Chapter 81

Freshly showered and dressed only in my boxer briefs and undershirt, I leaned against the handrail of the stairs leading up to the loft. I wanted to go up there and join him. Wanted to be surrounded by his woodsy scent and listen to him humming in his sleep.

But I shouldn’t, right? Even if I hadn’t imagined the interest I’d sensed from him, he wouldn’t want me up there uninvited, would he?

I rolled my neck. I’d better get back to the couch and get some more sleep. Nodding, like I was trying to convince myself I’d made the right decision, I moved. But my feet didn’t listen to my brain and instead of returning to the sofa, I started climbing the stairs. Hesitantly on my tippy toes at first, but after a couple steps, I hurried my pace until I was jogging the last bit.

Axel lay sprawled out on the bed with an arm thrown over his head and a leg dangling over the edge as if he hadn’t been able to decide whether to stay in bed or get up. A night light on the bedside table illuminated his face and made his eyelashes appear longer than they actually were. The black tattoos covered his arms and shoulders and continued up his neck, but the skin on his well-defined chest was unadorned like a blank canvas. He didn’t even have chest hair.

His nipples were pebbled and I wanted to pull up the covers to make sure he wasn’t cold, but I was frozen to the floor. Pulled in two different directions. I knew I should stop staring at him while he was sleeping, go back downstairs, and leave him the fuck alone.

Instead I took a step closer.

His unexpected gentleness had gotten under my skin. The honest vulnerability he hadn’t been afraid to show, made me want to wrap him up in my arms and protect him. To give himthe same support he so generously gave to others.

And I wanted to kiss him. Find out how those scarlet lips would feel pressed against mine. I wanted to be surrounded by his blackened, steely arms and caressed with blazing palms. But most of all I wanted him to look at me with those melted eyes as if I was the best thing in the whole wide world.

Fuck. I was in so much trouble. One day with him and my knees were wobbly and my tummy full of buzzing bees. I’d better get out of here before I fell for the man.

I pressed my hand against my stomach and rubbed it, as I drank him in one last time. Just as I was about to walk away, he turned on his side and scooted back on the bed. Without opening his eyes, he held up the cover in invitation.

My brain screamed at me. Run. Save yourself

My feet crossed the floor in two quick steps and before I knew it I lay next to him in his big, warm bed, facing him.

He pulled the cover up to our ears and laid his hand on my waist. “Turn around,” he mumbled, voice hoarse with sleep.

I snapped my mouth shut around the ever-present questions and did as I was asked. A heartbeat later I was pulled against his body—my back plastered to his front—and cocooned in his heat.

“I was beginnin’ to think you’d stand there all night,” he said.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to creep you out.”

“I’m happy you decided to join me. I was hopin’, but I wasn’t sure.”

“Awww, shit!” I groaned.

Axel snickered. “Filter malfunctionin’ again?”

“Yes.”

“Wanna try that again? With filter turned on for easier understandin’?”

“I’m in so much trouble.”

“What do you mean?” He let out a displeased grunt, pulled up my T-shirt until he could touch my skin, and fanned out his fingers on my belly. “Ahhh, much better,” he mumbled.

I drew in a shuddering breath. “I mean I like you way more than I should after knowing you for half a day.” I pressed my back against his torso.

“Take off your danged shirt if you’re gonna do that.” He fumbled with the offending garment and helped me wiggle out of it, and soon we were back to the previous position. Skin against skin

Rubbing his nose up and down the line of my neck, he inhaled deeply and let out a happy humming noise. “Mm, I like it when you smell like me.”

“Awww, fuuuuuck,” I whined. He was killing me with his sweetness but at the same time, I wanted more. Cravedmore.

He rested his lips against my skin and I squirmed. It was the most delicious form of torture, and the bees in my belly had multiplied and escaped to the rest of my body.