“I needed a break. I was on leave when Bryson got ahold of me. I’m not sure if the FBI is where I want to be anymore.”
“Why? Did something happen?” This was good. Regular conversation. Yeah, the kind that let her get to know the guy so she could sleep with him without feeling guilty. Nope. She pushed that thought right from her mind and instead focused on the chiseled angle of Axel’s jaw as he faced forward, driving through the misty night.
“There wasn’t one particular thing that happened. It’s all been adding up. I get sick of dealing with scum twenty-four-seven, of never knowing who the good guy is versus the bad. Sometimes I just can’t remember why I’m even doing it anymore,” he said, stealing a glance at her.
“There has to be some good there sometimes,” she said.
“Yeah, there are cases like Misty’s, Bryson’s wife, where we did help a victim, but it’s not always like that. Sometimes we’re helping one bad guy so we can get to an even worse guy. It just doesn’t seem to make sense anymore. I’m thinking of going out on my own, doing something entirely new. I don’t know yet. That’s why I’m on a hiatus, or I was until Bryson called,” he said, turning for a moment to wink at her.
“By all means, you should go back to being a bum. I’m a big girl who can most certainly take care of herself,” she said, somewhat stung, though knowing it was ridiculous to feel that way.
“Oh, baby, believe me, this is a vacation,” he said in a voice that had her shifting in her seat.
“I don’t like being babysat, Axel, and if I find out this date is another way to keep an eye on me, I’m not going to be happy,” she warned.
“Trust me, Ella, this date is all about me,” he said before pulling up to a stop at a light and turning to give her his full attention. “And you,” he added before his eyes dipped to her modest cleavage on display.
A car honked behind them and broke the connection. Axel cursed before facing forward and putting his foot on the gas. But this time, his hand reached out and his large warm fingers were on her bare thigh, and the flips in her stomach were now a churn.
Ella wasn’t sure if she should remove his hand or pretend it wasn’t there. She seemed unsure of everything around this man. That was reason enough she should’ve ended this date before it even started.
She didn’t like feeling confused or chaotic. She liked order and cleanliness. She liked everything to be where it belonged and things to happen when they were supposed to. And she had no doubt that a life, or even a day, with Axel would turn her world upside down.
Still she couldn’t seem to shake either his hand or him away, so she sat back and desperately tried to figure out what to say next. The silence was worse than anything they could possibly talk about.
Before she could think of something clever to say, he was pulling up to a nice restaurant known for its steak, and her door was being opened by the valet. The kid said something to her, but she didn’t hear him.
And then Axel was slipping his arm around her waist and leading her inside, where they were taken to an intimate corner table with candlelight and a waiter appeared almost instantly, offering wine.
Ella allowed Axel to choose a bottle, and after their order was placed, she sat back and looked around, admitting she liked his taste. It was a nice place, with live music from an intimate trio and a soloist who sang from deep within her soul. The ambiance of the low lighting and dark decor was exquisite.
“I have to say I’m surprised by your choice in restaurants. I thought for sure we’d end up at that honky-tonk bar you mentioned the other night,” she said with a smile, her first glass of wine down, her heart beating a little bit easier, and her stomach beginning to settle.
“That’s for date three or four,” he said with a wink.
“And what makes you think we’re going to make it to a third or fourth date?” she asked as she watched him refill her glass.
“Ah, baby, you’ll be begging me never to go away,” he said, and she wasn’t sure if he was teasing or not.
“I imagine you don’t have to search too hard for female company,” she said, tilting her head as she tried to analyze him dispassionately.
There was no doubt he’d be considered handsome, with his sharp lines and flirtatious smile. Add to that his thick hair and sparkling hazel eyes and his face alone was a showstopper, but when you looked down at his incredible frame, it made a woman feel the need to fan herself. Yes, he certainly wouldn’t be hurting for dates. So why in the world was he chasing after her?
“I imagine the same for you, Ella. I don’t understand how you’re single,” he said, his hungry expression practically devouring her.
“I’m single by choice. You do know about my last boyfriend, right?” she said with a slight lift to her lips. She couldn’t believe she was joking about it. She’d never thought that day would come.
“Yeah, we don’t always choose the right dates. Good thing we’ve found each other, isn’t it,” he said, reaching across the table and taking her hand.
Their food arrived and the tension was broken, for which she was grateful. Being with Axel was intense. There were many moments where she felt like she wasn’t getting enough oxygen. She was certain he’d be phenomenal in the bedroom, she just wasn’t sure if she’d survive the experience with him.
“You never did answer my question when I asked you what happened with your ex. I know what I have on paper, but I would really like to hear it from you,” he said. With the wine she’d consumed and the relaxed atmosphere, Ella found herself opening up to him.