Chapter 18 Axel
Axel
Two big things happened the last week of August. The first was when I closed on my new home.
The second, I was a jealous fool and staked my claim on him.
He would probably say I made an unnecessary ass of myself.
I chose to look at it as romantic until we ended up on social media.
The Nighthawks hadn’t played our first game, so it was ridiculous that kissing him was news. I ignored all of it.
Leaning against my car, I watched the door, waiting for him to exit his office building.
He’d taken the subway into work this morning, and it had been an agonizing thirty-six hours since I’d last seen him.
That’s why my heart did a thing in my chest the second he walked out with his female co-worker.
My jealousy flared when he freely gave her the smile he’d only given me.
Sunglasses firmly in place and flowers in hand, I was a man on a mission to stake my claim.
But the minute he turned my way and saw me, an even wider grin spread across his handsome face.
“Hey, what are you…”
I cut off his words with a kiss that drew a gratifying whimper. I loved that sound more every time he made it, so I pressed my tongue into his mouth for good measure. Satisfied with myself, I pulled back and kissed his forehead. “Hello, darling.”
Luca looked momentarily dazed with wet, kiss-swollen lips as I handed him his flowers. I was quite proud of myself until his expression changed. He glanced at his friend, who was openly enjoying the spectacle.
“This must be the hockey player,” she said.
I smirked, wrapped my arm around his waist, and held out my hand. “Yes, that’s me. I’m Axel Hughes. Nice to meet you…”
“Susanna,” she replied. “I’m Luca’s friend.”
“Yes. Nice to meet you. I’m the boyfriend.”
Luca’s head whipped toward me like that girl in that old demon movie. “No, you’re…umm…uh…” He was cute when he was flustered. But he didn’t outright deny it, so I took it as a win and pressed on.
“I apologize. This is what happens every time I kiss him. I leave him tongue-tied. Right, love?” I pulled him closer and spoke to Susanna. “If you’ll excuse us, we have someplace to be. It was nice to meet you.” There. I could be cordial when I had to.
Her face lit up with amusement. “Bye, Luca. Have fun,” she called as I pulled him away.
Luca didn’t respond until we got to my car. Pulling open the passenger door, I waited for him to get in. But he didn’t. “Axel, what was that all about?”
My brows knitted. “What do you mean?” I wasn’t sure he was buying my innocence.
“That back there. You acted like…” He looked over my shoulder, then back at me. “Were you jealous?”
I hated that he could read me so easily. “Why would I be jealous?”
His shoulders met his ears. “I don’t know, but you sweeping in with a toe-curling kiss in the parking lot and flowers felt a little possessive.”
“Toe-curling, huh?” I leaned in to nuzzle his neck, ignoring his other comment. We both knew I was. “I’m so glad I still have that effect on you.” With a bite to his earlobe, his entire body shivered, making him reach for me.
“Jesus, you have to stop that,” he moaned, tucking his fingers in my waistband. I’d figured out he liked that after many make-out sessions on the sofa. It was both fantastic and frustrating. “You can’t just do that. And say that…”
I pulled back and kissed his cheek before locking eyes with him. “Yes, I can. You’re mine, Luca. I thought that was already established. If I was unclear before, let me say it again. You. Are. Mine.”
His face was filled with confusion when he noticed how I’d caged him in. “I don’t know what that means. I’m your friend. But we’ve never put an official label on anything.”
“I just did.”
He shook his head. “You don’t just get to decide for me, Axel. It’s my choice.”
That word rang in my head like a reminder of his choice not to have sex. “You’re right. Would it be easier if I asked you outright?”
He looked away over my shoulder, then down at the flowers in his hand. “I’ve never been given flowers before.”
Testing his comfort level, I curled my fingers around his neck and rubbed my thumb over his late-day stubble.
He didn’t pull away, but leaned into my touch.
“Then we both experienced a first. I’ve never stopped in the middle of the street and thought about buying them because I wanted to make someone smile.
” I paused so as not to overwhelm him. It was difficult for me not to bulldoze my way into his heart.
“Remember, I don’t know what I’m doing any more than you do, so I’m doing what feels right.
But my gut says to lock you down hard before someone else does. And I don’t take losing well.”
Luca’s warm brown eyes found mine as we stood mere inches apart, gazing at one another in the afternoon sun while the world fell away.
No wonder that photo made it to social media.
But that’s what happened when we were together, and I never wanted it to end.
With Luca, the constricting pressure and loneliness that had once threatened to define me eased off.
For someone who didn’t do relationships, the thought was terrifying. But worth it.
“I’m not asking you for more than I can give. I want to do this slowly and make you fall for me over time. I want us to be each other’s first choice with all the assumed benefits. You’re mine. And I’m yours.”
Luca held my gaze bravely. I didn’t dare look away. “As intimidating as that sounds, I want to do that too.”
The band constricting my chest loosened a little more. “Perfect. Now, can we go celebrate?”
His smile reached his eyes. “We can. Where are we going?”
“Wherever you want.” I was getting used to letting someone else decide things.
We ended up stopping by his apartment for him to grab some shorts and a T-shirt, then headed over to the Silver Stream to pick up some food. When we got there, Edith wasn’t there, but Jason was.
“Where is she?” Luca asked.
“I don’t know. I think it was something with her apartment.”
Luca was obviously concerned. “What did she say?”
