Page 14 of Total Obsession

Therewasno us.

A hand slipped around my lower back, and I startled. Opening my eyes, I looked into the first bit of color I'd seen since we’d stepped into the building.

Dark green.

It was such a beautiful and striking shade. It relaxed me instantly.

"Hey." His voice was soothing and calm. "We don't have to stay. I thought you might like to walk through, that's all."

I shook my head. "I just think this one hits a little bit too close to home," I admitted, not able to hide my feelings from him.

His hand came up to brush against my face and I heard the sigh escape my lips. "You don't ever have to explain yourself to me," he said. His hand came down, looping his fingers with mine, squeezing them tight.

I was still staring into his dark green eyes as he led me out onto the street. I could feel how heavy my breathing was, and I was trying not to let him see.

Of course, he saw. Axe seemed to see everything about me. He stood in front of me and placed his hands on my shoulders. "I want you to match my breathing, okay?" he told me.

All I could do was nod in agreement.

He took a short breath in and then a longer breath in, before letting it all out. I did the same a few times with him and started to feel everything regulate.

"What was that?" I asked him as he continued to look at me, checking me over to make sure that I was okay.

"The body does it naturally when it is trying to regulate your parasympathetic nervous system. However, if you do it manually, it will have the same effect."

"Oh," I said, not exactly sure what he meant, but knowing that I did feel better.

"Do you mind?" he asked, placing his thumb against my chin.

I shook my head "no" before knowing what I was agreeing to. He ran the pad of his thumb across my bottom lip and all the work we did to calm me down flew out the window. Except for this time, it was a different emotion that was flooding my system.

"You're dehydrated," he said.

"Oh," I said again.

He moved to my side, grasping my hand in his. The car was still waiting in front for us, but he shook his head. "I have a better idea," he said, guiding me gently to the right. We walked a few blocks in the crisp November air, and I wondered where he was taking me. I didn't ask, though.

I didn't have long to wonder, because we stopped in front of a little shop called "Old Country Coffee."

"A favorite place," he said, as he held the door open for me. I stepped inside and the smell of baked goods and coffee beans hit me. My stomach growled, and I realized that I was hungrier than I thought.

I looked around as I unbuttoned my coat, anxious to show at least a peek of the outfit I worked so hard to put together. Reclaimed wood lined the ceiling, a giant peace sign was on the wall to the right of us, and more reclaimed wood in a herringbone pattern stretched out beneath us as flooring. Tiny and not-so-tiny baked goods were encased in glass, and the sound of milk steaming for lattes surrounded me.

"It's perfect," I said, and Axe smiled.

We approached the counter to order. The girl behind the register had her green hair tucked into her black baseball cap and peace bead bracelets traveling up almost the entire length of her forearm.

"What can I getcha?" she asked us.

"She'll have a large glass of water, a medium lavender latte with oatmilk, and a spinach ricotta croissant," Axe said, and I stared at him in disbelief. He didn't look over but instead continued to order. "And, I'll have a double Americano and a chicken melt."

The girl behind the register gave us the total, and Axe paid with a swipe of a card before I was able to even put my hand on my wallet.

"We'll bring it over to you when it's ready," she said, and Axe thanked her.

"You didn't need to order for me," I said to him as he lead us to one of the small tables tucked away in the back. My mind started to worry that he’d done it to calorie restrict me. I tried to push me ever-present self doubt out of my mind and focus on the present.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he said, and his words took me aback. I wasn't used to men saying they were sorry. "Force of habit. When it comes to people I care about, I'm used to making sure they're getting the best. Did you want to change anything I picked out for you?"