Page 12 of Total Obsession

It was all so overwhelming. His message left no room for argument, and I found myself typing where I was staying before I could even stop myself.

Goodnight, pretty girl.

I kept it together long enough to reply with my own"goodnight"before putting my phone down, pulling the covers over my head, and silently screaming into the sheets.

It wasn't possible that I'm falling for Aksel Michelson, was it?

* * *

I wished I could say that I got my beauty sleep, but last night I was far too anxious about seeing Axe again to get anything resembling a good night's sleep. I pressed on the bags under my eyes as I looked in the mirror and was thankful that I knew how to apply a good layer of makeup to hide any imperfections on my face.

I'd woken up naturally at six and had spent the last several hours trying to perfect my entire outfit. It was silly, really, considering who it was I was meeting, but there was something about him this time around that had me on edge in a way that made me want to impress him.

It was November in the city, which meant that it was extremely cold outside. It also meant that the black jumpsuit I'd painstakingly paired with a Coach belt and matching black leather boots would go mostly unnoticed beneath my heavy wool overcoat.

In some ways I didn’t mind that. If Axe was hanging around fashion shows, then maybe he’d think I was a bit too heavy these days too.

I made the last few adjustments to my makeup, making it look as natural as possible, and ran my hands through the ringlet curls I worked into my hair an hour ago. I looked at the clock nervously. It was five minutes before eleven and my heart felt like it wanted to burst out of my chest.

Should I go downstairs and wait outside for him?

Does that make me look desperate?

Will he call or text me if he doesn't see me, or will he just assume I stood him up and drive off?

As my mind tried to simultaneously list and counter every single nightmare scenario of how I could mess up this meeting, my phone buzzed. I looked to see a text from Axe.

Waiting for you just outside. Please, take your time.

I breathed out a relieved sigh. My mind hadn't anticipated that he might just be normal or reasonable about the whole thing. As I made my way through the hotel corridor, I tried to remind myself that this was just a friendly meeting with an old friend and I needed to chill out.

The elevator opened to the lobby, and I took two steps out the door before a gentle hand brushed my back. I turned to see him, and a little gasp escaped my lips. He seemed somehow more gorgeous up close. Maybe it was because I could smell his enticing cologne and look into his dark green eyes. Or maybe it was the way he was smiling at me like I was the only person in the entire lobby.

"Right on time," he said with that smile of his, his teeth perfectly straight and white.

"I'm glad," I breathed out, trying and failing to match his calm demeanor.

"Shall we?" he asked me, and I nodded my agreement.

He led me outside of the lobby to the area where the valets were waiting. A black executive sedan was parked just in front, and he opened the door for me. I didn't say anything. I worried if I tried to, I'd make a fool of myself. So, I just climbed into the car quietly, letting him close the door and come to the other side of the vehicle.

He'd already given instructions to the driver before he entered the car, so I didn't even know where we were going. I suppose I should have been nervous about getting into a strange vehicle with a man I barely knew without any knowledge of where he was taking me but was it really fair to say that I barely knew Axe?

My mind was swirling as I tried to make sense of everything going on around me as the driver pulled the car away from my hotel. Axe looked at me and then gently placed his hand on my knee to get my attention.

"I can almost see the thoughts floating around in your head," he said to me. "What's got you so worried this morning?"

I tried to play it off, thankful that the privacy glass is up in the car and the driver couldn't hear my embarrassment. "Worried? I'm not worried," I said with the best laugh I could manage.

"Zoey." He gave me a look that I could feel straight through to my heart, which should have been concerning, but it wasn't. In some ways, it felt nostalgic. It felt like home. "I know we haven't seen one another in a bit, but is it fair to say that I still know you the best out of everybody?"

I hesitated to answer. Not because I didn't know the answer, but because I was scared of it.

"It's okay," he said when I didn't say anything. "I won't push."

His saying those simple words had me wanting to open up to him in a way that I'd never experienced before.

"It's true," I admitted to him. "Of all the people in my life, you're still the one that knows me best. I could never tell others the things I've told you."