Love Me (Irresistible Husband) Page 8

  Then she had a thought, something so completely unexpected that she wasn’t sure she should voice it. How many times had he shown her how important she was to him? He’d invited her to hang out with him and his friends and made sure she felt welcomed every time she set foot in his house.

  “Hey, I have an idea,” she said.

  He looked up from the computer. “Yeah?”

  “Why don’t you come with me?”

  His eyebrows shot toward the ceiling. “To your sister’s house?”

  “Yes. You and I can still spend time together, and I’ll get to see if you’re any good with kids.”

  A sexy smile spread across his lips. “Oh, kids love me.”

  “Is that right?”

  “I’ve never lied to you yet.”

  “No, you haven’t, have you?” The moment stretched between them. “So you’ll come?”

  “Yes, I’d like to.”

  “And then I’ll introduce you to my sister.”

  “I’d really like that,” he said, with heartfelt appreciation.

  It dawned on her that he’d been waiting for her to make the suggestion. To invite him into her world the way he’d invited her into his.

  “Then it’s a date.”

  “A date with three little boys and a little girl. Sounds like the perfect evening.” His smile was all she needed to see to know that he was all in.

  “We’ll see how perfect you think the evening is at the end of the night.”

  “Wait a minute…”

  She laughed and then turned her attention back to the easel.

  “Am I getting myself into a situation I should be concerned about?”

  “Don’t worry your handsome little head about a thing. You’re about to have an evening that you won’t forget.”

  She didn’t say another word, but she laughed internally as he continued to watch her for a few seconds longer, probably trying to determine whether or not she was kidding.

  But she was not kidding.

  “Nice to finally meet you,” Hazel said, extending her hand to Axel. Her hands were cool and soft, and she and Naphressa looked very much alike, making it obvious they were sisters. “I’m sorry we have to rush out. Maybe another day we can spend time getting to know each other. Dinner or some other event…?” She glanced at her sister, as if to make sure the invitation was acceptable.

  “I think that would be a great idea, don’t you?” Naphressa asked him.

  “I definitely like it,” Axel said.

  Darren, standing behind his wife, placed a hand on her shoulder. “It was nice meeting you, Axel. Baby, we better get going because you know it’s going to take a while for us to get up there, and then we have to find parking in that place. We better head out so we’re not rushing.”

  “He’s right. See you guys later.” Hazel waved and the two of them left.

  The door closed and Naphressa swung to face him. “Time for you to meet the boys,” she said ominously, taking his hand.

  The fact that he was here, and that she casually took his hand, was a big deal. Their relationship had blossomed over time, and she was much more comfortable with him.

  She led him into the den, where the boys were lounging on the floor playing with a train set and toy trucks. Other toys were scattered around the room and on top of the bean bag chairs and older-looking sofas.

  Before she could begin the introductions, one of the boys, who was missing two front teeth, asked, “Auntie Nessa, who’s your friend?”

  “Boys, this is Axel. Axel, these are my nephews. Taylor is the one who asked the question. He’s six and the most talkative.”

  “I am not!” the little boy denied hotly.

  “See?” she told him.

  Axel laughed. “Nice to meet you, Taylor.”

  “That’s Bradley, the youngest boy at three, and that’s Darren Junior, the oldest. He’s eight. The baby’s asleep in Hazel and Darren’s room.”

  “Nice to meet you, boys. I guess we’ll be hanging out a little bit tonight.”

  “Do you know how to fight?” Taylor asked, his eyes hopeful.

  “Fight?” Axel asked, glancing at Naphressa. He hadn’t expected that question.

  “They like to sword-fight and wrestle,” Naphressa explained. “Something they and their dad do on a regular basis. I can, however, kick their butts anywhere and any time that I choose.” She mean-mugged Taylor.

  “No, you can’t,” Taylor insisted, his eyes lighting up with excitement.

