“Maxim,” I breathe against his lips, then gasp when he kisses me hard, thrusting up into me even harder. The ball of pleasure that has been slowly building and growing in my lower belly expands, then combusts, lighting me up from the inside out. I moan his name against his lips as I lose myself, listening to him groan, hips jerking and his hand in my hair tightening. With my core clenching around him, I tuck my face into his neck, holding on to him with every part of me, while he presses his forehead against my throat.
“I’m going to kill whoever that is,” he grumbles against my skin, and it registers that someone is ringing my doorbell. “Are you expecting someone?”
“No.” I somehow pull myself away from him and look at my cell phone when it starts to ring. “Can you reach that for me?” With his arm around me, he grabs my phone, handing it over. I frown when I see July is calling, then the doorbell goes off again. “It’s my sister.”
“Answer it,” he says, keeping hold of me, and as I give him a look, he grins. Carefully, I get off him and fall to my hip at his side before I slide my finger across the screen.
“Hello,” I answer, proud that I don’t sound as breathless as I still feel.
“Are you home?”
“Yes.”
“Oh.” She sounds calmer than when I answered. “You’re not answering the door.”
“You’re here?” I watch Maxim stand and head for the bathroom.
“Yes, come let me in.”
“Give me five minutes.” I hang up, then carefully roll off the bed and go into the bathroom to clean up. I go to my closet and put on a pair of sweats and a tank top. “I’m going to let my sister in.”
“I’ll be down once I get dressed.” He brushes his lips across mine, then heads for the closet where he put his suitcase.
When I get down to the first floor, I open the door to not just my sister but her husband, Wes, who has a cat carrier in his grasp.
“Took you long enough,” July says, then her eyes roam over me and narrow. “Do you have company?”
“Yes.” I step back to let them inside. “And I didn’t know you were coming over this morning.”
“She wanted to bring you your cat before you changed your mind.” Wes grins at me when his wife smacks his chest with the back of her hand.
“Well, thanks for the heads up. I still need to pick everything up for him.” I squat down and open the kennel when Wes sets it on the bench next to the door.
“You’re in luck, because I brought you almost everything you’re going to need,” my sister says as I hold out my hand in front of the dark cage.
After a moment, bright green eyes meet mine before a cold nose touches the tips of my fingers. “Hey, baby.” I run a single finger over the top of his tiny head, and he hops out and walks toward my touch, then rubs against my knee. Carefully, I pick him up, and my heart melts. “Hey, Binx.”
“Oh my God, he is totally Binx from....” Her words trail off before she can say Hocus Pocus, and I turn to see what caught her attention and find Maxim coming down the stairs, looking as gorgeous as ever in a pair of basketball shorts and a plain white tee.
“July, Wes, this is Maxim,” I introduce.
“What’s up, man?” he greets Wes with a handshake, then looks at my sister. “July?”
“That’s me.” Her eyes come to me and widen as he leans down to give her a one-armed hug.
“So this is the cat?” He comes to my side, and I nod. As I hold Binx out, he grabs him with ease. “He’s cute.”
“He is.” I look at my sister and Wes. “Have you two had breakfast yet?”
“No,” July says as Wes says, “Yes,” and I frown at the two of them. “I mean, we ate breakfast, but it was a while ago, so I’m hungry.”
“No, you’re nosy,” Wes corrects, and she rolls her eyes at her husband, then looks at me when I laugh and Maxim chuckles.
“I can help you set up everything for Binx.”
“All right.” I take my new kitten and head upstairs. When I reach the kitchen, Maxim places his hand against my lower back, and I look up at him.
“Pancakes okay?” he asks.
“Yes.”
He lifts his chin, then touches his lips to mine. “Go get him settled, and I’ll start cooking.”
“Thanks,” I say, and he looks at Wes, who is sitting at the island. I hear Maxim ask if he wants coffee while July and I head up to the third floor.
“Oh my God, it’s Maxim.” July spins on me after shutting my door when we get to my room.