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I was so engrossed in our conversation I had forgotten where we were, but that all changed when a group of ten people whizzed by us. Their feet stomped on the ground like a herd of cattle and Max pulled me into his arms as they passed.
When I looked up, a wide-toothed grin had spread across his face.
“Why are you smiling?” Although the sight of Max smiling was one of my favorite things to look at…right now he was creeping me out.
“You finished the list.”
I should have known he’d realize without me having to spell it out for him. He’d had it memorized just like I did. And with my apology behind me, it was complete.
“You should get something for finishing the list on time.”
“There was never a prize.” I cocked my head. “But I’m open to suggestions.”
“How about a confession?”
A confession? Despite the disaster of this morning, I feared the day was going to get even worse.
“You didn’t just change your own life, you know. You changed mine, too. You made me believe that I was more than porn. More than the life I’m supposed to be living.”
“You are. So much more.” I reached out and grabbed his hand. Maybe the day was looking up after all. “For the record, I don’t care about the porn.”
His eyes lit up with happiness at that moment. “You have no idea how happy it makes me that you’re okay with the porn.”
I knew he worried about how I felt about the industry. How I felt about being tied to a business that most people turned their nose up at, or spat on, or cursed. There were so many reactions to the business of people having sex for money, but I didn’t care about any of it.
“But you’re not the only one who quit their future today.”
I gasped. “You…you quit White Lace?”
He nodded. This was an epic day for both of us. We had both thrown away our futures and were left with nothing. Well, Max had a big, fat trust fund. I, on the other hand…
“Get out of the damn way.” A runner yelled at us as he ran by.
Max huddled me off to the side, but kept his eyes on me. “I live in a world where everything is fake, but you…were real. I was walking around like a zombie. Then I met you. In a world where I’m surrounded by flesh, passion, and pleasure…you make me feel alive.” His hands gripped my cheeks and he bent his knees to meet me at eye level. “I love you, Everly Parker.”
I froze. “What…” I was the most boring person in the world. How could I…?
His hand pressed against the back of my head and the next thing I knew our mouths were smashed together and his tongue had slipped between my lips. He wasted no time taking it slow. He devoured my mouth, devoured me, right on the track.
I didn’t think the feel of someone’s lips could make my life better, but they did. Max’s lips made everything right. They even had the ability to ease my pain. The only sensations registering right now were aimed directly at my crotch.
Although I had thrown everything I had ever worked for away today, I knew I would have survived it all—failing law school, disappointing my parents, losing Max. I would have had a future, but I knew living that future without him wouldn’t have been living. Because I loved him, too. I had loved him the moment he brought me on that boat and tried to show me his penis.
More curse words were thrown at us. Then someone whooped in the distance.
He pulled away, resting his forehead against mine. I reveled in the caress of his breath against my chin. “I love what you did with the accomplishment room.”
“You saw it?” I had wondered, now that I was out of the picture, if his relationship with his father would right itself so he could see the new additions to the room.
“My dad invited me over. I…I knew just how w
rong I was about you when I saw it.”
Mission accomplished.
“And…things with your dad…?” He couldn’t just leave me hanging. His world had been turned upside down. I wanted desperately to know that he was dealing with it.
“We talked.” He let out a heavy breath. “We still have more to talk about but I’m feeling…better about it. I wish they would have told me, but I get why they didn’t.”