  Little Bradley came to stand beside his brother. “We’re kicking your butt, Auntie!” he declared in a little squeaky voice.

  “Guess we’ll see about that,” Naphressa said.

  She grabbed the smallest one and flung him over her shoulder.

  “Put me down!” he hollered, kicking his feet and giggling at the same time.

  “Come on, who’s next?” she said.

  She started running around the den, and the other boys chased her while she kept a giggling Bradley looped over one shoulder. Axel stood back, wondering if he should jump in, when a pillow hit him upside the head. Stunned, he turned to face Junior, who held a colorful foam sword in his hand. There was apparently no way to simply be a spectator.

  “On guard!” Junior said, hopping into position and baring his teeth like fangs.

  Axel grabbed another sword and tossed it from hand to hand. “You don’t want none of this,” he warned. He bared his teeth, too, and jumped into the fray.

  Before long, the den was filled with screaming boys and adults as they chased each other around, sword fighting and tossing pillows—which the boys had dubbed grenades—at each other.

  At one point, Naphressa was buried under a pile of little legs and hands, but Axel came to her rescue and scooped up Taylor and Bradley, while she playfully placed a squealing Junior in a headlock.

  Axel lifted Bradley over his head and fake-slammed him onto one of the sofas. The boy rolled off, giggling, and jumped up at Axel with his arms outstretched.

  “Again!” he screamed.

  Over and over again, he alternated between slamming Bradley, throwing grenades at Taylor, and sword-fighting with Junior. At some point, Junior declared that he and his brothers were The Three Musketeers, and Naphressa and Axel were the married king and queen who wanted to stop their adventures. Every few minutes, Axel caught Naphressa’s eye, and she was grinning from ear to ear.

  They had fun for a long time, until Taylor went racing into his parents’ bedroom and woke up his little sister. That brought the playing to a screeching halt. After a quick scolding by Naphressa, she rocked little Regina back to sleep while the boys waited impatiently for the games to resume.

  Axel watched her from his position on the floor with a sulking Taylor seated on his lap. She was a natural, sitting there with her niece swaying in her arms, whispering quietly until the baby’s eyes started to droop.

  He could absolutely see Naphressa as a mother, and could well imagine the pain she experienced when her husband told her he didn’t want kids. It was so obvious that she loved children, and given what she had told him about the dysfunction in her upbringing, he imagined she’d be very conscientious about being a good parent. He wanted to be the one to give her those kids. He wanted to be the one to give her everything her heart desired, and more.

  He thought of the emptiness of his life before her—including all of the emotionless sex that had satisfied his physical being but did little to gratify the inner part of him that required a deeper connection. Those women had been a way for him to fill the time, but he wanted a wife and family. He longed for someone to share his dreams with. He longed for a woman to come home to, to spoil, and to be the type of man who made her acknowledge that no one else would do. Their time together confirmed what he’d assumed in Belize. Naphressa was that woman.

  She left the room with the sleeping baby in her arms. When she returned, she spoke in a quiet voice. “Okay, I got Regina back to sleep. We’re going to have to keep
it down and stay out of Mommy and Daddy’s room, okay?”

  The boys nodded their understanding.

  “Okay,” Taylor said glumly.

  “Can we still fight?” Bradley asked, his eyes round and anxious.

  “Yes, we can,” Naphressa answered.

  “In that case…” Axel jumped to his feet and snatched one of the foam swords from the floor. “On guard!” He pressed the tip into Junior’s chest.

  “You’re a dead man, sir!” Junior declared.

  “No, you, sir!”

  Their fight began again, with The Three Musketeers battling for their lives against the cruel king and queen.

  Axel didn’t know when the last time was that he’d ever had so much fun.

  13

  “I can’t believe you eat this crap,” Axel muttered, wrinkling his nose at the large pineapple and ham pizza he set on the table. They’d ordered two pizzas. The other was pepperoni. “And you feed it to your nephews. Does your sister know the kind of abuse you inflict on them when she’s not around?”

