Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
“So when you said we were going to a place you thought I’d enjoy…”
“What? You’re not enjoying pizza in bed?” she teased, handing him a slice.
He readily took it. “Naked pizza in bed would be better,” he murmured before taking a bite.
“I was saving that part for dessert.” And with a wink, she leaned in and gave him a quick kiss.
“We’ll go out to eat tomorrow. I was just…
I was just so excited at the thought of coming back here and being with you and knowing that everything is out in the open.
You have now seen everything, so to speak. You’ve seen me at my absolute worst.”
“I don’t see it like that. To you, you were at your worst. But to me?
You’ve just been this incredibly resilient woman.
I hate that you’ve had to be that way, and I hate it even more now that I have met the reason why, but I was so damn proud of the way you walked in there and put them both in their place.
” He grinned. “It was freaking awesome.”
“When we walked into the den, I felt like the most confident woman in the world. But then they both looked at me, and for a minute I was back to being that mistreated and misunderstood girl. And I didn’t like it.”
“I felt you freeze up for just a second, but you held your own. A couple of times I wanted to chime in, but it was your moment and I was happy to just stand there and support it.”
“Well, thank you. It was very reassuring having you there.” She stared at her pizza for a moment before looking at him. “Do you want to know the craziest part?”
“Of course.”
“I don’t feel…anything.” Then she shook her head. “I mean, I feel relieved that this is all over, but I don’t feel any sense of loss. Does that make sense?”
“It seems to me it’s hard to feel the loss when they haven’t been there for you for most of your life.
You can’t miss what you never had.” He grew silent.
“That’s something I know all too well. As a kid, I missed my parents—my mom—because…
you know, she was my mom. As I got older and could look back on what my life was like before I went into foster care, I realized just how bad everything was.
When she died, I was sad, but more because I kept thinking about what might have been. ”
She nodded. “I get that. And I think that’s what’s always been there hanging over my head.
I keep imagining what my life would have been like if I had supportive and loving parents, and it always leaves me feeling depressed and disappointed.
And now? Now I don’t know if we’ll ever have a relationship.
Even a strained one. This may be the time that I truly get disowned. ”
“Do you really think they’d do that? Your father just said…”
“No, I think he’ll do exactly what he said, but I don’t see him or my mother reaching out and wanting to see me. I just don’t know how to feel about it.”
Tossing down the rest of his slice, he maneuvered them so she was in his arms. Her head rested on his shoulder, and he simply held her. Words were never his strong suit, so he figured it was best for him to do what he did earlier and silently support her.
Axel had no idea how long they sat like that, but when Maisie finally lifted his head and smiled at him, all he could say was, “Whatever you need, I’m here for you.”
Reaching up, she caressed his jaw. “I need you, Axel. Almost from the moment we met, I felt comfortable with you. Everything was easy in a way I had never experienced before. And the more time we spent together, the more I wanted. But everything was…restricted. And that’s totally on me.
I was holding back, and I feel like there’s an even better version of us just waiting for a chance. ”
He mimicked her pose, cupping her face in his hands.
“I can’t even imagine a better version than this.
I’ve shared things with you that no one else knows because—like you—everything felt comfortable right from the get-go.
So if there’s a better version? I don’t know what that would even look like, but because it’s you, I’m happy to find out. ”
He sealed those words with a gentle kiss before they broke apart and ate their rapidly cooling dinner.
After a few minutes, Maisie asked, “So, what should we do tomorrow? Do you want to spend some time in the city, or do you want to get back to the resort?”
Slater’s words about being due for a little time off came to mind. And as much as Manhattan wasn’t really where he would have chosen to go, this is where they were, and he would make the best of it. Besides, maybe seeing the city with Maisie would be cool.
“I told the guys I was going to be gone for a few days, so I’m in no rush to go back yet,” he told her.
“And it could be fun to have you show me your world. You’ve already seen mine.
It’s kind of small and boring.” Shaking his head, he laughed softly.
“But now we have the time where I can really get to know more about you.”
“There isn’t much more to know. I’ve always been a bit of an introvert because of issues with my self-esteem.”
