Page 23 of Axel

“Running from what, exactly?”

She climbs into my lap, her hands threading my hair at the back of my neck. Blood begins to rush south as her strawberry scent surrounds me, and I know it won’t be long before my undeniable attraction is out there for anyone to see. “From love.”

“You’re staying?”

“Yes.”

“For how long?”

She combs a hand over my stubble-covered cheek and peers into my eyes. I swear I see forever in that amber gaze. “Forever, Axel. In case it’s not clear, I’m in love with you.”

“But what about your superstition?”

“Turns out you just might be my muse.”

“Is that so?”

“I already have a dozen new book ideas. If you don’t believe me, I can show you my notebook.” She presses her lips to mine, and the world fucking stops. My princess is done running. She’s done denying what this is between us. She’s staying.

“I love you, Princess.”

“There’s just one thing,” she says.

“What’s that?”

“I might need a place to stay since my lease is up. Know somewhere that’ll take a crazy romance novelist who likes to write in the nude?”

“I know exactly where you belong.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.” I slide my hand up her shirt and cup her tit. Soon enough, that pesky lace bra will be on my floor and this woman in my bed. “With me.”

“Then what are you waiting for?” she asks, her eyelashes fluttering flirtatiously as she rocks her hips against the bulge in my jeans. “Take me home, Axel.”

EPILOGUE

KELSEY

“Kelsey, this party is the best!”Ruby McCray says, joining me behind the kitchen island of what is no longer merely Axel’s house, butour home. The once sterile place is now littered with color and books. So many books. It also currently looks like The Grinch stole every Christmas decoration in Daisy Hills and dumped it here. It’s amazing.

“You’re having a good time?” I ask.

“The best! You need to make this an annual thing.”

I meet Axel’s gaze across the room, and we share a conspiratorial smile. I came up with the Day After Christmas Party idea while writing in our bedroom in the middle of the night. When I’d finished the scene, Axel was waiting for me in the bed. I shiver in delight, remembering how we didn’t get any sleep that night. He’d spent hours worshiping my body, determined to give me more orgasms than I could count.

“Earth to Kelsey,” Ruby teases.

I flash her a wicked smile. “Sorry, I zoned out for a moment.”

“She does that,” Hope says, joining our conversation and stealing a frosted Christmas cookie she immediately inhales.

“You okay?” I ask her, noticing her usual chipper smile is missing. Hope was the one most excited about this party when I’d told our group. The woman lives for Christmas.

“No.”

“What’s wrong?”

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