“Besides my life falling apart, all I think about is kissing you.”
His face showed his surprise at her honesty. But before he could comment the appetizer arrived. Once they’d been served and had nibbled on a few bites, he brought her back to her revelation.
“So, you think about kissing me?” He said it slowly, and she blushed.
“I’ve never been kissed like we kiss,” she admitted.
“God, you make me happy,” he announced. “You throw it out there, in the open, and I love it.”
She shook her head. “I’m too blunt and words just pop out.”
“Who said that?” he demanded, then he immediately said, “Never mind, I can guess. And he is wrong. It’s refreshing and honest.”
She took a sip of wine, looking over the edge of her glass at him. It was hard to believe he meant it. For so long now she’d been belittled for her bluntness.
“Really, Liv,” he said as if reading her doubts. “I don’t have to wonder ... you tell me. I love it.”
She released her doubts. “Okay, I believe you.” It was freeing. His answering smile was as attractive as it was sincere and another sigh rose from the spying-eyes, female gallery.
How wonderful it was to be with the man every woman, of legal age in the room, thought was hot. Amazing.
“Now back to this kissing thing, I think you’re dodging,” he said.
“Friend’s kiss,” she instantly teased back at him.
“You kiss your friend’s on the lips?” he asked, leaning his elbows on the table and more toward her in an intimate manner.
“No, can’t think of a one,” she admitted. “But I am willing to turn over a new leaf and try it.”
He laughed then, making her laugh. “I like this theme, friends to lovers also,” he said through his laugh.
She agreed energetically with that, nodding. But the waiter came to take the rest of their order and they had to cool their flirting banter that felt as if it was healing, as much as it was exciting.
The food was fabulous and she ate too much as they talked and flirted a bit more. She was just sizing up her last meatball, when Axel’s hand darted across the table and grabbed her hand with the fork still between her fingers. He squeezed her hand kind of tightly and her gaze jerked to his.
“Hell,” he hissed under his breath. He was glaring over her right shoulder. She watched his gaze stalk something as if he were a predator. “There’s no warning I could possibly give for this,” he growled beneath his breath.
He was scaring her ... she couldn’t imagine. “Axel ... what?”
She watched his head turn and she could finally follow his gaze because it was to the side of them. She saw a couple with their backs to them, being seated. Something registered in the back of her mind. From behind, the man looked like ...
“It’s them, ” Axel finally said, sitting back in his chair.
Liv’s gaze darted to Axel, while she was trying to comprehend what he was saying. Then her eyes trailed back and she saw the man’s profile as he scooted into the booth beside the woman. It was Andrew! Liv squinted, looking past Andrew at the woman. Kiki! They were both oblivious to anyone else in the restaurant as they cuddled, and then kissed. Right out in the open, not ten feet from where she sat.
Her chest felt suddenly tight and alarm flashed through her veins.
Axel scowled at his wife across the room with his arms locked to his chest. He watched them kiss, fondle under the table, and then Kiki’s gaze finally began wandering the room. Axel glanced at Liv, and then back. Liv looked pale, but his eyes quickly returned to Kiki.
Kiki’s gaze swept the room as Darwin kissed her neck, then her gaze swept back, halting on Axel. Her eyes widened and a little shriek escaped her lips as she shoved Darwin away. Liv made a strangled sound on the other side of the table and alarm struck him as he turned back to her.
She was whiter than before with her hand clutched to her chest. He threw down his napkin. “Panic
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