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Maxine looked sheepish. What could she say? “You really care about me, don’t you?”
“I want to help you, Maxine. Let me. I can hire a private nurse for your mother.”
“Lucas, I…” Maxine broke off. She inhaled a deep breath before continuing. She really didn’t want to hurt his feelings but she had her pride. She wasn’t about to take a handout for nothing, especially from a rich, sexy bachelor. She didn’t want him to get the wrong idea. She didn’t want to send the wrong signal.
“Lucas, that’s so nice of you but…” Maxine bit down on her lower lip. “I just can’t accept that generous gift from you.”
“And why not?” he said forcefully.
"Well, there’s a price for everything, Lucas. You and I both know that nothing is free.”
“Ouch.” Lucas feigned a broken heart. “You really think I’m trying to buy you, Maxine? Now, that really hurt.” He seemed to be having fun with it instead of taking offense, which was a welcome relief for Maxine. The last thing she wanted to do was offend him. He was only trying to help her, wasn’t he?
“All I want is friendship, Maxine. Only if you want that.”
“Friendship?” Now it was her turn to take umbrage. Was that really all he wanted from her? “You mean friendship with benefits, right?” She cocked a brow. She really didn’t think a man as hot and sexy as Lucas Romero would only want female friends.
“You really do speak your mind, Maxine. I like that.”
“So do you. Sometimes.”
“Well, I try to be mindful these days.”
“But you would want something more from me, wouldn’t you?”
“Not if you don’t want it. But yes, I would love to f—, er, make love to you over and over again, enjoying the sounds of you screaming in unbridled pleasure like you’ve never known before. What’s wrong with that?” Lucas grinned as if nothing out of the ordinary was said.
Maxine must have flushed fifty shades of rouge. She was getting hot inside. Too hot. She swallowed hard and with shaking hands grabbed the glass of water that was by the side of the table and placed it to her lips. She needed air to breathe. She needed oxygenated water right now.
“Sorry,” he laughed. “Sometimes, I get ahead of myself. But you did want to hear what I had on my mind.”
“I did,” she said, smiling. “I’m…glad.” I’m flattered, too. Lucas really wants to do that to me? She visualized what it would be like writhing beneath this sex god on a bed, naked bodies entwined in an erotic fantasy. She was throbbing between her thighs.
Time to switch the subject.
“Listen, I’m very thankful…grateful that you want to help me, Lucas. But like I said, I’ll find a way to help my mom out.”
“It’s not a handout, Maxine.” His tone was more serious. He was really serious about helping her for nothing in return, wasn’t he? “You do love your mother, don’t you?”
“Of course, I do!” she shot back, placing her glass back on the table. “I’ll do anything for her.”
“Well, I can get you anything you want. Let me know. But I’ll need your consent first. I can have a twenty-four hour nurse to care for your mother.” He swiped his cell phone from his pocket. “Just say the word.”
“Lucas! I can’t have you do that.”
“Why not? I can do whatever the hell I feel like…as long as I have your consent, of course.” He gave her a wicked grin to melt her heart again. He was really serious, wasn’t he? He was so unlike the carefree bachelor she’d read about in news reports. Which went to show that you can’t believe everything you read or hear about a person.
“Yes, but—" The truth was she was worried sick about her mother’s safety in the nursing home since short-staffing was always an issue at the facility.
“Self-care, Maxine. You need to take care of number one before you take care of anyone else in your life. I know it sounds selfish but there is no other way. Besides, I don’t want to see anything happen to you.”
Maxine swallowed. “I promise to take care of myself, Lucas. You don’t have to worry about me.” She tried to brush him off with a grin and a roll of her eyes.
