Curtis just threw back his head and laughed like it was the best joke he’d ever heard. He left her standing there, but then again, she knew her way to the kitchen, where she assumed the wine glasses were. He was still chuckling to himself when his footsteps faded into the distance, somewhere in the cavernous mansion.
He left her alone, alone with her swirling shame and the clouds of something else suddenly obscuring her reason and better judgment. She should grab her bags and go. Tell Curtis to go fuck himself- in nicer terms of course- if he tried to retaliate through work bullshit. She should, she should, she should… she should do a lot of things.
Instead, she let her fickle, addled, suddenly also gooey brain give the commands to her wayward feet to carry her to the kitchen.
CHAPTER 10
Curtis
When he returned from the wine cellar, a bottle of eighty year old wine, something from France- hell, he had no idea what it actually was given that his parents gave it to him since he never would have spent money on stuff he didn’t actually ever drink- he found Lexi leaning against the island, one hip thrown out, her hand resting on the granite surface.
She had a red floral, flowy blouse on and a pair of high waisted skinny jeans. He’d never seen her in skinny jeans before. He didn’t even think she owned a pair, seeing as even on casual Friday at the office, she seemed to stick to cotton dresses and leggings.
She stole his breath just by existing.
He didn’t want her to know that though, so he set the bottle on the island with a thud. He turned and grabbed a couple of wine glasses his mom gave him as a housewarming gift. He never thought he’d actually use them. Same with the wine corker. He barely managed to get it out, the thing was so damn decrepit, but it finally gave with a loud bang that resembled a gunshot.
When no sirens were apparent in the distance, he shrugged and poured a small amount of wine into each glass. He swirled it around like he knew what he was doing and raised it to his lips, leaving the other glass on the island. Lexi didn’t reach for hers.
“I think you’re supposed to let that aerate,” she said snidely, just as he was about to take a sip.
He lowered his glass, staring at her smug smirk over the rim of it. “It’s ancient. Most wines under a decade need some time to gas off or whatever, but wines this old shouldn’t require any time at all.”
Her brow crooked up. “So, you know your wine. I’m impressed. I thought the whole wine cellar thing was just you trying to be impressive.”
“So, you think I’m a poser?”
“Does anyone say poser anymore?”
Curtis pushed Lexi’s glass her way. “Try it. It smells delicious.”
In truth, he wasn’t a wine fan at all. Put an aged Scotch in front of him and he’d change his tune, but wine… thanks, but no thanks. Lexi didn’t share the same misgivings. Her eyes lit up when she saw the bottle. She’d probably always wanted to try something vintage and expensive. He was willing to put his money on her enjoying her reds too since she apparently knew a little something about how they were supposed to be opened and consumed.
“I don’t care if anyone says poser. I say poser. I enjoy saying poser.”
“I don’t. I hate that word.”
“And everything else about me, apparently,” he said dryly right before he threw back the expensive vintage. He drained it in a single shot, just because he knew it would piss Lexi off. Sure enough, she made a low noise in her throat before her top teeth sunk into her lower lip.
“I don’t hate everything about you.” She took a gentle swallow of her wine. Her throat bobbed gracefully, and god, even watching her drink that wine was somehow sexual.
The aftermath was definitely sexual. He watched the pale column of her throat bob as she swallowed again. The tip of her pink, sensual little tongue poked out between her lips before it swiped away any lingering moisture off her bottom one. His cock kicked hard in his jeans and this time, there were no cock blocking mini devils around to keep him from trying to flirt. Trying, because he was pretty damn sure it wasn’t going to work. Either Lexi truly hated him, or she was in some pretty deep denial. He had his evidence for the latter from the kiss in the pool, but he also had a mounting case for the former, given that she’d rammed his mouth full of rainbow slime.
“No?”
“No, just most everything.” She set her glass on the counter and he immediately picked up the bottle and poured more. She protested after, but it was half-hearted sounding. “Hey! I didn’t ask for more. I have to drive right away.”