“I’ve missed you, too,” she said.
He sighed, and then his chest rumbled, pleasure dancing in his eyes. “All of me? Or just certain parts?”
She pulled back a little and met his gaze. “The whole package.”
Slowly, all traces of amusement faded, and what was left was a burning intensity, the side of him he so reluctantly let show. The raw ache in his eyes was almost unbearable, but she didn’t look away.
“You sure about that?” he asked, his voice rough.
Natasha nodded. “I’m scared of what being a part of your life might mean for me.”
His jaw tightened, and he looked away. “I know that, sweetheart.”
She took a deep breath. “But I’m not going to let that stop me from falling in love with you.”
Their slow sway came to a stop. The words were out in the world, floating in the air around them, coloring everything. He still wasn’t looking at her. His throat bobbed as he swallowed, and the pulse at the base of his neck ticked fast.
Natasha straightened up. She was going to handle this with dignity, however it went. “I want to be with you. I want more.”
She didn’t get any more words out before his hands cupped her cheeks. His eyes were on hers, searing her, stopping the words. His gaze flicked down to her mouth, still parted, midsentence.
“Natasha Petrova, I want everything. All the parts of you you’re offering. Especially if it involves more of those sex-filled days on tiny tropical islands.”
She smiled, but then his lips met hers with an aching hunger that rushed through her. They were kissing. Thank God they were kissing again. She slid her hands into his hair and pulled him closer. Yes, she was drowning in this all-consuming desire, so familiar now, and so achingly good.
“I want you, Natasha,” he said. “I’ve been after you since the first time you told me off, three years ago, and after those days together on Green Island, I only want more.”
“Me, too,” she said, standing on her toes for another kiss.
They stared at each other, moving slowly to the music.
He brushed a hand over her cheek. “But I’m not a fun ride all day, every day. I can be a hardheaded asshole, as you might have noticed with my father tonight. I spent a lot of my teenage years that way.”
She wrinkled her brow at him. “That’s part of what makes youyou, Max. You really think I still want the à la carte menu, not the whole package?”
He smirked at her word choice. “I know you like the whole package, baby.”
Natasha rolled her eyes, trying to hold back her smile. “Terrible line, Max.”
Natasha rested her cheek on his chest again, letting it all sink in. This man had given his heart to her long ago, and she was pretty sure she had done the same on Green Island. Yes, he did have the power to drive her crazy, but she trusted him not to abuse that power. Besides, she was starting to believe the feeling was mutual.
Natasha closed her eyes. He pulled her closer, his body pressed against hers as the slow, sexy jazz played.
“I like this place, too,” he murmured in her ear. “Far away from the city with an amazing view of the ocean.”
She nodded. It was perfect. In fact, everything about this moment was perfect, really.
“When we get married, I think we should do it here.” The words came out in the same easy tone, as if this were the most natural thing to talk about, five minutes into a relationship.
Natasha’s eyes snapped open. She came to a full stop and pulled away, gaping up at him.
“What?” she choked out.
Max’s eyes glittered with warmth and humor, and his lips curved up in a mischievous grin. “What’s the matter? You afraid of the M word?”
“No, but...” She bit her lip and frowned. “You can’t just throw it out at the beginning.”
His eyes glimmered, and then his smile grew wider and he shrugged. “I figured I’d get it out there right away. Three years of lust and fantasies about you is doing crazy things to my brain.”