I put my arm around him. “Let’s go check on her. It won’t take long, then we can go to the house.”
“You don’t mind doing that?”
I kissed his cheek. “Of course not. She’s your family.” I turned to Jason. “Build us a bag of fresh food items. Fruits, salads, soups. Things a woman of her age would enjoy.”
“How much are we spending?” Jason opened a menu and started looking.
“Go crazy. Enough for a couple of days. Just in case.”
“Okay, I’m on it.”
When he turned toward the kitchen, Luca hugged me. “You’re the kindest person I know.”
I held him in my arms. “It’s nothing.”
“You’re wrong. It means a lot to me, and proves you aren’t the person you think you are.”
I didn’t respond. Wishing I could see myself through his eyes, keeping my mouth shut was the best thing to do. When Jason returned with three bags brimming with items, I slipped him my black card and left a tip. “She loves those Italian sandwiches Henry makes, so I packed a few. They reheat well.”
We thanked him and headed toward her retirement village. They were three-story apartments that luckily had a lift. When we arrived at her door, Luca knocked and called her name. “Edith, it’s me. Luca.”
The door swung open. “What are you two doing here?”
Luca looked around, surveying the property. It was a step above his, but if this was considered good, we needed a new plan. “We stopped by the diner to pick up some food, and Jason told us you were at home. So we came to check on you.”
Stepping into the apartment, it was stifling.
A single window was up, and a makeshift screen covered one of them.
A floor fan circulated the heat that radiated inside the place.
It had to be unhealthy. “What’s going on?
Why is it so warm in here?” Luca moved to the window and situated the fan to blow the hot air out. “Did you call the super?”
“Yes. The boiler is acting up again. I couldn’t leave Bambino here to suffer. He could die.”
Who? “Who is Bambino?”
She turned and picked up her short-haired, silver-gray cat that was stretched out under the table on the kitchen floor.
“This is my baby. When he was a tiny little kitten, all he would eat was Nathan’s hot dogs.
No other kind. I called my bambino and lured him out of the alley with a trail of hot dogs from behind the dumpsters. ”
I was confused until Luca explained. “That’s Babe Ruth. He played for the Yankees and is baseball royalty. He also loved hot dogs.”
“Ah, yes.” I glanced around the room. “Is there someplace else you can go? Like a hotel or something?”
Luca looked at me as if I were missing something. “Hotels cost a lot of money. We need to figure out a way to get this place cooled down.” He turned to Edith. “When did you call him?”
“Three days ago.”
Luca pulled out his phone. “I’m calling him. Have you eaten? Axel brought you a lot of food. He’s got a thing for big orders. You might want to put it in the fridge.” He motioned for me to distract her, so I headed toward her tiny kitchen.
“Okay, Miss Edith. Please show me what to do here.”
While we unpacked each item, Luca made his call, talking sternly to the man. When he wasn’t satisfied with what the person had to say, he made another call, this time to his boss. I couldn’t make out everything he said as I talked with Edith, but he wasn’t happy.
“I’m moving from my apartment today to my new home. Why don’t you and Bambino stay there until this is resolved?” I suggested.
Edith patted me on the arm. “Thank you, but we’re perfectly fine right here. It will cool down when the sun goes down.”
“Then let me buy you one of those window air conditioners. That might help.”
She waved her hand. “I’m afraid it would trip the breakers, then I’d have to go to the basement fuse box and flip them on.
I’m vertically challenged, and climbing a ladder isn’t a good idea.
” She waved her hand dismissively. “It’s really fine, sweets.
It won’t be long before the temperatures cool down. ”
I frowned. Stubbornness must be a common trait here, but I wouldn’t argue with her. I’d take it up with Luca when we left.
“They should be here tomorrow. I called the emergency line at the office to light a fire under them. If they don’t get it fixed, our legal department will look into it. I’m sure there’s a clause in the contract about maintenance upkeep.”
Edith patted Luca’s cheek. “Thank you, sweets. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
He took her hand. “You should have called me when they didn’t respond to you. I know the building is old, but it shouldn’t be this hot.”
“I know. And I will next time. I promise.” She looked at me and winked. “I don’t mean to be rude, but as soon as you’re gone, I’m going to take a cool bath, then Bambino and I are going to share that ice cream Jason threw in.”
I took Luca’s hand. “She’s kicking us out, love.”
Edith’s eyes lit with delight. “Get out of here. You boys go enjoy your evening.”
Luca had been reluctant to leave, but when I promised we’d stop by tomorrow afternoon, he gave in. “Okay. You call me as soon as they show up. Okay?”
“I promise. Now go enjoy your evening. Turning the fan has already cooled it down in here.”
I pulled him by the hand until we were at the door. Luca didn’t let go of me, and neither did I. “Do you know who owns this building?”
He shook his head. “No. But I can find out. Why? Are you going to threaten to buy this one too?” He was joking, but it was definitely a possibility. “Not me. But maybe my company will. As of three days ago, I own 51% of the Covington.”
Luca stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. “You what? Isn’t that the one your step-mother…”
I lifted my brows as he figured it out. “Not any longer. Now it’s mine.”
“How? That would take a vast amount of money.”
“Yes, and I have it.” I opened his door. By the look on his face, I’d surprised him. “I’m not just a pretty face. I’ll tell you on the way.”