Текст книги "Avoiding Responsibility"

Автор книги: K. A. Linde

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Текущая страница: 8 (всего у книги 32 страниц)

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You think I'm pretty without any make-up on

You think I'm funny when I tell the punch line wrong

I know you get me so I'll let my walls come down, down

Before you met me, I was a wreck

But things were kinda heavy, you brought me to life

– Katy Perry "Teenage Dream"

Chapter 6: November Nine Months Earlier

Lexi stared upwards at the colossal white structure looming over Peachtree Street in the center of downtown Atlanta. The High Museum of Art with its crisp green lawn, succeeding circular edifices and blocky surrounding structures looked as modern art as the MET appeared to be a classical castle. Surprisingly enough downtown had not been as crowded as Lexi had anticipated on her way in from the suburbs. With Thanksgiving only three days away, she had feared that traffic would be a nightmare, and she would be hard pressed to find any parking. Luck had been with her and the interstate was congested for only a brief period of time as cars merged on and off the perimeter, and then it was smooth sailing the rest of the way.

Despite that fact, she had still arrived a bit behind schedule. She was rushing to button up her new, bright red pea coat and scale the hill in her knee-high, black boots. Lexi slid her hands in the pockets of her jacket and ducked her head against the brisk breeze blowing in. She could never figure out why Thanksgiving in Georgia was always so much colder than Christmas. Last year she had been able to wear a tank top Christmas Day, but Thanksgiving she had been forced into multiple layers to stay warm. It hardly made sense.

A man graciously held the door open for her as she entered the large white foyer. She thanked the man as her high heels clicked against the white marble floors. Not seeing her date, Lexi ducked into the nearest bathroom to check her appearance.

She smiled at her reflection enjoying the wind blown look her curls were acquiring. They cascaded over her shoulders and after brushing her bangs a few times with her fingers, framed her heart-shaped face. She narrowed her big brown eyes as she inspected the hint of auburn highlights now apparent in her dark chocolate locks. When she was satisfied with her hair, she dug her hand into her black leather purse and pulled out a tube of red lip gloss that she dabbed across her slightly chapped lips. Stepping back from the mirror, she turned to exit the bathroom.

Just as she let the door swing closed behind her, Lexi heard a familiar voice that made her eyes light up and a smile cross her face. She was just about to jump around the corner to surprise him when the topic of conversation piqued her interest. Against her better judgment, Lexi leaned back around the corner to hide from his view.

"Dad, I told you already I don't want to talk about the wedding," Ramsey muttered into his Blackberry. Lexi strained to hear the other end of the conversation, but the phone wasn't turned up loud enough.

"I know what Bek wants. She always gets what she wants." Lexi rolled her eyes dramatically.

"You want to talk about who I am bringing?" he asked in disbelief. "What does it even matter to you?" Silence ensued for another minute.

"Are you kidding? No, I am not bringing her. Absolutely not. We're nothing. Nothing. Do you understand me? Can you try and drop it?" his voice was venomous.

After another minute, he responded, "I know who her family is. You don't have to remind me. Honestly, why are we even still having this conversation? I know everything about her. I know how you and mom feel about her. I know how you feel about everything," he spat. He took another pause and Lexi could actually hear his deep breaths. She imagined his chest was rising and falling as he brimmed with anger.

"Just stop, stop talking. This conversation is over. We can discuss it more some other time if you are insistent," he muttered.

Lexi, realizing that the discussion had come to a close, kicked the swinging bathroom door with her foot to make it sound as if she had just left the bathroom and rounded the corner. He turned at her approach and a full smile filled his gorgeous face. "Lexi," he muttered huskily taking in every inch of her.

"Hey," she acknowledged him nodding slightly. He scooped her up into a sudden embrace lifting her effortlessly off her feet. She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"It's great to see you. How was the drive in?" he asked setting her back on her feet and gesturing for her to proceed him.

She teetered briefly on the tiny heels attached to her boots before walking up to the ticket booth all the while explaining her brief encounter with traffic. Ramsey purchased the tickets and followed Lexi into the main entrance. "Well at least it wasn't that bad. I would have picked you up you know?" he said smiling down at her.

"You told me," she reminded him. "But I just borrowed one of my sister's cars. No biggy."

