“What is that?” Axel asks softly into my ear so only I hear him.
Turning around with a bright smile, I say, “That is Sway.”
He laughs. “I don’t know if I should laugh or run.”
“I would run, you big beautiful hunk!” Sway yells over my laughter. “Oh my lawd, I would run. In fact, take that shirt off when you do . . . sweet lord, yes!”
I laugh harder and almost fall out of his arms. When I finally control myself, I look up into his smiling face. His smile is so wide and his eyes are full of love. “Love hearing you laugh, Princess. Most beautiful sound in the world.”
He drops me softly down onto my feet and holds his hand out to Sway.
“Holt Reid, nice to meet you.”
“Oh, honey, the pleasure is all mine . . . all mine. Sway’s the name but you can call me whatever you want.” He places his hand delicately in Axel’s big paw and bows.
This time, Dee joins me and we laugh at Sway’s antics. Looking at the two of them together is one of the funniest things I have seen in a while. Axel is six foot six of pure, raw masculinity, and Sway, with all his short, round fatness stuffed in tight women’s clothing, looks ridiculous next to him.
“Yo, Reid . . . We going to finish this shit up or do you plan on being here all fucking day?” I hear the deep baritone of Greg call from inside the open door behind Axel.
“Oh sweet Lord in heaven . . . there are more?” Sway asks, looking over his shoulder at me, his long ponytail slapping against Axel’s chest. I can’t answer because the look of horror on Axel’s face has me in fits again.
“Come on, Sway. Let’s get you and giggles-a-lot inside,” Dee says with a soft chuckle. She pushes me and I stumble sideways before composing myself. “If you don’t help me get him out of here before the rest of them file out, we might be here a while. He’s panting, Iz.”
“All right, Sway. Dream about my man later. Love you, baby!” I call over my shoulder as we usher Sway back into his salon.
“Oh, Izzy, girl, how do you let him get dressed? A shame, oh it is a shame to let that man ever put clothes on.”
The rest of our trip turns out much the same. Sway doesn’t shut up for a second and really loses it when he sees Greg and Maddox walk by the front windows. They both wave in greeting to Dee and me. Sway starts jumping up and down and goes on and on for the rest of my appointment about what an injustice it is that not one of those ‘hunk pieces of sex with legs’ is gay.
When we (finally) finish up with Sway, it is almost five. Axel’s truck is still in the front, so Dee and I walk over to the office. The front reception area is done in black and gray. There is a reception desk in the middle with the Corps Security logo in the center of the wall behind it in large block letters. The office is simple but professional. I smile at Emmy, the secretary, and ask if Axel is busy.
“Not at all, or at least he wasn’t a second ago. He’s been itching for you to finish up next door, but between you and me, he was too scared of that little blond guy to come check.”
I like Emmy. She is soft spoken and somewhat shy, but according to Axel, he wouldn’t be able to run this place without her. She is around twenty-five with long blonde hair, light brown eyes, and a face full of freckles. She is the perfect image of the girl next door. I can’t help but notice that every time all the guys are around she is silent, but her eyes? They are always following Maddox around.
“Do you mind if I go on back?” I ask.
“Go on ahead. Beck and Coop are around here somewhere. Greg and Locke left a while ago.” I can’t help but smile when she blushes. Yup, this girl has it bad for Maddox.
“I’m waiting here,” Dee says. I look over at her, and she is expressionless and the walls are up. There is definitely something going on with her, and I would bet it has everything to do with Beck.
“All right, be right back.”
I walk down the long hallway in search for Axel. Passing the many open doors of the other guys’ offices before reaching my destination, I can’t help but smile at how successful Axel has become. I always knew he was destined for greatness.
Loud and very infuriated tones reach my ears before I can knock on Axel’s door, causing me to pause.