Page 27 of Chasing Wildflowers
Lane looks from the building to me, a smile tugging at her lips. “Ax throwing?”
I nod. “How did I do?”
Her lips pull into a full, pleased smile. “You did good.”
The smell of beer and fried food hits me as we walk through the entrance. Rock music is playing from the speakers above, mixing with the sharp thuds of metal meeting wood.
Lanes similar to those of a bowling alley, with wooden targets instead of pins, take up the entire left side of the space. Safety barriers separate each lane. To the right is a small bar, liquor bottles lining the back wall. Small round top tables litter the space between the bar and the ax-throwing area.
A hostess with braces and a bouncy blonde ponytail leads us to an empty lane. She rattles off the rules, then demonstrates a throw that tells us she didn’t land the job based on her throwing abilities, before leaving us alone.
Lane’s eyes sparkle with mischief as she grabs an ax from the wall. “Want to make a wager?”
I bite my lip.Fuck. This woman.
“You’re on. What do you get if you win?” I ask, eyes trailing the soft sway of her hips as she crosses the space.
She steps up to the giant red X painted on the floor. “If I win, you let me pay you back for my tires.”
Not happening.
I close the distance, invading her space. “Fine, and if I win?” I tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her scent, lavender and bergamot invading my senses. “What do I get?”
Her breath stutters. “W-what do you want?” she asks, looking up at me through her lashes.
She’s flustered. Good.
I lift her chin gently, fingertips warm against her skin. Her eyes lock with mine. “I want to kiss you, Lane.”
Her pupils go wide, but she doesn’t say no.
I step back, hands sliding into my pockets, and nod toward the target. “Let’s see what you got, Wildflower.”
She blinks a few times, probably mentally telling herself to get it together. I smile at the thought.
She hefts the ax, giving it a few practice swings, lining up the target, before letting it fly. It spins throughthe air, end over end, the softwhooshof air slicing past, before landing in the outer ring of the target with a thud.
She turns, and gives me a cocky smirk, her eyes dancing with delight. “Not bad for my first try.”
I select an ax off the shelf, testing its weight. “Pretty good, Wildflower.”
I take my place on the X, and draw my arm back, giving Lane a wink, before letting the ax soar through the air. It sinks dead center with a sharp crack.
I turn, a smug smile pulling at my lips.
Her mouth falls open. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Wanna back out of our bet?” I ask, eyes linger on her mouth.
She bites her bottom lip, eyes narrowing. “Never.”
I grit my teeth against a groan as she approaches the target and yanks her axe free from the wood. She strolls back to the X, eyes fixed on me in challenge.
“That was just a practice throw.” She faces the target, breathing steady as she draws her arm back and lets the axe fly.
Twelve
Lane
