Stalemate

by Lisa Suzanne

  “Carson? As in Carter’s brother who I’ve never even spoken to?”

  “As in my cousin who you’ve never spoken to.” Axel pulls into a parking spot and cuts the engine.

  “Courtney doesn’t really paint him in the best light.”

  “Probably because Carter doesn’t paint him in the best light. He’s a good guy, just a little misguided at times.”

  “She called him a male whore and a womanizer.” I open my door and get out, and Axel follows suit and walks over to my side of the car. We head up the sidewalk toward my apartment.

  Axel shrugs. “Probably a fair assessment, but he doesn’t have time for a relationship. He’s about to take over as the youngest CEO King Communications has ever had, so he gets it where he can.”

  “‘Gets it where he can’? Sex isn’t like a grocery store.”

  “You’re right, it isn’t. For him, I think it’s more like a gas station.”

  I give him a look. “A gas station?”

  Axel shrugs and grins. “It’s either full-service or it’s self-service. He prefers full-service.”

  “That’s disgusting.”

  He chuckles. “After a week of self-service, I can attest that full-service with you is far preferable.”

  “I’m ignoring that comment. Court says he hits on anything that moves.”

  “That’s not true. He’s got a type and he sticks to it fairly strictly.”

  I unlock my door and turn the handle, and when I open it, I’m caught completely off guard.

  I step inside to my entryway. Every surface I can see is covered with flowers and candles, and my blinds are drawn shut so the candles give off a soft glow.

  “What the…” I start, and then I turn around and the words die on my lips.

  Axel is kneeling in front of me. “I did this all wrong last time. Emme, I love you. I want a life with you. I’ll respect if you tell me you’re still not ready for that.” His voice trembles. “If you’re not ready, then this is simply a promise from me to you. It’s an open-ended deal between us that when you’re ready, I’ll be ready, too. I’ll always be here for you and for her.” He nods to my stomach, and I smile as I remember our conversation from last night.

  I reach down and take his hands in mine, but he pulls one of them away. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a box, and my heart starts racing. “Wait…what…what’s that?” My voice trembles.

  “It has only been you, and it will only ever be you. You, and now our baby, and more babies after that—if that’s what you want. After our talk last night, I feel like you want this, too. I feel like it’s finally our time, and if you tell me you’re not ready, I’ll wait. I’ll wait forever for you.” He flips open the box, and a bright, shiny diamond ring sits in there.

  I choke out a gasp.

  “You already made me the happiest man in the world, and I’d like to make it official. Marry me, Ems.”

  I stare down at him, all the earnestness and love from his impassioned speech reflecting in his eyes and in the glow on his cheeks and in the nervous wrinkle on his forehead. His mouth still hides behind that beard, but it’s a mouth I know I want to kiss for the rest of my life.

  It feels like an eternity before I finally take a deep breath and then heave out the only answer I can imagine giving him. “Yes.”

  He shoots to his feet, shock evident on his face. “Yes?”

  I nod and smile. “Yes.” My voice is strong and confident because I am absolutely sure this is what I want. This is how it was always supposed to be; I was just too blinded by the outside forces of my past to see that the future I deserve is here in front of me.

  He grabs me in his arms and squeezes me tightly against him. He buries his face in my shoulder, the move he always does when he’s extra emotional, and then he straightens and presses a kiss to my lips. I feel his mouth smiling against my own smile, and I can’t think of a time in my life when I was happier than this very moment.

  *

  I’m bursting to tell Courtney my news, but this is her day. My day will come, probably sooner than anyone—including Axel—realizes, considering I’d prefer not to have a baby bump in my wedding dress.

  Today is Court’s day, so I go through the motions. Axel convinces me to leave my brand-new ring on my nightstand, even though I want to show it off to the world. I get my hair and makeup done by Courtney’s stylist then slip into my dress, grateful I haven’t actually gained weight yet, and slide my feet into my heels. I throw up on schedule around four, and then I brush my teeth and head over to the groom’s quarters with the pre-wedding present Courtney picked out for Carter.

