I tighten my arms around myself and scoot backwardsuntil I hit the headboard. "Yes. Why is he so nice to me when you're such a jerk?"
"He likes you. And that's all him."
"And you don't, and that's why you're a butthead."
He chuckles and I hate that I love that sound. "A butthead?" he says.
"Does he know everything about us?"
His gaze bounces around for a moment. "Yes."
I breathe out in a rush. "What does he think?"
"He thinks I'm an idiot," he says with a shrug.
"You are!"
He rolls his head in frustration. "Yeah, and he also doesn't think... about you. Goddamn it... protectingyou. Like I do."
I frown tightly. "You've upset me, Max. Leaving like that. Talking to me like that."
"I know." He nods, his gaze lacking its usual arrogance.
"And you think I'm a silly little girl?"
"Yes." He walks until he's sitting on the end of my bed. "Sometimes you are."
"Okay—"
"But... " He starts to speak and then changes his mind. "Sometimes Ilikeit."
"You like silly now?" I say with mock amusement.
"No..." He exhales loudly and frowns at me contemplatively. "I like how you...soften... my life."
I take a big breath in and out. "I do?"
"Yeah."
I sigh, wanting to crawl towards him and hold him close, but I don't. "Is this still just sex?"
"Yes."
I laugh once in disbelief. "What!?"
"And..." He reaches for the word. "Friendship."
"Okay?" I'm not sure what I expected him to say, but I wasn't prepared for that blatant answer. I compromise... again, and a stone adds to the collection in my belly weighing me down these days. "But are you gonna disappear again?"
"Are you gonna stick your nose into places that might get it broken?"
"No," I say, and I really mean it. "Are you gonna?—"
Before I can finish my sentence, he's pulling me to him. His lips are on mine, and he's crawling with me until we are lying on the mattress. His hands are everywhere, exploring. I moan, letting my body become mouldable as he nips and licks and gets carried away with my naked figure beneath his fingers.
"Fuck, Cassidy."
His clothes come off in a rush. Pressing his hot, heavy, naked body to mine, he rubs up against me, his lips unable to break away from mine.
