Page 53 of One Little Mistake
We turn in a circle and find him propped up against a wall. “Oh, shit.”
Lexi runs to him and holds his hand. She also gives him a mint and tells him to suck on it until he’s outside, so he doesn’t throw up. I’ve never heard of that trick before, but thankfully, it works. “Lanie was a puker,” she explains. “We better take him home.”
“Nah, let’s stick him in a car. He’ll be fine. You still have bars to hit,” I say with a genuine smile and like how her reaction warms my chest.
“That’s the spirit, East. Yes.” She jumps in place and shocks the hell out of me when she leans in and kisses me.
I don’t hold back. Wrapping Lexi’s hair in my hands, I attack her lips, pressing my tongue at her seam until she opens to me.I’m in a lot of fucking trouble.
A car horn has us separating quickly, and I see it’s our car service. We stick Colt inside with instructions for the driver. When they pull away, Lexi’s eyes gleam with excitement.
“What’s next, East? I want to do it all!”
* * *
“My feets hurts, Beast.”
I stop walking, and the people behind us plow right into my back. I’ve had just enough alcohol that it doesn’t even piss me off. I just laugh.
“Your feets hurts?”
“Yup.” Lexi pops the p, and I want to kiss those lips, so I do. With my hands in her hair, I pull her face to mine.
“Get a room,” someone yells from across the street.
“That’s a good idea, Beast. We need a room.”
I laugh again against her lips. “We have a room, two of them.”
“Oh yeah.” She pulls back to look at me. “My feets hurt.”
Without hesitation, I turn my back to her and crouch down. “Hop on, sweetheart.”
Lexi wraps her arms around my neck, and I reach back to grab her legs. When I stand, I bring her with me.
“I don’t think I’ve had a little piggy ride since I was five.”
“A piggyback ride?”
“Nope, a little piggy ride. Ask Lanie. That’s what they’re called.”
“I’ll take your word for it. If we call her now, Dex will probably have my balls.”
“She’s going to be such a pretty bride.”
The sadness in her voice makes me pause. “You will be, too, someday.”
I feel her shake her head against my back. Glancing around, I see a bench across the street, so I take us there and set her down.
“You will, you know? You’ll be the best bride.”
When Lexi’s eyes raise to meet mine, time stops. This stubborn, beautiful woman shows the pain she’s carrying with the single tear that escapes, and I drop to my knees before her.
“Talk to me, Locket.” Even in my drunken haze, I have the urge to fix her. “Please, tell me why you’re so sad.”
“There’s no future for me, Beast. I won’t marry someone when I can’t give them everything.”
Oh, you beautiful, misguided, messy woman.