  I don’t know how I’ve managed to keep this quiet considering my penchant for giving away secrets, but I haven’t uttered a word. Courtney is so nervous that she doesn’t even know what’s going on around her, so that helps my cause.

  I knock on the door to the room where the men are getting ready, and it’s Carson who answers the door.

  “Is Carter here?” I ask.

  “Who wants to know?”

  “The maid of honor. I have a delivery for him.” I lift the box in my hands.

  “He’s getting a talk from Dad right now. Something about how to treat a wife, I don’t know. I tuned out.”

  “Marriage not your thing?”

  He chuckles. “Not so much. Sounds like it might be yours, though.”

  I raise my brows in surprise.

  He leans in and whispers conspiratorially, “Axel told me. Welcome to our rather interesting family dynamic.”

  I smile, wondering who else Axel told…and what else he told them. “Thank you, and thanks for dropping my car off last night,” I say.

  He grins. “Drives like a dream.”

  I roll my eyes.

  “You feeling better?” he asks.

  I nod and hold the box out toward him. “Will you give this to Carter?”

  He opens the door wider. “You can give it to him yourself.”

  The moment the door swings open, I spot Axel, and he simply takes my breath away.

  I’ve only ever seen him in jeans—or naked—but today he’s in a tuxedo, and my heart leaps into my throat as I stare at him.

  He’s running his hand through his hair and looking in a mirror, and then his eyes shift as he spots me staring at him from behind.

  He turns around and nervously wipes his hands down his navy pants before running his hand down his beard. His eyes move down the length of my dress before they lock on mine “You look… God, Emme, you’re beautiful. You’re always beautiful, but you’re glowing.”

  In any other situation, I’d look in the mirror to see for myself, but I can’t seem to tear my eyes away from him. I know what I look like. I’m wearing the navy dress Courtney chose. My hair is styled down, curled in loose waves and held with a barrette Courtney chose for me, and my makeup is flawless thanks to the artist who spent hours on me.

  His voice breaks into my thoughts. “Does this look stupid? I feel stupid.”

  I clear my throat. “Uh, no, Axel. It doesn’t look stupid.” He looks beyond gorgeous. His tux is navy to match my dress, and he wears a white shirt under it with a matching navy necktie and dark brown loafers on his feet. Come to think of it, I don’t know that I’ve ever seen him wear any other shoe but his Vans, either.

  “Are you sure?” He turns around and looks in the mirror again. If there weren’t other people in the room, I’d be attacking him. I’d be shoving him to the floor and mounting him before gyrating my hips on top of his pelvis. I’d be lifting the skirt of my dress and pulling his thick length out of those tuxedo pants.

  But I can’t do that because other people are, in fact, in this room—including the groom, who I haven’t even noticed yet because my eyes are glued to the man who always wears jeans.

  He turns back to me with anxiety.

  “Oh, I’m sure.” I step closer to him. I want to link my arms around him and pull him close to me, but I’m still carrying this damn box—wh
ich reminds me why I’m here. His arms wrap around my waist. I press a soft kiss on his lips, and then I pull back since I know we aren’t alone and I’m not sure if I can control myself. I lean in to run my finger along the jacket of his tux and whisper, “Can you keep this thing?”

  He chuckles and his shoulders relax. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  I giggle when he winks at me, and then I step out of his warmth because if I don’t, we might have to go find a private room somewhere to alleviate the sudden ache between my legs. I continue to stare at him until he starts to look uncomfortable, but I can’t help it.

  “What’s that?” He nods to the box I’m holding.

  “Oh! Right. I came to give this to Carter from Courtney. You distracted me with the whole looking so damn hot in that tux thing. I almost forgot what I’m even doing here.” I realize I’m rambling, but I’m actually a little nervous to be around him when he looks like this. It’s not my comfortable, familiar Axel; it’s something new and different, and the fact that he’s mine and will be mine for the rest of our lives hits me.