  The boys were in the den watching the movie Abominable.

  Naphressa rolled her eyes at him. “Don’t give me a hard time because you stick to the same-old, same-old pepperoni and cheese.”

  “Because it tastes good and pepperoni is the most popular pizza topping. Ham and pineapple, however, is an abomination.”

  “Says you.”

  “Says the majority of self-respecting pizza eaters.”

  “Here’s the thing. I don’t care what the majority of self-respecting pizza eaters think.” She stuck out her tongue.

  Axel glanced over his shoulder to make sure the kids remained occupied. Then he cornered Naphressa against the kitchen counter.

  “Pepperoni is way better than that crap. Let me hear you say it.”

  “So you want me to lie, counselor?” she asked.

  “I’d prefer that you didn’t. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?”

  “I do.”

  Those deep, dark eyes smiled up at him, and he had that familiar tension in his stomach that let him know how important she’d become in his life. He was enjoying himself immensely, even though they weren’t alone and had spent the evening playing with three rambunctious little boys.

  “I’m really glad I came tonight,” Axel said.

  “I’m glad you came, too, and I have something to tell you.” She spoke slowly and quietly, and he sensed what she was about to say would be very important.

  “What do you have to tell me?”

  Swallowing, she hooked a finger in the waistband of his jeans. “That I’ve never felt this way before. That I’m enjoying myself, and looking at you with my nephews makes me think that you really are a good guy. The kind of guy that I’ve been looking for. And…”

  “And…?” He anxiously waited for her to add to the sentence.

  “I want us to learn more about each other and get closer, outside of your house. I would love to meet your friends.”

  “You mean that?” He wondered if she could hear how fast his heart was beating.

  “I mean it,” Naphressa said quietly.

  He bent his head and kissed her lips, teasing them open with his tongue. “You’re not afraid anymore?”

  “I trust you more than I’m afraid.”

  He recognized the honor she’d bestowed on him by giving him her trust. “I won’t let you down. I promise.”

  “You better not.” She bunched the front of his shirt into her fist and pulled him closer for another kiss. This one was lip-smackingly deep and made his head spin.

  After they came up for air, he muttered against her mouth, “You better stop before we get out of control.”

  “You mean, because you can’t resist me?” she teased, nipping his bottom lip with her teeth.

  “Oh, so it’s like that?”

  She laughed against his mouth, her warm breath tapping against his lips. Her laughter was as refreshing as opening the windows and letting in air on a balmy day. Their intimate moment was not meant to last, however.

  “Yuck. Stop kissing.” Bradley’s voice dripped with disgust. “Why are grown-ups always kissing?”

  No doubt he’d seen his parents in a lip lock or two.

  Axel swept the little boy into his arms, enjoying his squeals of joy. “One of these days, my man, you’ll understand.”

  Junior came out of the den. “I’m hungry. Can we eat now?” He eyed the pizzas on the table.

  “Yes, you can. I need the three of you to go wash your hands right now. Chop, chop,” Naphressa said, clapping her hands.

  Axel placed Bradley back on his feet, and he scurried after his older brothers.

  Naphressa rose up on her toes and kissed him on the lips, cradling his head between her hands.

  “Didn’t you hear, that was yucky,” Axel said.

  “I heard, but I couldn’t help myself.”

  He lowered his lips to hers one more time, because he couldn’t help himself, either.

  Then he and Naphressa set about getting plates and drinks together for their pizza dinner.

  “Hey.”

  That was her sister’s voice, and her sister’s hand gently shaking her shoulder.

  Naphressa’s eyes fluttered open.

  She smothered a yawn with the back of her hand. “You’re back,” she whispered.

  “Looks like you guys had a great time,” Hazel said softly. Darren stood beside her, shaking his head, a little smile on his face.

