Chapter 9 Stella #2
“I feel like I should maybe be offended that you brought that for Tammy and not me,” he said, filling up a glass of water for me.
“Didn’t you just say at curling on Sunday that you needed to cut back on the sweets so you don’t get love handles?” I teased, throwing his words back at him.
“That was three days ago. I’m a new man now—a man who really wants a piece of your warm apple pie.”
Oh, my God.
The smile on my face morphed into shock, my mouth dropping open slightly.
I’m sure he didn’t realize the meaning behind what he just said, but now all I could think of was Axel getting a piece of my pie—and not the pastry kind. I felt heat rush through my body as I pictured him naked in front of me, or on top of me, staring down at my apple pie.
I only had a small taste—literally and figuratively—of what his mouth could do to my lips. I could only imagine what they could do to other parts of my body.
He took another step closer and leaned over the bar, putting his face within inches of mine and his forearms on the counter.
His voice dropped to a low, husky tone. “I’m not sure what I said, but I really like the look it put on your face, and I would love to know what you are thinking about right now. ”
Can he read my thoughts?
Also, why is my mouth so dry?
I reached for my drink, choosing to take a sip rather than respond, which only caused him to chuckle before he backed away and walked over to one of his other customers. Or maybe it was one of Tammy’s—I wasn’t sure.
It was a struggle to clear my mind of the dirty thoughts that had crept in, but finally I achieved it just as Tammy walked back out.
“By the great beard of Jesus, that was incredible!” Tammy nearly shouted as she walked back over to where I was sitting.
I laughed at her weird expression but was happy she was so delighted with everything I made. “I’m glad you liked it.”
“Liked it is an understatement of epic proportions,” she replied. “What are you getting tonight? I’ll take your order, cause it’s on the house. I cannot in good faith charge you after you made me that divine culinary specialty.”
I cracked up again at her praise. “You don’t need to buy my dinner, Tammy. I felt bad the last time I was here and hadn’t brought you something.”
“Besides, she’s my customer, not yours,” Axel broke in, joking with her.
She leaned into me in a fake conspiratorial way. “Aha! He’s jealous of my dessert and trying to steal you back. Looks like I’m Stella’s favorite now.”
She shimmied her shoulders up and down in a sassy fashion as she walked back over to her customers on the other side of the bar.
“Hmmm… I wonder what it would take to be your favorite again?” Axel asked.
“Again, huh?” I teased. “You’re getting a little cocky there.”
“I bet I could be your favorite again,” he said confidently. “I just need to figure out what you were thinking about earlier and make that happen.”
He winked, and I bit my lip before I said anything stupid.
“What can I get you to eat? Your usual?” he asked, and I realized I had ordered the same thing all the other times I had been here and he’d clearly noticed.
Still not trusting myself fully to respond verbally, I just nodded.
Okay, I needed a reset. The list!
I pulled it out of my purse and set it on the counter. This was the neutral territory I needed to steer us back to. At least until our date on Saturday. If one thing led to another, so be it, but I couldn’t exactly kiss him over the bar with other people watching—or maybe I could.
Focus.
“Meet and greet,” I blurted out when he walked back over to me. “That’s a common phrase that needs to be said in that order.”
“Meet and greet,” he parroted.
I nodded and started to go through a list of them and explain some basic rules.
“Shortest word usually goes first,” I started to explain. “A positive word almost always goes first. Like pros and cons…or give and take. Things that pair together.”
“What if there are three words?” he asked. “There is a game that Ruthie and Cat play in the office sometimes to determine where we get lunch from. It’s called…umm…paper, rock, scissors. Yes, that’s it.”
“So that’s an example of the shorter word going first because it’s actually called rock, paper, scissors.”
He nodded, taking this all in, and I realized I enjoyed spending time with him like this. Teaching him, learning new things myself, and having a great time.
“Common foods also follow this rule, like fish and chips because they are a good pair.”
“They go together like sill and potatis,” he responded confidently.
“What?” I asked, and my confusion must have been written all over my face.
“Sorry. Swedish foods,” he clarified. “It means pickled herring and potatoes.”
I knew what he was trying to say, but I tried to come up with a better alternative, though he beat me to it.
“Umm…maybe a better comparison would be jelly and peanut butter.”
“It’s peanut butter and jelly, actually,” I told him.
“But you just said the shorter word usually goes first,” he reminded me.
“Well, not always. There are a few exceptions…like chips and dip.” I gave him a small smirk as a nod to the phrase that started this whole conversation in the first place.
He groaned and I held up my hands in defense. “Sorry, Axel. I don’t make the rules.”
“English has too many weird rules. I guess I’m just lucky I have such a great teacher.” He winked at me before crossing back over to his other customers.
Every moment I spent with him, I was falling harder and harder for this man. I ate my meal smiling like a loon, fully embracing Team Viking without remorse.