  It’s not just the tux—it’s the ability to see new sides to this man I thought I knew every part of. It’s the continued element of unexpected surprise.

  “Carter!” Axel calls, interrupting whatever he has going on while never removing his eyes from me.

  Carter ambles over, the picture of a nervous groom on his wedding day. “How is she?”

  I smile as I finally look somewhere other than Axel. “She’s doing great. She’s stunning and nervous and excited.” I hand the box over. “This is from her.”

  “Thanks. You look nice, by the way.”

  “Back off, dude,” Axel says, and I giggle at his machismo, especially considering Carter doesn’t have eyes for anyone but Courtney.

  He hands me a small rectangular box. “Can you give this to Court?”

  I nod. “Of course.”

  “I’ll be back,” Axel says. “I’m just gonna walk with Emme for a minute.”

  Carter nods, and Axel places his hand on the small of my back to guide me out of the room.

  Once the door clicks shut behind us, Axel surprises me yet again by shoving me up against the wall. His mouth crashes down to mine, and I slide my arms around his waist as I grip the box Carter gave me in one hand.

  His tongue pushes its way into my mouth, and we stand in some quiet hallway making out like a couple of teenagers. Tongue batters against tongue in an erotic show of lust. He shoves his hips toward me, a clear indication he wants to fuck me right here, right now.

  A throat clears behind us, breaking into our private moment. He pulls back and closes his eyes, but he doesn’t let me go. He heaves out a sigh of frustration. He’s so close that he’s all I see, so I don’t know who interrupted our moment. I smile meekly up at him, and then he drops his arms and turns around.

  “Mom!” he says.

  Oh, God.

  Deanna grins at us. “Hey you two lovebirds!” She moves in and throws her arms around her son, maybe a little too soon after our passionate and steamy hallway kiss, especially considering I know how hot for me he was—and still is.

  “Axel Denver Jones, why has it been over a month since I’ve seen you?”

  Denver?

  Yet another surprise.

  “I’m sorry, Ma. The bar has been keeping me crazy busy.” He glances back at me, and I can’t help but giggle at the pure horror on his face.

  “Too busy for your mother who loves and misses her firstborn son?”

  “Never too busy for you.”

  She smacks him lightly in the arm. “Then act like it.” She runs a hand over his beard. “And shave this shit off your face.”

  “Mom!” His tone is reminiscent of that of a teenaged boy, and it makes me giggle.

  “What? It makes you look older than you are.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Honey, you look handsome in that tux. I’m just teasing you.” She slips her arm around his waist and squeezes him in a side hug.

  “I know. Love you, Ma.”

  “Love you, sweet boy.”

  Sweet boy. I suppose he is, but it’s not a label I’d have ever thought to use on the very manly and sexy Axel Denver Jones.

  “I’ll let you two get back to your kissing. Just wanted to say hello.”

  My face burns in embarrassment, but Axel seems to be used to his mother.

  “Good to see you, Deanna.” My voice sounds meek to my own ears.

  “You too, sweetheart.” She glances around and then back at us. “When are you two gonna do all this?”

  I look over at Axel with wide eyes, and he smiles calmly at his mom. He shrugs, and then she turns on her heel and walks into the room where Carter and several members of his family are hiding.

  “Denver?” I ask once the door closes and his mom is out of earshot.

  “I was hoping you missed that.”

  “Where did that come from?”

  “My mom has a thing about middle names.”

  “What’s the thing?”

  He rolls his eyes. “Place of conception.”

  “You were conceived in Denver?”

  “Apparently,” he says dryly. “She almost named my brother Jett Backseat.”

  I laugh. “Shut up, she did not. That’s your mother you’re talking about.”

  He laughs, too. “She’s more open with these things than a son would like her to be. Jett’s middle name is actually Tijuana.”

  “As in Mexico?”

  He nods. “It was a long weekend trip.”

  “And your sister?”

  He clears his throat. “Pacific.”

  “As in the ocean?”

  He sighs, and I burst out laughing.

  “Your mom is something else.”

