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it’s not me. Not the real me, that I’ve kept hidden for years. No one knows the me that I am when I’m complete. Eight years of meaningless sex with so many girls… I can’t even remember half of their faces. Hell, half of them I never even knew their names.
    Right now, I can understand the revulsion on Lexi’s face. I’m repulsed by myself.
    I’ve even had a couple of relationships, but nothing lasting. Not anything where anyone could break through the wall protecting what’s left of my heart. There was the supermodel I dated for about six months who finally realized I wasn’t joking when I said I didn’t love her and would never love her. There was the actress I dated for over a year, but neither of us wanted anything other than the hot sex and the press our being together gave us, so it ended. And then, last year there was the singer for the opening band on our tour. We hooked up the entire time we were on the road and had a lot of fun, but again neither of us was really interested or open to anything more. The tour ended, and we went our separate ways. Sure, we still hook up when we’re in the same place at the same time, but that only happens around award season.
    In my life, in twenty-seven years, there’s been only one woman I’ve opened my heart to. One woman who has owned me, owned my heart, and once she broke it, there wasn’t even a fragment big enough to accommodate anyone else.
    I thought my heart was dead. I thought I was empty… but after tonight, after seeing her again, it’s beating. Painfully so, but at least it’s beating again. It’s telling me that no matter what, it still wants what it’s always wanted. It wants what completes it, the reason it beats… it wants Lexi. I want Lexi.
    I’m Jude Delecroix, dammit, and I am going to do whatever it takes to figure this out! Because now that I’m being honest with myself again, now that I feel alive again, instead of just existing, I’m a man on a mission. And my mission is to get Alexia Sloane to fall in love with me again… only this time… this time she’s not walking away. She’s mine. She’s always been mine, and this time, dammit this time, I’m fucking keeping her!
    With that mantra flying through my veins, I start my bike back up and head back towards town, back towards the woman who will once again be in my life.
    As I turn onto the River Road… I notice the sign.
    Time to play hardball.

Chapter Seven
    Lexi

    I awaken to bright light and somehow I’m back in my bed with my sheets spread over me. I sigh, Erik.
    I feel something in my hand and look to see what it is. The photo of Jude and me. I never let it go last night… not even in my sleep. I look at it, smile slightly, and sit up with new determination.
    I’m twenty-six years old. I’m a successful business owner and a responsible, mature adult. Things will be normal with Jude and me. He’s in town again. He was a very important part of my life for a very long time. Avoiding him is impossible in a town this size, so starting today, I’m going to be the mature, responsible adult everyone knows. I’m going to talk to Jude. Things may be awkward, but we have to find a way to be friends again. It’s time to forgive the past and move on. I need to move on.
    Lord, please let me move on.
    Besides, it’s not like he’s going to stay here, so I can certainly handle it and keep my emotions under control for the short time he’s in town.
    Suddenly there’s a knock at the bedroom door and a strong hand holding a cup of coffee appears around it. “Lex, you awake, love? Are you decent?”
    “Would it matter if I wasn’t, E?” I say with a giggle. “It’s not like you’ve never seen me naked, or like you’ll jump me!”
    He pushes the door open and I take in his mussed up, sleep hair and the bristle on his face. He’s only wearing a pair of low riding lounge pants, and those Men’s Health magazine abs and chest are on full display. He really is mouthwatering. I