Page 17 of Velvet and Valor
“How so?” he asks. For a moment I think he’s being flip, but his eyes seem sincere. Huh. He has really pretty eyes, a shade of green that just misses jade…
“Not being able to talk to the people I love, ever again? Dropping out of my entire life and starting over somewhere?” I shake my head. “No, thanks. Especially since they’d probably set me up as a dishwasher or something.”
“Hmm,” he says, nodding. “OK, I get it. That would suck. I’d be bummed out at the prospect, too.”
“You picked a hell of a time to start saying things that make sense, Axel.”
“Better late than never? I mean, it’s literally the first time in my life that I’ve made any kind of sense whatsoever.”
Damn him, but I can’t help laughing. It wasn’t even that funny, it’s the way he said it. Like he’s joking, but not really.
Oh, fuck me. I’m attracted to him. Either that or the adrenaline is affecting me. For god’s sake, WHY, June? Just because he has gorgeous eyes, and a great laugh, and he saved my life…
Yeah, I’m so screwed. And now I’m just thinking about being screwed. He’s looking at me like he knows what I’m thinking. No way can he know what I’m thinking. Can he?
“Hey, are you thirsty?” he asks.
“Yes. Parched.”
“Let’s stop here,” he says, pulling off the highway onto the service road. “There’s a Mexican place that does fresh fruit juice and it’s so tasty you’ll die…er, sorry.”
“It’s all right. I know what you meant.”
The Mexican place is La Autentica. The menu is entirely in Spanish.
“Empanadas,” I say wistfully.
Axel flashes his dazzling grin and rattles off an order entirely in Spanish. Good Spanish, not hackneyed high school shit. He definitely orders Empanadas, too.
When we get our order, the empanadas are still literally steaming hot. I nibble the seam on mine until it opens up enough for heat and steam to come out. I blow into the little hole I made in an effort to speed up the process.
“Man, and people say I’m impatient,” Axel says.
“Get stuffed,” I say between blowing in my empanada. “I’ve kind of had a rough day.”
“Touché,” he replies. “Try your drink while you’re waiting.”
I sip the drink, and an explosion of flavor shatters my tastebuds. It’s like the best fruit punch I’ve ever had, times a thousand.
“Oh my god, you weren’t kidding,” I say. “This is better than sex.”
God-damn it, June! The last thing you want to do is encourage him…or is it the first thing? I don’t know, he’s looking over at me again. I’ll just slurp on my straw and pretend to be oblivious.
“So, is there anyone you need to call?” He asks as we pull out into traffic. “Parents, friends…a boyfriend?”
I give him the side eye.
“My parents died when I was too young to remember, and you’re not very subtle.”
Axel has the good grace to look utterly mortified.
“Sorry,” he says.
Well, I’ve learned that he CAN be at a loss for words. I was starting to wonder.
We arrive at the Platinum Security offices, which quite frankly are in a rougher neighborhood than I would have expected. I recognize Jaxon from the couple of times I’ve met him at industry events. Easton’s plus one and all. He hustles out the front door and comes over to greet us.
“You’re totally compensating me for this windshield, boss man,” Axel says, then gestures grandly at me. “Here she is. Not a scratch on her.”
