Why had she stayed with Tim?Why had she left him several times and kept going back to him just because he’d suddenly acted all sweet and charming again?But that charming side of him had never lasted.He’d always gone back to being his immature selfish skirt chasing self again.
She frowned, flipped the omelets, and poured coffee into mugs.
“Is there anywhere we can order a windowpane?I can take measurements and call it in,” Axel's question made her jump as she hadn't heard him returning from the bathroom and her nerves were still frayed from the night before.
Man, he sure was quiet.
“Hey, easy.I didn't mean to scare you,” he said softly.
“Me?Scared?Never,” Jenna joked as she gazed up at him.
Gosh, he looked so much like before.Except older.His brow was furrowed as he studied her.
“The Jenna I knew rarely got scared.So what's up with that?”
She looked away, unable to hold his gaze.Should she tell him what had happened last night?Gosh, was it only last night that she had had that scare?
Her fingers tightened around the coffee mug.
“Seems like I have stepped on too many toes.Sit,” she ordered.
“Trouble?”he growled and took a seat at the kitchen table.
“That's right,” she said as she served him his coffee and omelette.
“You're still getting into trouble?Even after all this time?”He gazed at her, his dark brown eyes now flashing with amusement.
Jenna shook her head.“You're one to talk.”
“Yeah well, trouble is lots of fun, or don’t you remember that time we got caught stealing Old Man Joe’s apples because I wanted you to bake me an apple pie and you said we didn’t have any apples, so I persuaded you to come with me to help ourselves to some apples under his tree and then he was there with his shotgun.Or the time your dad caught us kissing in your mom and dad’s covered swing on their back patio and he grounded you for three weeks?”he replied.
“Oh geez, I forgot about that,” Jenna said as the memories flooded her mind.Warmth bloomed through her chest, softening the edges of the morning.Their first kiss had been that night on that swing, so intense and so much pleasure, until her dad’s loud voice had been like an ice cold bucket of water being dumped over both their heads.
“You looked so embarrassed and horrified.I felt so bad for you,” she admitted.
Suddenly Axel burst out laughing.The sound wrapped around her, rich and familiar, tugging her straight back to when she was seventeen.It was a deep, genuine sound that echoed from within his chest and she couldn’t help but smile and remember that yes, the two of them did have adventures that seemed to lead them into the path of trouble.
His laughter had always been irresistibly infectious, drawing her into its warmth.
He dropped his gaze to his plate and powerfully cut into his omelet with his fork.
“Yeah, your dad didn’t like me at first, but he warmed up to me, didn’t he?Damn this smells so good.Tell me what happened last night,” he prodded.
She hesitated, the words sticking in her throat.
“What happened last night was no fun.I'm sure more is coming.So you and Nick will have to watch your backs while you're here.I should have warned him before leaving and now I can’t because Sam doesn’t have a phone, he usually comes here to use ours.I should have given Nick my cell phone, just in case.”
“From where we’ve just come from, it's now second nature to watch our backs.I’m sure Nick will be fine,” Axel replied.
Jenna nodded.Of course it would be that way in prison.
He shoved a forkful of omelette into his mouth, closed his eyes, and moaned his appreciation.
Jenna’s breath caught at the sexy sound.
“This tastes like heaven,” he said between bites.
She loved that he enjoyed her cooking.
