Page 88 of Brooke
Laughing, she flipped her blond hair back. “Brooke Adams getting a piggyback from Axel Erikson? My colleagues would never believe it.”
“We can ask a hiker to take our photo to provide evidence,” he said, his gorgeous, sculpted lips twitching, making her want to pull his head down and kiss him.
Which she did, thoroughly, after looking around for any observers.
When he lifted his head, she put her hand on his chest. “So you’ve mentioned me coming to your woodland retreat a few times now. Are you planning on issuing a formal invitation?”
His golden brows rose. “I thought I had by mentioning it. But consider this official. I would like you to come to my other home with me. Already I can see you there.”
She thought about the million things going on. When wereher father and Nanine going to get married? They hadn’t said, but surely she’d need to help them. Then she caught Axel watching her with his patient blue eyes. “I know you know what I was doing.”
“Did I say anything?” His mouth was twitching with humor. “You are aware of your mind acting like a red squirrel. Truthfully, I enjoyed watching it play before you realized you were not with me. Brooke, I love watching your every reaction. Didn’t you know?”
She did. Linking her arms around his neck, she rubbed the back of his head. “Yes. Maybe we can go after the restaurant reopening and Thanksgiving. My father and I planned to celebrate it with our roommates.” She studied him and took another plunge. “I’d love for you to be with me for both occasions.”
The broad planes of his face lit with joy. “I would be happy to, my Brooke.”
Another event flashed in her mind. She’d already had a calendar notice pop up with its reminder. “I’d also like to invite you to a fashion party I have tomorrow night. If it’s not too late notice.”
She’d been going back and forth about it. It was one thing to be seen going to dinner with Axel. Bringing him to a party would be a big deal, definitely noticed and gossiped over, but how could she help him expand his business if she didn’t introduce him to more fashion people who might be allies?
Tomorrow night, the famous Marcello was hosting a party anyone in fashion would covet an invitation for. She and Marcello were chummy, if such a thing was possible in fashion between designers and fashion writers. He might be a potential partner for Axel. There were a lot of other powerful fashion movers and shakers attending, too, and he could make useful connections.
“As I was hoping to be spending yet another night with you, I am free and very happy to have you invite me to comealong. It will be good to see you in your work element in person. So far I have only read about it.”
That reminded her of the article she had yet to finish about the designer who’d painted his models’ eyes black for emphasis—the same man she’d interviewed the day she’d first seen the three-story prime real estate she’d thought perfect for Axel. It was also the day she’d almost walked away from everything they were creating.
She still thought about that space every day, even though it was crazy. Not even Kyle and her other roommates could come up with a plan to run with her feeling. God, but that feeling! The burn still pulsed in her belly whenever she thought about that space and its potential.
She’d checked to make sure it was still available even as she’d told herself she was totally nuts. Because she didn’t have a plan for it, she just wanted it for reasons she couldn’t fully analyze.
Axel laid a gentle hand on her arm, bringing her back from her thoughts. “Oh, brother, I was doing it again.”
“Instead of calling you my beloved in Norwegian,” he said, his blue eyes dancing with humor, “perhaps I should call you my squirrel.”
She drilled a finger into his strong chest. “Not if you expect me to answer you.”
He caught her to him. “It seems wise of me to create a list of ways to bring you back from your internal checklist. When I think about it, you must be rubbing off on me. I normally eschew checklists.”
“You do, huh?” She curved a hand around his nape, standing on her tiptoes. “Don’t knock it until you try it. But I’ll help you out with your list. How about we indulge in one of my favorite ways of being present? My room is only up these stairs.”
He plucked her into his arms before she knew what hadhappened, making her gasp. “That one is already on my list,” he said with a rough note of amusement.
“Axel!” She tightened her grip as he started walking. “Put me down. One of my roommates might see.”
His dark laughter made her belly tighten as he took the stairs two at a time. “Then I should hurry.”
Hurry. Yes, this was one time hurrying was called for.
CHAPTER
TWENTY
Brooke settled into her game face as she and Axel traveled in the elevator up to the rooftop restaurant closed for Marcello’s A-list fashion party.
His tall, mesmerizing presence was a little distracting to her usual calm. “You really do take up an elevator.”
His broad, chiseled face glanced down at her as she stepped closer and adjusted his tie. “I like it when you do little things that make me look more presentable, my Brooke.”
