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I discovered very quickly that there was a lot more to axe throwing than just hurling the axe as hard as possible in the general direction of the target. My first few attempts were abysmal, but I was determined, so I kept trying. When I eventually managed to hit the tree stump target—barely—I cheered and ran over to Brian, who quickly stood so I could fling my arms around him and yank him down into a kiss. He was grinning, and when he pulled back he told me, “Awesome job.”

“Your turn.” I let go of him so he could head over to join Neil near the target.

It took Brian a few tries, but he got the hang of it way quicker than I had. On his fifth attempt, he drew his arm back, aimed, and launched the axe. It spun through the air so fast it was a blur that I could barely keep track of, and it didn’t just hit the target—it split the half-foot-thick slice of tree trunk cleanly in half and knocked down the back leg of the support, sending the whole thing tumbling to the ground.

Neil’s eyes were unfathomably wide, almost bulging, as he stared at the ruined target in stunned silence. I was gawking open-mouthed too, until I noticed Brian cringing and going pink. But before I could say anything to make him feel less self-conscious, Neil finally spoke, his voice faint.

“I have… never, ever seen someone do that before.” He turned his wide-eyed gaze to Brian, full of awe. “That was freaking awesome.”

“It really was.” I grinned at Brian, wishing I could also tell him how hot that had been. If a zombie apocalypse ever happened, I knew who I’d want to protect me.

“Seriously, dude, that was wild,” Neil was saying to Brian, who was still blushing but had at least stopped wincing.

“I’m really sorry.” He rubbed the back of his neck and stepped closer to the fallen target. “I—Let me fix it—”

“No, no, I’ll do it!” Neil was still gazing at Brian in awe. “I have another stump behind the hut.”

“I’ll get it,” Brian said immediately, sounding relieved to have a task that allowed him to help.

As he set off in that direction and vanished behind the hut, Neil finally tore his gaze from Brian to look at me.

“He’s, like, a champion bodybuilder or something, right? I mean, I figured he might’ve been based on his… you know.” He gestured vaguely at his own body, particularly his arms and chest. “But he has to be, right? That’s an insane amount of strength.”

I beamed with pride. “He’s not a bodybuilder, no, but he is a professional athlete.”

Brian reappeared from behind the hut, carrying another thick slab of tree trunk on his shoulder with ease. I discreetly fanned my face as my skin heated with lust at the sight. I wanted him to pick me up, throw me over his shoulder, and carry me off somewhere to have his wicked way with me.

Neil choked on a breath as he watched Brian approach, pausing in the middle of fixing the support. “You—I—Do you know how much those things weigh?”

“Oh.” Brian looked at the stump on his shoulder uncertainly, then at me, then at Neil. He blushed. “I, um… I mean, yeah, it’s… pretty heavy.”

I could tell from the quick look he shot me, his mouth twitching with amusement, that it wasn’t remotely heavy to him.

Chapter 29

His Moon

Brian

“That was so much fun,” Klaus said as I drove us back toward the city an hour or so later. “Especially when you split that second log in half.”

I winced a little, even though he was laughing. “Man, I really hope Neil has plenty more. I felt so bad.”

“He said he did, so don’t worry.” Klaus reached over to pat my knee, then left his hand on my thigh, so I reached down and laced my fingers through his. “I’m starving now.”

I perked up. “Good. I booked us a reservation at this steakhouse just outside of town, but we can go somewhere else if you—”

“Steak sounds amazing right now.” He smiled over at me, that sweet and sexy smile that made my legs feel kind of weak whenever he aimed it in my direction. “Have you been there before?”

I was pretty sure he was asking because he’d already figured out that I was a creature of habit and got somewhat anxious about new experiences. The axe throwing was more than enough for one night. While the idea of someone I was dating being able to work that out about me so quickly would’ve sent me into a bit of a tailspin in the past, with Klaus, it just set me at ease. I really liked how well he could read me. It made me feel like I didn’t have to pretend so hard to seem like a normal person.

“Yeah.” I gave him a sheepish smile. “The food is really good. And the portions are big.”

He laughed, stroking the side of my hand with his thumb, making sparks of pleasure tingle up my arm. “Sounds perfect. What do you recommend to go with the steak, then, huh?”

“Their mashed potatoes are really good. And the grilled mushrooms.”

“Mmm, I can’t wait. What’s the dessert situation?” he asked with mock solemnity. “That’s the most important question.”