Chapter Ten

"So, how did you end up here?" Lex asked. After having left the mess hall, they had gone to Lucas' room. He'd shown her several of his current projects and a few video games, with Darwin peeping in through the window. At this moment, Lex and Lucas sat next to each other on his bed, listening to the music streaming from his elaborate stereo system.

Lucas snorted dryly. "My father dumped me here because he didn't know what to do with me."

"You were getting into trouble?" Lex looked at him doubtfully.

"Hardly, but where do you go when you finish college? He felt I was too young to move out onto my own, and according to Captain Bridger, my dad felt I needed the discipline so I wouldn't turn out like Lesley Farina."

"The Regulator," Lex nodded. "I've dealt with him and he is pretty weird. Vern's cute though."

Lucas turned to look at her. "How'd you get into that?"

"The B and E's? A girl's gotta eat." Lex shrugged.

"How old are you?"

"I'll be eighteen next month. Why?"

"Why aren't you in school? What about your parents?"

Lex's jaw clamped, her eyes dropping down to the dark blue blanket on the bed. "My parent's couldn't care less about me. My dad left me when I was six and my mother went nuts. I got out of there real quick."

Lucas' eyes widened in shock. "You left home when you were six?!"

"No, it took four years for my mother to go off the deep end."

"Yeah, but ten isn't much better than six!"

"I didn't have any choice, Lucas." Again, Lex shrugged.

"What happened?" he asked softly.

"It was a long time ago. The past is better left alone."

Realizing he had run into a painful area, Lucas decided to leave the subject alone. She would tell him when she was ready. "I'm sorry," was all he said.

Lex looked up into his crystal blue eyes. "You really mean that, don't you?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "I wish I could change things for you."

Again Lex looked into his eyes, into the purest, most gentle soul she'd ever encountered. He didn't have it in him to be cruel, it just wasn't in his nature.

Leaning forward slowly, Lex's eyes lowered to his mouth, closing when her lips met his. It was a gentle kiss, but one that sent her heart soaring. Reaching up, she wound her hand into his blond locks as she pressed her mouth to his a little harder. He jerked away in surprise when her tongue flicked against his lips.

Lex looked at him curiously. He spoke awkwardly, stumbling and stuttering over his words. "I've ... I've never ... um .. you know, I'll ... probably suck at it."

Lex grinned. "That's the general idea, but if you don't want to, we can stop."

"No! It's just that you're probably way more experienced at it than me."

"I'm a thief, Lucas, not a hooker."

"That's not what I meant!" Lucas cried in alarm.

"Relax!" Lex laughed. "That was a joke."

Lucas sighed in relief. "Oh."

"But for the record, I figured that at my age, I should learn how to kiss properly. The rest I could fumble through when I was ready."

"And did you? Fumble through it, I mean?" Lucas stared at her intently.

Lex had to chuckle at his subtlety. "Not yet."

"Oh," Lucas nodded, relieved. "So, who taught you?"

"Lucas?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up." Lex closed the distance between them, grabbing his nape as she brought their lips together. Reluctantly, he opened his mouth to let her tongue slip inside. When he didn't respond, she pulled away slightly, looking into his eyes as she spoke quietly. "Just relax and do what I'm doing. Do whatever feels good to you. This isn't one of your science experiments. Don't think, just feel"

Lucas nodded before pulling her back to him. This time it was he who sought out her warm mouth, one hand grabbing her braid, the other wrapping around her waist.

Twisted as they were, Lex felt a muscle twinge in her back, so she shifted her weight and laid down, pulling him with her, their mouths never parting.

Lucas maneuvered himself so that he was supporting his weight with the hand he'd had around her waist. By now, both of their pulses were racing, their minds closed to anything other than the sensations coursing through their bodies.

Vaguely, Lex wondered over her loss of control. She'd never particularly liked kissing before, finding it more of an invasion; unappealing. And yet now, with Lucas, it was like she couldn't get enough, her movements frantic.

A beeping tore through the room, causing Lucas to wrench away, breathing heavily. Growling, he reached for his PAL. "Yeah?"

"Lucas, I really need you to look at this thing." Miguel's voice floated out of the device. "My readings are all messed up and the WSKRS are going nuts."

"I'll be right there," Lucas sighed deeply, before turning back to Lex. "I gotta go."

Lex grinned. "Never fails. If it ain't the Avon Lady, it's the WSKRS goin' buggy."

Lucas laughed softly, bending down to kiss her again. "Wait here for me?" he asked as he pulled away.

Lex snuggled into the bed, looking up at him with a smile. "Better make it quick."

Lucas groaned as he looked at his watch. He'd been rewiring Miguel's console for almost five hours. There was no way Lex would have waited that long for him. She probably wouldn't even talk to him tomorrow.

Running a weary hand through his hair, he reached for the handle of his door, tossing his outer shirt to the floor as he nudged the door closed behind him. He froze when his gaze turned to the bed.

Sleeping soundly, exactly where he'd left her, lay Lex.