her in too. And that scared the crap out of him, because whatever had passed between them in the cab of his truck felt like high-school hormones compared to the insane heat arching between them now.
“I will admit that, although a rarity, it does happen more than frequently around you.” He relaxed his grip and cleared his throat. “But I would never, never laugh about anything that makes you sad. Understand?”
At his words, her hand flattened against his chest. He didn’t let go, and she didn’t move except to sag closer into him. “Then why are you here?”
Because even though I can’t have you, I can’t stay away.
“Because I wanted to make sure you were all right.” His eyes ran over her top, which showed more skin that it covered. Even drunk she still managed to look sassy and sexy and hot as hell. But sexy as she was, this wasn’t the Lexi he knew. “And you should be thanking me. I chased off a guy who was willing to front the bill to get in your very drunk pants.”
“I’m not drunk.” She plucked at her top and took an unsteady step backward, whether to gain distance or because she was swaying on her feet, Marc didn’t know. Either way, she was about to tumble right out of those strappy heels and onto her sexy ass. “Fine. Maybe I’m a little tipsy.”
“A little?” He mimicked her tone as he dropped his free hand to her hip, pulling her closer and holding steady a good portion of her weight. “Cream puff, I haven’t seen you mainline tequila since prom, and that didn’t turn out so well for me or the interior of my car.” That got a little smile out of her.
“What’s going on, Lexi?”
“You knew he was going to sue me, and you didn’t say anything. I didn’t have time to prepare.” She shrugged, her smile now small and sad. “I get that you’re his best friend, but I thought we were friends too.”
Were friends, as in past tense. Not what he wanted to hear.
“I had no idea he was going to sue you. I assumed that all the assets had been taken care of in the divorce,” he said. “And Lexi, we are friends.”
“Friends call, Marc. They check in on each other. Especially when somebody’s world falls apart.”
“I didn’t know what to say.”
Somehow, “I’m sorry that your marriage is over, but even though I never stopped wanting you I still can’t ever have you” hadn’t seemed like a good opening. So he’d put off calling her after she left Jeff, telling himself to give her a few days to recover from the blow. But then days became weeks and then months, and finally when the silence had become a knot in his gut, he’d heard from Abby that Lexi was moving home.
“I’m sorry I didn’t call, and I’m sorry that Jeff is such an idiot that he can’t see what he’s doing to you. But your world can only fall apart if you let it.” He pressed a finger to her puckered lips. “Now before you go and say something to challenge my masculinity, all I am saying is that the Lexi I know would get pissed that her plan, for which I am sure you had every last detail figured out, has just been shot to hell, and find another way. Not use it as an excuse to give up.”
“God, what is it with you DeLucas? I’m not giving up,” she argued, but he didn’t hear any fight in her voice. “Tanner starts on the remodel Monday, and Abby is determined that we will open. Eventually.”
“That makes me happy.” Not the part about Tanner walking around her shop lifting heavy things and carrying a hammer, but that she was going forward with the bistro. “The question is, does it make you happy?”
She shook her head. “I have to cook salmon,” she said, and to his horror she started crying. Not over Jeff, not over her bistro, but over salmon.
Normally he didn’t mind when women cried. He knew just how to hold them, kiss away their tears, and then eventually distract them with mind-blowing sex. But Lexi was different. This whole fucked-up situation was different. And for the first time since, well, since graduation night, when the same woman had cried in his arms, he had no idea what to do.
He remembered how crushed Abby had been after Richard left. She had cried all the time, and the only