Can't Slow Down (6 page)

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind a new pair of shoes once and a while, but I’d much rather spend the day around cars and being outside. Having a sexy man that can’t keep his hands off of me and treats me with respect is definitely a wonderful bonus. So far this morning has been perfect.

Coen takes a sip of his drink and finally decides to come up for air.

“Mm, this pizza is so good,” he says, after swallowing a bite. “So, sweet cheeks, you’ve gotten to know a little more about me this morning. I want to know more about you. Are you originally from here?”

Everything has been happening so fast, it hadn’t dawned on me that neither of us really
know
anything about each other at all. Besides the fact that we have an undeniable connection. I set the crust from the slice of pizza I just finished back on my plate, wipe my mouth with my napkin, and place it back down on the table in front of me.

“No, I’m actually from further south of here. I moved here a few years ago. After my dad died, there really wasn’t anything left there for me anymore, so I moved here to be closer to Brea. I don’t have any siblings, so Brea’s really the only family I have now.”

“What about your mom?”

“She died the day I was born.”

“Oh. Shit. I’m sorry, Lex. I—”

“Don’t be.” I shrug, giving Coen a reassuring smile. “My dad raised me the best he could. I think I turned out okay.”

I don’t think he’s really sure what to say at first, so he just smiles and nods.

“I guess that’s why I’m not your typical, average girl.” I smirk.

Coen’s green eyes light up and he reaches across the table to tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear.

“Average is boring, Lexi.” He takes a bite of pizza, but his eyes never leave mine. “You’re right. You aren’t average at all. You’re perfect.”

Heat rushes to my cheeks.

“No one is per—”

I’m interrupted by Coen’s phone ringing.

Great, wonder what his aunt wants this time.

He grabs his phone reluctantly and rolls his eyes before finally answering.

“Hello, Aunt Sarah.”

I can’t hear what’s being said on the other end of the phone, but Coen is not happy she called.

“I’m actually on a date right now.” He winks at me and smirks. “Yes, so shocking that someone would want to be out with a tattooed freak like me, right?” He runs a hand through his hair.

God, I love it when he does that with his hair, but it hurts me to hear him being put down by his aunt that way.

“Her name is Lexi.”

Oh no, here it comes.

“Yeah, fine. I’ll see if she’s busy.”

Oh shit. I’m really not sure I want to meet this woman.

Coen mouths to me that he’s sorry.

“It’s okay,” I whisper.

I glance around the restaurant, waiting patiently for him to finish his conversation, and see Derek coming in the door. I smile and wave him over to our table. Coen looks up at me confused until he catches Derek out of the corner of his eye and nods.

“Look, Aunt Sarah, I have to go. We’ll try to stop in later in the week.”

He hangs up the phone and closes his eyes and shakes his head.

“Hey guys, I’m surprised to see you out and about. I figured you’d chill in bed and rest,” Derek says, sliding into the seat next to Coen. “Who was on the phone, man?”

Coen gives Derek a sideways glare. “The fucking queen of interrupting. Perfect timing as always,” he says sarcastically.

“Man, I don’t know why you don’t just change your number and not tell her what it is. I know she’s your aunt and all, but damn man. All she ever does is talk down to you like you’re a piece of shit or make you do stupid chores around her house.”

“Yeah, well. Now she knows I have a girlfriend and she wants to meet Lex.”

I’ve been sitting here quietly, observing their conversation. It’s obvious the two of them are great friends.

“Hey,” I say, and they both look at me. “Yeah, hi, the
girlfriend
is still here.” I cross my arms in front of my chest and raise an eyebrow. I’m not really annoyed. I just figured I should remind them I’m still sitting here because they seem completely oblivious right now.

“Shit, sorry, that was rude of me.” Derek leans over to kiss me on the cheek and Coen gives him an “oh really” look. “Hi, Lex. How are you feeling?”

Coen places his hand on Derek’s shoulder, giving the impression that he’s pushing him back into his seat.

“Lips off my girl, man.”

They both laugh and Derek lightly slugs Coen’s arm with the back of his hand.

“Seriously, Lexi, are you doing okay?”

“I’m physically okay, yes.” I smile. “And Coen has done an amazing job of keeping my mind off of things today so far.” I look at Coen and blush as I remember our heated moment in the parking lot at the race track this morning.

He must know what I’m referring to because under the table I feel his foot rub purposely against my leg as he smirks.

“Amazing, huh?” He wets his lips.

“Right . . .” Derek says. “Well, I just stopped in to grab a pizza to go. I have to get back home and finish detailing my truck. I took my three-year-old niece out for lunch last week and there are fries in places I can’t even reach.” His eyes widen in disgust. “I’m glad you’re okay, Lex.” He gets up and kisses the top of my head on his way over to grab his pizza.

Coen quickly stands up and acts like he’s trying to scare Derek away for kissing the top of my head. Derek just laughs.

“Catch you guys, later,” he shouts from across the restaurant.

Coen smiles and shakes his head as he sits back down.

“Fuckin’ guy.”

“You two are pretty close, huh?” I ask before finishing the rest of my drink.

“Yeah, he’s really the only person I’ve had since my parents passed that’s always had my back,” he says, motioning for the waitress to bring us our bill. “I guess I kind of adopted him as my brother in a way.”