  The TV was about halfway through another movie, Coco. Naphressa had fallen asleep on one end of the sofa with Regina in her arms. She’d had to feed the baby earlier when she had woken up again. Axel was on the opposite end of the sofa, his head resting against its back. Taylor sat on his lap, with a perfect circle of drool wetting Axel’s shirt next to the boy’s mouth. Junior was fast asleep on the floor with his head cushioned on a bunched up throw, while Bradley lay sprawled on the second sofa by himself.

  “We did.”

  “And he didn’t run off. That’s a good sign,” Hazel said.

  “I’ve had a lot of good signs with him,” Naphressa said, glancing at Axel.

  She then met her sister’s eyes, and an understanding passed between them.

  “I’ll put Regina to bed,” Naphressa said.

  “And I’ll get Bradley. Baby, would you get Taylor?” Hazel said, turning to her husband.

  The three of them worked in silence. When Taylor was lifted from his arms, Axel woke up and stretched and acknowledged Hazel and Darren with a head nod. They exited with the kids in their arms.

  Naphressa went back into the den and saw Darren shaking Taylor awake. “Say good night,” he told his son.

  “’Night,” Junior mumbled. He paused at the door and cast a look in Axel’s direction. “Are you gonna come back and fight with us again?”

  Axel opened his mouth but seemed unsure how to answer the question. Naphressa was amused to see him speechless for once.

  “Yes, he will,” she answered on his behalf.

  “Cool,” Junior said.

  “Good night,” Darren said, following his son from the room.

  Hazel escorted Naphressa and Axel to the front door.

  “How was the show?” Naphressa asked.

  “Excellent, as always. He’s still funny as heck.”

  “Glad you had a good time. There’s a couple pieces of pizza left in a box in the fridge.”

  “It’s not that nasty pineapple and ham, is it?” Hazel wrinkled her nose.

  “Don’t start. The boys like it. You don’t have to eat it.”

  “I’m so glad I’m not alone,” Axel murmured beside her.

  Naphressa elbowed him in the torso and he groaned.

  “Can I give you a hug? I’ve been trying to convert her to normal toppings for years.” Hazel opened her arms.

  “Absolutely.” They hugged and Naphressa rolled her eyes.

  “Enough of th
at, please. We gotta go. Good night.”

  “Good night.” Hazel gave Naphressa a quick squeeze and then closed the door.

  They walked down the steps of the house and climbed into Axel’s car.

  On the drive over, he said, “You might as well stay the night at my place. It’s late.”

  “I guess that would make sense.” From the passenger seat, she watched his profile in the dark. The way he drove was sexy, with one muscular arm casually looped over the wheel, his body relaxed.

  “I need to get something from my car when we get back to your place.”

  “Okay,” he said.

  In the garage at his house, Naphressa opened the trunk of her car and took out the bag with the shirt and tie she’d purchased for him. She trailed him up the stairs to his bedroom, where a king bed sat in the middle of one wall.

  Axel stripped off his shirt and kicked his shoes into the closet. “What is that?” he asked, nodding toward the bag. “A change of clothes?”

  “Actually, something I bought for you.”

  He sank onto the bed and frowned at her. “For me? Did I miss an anniversary or something?”

  “No, I bought it just because.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  Suddenly feeling shy, Naphressa nodded. “Yes.”

  She handed over the bag. He opened it and pulled out the lavender shirt and tie.

  “I saw it and thought of you, but if you don’t like this combination, I can take them both back.”

  His eyes met hers, but there was no cockiness or arrogance evident in his face. Only a deep sense of appreciation. “I like them. A lot. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  Running his fingers over the front of the shirt, Axel asked, “When did you get this?”

  “A while back,” she said dismissively.

  “How far back?”

  “A few weeks ago.”

  “What made you give it to me now?”

  She swallowed, the truth staring her in her face. “Just felt right.”

  “I know all about that,” Axel said in a solemn tone. He set aside the shirt and pulled her between his knees. “Is this the part where I give you sex as a thank you?”