EPILOGUE
Two months later
“ITHOUGHTYOUsaid we were going someplace special,” said Natasha as Max put his car into Park.
“We are.”
She looked up at the facade of her and Alya’s downtown apartment building. “My place?”
“There are plenty of special things that have happened there.” Max winked at her, and there was a spark of desire in his eyes. “I can give you details if you need help remembering.”
“Are we going to reenact that first night when I stripped for you?” she asked, laughing.
“I really like that idea, Natasha.” His voice got a little husky when he whispered her name. “But I had something else in mind first.”
All evening Max had been quiet. Odd, especially for him. He seemed almost...nervous. Which was completely out of character. But the way he kissed her so gently, the way he held her hand—he hadn’t stopped touching her since he’d picked her up from work. She was almost sure this special thing wasn’t bad, at least, it didn’t feel that way. But what the hell were they doing here?
Max came around the car and opened the door for her. “Let’s go up.”
They walked in and crossed the lobby, heading for the elevator.
“I forgot to ask—how was the meeting with your father?”
Max shrugged. “Decent. I half-expected him to still try to steer things, but he was surprisingly hands-off about the decisions I’d made when it came to funding priorities.”
Natasha searched his face for the tell-tale hardening of his jaw when he spoke about his father, but it wasn’t there. Things were definitely improving.
“And did you finish up your schedule?” he asked.
She nodded. “I think so. I figured out a way to fit in both the research trip and the conference I’m presenting at and still be at the foundation’s gala.”
Max found her hand and squeezed it. “You don’t have to go to the gala.”
“I want to,” she said, returning the squeeze. “I want to be there for you.”
They stopped at the elevators. Max punched her floor number then turned to her. He pressed his hands to her cheeks and kissed her softly. “I really hope you like this.”
“Should I be nervous?”
He shook his head slowly. “No. But I’m nervous as hell.”
“You’re killing me, Max,” she said. “Does Alya know?”
He nodded.
“Before me?”
He soothed her, his hands moving up and down her arms. “You’ll see. I wanted to make it a surprise.”
It couldn’t be an engagement. They hadn’t been together very long, and he knew she wanted to take it slow. So what could he surprise her with in her own apartment? If it were something small, like jewelry, he’d more likely have given it to her at dinner. None of this made sense.
“I’m completely stumped,” she said, frowning. “Just a clue?”
Max nuzzled her cheek with his whiskery one. “This is fun. I should keep secrets from you more often. I didn’t realize how much it got under your skin.”
“Maybe I just need to rethink my waiting strategy,” she said. “Maybe I just need to distract myself.”
She coaxed him closer and pressed her lips to his, but before she got further, the elevator came to a stop and opened at her floor.
