Susan Mallery - Under Her Skin

“That’s business.”

It wasn’t something Jed would have done, she thought, relieved to find a difference.

“Why is it so difficult to admit you might just be a decent guy? What is it about Kendra that makes you hold back?”

He walked toward her. “Stay the fuck out of my business,” he growled, and then he left.

CRUZ TOOK OFF in his Bugatti because he wanted the speed. The car ate up the road with a power that usually pleased him, but not tonight.

He took a corner at sixty and was doing nearly a hundred when he blew through a stop sign. When he saw a kid up ahead on a bike, peddling earnestly but wobbling, he slammed on the brakes until he was well within the thirty-mile-an-hour speed limit, then pulled over until the kid had ridden past him.

When he was alone again, Cruz looked at the street in front of him and realized he had nowhere he wanted to go and no one he wanted to be with…except Lexi. Only she was pissed at him. Seriously pissed. Not because he’d treated her badly or hurt her feelings. Her annoyance had nothing to do with her. It was about Kendra.

Why couldn’t she be like the other women in his life and be satisfied with great sex and jewelry? But no. She wanted to talk about things. She wanted to discuss feelings.

“Damn woman,” he muttered.

She wanted more than was reasonable. More than he could give. She expected too much. She wasn’t worth it.

Except he knew that she was.

LEXI STOOD IN THE master bedroom and debated packing a suitcase. Maybe she should just go back to her own place. While she and Cruz were supposed to have a business deal, everything had twisted. Despite what he thought, it was personal. They were intertwined, and right now that didn’t feel very safe.

Her cell phone rang. “Hello?”

“Martin dumped Dana, if you can believe it. I’m over at her place with Skye. We’re trying to make her feel better. Want to help?”

“Sure.” It was exactly the distraction she needed. “I’ll be right there.”

Twenty minutes later she walked into Dana’s small house. A pitcher of margaritas stood on the coffee table. There were also open cartons of ice cream, bags of every flavor of M &Ms and the soundtrack to The Way We Were was playing.

“Any guy looking for a sex change operation just needs to walk in here,” Dana grumbled from her place on the sofa. “We’re going to overdose on estrogen.”

Skye topped off Dana’s glass and then offered the pitcher to Lexi. “We’re getting drunk, which means we have to stay the night. Erin’s at a friend’s house. Do you need to call Cruz?”

“No. We’re fine.”

Actually she wasn’t sure he would notice she was gone, which was borderline pathetic, but true. She waved away the offer of a margarita. “My stomach’s not happy right now.” Too much stress. “I’ll catch up later.”

She sat next to her friend. “How are you feeling?” she asked Dana.

“Stupid. Incredibly stupid. Martin dumped me. He said I was too controlling, if you can believe it. He wants to be with someone more delicate. I should have broken his legs.”

Perhaps proving his point, Lexi thought, although she was smart enough not to speak the words.

“How did this happen?” Dana demanded. “Guys don’t leave me. I leave them. Especially guys like Martin.”

“They’re all like Martin,” Izzy said from the club chair. She was using nail polish to paint daisies on her already pink toes. “You need a new type. You don’t find him interesting or challenging. I’m betting he wasn’t even that good in bed. Come on. Admit it. You were done with him weeks ago.”

“I don’t want anyone exciting. I’m very comfortable with a safe, easy relationship.”

“The code words for boring,” Izzy said in a singsong voice. “Very, very boring.”

“Can I kill her?” Dana asked, looking at Lexi. “It would be quick.”

“You know you can’t do that.”

“Oh, but I can.”

“You know you shouldn’t.”

Dana slumped back on the sofa. “You’re right. But she’s annoying me.”

“Maybe because she’s right. Everyone hates to hear the truth. Especially you.”

Dana closed her eyes. “What the hell does that mean?”

Lexi looked at Skye who nodded.

“You know we love you,” Skye began.

Dana groaned. “Which is just a way to make yourself feel better about telling me a bunch of stuff you know I don’t want to hear.”

“You keep picking the wrong guy,” Skye went on. “They’re all Martin.”

“Go away,” Dana said, her eyes still closed. “I’m sorry I asked you over.”

“No, you’re not,” Lexi said, patting her friend’s arm. “You love us and we love you, but Skye’s right. You’ve got to stop dating the same tedious little men.”

Dana opened her eyes. “Did I mention I was in the mood to kill someone? You are so getting on my last nerve.”

“You should come with me to Mexico this summer,” Izzy said. “I’m going to do some cave diving.”

Skye shuddered. “Are you insane? You’ll not only be in a small, dark space, but hey, you could drown at the same time. What a thrill.”

Izzy grinned. “I like the thrills.”

“Why do they all have to be deadly?” Lexi asked. “Can’t you just ride a roller coaster or something?”

Izzy wrinkled her nose. “I want the rush.”

“How can you paint daisies on your toenails and then want to go cave diving?” Dana asked.

“I have unexplored depths.”

“Like cave diving,” Lexi muttered, thinking there wasn’t enough money on the planet to get her to do something like that. Just thinking about being underwater in a cave was enough to send her screaming into the night.

At least it was a distraction that kept her from wondering about the woman who was suing her, and her recent conversation with her father. While she planned to tell her sisters what was going on, this wasn’t the time or place.

“I can’t believe he left me,” Dana muttered as she opened her eyes and drank more of her margarita. “I leave. That’s my thing. I decide who and then I leave.”

“Which isn’t a healthy pattern,” Skye said.

“You never really cared about him,” Lexi pointed out. “You’re pissed but you’re not hurt.”

Dana glared at her. “Pissed doesn’t feel very good right now. With a big scoop of rejection on the side. I’m the best thing that ever happened to that wimpy toad. How could he do this?”

