She’s not wrong about the phone. Addy and I have been texting back and forth for most of the day.
“Does it have something to do with the pretty blonde you’ve been taking to the private rooms?” she pries.
“How do you know about that?”
She rolls her eyes. “I know everything that happens around here. You know there are no secrets in the club. Besides, your name has been on the reservations list for the last three nights.”
“This place is full of gossips,” I mutter.
“If it makes you feel any better, I don’t think anyone other than Aiden has noticed…”
“It’s not like I have anything to hide.”
“Good! Then you won’t mind telling me all about her,” Tessa says, clapping her hands together excitedly.
I shake my head. “I don’t think so.”
“I can’t help being curious. It’s totally not like you to play with the same woman more than once. You’re the fun, flirty good-time guy,” she says, not giving up.
I grunt at her observation. She’s not wrong. I don’t make any commitments beyond promising a woman a great scene and orgasms. That’s as far as I’ve ever wanted to take things. Addy is different, though. Once would’ve never been enough for me. In fact, I don’t know if I’ll ever get enough of her.
The thought of casting her aside for her to find another daddy to play with makes me feel violent. She’s made it clear she isn’t looking for a relationship and I’m not even sure how to make a relationship work—I’ve never wanted one before—but I’m ready to learn. I just have to convince her that I’m worth taking a chance on.
“So are you going to tell me about her?” Tessa presses.
“Her name is Addy. We’re just having a bit of fun.” The lie tastes bad on my tongue, but Tessa doesn’t need to know how I feel about Addy.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I pull it out, smiling when I see Addy’s name in my notifications.
Running a little late. See you soon.
I type out a quick okay and shove my phone into my pocket.
“Trouble in paradise?” Tessa asks.
I scoff. “No, what makes you think that?”
“You’re frowning for the first time all night.”
Am I? I’ll admit I’m disappointed that Addy is running late. I’m looking forward to seeing her. It’s barely been twenty-four hours since I had her in my arms, but it’s still been too damn long. I’ve quickly become addicted to her.
I just shrug. “She’s running late, is all.”
Tessa gives me an incredulous look. “You really like this girl, don’t you?”
“Yeah, I really like her,” I admit. There’s no sense in lying about it.
“Never thought I’d see the day that Axel Walker fell for a woman.”
I don’t know how to respond to that, so I busy myself with cleaning the bar. It’s a slow night, which I usually wouldn’t mind, but tonight I need the distraction, and so does Tessa because she just won’t let it go. She asks me a barrage of questions that I answer as diplomatically as possible because even though I want Addy for more than a casual relationship, I don’t want someone else to know before I even have a conversation with her.
“Leave the man alone,” Ransom says, breaking into the conversation.
I was so focused on rearranging the liquor bottles that I didn’t even notice he had walked up. Though I’m not surprised he’s here. He always pops up wherever Tessa is. She hops up from her stool and jumps into Ransom’s arms.
“Are you making a nuisance of yourself?” he asks her.
“I’m just curious about Axel’s new girlfriend,” she says just as Addy walks up to the bar.