Once I’m done in the bathroom, Axel jumps in for his turn. I’ve started keeping all my hair tools and makeup in my room so I don’t hold him up when we’re both getting ready. I blow-dry my hair straight and run the flat iron over it until it’s extra smooth and shiny. The last haircut I had was back in Arizona, and now it falls all the way to the top of my butt. Despite the neglect, it’s still healthy. I pull it half-up and tie a festive red ribbon around the base.
I keep my makeup simple with some liner, mascara, and a sheer red gloss. Once that’s done, I slip into a long-sleeved white top, faux leather skirt, black tights, and booties. Clean, classic, and very “meet the parents.” I hope.
Axel returns and makes himself comfortable on my bed while I finish up in the mirror. He’s wearing a red-and-black checkered flannel, the top buttons undone to reveal a white undershirt beneath. The sleeves are rolled up just enough to show off his muscular forearms. I catch myself staring. He notices.
Grinning, Axel comes up behind me and slides his arms around my waist. I lean back against his chest, and we watch each other’s reflections.
We look good together. His tan skin and dark features contrast against my pale coloring, and for a fleeting second, I wonder what our kids would look like. Would they have his brown hair? My blue eyes?
“What’re you thinking about?” he murmurs.
I flush immediately. “You don’t want to know.”
“Yes, I do.” He nuzzles my hair, voice low. “You got this happy, dreamy look in your eyes. I want to know what put it there.”
“No way.” I laugh nervously. “Nik should be here any minute. Let’s go wait for him.”
I try to step away, but Axel gently tugs me back by my hair.
“Mmm.” He brushes his lips against my ear. “I love when you wear your hair like this. It reminds me of Halloween.”
“Yeah?” My breath catches.
“Yeah. Now be a good girl and tell me what you were thinking. Maybe I’ll convince Nik you deserve a reward later.”
Damn it, he doesn’t play fair. I lick my lips.
“Okay, but don’t make it a thing,” I mutter. “It’s just… we were standing there, and I thought we looked good together. Which made me wonder, you know, how our genes might… combine.”
Axel sees right through me, and his expression softens into something warm and reverent.
“You were thinking about kids?”
“Umm… yeah? But like, scientifically.” I fidget. “It was just a passing thought. Curiosity.”
“Call it whatever you want.” His voice drops. “You were thinking about our baby. And it made you smile. Fuck. Why’s that so hot?”
Right on time, the doorbell rings.
“That’s Nik,” I whisper, already pulling away.
“Nik can wait.”
Axel kisses me, firm and possessive. By the time he pullsback, I’m breathless and ruined.
“Maybe one day,” he murmurs against my lips, “I’ll put a baby in your belly and we’ll find out.”
I let out a strangled squeak and bolt for the stairs, his laughter chasing me down.
By the time we reach the living room, Axel and I have mostly composed ourselves. Mostly. But Nik takes one look at me from the couch, raises a single brow, and smirks like he knows exactly what we’ve been up to. Thankfully, his parents are still in the kitchen with Ben and Maryanne and haven’t noticed anything yet.
I make a beeline for the couch and plop down beside Nik. Axel flanks me on the other side. Across from us, Johnny lounges in the armchair near the fireplace, playing on his phone.
Nik leans in, voice low and taunting. “Carolina, why are you flushed and rocking freshly kissed lips? If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were making out with one of your stepcousins.”
Stepcousin. Right. Sometimes I forget Nik doesn’t know the full truth.
I whisper back sassily, “Well, Nikolai, I really don’t think that’s any of your business.”
