CHAPTER FOURTEEN: in which he meets her part 1- AXEL

Twelve years ago

AXEL

“Hey, Mom?”

“Yes, Axel?”

“Can I unpack later? I want to go to the park and see if I can get in on a game.” Football was where it was at, but basketball would do in a pinch.

My mom sighed and sat heavily on the bed, one of my dad’s undershirts clutched in her thick hand. “I don’t want you going alone.”

“Let the boy go, Marjorie,” Dad said, packing tobacco in his pipe. He didn’t smoke often, but the drive down from Vermont had worn him out. Mom wanted to stop every few hours to stretch her legs. I know the trip was hard on her. Being as big as she was and cramped in a car seat for hours couldn’t have been easy. “Axel is sixteen and can take care of himself.” He winked at me from over Mom’s head. “Can’t you, son?”

I raised my long arms, flexing my biceps. The muscles strained under my skin. Daily workouts in the gym had me ripped. Even Coach said so. Anyone tried to put the jump on me, I would hand them their ass on a silver platter. “No one is going to mess with these guns.” I kissed my right bulge and waggled my brows.

Dad laughed outright while Mom repressed a smirk.

“Axel,” she began, “you’ll have all Thanksgiving-week to play in the park.”

It was a weak excuse, and we all knew it. I backed up a step, inching towards freedom.

“Go on, son.” Dad tipped his pipe towards the door. “Just be back by six or your Aunt Liza will have you doing dishes.”

“Yes, sir.”

I thundered down the stairs, not giving Mom a chance to change her mind.

She called after me, “And don’t slam the screen door.”

BANG

“Axel...”

Her admonishment faded into the crisp wind. I hated to worry her; she had a heart condition, after all. Yet I needed a rest from the stuffiness of the house and the log car ride. Fresh air and exercise beckoned. I couldn’t resist their pull anymore than I could resist breathing... or looking out for the hotties. 

I picked up the pace, jogging the two blocks to the park. Green ash and maple leaves crunched under my feet.

Chicago differed from the small Vermont town I grew up in—much more diverse. If I could sample a few of the local delicacies while I was here, I would go back home a fortunate man.

____

I’d been playing streetball for an hour when a girl sat down on a bench near the swings. Even dark skin, thick as fuck, with plenty of jiggle in all the right places. She kept twirling her long hair around a finger. I’d looked up just in time to catch her giggling at a funny part in her book and damn if her smile didn’t beat back the sun. 

I had competition, though. Several guys had gone up to her, but she politely shooed them away. I didn’t think I had a chance until I turned on a pivot and saw her checking me out, too.

“Don’t even bother white boy. That fat-ass don’t give it up for no one.”

I narrowed my eyes at the lanky African-American dude giving me lip. He’d been one of the first she’d turned down. “The name is Axel, and don’t call her that, prick.”

He held his hands up in surrender. “My bad, Axel. Why don’t you go over there and see what you can do?”

“I think I will.” The ball I tossed at his midsection made a satisfying smack as he caught it a second too late. He cursed me under his breath. That was fine. As long as the fucker said nothing to my face.

The girl’s exquisite almond-shaped eyes, the irises as green as the field behind our mansion in Vermont, lifted from her Kindle Paperwhite and widened at my approach.

My swagger slowed. The view of her was just too beautiful to rush. Her cheekbones were higher than the Alps, and her lips were juicier than an overripe mango.

I could feast on those for days and still have some to take away in a Styrofoam container.

She giggled.

Did I say that out loud?

She straightened her shoulders and frowned at me, but the shining laughter in her eyes was unmistakable. “To what part of my anatomy are you referring?”

Way to go, Axel.

“Um ... I mean your lips are ... um ... very nice.”

She regarded me for a moment, searching my soul for its sincerity.

My knees trembled. I sent up a silent prayer, hoping she’d let me get to know her. I’m rarely entranced by a girl... hell, I never have been, but something drew me to this one and I wanted to find out why.

She turned off her Kindle with a click. “If you had said boobs, I was so outta here.” Relief coursed through me when she patted the space next to her.

I parked my ass, leaning back like I was at ease while a wheel of nervous fire churned my insides.

“Well,” I said, keeping my eyes on her face. “I will not lie, girl. Those are nice.”

She giggled again, hiding her mouth behind her hand. At her openness, my nervousness quelled enough to allow me to take in the melodious sound her braces did little to muffle.

“Very nice, indeed.”

She play-frowned at me.

Damn. Girl even frowned prettily.

“Don’t get any ideas ... “ Her lifted eyebrow asked my name.

“Axel, Axel Sexton,” I said, taking her warm hand in mine. Even before I lifted her hand from her lap, I knew it would fit perfectly in my palm—and it did. “Uh, what might be your name, angel?”

“Shondra,” she said, dazzling me with her smile. “Shondra Williams.”