Chapter 9 Stella
NINE
STELLA
We entered the restaurant—my face likely still fifty shades of red—and I let the delicious smell of pizza take over the thoughts in my head.
For the last few moments, it had been filled with Axel’s crotch.
I can’t believe I said that out loud!
We all sat down and ordered drinks and food.
Anna gave her husband a droll look. “Seriously? You ordered wings, and Axel got French fries and macaroni and cheese. Who goes to a pizzeria and doesn’t get pizza?”
“Us.”
Archer’s response had her rolling her eyes even more, but I just smiled.
I had met both of them but hadn’t spent much time with them together—usually just Anna. They were cute, and I loved that she had that in her life, especially since they’d had a lot of ups and downs to go through to get where they were today.
“French fries are always a good choice,” Axel interjected. “Though I do need to cut back on sugar and sweets so I don’t get handles of love like Ruthie said Jack has gotten.”
We all burst out laughing at his comment before Anna politely corrected him, followed by Archer telling him that he couldn’t wait to give Jack a hard time.
I, however, glanced down at Axel’s body, struggling to find anything remotely close to love handles. When my gaze rose back up to his face, his cheeky grin told me he had seen me checking him out.
“Well, other than getting an up close and personal look at Axel’s crotch,” Anna teased, causing me to groan again, “I’m glad you had fun. Not everyone enjoys the sport or wants to try it out.”
“They should. It’s a highly underrated sport and one built of champions,” Axel chimed.
Anna and Archer were very competitive, and then there was me, who had no idea what I was doing half the time.
Axel, though, looked like he belonged on the ice.
“You’re really good, by the way,” I told him. “I don’t know how often you play, but you are such a natural out there.”
“Don’t make his ego any bigger,” Anna groaned and rolled her eyes. “If we want Axel and Archer to join our curling team, we can’t have them getting all cocky on us.”
I chuckled at her comment and then looked back over to Axel. “I mean it. I was a total hot mess out there today, but you were just…well…hot.”
And there I go again, saying things before thinking them through.
“Sorry. I’m not usually this flustered.” I shook my head at my ridiculousness.
“I think it’s cute,” he replied, grinning at me. “I like that you say what’s on your mind and don’t try to play coy.”
“Usually, that’s easier said than done, but around you my brain seems to stop working.
” As soon as I finished the words, his grin turned into a full-blown smile.
It wasn’t cocky, but at the same time he knew it was a compliment.
And seeing that full-blown handsome smile just made me want him even more.
What was it about this man that made me want him so much? I mean, yeah, he was hot, but it wasn’t like I’d never seen a hot man before. With Axel, my mind forgot how to speak like a normal human.
Trying to avoid looking at him and further embarrassing myself, I glanced over in Anna’s direction to see her grinning like a loon at me.
“Alright, time for me to get home so I can show my wife just how cocky I can be,” Archer interrupted while giving Anna a lewd smile.
She just rolled her eyes in response, but there was also a smile tugging at her lips.
We paid our tabs and headed out to the parking lot. I had picked Anna up so we could go shopping earlier, but she would just ride home with her husband. I waved goodbye and noticed Axel walking in the same direction I was walking.
“Are you parked over here, too?”
“No, but I’ll walk you to your car,” he responded.
“You know you don’t have to.”
“I know, but I want to,” he said, and I felt a flutter in my stomach. There was no more threat from Braden, so he didn’t need to do it for safety, so the fact that he wanted to gave me a self-esteem boost.
“What are you doing next weekend?” he asked as we made it to my car. “Will you have dinner with me Sunday night?”
Oh my God, it was happening!
Quick, say yes before he changes his mind or you say something stupid again.
“Yes, I’d love to.”
Nailed it.
“Great.” He smiled at me as though my response meant he’d won some big prize. “Is six p.m. okay to pick you up?”
I was just about to respond that six was a great time, when I suddenly remembered what Sunday was.
“Oh, shoot. I forgot I have plans with my parents on Sunday, and it’s kind of a big deal.” Not letting this opportunity go away, I was quick to offer a solution.
“What about Saturday night instead?” I asked him, hoping he didn’t have anything else planned.
“Saturday is great.” He smiled even bigger. “I was afraid Saturday might not work for you since you have to work at the bakery, but we can do later if you want. Around seven?”
I wanted more time with him, not less, so I negotiated a better time. “Actually, six would be better.”
