Page 74 of Axe-identally Married
Swing.
Center hit.
Excellent.
I could feel her eyes on me. And while I had thought I’d feel self-conscious, the attention made me feel like fucking Superman.
Again.
Swing.
Yes.
I was invincible.
Jude wasn’t lying; this is an incredible workout. I was already sweating, and my heart was racing. My lats ached, and my abs contracted with each swing.
Just as I’d quartered another log, the sound of a cough drew my attention. I looked up and found Willa standing by the back corner of the house, eyes wide.
She’d pulled a coat over her sweats but still wore her fluffy house slippers, which were probably soaked through already.
Jumping back when she caught me looking at her, she pulled her coat closed around her chest. “What are you doing?”
“Chopping wood.” I lined up another log, biting my cheeks to keep from smiling.
“Why?”
“We need firewood.” I grunted. This setup was beyond ridiculous, but what could I say? I was willing to make an absolute fool of myself to impress this woman.
I lifted my head and found her gawking. Fuck, if that didn’t make me feel ten feet tall. Pulling myself up to my full height, I rested the maul on my shoulder like Paul Motherfucking Bunyan and smiled. “Whatcha doin’ out here? It’s freezing.”
She froze, like a deer in headlights. “I-I needed to check these rose bushes,” she said, gesturing to the row of frozen, leafless bushes that lined the side of the cottage.
“Huh. In January?”
Her face flamed. God, I love how easily she flushed. “They’re in dormancy, but they still require care.” She attempted to sound authoritative, like she did when using medical jargon, but the trembling hands gave her away.
I nodded, rolling my lips to keep from laughing. She had no garden equipment and was wearing slippers, but sure sweetie, the roses needed your attention.
“It’s freezing,” she snapped, putting a hand on her hip. “Put a coat on.”
This time I didn’t bother tempering the grin that slowly spread across my face. “Can’t. Too sweaty. This is hard work.” I patted the handle of the maul. “I may have to take off my shirt.”
I propped the maul against the log pile and gathered the hem of my long-sleeved tee, ready to pull it up and give her a show.
Before I could do more than that, she gasped and took a step forward. As she did, she rolled her ankle and tripped straight into the snow.
Abandoning my plan, I darted over to her.
“Fuck,” she hissed.
I knelt in front of her. “You okay?”
“Yes,” she said, avoiding my gaze. “I’m fine.”
Gently, I brushed the snow off her legs, maybe a bit more than necessary.
“You should get inside.” I eased her to her feet and held on to her arms until she was steady. “Want me to come in and help you warm up?” I raised one eyebrow and pointed to the pile of freshly chopped wood.
