the corner of her eye, frowning at the deep green color. “What the hell is that?”

I sip again, then hold it out to her. “Try it.”

She’s skeptical at first, but then sets her coffee aside to take me up on my offer, immediately regretting it. I laugh as she dry heaves after swallowing.

“Why would you willingly drink that?”

I sip again. “Because it’s good for you. Mostly, it’s greens and my protein mix, but I also add neem powder. That’s likely the delightful aftertaste you’re getting right now.”

She pretends she’s dying a few seconds longer, before finally chugging down a glass of water.

“Can I try?” Jax asks.

“No. Save yourself,” Lexi pauses to warn him, then finishes her water.

“How about this? Know how I promised to take you to the gym when you’re a little older? You can try it then. Sound good?”

Jax nods big, then lifts his bowl to drink the milk from the bottom. While he’s distracted, I turn my back toward him, focusing only on Lexi. She’s gone back to her coffee, probably trying to cleanse her palate.

“We never got around to having that talk last night.”

She nods when I remind her. “Nope. Our fav cockblocker made sure of that.”

We both smile, and I force my eyes away from her lips. “I’m heading to a workout, and I know you have work, but if you’re free this afternoon, maybe we can pick up where we left off.”

I realize how that sounds, and immediately fix it.

“Not… the physical part. I just mean the conversation. I think it’s important to talk about what happened, gauge what we’re both feeling.”

Her eyes stay trained on Jax when she sips. “I’d love to, but my afternoon and evening are jam packed,” she says. “The girls made me promise to meet them for drinks tonight, but before that, I have apartment tours lined up back-to-back.”