“And you look incredibly handsome. I haven’t seen you in a suit very often, but wow. Very debonair.”

“Let’s do this more often. Get dressed up and go out,” he said, pulling one of my hands to his lips. “I love going out with you and Carrie, but we need to have date nights with just the two of us, as well.”

“I would love that. And there’s just something so deliciously naughty about staying in a hotel.”

“Naughty is my middle name, sweetheart,” he said with a grin, kissing my other hand.

Axel ordered us a bottle of expensive red wine, and he continued to hold one of my hands while we talked and sipped. We discussed the menu, and Axel ordered for both of us. As soon as the waiter left, I saw Ax lift his hand to his face.

“What are you doing?” I asked, and he turned his hand slightly, showing me a flash of ivory lace with a roguish gleam in his eyes before putting his hand back in his pocket. “Did you just sniff my panties in the middle of this nice restaurant?” I whispered. When he grinned, I said, “You are scandalous, Mr. Broxton.”

“You ain’t seen nothing yet,” he said, leaning over the table to press a kiss to my lips. We totally eye-fucked each other over the table, flirting and laughing until we were done with our meals. Axel ordered us a piece of Chocolate Midnight Cake to share with two Irish coffees. “That was excellent,” he said, dabbing his mouth with his… wait… that’s not his napkin!

“Axel, you just wiped your mouth with my panties,” I whispered.

“So I did,” he said with a wicked grin as his hand furtively slipped back into his pocket.

Instead of going directly up to the room at the hotel like I expected, Axel asked if I wanted to have a drink at the bar. We went to the outdoor Live Oak Bar, and he ordered us both a Bloody Mary. “This is nice,” I said, leaning back in my chair as Axel played with my hair while we listened to the live band underneath the oak trees.

“It is. I love being with you. I wasn’t sure after being apart for so long. I mean, I knew I still loved you,” he said, twirling one of my curls around his finger. “I just didn’t know if we would still be… us.”

“We’re still us,” I said, leaning my head over on his shoulder.

“We’re even ussier than we used to be,” he said, kissing my temple.

I laughed. “That’s not even a word.”

“It is now. It’s our word.” He nipped my lips with his. The band started playing “I Want to Know What Love Is,” and Axel stood and took my hand. “Dance with me, gorgeous girl.”

I giggled. “Don’t let me fall. I’m tipsy and wearing heels.”