Lexi desperately wanted to ask him more about the conversation she had eavesdropped on. Of course, she didn't really want to talk about the wedding. She was bound and determined not ever hear about it, but she couldn't help but be curious. Ramsey had to attend that much was clear. Bekah was his sister. The thought made her cringe, but it wasn't something she couldn't change. He shared blood with that despicable woman.

But his necessary appearance at the wedding wasn't what had aroused her interest. What she really wanted to know was who the woman was his father had suggested to him. Lexi could hear Bekah's words about Ramsey being a player echo in the back of her mind. And though she knew Bekah was a compulsive liar, she couldn't shake the feeling that some of the things she had said were true. It wasn't like Bekah was the only one who had warned her off Ramsey.

She shook her head slightly trying to shake off the feeling of discomfort that was creeping across her temples. Sure she didn't know Ramsey all that well, but so far he had been nothing but cordial. In fact, he had been a perfect gentleman. They had gone on at least a dozen dates since she had invited him to the engagement party and thus far, all they had done was kiss. She welcomed the change though. After practically throwing herself at him that night, she had vowed to give herself the time she needed to heal. Immediately jumping into bed with another man, Ramsey or anyone, was the worst idea she could fathom. So they were taking it slow, sometimes painfully slow.

In either case, it just showed that they weren't really together. Not that she was in any way in the same position she had been with Jack. This was of her own volition and for her own good. Dating was perfectly acceptable. Though it did make her wonder sometimes if he was dating other people though. She had never had it in her to ask if he was seeing other people. She couldn't imagine that he would only be dating her. They saw each other so infrequently and, sex…well it was something she willing to work towards, but that didn't mean she was going to jump his bones in the museum.

She gulped hard at the thought of him with someone and tried to hide her discomfort. The last thing she wanted to think about was Ramsey with someone else. She knew that she had no claim to him, but they were just at the beginning of a relationship and the idea made her nervous. He had made it clear that he wasn't bringing a girl that his father had suggested to the wedding, but that didn't really mean anything. He didn't exactly have the best relationship with his father. It didn't seem likely that he would want to bring a girl that his father would suggest anyway, but it still made her curious.

"So what does your family do for Thanksgiving?" Ramsey questioned her breaking her out of the trance he had noticed she had fallen into. He wasn't even sure she had looked at the last three exhibits. Something was on her mind, but he wasn't going to pry. She would tell him in her own time.

"Oh nothing fancy," she said shoving a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Usually it's just the five of us. My mom cooks and we all snuggle up in front of the fireplace to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. But this year for some reason," Lexi rolled her eyes, "my mom decided to invite everyone to our house for Thanksgiving. So both sets of grandparents are flying in tomorrow. All of my aunt's and uncles and their kids are here. It's a mad house."

"Sounds nice," he said dreamily.

"Psh, nice," she muttered sarcastically. "What do you do? It has to be much better."

"When I wake up, I put on a suit to go have a formal breakfast with my father's most prestigious business associates. They talk business," he stated dryly. "I'm expected to contribute now that I am older. From there every minute of the day is mapped out with things we're supposed to be doing to help the business. The business this and the business that," he quoted sardonically. "My grandparents are shoved in their somewhere briefly, before we finish with a more formal dinner at the Club."

"Let me guess, they discuss business?" Lexi asked only half joking.

"Ding ding ding," he said raising his hand in the air.

A wave of compassion flowed through Lexi's body. She knew that Ramsey wasn't exactly fond of his father or Bridges Enterprise which he and his grandfather had built from the ground up, but she had never envisioned why. She had always assumed that he had everything, but she was starting to realize that like Chyna, there was much more to Ramsey than she had originally anticipated. "Ramsey I'm sor…"

But she was cut off. "Please, you're the last person I want sympathy from," he said gently. "I shouldn't have even mentioned it."

"No it's alright," Lexi said averting her eyes and staring into a large mural of the ocean.

"I'm really not trying to play the poor little rich kid routine," he muttered disgust in his voice. "I guess this time of year just grates my nerves."

"You have every right to be upset about it," she told him gingerly dancing around the subject.

"Well there's no point in discussing it," he said veering away from her and into the next exhibit room.

