Chapter 73
“You look like you’re about to turn into an ice sculpture.”
The door creaked open an inch before I had time to reply, and he hunched down. “Hey. See. It’s me. You recognize my ugly mug, right, Honey-Bee?” A giggle drifted out from inside and Axel opened the door enough for us to get in. As soon as we were inside in the heat, he shrugged off his jacket and lifted the tiny black-haired fairy in his arms.
“It’s okay. I’ve got you now.” She threw her thin arms around his neck—so massive she could barely reach around—and gave me a quick once-over before she hid her face in his cheek. She whispered something in his ear, but I couldn’t make out the words.
“He’s a friend of mine. His name is Daniel. Daniel, this is Beatrice. She’s my best girl.” She twisted her head and looked at me. She was fair-skinned with black eyes, a little heart-shaped mouth the same color as her uncle’s, and a curious look on her face. She was adorable.
“Hi Beatrice, call me Danny.” Axel snorted, but I ignored him. “I love your jammies.” They were bright yellow and covered in bees.
She studied me closely with a gaze that was much older than her four years. “They’re honey-bees,” she whispered.
“I can tell. They look just like you.” I smiled at her and when her mouth turned up in the tiniest of smiles, I felt like I was king of the world.
Axel tilted his head inward and I stomped the snow off my shoes and walked after them.
Bea cocked her head and gazed at Axel. “Is he your boyfriend?”
“No, honey. Just a regular friend.”
I stumbled on something invisible on the floor.
Axel the Hulking Giant was gay?
In a trance, I followed them into the kitchen and sat. They chitchatted, but I didn’t register anything they said because I was too busy staring at Axel as he shrugged out of his jacket.
He wore a tight T-shirt that looked painted on and revealed every ridge and groove of his body. He had unusual tattoos with big stretches of his skin completely black as if someone had painted on him with a Sharpie. The abstract motif was created by the blank spaces in between all the black and it was mesmerizing. But if I’d seen them when he wasn’t holding a cute little Honey-Bee in his arms, I would have run screaming in the other direction.
He was scary as fuck and hotter than hell and my dick stirred in my pants. I sat on my hands so I wouldn’t thump myself in front of the child.
“Danny is staring at you, Uncle Ax.” Beatrice’s voice—full of mischievous giggles—pulled me out of my stupor and I snapped my mouth shut. Hopefully, I hadn’t drooled at least.
“Sorry.” My voice was a pathetic squeak, and I had to clear my throat. “Your tattoos are very unusual.” His laughing eyes told me he didn’t believe my lame explanation for a second.
“I’d be happy to tell you all about ‘em.” His crooked smile and velvety voice made me weak in the knees, and I forced myself to look away.
When had I stopped thinking of him as a potential serial killer and started liking him? Before or after I’d watched him melt into a puddle in the hands of his niece? I shook my head. No, it was way before. Back on the freezing road when he’d spoken to me like I was a baby reindeer terrified of jolly old St. Nick. He’d coaxed and sweet-talked me until he’d gotten me where he’d wanted
I sighed. It didn’t matter if I’d detected a hint of interest coming from him; we were most likely not compatible on that front. No way was he taking my cock up his ass. He was the typical top if I ever saw one.
Rolling my eyes at myself, I forced myself to stop ogling him. Great. Now I was some goddamn pervert, thinking about fucking him in front of an innocent girl. Someone should lock me up and throw away the key.
“Wanna watch Elsa with us, Danny?” Beatrice asked.
“Who’s Elsa?”
She giggled with her little hand covering her mouth. “Danny doesn’t know who Elsa is,” she said to Axel.
He threw a glance over his shoulder and smirked at me. “Be prepared. Be very prepared.” They both burst out laughing.
I huffed and trudged after them, but I did notstare at Axel’s ass. Nope. I absolutely didn’t notice how his pants were glued to his round, squeezable butt or how the muscles played in his meaty thighs as he moved.
And surely I imagined the exaggerated swing to his hips?
He wouldn’t do that. Right?
I made sure he had his back firmly at me, and then I thumped my dick. Hard. I had to bite my lip to keep the whimper inside. But when I sat down next to the little Honey-Bee and her big, scary Uncle Ax on the couch, I had myself under control. Mostly. 3
Apparently, Elsa was an ice queen in the Disney movie Frozen, and I was one second away from keeling over from shock when Axel started singing along with Beatrice and the movie princesses. They didn’t get a single word wrong and when Olaf the Snowman started singing about what snow does in summer and his first line was about buzzing bees, they got off the couch and shook their butts and flapped their arms in tune with the song in an impression of the aforementioned insect. It lasted only for a second or two, but I almost died of cuteness overload.