“I will, just don’t break anything else. I ended up broken down on the side of the road, I called Noah to come pick me up, it was getting dark and I didn’t want to walk home. I thought I saw someone.”
She paused as Evie let out a string of profanities. “Anyway, Noah took me back to his place. That’s when we kissed. It was off the charts, but Sam came in and Noah made some stupid comment about being friends. He walked me home, got all pumped up and protective when we found out what was wrong with my car. He searched the house and there was nothing out of the ordinary and left. I made sure everything was locked up and went out this morning and there were no tracks where I saw someone. So see, just my imagination. I called the authorities in La Jolla this morning. I couldn’t get anywhere, but you would think if he was out, I would have heard something by now.”
“Before we get to the good stuff, promise me you’ll tell me if anything happens again. And at least Noah sounds like he’s ready to ride in and save the day. Maybe you should stay over there until you hear from La Jolla. Oh, and then you could accidently walk in on him while he’s naked.”
Lexi shook her head. “While that would be nice, you know I need my independence.”
“Fine. But you know what you need to do to keep yourself as safe as possible. And do not, I cannot stress this enough, do not think it’s all in your head and not call someone for help. You know better than that.”
“Yes, Mom. I just really hate asking people for help.”
“I know, hon, and so do I, but you also know there are times when you have to. Don’t be stupid. Otherwise I will tell the ladies and you know what they would do. Do you really want all three of them living with you and all the trouble they could get into with your next door neighbor?”
CHAPTE
R SEVEN
Noah stepped out onto his balcony and wondered how Lexi was doing. He noticed her moving through her house, going room to room, closing the drapes of every window on the second floor. He checked his cell phone and saw she hadn’t called. That didn’t surprise him.
She’s too stubborn for her own good.
He was going to have to have a talk with Miss Alexia Hanson. When he had seen her open her bedroom windows around two in the morning, he’d had to stop himself from telling her to keep her damn windows shut, but he thought it might add to her apparent anxiety after what had happened with her car. Then again, maybe that was what she needed to understand how serious this was. He knew that he could have called or texted, but instead he’d decided to see what she would do and he’d stayed awake until the sun rose, falling asleep in a chair, no longer battling his protective urges.
*
Lexi was sitting on the couch staring blankly at the fire in the fireplace when Noah walked up to the back door. He stood there and watched her for a few moments, wondering what she was thinking about, before he spoke. “Isn’t it a bit warm for a fire?”
She whipped her head around toward him. “Is this going to become a habit with you? Scaring me? Because I’d like to get a check-up before you give me a heart attack.”
He opened the door and stepped into her living room. “I like keeping you on your toes. It’s only fair, since you keep me on mine. But on the subject of heart attacks—why are you opening your windows in the middle of the night? Or, how about leaving every damn window in the house open all day long?” Noah stalked closer to her. “Do I need to call up a few of my bodyguards to watch over you?”
“I am not going to live my life in fear, Noah, and I can take care of myself. Besides, I went out to where my car broke down yesterday and there were no footprints on the ground where I thought I saw that person. And don’t you dare bring your bodyguards into this.”
Noah closed his eyes and looked up at the ceiling. When he opened them, she took an involuntary step back at the anger she must see burning in them. “What do you mean you went out to where your car broke down? Just how in the hell did you get out there?” He took a step closer to her while she took another step back, her legs coming up against the couch. “Oh, let me guess. You walked out there, by yourself, without telling anyone. Didn’t you?” He didn’t wait for her to answer. “Damn, stupid, stubborn woman.” He ran his hands over his unshaven face and then through his hair.
She stood up taller, her eyes burning to match his own. “You just wait a damn minute yourself, mister.” She poked her finger into his chest. “You have no right to just barge into my house and yell at me. It’s my life, jerk, so back off. I can take care of myself.” She shoved at his chest.
“Oh, you think you can.” He moved closer, to where their bodies were almost touching. “What if I wanted to kiss you right now, what if I wanted more? What would you do to stop me? Come on Lexi, do it.” She looked up at him with wide eyes. “Stop me.”