"I think talking helps," she murmured almost instantly regretting that statement. He could ask her a million and a half things that she had no desire to discuss. She knew he was curious about her, but she was hesitant to share too much information about herself. The more left unsaid the better. Her past wasn't exactly picture perfect and she knew better than anyone. What she could share…what she had shared so far was just scratching the surface.

He would find out eventually the kind of person she had once been. She knew it was inevitable. Bekah knew such a large percentage of what had happened with Jack, not that she knew everything, but it was enough to put a chink in her armor. If Ramsey had any knowledge of what had occurred between them, he didn't acknowledge it. And for now at least, she wanted to keep it that way.

"I think talking can be helpful," he agreed, "but not now at least." He shot her a quick smirk his green eyes glowing. "For now, I'm on a date with a beautiful woman and I should be enjoying that."

"Oh you think we're on a date do you?" Lexi asked playfully crossing her arms over her chest and giving him a devilish glance.

"Is this not what this is?" he questioned taking a step towards her.

"Well I don't know. Are you going to take me out to dinner?" she asked him following his lead and stepping into him. "Sweep me off my feet? Walk to my doorstep and give me a lingering kiss good night?" she arched one perfectly shaped eyebrow.

Ramsey leaned into her pulling her body close to him. He dipped his head down close enough to huskily whisper into her ear, "Can I give you a lingering kiss on my doorstep and convince you to make it more than linger?"

Lexi let a faint gasp pass through her lips at his words, and the gentle nip on her ear sent shivers down her entire body. She forced her body to stay in check biting down forcefully on her lip to keep her emotions under control.

They were taking things slow.

She could take things slow. She repeated the words to herself over and over in her mind as he slowly backed away from her.

She had been impulsive in her past and look where that had gotten her. Nowhere. She certainly didn't intend to keep repeating the same mistakes all over again. Ramsey was not Jack and though she liked him, she knew he didn't have the same pull over her. He was different, but in a good way. All she had to do was talk down her body, which was always ten paces ahead of her, and things typically went just fine.

Taking a deep breath, Lexi glanced up into Ramsey glistening green eyes. He was laughing at her with those beautiful eyes. He had been teasing her with her desire. But she could tell there was more. Despite the playful look apparent in his eyes, she knew he had really only been half-joking. He wanted her to come over, and he wanted to do more than kiss.

"Perhaps I'll grant you your wish then," she said just as playfully as he was acting, "but only if you can catch me." She tapped him on the shoulder and muttered, "You're it," then darted off through the museum.

She knew it was childish and not to mention dangerous. If she made one wrong move, she could land in a priceless piece of artwork. She hadn't been able to help herself though. It was completely irrational. He would be able to catch up to her in an instant in her tiny high-heeled boots, but she darted around the exhibits nonetheless. Ramsey followed in pursuit seemingly unaware of the older couples who were shooting them death stares.

Lexi dove behind a large statue stifling her giggles as she heard his approaching footsteps. Just as the steps came to a halt, she raced out from her hiding spot and through an open hallway filled with classic black and white photographs. She glanced over her shoulder to see him lightly jogging behind her more intent on her backside than actually catching up to her. Giggling Lexi turned around just in time to find her face to face with an imposing older gentleman.

"Excuse me, ma'am," he said briskly sidestepping her urgent run.

"Sorry," she cried teetering on her heels as she rounded the corner just barely avoiding colliding with the man.

She heard Ramsey mutter something which sounded apologetic to the man, but she didn't slow down long enough to find out. She wasn't certain what had come over her. A part of her felt so carefree like all the worries had been wiped from her mind. The sound of her feet clicking underneath her kept time for her movements. A bright smile played across her face as she darted past a young couple. They seemed annoyed at first by the disturbance, but when they saw Ramsey in pursuit, their soft chuckles rang in her ears.

"So what do I get if I catch you?" Ramsey called teasingly down the white expansive hallway.

"Didn't you hear me the first time?" she asked between breaths.

"Oh I heard you," Ramsey said. Lexi could hear his steps smacking the floor harder as he picked up speed. "I just want to make sure I know what I'm getting."

"Me," she crowed making a risky pivot turn and nearly falling over as her shoes slid against the slick floorboards. She caught herself just before Ramsey reached her, taking a few hesitant stutter steps before breaking away from him and into a massive open room filled with modern art.

