Page 83 of Maximus

“I am not,” I denied.

“So you weren’t just thinking about me and you in the shower together?”

“Okay, I was thinking about that,” I admitted. “But you were naked, wet, and soaping me up. So doesn’t that make my thoughts clean, not dirty?”

His body started shaking and I didn’t miss it because at some point, my hands had made their way to his chest and I felt him fighting back laughter.

“Well, technically, I’m right,” I said, our lips still so close all it would take was the slightest move and they’d be touching.

But I didn’t move. I didn’t do anything but stand there and enjoy a moment of teasing.

“Yeah, baby. Technically, I’d get you clean before I got you nice and dirty.”

The area between my legs started tingling, which made it hard for me to remember I needed to get breakfast for the boys.

“I need to get the boys breakfast,” I voiced my thoughts.

Max closed the scant distance and gave me a long, hard, closed-mouth kiss before he stepped away.

“So… Florida,” Max started and I groaned. Back to reality. “We’ll call Tex later, but I’d like you to think about something.”

“What’s that?” I asked when he didn’t continue.

Max’s gaze went to the direction of the living room before it sliced back to me. All humor was gone. He wasn’t frowning as such, but he certainly looked unsure.

“Tex is adamant you don’t go back to Florida, which I have to tell you I agree with him. I’d like you to consider staying here.”

“In Maryland?”

Hope springs eternal and all that shit.

So there I was, seriously contemplating making another huge decision. One that would affect not only me, but my boys. A move that could either be just what we needed or blow up in my face with disastrous results.

“Here in this house.”

“I can’t afford this house,” I told him.

“Z Corps is renting the house.”

“Z Corps? I don’t know what that is.”

“It’s the company I work for.”

That one sentence was like a wet blanket, reminding me I didn’t know anything about the man I’d agreed to enter into some sort of relationship with.

“What’s that look for?”

Max reached up and used his thumb to pull my bottom lip from between my teeth. The pad of his thumb wiped away the sting and it was then I realized how hard I’d bitten down.

“I don’t know anything about you.”

“What would you like to know?” he asked, not removing his hand from the side of my face, though his thumb had moved to my chin where he was now stroking.

“Everything.” I shrugged.

“Everything’s gonna take a while.”

“Do you have something better to do today?”