With me.
A part of me wanted to sprint into his bedroom and wrap myself around him. I wanted to demand that he ask me the question he asked me routinely, half in jest because he knew my answer. I wanted to look in his eyes and let myself see the emotions in them, the things he tried to tell me through his mossy gaze.
But I just couldn’t. I loved him too much to do that do him. Because Ididlove him. I knew it, I had for a long time. Loving Max Quinn wasn’t a problem.
Loving Max Quinnwasthe problem.
I made my way into the bedroom. I could smell the candle he was burning, scents of vanilla wafting through the house, before I got there. I leaned against the doorframe and watched him.
Max hadn’t heard me enter. He was sprawled across the bed, a pair of crimson boxer briefs the only thing covering his divine body. His abs muscles rippled as he played with Titus, the puppy he found abandoned on a job site. In typical Max fashion, he brought the puppy home. Titus slept on Max’s chest that night, obviously in love with him from the start. I couldn’t say I blamed him - it was my favorite spot to snuggle, too.
Max rolled the chocolate-colored puppy a few times, his large hand bigger than the puppy’s head. Titus rolled across the bed and Max chuckled, stretching out on his back. The dog padded across the blankets and plopped down beside him, panting from the play. Max reached over and stroked his stomach. “How are ya, boy? You like this, huh? You like playin’ with me?”
“I’m not sure how anything wouldn’t like you touching it like that,” I laughed, walking into the room.
Max popped up on his elbows and smiled sexily. His dimple shining in his cheek, his hair a wild mess, he looked downright edible. “Get your ass over here and I’ll touch you like that, too.”
I shrugged off my robe and tossed it onto a nearby chair. “I don’t want to interrupt...”
“Woman,” he growled, picking up the puppy and sitting it gently on the floor. Titus whined immediately, his little cobalt blue eyes begging for Max to pick him back up. Max reached down and petted him. “Be good and go on.” He nodded his head towards the fluffy pillow he bought the dog and Titus obediently walked over, marched in a circle, and laid down.
Max shook his head and sighed. “If only I could get you to listen half as well as that dog.”
“Not a chance, babe,” I laughed. I stood between his legs. He wrapped his arms around my waist and nuzzled his face into my abdomen.
“I bought you all of those things to sleep in and you are wearin’ my old Sun Devils shirt?”
“I like this shirt. It’s all cozy and soft and it smells like you. And I took all of my things to my house to wash yesterday.”
“You’re the perfect storm.” His voice was rough, his breath hot on my skin through the thin fabric of the t-shirt.
“What’s that mean?”
Ignoring me, he said, “Would it do me any good at all to point out the ridiculousness that you don’t live here?”
“Nope,” I said, grabbing his hair and pulling his head back so Icould see into his eyes. They were so easy to get lost in. I had found myself on the verge of agreeing to things I knew better than to agree to when gazing into them.
He grabbed my thighs, pressing his fingertips into my bare skin. His touch, coupled with the earlier unobstructed view of his body, made me ache with want.
“It wouldn’t do you any good at all to gothere,” I continued, “but it might do you some good to gohere.” I grabbed his right hand and placed it between my legs. He rubbed his thumb over my opening, the fabric of my panties pressing into my wetness. I pushed my body against his hand, needing the friction to ease the buildup that was beginning to grow out of control.
Max withdrew his hand and placed both of them on the backs of my legs, pulling me closer to him.
“What are you doing? I want you. Now,” I all but begged.
“I know you do, sweetheart. But I want to slow down a minute.”
I looked at him in disbelief. “I don’t want to slow down. I want you inside me.”
“And I want to be inside you,” he said, his voice deep and husky. I could hear the need in his tone, mirroring mine. He ran his hands up the backs of my legs, setting my skin on fire, until he reached my backside. He cupped both cheeks in his hands. “I always want to be inside you. But I want to enjoy your body. This,” he said, squeezing my ass, “should be appreciated. Let me love on you a minute.”
I felt myself tear into two jagged, painful pieces. The first one wanted to do just that and let him “love on me,” but the other knew good and well that I couldn’t let sex and love bleed together.
Max broke my thoughts by standing up, lifting me with him. He planted a kiss on my lips as he turned and lay me on the bed. He stood over me, his eyes darkening, taking in every inch of me. Once his gaze made its way to my face, his eyes locked onto mine. His hands ran slowly up my legs, the coarseness of his palms mixing with the gentleness of his touch causing me to shiver.
He reached my hips, caressing the curve of my waist. He loweredhis lips to mine and kissed me in the way only Max could. It wasn’t a physical gesture, nor was it a simple exchange. It was a statement, a promise. It was a damn guarantee of things I didn’t want to think about.
“Fuck me, Max,” I whispered, turning my head to allow him access to my neck. “Please.”
