Page 64 of Knot My Band: Part One
“I had Riley call and book us a private room so no one would see us,” I say, leading the way to a room in the back.
“Smart.”
It’s a cozy space with wooden targets and a rack of axes that glint under the overhead lights.
“Ever done this before?” I ask, picking up an axe and testing its weight in my hand.
“Can’t say I have,” Dax admits, mirroring my actions. “But how hard can it be?”
“Famous last words,” I tease, approaching the marked line. I take a deep breath, feeling Dax’s intense gaze on me. With a flick of my wrist, I send the axe spinning toward the target, where it lands with a satisfying thunk.
“Clearly you have,” Dax mutters.
“Your turn, grumpy.” I step aside, gesturing grandly to the target.
Dax exhales, rolling his shoulders back before launching the axe. It thuds into the wood, not quite center, but damn impressive for a first try.
“Looks like we’ve got a competition brewing,” I say, the air between us crackling with something more electric than rivalry.
“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” he replies, offering me arare smile that makes my heart do a backflip.
“Next round, then?” I ask, the challenge clear in my voice.
“Bring it on,” Dax answers, determination etched in every line of his body.
As we take turns hurling axes, the rest of the world fades away until it’s just the two of us, lost in the thrill of the game.
With each whirling axe that hits its mark, I can’t help the whoops of excitement that escape me. The thrill is infectious, and even Dax, with his usual clouds of broodiness, starts to break into rare chuckles.
“See? It’s not so bad to let loose,” I say, my voice light and teasing as I retrieve our axes for another round.
“Guess you’re a good influence on me,” Dax admits, and there’s something warm in his hazel eyes that wasn’t there before.
“Only took a bunch of flying axes for you to admit it,” I retort playfully, handing him his weapon.
“Watch and learn,” he says, stepping up to the line with newfound ease. He throws, and the axe slices through the air, embedding itself dead center.
“Okay, okay, no need to get cocky,” I laugh, shaking my head. But deep down, I’m buzzing with pride.
He’s one sexy alpha while he’s showing off.
I immediately cut that line of thought off. I promised not to read into things, and he’s just holding up his end of the deal.
Our turns blur together, an easy rhythm developing between us. His grumpy edges seem to soften with each successful throw. Each shared laugh chipping away at the walls he’s built so high. It’s like watching the sun peek through storm clouds, and I find myself basking in the warmth of his smiles.
We go for one final round, side by side, our movementssyncing.
When we release our axes together, they hit the target in unison, a perfect mirrored pair.
“Look at that,” Dax says, his voice low and laced with something I can’t quite name as we walk to retrieve them.
“Perfect harmony,” I reply, our fingers brushing as we pull the axes free.
For a moment, we simply stand there, locked in a gaze that feels like it’s diving into the very core of me. His hand hovers near mine, the air charged with the possibility of touch. Dax’s eyes are soft now, a contrast to the usual stormy seas I’ve grown accustomed to navigating. There’s a vulnerability there, a silent question that makes my breath catch.
“Oli…” he starts, and I hear the faintest tremor in his voice.
“Yeah?” I whisper back, aware of how close we are and how every instinct in my body pulls me towards him.
