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“You smell amazing.”
“Oh. Thank you.” Her cheeks flushed slightly. That was a good sign, right?
“You’re welcome. So, Bella, you getting cold feet yet?” he teased.
“Not even a little bit, Max.” She grinned while wrapping her arm around one of Foster’s.
“Don’t give her any ideas.” Foster shook his head playfully. “I’ll never find another one even close to her if she smartens up now.”
Everyone laughed, enjoying the tension-free evening. Max sat back down, winking at Sloane when she looked over at him. Her face twisted in confusion. Not the response he had been hoping for. She looked guarded. He wanted her smiling again.
“Sloane, you wanna help me with dessert?” Bella asked. “I got one of those incredible cheesecakes from that little bakery on the corner of Fifth and Salem Ave.”
“Are you serious? Where is it?” Sloane jumped up from her seat and followed Bella, the sound of their laughter fading as they entered the kitchen.
Foster braced his arms on the table and leaned forward. His expression was warm, but muted. “You wanna talk about it?”
Max grimaced; he knew Foster wouldn’t leave it alone. Hell, at this point, maybe he had a few suggestions. He’d known Sloane for a while now.
“I don’t know, man. I can’t stop thinking about her. The kiss she laid on me at the hospital was amazing. Fucking Kasper keeps coming around and she shamelessly flirts with him right in front of me.” Max dragged his hands through his thick hair. “I flirt with her and she looks at me like I’ve grown horns and started speaking in tongues.”
“Let me start by asking you a very important question, Max.”
“What?”
Foster raised his eyebrows. “Is the reason you want her because Kasper set his sights on her too?”
“What? No.”
“Just asking. You’re my best friend, but she’s gonna be family. She doesn’t have anyone else to look out for her.”
“How could you ask me that? You know I’m notthatguy. I’ve wanted her since the first time we met in your doorway, the night we had dinner. She was still seeing Brody then.”
“Well, you were about to hook up with Charlie again until you saw her with Gutter Mouth. It was a reasonable question. I can’t risk her getting hurt again. She met Brody because of me. If another one of my buddies fucks her over, neither one of those amazing women will forgive me anytime soon.”
“I get it. I was only hooking up with Charlie to get Sloane off my damn mind. I’m so screwed.” Foster was still laughing as the girls came back, each with two plates of cheesecake.
***
Sloane
“Soooo…are you gonna tell me about that steamy kiss we walked in on last night?”
“Keep it down,” she whispered. The last thing Sloane needed was the guys overhearing their conversation.
“Oh don’t you worry none. I’m sure Foster is asking the same thing. Now spill it.”
Sloane took a deep breath and told Bella all about the powerful moment she’d shared with Max on the dance floor at The Void, the need to get away from him the next morning, and the slut nurse. Bella sat at the breakfast bar listening intensely until she finished up with how the kiss was nothing to him and the way he behaved when Kasper came by.
“Wow. He must have it bad.” She giggled.
“Kasper doesn’t seem like the type of man to get attached to a woman.”
“I meant Max.” Bella laughed again.
“Max? How did you come to that conclusion?” Sloane wished Bella were right, but she couldn’t believe it could be true.
“I just know. It’s like a page out of the ‘Male Caveman 101’ handbook. If he clubs you over the head and drags you off, remember, that’s a good thing. Let’s get back before they send a search party.” They laughed all the way back to the table.
