“Instead of coming over and just trying to talk to me, you called the cops. You called the fucking cops, Max!”
His eyes bulged out of his head. “Would you please keep your voice down.”
My blood was boiling. I wanted to smack him. But for his daughter, I lowered my voice.
“You are a real jerk,” I spat. “An asshole.”
“And you’re selfish. You’re not the only one on the planet. You know that, right?” Max said, leaning forward.
“The party wasn’t my idea,” I said, feeling my shoulder drop. My anger was subsiding. “My friends just wanted to cheer me up. And if you weren’t such a boring, old, grump, maybe you’d be able to understand.”
Max chuckled, and it reminded me why I was angry. “Some of us have responsibilities.”
“You don’t think I have responsibilities?” I said, pushing my palm against his chest as I stepped into his house.
Surprise flashed in his eyes as he grabbed my wrist to stop me from pushing him again.
“If I don’t find a job, I’m going to lose my house. My whole world is crashing down around me and you just think I’m some party girl whose goal in life is to make your life harder,” I said feeling heat in my cheeks.
We were only inches apart. He wouldn’t take another step back. Max was like a warm, brick wall stopping me from pushing him further into his house.
“We all have it hard,” Max said. “We’re all doing the best we can.”
I softened but only slightly. “Why can’t you see me for who I really am.”
“Why do you care what I think?” Max said.
“I don’t,” I answered quickly.
Max looked down at his hand and let go of my wrist. “I’m not a bad guy. I’m not a jerk or a grump and I’m not that old.”
“Why do you care what I think?” I said my voice soft as a feather.
Max swallowed hard and took a step toward me. “I don’t.”
I didn’t understand what was happening… what I was feeling. We were oil and water. We didn’t mix. But I wanted nothing more than Max to kiss me.
8
Hope
The look in Max’s eyes changed. The anger was gone, but it was replaced with something that made my heart race even more.
“I should go,” I said, sucking in a breath that filled my chest. “I’m sorry for coming over here.”
“Don’t,” he said as fire reflected in his eyes.
“Don’t what?” I asked. My heart was racing as if I were frightened… frightened to hear the answer.
His finger rose to the bottom of my chin. He forced me to stare into his eyes.
“Don’t go,” Max said.
“I thought you hated me,” I said breathlessly.
He shook his head ever so slightly. “I don’t hate you. I kind of hate that I don’t hate you.”
“I know what you mean,” I said, biting my lip.
“Is this really happening?” he asked with a smile.
I smiled back. “I think it is.”
“I hope it is,” he said, leaning closer. My eyes closed at the moment his soft lips apprehensively touched mine.
The kiss was soft and gentle… apprehensive, but within a matter of seconds, something changed. He cupped my face and kissed me hard. Passionately. I was his favorite flavor of ice cream, and he couldn’t get enough.
He held onto me as if he were afraid I’d melt away. Max was strong, and he wanted me. I could feel that he wanted me very badly.
I felt powerless… powerless in a way that made my head spin. I wanted him too.
My hands glazed over his muscular arms. His skin was like clean silk sheets laid over the top of perfectly carved marble.
I kissed him back hungrily as I tried to feel every inch of his body.
Max’s hands slid down my neck, sending a shiver down my spine. My entire body tingled with pleasure.
I gasped when he sharply pulled away. My eyes widened as I stared at him, trying to catch my breath.
Max grabbed my hand and led me down the hallway. He turned a corner and brought me into a dark room. My body shuddered as he closed the door behind us.
“What’s happening?” I asked breathlessly. What I really wanted to know was why had we stopped kissing. Why were our bodies so far apart?
“She could come down,” Max said.
“Kind of bold to bring me to your bedroom, isn’t it?” I asked.
The moonlight coming in from the window reflected in Max’s eyes and lit up his grinning face. “It’s not my bedroom. It’s the guest room.”
“Oh, well then,” I said, taking a small step closer to him. I leaned against him, my chest pressing against his body.
Max looked down into my eyes. Even though he was sober, at least I assumed he was, he looked as intoxicated as I felt.
“You’re free to leave any time you want,” Max said in a deep voice that rumbled my insides like thunder in the distance.