At least I darn wellbetter.
* * *
By the timeI give my car to the valet and head into Enigma, I spot Axel seated on the balcony alone, the way it most likely should be. But I’m here and the wheels to this hell train have already left the station. The truth is, I’m not only here to nix that nasty nickname he insists on calling me once and for all—although he knows better and is without excuse—but I also want to glean a little more on what happened to poor Emilia. As soon as he uttered that horrible truth, I ran home and looked up what I could on the Internet, only to find that it was a sad fact. There were no details, no hint of a prolonged illness, which could only mean one thing—she was snatched by death when she least expected it. The thought of poor, sweet Emilia disappearing from the earth forever was too much to bear, and I broke my rule and cried a river for her. She was my one true friend on the planet, at least for the year we knew one another. Low pops to mind, and, of course, her slovenly appendage Raven. I suppose they’re friends of sorts. Low for sure at least. Raven is more or less that annoying bonus sampler you never really wanted that smells like old socks. My God, does the girl everbathe?
My phone bleats in my purse, and it’s a group text to both Marlin and me from Serena. A picture of her next to that bear mascot they keep in front of the Black Bear pushes an inadvertent smile to myface.
I text back.Keep out! There are frat boys running loose in there without morals or braincells.
I shoot off a private text to Marlin.I’m calling in a report to the Jepson PD— check out the Black Bear. I’m pretty sure a beautiful redhead is about to be accosted. Hightail it up there, wouldyou?
He texts right back.On my way, sis. But only if you carve out time for coffee with mesoon.
I think on it for a moment. I think I just found the perfect way to ensure I don’t accidentally on purpose test out Axel’s mattresssprings.
Sure thing! Bright and early. How’s eight in the morning? I’ll meet you at Hallowed Grounds. Don’t belate!
He pings right back.I’ll bring thedonuts. ;)
There. Nothing ensures a little chastity like your gun-wielding brother. There’s no way I’ll end up in that penthouse tonight. In fact, if I want to be able to pry my eyes open at that early hour, I’ll have to cut tonight’s date short and get myself to bed. I love it when I outsmart Axel Collins’ favorite appendage—the one swinging from between hislegs.
I put in my name, and the waitress leads me to the back. Axel offered to pick me up, but I know better than to trap myself with my ex and nary an escaperoute.
He rises and turns as if he senses my presence, and his thick cologne hits me as soon as our eyes meet. Axel Collins isn’t playing fair tonight. He’s donned a dark inky suit, smooth silver metallic tie so buttery soft looking I’m craving to both touch and lick it. That thick black hair of his is neatly slicked back, his five o’clock shadow leaves him with that demented stubbled look that I find so irresistible, and a tiny moan crawls up my throat at the sight ofhim.
“My God, you’re beautiful.” He takes a step back and lets his eyes take the elevator ride up and down my person. “Lexy.” He closes his eyes a moment as if he were caught up in ecstasy and he might be, but that doesn’t change the fact he’s just lit me like the grand finale at a Fourth of Julydisplay.
“It’s Lex, and if you cross that line one more time, I will not only leave this restaurant, I will leave the state, and you will never see the whites of my eyes for the rest of yourdays.”
“My apologies.” He gives a slight bow as he holds out my seat and I take it. “Lex, you look stunning tonight.” He seats himself across from me just as the waitress brings us ice water and a bottle of chardonnay. “If you don’t mind, I took theliberty.”
“You know me well,” I muse as I flick my finger toward the waitress to get the pour going. I’m in need of some vino. I wouldn’t dare drink and drive, but, at the moment, my need for something stronger than water usurps my need to get home in my own vehicle. I’ll Uber if I haveto.
The waitress does as she’s instructed, and I knock back the glass in three big gulps. “Another, please.” I pick up the menu and peruse the offerings before landing it back onto the table. I look up at the pert nosed blonde. “I’m ready to order. I’ll have the house salad. Hold back the toy box tomatoes. Ratatouille vegetable crepes. And a side of grilled asparagus. If there’s a possibility of adding caviar to any of the above dishes, please do so copiously.” I give a sly wink. “The check’s on himtonight.”
She chortles into her fingers before taking Axel’s order as well. Something far more simpler: prime rib, dill potatoes. I’ve often said you can glean a lot about a person just by what they order in a restaurant. Axel’s carnivorous pickings and carbs delight suggest he’s gearing up for some calisthenics later on this evening, and he might be. It’s just they won’t involveme.
“That’s quite a lot of protein you’ve opted for.” I meet up with his eyes and can’t help but note the way they glow in the night. Axel’s eyes were the first thing I noticed about him all those yearsago.
“I plan on doing some weightlifting later this evening.” He sheds a guilty grin. “You’re about one twenty-five?”
“Very funny.” My fingers pluck at my knife before hiking it up on its tip in a maneuver that says I know my way around cutlery and I’m not afraid to useit.
Axel sobers up as he stares pensively at the blade I’m twisting between my fingers. “Do you remember who we were,Lex?”
“Yes. Broken and lonely and we departed the same way wemet.”
“Not true. The in-between, the happy times.” He drags those sad puppy dog eyes over to mine, and something in my chest pinches. “The middle where we said I love you as easy as spilling water. When we kissed at least ten times between hello and goodbye. You slept in my apartment more than you did yourdorm.”
“That’s because your sheets had a higher thread count.” My cheek hikes up one side as if trying its best to betray me with asmile.
“They were always softer with you in them.” His brows dip down as if this were a sad truth. “And come to think of it, I haven’t had a good night’s sleep without you there next tome.”
“Must have made it tough to pass thebar.”
“It was.” He leans in, and I inadvertently do thesame.
There has always been a gravitational pull between the two of us, and now knowing what I do, it simply means I should have run the other way evenfaster.
