Axe quirked his lips, ran his glinting eyes over Logan’s earnest face, and snorted. He placed his hand over Baylee’s. “Show me what you got. I wanna see all of it.” He winked.
A perfectly good sandwich was ruined; there was no way she could swallow another bite. When the waiter came by to give Axe his beer, Baylee told him to take away her plate.
“Would you like a box to take it home?” the waiter asked.
She shook her head.
“You hardly ate anything, babe. That can’t be good.” Axe smirked.
“I lost my appetite.”
“Is that so? Funny thing is, I’m starving.” He leaned over, picked up the other half of her sandwich, and took a big bite. “Fuck, that’s good.”
The waiter began to walk away when Logan said, “You can take mine. I’m finished.”
“Do you want a take-out box?” The waiter then glanced at Axe.
Axe laughed. “Fuck, no. I’m good.” He took another large bite of Baylee’s sandwich.
The waiter cleared away Logan’s plate, hastening back to the kitchen.
“You weren’t hungry, either?” Axe asked as he wiped his mouth with the napkin.
“Guess not,” Logan responded flatly.
“If neither of you were hungry, then why the fuck didn’t you stay at the office and work on the changes? You professionals don’t use common sense.” He took a swig of beer.
Logan sat up straight. “We better go. Stan doesn’t like us taking too long for lunch. Ready, Baylee?”
Baylee pushed her chair back, but Axe whipped out his hand. In one fluid movement, he had her back against the table.
“Baylee will join you later. We have some stuff we need to talk about.”
“Is it business?”
“It’s none of your fuckin’ business. You tell Stan that Baylee is with me, and she’ll be running late. If he has a problem with it, he can call me. He has my number.” Axe motioned for the waiter to come over.
“Yes, sir?”
“Another beer, and give the check to him.” Axe gave Logan a half-smile.
After Logan paid the bill, he said, “I’ll see you at the office, Baylee.”
When he was out of earshot, Baylee, bristling for the past ten minutes, hissed, “You are the rudest asshole I have ever met.”
Axe leaned back in his chair. “Yeah. What’s your point?”
“You’re impossible. Logan and I were having a business lunch, then you come barging in, tossing all your fucking testosterone around, and now you want to talk? No fucking way.” Baylee picked up her purse, but Axe’s strong grip on her arm held her in place.
“I don’t like him. He’s an ass-kisser, and I fuckin’ hate them. I thought you had a date or something. Now I know it was for business, so I’m cool with that.”
She shook her head. “What are you talking about? What if it were a date? How is that any of your business? You act like we’re going out or something. We had a one-night stand. It’s done. Get over it.”
Several people turned their heads as her voice escalated. Axe watched her in amusement.
“Stop looking at me with that annoying smirk on your face. You don’t understand that Logan and I are in competition for partnership. He’ll use anything against me. It is against firm policy for an employee to go out with a client, so you just made Logan a happy man. Now, he has some shit he can take to Gary, Bob, or Warren, and I’ll be on the fucking radar. Thanks a lot.”
Nodding, Axe pursed his lips. “You want me to take the asshole out?”
She threw her head back and emitted a frustrated moan. “Is that all you got out of what I said?”
“Basically, you want something, and that asshole is keeping you from getting it. I can eliminate the competition. It’s not a big deal. I can take care of it.”
“I can’t believe you’re serious.”
“Damn straight. Just give me the word.”
“Are you crazy? I don’t want you to do anything to Logan. This is bizarre.”
He shrugged.
He has to be joking.
“Enough about him,” Axe said. “I’m coming by tonight.”
“Not tonight. Stan is taking Logan and me out for dinner.”
“Again with the asshole?”
“Stan’s trying to be nice since we’re new to Pinewood Springs.”
“I’m trying to be nice with you, too, but you’re making it difficult.” Axe brushed his fingers up and down her forearm.
Baylee shivered as goosebumps carpeted her skin. Feels so good. He has the gentlest touch, but it can be rough and intense, too… Focus, Baylee!
“Another time, okay? I need to go. I don’t want Stan and the others to think I’m a slacker.”