Page 58 of Sweet Hate
I’m in so much trouble.
“Thank you, Axel. You didn’t need to do that. You’re already doing so much, but I’m so grateful. I’ve been trying to practice in Grams’s kitchen, but it’s just not the same. You’re my hero. How can I ever repay you?”
Her hero?Emotion clogs up my throat at her words and at the feel of her back in my arms. This is the first time she’s voluntarily touched me since she came back. The relief of being able to freely hold her could easily bring me to my knees.
I nuzzle my face into her neck, breathing deep, trying to commit this moment to memory. All too soon she pulls back, her eyes holding mine. She brushes a lock of hair off my face before her small hand trails down to rest on my cheek. I can’t help but close my eyes and hold her hand there. The charged air around us snaps with electricity.
How did I go so long without this? Without her?
She starts to pull her hand away from my face, but I continue to hold it. Not ready to let her go. To break the connection.
What would she do if I kissed her right now?
Searching her eyes for the answer, I can see familiaremotions swimming there as she nervously bites her bottom lip. I move my free hand to cup her face, running my thumb across her lip and slowly tugging it free. She lets out a barely audible gasp as her pupils dilate, the irises almost lost to the big black depths.
Sinking my hand into her silky pink waves, I tug her head back, slowly lowering my mouth toward hers.
This is right. This is her.
Our lips are millimeters apart and fireworks erupt inside me, my burning need for this woman overwhelming and unrivaled.
“Axel, baby, there you are!” A shrill, high-pitched voice rips us out of our moment. Haven's eyes shutter as she immediately jerks away from me. Crushing loss sends ice flooding through my veins.
My eyes fly to the blonde quickly walking toward us. Hell no. Not her. Before I can grab Haven’s hand and pull her back to me to explain, she turns to go.
“I’m going to go find Jett and thank her personally. Thanks again, Axeman.”
Axeman.I swear my heart cracks open at the line she’s just drawn again.
I glare down at Keely, who now has my arm in her grasp.
“What can I do for you, Keely?”
I try to disengage and remove my arm from her vise-like grip without looking like a total asshole, even though I want to smash a hole into the wall in frustration.
“Why so formal, Axey? Come have a drink with me. We had such a good night; we really need to do it again.”
This—this right here is one of the reasons I’ve been avoiding random hookups these days. Keely and I had one drunken night together months ago, and she won’t let it go. She’s overly familiar, shows up at the station with food for the guys, and thinks she can lay her hands on me whenever the hell she pleases.
I don’t want to hurt her. I may have earned my playboyreputation and done nothing to dissuade it, but I don’t want to be a dick. I just can’t keep doing this. Especially not now that I’ve been remindedof what it’s like tofeel.
When she crawls her fingers down my chest, I grab her hand.
This ends tonight.
20
HAVEN
Itry to forget about the blonde currently rubbing herself like a horny cat all over Axel in the hallway I just vacated and focus on finding Jett. I don’t know what just happened, but it was definitely a mistake. One I need to remind myself not to make again and again, apparently.
He seems to have a lot of women around these days, and a type, if the two blondes I’ve seen fawning over him are any indication.
“Haven, doll, long time no see!” Jett sweeps her inky blue hair into a haphazard bun as she approaches me. I try to contain my surprise at her warm greeting. Axel got on with her well, but I’d kept to myself. I always thought she didn’t like me back then.
“Jett, hi! Axel just told me you offered up your kitchen for me and I just wanted to thank you. I’m so very grateful. If I can do anything at all to repay you, please just ask. I can make a mean cocktail if you’re ever short on bar staff!”
She laughs, and it softens the hard angles of her face. She’s beautiful but has a perpetual resting bitch face. It serves her well when she’s busting drunk men’s balls. She comes around the bar and surprises me again by pulling me intoa huge hug.
