“Chloe?” Maxwell looked a little surprised to see her when he opened the door. “I didn’t expect to see you today. I thought you might be—”
“Still sleeping off my hangover?” Chloe gave him a rueful grin. “No, it’s long gone. I don’t have time for hangovers.”
“Of course not,” Maxwell smiled as he stood aside to let her in. “You’re always welcome here, of course.”
“Thanks,” Chloe said, fidgeting her fingers inside her coat pockets. She followed Maxwell down the hall and into the drawing-room where curse sparks had erupted the very first time they touched. She hoped that any touching that occurred this evening would have a less disastrous result.
“Um, I wanted to talk to you about the final ingredient,” Chloe said, her words tumbling out. “Tilly called me. She says the final ingredient for the ritual will be something personal, but she doesn’t know what.”
“Oh, right,” Maxwell said, and he looked somehow disappointed. Had he been expecting her to say something else? “Well, that’s good. No more caves, then.”
“No,” Chloe agreed. “Oh, and I wanted to thank you for this morning. That was very kind.”
“It was my pleasure,” Maxwell said. “Given it was me who insisted you let loose, it would be very wrong of me not to take care of you the morning after.”
Take care of you. Chloe imagined Maxwell holding her in his arms, stroking her hair. Telling her that he’d look after her. She had never wanted a man – or anyone else – to take care of her. She could look after herself, thank you very much. So why was it so very appealing when he said it?
“I probably had too much fun,” she said, turning her face away. “I got a bit carried away.”
“It was delightful to see you enjoy yourself,” Maxwell said, and it sounded like he really meant it. “Even if every man – and paranormal being – in the room couldn’t take his eyes off you and I had to be very jealous.”
Chloe’s heart thudded in her chest. Did he really mean that?
“You’re always so charming,” Chloe said, biting her lip. She was sitting right next to him on the sofa, aware of his body so close to her own.
“Do you think so?” Maxwell was looking at her like he was waiting for something.
“Of course. I mean, I knew you were charming when I first met you. But that’s not all that you are.”
“No?” Maxwell’s eyes were on her, and she couldn’t look away. The air between them seemed electric, like one touch would send sparks flying through the room in a way that had nothing to do with the Hedgehog Hex.
“No,” Chloe agreed. “You’re very charming, of course. But you’re…” she paused, hardly daring to breathe. “Thoughtful. And kind. Generous, gracious… You deserve much better friends than the ones you left in New York because you’re…” Chloe looked right at him, her heart thumping in her chest. “Amazing, actually.”
“Chloe,” Maxwell’s voice was hoarse. “I’m not imagining this, am I? That there’s something between us?” She had never seen him so vulnerable; like he was laying his heart out for her on a platter, waiting for her to respond.
“No,” Chloe whispered. “No, you’re not imagining it. I thought I was, but—”
Chloe’s “but” was cut off because strong arms were wrapped around her, and lips, lips she had imagined against her own so often, were kissing her like Maxwell’s very life depended on it. She let out a surprised gasp against his mouth but didn’t stop kissing him. Not for a second. Not when the press of those lips against her own made her body feel like it was singing a goddamn aria, full of high notes and vibrating pleasure.
She gave herself up to the kiss, letting Maxwell pull her onto his lap, straddling him. As she kissed him, it seemed impossible to believe that this was the very same drawing-room where she had shaken Maxwell’s hand and everything had changed. Back then, Maxwell had been a handsome stranger to her. And now…
“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that,” Maxwell murmured, tracing over her cheek with his thumb.
“I have some idea,” Chloe teased, stroking her fingers through his hair. “I mean, it took a certain amount of lustful desire to set off the hex, didn’t it?”
Maxwell’s chuckle was a low rumble against her skin. “Mm, but that was only when I first knew you. I just knew you were beautiful. Didn’t know how special you are.”
“You think I’m special?” Chloe’s skin was flashing hot and cold. Her body was full of nervous energy and excitement, desperate to hear his every word and equally desperate to cut him off from any words whatsoever.
“I think you’re the most incredible woman I’ve ever had the privilege of meeting, Chloe,” Maxwell’s voice was so quiet she almost couldn’t hear him.
Chloe let out a sound of pleasure at his words, but it was cut off by his mouth on hers again, kissing her harder like he wanted to taste every bit of her. His kisses stoked the fire inside her, sending wet heat throbbing between her thighs. She had never wanted anyone like this before, never been so desperate for a man to take her, to make her his own. She had never wanted to belong to anyone, not like that. But for Maxwell, it was all she could think of.
When his mouth pressed over her neck with the faintest graze of teeth, Chloe let out a cry, pressing into him, needy and desperate. It sent a thrill of dangerous desire through her because Maxwell wasn’t like any other man. He was a vampire; his teeth on her neck could do terrible things. But she knew, absolutely knew and trusted, that she was safe with him. That all he wanted was to have her for his very own.
“Can we—” Chloe began.
“Can we?” Maxwell’s eyes were dark with desire. “Were you going to ask if we can go to my bedroom?”
“Is that too much? Too soon? Sorry, I—”
“Chloe, if I don’t have you right now, I think the consequences might be dangerous,” Maxwell’s voice was harsh, throaty, desperate. All for her.
“Oh,” she whispered, pressing her body into his. “Well, then I think—”
But she didn’t have time to think. Thoughts were absolutely impossible when Maxwell picked her up, holding her in his arms like she weighed nothing at all. She was utterly vulnerable, held tight in his strong arms, knowing that he could do whatever he wanted to her. And it felt incredible.
As Maxwell took her up the stairs, bounding up two at a time like he couldn’t wait, there wasn’t a single coherent thought in Chloe’s mind. All of her angst about whether it was a good idea to get involved with him, whether there could be any future between a real estate agent from a small town and a cosmopolitan vampire, seemed utterly irrelevant in the face of this moment. All she knew was that she wanted him, wanted to be close to him like she never had been to anyone ever before. The rest could wait.