by Anders, S.
“Look at the lake,” he whispered in her ear, after her tears had mostly stopped. She turned her face against his chest, until her ear rested on it as she looked at the lake. “It’s paddle boats,” he said. “I didn’t know they had those here, and look there ...” He pointed. “There are some baby ducks.”
She leaned against him more, while wiping her nose with a Kleenex she had. “It’s creative the way they made the paddle boats different colors,” she murmured.
“Like little dots of color,” he agreed. “You want to take a walk?”
She nodded against his chest and he reached for her hand as they separated. She wouldn’t look over at him, but he didn’t push it as they began walking the shoreline. It was a warmer day, but still he was surprised so many were out paddling.
After a few minutes, Liv said, “The lawyer said if I’m planning a divorce I should serve him as soon as possible.”
Axel squeezed her hand, entwining their fingers more. “That’s what he said to me too.”
“I asked him if us having the same lawyer mattered.” She shook her head lightly, dancing her tawny hair in the sunlight. “He was just amazed at the story we both knew and found out together, but otherwise he said it shouldn’t have any repercussions.”
Axel tried a chuckle, which felt rusty. “We have quite a story,” he said, then added, “It was smart of you to think to ask, because I didn’t.”
“I don’t ever want to see him again,” Liv stated vehemently.
“I’m afraid of what I might do if I see either of them. Especially him,” Axel muttered.
Liv tugged his hand, stopping him as she turned to look over his face. “I don’t want you in trouble even as satisfying as beating him up sounds.”
Axel knew there was the heat of suppressed fury in his gaze. “How messed up is it that I don’t feel that same intensity toward her.”
Liv cupped his jaw. “She’s a woman ... you are a gentleman.”
He nodded, sighed, and then kissed her palm. “I have to watch my temper,” he said.
Her hand moved to the top of his chest. “I bet a lot of ex-military men feel that way,” she said.
Surprise hit him. “Where did you learn ... How do you know that?” She was right and he’d never looked at it that way.
Liv took his hand and tugged him along to walk again. “Just makes sense. They teach you to kill. You do your job, then come back among civilians, but now you know how to do it.” She looked up at him as they walked. “I’d be afraid my trained instincts might take over in anger.”
“Yeah,” he muttered.
“But, Axel,” she said, squeezing his hand. “You had instincts before that. Deep in your soul, that make you the man you are, and that man could never lose such control as to fatally hurt someone. You have to trust that.”
He stopped walking, looking down on her, his gaze searching her face. She made so much sense and what she said felt right. Could he trust himself to get a bit angry and not lose control? “It feels right,” he murmured, tugging and pulling her against him. “I’ve been worrying about this for a long time.”
She pressed intimately against him and held his waist. “So maybe we can go kick their butts a little bit.” Her smile was a grin close to his chin.
He nudged her with his hip. “Maybe we can use this excess emotion in another way.”
She instantly thought he meant sex. He could feel it in the sublime way her body fit to his and the subtle, sexy look on her face. His lips lifted slightly. He wanted that ... and he was going to work to have that, but right now...
“Come on, let’s rent one of those paddle boats.”
“Axel,” Liv laughed, and it was a joyous sound that he loved as he pulled her along. Yeah, they both needed to smile more.
Chapter Ten
Axel stayed with her the rest of the day. They spent at least two hours out paddling the lake in the sunshine. It was cold out there but the sun made it bearable. She learned Axel had always wanted to get his pilot's license and he was allergic to peanuts. He learned she really loved the rose farm and she’d not gone to the prom. They found out together he’d gone with a girl she knew.
There was no more crying and no more talk about their ex’s, until they returned to their cars and Axel told her his idea on how to let their spouses know they were divorcing them and they knew about the affair. It was brilliant. She’d never have to see Andrew again for a long while, if she followed Axel’s plan. They sat in Axel’s car discussing it, and she was quite ready to show Andrew they were through ... forever.
“So we will make an extra DVD of the video of them together and we will loop it so it will play for hours,” Axel said.