  “No kidding.”

  “You kept calm when she asked about us getting married someday.”

  “And your face totally gave it all away. I swear, Emme, you’re the worst secret keeper in the history of secret keepers.”

  I shrug, because the man speaks the truth. “My bad.”

  He laughs, and then he kisses me once more. “I was about to fuck you in this hallway. That getting interrupted by my mother would’ve been even worse than just a kiss.”

  “I guess you’re gonna have to keep the python in your pants for the day, my friend.”

  CHAPTER 33

  EMME

  The music starts, and that’s our cue, so I take Axel’s proffered arm. Behind us, Jasper hisses, “Walk slowly. If you think you’re going too slow, slow down more.” I smile and shake my head, and then we start our very slow ascent down the aisle.

  I grip my bouquet of lilies. The smell is a little offending, but I refuse to get sick in the middle of Court’s wedding. I can’t help but feel nervous as all eyes are on us. Can people tell I’m pregnant and that Axel is the one who knocked me up? Can people tell we got engaged this morning? Can people see the love we share? Is it a tangible thing?

  I see a glimpse of my future as Axel’s family watches us walk down the aisle toward the altar. Even though Deanna is…well, Deanna, with all her striking inappropriateness and twisted sense of humor, she also has a motherly sense about her and I can’t wait for her to be my mother-in-law. Our eyes lock as we walk, and she winks at me. I feel a closeness to her already, and we’ve only met one other time. I’m already dreading avoiding the inevitable shots she’s going to want to do with me at the reception, though. I’m not sure how I’m going to get out of that one—maybe the truth will set me free even though Axel and I promised we weren’t going to tell anyone just yet.

  I look ahead of us at the arch made of flowers where Courtney will become a wife, and then I look beyond the arch at the setting sun. Everything about this moment is absolutely perfect.

  Axel and I arrive at the front and pause. “I love you,” Axel whispers to me.

  “I love you, too,” I whisper back, and then we part ways as he goes to the right to stand next to Carte
r and I go to the left to wait for the bride.

  The music changes on cue—Jasper must be thrilled, I’m sure—and then Courtney appears with her father.

  She’s perfect in her white dress, absolutely flawless. She was a nervous wreck in the moments before we made our way outside, but now, as she walks down the aisle with her eyes locked on the man about to become her husband, she’s calm and serene.

  Her dad delivers her and kisses her, and then the minister begins his speech.

  My eyes lock on Axel’s, and his lips turn up just slightly in the smallest smile meant just for me. My heart swells.

  I don’t know if I hear most of what happens during the ceremony because my mind is racing with thoughts of my own impending nuptials. Even though just a few weeks ago I didn’t want marriage or commitment, I’ve made a huge one-eighty.

  A lot has changed in the past few weeks—the past few hours, really—and I’m finally at the place I was always fighting against, the place I was always meant to be.

  *

  The wedding goes off without a hitch, and after about a million photos with our last-minute photographer, it’s time for dinner.

  I’m nervous for many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that I have to give a speech in a bit, but I’m even more nervous as I think about James. He’ll be here soon—the man who kissed me without an invitation even after I told him I was in a relationship, the man who was the boy I once loved, who is a different person now.

  We all grow and change, and looking back now, it was never meant to be with James. For a time, he was who I thought would be my fairytale ending. When we broke up, my belief in fairytales took a hit, and then when Declan cheated on me, my belief in fairytales died.

  It took the bearded bar owner to reignite my trust in happy endings.

  Jasper hands the microphone to Axel and he looks at me, seemingly for strength. I smile encouragingly, and then he takes a deep breath and stands.

  “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,” he begins. His voice doesn’t tremble on his introductory words as they did last night. Maybe that one quick look between us was the shot his confidence needed; it certainly did wonders for me. “For those of you who don’t know the history here, Carter’s parents were married two months after they met. Apparently this is a family tradition. What scares me is that I’m part of that family.” The wedding guests laugh, and he shoots me a smile before resuming his speech.