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I shrug into a light sundress that stops halfway along my thighs and cinches me in at the waist, despite my lack of real curves. Grabbing my phone from the bed and spinning in search of whatever else I might need, I snag a pair of flip-flops and head into the hall.
“I’m not wearing heels,” I call out as I step, toss one flip-flop to the floor, toe it on, then step, and toss the second, “and I didn’t brush my hair. But I figured, cherishing the ground I walk upon requires work fromyou.” I stop in the doorway between the living room and kitchen, and grin when Axel’s eyes eat me up. “Not from me.”
“You look beautiful.” He pushes away from the counter and wraps me up against his chest so myhard-to-getattitude turns to me being a puddle of goo in a single beat of my heart.
No one hugs quite like Axel Feeney. But when he finishes it with a kiss to the top of my head…I give up. Trying to hate him is like trying not to breathe.
It’s impossible.
“How hungry are you?” He cups my jaw in his palm and forces my face up that way I love. I’m a proud woman. Possibly the proudest I know. But boss me around and get a little handsy?Yes, sir. “Your answer will decide which direction we go tonight.”
“Hmm…” I pull my bottom lip between my teeth and suckle. “If I said I was starving?”
“Drive-thru. You’ll be eating ten minutes from now.”
“And if I said I was good for a while?”
“Then I was gonna order something from Pinocchio’s and get it to-go. That’ll be an hour or so, but the final result will be significantly better than a stinky burger in my truck.”
“Right.” Stepping away, I keep his hand in mine and start toward the front door. Because I’m hungry as hell, but I want option two. “And are we in a place ofuswhere we can discuss that bullshit stunt you pulled the other week in Pinocchio’s?”
He follows me out the door and chuckles in the back of his throat. “Sitting down with you and your date?” He twines our fingers together and leads me down the steps and toward his truck. “I thought it was genius, actually. Haven’t seen him around since.”
“Because like Viv doesn’t want to docomplicated, my date didn’t either.” I purse my lips and wait for my servant to get my door. That’s the deal we’ve made, no? “Weare, apparently, complicated. And thus, I’m not property a man wishes to invest in.”
I climb up into my seat, and scowl when his lips curl higher. “It’s not funny! And pulling the fire alarms?” I fold my arms and growl. “Beyond a joke.”
“What?” Laughing, he slams my door shut and jogs around to his side. Climbing in and setting his elbow on the console between us, he leans closer and drops a kiss on the tip of my too-proud chin. “You’re not property for anyone to own. And what we haveiscomplicated. Luckily, you’remycomplicated situationship.”
“Yours,” I roll my eyes. “But no one’s property. Got it.”
“And I have no clue what you’re talking about with the fire alarms.” Setting his foot on the brake pedal and turning the key in the ignition, he has his truck roaring to life and moving away from the curb in a matter of seconds. “You’re exaggerating for dramatic effect, Sully. It’s cute. But it’s a stretch.”
“Uh… No.” I turn in my seat and study his face in profile. “I’m not exaggerating. And the whole point of turning over a new leaf and all thatyada yadais taking responsibility for your poor actions, right?”
“What are you…” Sobering now, he glances my way. “What are you talking about?”
“The fire alarms! The sprinklers. You destroyed my date, Axel.”
“What sprinklers? The place was fine when I was there.”
“And about ten seconds after you left, everyone inside was soaked. Becauseyoupulled the alarms.”
“Babe.” He indicates to turn out of my street. “I didn’t pull any alarms. Are you crazy? Do you know how illegal that is?”
“Ya think?! You destroyed the place, ended everyone’s night, and ruined my freshly blown out hair.” I turn in my seat and huff. “I probably won’t ever get over that.”
He chuckles and ambles onto Main Street, only to turn again a moment later to enter the Pinocchio’s parking lot. “You’re telling fibs, Sully.”
He brings the truck to a stop, and frowns when, exactly like I’ve been telling him, his eyes focus on a sign stuck to the door that announces renovations and an opening date a full month from now.
“What the—”
“See!” I thrust my hand in the restaurant’s direction. “You threw a tantrum because I was out with someone else, then you committed a crime, and now they’re gonna lose months of income while they fix it.”
Curious, he rolls his truck closer and narrows his eyes to read the sign, like the contents might change. “I didn’t pull the alarms. I’m not opposed to committing a well-placed crime here and there.” Finished reading, he sits for a beat before circling out of the parking lot. “But that wasn’t me. I don’t fuck with fire alarms, because that means my crew has to come out and see what’s up. While they’re busy with that, maybe someone else isn’t getting the help they need.” Frowning, he makes his way closer to the edge of the parking lot. “Let’s get something from Franky’s Diner.”
He ambles back onto the street, only to slow as we approach the parking spaces outside of the diner. Then he cuts the engine and meets my eyes. “Our surprise plan is changing, but we’re gonna adapt. You want a chicken sandwich?”