She liked his devious mind as she spoke his plan through again. “We will get the divorce papers, put the DVD into play so when they come home ...”
Then she let Axel finish. “There in Technicolor will be irrefutable proof of their infidelity alongside papers for divorce.”
It felt devious and good. “We will have all of our important stuff out of our houses all ready,” she said.
She saw Axel’s hands tightening on the steering wheel in front of him. “If we’re lucky we might not have to see them again except in court. No huge dramatic confrontations.”
Liv sighed. “That would be perfect,” she murmured. “So,” she said, sitting straighter. “We do it Friday.”
Axel nodded, placing his hand on his keys, to start his car. She looked at him curiously. “I promised you dinner,” he said. “We will swing back by afterward and get your car.”
“But if we’re going to go home ...” she began.
He shook his head, interrupting her. “I’m taking you out to eat.”
Liv smiled, leaning back in her seat. “Nothing fancy, okay. I’m a raccoon after all that crying.”
He put the car in gear and lifted his arm onto the back of the seats, which brushed his fingers across her cheek. “You look lovely,” he said. And when Axel said it — the way he said it, she believed him. “Italian or Mexican,” he offered. “You choose.”
“Italian sounds good,” she answered.
Going out to dinner with Axel felt like they were going out on a date, and she treated it that way, because she wanted to be as far away from any of her troubled thoughts as she could. She no longer cared about her husband or what he was doing and she refused to think about it.
Axel picked a restaurant she’d heard of but hadn’t been to before. It looked expensive once inside, but luckily it was candle lit and she thought the ravages to her face might be somewhat concealed by the low lighting. When they were seated, Axel ordered a bottle of wine and an antipasto appetizer. He looked very good in the candlelight and the hostess noticed, with a lingering gaze, plus out of the corner of her eye, Liv saw a table of three young women seated in a circular booth, giggling and looking over at him. He, on the other hand, seemed not to notice the attention.
His gaze was strictly for her. “Our first date,” he said, pouring her wine.
Her eyes widened, while she’d been pretending it was, she’d not thought he was thinking that. She took her glass, taking a sip as if to seal his words. Then she literally purred at the taste. “Oh my, this is fantastic.”
“It’s not well known how good it is. My little secret,” he said.
She lifted her glass to him. “Thank you for sharing ...” She paused, then added, “And, for the date.”
She could tell Axel liked that, his eyes warmed and his handsome lips lifted. In the corner of the room, the three young women sighed. They’d seen his look.
“Liv, I know we said friends.” He reached over and touched her arm, until she moved and lifted her hand to his. His big hand covered hers. “Maybe ... kissing friends?” he teased.
She laughed at his flirting. “Besides my life falling apart, all I think about is kissing you.”
His face showed his surprise at her honesty. But before he could comment the appetizer arrived. Once they’d be
en served and had nibbled on a few bites, he brought her back to her revelation.
“So, you think about kissing me?” He said it slowly, and she blushed.
“I’ve never been kissed like we kiss,” she admitted.
“God, you make me happy,” he announced. “You throw it out there, in the open, and I love it.”
She shook her head. “I’m too blunt and words just pop out.”
“Who said that?” he demanded, then he immediately said, “Never mind, I can guess. And he is wrong. It’s refreshing and honest.”
She took a sip of wine, looking over the edge of her glass at him. It was hard to believe he meant it. For so long now she’d been belittled for her bluntness.
“Really, Liv,” he said as if reading her doubts. “I don’t have to wonder ... you tell me. I love it.”
She released her doubts. “Okay, I believe you.” It was freeing. His answering smile was as attractive as it was sincere and another sigh rose from the spying-eyes, female gallery.
How wonderful it was to be with the man every woman, of legal age in the room, thought was hot. Amazing.
“Now back to this kissing thing, I think you’re dodging,” he said.
“Friend’s kiss,” she instantly teased back at him.
“You kiss your friend’s on the lips?” he asked, leaning his elbows on the table and more toward her in an intimate manner.
