It’s undeniable: Max is in control. He’s leading this, us, and I’m just along for the ride. And for once, the idea of a man controlling me fills me with heat, not dread. Maybe because a part of me trusts him, trusts that he isn’t controlling me to hurt me, but to bring me happiness. Pleasure, even. My hand tightens on his shoulder at the thought of Max leading me to a different kind of pleasure…
“Heidi?” his questioning rumble blows warm air against my ear. I don’t reply, I simply shift slightly closer to him, reveling in how his hold on me tightens.
We stay in that bubble of trust and connection that apparently slow dancing can create for another minute or two. When the song ends, and the more upbeat sounds of Luke Bryan’s soulful voice comes over the speakers, it’s undeniable that I’m disappointed. I fully expect him to drop my hands. But to my surprise, Max gives me an almost impish grin.
“Think you can keep up, Morgan?”
My eyes narrow with confusion, but that quickly morphs into surprise as he begins to spin me around the dance floor. This is no slow dance. This is a fast-paced, full of tricks and surprises two-step that I did not see coming. Thank God for that session of two-step classes I took after my breakup with Thad as a way to fill my evenings, or I would be flat on my face.
Except, no, I wouldn’t be. Because Max is so masterful with leading me, guiding me through every move, it’s as if we’ve been dancing together forever. My body instinctively knows how to respond, twirling and shifting to his every command.
I find myself mouthing the lyrics to myself, and then I see Max’s eyes zeroed in on mine just as the chorus line hits.
“All I know is, I don’t want this night to end.”
Chapter seventeen
Max
“You’re just full of surprises, Dr. Donnelly.” Heidi’s breathless teasing tickles my ear as I lift her up from a dip at the end of the song.
I don’t hold back my chuckle. There’s a lightness inside of me I haven’t felt in a long time. Dancing with her was fun. Easy. Right. Taking a step away from her and losing the physical connection we had? Not so fun, but necessary, if I don’t want her to feel exactly how affected I am by having her in my arms.
“Kat decided she wanted to learn how to two-step in high school and none of our brothers would go with her, so I agreed to. Can’t say I’ve had much opportunity to practice since then, but I guess I remembered a few things.”
We make our way back to the table. Sawyer looks up from his phone and gives me a knowing stare. “Done cutting a rug out there, you two?” He passes over two glasses and a fresh pitcher of beer. “Figured you might be thirsty. Max, I’m surprised you still remember how to do all of that. But I guess a pretty lady is good motivation.” He winks at Heidi, ignoring my glare. Thankfully, he stands and pockets his phone. “Anyway, I gotta get going. See you around, Heidi. Max, gym tomorrow?”
“Yeah man, I’ll see you then. You good to drive?”
Sawyer nods. “Of course.”
My siblings are used to my obsessing about their safety when we go out. It’s why we all have Uber on speed dial, and why they know I’ll always check in to make sure they’re okay to drive. The guys and I know our limits. But even still, I can’t help but check in with them.
I nod, Heidi says goodbye, and Sawyer makes his way to the exit, leaving just Heidi and me at the table. She picks up one glass filled with beer and pushes the other to me, but I wave it off, choosing water, instead. I’ve had one beer, that’s my limit.
“That was fun, Max, thank you for dancing with me.” Her hand lands on my leg for an instant before she snatches it away.
“I think I should be thanking you,” I say, stretching my arm out across the back of both our chairs. My fingers catch a loose curl of her hair that came free from her ponytail while we were dancing, and I twist it around. “It’s been a long time since I danced with anyone. I could’ve stomped all over your feet.”
Her eyes sparkle. “I doubt that. You wouldn’t lose control.”
Fuck, if only she knew how much I’d like to lose control with her.
“We’re going home.” Kat and Hunter stumble up to the table, arms wrapped around each other. Hunter’s lips are pressed to Kat’s neck.
“Hunter, you good?” I ask, and his head lifts. His eyes are clear, and he gives me a sharp nod.
“Absolutely.”
Heidi and Kat hug. I can’t deny it does something to me to see her get along with my family so easily. Since Cara, I’ve never let another woman get close enough to me to warrant meeting my family. But Kat and Sawyer are both taken by Heidi, I can tell. I briefly wonder what they’d think or feel if they knew who her ex is, but that thought is dismissed quickly. My family is far better at forgiveness than I am, that’s for sure. They wouldn’t jump to a snap judgment the way I did, assuming she had any part of Thad’s destruction. They would give her the chance to explain.
Because my family, they’re all better people than I am.
After they leave, Heidi sits back down, closer to me this time, so that our legs are almost touching.
“I guess I should probably head out soon as well,” she murmurs softly, her finger drawing circles in the condensation left on the table by our drinks.
Now that the adrenaline rush from having her in my arms is starting to subside, it’s being replaced by a seed of misgiving. All the lines, all the boundaries and rules I’ve set for myself when it comes to relationships are being obliterated, one by one. It’s disconcerting, confusing, and maddening, even. Because I’m not entirely certain I want to go back to my old way of living — behind those lines, boundaries, and rules.
