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“Max, you said you were in, right?” Mirabella smiled slyly.
“How could I refuse after you made stew?”
“You can’t.”
The next thing Max knew it was almost midnight. Sloane’s bottle of red was as empty as her glass. The alcohol induced pink flush covering her cheeks made him smile to himself, even if the reason she drank that much didn’t. This was Brody’s “vanilla” girlfriend—the one he was cheating on, and apparently not for the first time.
The three of them had settled in the living room after dinner, and he now sat in the recliner in the corner, watching Sloane stare into the fireplace. Mirabella and Foster held hands on the couch, whispering into each other’s ear. They occasionally glanced at Sloane, only to whisper some more. Sometimes giggling, but mostly they looked concerned.
Max couldn’t take his eyes off her; she made his insides crawl. It was as though his skin was too tight for his body. He wanted to push her hair out of her eyes like he’d watched her do a dozen times tonight. He wanted to tell her Brody was a damn fool and didn’t deserve her. To take her lips with his. He wanted her. Plain and simple. But he’d just met her. How could he feel this strongly? It didn’t make any sense.
Sloane stood up abruptly like she’d awakened from a trance. She staggered slightly, using the mantel to steady herself.
“Thank you both for dinner,” she said. “It’s late; I better get going.”
Bella shook her head. “Honey, stay here tonight. You’re in no condition to drive.”
“I’m fine, really.” She stumbled, only to fling a hand out to balance against the wall.
Max stood up. “I’ll take her home. I was going to head out myself.”
“That’s all right, Max. You don’t have to,” Bella protested.
Max walked over to Sloane and gently pried her keys from her fingers. Warmth spread from every place her fingers touched his. It radiated up his arm and throughout his body similar to an electric current from a live wire. She pulled her hand back quickly, her eyes widening. Max knew she felt it too. His eyes were drawn to her full lips, and her tongue darted across them, leaving them glistening. His body responded to such a simple act just as easily as if she’d rubbed herself against him. Yup, time to get outta here before Foster figured it out. He always could read Max like a book.
“Don’t even think about it,” Max said. “I’m driving, no arguments.”
“Aren’t we bossy?” she mumbled under her breath.
They said their goodbyes. Max hugged Mirabella, making sure to keep the lower half of his body pulled away from her. Last thing he needed was for her to know he was semi-erect. Foster raised an eyebrow and smirked. He gave Max’s shoulder a slap goodbye.Shit. He knew something was going on.
Sloane trailed him out of the house to his pick-up truck parked on the street. He opened her door, making sure she was settled inside the cabin before closing it. Max walked around the front of the truck and slid in the driver’s seat.
“Thank you,” Sloane murmured. “I don’t normally drink so much when I know I have to drive.”
“Don’t mention it. There are worse things to do besides escorting a beautiful woman home.”
Sloane gave him directions across town to her apartment building. He parked in the only empty spot he could find. Taking her hand, Max helped her out of the vehicle. He was reluctant to let her go, but he did. Not trusting his ability to keep his hands to himself, he shoved his hands in his pockets, and they walked toward the building side by side. The moon was full overhead, illuminating the parking lot. Once inside, she stopped in front of the elevators. She leaned against the wall after pushing the Up button.
“I’m on the fifth floor. Apartment five-oh-four.” She reiterated the apartment number with her fingers, drawing it in the air with a giggle that sent a jolt down his spine.
Shaking his head and trying to hide his own smile, he took her by the elbow to lead her inside the elevator car. Max pushed the button marked with a five. The doors closed and the car rose quickly. She slumped against the back wall of the car.
Max imagined what she might taste like. He could easily fantasize stalking over to where she stood and pinning her to the wall as he claimed her lips. He stood there watching her until the doors reopened on her floor. After guiding her down the hallway, he stood outside her apartment door and waited for her to unlock it and enter before he left. She turned to him with the door partially open.
“Thanks again, Max.”
Her big blue eyes looked up at him from under those damn bangs. Without thinking what a gigantic mistake it was, Max gave in and slowly pushed her bangs away from her face. Those beautiful blues stole the small amount of resistance he had left. He slid his hand around the back of her neck, pulling her to him and claiming her lips. He slanted his mouth across hers, pulling a small moan from her. His tongue slipped past her lips and caressed hers. She tasted of cherries and red wine. Sloane pulled him even closer using his belt loops as handles, pressing her hips into him. His erect cock pressed into her tender belly. He was coming unglued. How could one kiss light him on fire like this?
Sloane pulled back, gasping, when her phone started ringing. Her trembling fingers touched her kiss-swollen lips in…shock? Perhaps awe?
“I should get that,” she panted. Every macho-infused cell in his body relished the knowledge that he made her do that. She was just as affected as he was.
“Don’t,” he said sternly. Her eyes widened, but otherwise she didn’t move a muscle. Max closed the narrow space between them yet again. Sloane’s breath hitched before his lips crashed down on hers. He released her abruptly. “I better go.”
Max kissed her forehead softly. Turning quickly, he made his way a few feet back to the elevator doors. He looked back while he waited for the steel doors to open.
“And Sloane, next time you even think of driving home after drinking and I hear about it, therewillbe consequences.”
