What was her deal?

Lexi had huddled against the backboard of the booth, as though she were trying to crawl into it. Checking around the room, I saw our friends were on the far side of the dance floor, twirling around and having fun. I decided Pix and me needed to split.

Reaching under the table, I gripped Lexi’s hand and began pulling her out of the booth.

“Austin! What—” she said quietly and darted her eyes around the club.

“We’re getting outta here. Come on.” I tugged on her arm. At first, Lexi resisted. Then she fell into step and we almost ran outside the club. “You wanna get food?” I asked.

Lexi’s eyes widened and she shook her head profusely. “No. I’m not hungry at all.” I thought it was kind of a weird response, but I let it fly. I just wanted out of this f**kin’ redneck hell.

As soon as we hit the night air, I headed for the busy street and held my hand out for a cab.

“Austin, wait! Where are we going?” Lexi said anxiously, pulling on my hand.

Turning around, I laid my hands on her shoulders, once again noticing her flinch as I did so. That was why we were leaving. I just had to know what was up with this shit.

“We’re going to my hotel room,” I answered and held out my hand once more, a cab pulling up to where we were stood.

“Austin. I can’t… I’m not… I—” Lexi’s hand had slammed to her chest and she rubbed aggressively at the skin.

I rolled my eyes and pulled her into my side, wrapping my arm around her shoulders. “Calm down, Pix. I’m not planning on f**kin’ you. I just wanna talk. I room with Rome on away games. Molly has rented her own room, so he’ll be staying with her. We have the place to ourselves.”

Lexi’s eyes were still wide with fear, so I placed my mouth at her ear and whispered, “I just wanna talk some more. Get to know you more. Away from prying eyes. Don’t you?”

Lexi’s shoulders slumped forward and she nodded her head. “I do want to know you more. Lord help me, but I do.” Her huge pale-green eyes fixed on mine, and she confessed, “I’m just not used to being alone with a guy… in his room. I’m nervous.”

Smiling at her confession, I held her closer. The cab pulled to a stop, and I opened the door. As we climbed into the back, I said, “Text your friends. Tell them you’ve gone home. Tell them I’ve seen you home safe.”

Taking out her cell, Lexi did as I asked, then settled back into the seat.

She stared out of her window, entranced by the bright lights of Tennessee, so I stared out of mine. I would’ve given anything to know what she was thinking, what was whirling through that mysterious head of hers. But I managed to keep the concern from my mind as our hands stayed intertwined on the middle of the seat. I couldn’t keep the satisfied smirk off my face.

Chapter Fourteen

Austin

Fifteen minutes later, we entered my hotel room. Lexi hovered at the closed door as I moved to sit on my bed. She swayed on her feet, looking about the standard twin room.

Leaning over to the minibar, I pulled out a Coke. “You wanna drink?” I asked, and Lexi glared at the can of Coke. I actually looked down at my hand to see if I’d picked up something else by mistake.

“What?” I asked in confusion.

Lexi wrapped her arms over her stomach. “Do you have water? Plain, unflavored water?”

Nodding slowly, I reached back into the minibar and pulled out a San Pellegrino, holding it out for her to take.

Lexi hesitated, and I laughed at how strange she was being.

Fuck, what’s her deal?

“Here, Lex. I’m not gonna bite,” I said as she stood eerily still.

Lexi stared down at the floor, that blank expression on her face again. I noticed she was doing it a lot lately—around school, while we were with our friends… on the sideline of the games.

“Lexi?” I said and placed the drinks on the nightstand. But her dark brows furrowed and her hands gripped to the side of her head. Her green eyes closed and a pained look came across her face.

Jumping from my seat, I ran over to where she stood and, not knowing where to place my hands, eventually gripped her arms. Lexi’s eyes opened and panic was evident in her stare. Her hands slipped slowly down her cheeks to rest straight by her sides and her fingers shook the entire way.

“Fuck, Pix. You okay?”

Lexi’s bottom lip began to tremble and water filled her eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry. It’s a bad day. It’s just a really bad day for me, that’s all.” She repeated the sentence about three more times.

I stared at her, completely not knowing what to do. Was she having an anxiety attack? Was she depressed? Whatever it was, it scared the shit out of me.

Guiding her past Rome’s bed and toward mine, I managed to sit her down. Grabbing the bottle of water, I poured it into a glass, handed it to her, and watched as she checked what I put inside, seemingly relieved when she saw it was just water.

Weird reaction number two.

Lexi took small sips from the glass, and she gradually seemed to come back to me. When only a quarter of the water was gone, Lexi put down the glass on the nightstand and nervously looked my way.

“I’m so embarrassed,” she whispered, and I kneeled on the floor before her.

“What was all that about?” I asked, and she turned her head away from me.

Gripping her chin between my thumb and finger, I brought her back to face me. “What was it all about, Pix?”