Page 86 of Zimyra

“As if you’ve never broken any hearts…”

“Not intentionally. I had one boyfriend in high school and another in college. The one from high school—Zander threatened him and told him if he put a hand on me, he would make sure no one found his body.”

Axel throws his head back and laughs.

“You laugh, but that’s what he told him. Needless to say, he broke up with me, and I didn’t have a prom date, so Zavier, bless his heart, accompanied me to my prom. He’s the morerationaltwin, but he doesn’t play about me either.”

“What happened with the college boyfriend?”

“It just didn’t work. He was the nerdy type, and don’t get me wrong—there’s nothing wrong with that, but any man who wants to date me has to have a backbone, or I’ll run all over him. Besides, I have strong men for protectors. If I did decide to date, I would pretty much keep it close to the chest just to avoid their interrogations.”

“You shouldn’t have to do that.”

“I know Ishouldn’t, but that’s what it is.”

“So, you’ve never brought a man home to meet your mother?”

“No.”

“Interesting. Did I tell you I met her? Your mother?”

“I figured you did when she reached out to Zander to let him know you were coming over to his house to see me. I wish you hadn’t done that. Zander is already on my case about you, and my mother is going to think you’re my boyfriend.”

“Am I not?”

I look at him. His brows raise.

I smile, feeling like an idiot beneath the force of his powerful charm. I say, “No, you’re not my boyfriend.”

“Then, who am I?”

“A friend.”

“You and I both know that’s not true.”

“Itistrue. Just because we kissed doesn’t make us a couple, Axel.”

“You think what we did was just a kiss?” he asks, teasingly biting down on his bottom lip.

“It was.”

“It wasn’t. I basically made love to your mouth, babygirl, and I’ve been waiting like a fiend for an opportunity to do it again. But, I know you’re working through some things right now. That’s the only reason I haven’t pinned you up against the wall again. Trust me on that.”

Dang. It just got ten degrees warmer out here.

This man, this man, this man…

He’s done things to my psyche that I didn’t think were possible. I say, “You shouldn’t talk to me like that. It’s not very gentlemanlike.”

“Who said I was a gentleman?”

“Right…you’re the heartbreaker from Bridgeport who I know nothing about.”

“You know just as much about me as I know about you.”

“Lies.”

He smirks and walks over to a park bench and asks, “What don’t you know that you’re just dying to know, Zimyra?”

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