The Fallen King | ✓

Chapter 8

"I suppose and I get why they do it. I mean, danger and sex sell."

"Exactly, it's all marketing. Besides who wouldn't want the underwear after seeing me in it," he joked.

That was another thing I liked about Axel. He wasn't arrogant and cocky when it came to his looks. Although I knew he wasn't oblivious to just how attractive he was, he never let it get to his head. He'd joke about it from time to time but never take himself too seriously on the matter.

"Yeah, you looked like sex on a stick," I said with a straight face but couldn't hold it for long until we both bursted out laughing.

"Seriously though," I said, after sobering up. "You did look really good."

He smiled bashfully at me and I noticed his ears turn a light shade of pink as he had a gulp of his orange juice before making a sour face. He shook his head distastefully, stealing my coffee to wash the taste away.

"Juice not good?" I teased, amused.

He pouted, his brown eyes glistening in the reflection of my coffee. "It's not bad but after that mocktail we had a while back no fruit drink even compares."

"Well then, have I got the surprise for you."

He eyed me questioningly over my coffee, taking another sip. "What?"

"Well, I was craving that drink like mad over summer and just had to have it almost everyday so... I managed to find out the recipe."

Axel gaped at me, letting the coffee cup drop to the table, luckily none of it spilled because it was over half finished. "You're joking."

I laughed at his theatrics. "Nope."

He stood up hastily, fishing a few bills from his wallet and throwing them on the table.

"What are you doing?" I asked, grabbing my coffee mug back from his side of the table.

"Leaving. Come on, we've got to have that drink. Now."

I raised a brow at him, shaking my head as I continued to drink my coffee. "But we've not finished our food yet, Axel. We can't let it all go to waste."

He waved me off, tucking his chair into the table as he called over a waiter to take the money. "We've both finished, Harper. All that's left is your coffee and if you want I'll buy you another one on the way back."

"But—"

"Please," he begged with puppy eyes that I just couldn't refuse.

I sighed, standing up, taking a few bills out from my handbag and handing them to the waiter so Axel didn't have to pay for my half. "Fine," I gave in and his eyes lit up as he grabbed my wrist and dragged me away from our table before we could even get our change. That waiter just got one hell of a tip.

~*~*~

"You just need to muddle the mint with the strawberries," I instructed Axel, grabbing some lemons from my fruit bowl so I could juice them.

He did as he was told, his tongue sticking out slightly from his mouth as he concentrated and once we were both done we combined the ingredients in a glass pitcher, adding some Sprite as well.

Axel started mixing everything together whilst I grabbed two glasses and filled them with ice. He poured the pink concoction into the glasses with a triumphant grin on his face. "Ta-da. I present to you what I like to call a 'strawberry twist'."

He nodded in approval, lifting the glass to his lips. "I like the name."

He kept me waiting in suspense for a few long moments as he tasted the drink yet again, assessing it in his mind. His face remained impassive for a moment too long before he broke out into his signature grin. "Now that is good," he said, continuing to gulp down the pink liquid.