Chapter 2

Lexi picked at the fruit on her plate while she contemplated a second cup of coffee. Last night's show went off without problems, but something still nagged at her. Her concern caused a restless night and this morning she felt the effects. She forked up another piece of honeydew as she tried to analyze her feelings. What was it about Roman Reigns that pulled such a fierce response from her?

She'd spent her life around half-naked men, some with excellently chiseled bodies, and not once felt as she had last night. So what caused her reaction and more important, how could she prevent it from occurring again? After the way her last relationship ended, the last thing she wanted was to get involved with another superstar.

"You're in deep thought."

At the sound of a familiar voice, she glanced up to find Kaitlyn standing next to her, breakfast tray in hand. "Just replaying last night's show."

"Mind if I join you?"

Lexi pointed to the chair opposite her. "Please."

Kaitlyn slid into the empty seat and set her tray on the table. "So how do you like being the backstage coordinator?"

Lexi didn't bother hiding her groan. "It's stressful. Emma makes it look so damn easy. Honestly, I don't know how she does it."

Kaitlyn grinned as she picked up her fork. "I had a feeling you'd regret saying yes."

"I don't regret saying yes and it wouldn't be so bad if Jackie actually pulled her weight." Lexi shook her head. "I'm telling you Kay the girl is a huge waste of space."

"Tell me something I don't know," Kaitlyn replied. "Everybody knows she'd been riding Emma's coattails for years."

Yeah, everybody but management. Lexi opened her mouth to reply. Before she said a word, her skin began to tingle with awareness, derailing her thoughts.

"Lexi?" Kaitlyn's eyes widened. "What is it?"

Instead of answering, Lexi glanced over her shoulder in time to see Seth, Dean, and Roman walk into the dining area. Without missing a step, Roman turned his head and looked directly at her. In an instant his expression went from neutral to smoldering as he held her gaze. Heat blossomed deep in her belly and disbursed through her system at the speed of light. Her breathing hitched and more than just her palms dampened in response.

She wanted to look away, to feign indifference, but some unidentifiable force prevented her from moving. As if he somehow knew her plight, his lips turned ever-so-slightly up at the edges before he finally broke their connection and turned his attention back to his teammates.

"Holy Hell. Who is that?" Kaitlyn asked, the tone in her voice betraying her shock.

Lexi turned back to look at her friend and took a deep breath, attempting to steady her suddenly jumbled nerves. "T-that, is the three new stars from NXT that started last night."

Kaitlyn glanced from her to the men and back. "You met them already?"

Lexi wanted to pick up her coffee cup, but feared Kaitlyn would see her shaking hands. Instead, she nodded and left her hands in her lap. "Hunter introduced them last night. They came on after your match, so you probably didn't get a chance to see them."

"I definitely didn't see them." Kaitlyn eyed the men. "Who's the one with the long dark hair?"

Finally feeling a little calmer, Lexi again reached for her coffee. "That's Roman Reigns."

"He's totally got a thing for you." Kaitlyn glanced from the men back to Lexi.

Lexi had just managed to take a drink of coffee when Kaitlyn's statement registered. She gasped in response and immediately began to choke, spewing coffee onto her plate in the process. Her hands began to shake again causing her to nearly drop her cup on the table.

"Crap, Lexi. Are you okay?"

Lexi nodded and managed to take in several gasping breaths. "Jeez, Kay, don't do that."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you choke, but the way he looked at you when he came in…" She leaned back in her chair and fanned herself with her napkin. "Damn!"

"Aren't you being a bit dramatic?" Lexi asked, hoping to dispel some of Kaitlyn's observation.

"Dramatic is exactly what that look was he gave you. He looked as if he was starving and you were about to become lunch."

"That's ridiculous," she replied, though she'd felt that knowing hunger too.

Kaitlyn tossed her napkin on the table and folded her arms. "Is it? If there's nothing between you two, then how did you know he was coming in when your back was to him?"

Lexi frowned. "What?"

"Don't play stupid with me, Lexi. You stopped mid-sentence and looked directly at him as he walked into the room. No way could you have known he was coming in at that very moment. I'm telling you, there's something between you two. Now spill it. What's going on?"

Lexi knew her friend well enough to realize there wasn't any way to deflect Kaitlyn's interest. With a resigned sigh, she shook her head. "I don't know, Kay. I can't even begin to explain it. There's just something about him."

"Yeah, he's gorgeous."

Lexi grinned at the obviousness of her friend's statement. "Well, there definitely is that, but it's more. It's intangible, undefinable, but as real as you are to me right now." And it scared the hell out of her.

"So what are you going to do about it?"

Wasn't that the same question she'd been asking herself since their first encounter last night? "Nothing," she said after a long moment of contemplation.

"Nothing?" Kaitlyn's eyes widened in shock. "You can't be serious?"

Feeling just a bit stronger in her resolve, Lexi gave a solid nod. "Completely. I'm not going down that road again only to end up having my heart crushed into dust." She lifted her chin as defiance took a strong hold against desire. "Been there, done that, and it's not worth the price."

"Now wait just a minute." Kaitlyn rested her elbows on the table. "You can't condemn all men based on the actions of one."

"Can't I?" Lexi shot back as a sudden, unexpected wave of emotion threatened to swamp her. Damn it! Nearly two years later and the bastard still had the ability to inflict pain.

"Oh honey, don't do that." Kaitlyn grabbed Lexi's hand and squeezed. "I know he hurt you, but it's been long enough. You need to put this behind you and move on."

Lexi wiped at an errant tear with her free hand. Of course, Kaitlyn was right, but saying it was easy; doing it…not so much. Letting go and stopping the pain required a level of strength she didn't seem to possess. "You're right, but we were together for five years. I gave him everything I had and he betrayed me. He not only broke my heart, but he publically embarrassed me."

"I know," Kaitlyn soothed. "I was new here, but I remember. And you need to remember that in the end he's gone and you're still here, thriving. So who really got the better deal?"

Kaitlyn's logic pulled a watery smile from her. "So are you telling me that his injury was karma biting him in the ass for treating me so badly?"

"Absolutely." Kaitlyn slid a sideways glance toward the far wall where the three new stars sat. "And that man over there is karma's way of paying you back for what you endured. Don't you dare miss this opportunity to find love again or I'm going to kick your ass."