“No, can’t think of a one,” she admitted. “But I am willing to turn over a new leaf and try it.”
He laughed then, making her laugh. “I like this theme, friends to lovers also,” he said through his laugh.
She agreed energetically with that, nodding. But the waiter came to take the rest of their order and they had to cool their flirting banter that felt as if it was healing, as much as it was exciting.
The food was fabulous and she ate too much as they talked and flirted a bit more. She was just sizing up her last meatball, when Axel’s hand darted across the table and grabbed her hand with the fork still between her fingers. He squeezed her hand kind of tightly and her gaze jerked to his.
“Hell,” he hissed under his breath. He was glaring over her right shoulder. She watched his gaze stalk something as if he were a predator. “There’s no warning I could possibly give for this,” he growled beneath his breath.
He was scaring her ... she couldn’t imagine. “Axel ... what?”
She watched his head turn and she could finally follow his gaze because it was to the side of them. She saw a couple with their backs to them, being seated. Something registered in the back of her mind. From behind, the man looked like ...
“It’s them,” Axel finally said, sitting back in his chair.
Liv’s gaze darted to Axel, while she was trying to comprehend what he was saying. Then her eyes trailed back and she saw the man’s profile as he scooted into the booth beside the woman. It was Andrew! Liv squinted, looking past Andrew at the woman. Kiki! They were both oblivious to anyone else in the restaurant as they cuddled, and then kissed. Right out in the open, not ten feet from where she sat.
Her chest felt suddenly tight and alarm flashed through her veins.
Axel scowled at his wife across the room with his arms locked to his chest. He watched them kiss, fondle under the table, and then Kiki’s gaze finally began wandering the room. Axel glanced at Liv, and then back. Liv looked pale, but his eyes quickly returned to Kiki.
Kiki’s gaze swept the room as Darwin kissed her neck, then her gaze swept back, halting on Axel. Her eyes widened and a little shriek escaped her lips as she shoved Darwin away. Liv made a strangled sound on the other side of the table and alarm struck him as he turned back to her.
She was whiter than before with her hand clutched to her chest. He threw down his napkin. “Panic attack?” he asked with a hissed breath.
She could only nod as he rose, then lowered to his knees beside her. He grabbed her hands as her gaze darted to where Andrew and Kiki were. “Forget them,” he ordered. “Look at me, Liv. Come on, baby.”
She looked panicked as her gaze clutched his. “Oh. God.”
“Breathe as deep as you can,” he ordered. She shook her head, wheezing. He scooted closer to her from the side, leaning his mouth to her ear as both her hands clutched one of his hands in her lap. “Slow in. Come on slow, baby. That’s it. Try slowly out.”
“Liv, what the hell are you doing here with him!”
Liv made a strangled sound and Axel grabbed her chin, turning her face to his. “Stay with me, only me. Breathe deep.” She nodded, moving his hand holding her chin, as she tried to breathe deep.
Axel snarled over his shoulder. “Your wife is having a panic attack, dude.”
“Oh hell, those are faked for attention,” Darwin claimed. Liv made a wounded sound.
“Breathe with me, Liv,” Axel ordered her, then over his shoulder he uttered to Darwin. “Then get the hell out of here.”
Axel heard Kiki’s high voice, “Let’s go. Let’s go. Are you crazy, Andrew?”
“I want to know how she knows him!” Darwin exclaimed.
Over the top of them, Axel said, “A couple more, sweetheart. In ... that’s it. Out ... slowly.”
Liv’s gray eyes looked a little less wild and Axel glanced over his shoulder and up at Kiki, who was trying to tug Darwin’s arm. “Get your lover out of here,” he growled at her.
Kiki made a strangled shrieking sound, her eyes darting. “It’s not like that!”
Axel turned back to Liv, as he heard Darwin exclaim, “What if we were lovers? How the hell do you two know each other?”
Kiki cried, “I’m leaving you if you don’t come, Andrew!”