She raced across the room hoping to make it to the next exhibit before he got close, but there were no turns and no where to hide. She couldn't evade him in here. She simply had to out run him. And that wasn't going to be possible.

Lexi felt a hand graze her shoulder and she tried to duck out of the embrace, but Ramsey latched onto her. He grabbed her by the waist, turning her a full 180, and pulling her in towards him. He dipped his head down to her face and captured her lips in a searing kiss. Her breathe was coming out heavy, but she couldn't decipher whether or not if was her from the chase or his steamy kiss.

"I caught you," he murmured against her lips.

"Indeed you did," she agreed.

"Can I change the terms of our arrangement?" he questioned formally.

"You don't want me?" she asked giving him another peck on his cheek and flashing him a devious smile.

"Oh I'm still keeping you," he said gripping her tighter around the waist. "I just have a better idea."

"And that is?"

"I want you to meet my friends," he said suddenly.

Lexi stared at him perplexed. She had originally offered him her body and now he wanted her to meet his friends. A pretty abrupt change, but he had won after all. "Uh, sure," she said uncertainly.

"Just meet at my house tomorrow around five. You'll have a good time," he said smiling reassuringly. "Oh and wear something warm."

"Warm?" she asked glancing down at her outfit.

He did the same taking in her small body and the clothing that covered every curve wonderfully. After a second of thought, he added, "And practical."

The next day Lexi arrived at Ramsey's apartment at five o'clock on the dot. She had dressed as practical as she could muster in a pair of worn blue jeans, red long-sleeve t-shirt covered by an old college sweatshirt, and her running sneakers. Her dark hair was pulled up into a high ponytail with her bangs pinned back from her face. She snatched a purple and white jacket from the backseat just in case and stuck her hands in her back pockets as she approached his apartment warily.

This was the first time that she had been in Atlanta since August, and memories of this very apartment flooded her mind. The way she had scandalously danced with Ramsey in an effort to forget Jack. Then just as Jack peered through the backdoor window to the balcony, she had impulsively leaned into Ramsey's kiss, their first kiss. She had ended up staying the night after arguing with Jack, but Ramsey hadn't tried anything, even then, in her weakened position.

And then she'd ended up here again, broken, destroyed, torn to pieces. She had been used, abused, and she was no longer the Lexi that she had once been. Her carefree side had vanished into thin air with Jack's callous behavior. Ramsey had tried to help her, but after almost giving into his desires, she had run out of his house in the middle of the night. She hadn't even been able to trust her own shadow that day. It was a low point for her, and neither of them had ever brought it up. As she gazed up at his ritzy townhouse, she couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with all that had occurred.

Taking a deep breath, Lexi knocked on the door and waited for Ramsey quick response. His smile lit up at the sight of her, and how beautiful she was even in her most practical clothing. He liked her this way without all the luxuries that frequently felt like a necessity. "You're here," he said snatching her up into his arms, turning in place, and planting her on the floor in his apartment.

"Yep," she said unable to keep from smiling at his boyish exuberance. He looked as gorgeous as ever in a heather grey, long-sleeve, Henley shirt, dark jeans, and boots.

Just then Ramsey's two roommates bounded down the stairs, and Lexi was momentarily frozen as she realized she didn't remember either of their names. She had met them briefly several months ago and wasn't entirely certain whether or not she had learned names even then.

"Is she here finally?" one of them asked snottily.

Lexi smiled at his false annoyance. "Lexi, I doubt you remember my charming roommates," Ramsey states sarcastically alleviating her brief moment of stress, "Brad and Jason."

"Sorry about your first meeting," Jason said walking forward and shaking her hand. "We're not ourselves wasted." He added a shrug for good measure.

"Speak for yourself," Brad said sending a quick jab in Jason's direction.

Ramsey shook his head at his two roommates as he yanked the door back open to gesture for them to exit. Lexi followed them to the parking garage and once inside stared in shock. She knew Ramsey had his pretty little Mercedes, but there were several other cars inside as well. She wasn't even sure why they kept them all there.

"The Jeep is Brad's which we'll be taking today," Ramsey instructed her seeing her shock and awe. "Jason loves his little red Porsche. He thinks it helps him pick up girls."

