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Anna offered the realtor a smile, trying to gloss over Max’s rude comment. “I think Mr. Chandler and I need a moment or two alone.”
The woman flashed them a brittle smile and walked stiffly from the shop. Anna clenched both her hands into fists and counted back from ten. And then did it a second and third time. She didn’t know what had come over him, but for some reason, Max had a bone to pick with every place they’d been. Max had made what should have been a fun adventure into the trip from hell.
“I can’t believe that woman actually thought to offer you this place.”
His tone had become increasingly juvenile and obstinate through the afternoon. At first, she’d been shocked because it was so out of character. Max always acted as expected. This was just so…odd. Then, as the afternoon had worn on, she’d moved to wanting to strangle him. Now, she’d just like to stab him with a fork.
She rounded on him, her fists on her hips. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
His eyebrows rose in surprise, and he crossed his arms over his chest. “What do you mean?”
The frown he gave her was probably one that would make a lesser woman run screaming from the room. It didn’t work on her because she didn’t care anymore. He’d pushed her to the limit.
“What do I mean? I mean all the snide comments you made during this trip.”
He walked to the other side of the storefront and glanced out the window. The look he gave the grimy glass irritated her. Granted, this wasn’t her top choice of places. The space wasn’t big enough, the rent was too high, and the landlord apparently didn’t want to repair any of the damage that had been left by the previous tenant. That still didn’t give Max the right to act like a jackass.
“Snide comments?” He ran his fingers against the glass, then made a face when they came away dirty. “I have no idea what you are talking about. All I’ve done is given you my opinions on a few of the places.” But he shifted his feet as if uncomfortable with the subject.
“You call saying this place sucks an opinion?”
“Well…”
“Or maybe the last place? What was it you said…?” She tapped her finger to her chin in mock contemplation. “Oh, yes, you said you wouldn’t store the carcasses of dead dogs in it, especially for the price they were asking. You call that an opinion you should share with the world at large?”
“Listen, Anna, I was only trying to help.” He shoved his hands in his pockets, and she could have sworn he was pouting. And Anna would have laughed if it wasn’t hurting so much. Pain coiled in her chest as she looked at him. Never had a man’s opinion of her ability to run her business mattered so much. Was everything he said the night at the convention center a lie? She hated to think he said he was proud of her because he was sleeping with her.
She swallowed. “Do you not think much of my business sense?”
His shoulders slumped and a warmth darkened his eyes. “No, I really don’t think you need my help. It’s just…I don’t know. It was stupid, but, well…I just thought I could help you. Be a part of your decision-making process.”
The last part was said with such longing it struck a chord within her. “You just wanted to help me. Max, you have a very weird way of showing you want to help.”
For a second, he said nothing else and the only sound in the store was the air-conditioning kicking on. As if he couldn’t stand the space between them, he stepped forward and pulled her against him.
“I’m sorry. I know I was being a pig. I really don’t know what came over me.”
Anna snuggled closer, resting her nose against his neck. God, he felt so good. The warmth of his body surrounded her. She slipped her arms around his waist.
“Anna?”
His voice had a hint of worry in it, so she pulled back just a bit and looked at him.
“It’s okay, Max. I just thought you thought I was an idiot.”
He cupped her face and bent down to kiss her, but before he reached her lips, he said, “No. I meant what I said. You do know your business. I’m sorry, honey. I’m an ass.”
Before she could respond, he touched his lips to hers and she forgot her anger. His kisses were tender but underlined with a hint of passion so intense she felt tears brimming in her eyes. How did this man do this to her? The sweetness of the kiss conveyed deeper feelings. Feelings of want, of need, of more than just a good time.
Anna didn’t think, not before this moment, that he would mean those feelings for her. Max was mixing those things up because of their prior friendship. She’d accepted long ago she wasn’t the type of woman who inspired that in a man, but as he continued his gentle assault, nipping at her bottom lip, he kept his eyes open. Heat curled in the pit of her stomach. Even though it was not as demanding as most of Max’s kisses, Anna knew that this one could be her undoing. Because while her body responded, so did her heart. She wanted to shrink away from the feelings bombarding her. Arousal and fear twisted together, pulling her further under his spell. What she saw in his eyes scared the hell out of her, but what he was doing to her mind and heart was by far worse.
Before she was satisfied, before the fires he had been stoking had the opportunity to flame higher, he shifted back.
“Anna, I—”
The realtor cleared her throat, and whatever he wanted to say was lost.
She looked around Max and met the woman’s disapproving stare. “Sorry, but Max is right. This place sucks.”
