“Is there jewelry there?”Roxie asked as she flipped to another page.
Maxie felt pinned when Zac’s gaze swung back to her.For a moment, she was tongue-tied, but then he lifted his eyebrows.The question.He wanted her to answer it.It made her realize he’d never been to the event.He’d only been sheriff for a few months.
And they’d only been masquerading as a couple for a day.
Talk about a time warp.
She wrapped her fingers around her coffee mug.“Jewelry, paintings, photographs and pottery.You’ll find a little bit of everything there.I have to go stock my booth this morning.”
“You’re working it?”Lexie said.
“I was going to.Maybe I should see if Laura could cover it by herself.”
“Don’t bother.We’ll help you,” Cam said, decision made.
Zac nodded.“Maybe I’ll see you there.”
Maybe?Maxie sucked in a breath that hurt her throat.Was he calling it quits?
“You’re leaving?”Roxie’s hair swung as his comment finally pulled her attention away from the photo album.
“I’ve got to run home for a bit and then down to the station.”
“Home?”Lexie blushed.“I’m sorry, I thought you lived here.”
“Well that, sweetheart, is a point of contention.”
Because they’d intentionally made them think that.Maxie’s entire body felt leaden.The lies were building up until she couldn’t carry them anymore.If he called her out, it would serve her right.He’d been such a good sport, but she’d pushed his kindness too far.Acted unbelievably selfish.Something real might have been happening between them, but she hadn’t held up her end.After last night, he had to think she wasn’t interested, when the opposite couldn’t have been more true.
She stiffened when he curled a finger at her.
“Come see me off,cuddlyone?”
Oh God.This was it.He wanted to talk.
He held out his hand, and there wasn’t much she could do but take it.She put down her coffee, and he tugged her along.Maxie looked back over her shoulder to the kitchen.That was as far as she’d made it on her desperate escape, but she hadn’t had time to think things through.She still didn’t know how to explain or make things better.
She had to hurry to keep up with him as he marched towards the front door.He wasn’t giving her a choice.She couldn’t run off again.She had to face him.Alone on the front porch, he closed the door behind them, shutting away the clink of coffee cups and the murmur of voices.
“I’m sorry,” she blurted before he could say anything.
She had to get it out in the open before he was too angry to hear.“I don’t know what happened.Everything got so wild.It spun out of control, and then everything went dark.I don’t know how to apologize.”
A funny look crossed his face, but then he grinned.Moving in fast, he caught her by the waist.She couldn’t have been more stunned when he kissed her.He pressed her up against the side of the house, and Maxie’s senses ignited when his weight leaned into her.He was hot and hard andaroused.
His hand swept up the back of her leg and under her shirt.He squeezed her bottom, and she moaned.In that flash of an instant, her nipples peaked, and her body began to quiver.She clutched at his back, overwhelmed.This wasn’t what she’d expected.“You’re not angry?”
He pulled back the slightest of inches.“Did you do it on purpose?”
“No.”
“Were you faking it?”
“No!” The heat in her face couldn’t have gotten any pricklier.
He smiled and kissed her again, hot and fast.“Then I’ll take it as the best ego booster ever.”
“Ego booster?”Her mind was spinning and tripping so fast she couldn’t make sense of things.He seemed pleased.How could that be?
