Axel pressed his lips together hard, his face turning red as his lips turned white. Oh, God. Here it comes. He’s fucking pissed. Flashbacks of that night pummeled my brain, and I had to fight the urge to cry. Then he surprised me by bursting into laughter. “Oh, my God, Bear. Did you just say, ‘man chowder?’”

A little giggle escaped my lips. “Yes. Shut up, you potent bastard. This is serious. What if…”

He pulled me against his big, naked body and said, “What if I put a baby in you just now?” I nodded worriedly, and he pressed a firm, sweet kiss on my lips. “Then I would do what I should have done five years ago. I would take care of you and the baby and Carrie. I would be with you every step of the way.”

I was unable to speak for several long seconds. He seemed totally sincere, but… “Ax, we’ve only been together for approximately five seconds.”

“Come on, Blaire, I lasted way longer than five seconds,” he said, that freaking naughty grin of his teasing a tiny smile from my lips.

I realized what I had just said and dropped my eyes to his chest in embarrassment. “I didn’t mean that we’re together, together. I just meant…”

He lifted my chin and said, “Look at me, baby.” His eyes were like sapphires on fire as they held mine, steady and true. “You’re damned fucking right we’re together, together. Do you think I’m going to let you go now that I’ve finally found you again?” He tightened his arms and lifted until my feet left the ground and we were eye to eye. “You’re mine, Blaire,” he growled, and I freaking melted like an ice cube in a frying pan.

“That’s awfully caveman of you. Do I get a say in the matter?”

“Nope. Me Axel. You Blaire,” he said as he easily swiveled my body so that I was cradled in his thick arms.

“I think that’s Tarzan,” I said, wrapping my arms around his neck and cuddling against his chest.

“What the fuck ever,” he said, lowering his head and sucking lightly against my lips. “I know it will take time for you to trust me again, but I’ll prove to you how much you mean to me, Blaire.” He gave me another of those delicious sucking kisses as he headed toward the stairs. “Starting right now.”

“Put me down, you lunatic. You’re going to hurt your ribs.”

“Don’t give a fuck,” he said against my lips as he took us up the stairs without once looking down at his feet.

I ran one of my hands up his neck and into his mane of thick, curly hair. “You keep that baby stick away from me,” I told him with absolutely no conviction whatsoever behind my words.