"Your place or my hotel?"
The question slips out before I can stop it.It’s too presumptuous. It’s too –
But Chantay looks up at me with dark eyes that hold zero hesitation. "Yours. Mine's too close to Maya, and she has a key. The last thing I need is my sister walking in on... whatever this is about to be."
Relief and desire hit me in equal measure. "Whatever this is about to be?"
"Don't play innocent, Max. You know exactly what this is about to be." She rises on her toes to brush her lips against my ear. "The question is whether you can handle what you started."
Her words send fire straight through my veins. "I can handle anything you throw at me."
"We'll see about that."
The walk to my hotel feels endless. By the time we reach the Four Seasons, I'm so hard it's painful.
"Nice hotel," she observes as we cross the marble lobby. "Very... expensive."
"I told you I've been lucky with investments."
"Lucky enough for a penthouse suite?"
I pause, realizing my mistake. I'd booked the penthouse automatically, without thinking about how it might look.
"I wanted our first meeting to be special. And I figured if I was flying across the country, I might as well do it right."
The elevator opens directly into my suite, and I watch Chantay's face as she takes in the space. Floor to ceiling windows, a living area larger than most apartments, bedroom visible through double doors.
"Jesus, Max." She sets her purse on the marble counter. "This is not what I was expecting."
"What were you expecting?"
"A regular hotel room. Not something that costs more per night than I make in a month."
Panic starts clawing at my chest. She's asking questions I can't answer without revealing who I really am.
"Does it matter?" I ask, moving closer. "Does any of this matter as much as what's happening between us?"
"I suppose not." She turns to face me. "But I'm starting to think you're full of surprises, mountain man."
"Good surprises or bad surprises?"
"Jury's still out." She reaches up to loosen my tie. "Though I have to admit, I'm curious to see what other secrets you're hiding."
If only she knew.
I capture her wrists, pinning them gently but firmly against my chest. "The only secret that matters tonight is that I'm going to make you forget every man who came before me."
Her breath hitches. "That's a bold claim."
"I don't make claims I can't back up." I walk her backward until she hits the wall beside the floor-to-ceiling windows. "And by the time I'm done with you, you'll only remember my name."
"Max," she whispers, and I can hear the want in her voice.
"That's right, baby. Say it again."
"Max."
"Good girl." I press my body against hers, letting her feel exactly how hard I am. "Now tell me what you want."
