Until the Last Breath

“No? Then what did you have in mind?”

“Come on, Shannon. This is a free pass for me. Not that I feel like you really ‘owe me’ or anything, but I know you appreciate me for helping you keep your job.”

My face warped with confusion. “I don’t know what you’re getting at.”

Max’s eyes softened as he reached up, running the back of his hand down my jawline. When he reached my chin, he pressed the pad of his thumb on the center of it and then held it firmly between his fingers.

My breath hitched from the sudden movement, my arms sweeping with goosebumps. He’d never touched me before. There were plenty of times when I saw in his eyes that he wanted to do something to me, touch me somewhere, but he never actually went through with it. There were many instances behind the bar on busy nights when he’d come close to pressing a hand to the small of my back to get by, but never did. But tonight, he was up close and personal.

“Come out with me Friday night. Brenda and Quincy are working the night shift,” he said. “Melanie and Jace have the bar.”

“How do you know I don’t have to work in VIP?”

His lips flattened, the look he gave me sarcastically asking seriously? “Because I checked. And because you hate VIP. Saw it on a sticky note in E’s office.”

“Geez. Stalker,” I laughed.

“One night, Little Shakes. That’s all I ask of you.” He was still holding onto my chin, like he didn’t want me to look elsewhere but into his eyes.

“Little Shakes?” I breathed.

“Yes.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“The way you shake those hips to the music when you whip up those drinks...” He shook his head and ran his tongue over his bottom lip. “You have no idea how many times I’ve wanted to come up behind to join you in a dance. Luckily I know how to keep things professional around here.”

My heart sped up a notch as I imagined us on the dance floor.

Grinding.

Touching.

Making out until our bodies could no longer endure the ache or need. I brushed the idea aside.

“Why have you never tried making a move before?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

“Because it just so happens that when I watch you, it’s too hard for me to move—too hard for me to function.”

I laughed, removing my chin from his soft grasp and picking up my margarita again. “You have a response for everything, don’t you, Playboy?”

“What?” He chuckled. “I’m telling the truth.” He picked up his bottle to finish off his beer. When he was done, he asked, “So what do you say? Will I be given one night with you, Shakes?”

I blinked up at him as my lips wrapped around the black straw again. His eyes immediately darted down to my mouth. His nostrils flared, his large body no longer relaxed. Instead of holding in what he had to say—because, lets face it, Maximilian never bit his tongue—he said, “Your lips are so fucking perfect.”

I pulled away from my drink as a song by X Ambassadors poured out of the speakers. I wanted to say yes to going out with him right in that moment. I wanted to pounce right on top of him, have him carry me to his 2-door Audi and drive me to that apartment that I heard so much about from the girls who came to the bar every night just to see him.

But I was a smart girl. I admit I was interested, but he wasn’t going to get me that easily.

“Your girlfriend?” I asked over my drink.

“Don’t have one.”

“Hmm.”

“You’re stalling. You must be cuffed to someone already.”

“Nope. Single. No cuffs. It’s been that way for a while now.”

“Hmm,” he mimicked. I narrowed my eyes at him playfully, conjuring a silent laugh from his end.

“If I tell you I’ll think about it, will that work for you?”

Max’s head tilted a little, then he pressed his lips and stood from the stool smoothly. “Sure,” he said as he stepped behind me, planting his large, warm hands on my shoulders. His chest brushed across my back and he leaned closer, his lips touching the shell of my ear. Up close, he smelled good, his scent reminding me of a warm, spring day. “But don’t think for too long, Shakes. I’m not a very patient man.”

I fought a smile, sucking on my straw again as he walked toward the backroom. When he disappeared, I sighed, trying my best to ignore the racing of my heart. I wiped the sweat off my palms as if it would help. It didn’t. My heart was still racing.

“Well, well,” Quincy said as he came to my end of the bar. I whipped my head up as he grabbed my empty glass and rattled the ice. “What?” I asked, my cheeks ablaze.