The mention of family reminds me that he just got off the phone with his aunt. And she wants to meet me. I don’t have a good feeling about meeting her at all. The waitress drops off our bill and continues bussing her other tables. Coen pulls out his wallet and sticks some cash in the little black bill holder book and places it back on the table for the waitress to grab.

“Ready to go, Sweet Cheeks?” He stands up and holds his hand out, waiting for mine. “I have one more place I want to take you, if you’re feeling up to it,” he says with a questioning look. “Don’t worry, it won’t take long.”

“I’m down for whatever as long as you’re with me.” I place my hand in his and his eyes meet mine. For a moment I almost feel like I can see straight through to his soul.

I’M NOT REALLY
sure how I feel about taking Lexi to meet Aunt Sarah this week. That woman is so unpredictable, and she hates basically everyone I’m friends with and anything I do. She’s been that way ever since my parents died. She’s told me many times that I’ve ruined her life. She blames not being married on having to take care of me when I was younger. Saying that no one wanted to date her because she had baggage. I know damn well it wasn’t that though. My guess is it was always her shitty fucking attitude.

If she passes someone on the street or in the store and she doesn’t like something they’re wearing, she’ll flat out tell them it’s hideous. I remember one specific time, when I was about ten years old, we had gone out to get groceries. When we were ready to pay, the only cash register open was being run by a teenage girl with purple hair. I thought she was kinda cute. My aunt, on the other hand, turned her nose up in disgust and blatantly told the poor girl that her hair looked like a rejected Easter egg and that she would never have a
real
job, or get married, looking like that. The poor girl was almost in tears by the time she was finished ringing through our groceries.

I pull into the parking lot of that same supermarket and Lexi shoots me a sideways glance.

“Coen, why are we at the grocery store?” She’s looking at me like I’m crazy as we start to walk inside.

“Because I’m going to cook you dinner tonight and
you
are going to relax.” I kiss the top of her head and grab her hand as we walk through the automatic sliding glass doors. “Do you like barbecue chicken?”

“I love chicken,” she says with a smile, “and barbecue sounds perfect.”

We make our way through the store, gathering the things I’ll need. I’ve decided to keep it simple and just make chicken breasts and some potatoes that I will wrap in foil and place on the grill too, with some corn on the cob and a Caesar salad. It’s quick and easy and not much of a mess to clean up, which means more time to spend with Lexi.

“Should we grab something for dessert?” she asks, looking up at me with those amazing, gorgeous brown eyes.

We turn down the aisle with all of the ice cream and dessert toppings. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this earlier, but I just had an amazing idea. My smirk widens to a grin and my eyes light up with excitement.

Best. Idea. Ever.

“Oh, I just had an amazing idea for dessert, Sweet Cheeks, but all we’ll need is you and a few toppings.” I wink and playfully slap her ass.

She yelps.

“Coen, there’s a lady over there watching us,” she says in a shouty whisper.

I glance over at the elderly woman and give her a little wave with my finger tips and smile. The little old woman gasps. Turning her nose up in disgust, she quickly leaves the aisle as fast as she can.

“Ha,” I scoff. “Knew that would work.”

I shake my head and we head towards the checkouts.

“What do you mean?” Lexi asks.

“Ah, most elderly people are either disgusted or afraid of me because of how I look.”

“I love the way you look,” She says, sliding her hand up my arm and standing on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek. Her perky, plump breasts lightly brush against my arm and I almost get an instant hard-on.

What am I, thirteen?

“Come here.” I stop in the middle of the store, cradle her beautiful, lightly freckled face in my hands, and kiss her so deeply that suddenly the store and everyone around us don’t exist. When I pull away, our eyes are both filled with lust, and I ache with desire. I look around the store to see mothers covering their children’s eyes and that little old woman from a few moments ago is stopped in her tracks, mouth gaping open in shock and cheeks flushed. I smile and wave to her again and she rushes away.

“You are such an animal,” Lexi says, smirking at me as she slides her hand into my back pocket and squeezes my ass cheek. I growl. She’s just as much of an animal as I am, and I fucking love it.

“Let’s pay for these groceries before I take you right here on the conveyor belt of this cash register,” I say through my teeth.

I can’t get enough of this chick. She’s like an addiction.

Lexi giggles and the cashier’s eyes widen but she doesn’t say a word. She just rings our items through as fast as she possibly can.

WE QUICKLY STOPPED
at Lexi’s place to grab her some clean clothes and things before heading to my place. I’m not ready to let her out of my sight yet and she didn’t put up a fight at all when I asked if she would stay over tonight. When we get there she says she wants to go change into something more comfortable so she could relax easier, so I sit and wait on the back patio.

Lexi comes out a few minutes later with two beers in her hand, wearing a blue dress with thin straps that stops around the middle of her thighs.

“I hope you don’t mind,” she says, gesturing with the beers and handing one to me, “I made myself at home.”

“Of course I don’t mind. I’m happy you’re comfortable here.” I smile, taking the beer from her.

She sits down in the lawn chair beside me and I swear she crosses her legs in slow motion. God, how I want to be between those smooth, delicious legs again already. It feels so right when she’s with me. Like she should have been here all along. And I don’t want to ever let her go. I just hope Aunt Sarah doesn’t do something stupid to try and scare her away. The last thing that woman wants on this earth is for me to be happy. She’s miserable, so she thinks I should be too. After all, according to her it’s my fault.