I quirk an eyebrow up.
“I should have never treated you like an object. That’s not who I am. I’m sorry.”
I lean my head back. “I get it. Listen, I’m a dancer in Vegas. I get paid to get men to look at me. I guess I should take it as a compliment.”
“Yeah, you should.”
I laugh a little. “I just don’t like when men make presumptions about me based on what I do for a living.”
“Presumptions?” Now it’s his turn to quirk an eyebrow up at me.
“Yeah, you know.”
His face breaks out into a glorious, heart-stopping smile. “I don’t think I do.”
Oh man, this guy wants me to spell it out for him. “Sex,” I whisper, glancing around to make sure Felicity didn’t overhear me.
I swear his eyes gleam, or something to that effect. “I would never think that. I mean, I’m not that type of guy.”
I study his face. He looks so sincere. I want to believe him, but I refuse to trust another guy. And I definitely refuse to trust a guy who looks like him.
“Just so you know, I’m not going to sleep with you.” Ugh, I sound so awful, but I think I’m saying it more for a reminder to myself than actually implying anything.
He steps back, his face shocked as if I’ve grown another head. “I didn’t ask you to.”
“You didn’t have to.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
I gesture toward the half-built play structure. “This. Building a play structure and buying Felicity a pink baby hammer. I’ve had men try different things to get with me, but this is new.”
He puts his hands on his hips, stepping closer until his boots meet my bare toes. “I don’t want to sleep with you.”
I blink. “You don’t?”
“You think you know me so well, huh?” he asks with a little cocky laugh.
I square my shoulders and raise my chin. “I think I do.”
“Just being a nice neighbor.”
“Oh ok, Mr. Rogers. I should assume you don’t want anything by buying my daughter a playset?”
He laughs. “Mr. Rogers? Cute, I get it.” He holds up his hands in a mock surrender. “I’m just being friendly. I can’t say the same for you, however.”
My eyes widen. And I’m at a loss for words, because he’s absolutely right. I hate that I can’t just trust this man. I’d like to say I was born with a strong trust bone in my body, but years and years of dealing with asshole men, it’s been broken and shattered so badly.
“So, you don’t want to sleep with me?”
His eyes burn into mine, and more than anything I want him to say yes, he does want me. I want him to say he’s never wanted anyone as much as me. But, he blows out a controlled breath. “Nope, just being a good guy.”
I blink at him, not really knowing how to respond. He’s like an alien creature to me. I’ve never been around a man who didn’t want something in return. Not just sex, but anything.
With that, he turns his back toward me. Felicity, noticing that work is back in progress, runs over to Axel as he tells her where he wants her to hammer using all the patience in the world.
My mother steps up next to me as I stare at him.
“Well did you two figure everything out?”
“I told him I wasn’t going to sleep with him as a thank you.”
We sit on the back porch, watching Felicity and Axel finish the structure.
“And?”
“He said he didn’t want to sleep with me.”
My mom laughs, and I hit her with my shoulder. “Stop.”
“I won’t. We both know you’re making a huge mistake. And by huge, I’m referring to the large hammer he has stashed away in his pants.”
“Mom.” I want this conversation to be over.
“What? You’d have to be blind not to see it.”
“I’m not getting involved with the neighbor. I’m sticking to my plan. No distractions.”
“Honey, you’ve worked so hard. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me and your father, but it’s ok to have some fun.”
I take a deep breath at the mention of my father. There are wounds that still haven’t been healed and he’s one of them. I’m pretty sure he’ll be one wound that will never heal.
“He was so proud of you.”
“And I’m going to keep doing what I planned.”
My mother sighs and we continue watching Axel and Felicity work in the backyard. I wish I can say I’m actually watching my daughter work, or the structure coming together. But no, my eyes are glued on Axel with no shirt on. Gawking at him is probably the biggest sin in this city.
5
Axel
“One more set,” Damien says as the three of us leave the stage.
I shudder, plopping down on the couch in the back of the club, rubbing my pounding temples. If it wasn’t for the hour nap I snuck in before work I wouldn’t be able to get through tonight. I’m not even sure you could call what I was doing tonight getting through.