He set the coffee mug by my elbow as I pulled my phone from my pocket. I frowned as I noted my most recent texts were from Dillon.And they’d already been read.
When I pulled it up, trepidation oozed through my veins. “Holy mother…”
Maxim grunted. “He’s short a few bolts.
My lips twitched at the mixed metaphor, but the messages horrified me too much.
“You read these?” I asked.
He nodded and didn’t look the least remorseful about opening my phone, my messages…I didn’t have it in me to be angry. Maybe I should be. This was my phone. My messages. But they were horrible.
Scary.
And Maxim had a plan.
“What do I do?” I asked.
Maxim picked up my coffee and placed it in my hand after he removed my phone. I brought the mug to my lips and sipped. I closed my eyes and moaned, enjoying the hot, sweet, chocolaty, milky caffeinated goodness.
“You drink your coffee. Then, I take you to work while I go to practice. You have security there, remember?”
I nodded.
He inhaled. “Then, we get married.”
I stared up at him, searching his face. His expression was intent, steadfast.
“This is the best choice for us both, Ida Jane. Do this for me, please. I’ll make it worthwhile for you in whatever way I can. We’ll need to be married for a while, but I’m attracted to you, so that won’t be a hardship.”
I raised my mug to my lips again and took another swallow.
“I want you in my life. All of it. This isn’t just to keep you safe from Dillon—which I really, really want to do—or me from deportation. This is forus. Just sooner than I think either of us would have expected.”
His words whispered into my mind, curling around my insecurities.
He stepped back, and my body immediately chilled. “Finish your coffee while I adjust the thermostat.”
* * *
Maxim enteredmy office right after my last client left. He seemed preoccupied, but he still came over and kissed me long enough to get me all hot and bothered. The man had the most seductive lips. And tongue. The way he held me—cherishing and worshipping me—caused my body to burn with desire.
I wanted him. I admitted that. I even wanted to indulge in the fantasy of an us—marriage—but I knew that wasn’t smart. Big decisions needed processing time.
“What happened?” I asked.
“My lawyer called while I was driving here. He said USIC sent my details to the immigration court, and I could have a hearing in the next few weeks. They’re really backlogged, apparently. So, that’s been a small bit of good news. The bad news is my lawyer prefers court over Maurice Lambert’s sign-off. The bureaucrat could make the situation more complicated.”
Thatsealed it for me. I’d hemmed and hawed all day, but I couldn’t do that any longer. There was no way was I letting this kind, gorgeous man suffer. “Then, I guess it’s a good thing we’re getting married.”
His eyes went wide. “Really? You’ll do this with me?”
I nodded as I tamped down on my concerns. “Yes. For you.”
He whooped, his face alight with joy and hope. “We need a marriage license.”
“Everything’s closed now. There’s nothing we can do until tomorrow.”
Maxim grunted, annoyance tugging at his lips.
