"False alarm!" When he reappears, his smile is incorrigible. "I just got schooled by Max Butcher. He gave me a semi. I also thought maybe I'd crapped my panties. He makes angry look like you'd risk your life to be manhandled by him. I couldn't understand a word his luscious mouth was saying with all my brain blood in my cock. What's going on?"
I squint at him. "Huh? Max yelled at you?"
Gripping his waist, he leans on one hip. "It was more of a deep, threatening tone than a yell. But I'm in trouble, that’s for sure. I've been a naughty boy and he needs to spank me. At least... that's what I heard."
"Wait." I shake my head. "What time is it? Where did you evensee him?"
"At the gym, darlin’. I'm there at five most mornings. This body doesn’t come without maintenance."
"Was he okay? Like, was he acting normal?"
"He was boxing with his dad; they do that a lot." He wiggles his eyebrows. "I like to watch."
An image of Max boxing out his frustration from last night invades my mind, warming my skin. I struggle to swallow. "He's ah—"I clear my throat. "He's probably mad at you for leaving me."
"Uh, exqueeze me? We left each other. Mutually."
"Yes, I know that, Toni," I say as my eyes land on a glass of water and a note:
'We gotta stop meeting like this, Alice.'
My heart flutters at the words.
Max slept next to me last night.
I stare at the spot where he'd dropped his clothes and get that uncomfortable feeling again.
"What is that?" Toni lunges toward me and snatches the note from my tabletop. He reads it, eyes sparkling. I can’t help but smile at my best friend's enthusiasm.
"Oh. My. Giddy aunt! Is this from Max? You hooked up with him? He stayed the night? What did you do? How big was it?"
I roll my eyes. "Technically, I hooked up with Luke."
His jaw gapes. "You hooked up with them both?"
"No, it wasn't li?—"
He reaches for me and caresses my cheek, his eyes feigning earnestness as he begins to serenade me. He sings “Wind Beneath My Wings”by Bette Milder. I throw my head back and break into laughter before joining in the song. "You're everything I would like to be."
We have a good giggle together. Before I roll out of bed and get ready for ballet school, I fill Toni in on last night—the whole eventful lot.
His shoulders sag. "I'm so disappointed. So, he never touched you? Not even a little finger action? That is so... un-Max Butcher. You really are an asexual pigeon."
I make pigeon noises as I pull on my sneakers. "I fell asleep. I can't believe I just fell asleep." I run my fingers up through my hair and pull it into a high ballet bun.
I'm completely packed and ready to go when I glance out the window and see a police car roll onto my driveway. Braidy and Luke step out, both dressed in uniform.
"Oh, crap." I wince.
Toni gasps. "Did you just swear, Cassidy Slater?" He rushes over to the window and his eyebrows shoot up. "Oh crap."
"I swear my life is too eventful now," I moan, grabbing my bag and rushing down the stairs to answer the door before they can ring the bell. As I swing the door open, I feign surprise. "Oh. Hey?"
Braidy is standing with his finger in the air, having been about ready to press the button. When I appear in the door jamb, he takes a polite step backwards. He's very formal. "Cassidy, I'm glad you're still home... Is he here?"
I nearly cough. "Who? Max?" I bounce my eyes between Luke and Braidy. Oh my God, I'm in some kind of trouble. I stare at Luke's face; the lower part is bruised—red and purple and swollen. "Oh, Luke. I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" As a shadow hovers over me, he glances past my shoulder, swallows hard, and takes a step back. When it's just Toni who appears at my side, Luke relaxes instantly.
Toni peruses their police uniforms. "What's with the formalities? Am I in trouble? Please tell me I'm in trouble!"
