“Fuck them. You will not glaze over man-candy like that. Did he play along? Spill.”
I laugh because Latoya’s one-track mind would settle on the mention of an attractive man.
“Like a pro. He did most of the talking. Also, he essentially told them to fuck off and grabbed my hand and brought me back here.”
“Please tell me you went to his room, and this is about to turn into a spectacular sex story,” Latoya begs.
I take a long gulp of my beverage. I would love to say it is so, but it isn’t. The memory of me wanting to follow him still made my cheeks heat up. I squirm at the familiar stirring low in my belly. The thought of him makes me hot. That hasn’t happened since…never.
“Nope. He was a gentleman. He told me his room number in case I need him later.”
I make sure to leave out our sexual chemistry. I don’t know what to do with the information yet.
“No wench, you need him now! Go!” Latoya shoos me like I am a wayward puppy.
“Latoya! She doesn’t know him! He could be a killer or a rapist.”
“I can assure you I’m neither.”
I jump at the sound of Axel’s voice.How can someone that big move so stealthily?
“God damn!” Latoya exclaims, her eyes happily take in the sight of Axel.
“Latoya, don’t use the Lord’s name in vain,” Keri whines, though her eyes never leaves Axel.
He’d changed his clothes, but his sky blue, v-neck t-shirt clings sinfully to his body, displaying his muscles with so much accuracy he could have been shirtless. His fresh pair of boardshorts hang low on his hips making me wonder if they would fall if I tugged just a little bit. I take another long sip of my drink.
Axel folded his big body in the booth next to me, forcing me to scoot closer to the window. His big arm engulfs my body. The heat of his side presses against my arm warms me more than I care to admit. He smells fresh and clean like the hotel soap. His wavy, sun-kissed hair rests atop of his head in the sexiest man-bun I’ve ever seen.
“Where did you come from?” I marvel, still in awe at his sudden appearance.
“1101, in case you forgot. I took a shower, then I had a rumbly in my tumbly.” It never sounds that sexy when Winnie the Pooh says it.
The server appears with our food. My mouth waters at the sight of my club sandwich with avocado and seasoned fries.
“Bodhi! My man,” Axel greets the server with a complicated, secret handshake.
“Hello, Mr. Behr. Are you dining in today?”
“No can do. Business calls,” he complains as he swipes my plate. “Grab my heavenly angel another one of these, and call me Axel, please.”
I watch horrified as he squeezes a massive amount of ketchup on my fries. “Axel, did you just steal my meal?”
Axel inhales a few fries and winks at me while he licks ketchup off his lips. I momentarily forget my complaint as I watch his pink tongue slide over his slightly pink, kissable lips in what feels like slow motion. I start to imagine what else he can do with his lips. Axel chuckles, and I know he knows my mind when south.
“Not stealing—delaying,” he corrects me, pulling me back to the present. “I have a business call in ten minutes. I’m in a hurry. Who are these lovely ladies?”
Keri and Latoya take turns shaking his hand and introducing themselves. As expected, Latoya turns up the charm.
“So, you’re the delicious piece of man-candy that saved our girl on the beach…”
Axel swallows a bite of food before responding. “Man-candy? Your words or Heaven’s?”
Latoya’s smile displays all of her teeth. “Mine. I was just about to get her to describe you when you appeared.”
“Good,” Axel says in mock seriousness. “I’d thought I’d been downgraded from ‘man-tree.’”
Keri’s laugh shifts all of our attention to her. She’s hardly said anything past her name since Axel’s arrival. I smile, pleased that her amusement overrides her shyness.
