“No, nothing like that. In fact, she’s been quiet, scary quiet.”

“Never a good sign.”

“Don’t I know that. For now, the attorneys have her controlled.”

Axel walked farther into the room and shut the door behind him. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, stared at the floor, looked at me briefly, then shifted his gaze back to the floor. He was nervous for some reason.

“Is everything okay?”

“Uh, yeah. No, I mean, yeah. Most things.”

I was confused. He wasn’t making sense, nor could I fathom what he was doing here.

He dragged his gaze back to mine, took a deep breath, and spoke. “I’ve been fighting my attraction to you, and I’m tired of denying the chemistry we have.”

I smelled alcohol on his breath and chalked up his sudden confession to liquor, though he didn’t seem drunk or even a little buzzed. He’d probably taken a few drinks to boost his courage, knowing I’d shut him down. He and I weren’t happening, were we? I’d just spent the last several hours fantasizing about him as I folded towels.

I shrugged and went back to folding towels. “I have work to do, and you’re interfering.” I elbowed him out of the way as I moved past him to put the freshly laundered towels in the bin behind him.

“Go out with me?” He blurted the words out so quickly, I took several seconds to process them.

“Go out with you? Like on a date?” He was obviously drunk.

He nodded, looking adorable in his insecurity.

“No, thank you.” I smiled to lessen the harshness of my words.

“Why not?” He frowned and squinted at me, as if trying to see through me into whatever murky depths lurked below my surface. Trust me, buddy, you don’t want to go there.

“I’m not averse to hot, casual sex, but dating is an entirely different animal.”

I watched as he contemplated my almost offer. He set his jaw and leveled me with a look of pure determination. “Just one date is all I’m asking. Dinner out, your choice of location.”

“I’m not interested in dating you.”

“You’re lying.”

“I’m not your type.”

“How do you know what my type is?”

“Trust me. I do, and I’m not it. You’re a decent guy, Axel, but we’re not a match.”

“Fuck that. You know we are. We’ve been into each other from the moment we met.” He leaned against one of the dryers and crossed his arms over his chest. As he did so, his T-shirt rode up to reveal a flat stomach and a trail of black hair leading downward and disappearing under the waistband of his jeans.

“Aren’t you cold?” I deftly changed the subject before realizing I’d made a grave miscalculation. His body was so fucking incredible. One glimpse of his skin and my body was ready to follow him anywhere. My head wasn’t far behind.

“No, actually, I’m pretty hot.”

I rolled my eyes, and he leaned closer to me. The scent of a subtle aftershave and soap floated to my nostrils and activated my girl parts. I brushed past him on my way to the dryer, but just that one touch of our bodies set mine on fire, and it took every ounce of self-discipline I possessed not to rip off his clothes and have him do me on the dryer.