“Cool.” He looks at me. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure to knock when I come back, just in case you’re both naked.”
“Thanks,” I say sarcastically.
“Anytime.” He picks up a set of keys and tucks his package under his arm before heading out the door, closing it behind himself.
“You know, you could be a little more supportive of your brother.”
“Babe, every week, he’s coming up with something new that he’s sure is going to make him rich. This week, it’s Panic Pants, and last week, it was Weight Shoes so you don’t have to do leg day at the gym—his words, not mine.” He shakes his head. “Our parents gave each of us kids a good chunk of money when we graduated college, and where I used mine to open a business and Melanie used hers to buy a house and pay for more school, he’s blown all his on stupid shit and is now trying to get it back by doing more stupid shit.”
“I get what you’re saying, but then again, who are you to say that Panic Pants or Weight Shoes won’t take off? I mean, I doubt that anyone really thought the paperclip or sticky notes were genius ideas, and yet they’ve both probably sold billions of dollars’ worth each.” I go to the couch and kick off my shoes before taking a seat, finding it just as comfortable as I thought it would be.
“You sound like my mom.”
“She is obviously smart.” I lift one shoulder, then add, “Besides, he’s not hurting anyone or out selling drugs, so what does it matter to you what he does with his time or his money?” I look up at him when he doesn’t say anything and find him watching me with a warm look in his eyes. A look I swear I can feel seep into each and every cell of my body. A look I’ve seen on my dad’s face when he looks at my mom. An identical one I catch from time to time on my sisters’ and cousins’ husbands’ faces when they look at them.
“You’re right.” He starts to step toward me but stops when the phone on his desk rings. “I’m here to work.”
“That you are.” I tuck my feet underneath me, and his eyes roam over me from the top of my head to my black-painted toes before he closes the distance between us, wraps his hand around the back of my neck, and angles my head just like he wants it before he kisses me. The kiss isn’t deep or wet, but it is hard and filled with an emotion I can’t put my finger on.
When he pulls away, he touches his lips to my forehead, then mutters, “I’ll give you a tour of the club once Malo gets back.”
“Sounds good,” I agree, and he lets me go with a smile, then heads to his desk.
For the next couple of hours while he works, I shop on my phone and try unsuccessfully to read one of the books May suggested. When Malo shows back up, Maxim takes me on a very quick tour of the club before he orders us dinner. With my belly full, I doze on the couch, feeling his warm gaze on me while he works.
Never in my life have I felt more content just being in someone else’s presence. But that does nothing to lessen the ball of unease that has been growing steadily in the pit of my stomach. Because I know that getting a man’s attention is easy, but keeping it is something I’ve never been able to do.
Chapter 13
April
I LOOK UP the length of Maxim’s body, and my core clenches at the sight of him with his muscles bunched and his face a mask of agonized pleasure. Rolling my tongue around the head of his cock, I slowly take him deep while using my hand to twist and slide down the rest of him that I can’t fit into my mouth, and there’s a lot. Using suction, I pull back up, and the sound of his groan vibrates through me and bounces off the walls of his bedroom.
“Jesus, baby, you’re gonna kill me.” His gaze locks with mine, and his jaw clenches tight as his fingers slide through my hair before he fists it in his hand. I whimper around him at the bite of pain, and he curses, “Fuck,” in response. With his legs bent on either side of me and his hand in my hair, I work him faster and slide my hand down the bed, up my thigh, and freeze when he growls, “Do not touch yourself.”
Oh God.
My eyes slide closed as I debate ignoring him and touching myself, knowing it won’t take much to send me over the edge.
“You touch yourself—I won’t touch you.” His words have my eyes flying open and my hand landing on the bed before I even have time to think about the action. “You woke me up hard as fuck with that pretty mouth of yours wrapped around my cock, so right now is about me.” He lifts his hips off the bed, which sends him deeper.