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“Slow what down?”

I almost laughed, except there was nothing remotely funny about the way he was looking at me.

“Us.”

Understanding came slowly, followed by something I couldn't bear to examine too closely.

“Yesterday you were coming home with me.”

“That was twelve hours ago, and I know how ridiculous this sounds. Nothing between yesterday and today should've changed, but things have, and I don't know how else to deal with it.”

Max studied my face. “Did I do something?”

“No. This is just getting complicated, and neither of us needs complicated right now.”

“What changed?”

There were so many possible answers that I didn't know where to start.

My father had discovered Max mattered. The video I'd spent years keeping hidden suddenly had a specific audience, and for the first time, I was more afraid of one man's reaction than I was of losing my entire career.

I shoved my hands into my pockets because I didn't trust them not to reach for Max.

“We're in the playoffs. You've still got the whole Melanie mess hanging around, and I've got my own shit to deal with.”

“Your father.”

My chest tightened. “I didn't say that.”

“You didn't have to.”

Apparently everyone had decided to say that to me today, but Max didn't give me time to come up with another excuse before taking a slow breath.

“Do you regret Vegas?”

The question caught me completely off guard.

“What?”

“Vegas. Do you regret it?”

His eyes stayed on mine, and there was nothing casual in his expression.

I opened my mouth knowing there was one answer that might solve everything.

All I had to do was say yes.

If I said it convincingly enough, maybe Max would back away completely. Maybe he'd decide I wasn't worth the trouble and stop watching me the way he had after my goal. Dad could send him whatever he wanted then because Max wouldn't care enough to open it.

Except the thought of making him believe that hurt almost as much as the threat itself.

“I think we got carried away.”

Something shuttered behind Max's eyes. “That's not what I asked.”

“Does it really matter?”

“To me, it does.”