“Both of you need to get a life if you have nothing better to do than to come down here and worry about my love life,” Ella told them.
“Or lack thereof,” Maycie said.
“Argh. I’m going shopping. Are you coming with me or not?” Ella stood up and stepped back, sending both girls a stern look.
Maycie turned to Reese with a big smile. “I don’t know, Reese. Do you think we should go, or do you think we should blow up a pool and lounge around the house in bikinis all day?”
“I like the bikini idea,” Reese quickly replied.
“It’s barely forty degrees. Really?” Ella said with a glare, knowing they were trying to get a reaction out of her, but unable to stop herself from giving it to them.
“All right, we’ll be good, but seriously, if you don’t make a move on him soon, I’ll resort to drastic measures,” Reese said as she came out of the closet wearing Ella’s newest sweater.
“Fine, agreed.” Ella would say anything at this point to make the interrogation stop and to get away from the house. Knowing that Axel was lurking around her home was making her jittery. She was afraid she’d take her friends’ advice and jump the man if she didn’t get away.
Part of her wondered if that’d be such a bad thing—and then the more logical part of her kicked that other part square in the ass. The girls left her for a moment to gather her courage and then, taking a look in the mirror, she decided her makeup was fine after all.
Maybe if she did look slightly like a clown, Axel would quit hitting on her. Because if everyone kept pushing her to look at this man like a potential mate, she was going to have a hell of a time fighting herself.
He was cocky and rude, and invading her space. She didn’t want to be with any man, let alone a man like him. She would do well to remember that, to keep repeating it over and over again in her head.
When she finally went downstairs, she heard Reese giggling in the entryway. Normally the sound put a smile on her face. This time it made her teeth clench. Her laughter at that pitch meant only one thing.
Turning the corner, Ella’s eyes connected with Axel’s searing gaze, and no matter how much she told herself to turn away, she was powerless to do so.
“Looking good, Ella,” he said in a low growl that had her insides twisting.
His work clothes looked damn fine on him, but she’d cut out her tongue before saying so. The jeans were worn and dirty, the jacket showcased his arms and shoulders, and the slight smudge of dirt on his cheek tempted her to come closer and wipe it off. Add to that the day or two’s growth of stubble on his solid jawline and she found herself wanting to float over to him and see how those firm lips tasted.
Shaking her head, she finally managed to break eye contact, and then almost regretted it when she turned and saw the knowing looks on her best friends’ faces.
“Let’s go,” she said, not at all happy with how weak her voice sounded.
“I’m not in a hurry if you aren’t,” Maycie suggested, making Ella want to roar.
“I have things to do.” With that, Ella brushed past them all and thought she was making a safe exit until she felt Axel at her back.
His breath fanned against her bare neck, and she couldn’t stop a shiver from slowly running down her spine, nor calm the instant spike in her pulse.
“You smell good, too,” he whispered against her skin, and it took all the strength Ella possessed not to turn around and leap into this man’s arms.
Deciding sometimes the best defense was no words at all, Ella rushed toward her car. She didn’t care if the girls followed or not. If she didn’t get out of there right then, she was afraid she’d do something she knew she’d regret.
As she climbed into her car, Maycie and Reese quickly joining her, she could feel his gaze boring into her. She just prayed he’d be done with her security system and long gone by the time she returned. Otherwise, she didn’t think she’d be able to withstand the next time he came on to her.
Axel was hooked on this woman, and he knew it wasn’t a wise move. He’d made a promise to his friend to protect her, and if he was focused on chasing after her, then he wasn’t doing a good enough job of keeping her safe. That incident at the restaurant had really thrown him off. But then, a few more days had passed, and nothing else had happened.
That didn’t mean that the bad guys were giving up. It simply meant they were waiting to make their next move. He needed to be on his A-game, which didn’t seem like something he was capable of in Ella’s presence.
It was just that the woman was witty, strong, determined, and on top of that, had a smoking-hot body. What wasn’t there to like about her? Nothing he’d found so far.
He normally didn’t go after women; they just sort of fell into him, literally and figuratively. He’d meet a woman, and if there was a connection then he let her know he was interested. If there were no sparks, he’d move on.
And sparks were certainly firing between Ella and him, but because of the disastrous relationship she’d had with her ex, she seemed to be leery of any and all relationships, and the blasted woman was fighting mightily against their mutual attraction. He should walk away, take a hint and offer silent protection.
Of course, Axel also had never been one to run from a challenge. So instead of hiding in the bushes and making sure the woman stayed alive, he was having nightly fantasies about her, fantasies he certainly wouldn’t be sharing with his friend and partner anytime soon.
Axel had to smile as he realized where he was, because at the moment he was literally hiding in the bushes.