It wasn’t, because that would only give me one hour to get ready, but I wanted to maximize our date, so I would make it work.
“Then I’ll see you at six,” he said and then stared at me for a few seconds.
I thought he might kiss me—certainly hoped he would—but he remained still.
“I’m looking forward to it.” I smiled at him, hoping my enthusiasm would help teeter him over the edge if he was debating whether to kiss me or not.
Just as I was about to give up hope, he leaned in and put his hand behind my head, his fingers sifting through my hair as his lips touched mine.
A shiver ran down my spine, and my muscles turned to jelly. I put my hands on his chest to stabilize myself as I tasted the salty goodness—left by his French fries, no doubt. Before I could run my lips along his to get a better taste, he pulled back, ruining my planned exploration of his mouth.
I opened my eyes and blinked, staring into his gorgeous eyes for a few moments in order to catch my breath.
“I liked that,” I whispered to him, causing his lip to twitch.
“I liked it also, sotnos.”
“What does that mean?” I asked, staring up at him.
He may have pulled his lips off of mine, but his hand was still gently curved around the back of my neck. He gave it a bit of a squeeze before leaning down to kiss my forehead.
“It means sweetheart.”
Oh, wow.
Sweetheart.
My insides instantly melted, my brain turned to mush, and I was pretty sure the cheesiest smile appeared on my face.
“I’ll see you Saturday at six.” He pulled away and walked three spaces over to his car.
I stayed rooted where I was, having not moved an inch by the time he looked back at me from the side of his car. He smiled and then opened his door to get in.
I did the same, though I stayed in the parking lot for a few more minutes with my fingers pressed to my lips, reminiscing about the kiss I’d had moments ago. The best kiss I’d ever had.
Three days later, I was headed to the bar to meet Axel again. He was on a shift tonight and had texted the day before to ask for some help.
Axel: I found our topic for the next time we see each other.
Me: Okay, I’m intrigued.
Axel: Ruthie informed me today that it’s not enough for me to know what a phrase means, but that I also have to say it in the right order. Apparently, I failed at this.
I smiled, thinking about what must have happened.
Me: I feel like there is a good story behind this…
Axel: We are having a potluck at work this week, and I offered to bring dip and chips. Ruthie said it’s called chips and dip, not the other way around.
Me: Technically, she is correct.
Axel: Let’s not tell her that.
I laughed as I typed out my response.
Me: Okay. And yes, I can help you with those. Do you have any shifts this week at the bar?
I knew we had a date planned for Saturday, but I really wanted to see him again before that. While I waited for him to respond, I pulled up Google on my phone to search for what he was talking about.
Axel: I actually have a shift tomorrow night from 5-9pm.
Perfect.
Me: So, the things you are talking about are called irreversible binomials. I’ve got you covered.
Axel: Why does it not surprise me that you are both beautiful and smart at the same time?
Thankfully, he couldn’t see me blush, because I had no doubt my entire face was bright red.
Me: I’ll come up with a list and meet you at the Watering Hole tomorrow.
Three days later I walked into the pub with a list in my purse that I had worked up for us to discuss—oh, and a small box for Tammy. Silent joy spread through my body in anticipation of seeing Axel.
As I rounded the half wall that separated the hostess stand from the remainder of the restaurant, I saw Axel typing something into the computer at the side of the bar. His face was blank as he poked at the screen.
“Hey, Stella, please tell me inside that white box is something you made?” Tammy called out from behind the bar.
At her voice, Axel looked up from the screen, and a big smile spread across his face as he took in the sight of me. It wasn’t just a pleasant, friendly smile either. It was full of satisfaction, triumph, and what appeared to be a little lust.
“Yes, I brought this just for you, Tammy,” I said as I made it to the bar and took a seat.
I handed her the small box as she clapped her hands in excitement. She took it from me and ripped it open like a kid on Christmas morning.
“Did you bring Axel one too, or am I supposed to share this one?” she asked, sounding a little deflated.
“Nope, that one is just for you. You don’t need to share unless you want to,” I informed her and watched her smile inflate back up again.
“I don’t want to,” she replied, letting out a small squeal. “This looks like a biscuit but smells like an apple pie, and I cannot wait to try it.”
She turned to go through the back door to the kitchen as she yelled, “The bar is all yours for five minutes, Axel!”
Axel just shook his head at her comment before coming over to me and placing a drink napkin down on the bar top in front of me.