"It does," Jason whispered to her just before sliding into the front seat of the bright yellow Jeep.

"But then…is that…?" she opened the door to the Jeep, but couldn't tear her eyes from the Italian sports car she had only ever seen on Entourage.

"Yeah you like that?" Brad asked popping the key in the ignition and revving the engine.

"Uh yeah," Ramsey said scratching the back of his head thoughtfully. "It's a Maserati."

Lexi's mouth dropped open. She knew how much that car cost. "Hell yea," Brad cried, "You should see the Ferrari he keeps in storage. It's a damn tragedy not to drive that beaut around the city."

Lexi swiveled instantly catching Ramsey's eye. She could tell he was embarrassed by the display of exorbitant wealth before her. He typically tried to tone it down for her, but she knew he had money. She just didn't really know as much as she thought she did. She took a large gulp and slid into the back seat beside Ramsey still taking in the knowledge that he owned two cars that cost more than any house her parents had ever owned.

"Maybe if you're lucky, he'll take you out on the Ducati," Jason said turning around to look at her as Brad pulled out of the driveway.

"The what?" she asked unfamiliar with that name.

"Ducati, it's a motorcycle," Ramsey informed her.

"You have a motorcycle?" Lexi asked a shiver of anticipation going down her back.

"Yeah if he can ever get the damn thing working," Brad interjected. "You should just take it to a mechanic."

Ramsey shrugged the comment off as if he'd heard it time and time again. "I like to work on it myself. Makes me know that it's getting done right."

"You work on motorcycles?" she asked in disbelief. Her mind was spinning with all the new information about him. How had she ever thought he was just some stereotypical Country Clubber? There was obviously much more to Ramsey that she had no idea about. He was an enigma.

She tried to force out Bekah's words, but she couldn't help hearing them over and over.

He's a player. You don't know him. You've only ever seen one side of him.

She had attempted to erase that whole conversation with Bekah from her mind. Rather unsuccessfully, but she had tried. However, the more she tried to forget it the more it kept creeping up on her. Perhaps this was just another one of Bekah's games not that she had any way of knowing Lexi would still pursue Ramsey…or did she? She hated thinking about it.

Ramsey had only shown her one side, but nonetheless Lexi was just seeing a new side. A side she liked, though it scared the hell out of her, but still different than before. She hated to think Bekah had been right in anything. She hated having doubts about Ramsey.

And though she had a hard time dispelling her reservations, she needed to focus more on having fun with him then analyzing his every move. She had been hurt before, but she didn't want that to define her.

Brad kept the music blasting to old 90s rock music the entire ride leaving very little room for conversation from that point on. That was fine with Lexi. She was still processing, and didn't really want to blabber a slew of personal questions in front of Ramsey's roommates. She could wait for later.

Brad pulled the Jeep off the road and down a winding path that had once been paved, but was now cracking and bumpy. Lexi understood why the Jeep was used instead of the other sporty cars. Wherever they were going was not meant for the lavish and luxury Lexi had witnessed in the garage. She hadn't really been an outdoorsy type since she spent most of her time on school work or locked in the gymnastics studio. However, when she was younger, she had been a girl scout and church retreats had kept alive her love of camping and bonfires. Living in the city for nearly three years made her forget just how bright and beautiful the stars were…not to mention how many. Thousands upon thousands of twinkling white beams stared down at Lexi through the glass. Her eyes lit up at the spectacle, entranced by the beauty of the countryside.

A break in the tree line appeared before them and Brad began to decelerate as they approached. Lexi peered out through the front window anxious to see what lay ahead. Even in the darkness, the magnitude of the lake, majestically lit by the moon, was evident. Lexi couldn't even glimpse the opposite bank.

Brad parked the Jeep in a gravel lot besides several other SUVs. As the ignition died, only the sounds of nature filled her ears. Lexi closed her eyes taking in all the noise that wildlife produced and the smell of pine mingled with red clay. She felt Ramsey's sweet kiss on her lips and opened her eyes to smile at him.

"So you like it?" he questioned rhetorically.

"What park is this? It doesn't look like Lake Lanier. And wouldn't we have had to pay for entrance?" Lexi mused aloud.

