“I don’t think he will,” said Max, his voice rough with suppressed anger. The way that guy had talked to Poppy and gotten up in her face still had him seething. “But if he does, I’ll be waiting for him. And I’m sure that Kieran and Natasha won’t take any shit from him, either.”
“You know,” Poppy said thoughtfully, “I didn’t put two and two together at first, but I think I saw him wandering throughGirdwood Springs this morning – and I’m pretty sure I saw him asking questions to people on the street as well.”
“So maybe it wasn’t directed at us,” Max mused. “Maybe he’s just an all-purpose weirdo. Or just over-friendly, in a kind of strange way. If he’s here on vacation then maybe he just wants to get to know the area. I guess.”
“Maybe.”
Poppy still looked worried, which Max could definitely understand. He was feeling a little uneasy himself. He was a restaurant critic, after all, not a fighter. If Poppy needed a bodyguard, she’d be better off with his mom, who at least could turn into a lion at will, though she was plenty imposing in human form as well.
He smiled a little at the thought. His mom would probably enjoy beating up guys with no sense of personal space.
But even if he wasn’t the natural bodyguard type, what hecoulddo, right now, was provide Poppy with a feeling of safety, and a distraction from what had just happened. And if it came down to it, he would defend her to the best of his ability.
It wasn’t like he was weak or helpless, after all – he’d just never been in a fight beyond one or two scuffles back in middle school, before he’d realized that he could use his powers to stay under bullies’ radars.
He put his hand on her shoulder, looking into her eyes and seeing the worry there. He hated that she felt like that, especially after the wonderful time they’d been having.
She shivered, drawing herself closer to him, her eyes searching his as the snow tumbled and swirled.
Apparently what she saw in his eyes led her to a conclusion, because she closed the last inch of space between them and stood on her toes, tilting her head back further.
And Max simply couldn’t resist. Everything he’d ever wanted was right here in front of him.
He leaned down, making up the distance, and brought her face gently to his.
Her lips were cool, but her mouth was wonderfully warm, and he closed his eyes, savoring every moment.
Poppy,he thought dizzily.You are the one for me.
Even if he didn’t have a mate, he didn’t care anymore – there was no one in the world he could want more than this. Poppywashis mate, as far as he was concerned. There had to be a way they could make it work, distance be damned.
The kiss lingered, passionate yet tender, and he lost himself in the feel of her – her soft lips, her cold cheeks, her warm breath.
At last they pulled apart, Poppy breaking contact with a sigh, her eyes still closed. She burrowed her head in against his chest, and Max wrapped his jacket around her, cocooning her in his warmth, content to just hold her for now and stand guardian against any threats that may come.
Let them try,he thought fiercely.
Let them try.
Chapter 9
Poppy drummed her fingers against the kitchen table, tapping out a little tune and looking everywhere but at the hunky dreamboat sitting across from her.
Walking back through the snow with Max had been like something out of a fairy tale, even with their random encounter with the weird guy they’d run into… but now, sitting at the table, the silence was less romantic and more awkward. Without the action of walking, all that nervous energy had to gosomewhere.
I can’t believe I kissed him.
Her mouth twitched into a smile before she could stop herself, and she coughed, covering her face until she had it under control. More or less.
I can’t believe he kissed me back,she thought dreamily.The hottest guy in the history of existence, and he kissed me back – and now I’m sitting here like a statue instead of taking advantage of the situation.
It felt like it would be rude, somehow, to crawl across the table, plonk herself on his lap, and kiss him silly until the chair fell backward and he ended up sprawled across the floor, his hairmessed up and his glasses all ahoo. He was too proper for that kind of thing.
But then,she thought, heat rising,wouldn’t that make it all the more fun?
Probably it would. But still, maybe it would be worth her while to try a little romance first. She wasn’t all that used to it, only ever having dated men who weren’t interested in that kind of thing… but she thought that maybe Max would at least appreciate the attempt.
Steeling herself, she reached down into her purse, hesitating for a moment before making herself pull out the little gift-wrapped box that had been taunting her for the past few hours.
