“I have.” Max shouted directions up to the driver. “We’d be in no worse position if Zed rejects the idea of a meet than if I’d never issued the invitation.”
“Except you could be dead.” Rothchild shook his head. “Don’t underestimate the threat.”
“I don’t.” Sitting back, he pounded on the ceiling, and the carriage started to roll.
Rothchild slapped the side, a wordless farewell.
Max knew his friends were concerned about him. They all put themselves at risk, but with Zed focusing on the club and Colleen, Max couldn’t deny he stood closer to the line of fire.
He wasn’t overly worried. Zed was a threat, but Max was prepared. His life was finally falling into place, and he wouldn’t let anything stand in his way.
Not when, for the first time, he felt like he had everything to live for.
Chapter Fifteen
Max peered through the row of plants, searching the shadows. The guard positioned at the door between the sitting room and the conservatory swore Colleen was within, but so far Max had seen no evidence of it.
“Colleen?” His voice seemed to melt into the glass walls. A rustle came from his left, and the woman he was looking for materialized next to the trunk of a palm tree.
Rolling to her feet, she brushed dirt off her bottom and came to meet him. “You’re home earlier than I expected. You weren’t able to find Dancer?”
“We found him.” Wrapping his arms around her waist, he drew her close, resting his chin on the top of her head. The smell of her soap was faint beneath the citrus scents of the nearby lemon trees, but it was there. And it settled him like no nightcap ever had. “Let’s go to bed.”
She pulled back. “Well, what happened? You can’t just tell me you found him and leave it at that.”
“Can’t I? You shouldn’t have to worry about men like Zed.”
She leveled him with a look, crossing her arms over her chest.
Max sighed. She shouldn’t have to worry, but she would. And much as he hated it, Colleen was involved. Placing a hand at the curve of her back, he guided her towards the sitting room. “I asked the man to deliver a message to Zed. Nothing more. I hope Zed will reply with a time and place for the two of us to meet.”
“That’s a silly idea.” She nodded at the guard and led the way down the hall to the stairs. “And it will be the three of us meeting.”
That was an argument he didn’t want to have. Not when his bedroom was mere feet away. But there was no way in hell Colleen was going to accompany him to meet with the devil.
“I think the financial incentive I offered Zed to leave England, coupled with his desire for revenge, will make the meet happen,” Max said. “He’ll be curious. And we’ll use that to trap him.”
Colleen stopped in front of her chamber’s door, but Max herded her on to his. Pushing it open, he dragged her inside, kicking the door closed behind them. “Now,” he began, shrugging out of the coarse coat, “no more talk of criminals tonight. Nor the club. I want you all to myself, your mind focused on what I’m going to do to your body.”
She licked her bottom lip, sending a shaft of desire straight to his groin. Her mouth was so utterly fuckable, and the need to feel her lips wrapped around his cock pounded under his skin.
Tucking his fingers into the top of her waistcoat, he yanked her forwards, enjoying the sweet way she sucked in her breath. He unbuttoned her vest and tossed it on top of his coat. Her skirts and shirt soon joined the pile. Swinging her into his arms, he strode to the armchair in front of the low table before the fireplace. Warmth from the flames heated his back as he lowered her into the chair. He sat on the table and placed one of her feet on his thighs.
“Max?” she asked as he slid off her boot and stocking. She took a deep breath. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to speak to you about.”
“Oh?” He lifted her foot and bit down on the fleshy pad of the ball. “I did say no work or Zed talk.”
“Yes, but …” She raised her bent arms, grabbing the top of the chair behind her head. The motion gave her back a delightful arch, lifting her nipples to point straight at him.
He placed her bare foot on the bulge behind his trousers and picked up her other foot. She rubbed her toes around his hardening length, distracting him from his task.
“Whatever it is can wait.” Fumbling, he scraped her stocking off and chucked it behind him. “Right now, I’d rather you use your mouth for a different purpose.”
With a shy smile so unlike his Colleen, she scooted to the end of the chair and leaned her face forward. “I like kissing you, too.”
Toeing off his boots, Max stood and stripped off his clothes. She looked up at him, a tiny crease etching her forehead. Placing a hand on her shoulder, he stopped her from rising.
“If you have no objection, I’ll take my kiss a bit lower than my mouth.”
