Page 9 of Midnight Dissonance

The front door opened, and he froze.

“Lexi?” The shock of finding her there hit him like a bat to the head. He drank in her form. Her dark red hair lay in soft waves over her slender shoulders. She was dressed in what he could only describe as a punk rock outfit. She wore a black long-sleeve shirt that displayed her ample tits to perfection. But the sleeves were shredded and provided pale glimpses of her arms. She had on a micro-mini jean skirt that barely covered her rump and black fishnet hose with a pair of black combat boots.

Who the hell was this woman? Last weekend she’d been in a leopard print catsuit. And now, she looked like a groupie for a heavy metal band.

Lexi’s blood-red lips curled down. “What the hell are you doing here? Did Gabe give you my address?”

The disdain lacing her words broke him out of his trance. “No. I thought this was Lisa Williams's house. It’s the address she gave me.”

Lexi crossed her arms in front of her chest. The act smooshed her generous breasts together. He ignored the plump globes as best he could. But she had a stellar rack. “It is Lisa’s house. What do you want with my sister?”

“I work with her. Our team is meeting here for dinner tonight. What are you doing here?” Sister? Lexi was Lisa’s sister? Bloody hell. He hadn’t seen that one coming. Did Gabe know? Surely, his cousin knew he worked with Lexi’s sister. Then again, perhaps not. Gabe tended to stay out of the daily RMD business.

But sisters? He knew Lisa. He’d been working with her for almost two years now. And they were nothing alike.

“I live here.” Lexi rolled her eyes. “Fine. Come in.”

“Does your sister know you were at the club?” She lives with her sister? Well, at least he had her address now. Not that he knew what he would do with it. Because it wasn’t like he could show up here unannounced to speak to Lexi since it was his coworker’s residence. There would be far too many questions he’d be unable to answer. He kept his bedroom preferences out of the office. And he wasn’t going to change his policy on that. His private life was his private life.

But Lexi whipped back around and pointed a finger at his chest. “Let’s get one thing straight. You tattle on me to my sister, and I will cause you a world of hurt. The less my sister and my family know about my life, the better it is for me. Understood?”

“Perfectly.” But he couldn’t help but think how sad. It sounded like she and her family weren’t close. When he didn’t know what he’d do without his brothers. He might be the oldest, but if he needed help, Sean and Aiden would be there for him in a heartbeat. And the reverse was true because if they needed him, he was there, no questions asked.

Lexi retreated a few steps and gave him room to enter. “Follow me.” She swiveled on her heel without another word, and he was presented with her heart-shaped ass. He bit back his groan. Her ass encased in the micro-mini was enough to make him want to get on his knees and beg her to reconsider. Her juicy ass gave him wicked thoughts of bending her over the nearest surface just so he could watch her take his cock while her ass jiggled.

Down, boy! he told the semi in his pants.

Inside the foyer, he spied a comfortable living room off to the right. It was well appointed and what he would expect from Lisa. Clean lines with impressive pieces that she likely handpicked and had added her subtle flair.

How did Lexi fit into this place? It didn’t seem like her at all.

He trailed after her into the kitchen and connecting dining room. Lisa was at the stove, her blonde hair in a ponytail, wearing gray slacks and a blouse. Trent and Emily were already here and sipping drinks.

“Look who finally made it.” Trent grinned. He was a bit of a hotshot who looked like a reformed beach bum. But calling him that was well deserved. He had a brain like a whip that seemed to remember every business tort under the fecking sun.

He toasted him with the bottle of wine. “Traffic was brutal getting out of the city.”

Emily smiled and cheered him with her wine glass. A divorced mother of two boys, she was the best lawyer on his team.

Lisa turned toward him with a beaming smile, which turned into a slight frown when her cornflower gaze flicked to her sister. But she redirected her attention his way. “Glad you came. I was beginning to think you were standing me up.”

What an odd thing for her to say. It made him feel awkward. He covered it up and held out the wine bottle. It was the best chardonnay at the wine store. “For you, as thanks for feeding us all tonight.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Lexi stalk down the hallway and out of view. Josh had more questions than answers. Why did she live with her sister? What was that look Lisa had given her all about? Was Lisa one of the reasons behind Lexi’s attitude? Or was it just Lexi and who she was?

“It’s my pleasure. Can I get you something to drink? Wine? Beer?” Lisa asked, carrying the wine over to the fridge.

“A beer would be grand. And whatever you’re cooking smells wonderful.” His stomach rumbled at the delicious aromas.

“We’re having beef Wellington. Dinner should be ready in about fifteen minutes. There are some appetizers on the table in the dining room if you’re famished. I figured we deserved something spectacular. Something that is not takeout.” She grabbed a beer out of the fridge and handed it to him.

“It sounds fabulous.” He stood talking to his team while Lisa pulled steaming dishes out of the oven. And he wished he could say he paid attention to what they were discussing. Emily had some ideas on some of the subsidiary language for them to review on Monday.

But his mind was on Lexi and just how out of place she seemed here.

And then Lexi returned to the kitchen hefting a guitar case, looking like a sex kitten in her punk rocker outfit with her keys in hand, heading toward the front door.

“You’re not eating with us?” he blurted and frowned. Why did it matter? She didn’t want him. He needed to move on. But she had him twisted up inside. He had the insane urge to comfort her. Like beneath her prickly exterior was a broken woman in need of a little tenderness.

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