Page 17 of Sweet Hate (If You Dare #1)
HAVEN
Axel
Lucas will be there tomorrow to get the ball rolling.
I t’s almost midnight. Isn’t it a bit late for him to be texting? I close my book and put it on the nightstand because, let’s be honest, my concentration is now shot. I’m not entirely sure if I should text him back or just leave him on read for a change.
I should leave him on read. But of course, ten minutes later I don’t.
Me
Yeah, I know, he texted me earlier.
Axel
OK.
I can see the three dots jumping on the screen like he’s typing something else, but then they stop.
Am I supposed to respond to that? I don’t think I need to.
The dots start dancing again. What is he doing?
They stop again. I need to ignore him and just get back to my book.
The grumpy hockey boss was just about to corner his assistant in the hallway.
I don’t have time to decipher grumpy firemen’s motives. The hockey god is far more appealing.
I’m reaching for my book when my phone chimes again.
Axel
I’m on shift for the next three days. I’ll be back Friday.
Me
Those dots bounce again. This feels weird. There’s legit zero reason to respond to a thumbs up. He doesn’t text unless something’s gone down with the bakery, and we’ve covered that. Yet the dots continue dancing.
This is really bloody weird.
Stop. Start. Stop. Start.
Axel
How was your day?
What the—? Sitting straight up in bed, I stare wide eyed at my phone. Since when does he ask about my day?
Me
Fine. Yours?
Eyes glued to the screen now, I watch those dots do their thing. Stopping and starting multiple times before disappearing.
Was that his end goal? He wanted to leave me hanging. What a knob.
Chucking my phone down onto the bed, I pick up my book to finish the chapter before I get some sleep, but just as I open it, my phone chimes again.
Axel
It’s quiet today. Dragged a lot. I prefer keeping busy. Missed working at the bakery tbh.
OK. Shut. The. Front. Door.
What fresh hell is this? Is he trying to make conversation? At midnight? Through text? With me? A small shiver of excitement runs up my spine at that possibility. Let’s put a pin in that, shall we?
Me
Oh, that’s a shame. Need me to start another fire so you’ve got something to do? It’s a new talent of mine these days.
Too much? Immediately second guessing myself, I consider unsending it, but it’s too late.
Axel
You have many talents. Firestarter doesn’t need to be one of them.
My brows practically shoot off my face. I don’t even know how to reply to that.
Axel
Fuck, sorry.
That sounded weird.
What did you do today?
He is trying to make conversation. Forgetting all about the book, I try to figure out how to play it.
Casual, like, Oh, nothing much ? Flirty? No. What am I saying? Not flirty .
We’re not playing that game anymore. Jesus, I don’t think I’ve ever overanalyzed how to text Axel back. Not once.
Me
LOL, you’re fine. Had lunch with the girls today. Kim insisted she couldn’t go a day longer without catching up.
Axel
No Swayze or Lucas?
Me
Feel like they’d have something to say if I called them “the girls”.
Axel
True.
Curling my toes into the sheets, I can’t help the flutter of excitement that runs through me again at the fact that we’re actually communicating or at the sight of those dots on my screen.
Axel
It looked like you were having fun the other night in Jett’s.
The night he was getting cozy with that blonde at the bar. My heart sinks to the pit of my stomach at that reminder.
I’m not entirely sure why he’d bring that up at all. Is this some sort of twisted game to him? It seems out of character, but then again, do I really even know him anymore? I never thought he’d ghost me either.
Axel
It was good to see you smile again.
I wish it had been directed at me though.
Hear that clack? That’s the sound of my jaw hitting the floor in disbelief. Has he had a lobotomy? It’s really hard to believe this is the same man I’ve been dealing with since I got back.
Unless one of the guys at the firehouse has his phone. Oh . I bet that’s what this is.
Me
Well, you’ve not given me too many reasons to smile since I got back.
Axel
I’ll try to change that.
Me
Fixing the bakery will get me to smile.
Axel
Working on it.
Why were you sitting on Lucas’s lap? Is there something going on there?
This has got to be him. His crew weren’t there, so they wouldn’t know. Did that bother him? Do I want it to bother him?
Me
His thighs are comfy.
Axel
Right.
Me
LOL. I’m joking. It was a dare.
Axel
You guys were playing truth or dare? I hadn’t realized.
Me
Well, you were otherwise engaged… Besides, it’s tradition. It was time to reclaim my crown. I mean, it was probably the shortest game in history since Lucas activated the group chat and that got a little distracting.
Axel
Want to play?
Me
What? Truth or dare? Isn’t it a little difficult over text? And it’s getting late. Surely you should get some sleep so you don’t sleep through a fire alarm or something?
Axel
I could do a couple of rounds. And it’s easy, truths we just answer, dares we send photo evidence.
He seems very sure of the rules for playing via text. Has he been doing it with other girls?
I hate the thought of that even though I know I’ve no right to. He isn’t mine, but it was our thing.
I don’t want him playing our game with some random girl.
Me
OK fine. Truth or dare?
Axel
Dare.
Me
Video yourself sliding down the firepole and send it to me.
It takes him a couple of minutes, but he doesn’t disappoint.
Axel
video downloading
Me
OMG
Well. Damn. I’m not even going to pretend I didn’t save that straight away. Have you ever watched those TikTok’s of firemen doing hot fireman things? Trust me, you’d save it too.
I wasn’t prepared for the close up view of the tight black T-shirt and suspenders he had on or how much his arm muscles bulged sliding down that pole, though.
I’m supposed to be keeping things friendly. What was I thinking with that dare?
Apparently horny Haven took the wheel. We’re not even gonna talk about that wink at the end when he flashed me his face or the effect it may or may not have had on my panties.
Axel
Truth or dare?
Me
Dare.
Axel
Put your clothes on backwards and send me a pic.
Me
I’m in bed. There’s really not a lot of clothes involved.
Axel
You’re naked?!?!
Me
I’m not gonna answer that.
Axel
I dare you to answer that.
Me
Are you replacing the dare? Please confirm.
Axel
Yes.
Biting my lip, I stare at my phone for a second. Do I answer this honestly? I have to. Never once have I lied to win a dare.
Me
Then yes. Well, actually, I’m wearing panties. But there isn’t much of them to wear backwards.
Axel
Fuck.
Me
Sorry. I didn’t want to lie. Truth or dare?
Axel
Truth.
Me
Why did you never text me back after I left?
I’m taking a risk here, especially since it’s the first time we’ve had any semi normal conversation. But I can’t pretend that’s not the biggest truth I need.
The dots jump around again. Then stop. They start and stop four more times, but he doesn’t respond.
Trying to ignore my crushing disappointment at the game ending so abruptly, I put my phone face down on the nightstand and throw myself backwards.
It was stupid to push him that far so soon.
I might have burned the bridge before we even partially rebuilt it.