Just enough alcohol coursed through her veins that her finger fell on the button opening the message.

“3 o’clock.”

Lexi stared down at the cryptic text message, confusion written across face. Her brow furrowed together as she tried to decipher the meaning behind his words. The time was 1:30 in the morning. Was she supposed to meet him at 3 o’clock? If so, where was she supposed to meet him? No, that couldn’t be it. He would have said more if he wanted her to meet him, some explanation at least.

3 o’clock.

She stared off into space feeling the alcohol loosen her muscles and continue to cloud her judgment. Then, as if woken from a dream, she turned slowly. There he was. Sitting at the end of the bar, beer in hand, at her 3 o’clock.

He raised his glass to her as if to say cheers. She couldn’t take her eyes off of him. He looked so good. She had almost forgotten how his shaggy hair fell messily into his eyes. The natural way he jerked his head to uselessly move it out of the way...only to have it fall back into his amazing blue eyes. The way his smile warmed her inside out.

“Want to go back out on the floor?” Spencer asked breaking her out of her trance. She averted her eyes and snapped her phone shut.

Lexi shook her head. “I’m going to stay here and wait until I can stand straight. You can go ahead,” she offered. She had never lied to him before, and she didn’t particularly like it. But if Jack was here, she wanted nothing less than for them to cross paths.

“Alright,” Spencer said a little reluctantly. “Are you sure?”

“Don’t worry about me. I think Ashley needs someone to dance with,” she said gesturing towards the tiny blonde gymnast waiting patiently for them to come to a decision.

He shrugged and went to kiss her on her lips. She turned at the last second letting it brush her cheek. He glanced down at her, a glimpse of pain evident in his eyes. A forced smile moved across her face, but she knew he wasn’t satisfied with that.

“I’ll check on you in a bit,” he said finally before making his way back towards the mass of bodies. Lexi leaned back against Trina’s chair and rested her head on Trina’s shoulder. She didn’t want to chance a glance back up for fear that Jack would still be there—or worse—he’d be gone.

“Don’t you dare fall asleep on me,” Trina said bumping Lexi off her shoulder.

“I’m not. Swear.”

“Well, take my chair. I’m going to go dance. You better not be asleep when I get back,” Trina said pointing her finger in Lexi’s face.

“Have no fear. I’m sure Chasity will take care of everything.”

“I sure hope not with your tolerance,” Trina called over her shoulder laughing as she walked away.

Lexi watched her friends meander through the crowd of people. As soon as she lost them in the mass, Lexi turned her head, and searched for Jack again. There he was, seated in the exact same spot, waiting for her. Without really realizing what she was doing, she stood and made her way to him. As she approached, she fully assessed him. Stubble had grown in across his chin and jaw line making him appear older. The blue vertical striped button-up he wore brought out the ice blue of his eyes. He seemed even more fit than the last time she had seen him, but she couldn’t be sure under all those clothes. Not that she was thinking of taking them off…of course.

She smiled slyly trying to keep from letting her eyes roam his body further. She wasn’t sure how she had forgotten how attractive he was. His gaze met hers. She felt as if he was looking straight through her. A blush rushed up her neck and to her cheeks. She couldn’t decide if the cause was the alcohol or the way he looked at her like he could just take her right then and there.

“Lex,” he said extending an arm out for her to walk into. She did the motion automatically, feeling herself fit against his body like she was the missing puzzle piece. His cologne overpowered her senses, and she hastily backed up a few paces remembering the last time he had been this close to her. Her groin throbbed at the recollection of his knee resting in that same spot. Something about that smell…about him just made her hot all over.

His look of desire hadn’t changed despite her speedy retreat. She knew that he shouldn’t be looking at her like that. She definitely shouldn’t be having this type of reaction in a very crowded, public place with her boyfriend only a hundred feet away. Anyone could walk over and see them together. It’s not like anyone could mistake the looks that were cast between them.

“Um…how are you?” she asked awkwardly averting her eyes attempting to break his spell.

He shrugged nonchalantly. “Single.”

Her body tensed at the statement. That hadn’t been her question, but for some reason it was the answer she had wanted, the real question she had been anxious to find out about. “Oh yeah?” she asked trying to remain cool and not let her heart beat speed up any further at the prospect of him being single. “How did that happen?”

“As a birthday present to myself.”

She scoffed, her eyes bulging. “Are you serious?”

He smiled brightly. “One hundred percent.”

“That’s a story I’d like to hear.”

“I’d like to tell it to you,” he said standing up and closing the distance between them. Her breath caught in her throat. “Come be with me tonight.”

He issued it as a command not a request. And God, did she want to be with him that night. Her mind slowly started to catch up with her wanton body, and she began to shake her head wishing his request had come some six or seven months earlier. “No, I can’t.”

Stepping just a few inches closer, he pressed his hips against her. She sucked in a good deal of air. His fingers found her palms and gently stroked upwards. When he reached her shoulder, he redirected his movement downward slowly but deliberately grabbing her hips and pressing himself against her.

“Jack,” she moaned, glancing back up into his baby blues. Involuntarily, her eyes moved to his lips and back up.

“Come be with me,” he repeated himself.

She reached her hands up and pushed lightly against his chest, giving herself a few inches of space. He didn’t pull his hands away from where they rested on her hips. “I said that I can’t,” the words came out feebler than before.

“I heard you,” he said licking his lips.

“I should um…probably get going actually.”

“Mmm hmm.” But still she didn’t move away from him. She felt his thumb make a small circle on her exposed hipbone. Just as his finger met the hemline of her skirt, she backed up roughly running into a large woman seated at the bar.

“Sorry,” she said skirting around the woman and entering open space to the right. Her eyes shifted back to Jack. “I haven’t heard from you in a long time.”

He shrugged. “I was letting your cold shoulder thaw.” Her head jerked to the side and she puffed out angrily. All of a sudden, she felt his cool fingertips graze her neck. They moved to her chin and gently forced her to look back in his face. “I’ve missed you, Lex.”

She seriously thought that her heart stopped in that instance. “Jack, this isn’t fair.”

“I don’t want it to be fair,” he said not letting her chin go, but taking another step towards her, invading her personal space.

The words kept filtering through her consciousness. She knew she should probably tell him. She should say it right now. There was no way she wanted to do the same thing that he had done to her. She had a boyfriend for Christ’s sake. A real boyfriend. Someone she had been dating for close to seven months. Things were so good. She should really tell him right there. “Well, you’ve accomplished that,” she said, ignoring her conscience.

He snaked his other hand up and threaded his fingers through her hair. “I saw that guy,” he said trying to make it easier on her.

She knew she should tell him right there. She gulped. “Yeah?” She was having trouble thinking with his hand running through her hair.