Then, Liv surprised the hell out of him, by exclaiming, “Axel and I have known each other for years! Think on that, Andrew!”
In the midst of the chaos, the hostess began demanding they all leave.
“Make them go first, she’s feeling sick,” Axel told the hostess. “Give us a minute.”
Darwin glared at him as Kiki tugged him out of the restaurant.
“Are you better?” Axel asked, smoothing back Liv’s hair. He could feel her hands shaking where they clutched his, but she nodded.
“Sir, please,” the hostess said.
Axel stood beside Liv keeping hold of one of her hands. He dug into his back pocket, getting out his wallet, which he flipped open. “See that top credit card just take it and pay our bill. She will be ready by the time you get back.”
The hostess, who had looked at him as if she’d wanted him for dessert when he’d first came in, now gave him a sour look. But she took the card, leaving.
He bent over Liv. “Is it going away?” he asked. “Because I won’t let her make us leave until you are ...”
Liv interrupted him, looking up. “No it is much better, really.”
He nodded, just as the hostess returned for his signature. When he turned back, Liv was standing beside him with a small, shaky smile. He put his arm around her and they walked forward. He dipped close to her ear. “Amazing what you said. I bet they think that we are ... you know.”
Liv nodded against his lips, as she muttered, “I hope they do.”
He held back his chuckle, but said, “It’ll make them crazy.”
She leaned into him and he held her upright as they left the restaurant. Once outside, he thought they were both surprised to see Kiki and Darwin still in the parking lot. They were next to Darwin’s sports car, obviously arguing.
“You better?” Axel asked Liv, with a sideways hug.
“I’m recovered,” she answered.
“Good,” he declared. Then he gently swung her around, grasping her face into his hands, before he bent to kiss her. She made a surprised sound, stiff at first, then melting into him a second later. Instantly hot, they started kissing as if they were the only two people in the world.
“I want a divorce, you tramp!”
Liv hung onto Axel’s shoulders as Andrew’s bellowed voice sounded somewhere be
hind them. She continued to kiss Axel deeply, however Axel broke apart their kissing lips.
“What the hell did you call her?” Axel’s voice was a suppressed shout as he held onto her with his arm curled over her shoulders.
“She’s cheating!” Andrew exclaimed, and he tried to grab her shoulder, but Axel swung her away.
Then Kiki, who had run up to them, asked in a shrill voice, “Are you really sleeping with her, Axel?”
When Liv looked at Axel’s stony features, she saw his bottom lip curl upward. “Are you sleeping with him?” Axel’s head tilted toward Andrew.
Kiki gasped, shaking her head with no sound, while Andrew blurted, “We’re business partners, not screwing like you two are. My lawyer is going to love this!”
Liv felt shock running through her. Her husband was an ass. She so wanted to swing her hand up and slap him.
“Kiki?” Axel demanded.
Kiki clamped her hands to her mouth, and Liv saw tears starting in her eyes, and through her fingers, Kiki wailed, “How could you, Axel? With her!”
Liv felt the slam inside her gut, and she wondered why she gave a damn what Kiki Savvi thought about anything.
Liv could hear Axel growling under his breath as he squeezed her shoulders a bit tightly. “You two are unbelievable,” Axel uttered, and he pressed her shoulders with the motion to move.
“Have fun with your plans,” Liv hissed, as she walked by Andrew, who was looking angry but shrewd. Then at her words, he looked sly. But what he didn’t look like, and what shot more pain through her — was he didn’t look like a man devastated he was losing his wife.
Kiki on the other hand was sobbing dramatically. “You can’t go off with her, Axel. We need to talk!” she wailed, running after their retreat to Axel’s car.
“Kiki, come here!” Andrew demanded, and Liv saw over Axel’s stiff shoulder that Andrew tried to stop Kiki and haul her back toward his roadster.
However, Kiki broke free, crying, “Just leave me alone, Andrew!” Then she ran on her heels toward Axel, exclaiming, “Please, honey, he made me do it! Just listen to me!”
