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.What a sexy smell that was.He wished he could bottle it.“Why didn’t you ever tell me about your mom?” Jacinta asked without warning.My mom? Way to go killing the mood.He kept his gaze on the plastered ceiling above him.“What about my mom?”“I didn’t know she was still alive.I always thought she’d passed away.”He lifted his eyebrows.“What gave you that impression?”“You never talked about her.”“You never talked about your mom either.I only found out about her today.”He didn’t say anything else.After a few moments she said, “Well? Aren’t you going to tell me about Estelle? That’s her name, isn’t it?”Hell, she even knew his mom’s name.He twisted his neck to scowl at her.“Who’s been gossiping behind my back?”“It just came up in conversation.So where does she live?”He didn’t speak, didn’t want to think about his mom, let alone talk about her.Jacinta let out a small sigh.“It’s okay.God knows, I don’t enjoy talking about my mom.”Paradoxically, that made him less reluctant.“Are you that interested in mine?”“Yes, I am.” She propped herself up against the pillows and crossed her arms.“I want to hear it from you instead of secondhand gossip.”“My mom.” He exhaled a long breath.“It’s not a long, tragic story, if that’s what you’re expecting.My mom and I never had a close relationship.She was more interested in her social activities than raising a child.” His mother had been beautiful but remote, like a marble statue on a pedestal.She had produced a son and heir for her husband, and as far as she was concerned she’d fulfilled her obligations.Lex continued, “When she and my dad divorced, I was already used to not having her around, so it didn’t make much difference.She moved to New York.We exchange Christmas cards, but that’s about it.”“Why did your parents divorce?”He rubbed a finger across his upper lip.“My dad was having an affair.”Jacinta’s face fell.“Oh, no.That must have been a shock for your mom, finding out he’d been unfaithful.”“Not really,” he grunted.“She’d known for years he was unfaithful.”She stared at him, round-eyed.“How do you know that?”“Because one day my mom and I came home early and saw my dad kissing a strange woman.I was dumbstruck, but she just brushed it off, told me to ignore it like she’d been doing for years.So I did.” His hand clenched involuntarily on the sheet.His mother’s reaction had stunned him, but he’d said nothing.If she wanted to turn a blind eye to his father’s affairs, then who was he to object? “But when his affairs became public, that was too much for her.So she demanded a divorce.”She hadn’t cared about the affairs, as long as he was discreet.She’d only cared about the wealth and social status that came from being married to a Rochester.But when it became common knowledge that Philip maintained several mistresses, she couldn’t stand the public humiliation, the whisperings from her society friends.A fat settlement and a swift departure to the East Coast had soothed some of her injured pride.“I’m sorry,” Jacinta said.“For what?”“I’m sorry you had to go through all that.It must have been miserable for you.”He shrugged, all tough indifference.“Nope.I was sixteen, seventeen.Old enough to take care of myself.”But it had hurt, he had to admit, seeing his preconceptions of his parents crumble.He used to look up to his dad, had admired him despite his lack of tenderness.He was hard on Lex because he had standards.But then Lex had realized his dad lied and cheated.He saw that his mom was only interested in money and status.That marriage was just a sham, nothing more than a business arrangement.From then on he didn’t care about his dad’s opinion so much.He didn’t hero-worship him, although he still continued to respect him as the fearless CEO of the company.Until eighteen months ago, when he’d taken over as CEO and started to uncover the various misjudgments of his father.He noticed Jacinta gazing at him, her face all soft with sympathy.He shot her a frown.“Don’t go all mushy now.You don’t have to feel sorry for me.” In fact, he’d hate it.She pressed her lips together.“If only you were closer to your cousins and uncle, like I am with Kevin.It makes a big difference.”“I told you—no mush.” He attempted a stern expression.She clicked her tongue.“One day you’ll admit I’m right.”To block out her words, he concentrated on her face, focusing on her lush mouth, her wild hair.Heat pumped through his veins as he noted the faint mark at the base of her neck, left there by his sucking.He touched the love bite.“I’m admitting nothing except that I’m hungry for you again.”Beneath his finger, he felt her pulse kick up even as she narrowed her eyes at him.“You men.Why is it you have only one thing in mind?”“Is it because you’re lying naked in my bed?”He traced the line of her collarbone down to where the sheet hid the rest of her.She shifted her limbs restlessly, giving herself away.“We—we shouldn’t.”“We just did.And we both thought it was amazing.”“I know, but.” She pursed her luscious lips, making lust flare in his groin.“We’re not hurting anyone.” Hooking the sheet with his forefinger, he began to inch it off her chest.“There are still so many things I want to do to you
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