“I—okay.” She frowned up at him. “Has anyone ever told you you’re kind of pushy?”
“No. But I have been told I’m slow, that my speed isn’t what a woman wants, and I am not frightening in the least.”
Rena blew out a breath. “I didn’t mean that the way it came out.” At his look, she amended, “Maybe I did. I don’t know. You’re confusing. You act one way but… Never mind.”
She looked embarrassed, and he chuckled. “Yes, so irresistible when you mumble at the floor.”
She flashed angry eyes at him and, seeing his teasing smile, grinned back. “Well, well. There’s another side to Axel Heller after all. Okay, big guy. I’ll see you tomorrow. Gimme your phone.”
He did, and she added herself as a contact.
He felt as if he’d just won the lottery.
“My phone number and address are in there. Tomorrow at two work for you?”
“Ja.I’ll see you then.” He didn’t want to ruin anything, so he stole a quick kiss, committing her taste to memory. Then he left the closet and the party before he embarrassed himself, grinning like a lovestruck fool.
* * *
Rena spent the rest of the night in a blur. She’d said the right things, fended off good-natured teasing about Axel, and generally enjoyed herself. But lying in bed that night, she could do nothing but replay their shared kisses.
They couldn’t possibly have been that good, could they? She sighed, recalling how smooth he’d been, how hot. God, he had a mouth made for sin. For sex.
She shivered, doing her best to relax when images of Axel had the exact opposite result.
He’d bet her she’d find him irresistible. Bet won. But that didn’t mean she’d fall into his arms so easily. Lord knew it had been forever since she’d had sex. But Axel worried her. She’d been attracted for so long, then to be done with him, only to have him act like a perfect Prince Charming to sweep her off her feet?
She rolled over and punched her pillow. She hadn’t been kidding. She wanted a man, a real man who talked to her, made her laugh, and wanted to be with her…for more than just sex.
With Axel she had chemistry. She liked the guy, well, what she knew of him. But she needed to know more. And he needed to share without being nagged about it. She hated that her date with Axel scared her as much as it excited her.
She didn’t want to be rid of him yet, but she had a bad feeling he’d end up ruining things before they’d begun.
* * *
Sunday afternoon, while she and Axel walked around Green Lake drinking cocoa, she had to wonder if she’d willed the date to be bad. He’d gone with her suggestion to walk through the pretty, light flakes of snow continuing to fall despite the bright, sunny day. An odd contradiction, but the sun continued to peek out when the clouds shifted, and the day felt warm regardless of the white falling all around them.
Axel had been nothing but pleasant. He matched his long-legged stride to hers and talked more than he ever had to her about anything. He mentioned the weather and his fascination with American beers and how bad they all were and asked her about her salon.
He seemed to like listening to her talk, which warmed her. But he hadn’t shared anything personal about himself at all, and they’d been walking for over an hour.
She stopped telling him about one of her stylists in an argument with another.
“What’s wrong?” He sipped from his cup.
“You.”
He froze in his tracks, forcing those behind him to go around. “What did I do?”
She felt like an idiot. He’d been polite and charming and had even bought her hot chocolate. He talked and walked and paid her attention, ignoring the many stares aimed his way. And at his height, with his looks, he always drew notice. But she couldn’t help feeling like Axel wasn’t sharing anything his buddies at his shop didn’t already know.
“Tell me,” he insisted in that low voice that wrapped around her and made her shiver deep inside.
“Well…” She toyed with a strand of hair and stopped herself, annoyed with the nervous habit. “Tell me something aboutyou, Axel.” She tugged him by the arm to continue walking with her.
“I did.” He looked puzzled. “I like German beers best. Though Budvar isn’t too bad, and it’s Czech.”
She rolled her eyes. “Not about beer or the weather or how blue the sky is. Like this: Hi, Axel. I’m Rena Jackson. My mom’s name is Caroline, and she lives over in South Seattle. So she’s close but not too close.” Rena smiled. “I have relatives I love in the city. My uncle Liam, my cousins Del and J.T., and now a nephew since Del married Mike. Oh, and I’m about to be an aunt a second time once Del has her baby.”