Lexi could hear a chorus of chuckles behind her, and snapped her head around to see a crowd of people standing under a covered patio with picnic benches. "Don't mind them," Ramsey said glaring in their direction. "My parent's actually own this land. I've been coming here since a kid," he told her as he veered her towards a garage that she hadn't noticed in the darkness. "I think my dad was going to make it into some ritzy resort or develop the property, but after awhile he just forgot about it. With the economy all messed up right now, there's no chance he's going to do anything to it now," he added the last part with a sigh of relief. Ramsey flicked a switch that illuminated a key pad and punched in a seven-digit code.

"What's in there?" Lexi asked in awe as a side door clicked open.

Ramsey walked inside holding the door for Lexi to follow. "This is where my dad keeps his toys," he murmured softly, "and now mine." He flicked another switch and the garage lit up showcasing two boats, jet skis, a number of four wheelers, dirt bikes, a collection of rafts, kayaks, and canoes, along with other various outdoors equipment such as a hammock, tent, and camping gear.

"Holy shit!" Lexi couldn't help herself from exclaiming.

"Yea," he murmured appreciatively. "Ever been on a four wheeler?" He walked over to a green bike in particular and set his hand down affectionately on the handle. Lexi shook her head unable to utter a single word. "This baby is a Raptor," he informed her, "you'll like her."

The garage door startled her by beginning to open to the front. Brad wandered over to them and stared longingly at the four wheeler Ramsey had just shown her. "You riding the Raptor?" he asked obviously itching to get on the bike.

"Lexi's never been on one," Ramsey told him effectively ending the conversation.

"Uh…you think I'm getting on that thing?" she asked apprehensively.

"I won't go that fast," he said winking at her. "Though it is one of the fastest models. I'll wait until you're more comfortable though."

As the rest of the group wandered into the garage and began claiming the various bikes and four wheelers, Lexi realized that there were less people than she had originally thought. There were two additional guys and four girls in total. She almost laughed aloud when she realized that they were evenly matched guys to girls. Silently she wondered if this had been planned.

"Alright I'm not really going to go into the details, but since you've never been on one before I'll just forewarn you that the buzzing sound is completely normal, the ride should and will be bumpy, and you're going to have a lot of fun," Ramsey said. His smile was infectious and Lexi couldn't help but revel in his enthusiasm. Though she assumed it was also the thrill and anticipation of what she was about to do.

Lexi gingerly climbed onto the back of the bike. She wrapped her arms tightly around Ramsey torso and pressed herself against his back. Nuzzling into his shoulder, she tried to calm her heart which had kicked into overdrive. Ramsey revved the engine, kicked the clutch into gear and took off. When Ramsey had said he was going to go slow, Lexi had thought he had meant slow, but apparently their definitions were different. He raced ahead easily taking the lead from his friends. The shorter layers of Lexi's hair released from her ponytail and whipped around in her face. She felt him switch gears and zoom forward into the tree line following a dirt trail that she couldn't make out. Her terror alleviated some the longer Ramsey drove down the path, but her grip only barely loosened.

As they took a sharp turn, a fire burning in the distance alerted her that they weren't the only ones in the woods. The adrenaline from the ride kept her mind vigilant. As she became more comfortable on the bike, she also became more aware of her surroundings. A dirt path lay before her and she realized that it was wider than she had originally thought. The tree line had gradually begun to grow in overhead to fight for the sunlight, but the moon was still visible.

Lexi clasped her hands tighter around Ramsey's torso and nuzzled in closer to his warm body. She could feel his taut muscles underneath her grip. A smile spread across her face at the feel of him and she realized, despite her terror, that she was having a good time. She would have never done anything like this, she never had done anything like this before.

Just as she was finally getting into a rhythm of the bumps and curves, Ramsey pulled into a clearing. He made a circle around a roaring bonfire, then hit the brakes and killed the engine.

"Did you like it?" Ramsey asked helping her off the bike and setting her carefully back on her wobbly feet.

"Uh…" she managed clamping and unclamping her frozen fingers. "You said you were going to go slow."

Ramsey laughed boisterously at her shocked face before throwing an arm over her shoulders and dragging her closer to the bonfire. "That was slow."

The rest of the group skid to a halt next to Ramsey's Raptor and joined them by the fire.