“Which is totally your parents’ fault because there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. You’re fucking perfect.”
She blushed, and he loved it when she did that.
“You’ve had them in your ear for your entire life telling you things that aren’t true.
I know it’s not going to be easy to just let that all go, but you need to change the voices in your head and replace them with everyone else’s words.
You know, the ones where we all tell you how awesome and amazing you are. ”
“Oh, Axel…I don’t know if that’s even possible. I’ve had a lifetime of people telling me I wasn’t good enough, or pretty enough, or…”
He placed a finger over her lips. “They were all wrong. Each and every one of them, so…stop listening to the lies. You are more than good enough, and you’re not just pretty. You’re beautiful. And talented. And smart. And caring. And sexy. And…”
She smiled and gently pushed his finger away. “I don’t know. I may need to be around you every day to keep reminding me of these things.”
“Then that’s what we’ll do. You’re going to go back to Harbortown with me and live with me and work with me and make a life with me.”
He swallowed hard because what he was about to say was beyond scary.
“And you’re going to love me because I love you,” he said gruffly. “So much that it both scares the hell out of me and makes me hopeful. I never thought anyone would want to be with me beyond…you know…a fling. But then you came along, and that all changed.”
“I want you, Axel, for so much more than a fling. I want forever because…I love you too.”
Reaching for her with one hand and tossing the pizza box on the floor with the other, they shimmied down on the bed so their heads would be on the pillows as they lay back. He kissed her tenderly, thoroughly, and Maisie held on to him like she never wanted to let go.
Slowly, he broke the kiss and stared down at her. “Say it again. Please.”
She didn’t ask what, because she knew. “I love you, Axel Hayes. I love everything about you, and I’m going to love you for the rest of my life.” Her eyes shone brightly with unshed tears. “Thank you for rescuing me that day in the storm and taking care of me.”
“I think we rescued each other that day.” Resting his forehead against hers, he chuckled.
“What’s so funny?”
“I think there’s someone else we need to thank?”
Her brows furrowed, and she looked adorably confused. “Who?”
“The turtle.”
“The turtle?”
He nodded. “If you hadn’t stopped to rescue the turtle, you would have been on time for the interview, but with the impending storm, we probably would have rushed through it, and you would have left.”
“I still would have been attracted to you,” she admitted.
“Same. But we wouldn’t have spent that time together if you had left right away.”
“Hmm…I guess that’s true.” Pausing, she studied him. “So what are you saying? We need to find the turtle? Because I’m not sure I’d recognize him again.”
He knew she was teasing, but so was he, and they both laughed.
“I love you, Maisie.”
“I love you too, Axel.”
And then they were done talking. He leaned in and kissed her again.
Slowly. Seductively. And after that, it was all soft sighs and sexy moans, and he felt like he finally understood where the term making love came from.
Everything felt heightened, every touch, every caress, every kiss… this wasn’t just sex. It was more.
It was everything.
So maybe there was a better version of them waiting to come out.
They didn’t visit any of the big tourist attractions.
Sort of.
Instead, over the next several days, Maisie took him to the places that meant something to her.
They walked the Brooklyn Bridge because she loved the architecture of it.
Another architectural favorite was Little Island at Pier 55.
Axel enjoyed both because of his work in carpentry, so he appreciated the beauty of both places.
Next, they went to Bryant Park and walked around, and they even took a ferry ride so they could see the New York skyline.
She took him out to eat at some of her favorite places, but they had the most fun grabbing hot dogs and pretzels as they walked all over the city. By the time they got back to her condo every night, they were exhausted, but in the best way.
At the end of their fourth day in the city, Maisie was ready to leave.
“Do you think we can head back to Harbortown tomorrow?” she asked, and almost laughed at how wide his eyes got.
“Are you kidding me? I would love it if we didn’t have to walk anywhere for a few days!”
“You understand why it’s just easier to walk around in the city, right? With the way traffic is…”
“No, I totally get it, but I’m just ready to slow things down a bit. I don’t know if I’m ready to go back to work, but if you’re ready to go, then I say let’s do it.”
Collapsing on the bed, she said, “Whew. I felt bad cutting the trip short.”