Page 19 of All My Heart

The memory should have been a splash of cold water on my face. But instead, my body was revved up and ready for action.

I had to get out of here. If this man decided he wanted me, I wouldn't be able to say no. I wouldn't remember the reasons why this was a bad idea.

We were temporary neighbors but nothing more.

Axel held my gaze, then finally dipped his head before stepping back.

I stepped past him, my shoulder grazing the soft cotton covering his chest. It was hard. Like I needed confirmation. I kept moving until I was free of his bathroom, then his bedroom. I didn't suck in much needed air until the hallway, and it still wasn't enough.

The air was stuffy, the space confined. I couldn't breathe.

I kept going until I pushed open the front door and landed on the porch. I sucked in the cool air as if I hadn't been exposed to it in far too long.

The sun made me squint. Finally, I nodded. “This is good.”

“Are you referring to my cabin or something else?”

I spun so that I was facing him. “The cabin, of course. What else would I be talking about?” Then I cringed.

He stood in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest in a deceptively calm position. His muscles were tense, poised to react at any moment.

If I indicated I wanted him, would he pounce? Would he erase the space between us, placing his large hands on my hips and pulling me into his body? I swayed toward him. This was bad.

I couldn't stop thinking about him and all the things he could do to me.

How would we work together and keep it professional?

Did he know what I was thinking about? That I'd imagined us on his bed? That heat was soaring through my body, threatening to throw off my balance every second I was in his presence.

“I'm going to work.” I gestured lamely at my cabin. The one I hadn't been inside since before my run when everything went off the rails.

He just stared at me as if I was a specimen he was examining under a microscope.

My skin tingled. Why did that sound so attractive? I wanted to be a mouse to his cat.

Last night, I'd vowed to stay away from Axel. He was too much man for me. I couldn't handle everything he had going on.

Not only was he physically large, but I sensed he was holding something back. He was hiding out from his family for a reason. It had to be something more than just acclimating to civilian life. I had no idea what that could be, and I shouldn't stick around to find out.

“I'll see you later.” I waved weakly, but before I could step off the porch, he asked, “You're still going to help me?”

I smiled wanly, wondering if it was possible for me to back out now. “You should renovate. It would be a vast improvement whether you're selling, renting, or living in it yourself. You don't need my help.”

“But I'm asking for it.”

My skin flushed. I'd told him how my brothers didn't want my help when it came to construction or design. But Axel was playing to my weak spot. Was he doing this on purpose, or was he just trying to be nice?

Was he affected by my presence in his bedroom? I hadn't noticed because I'd been so lost in my head. But it was doubtful. A man like him would attract female attention everywhere he went. He wouldn't have to do anything besides an acknowledgment with a slight tilt of his chin, and a woman would be all over him.

Heat pooled in my core. I had to get out of here. “Let me think about it. I have work to do, and I'm supposed to be here to take a break.”

His expression softened slightly. “I wouldn't want to impose on your vacation.”

He just watched me as I slowly turned, then stepped off the porch. I jogged down the few planks, then across the space that separated our houses. What could he see last night before he approached? Had he known I was naked? Had he wanted to see more?

My body was on fire from the memory and the heat of his gaze on my backside. I didn't need to turn to know that was where his gaze was fixated.

I shut the door behind me and clicked the lock. I didn't trust myself not to turn that knob, sprint across the property, and launch myself into his arms. I knew without a doubt I'd wrap my legs around his hips to feel how hard—how big—he'd be.

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