[Jasmine’s POV]
On the car ride back to my house, Axel and I continued to talk and connect. He held my hand the whole ride there. Even though his touch didn’t give butterflies in my stomach, his hand still felt nice and warm around mine.
After I said goodbye to his Beta—who hadn’t seed as chatty on the ride ho—Axel opened my car door and walked to my front door. Ever since I scolded him about flirting with our server, he had been the perfect gentleman. It ant a lot to that he would walk to my door because when Elliot and I were dating, he would kiss goodbye in his car, then drive away before I’d even entered my house.
When Gareth dropped off at my house, he hadn’t even walked to my doorstep. Although he had given his jacket when I was cold. My cheeks burned when I thought about how, on nights when I couldn’t sleep, I still wrapped his jacket around and breathed in his comforting scent.
I shook my head and reprimanded myself for thinking about Gareth when I was holding hands with his nephew. Besides, Gareth would never have romantic feelings for . He was one of the most powerful n in the world, and he could have any woman he wanted.
I shouldn’t even be thinking about him right now. He was my boss, and I was on a date with a mber of his family.
Unconsciously, an image of holding hands with Gareth popped into my head. What if he were the one I was dating? Would Gareth walk to the door and press his strong lips against mine to kiss goodnight? My stomach swooped as I recalled the feeling of his addictive mouth on mine.
“Jasmine?”
Axel’s voice burst the image in my mind like a bubble. My face flushed as I looked down at my high heels, embarrassed that I had been fantasizing about his uncle.
He mistook my blush for shyness and put his hand under my chin, making et his gaze.
“You’re so adorable when you blush,” he murmured, his blue eyes roaming slowly over my face. “But you don’t have to be embarrassed around , beautiful.” His warm fingers trailed softly down my cheek.
Axel’s hand was large, and his fingers were long. He did have the hands of an artist.
His sweet words made smile. But as he continued to study , I really did beco shy. I let out an awkward cough but t his gaze and told myself to make Mindie proud and put myself out there.
“You look very handso under the moonlight,” I whispered. “Especially your eyes. The soft light makes the blue in your eyes even darker.”
“Thank you, Jasmine,” he replied and continued to gently stroke my cheek. “Did you have a good ti tonight? Again, I’m sorry about my behavior at the beginning of our dinner, but I hope you enjoyed the rest of our date.”
“I did,” I said honestly. “I had a lot of fun getting to know you.”
“As did I.” Axel grinned. “But I want to get to know you even better. Why don’t we go out tomorrow as well? No ti like the near present for our second date.”
“My schedule is full tomorrow.” I sighed, my heart lowering slightly in disappointnt. It would be nice to see him again. “I have classes throughout the day, and tomorrow afternoon through the evening I’ll be tutoring Michelle.”
“What about after you’re done tutoring my cousin?” Axel suggested, not easily dissuaded. “There is a laser light show opening tomorrow night near the museum. I actually had a hand in helping design it.”
His eyes glinted with excitent, and there was a wide smile on his face. It seed like he was looking forward to showing his personal work, and that ant sothing to . If I agreed to go on the date, I could really see the true Axel. Not just the humorous side he showed most of the world.
“I would love to join you for the show,” I said after a mont.
I knew that I’d be tired during our date tomorrow, and there was a large pile of howork I still needed to get done. This would only add to my workload. But I was glad I had agreed. Besides, if Mindie ever found out that I said no to a second date with Axel Laken, she would never let hear the end of it.
“I’m already looking forward to tomorrow,” Axel muttered, closing his eyes and leaning forward to kiss .
Panic crept up on .
After everything that happened with Elliot, I wasn’t ready to be kissed by anyone. And I didn’t even know for sure if I was interested in Axel romantically, despite how much he looked like his uncle.
Should I step to the side or just say no? Both of those options seed too rude, so I simply moved my head to the side so that he ended up pressing his lips against my cheek.
Quietly, I let out a relieved sigh.
When he pulled away, a frown appeared between his brows when he realized the kiss hadn’t gone according to plan. After a mont, he smiled, gently squeezed my hands, and wished a goodnight.
I opened my door, and Axel didn’t leave my doorstep until I was safely inside my house. As I watched him walk back to his car through the window, my heart fluttered at the fact that he was a true gentleman.
Gareth would have waited until I was safely inside before leaving too.
But the real question was, would I have allowed Gareth to kiss on the lips if he had been the one I was on a date with tonight?
***
As soon as his Beta pulled away from Jasmine’s house, Axel got down to business.
“Did you find anything out about Elliot and Jasmine?” he asked Max.
They were at a stop sign, and Max t his eyes in the rearview mirror.
“I do know sothing...but you aren’t going to like hearing it. You need to prepare yourself before I tell you,” Max warned with hesitation.
Axel’s heart raced. He had already known that sothing was wrong during the drive ho when Max hadn’t said a word. His Beta usually couldn’t stop cracking jokes. What could Max have found out that would make him act like this? His Beta seed almost afraid to reveal the information he had uncovered.
“Just tell ,” Axel urged, wanting to rip the band-aid off.
“Elliot and Jasmine are fated mates,” Max rushed out so quickly that it took Axel a mont to process what he had said.
But when that news hit Axel, he saw red.
“Pull over,” he snarled.
Max imdiately pulled over to the side of the road.
“If this is one of your stupid jokes, Max, I’m going to be pissed,” Axel growled. “I’m not in the mood. Now, are you bullshitting or not?”
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