AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 13
Maxi shifted her weight from her left foot to her right foot as she scanned the crowd at the after party. Everyone looked to be having a good time and the night, the week, was almost over. Glancing down, she checked her watch for the fifth time in ten minutes. The countdown was on. The cars would be here any minute to take Ricco, who she’d actually grown fond of over the past week and Alan, who’d she’d actually grown to dislike more over the past week, to the airport.
The finish line was in sight, all she had to do was cross it.
“Car service is five minutes out,” Cora chirped as she stepped beside Maxi.
“Great.” Maxi was so proud of her team. They’d all gone above and beyond and she’d already spoken to Jessie about what she could do to reward them.
“This week has been crazy, but now that it’s over, I’m kind of sad.” Cora’s gaze was focused on Ace, but even if it hadn’t been Maxi would’ve known that he was the origin of her melancholy before she made her way back across the room.
Maxi could totally see the appeal. Ace was tall, dark and handsome with the added bonus of being just a little bit dangerous. He’d spent twelve years in the Marines, eight of which had been in Special Ops. His light eyes were perfectly contrasted by his olive skin and dark hair. He was smart. Funny. Had a slight but sexy twang which she’d learned came from his Georgia roots and could probably kill you with one hand tied behind his back.
And Maxi felt nothing for him. The man beside him, however, was a different story. This week had been a marathon and not just professionally. She’d been running from Billy as well. She couldn’t be in the same room with him without her hormones overriding any ounce of logic that her fried brain had left.
This week had taken Billy Marshall out of the fantasy realm of a fictional prince that she’d created and plopped him front and center into her reality, and unlike so many things in life, the reality was so much better than the fantasy. And that was quite a feat considering her overactive imagination.
She’d always wondered what it would be like to have his undivided attention, after this week she knew…it was amazing. He was like Sting from his days in the Police. Every move she made, every step she took, he was watching her.
She’d dreamed about what it would be like with him being the last face she saw at night and waking up to his five o’clock shadow in the morning. Now she knew. It was heaven on earth.
She’d thought about what it would be like to spend more than a few hours a week with him. Would his charm and wit wear off? Would she would grow bored like she had with every other guy she’d dated? Now she knew that time only increased his charm and wit and she was definitely not bored.
She’d imagined what it would be like to be touched by him in more than just a passing graze. Now she knew it was tantalizingly seductive and somehow also comfortingly safe.
She’d fantasized about what it would be like to have him hold her, kiss her, to make love to her…The jury was still out but she was sure just like the rest it would far exceed anything she’d been able to conjure up. Hence the reason she’d kept herself even busier than necessary this week. Alone time with Billy couldn’t lead to anything good.
For that reason, as much as she was looking forward to those cars pulling up, she was equally dreading their arrival. Without work as an excuse to keep them apart, she would actually have to talk to him and not let the fact that his voice was like a shot of whiskey to her inhibitions show. She’d have to look into his caramel eyes and try not to drown in their golden depths.
Yeah. She was so screwed.
When her phone dinged, she expected to see a message from the car service. Instead it was a message from her dad saying that he’d made it to Harper’s Crossing and was going to spend the night there before heading home tomorrow.
Tomorrow.
That was another situation she didn’t want to face. She’d have to tell her dad what was going on tomorrow. When he’d messaged them that he was extending his trip last weekend, for some naïve reason, Maxi had thought that this entire thing would be resolved by the time he returned. But it looked like that wasn’t the case at all.
“What’s wrong?” Billy spoke softly next to her ear as his hand rested on her hip.
Oh my.
His deep timbre and heated breath caused her knees to wobble. She might miss that the most. The way he held her hip and spoke against her ear. It was more than just the sound of his voice, weight of his palm, and grip of his fingers, which on their own were all panty-melting. It was the feelings that it inspired in her. His touch was private. His words sounded intimate. Forget flowers and jewelry, this was what a girl should really want. That feeling couldn’t be bought.
When she didn’t answer his fingers tightened against her hip sending a shockwave of tingles through her.
“Nothing,” she managed to say, although it came out a tad more breathlessly than she would’ve liked. Taking a breath she explained, “My dad is staying overnight in Harper’s Crossing and he’s coming home tomorrow.”
“Are you okay?” he followed up.
No!Everything still felt completely out of control, including her feelings for Billy, especially her feelings for Billy and now she was going to have to tell her dad about everything that had been going on. She was so not okay.
“Yep. I’m fine.” And I’m also a big, fat liar.
“Cars are here.” Cora mouthed from across the room.
Maxi told herself that she just needed to hold it together for the next few minutes. Once Ricco and his people were safely on their way to O’Hare she could go home, lock herself in the shower, sing Pat Benetar’s “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” from the eighties classic Spring Fever and hopefully stave off the nervous breakdown that she actually felt she’d earned.
The next few minutes were a blur of activity as she corralled Ricco and his entourage—which had grown significantly larger over the last few days—to the back of the club where the SUVs were waiting to whisk them away. Once she was able to direct everyone down the hall that led to the back door she could see the metaphoric finish line. All she needed to do was cross it.
