Just a Couple Ex's Blindsided by S. Anders Page A

attack?” he asked with a hissed breath.
    She could only nod as he rose, then lowered to his knees beside her. He grabbed her hands as her gaze darted to where Andrew and Kiki were. “Forget them,” he ordered. “Look at me, Liv. Come on, baby.”
    She looked panicked as her gaze clutched his. “Oh. God.”
    “Breathe as deep as you can,” he ordered. She shook her head, wheezing. He scooted closer to her from the side, leaning his mouth to her ear as both her hands clutched one of his hands in her lap. “Slow in. Come on slow, baby. That’s it. Try slowly out.”
    “Liv, what the hell are you doing here with him! ”
    Liv made a strangled sound and Axel grabbed her chin, turning her face to his. “Stay with me, only me. Breathe deep.” She nodded, moving his hand holding her chin, as she tried to breathe deep.
    Axel snarled over his shoulder. “Your wife is having a panic attack, dude.”
    “Oh hell, those are faked for attention,” Darwin claimed. Liv made a wounded sound.
    “Breathe with me, Liv,” Axel ordered her, then over his shoulder he uttered to Darwin. “Then get the hell out of here.”
    Axel heard Kiki’s high voice, “Let’s go. Let’s go . Are you crazy, Andrew?”
    “I want to know how she knows him!” Darwin exclaimed.
    Over the top of them, Axel said, “A couple more, sweetheart. In ... that’s it. Out ... slowly.”
    Liv’s gray eyes looked a little less wild and Axel glanced over his shoulder and up at Kiki, who was trying to tug Darwin’s arm. “ Get your lover out of here,” he growled at her.
    Kiki made a strangled shrieking sound, her eyes darting. “It’s not like that!”
    Axel turned back to Liv, as he heard Darwin exclaim, “What if we were lovers? How the hell do you two know each other?”
    Kiki cried, “I’m leaving you if you don’t come, Andrew!”
    Then, Liv surprised the hell out of him, by exclaiming, “Axel and I have known each other for years! Think on that, Andrew!”
    In the midst of the chaos, the hostess began demanding they all leave.
    “Make them go first, she’s feeling sick,” Axel told the hostess. “Give us a minute.”
    Darwin glared at him as Kiki tugged him out of the restaurant.
    “Are you better?” Axel asked, smoothing back Liv’s hair. He could feel her hands shaking where they clutched his, but she nodded.
    “Sir, please,” the hostess said.
    Axel stood beside Liv keeping hold of one of her hands. He dug into his back pocket, getting out his wallet, which he flipped open. “See that top credit card just take it and pay our bill. She will be ready by the time you get back.”
    The hostess, who had looked at him as if she’d wanted him for dessert when he’d first came in, now gave him a sour look. But she took the card, leaving.
    He bent over Liv. “Is it going away?” he asked. “Because I won’t let her make us leave until you are ...”
    Liv interrupted him, looking up. “No it is much better, really.”
    He nodded, just as the hostess returned for his signature. When he turned back, Liv was standing beside him with a small, shaky smile. He put his arm around her and they walked forward. He dipped close to her ear. “Amazing what you said. I bet they think that we are ... you know.”
    Liv nodded against his lips, as she muttered, “I hope they do.”
    He held back his chuckle, but said, “It’ll make them crazy.”
    She leaned into him and he held her upright as they left the restaurant. Once outside, he thought they were both surprised to see Kiki and Darwin still in the parking lot. They were next to Darwin’s sports car, obviously arguing.
    “You better?” Axel asked Liv, with a sideways hug.
    “I’m recovered,” she answered.
    “Good,” he declared. Then he gently swung her around, grasping her face into his hands, before he bent to kiss her. She made a surprised sound, stiff at first, then melting into him a second later. Instantly hot, they started kissing as if they were the only two people in