Page 108 of Wicked Lord

Axel: About what?

Me: You.

Two sharp knocks on the door had my heart leaping up my throat. What the hell? “Who is it?” I called as I climbed out of bed.

“Me.” Axel’s deep voice quickened the mad thumping of my pulse.

I scrambled across the room and jerked the door open, but only a sliver. Hiding behind the thick timber, I peered through the opening and met a pair of lively blue eyes. “Morning, blondie.”

“Ax, I’m still in my pjs. What are you doing here?” I ran a hand through my messy bedhead.

He revealed a brown paper bag splattered with greasy spots and powdered sugar. “I got us breakfast. Beignets from that little bakery in town you love so much.”

“How did you…” My words fell away as emotion tightened my throat. I hadn’t been to Copper Cove Confections in months. It was much too pricey for the current state of my bank account.

“I pay attention, Lore.” He inched closer, stretching his foot over the threshold. “Now are you going to let me in, or what?”

“At least give me a sec to get dressed. I haven’t even brushed my teeth?—”

He snaked his hand through the opening and laced his arm around my waist, dragging my body against his. His lips captured mine, and all thoughts of morning breath vanished. As his mouth devoured mine, he dropped the beignets on my desk and walked us backward, slamming the door behind him.

“Mmm, I’ve been dreaming about you all night,” he whispered against my lips when we reached the foot of my bed. He wasn’t the only one. I’d been forced to pull out my vibrator after he’d left last night, leaving me all needy and jonesing for the real thing.

“Really?” Damn, I hated how insecure I sounded.

What was it about Axel that had all my carefully constructed walls crumbling?

“Can’t you feel it?” A sinful gleam lit up those brilliant baby blues as he angled his hips toward mine. His thick arousal rubbed against my belly.

“Maybe it’s from all the pretending,” I hedged.

His warm hand cupped my cheek, thumb gently brushing over my skin. His eyes locked to mine and held for an impossibly long moment. “Nah, I don’t think so, blondie. This is real.”

“But—”

Axel claimed my lips again, and the rest of my objections died on my tongue. As he pushed me back onto the bed, I couldn’t help but think about him and Cordelia. Was it really over between them? Or was he just confused?

He splayed me out on the mattress, his big hands skimming up my torso as his mouth ravaged mine. “I love these pjs,” he muttered against my lips. “They’re the same ones you wore at the beach house.”

He really was observant.

“Why?”

His hand crept up to my breast, and I let out a groan as he palmed the sensitive flesh. “No bra.”

A giggle escaped as he dropped his mouth to my nipple. “I never wear a bra when I sleep, Ax. With any of my pajamas.”

“Oh, really?”

“Have you never spent the night with a girl?”

“Of course, I have, but I guess there was less clothing involved.”

“So when you slept over at Cordelia’s—” Damned loose lips, why did I have to bring her up right now?

Axel’s expression shuttered, and he released a frustrated sigh. “She never let me spend the night,” he gritted out. “And anyway, I don’t want to talk about her right now, Lore. This is about you and me, okay?”

I nodded, snagging my bottom lip between my teeth.