Max immediately missed the touch, his hand suddenly cold in theabsence of Connor’s. He watched Connor let Kelsey out, his mind still swirlingwith everything that’d happened over the last twenty minutes.
Connor kissed him. That was the big, double-underlined thought inhis head.
Under it, in smaller writing, wasConnor held his hand, and itwas nice.
Neither of those things were thoughts Max wanted to deal withright now. They were supposed to be cooperating to win a competition.
Max didn’t need to freak himself out over whether or not Connorwas attracted to him. That was the last thingeitherof them needed.
“I’m so sorry about kissing you,” Connor said as he came back tothe couch.
“It’s fine,” Max said. “Seriously.”
It wasn’t fine, but that also wasn’t Connor’s fault. It was Max’sreaction that was making it difficult.
He wanted to kiss Connor again. Just to see. To see what it’d belike if he didn’t feel like hehadto, if he wasn’t terrified.
Which made this thesecondtime he’d wanted to kiss Connor.Once was a stray thought, twice…
Twice was the beginning of a pattern.
What the hell did that mean?
“It’s not fine,” Connor said, as though he could read Max’s mind.“But between doing it and blowing our cover, I figured it was the betteroption.”
“It was,” Max agreed. That was definitely true.
Besides, it didn’t matter whether or not he wanted to kiss Connor.He’d be gone in a few weeks, when they’d won this competition and he could goback to his life, like he said.
“And I think it’s given us a better shot of winning. We’re bothcute. People will like us.” Connor grinned. “And Kelsey was right, about yoursister. I can send through the details if you want. If you’re nervous.”
Max shook his head, taking the card she’d left on the table forthem. “I’ll do it. I promised myself at the beginning that I’d do anything forZoe.”
“Including kiss me?” Connor raised an eyebrow.
“Not the worst thing I’ve done,” Max admitted, taking the ringConnor had given him off and holding it out to him. “Thanks for this. Lookslike you chose well.”
“Keep it,” Connor said, pushing Max’s hand back toward his chest.“Consider it a gift. Sell if after the wedding if you want, but it’s not worthmuch.”
Max hesitated, but then closed his hand around the ring again.“Thanks,” he said softly, standing up and tucking it safely in his pocket. “Souh… coffee?”
“Please.” Connor beamed up at him. “You’re a good fiancé.”
“I’m a good barista,” Max corrected. “And I can tell your shoesize just by looking at you.”
Connor raised an eyebrow.
“Ten,” Max said.
Connor’s mouth fell open.
Max grinned. “Years of working in a bowling alley. I know a lotabout shoe sizes.”
“You’re a man of hidden depths,” Connor said, sitting back andtaking his laptop out.
He looked happy, completely unaffected by everything that had justhappened.
Max swallowed, turning his attention to the coffee machine, andaway from how tempting Connor’s lips looked.
