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Chapter 16

I have been standing on the back deck watching Axel flip the steaks on the grill and enjoying the view for the last ten minutes If I hadn’t understood what e waste of space before, it is all clear nohile I look out at the vast sparkling water his house sits on the shore of, I got it

He has a very large deck, with of course no furniture or seating, but he does have one large glearassy patch of yard before you meet the pebbled path to the dock And then you have the lake There are no other houses that I can see Just woods and a lot of water It is absolutely stunning

"You al up behind lass of wine

I look over my shoulder and just drink him in He is still naked fro low on his hips The sexy V that disappears beneath the rowls low in his throat

"Stop, Izzy Stop right fucking now or I will take you right here on the fucking porch"

"Sorry Ax, but you did ask if I was ready to eat" I tease

"Shit!" He throws his hands up and walks over to the grill I laugh and turn back to enjoy the viehile he gru mouth closed

We continue in a co and I finishI follow his lead back into the house, plate the juicy steaks, baked potatoes, peppers and onions bringing them over to the bar and sit on the only pieces of furniture he owns in the kitchen Bar stools

"Axel, you have got to see about getting so bedroos I have seen are these stools, your mam in a piece of this delicious steak I moan over the succulent taste that explodes in my mouth before I’ without so to take up some space"

I look up and meet his eyes after I notice the silence that follows my observations Oops Maybe I overstepped I mean, this isn’t , I put my fork down and stare atthat?" He questions

"Doing what?" I hedge

"Acting like you’re asha a nosy little brat" His tone is light, teasing

"I--I don’t know?"

"Can’t fool et I know you Might have been years since I’ve had you, but I know you"

Sighing I look up in to his eyes He doesn’t lookI do consciously You have to understand, Axel; I can’t turn off years of conditioning I have lived a certain way for so long, that sometimes I just kind of fall back into the old me Well, I mean the old me after you"

"I can understand that, I can, but what I can’t understand is why you seem to be afraid of me sometimes A lot has happened but you know, you have to knoould never fucking hurt you"

"No, you wouldn’t hurt me physically I know that" I reply as I look back down at my hands

"Izzy? What do you et you’re scared but hearto hurt you There isn’t one goddaain Lost too much time already, Princess Too ht here in my arms" He reaches over and pulls me into his lap He has one arm around my back and the other across"There wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’tti that you were better off without s his hand up to cupmy eyes level with his "It’s killedI could have done so to save you froht now What is he talking about, he thought I was happy? And like a bolt of lightning it hits me