Page 15 of Challenged
Aksel pauses mid-reach for some pasta and turns towards me.
“Because I wanted time with you,” he admits, the corners of his mouth tilting upward in a candid smile. “It would’ve made sense to bring him, but… I may have abused my authority to ensure I was the one accompanying you today.”
His confession sends a rush of warmth through my veins, far more intoxicating than any human beverage I’ve served behind the bar. My pulse quickens, not from fear or the threat of danger, but because of the raw honesty in his voice. Flattered, I smile as I realize the lengths he’d go to be near me.
“Is that so?” I tease, leaning into the cart. “Abusing your power? That’s quite the slippery slope you’re on.”
“Only for the most important causes,” he quips back, his seriousness dissolving into a grin that reaches his eyes.
I chuckle, unable to resist the playfulness sparking between us.
“Thank you,” I murmur, sincerity lacing my words. “For spending time alone with me.”
“Anything for you, Anna,” he says softly.
The mundane hum of the supermarket fluorescents wraps around us as we navigate through the maze of aisles, a strangely soothing backdrop. Aksel’s presence is a beacon, drawing curious glances from passersby, you can sense his power even as a human. It’s an aura around him.
“Anna?” Aksel’s voice draws me back.
“Sorry, just thinking.” I offer him a smile. “It’s nice, isn’t it? Being surrounded by humans…makes me feel safer. I know I can protect myself.”
He nods, understanding etching lines of empathy across his diamond-shaped face. “I know what you mean.”
We continue, filling our cart with items on Rion’s list.
“Reminds me of before,” I confess, my fingers tracing over a packet of cookies. “When my biggest concern was cramming for exams and not when I would get my next hit of blood.”
“Before has its charms,” Aksel agrees, “But after brought you to me.”
That was so cute I can’t resist leaning up to kiss him on the cheek. “Who knew there was so much sweetness under that mean exterior.”
Aksel rolls his eyes and doesn’t answer but he can’t hide his small smile from me.
My fingers close around a package of brownies that isn’t on the list. I can almost taste the rich, fudgy sweetness just from the picture on the front.
“Anna, really?” Aksel’s voice ripples with playful disapproval. “Of all things, you choose that? It’s so bad for you!”
I glance up at him, raising an eyebrow as I lean back against the metal shelving. The corners of his mouth are turned up in a smirk, those heterochromatic eyes of his dancing with mirth. “It’s not like they’ll have any effect,” I retort, clutching the box closer to my chest.
“True,” he concedes, running a hand through his tawny hair, a gesture that somehow manages to look both casual and calculated. His gaze lingers on me, measuring my reaction. “But even vampires should indulge responsibly, don’t you think?”
“Indulge responsibly?” I echo, mock indignation lacing my tone. Quickly, I reach out and playfully smack his arm. “Aksel, come on, you know it doesn’t matter what human food I indulge in.” My hand lingers for a moment longer than intended on the firmness of his bicep, feeling the solid strength beneath his shirt.
He grins, unfazed by my hit, and there’s a glint of something more, something deeper, in his gaze. “Oh, I know,” he says, his voice dropping to a murmur, leaning in so his words are for my ears only. “But I also know you enjoy the little things… like this illusion of normalcy.”
My heart skips a beat.
“Let’s get these, then,” I say, placing the brownies into our nearly full cart.
Aksel boxes me in against the shelves and brings his hand up to cup my face, his fingers threading through my hair. The world narrows to the space between us as Aksel presses me against the nearest shelf with a decisiveness that steals my breath.
Before I can protest or tease him about causing a scene, his lips claim mine with a fierce urgency, obliterating all thoughts of propriety. The hard lines of his body mold against me, and I’m surrounded by his scent. I close my eyes, giving in to the sensation, the kiss deepening until there’s no room for anything else but the electric current thrumming through my veins.
“Anna,” he whispers against my mouth, pulling back just enough to allow us both to catch our breath. His eyes burn into mine, a stormy sky reflected in his gaze.
“What was that for?” My voice is a mix of wonder and reprimand, but it trembles, betraying the chaos his closeness inflicts upon my senses.
His thumb gently traces my lower lip, leaving a trail of tingling awareness. “Because I love you,” Aksel confesses, his voice rough like gravel, laden with an emotion that resonates within the deepest parts of my heart. “And right here, even in a grocery store, I couldn’t resist you.”
