Right now he was just eternally grateful she had in fact come out of the house. He would anticipate the moment he got to take her to the highest reaches of glory. For now, that was all that would sustain him.
After fumbling a few times, she managed to get the system deactivated and the door open. She stepped inside before turning back around.
“This round certainly goes to you, Axel Carlson. Tomorrow don’t expect such an easy victory.” With a wicked smile, she shut the door in his face.
Now it was Axel’s turn to walk in a bit of a haze. “Hot damn,” he uttered when he finally remembered how to work his feet. This woman was going to be dynamite in the bedroom.
Looking in the mirror, Ella nearly changed her mind for the hundredth time. She couldn’t wear this dress. She had other dresses that were more appropriate, but she kept finding herself back in the same Terani Couture nude cocktail dress that made her feel like a million dollars with its sheer neckline, intricate beaded detail, and nipped waist. The color complemented her olive complexion and dark hair.
But this was a first date—well, the first date she was aware of—and most likely the last. So what if there was more steam between the two of them than a locomotive engine? She was sure it was just the fact that Axel had been thrust into her life and was refusing to go away that was causing the turbulent thoughts in her mind.
She didn’t need to wear this dress, but here she stood in front of the mirror, and she wasn’t taking it off this time. It was just a dress, after all. It wasn’t a life-and-death decision. He’d be arriving in just a few minutes. She needed to decide now.
“Argh! This is ridiculous,” she said to her reflection. She’d wear the dang dress. He most likely wouldn’t even notice. He was a guy, and guys didn’t really care what you wore, right? But she couldn’t help remembering vividly his reaction to her friend’s little black dress. She wanted that same reaction whether she’d admit it or not.
Sitting on her bed, she slipped on a pair of delicate Gucci silver stilettos with a slight sheen of sparkle on the heels. Shoes were her one weakness. She worked in a man’s world and she was young. She wanted to be taken seriously, but she couldn’t force herself to let the pretty shoes go. No one really noticed shoes except other women who shared her passion for obscenely overpriced heels, and they wouldn’t judge her.
Just as she fastened the last strap, the doorbell rang. Well, there was no turning back now. She refused to look in the mirror one more time. She was put together, not overdressed and not trying too hard, she told herself.
Moving slowly—no way was she going to hurry, he could wait—she went down the stairs and made her way to the door just as the buzzer sounded again. Well, Axel obviously needed to learn patience. Didn’t he know men were supposed to wait for women?
Before opening the door, she took a breath. The phone call the two of them had shared earlier was still making her stomach stir, not because it had been sexual, but because he’d made her laugh. It seemed he could make her laugh without even trying.
How and why she was so intrigued by this man, she didn’t know, but if the date didn’t go terribly wrong tonight, she wasn’t sure what she was going to do. She didn’t want to get involved with anyone right now. It was the last thing she needed in her life.
Pasting a smile on her face, she turned off the security and opened the door. “Sorry to keep you waiting. Let me just grab my purse,” she said as she turned and moved back toward the entry table where she’d placed it.
Before she reached the table, she felt Axel’s arms slide around her and spin her around. Suddenly she was caught in his smoldering gaze.
His head bent down and before she could even think of uttering a protest, his lips locked onto hers in a kiss that left her dizzy when he finally released her mouth.
“Wh-what was that?” she stuttered, her knees shaking.
“That was a thank-you.”
“Thank you? For what?” Not that she had anything to complain about. He could kiss her like that any day or night—maybe not night. It was too tempting to climb upstairs and finish where that kiss was sure to lead.
“That is one hell of an outfit,” he said before taking a leisurely look. “And the shoes can stay on . . . later,” he said, his mouth turning up in a predator’s smile.
Since the only words that wanted to come from Ella’s mouth were take me, she decided it was best not to say anything at all. With trembling legs, she grabbed her purse, then headed toward the door. If they didn’t get out of her house in the next few minutes, then they weren’t going to leave, and she wasn’t ready for that.
Never before had she had sex with a man she’d only known a couple of weeks. She wasn’t going to start now. Or she was going to give it one heck of an effort not to start now. First step was getting as far from beds as humanly possible. And couches, and kitchen counters, and dining room tables . . . Ella rushed out the front door, not waiting to see if Axel followed.
Axel held open the door to his SUV for her, and then gave her only a couple of seconds to breathe before he was climbing in on the driver’s side. As soon as he closed the door, his scent drifted all around her, a mixture of spice and pure male adrenaline, and it was causing a definite stir in her stomach.
If they didn’t start talking soon, she’d never make it to the restaurant. She was just going to dive into his lap and beg him to take her right now.
“I know you said you owed Bryson a favor, but how is it that you have so much time off to babysit me?”