“Because you weren’t the one,” Izzy said, looking up from her toes. “Seriously, Dana, you’ve got to try someone different. Aren’t you tired of this pattern?”

Lexi waited for the explosion but Dana surprised her by ruffling her short hair, then nodding slowly. “Maybe.”

“So try somebody different next time. Take a chance. It’s not like you to act like you’re scared.”

Dana’s eyes narrowed. “What did you say?”

Izzy was apparently fearless when it came to more than cave diving and sharks. “That you’re scared of a real relationship, so you pick guys like Martin.”

Lexi nodded. “You know she’s right. At least branch out a little and see what happens.”

Dana glared at them, then pointed at Skye. “Don’t you start. I could take all three of you.”

“Not that drunk,” Skye said calmly.

“You need someone who can keep you in line,” Izzy said.

“You’re back on my kill list,” Dana muttered.

“You know what I mean. You need someone who will go toe to toe with you, and I know just the guy.”

“Who?” Lexi asked, intrigued. She couldn’t imagine a guy strong enough to take on Dana and determined enough to break through her emotional barriers.

“Mitch Cassidy.”

Lexi looked at Skye, who was obviously struggling not to show any emotion.

“Skye used to date him,” Lexi said.

Izzy shrugged. “Decades ago. She dumped him for Ray.” She glanced at Skye. “You’re not still in love with Mitch, are you?”

“Of course not. I haven’t seen him in years.”

“See,” Izzy said, looking pleased. “You have permission from the ex.”

“He’s a SEAL, right? Aren’t they into underwater stuff?” Dana said, her words starting to slur a little. “You should date him.”

“No. He’s not my type, and even if he was, he and Skye got naked together. Skye and I are sisters. There’s something weird about the whole thing. Besides, Mitch and I are friends, nothing more.”

“While it’s an interesting idea,” Lexi said. “It’s not exactly practical. Mitch hasn’t been home in years. How would he and Dana hook up?”

“He’s back.”

Lexi happened to be looking at Skye so she saw her sister’s color drain, then watched as she quickly bent down to adjust her shoes. Or was she just trying to hide her face?

“Since when?” Lexi asked.

“It’s been a couple of weeks. He’s in D.C., but he’ll be home soon.”

Skye straightened. “On leave?”

Izzy capped the nail polish. “You really didn’t keep in touch with him, did you?”

“And you did?”

“Yes. He was my friend, Skye. Just because you broke his heart doesn’t mean he and I stopped talking.”

“Of course not.” The words were right but Skye still looked shocked.

“He’s out of the navy. He was with his team in Afghanistan. There was an explosion. He lost part of his leg. He’s in rehab right now, but he’ll be back soon. Permanently.” She turned to Dana. “He’s a war hero. Very tough. I think you’d like him. He’s really good-looking.”

“How much of his leg?” Skye asked, her voice a whisper.

“I don’t know. Part of it.” Izzy blew on her toes. “He was the best. I had such a crush on him, but he only had eyes for Skye. He totally loved her and then she dumped him.”

Skye stood. “Stop saying that. It wasn’t like that. There were things you can’t understand. I didn’t have a choice.” She covered her mouth with her hand and ran toward the bathroom.

Izzy looked confused. “What did I say?”

“I’m not sure Skye’s as over Mitch as she wants us to believe,” Lexi said. “At the very least, she’s feeling guilty about what happened.”

Dana set her glass on the coffee table. “I don’t think this guy is a good idea. Too many complications.”

“I wish I could date him,” Izzy said with a sigh. “He looks like he would be great in bed.”

“There’s more to a relationship than sex,” Lexi told her.

Both Izzy and Dana grinned. “Is that your way of saying Cruz isn’t all that in bed?” Dana asked.

“No.”

“Because if he needs some pointers,” Izzy teased, “we could ask Martin.”

She and Dana gave each other a high five. Lexi laughed. She glanced toward the closed bathroom door and wondered what Skye was feeling, then thought about her fight with Cruz. Relationships were a complication. Even the ones that weren’t supposed to matter.

LEXI WALKED INTO Cruz’s house after midnight. She’d avoided the margaritas and still felt as if she had a hangover. Quite the trick, she thought, although not a good one. It was the emotional stress, she told herself. Too much happening too fast. Her life had become a roller coaster.

There were a few lights on downstairs. She turned them off, then went to the second floor. The door to the master stood open and light spilled onto the carpet. She went inside and saw Cruz sitting in a chair by the fireplace, reading. He looked up when she entered.

He’d taken off so fast, she’d wondered if he would ever come back. She’d been thinking that maybe she should leave. Yet here they both were.

He looked good, she thought, taking in the dark hair and eyes, the firm set of his jaw. Just being in the same room was enough to get her hormones cheering. It didn’t matter how often they made love-she always wanted him. Would it be like that forever? After the six months ended and they walked away from each other, would she still have these feelings?

“Did you have a good time?” he asked as he stood.

“I was at Dana’s house. Martin dumped her so we had a girl fest.”

“I didn’t ask where you were.”

“I know. I’m telling you.” She set down her purse. “You left in a hurry.”

“I was angry.”

“I got that. You’re a great communicator.”

She wasn’t mad, exactly, but she was tired of trying to make him see what was right.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I shouldn’t have taken out my temper on you. You’re only trying to help. Kendra isn’t your responsibility, but you keep getting involved. She didn’t make it simple-I’m sure she was a pain in the ass, but you keep showing up.”

“I can’t help it.”

“I’m not saying it’s bad, Lexi. I’m saying…” He moved closer. “Maybe you’re right. Whatever the hell I have going on from my past has nothing to do with her. She’s just a kid trying to get by. I haven’t made that easy for her. In fact, I’ve made it damned hard. You were determined to make me see that, no matter how hard I pushed back.”