Page 25 of Something to Believe In
His head turned toward her, a sexy smile turned up his lips, and when he spoke, it was the tone that zinged right through her entire body. It was low, but clear and soft and romantic. "You said you liked walking on the beach. It gave you peace. This little place is on the beach."
She swallowed the lump in her throat and blinked rapidly to dry the tears that sprang to her eyes. "Wow," she managed, but nothing else. She needed to calm herself. He'd listened to her, and he cared.
After she felt she could talk, she squeezed his hand. "Thank you."
His head nodded; that was it.
He turned onto a quiet two-lane road, where trees touched over the top of the road, creating a beautiful tunnel. Spanish moss hung from the branches, the sun filtered through the leaves and created patterns on the road similar to a kaleidoscope's magic.
Axel turned the car into a driveway in front of the cutest little bungalow she'd ever seen. The house was white, but the shutters were painted lime green. It had a little covered porch on the front, but the water on the back side promised a peaceful setting.
They got out of the car, Axel took their bags and led them to the front porch. There was a touchpad to enter a code, which he did; the door lock slid open, and a beep sounded from the keypad.
He grinned, then froze and turned his head toward the road in front of the cottage. The sound of a car slowed on the road, then stopped. He turned his head to listen intently, and Maddyn's heartbeat increased. "What do you hear?"
"That car stopped."
"Okay."
"There was nothing to stop for. We're the only house on this road."
Maddyn glanced past the Mustang to the road and waited. "Maybe they had to reset their GPS or something."
Axel shrugged. "I guess I'm a bit touched after someone came right up to my house. You're probably right."
She nodded and turned the handle to allow them entry. Inside, the place was absolutely romantic. The sofa was large and plush, made of material that looked like a fuzzy blanket. There was a cabinet across from the sofa, which housed a television and, below that, a brick fireplace. Beyond the sofa was the kitchen. Stainless appliances looked nearly new, adorable decorations hung on the walls, and leather stools lined the center island.
"Wow, this is amazing."
Axel chuckled. "It is. Sam, my friend, and his wife, Lyndie, do an amazing job with their short-term rentals."
"Have you been here before?" She turned to look at him as she said it, her stomach clenched as the thought ran through her head that she may not be the first woman he'd brought here.
"Yes," he said as he walked across the room to a door. She swallowed the knot in her throat and took a breath as she followed him. Inside the room was a large bed, covered with a soft, fuzzy cream-colored comforter. He set their bags on the chair near the door and took her hand. He led her to another door and flipped on a light switch.
"I tiled this shower, installed that toilet, and tiled the floor in this room. Sam asked for help last year when we took a break in the summer. I felt good using my hands for something besides drumming, and I felt great helping a friend. Lyndie was pregnant, and they wanted to get this place finished for their first guests."
She let out a breath and swallowed to wet her throat as she nodded. Axel stepped to her, their toes nearly touching. His hands cupped her head, and he tilted her head up so he could look into her eyes. "I've never been here with another woman."
She smiled. "Thank you."
He kissed her lips and took a deep breath. "We've both had other partners, Mads. I get jealous thinking about the boyfriends you've had over the years, too. We can't think like that. I wasn't with those other women to cheat on you. I couldn't have you. We couldn't be together."
She nodded. "I know. I'll get more confident in us as time goes on. I promise."
He kissed her again and pulled her to his body. His arms wrapped around her shoulders, and she lay her head against his chest. The solid rhythm of his heartbeat calmed her. The strength with which he held her made her feel protected. His scent wove around her, and she hoped she'd always love his scent.
His chest rumbled as he inhaled. "The sun will set soon. Should we go for that beach walk before we come in and settle for the night?"
"I'd love that."
Chapter Seventeen
Axel held Maddyn's hand as they walked along the beach. The broken seashells in the sand prevented them from taking their shoes off, but the sound the water made, the calling of birds as they dove for fish and bragged about it, filled the air. The sky grew orange as they turned to head back to the little cabin. His chest felt as though his heart had grown a hundred times its size. But he felt so at peace right now. The tension in his shoulders, which normally hung on for a few days after a gig, subsided, and his neck didn't ache as it usually did. Stories of couples who'd waited for so long to find someone, only to have made a mistake, tried to get into his head, but he pushed them back. That wasn't them. He knew it like he knew his name. There'd be an adjustment, but they'd get through. They had history together, and it was good history. They'd started with Jami from the beginning. From bar to bar, then clubs, then larger venues, appearing as regulars at three of them on a weekly basis. They'd grown their fanbase, and they'd made it through divorces, all of the band members. But they'd stuck by each other, supported each other, and they made great music together.
They neared the cottage, and he squeezed her hand. "I need to put the top up on the Mustang for the night."
"Okay. I'll come with you."
