She pursed her lips, remembering the night she’d talked with Lock. “I mean, when he hung out with me, he was a perfect gentleman.”
“If by perfect gentleman, you mean trying to get you drunk.”
“I drank on my own,” she said. “I was fine.”
“Why are you defending him?” Max looked impatient now. “Do you like him or something?”
Jackie blinked in the face of Max’s jealousy. Sometimes it felt like his protectiveness had a darker side. “Not like I like you. Obviously.”
Max visibly relaxed. “Good.”
Jackie leaned back in her chair. “You need to trust people more sometimes.”
“No,” Max said. “I’m a bouncer. I think I get a pretty good view of how people really are.”
“Only the bad ones,” Jackie said quietly. “You only come over when someone has done something bad. There are lots of good people around, too.”
Max’s expression softened. “You’re right, of course. Though, you seem to be the only one who can make me see that. It’s the way I was raised, to think I was better than everyone. Even after I left home, it seems to have stuck with me.”
“Where are you from? We’ve never talked about your family.”
He took a deep breath, then looked at her drink. “Something we should probably discuss later, when we aren’t in the bar.”
She tried not to feel nervous about how he’d dodged her question. If he wanted to be exclusive with her, shouldn’t he tell her more about who he was?
Was he hiding something?
“How about you?” he asked.
“What about me?”
“Your family.”
She laughed, letting the alcohol relax her as she tried to refocus. “Oh, that. Well, I’m an only child. My parents helped put me through college, but now they’re enjoying traveling the world. Not much to say.”
“You had a good childhood?”
“The best,” she said. “I’d say adulthood is more difficult. Due to being an only child, sometimes I’m a bit shy and don’t go out much. That’s why friends like Tasha are the best.”
“She really cares about you,” he said.
“Yes.” She nodded, taking a sip of her drink and enjoying the burn as it went down. “Geez, Harley makes good drinks. This one had the weirdest name…”
“Nightmare Dragon?”
“That’s the one,” she said, sipping down the last drop. “Really refreshing and unexpected.”
“It’s named after one of our friends,” Max said, getting a far-off look in his eyes. “It suits him.”
She laughed. “He sounds delightful, then.”
“Oh, no,” Max said. “He’s pretty much like the drink. Super weird and will fuck you up if you get too much of him. But good in small doses.” He sighed. “He’s with a human, too.”
“Human?” She was a little drunk, but sometimes it felt like Max really talked oddly.
“A woman,” Max said. “That’s what I meant.”
“Right, why wouldn’t he be?” She looked sadly at her empty glass. “Nightmare dragon, huh? Wish there was another one.”
“There are three,” Max said.
“What?”
“Nothing.” Max took her empty glass from her. “How are you feeling? Pretty drunk?”
She stretched, enjoying the relaxed feel of her muscles. “No, just buzzed. By the time you get off and we go home, I bet I’ll be nearly sober.” She smiled at him. “Don’t think I forgot your promise to pick up where we left off.”
He paled slightly, and she had no idea why. “About that, perhaps we shouldn’t go all the way…”
“Why not?” She sat up abruptly. “I want to get my hands on that big ol’ dick.”
His jaw dropped. “What?”
She waved a hand. “Maybe I’m a bit drunker than expected. But you know, you could stand to loosen up.”
“I think you’re loose enough for the both of us,” he said, watching her carefully. “Maybe I should just take you home.”
“No,” she said. “I’m having fun. And I want to do more with you, so stop being nervous. Maybe you should put your mouth on a Nightmare Dragon.”
Max made a choking noise. “Sorry, what?”
She laughed. “Have some drinks. Loosen up. Do you ever just want to let go a little?”
Max frowned. “No. I need to stay in control. I need to keep an eye on everything.”
She leaned over the table, putting a finger on his nose and pressing it like it was a button. “Come on, Max. Live a little. You’re repressed even compared to me.” She ran her pink tongue over her lower lip and watched Max’s body stiffen. “You’re used to giving the orders, but I have a request for you. Before the club closes, before we head home, you need to get buzzed a little.”
“But—”
“No buts. I want to see how you are when you loosen up a little. You’ve seen me like that.” She sat back in her seat. “You make yourself a bit drunk, and I promise to make it worth your while.”
He stared at her, lust warring with indignation in those gorgeous, long-lashed gold eyes.
She stood from the table, stretching and watching as his eyes roved over her chest. “Now I’m off to go dance with Tasha.”
“No other men,” he said quickly.
She laughed. “Of course not. I’m saving myself for a drunk Max tonight.”
“But—”
Before he could protest further, she walked off, waving her hips side to side in response.
Chapter 19
“Why would she want me to get drunk?” Max asked Harley as she handed him the third Fireball of the night. They were closing pretty soon, and Benny had already agreed Max could leave first. He was trying to do as Jackie had asked by getting smashed.
Though, it wasn’t easy for a lion shifter and an uptight one at that.
“Maybe she just wants to see you unleashed a little. Maybe she’s just having fun being buzzed and doesn’t want to be the only one.” Harley grinned, looking over to where Jackie was dancing with Tasha, both girls looking slightly drunk.
“Why?”
“You two both seem like responsible types,” Harley said. “That’s why it’s fun to see you loosen up.”
“It’s not easy, though,” Max said, wincing as he put another drink down. “How do humans stand this stuff?”
“I have just the thing for you,” Harley said, reaching below the counter to pull out a bottle Max hadn’t seen. She poured some into a glass, mixed it with a couple other things, and set it on the counter. “There you go, the Dire Bear. Triple strength.”
Max’s eyes darted over to Benny at the door. “Funny.”
She smiled, but there was sadness in her green eyes. “Yeah.”
“Do you want me to talk to him?” Max said. “You know, he’s an idiot for not doing something sooner.”
Harley gave a shrug. “It’s fine. I’ve already accepted that nothing’s going to happen. I should just find someone else at the bar.” She looked at the crowd of humans and shifters. “After this, I’m not sure I could be with a human.”
Max cocked his head. “If you want Benny, then maybe you can’t be with anyone.”
Harley shrugged. “I’m not a shifter. Maybe I don’t have a fated mate. Maybe I would be happy with anyone.”
Max’s eyes went to Jackie. “I don’t know. Some humans are meant for one mate.”
Harley sighed as she grabbed her towel to dry a few more glasses. “Maybe.”
“I really will talk to him,” Max said.
“It wouldn’t work,” Harley said. “He’s too stubborn.” She glanced at the door. “I wonder when Lock will come back. You really should call him.”
“He wouldn’t pick up.”
“You could leave a message. I thought you wanted to make Jackie your mate.”
Max shrugged. “It can wait until Lock’s back.” He was confident he could take another step tonight without ruining everything.
“Be careful,”
Jackie said. “If you do get buzzed, you won’t be thinking straight.”
“I’m a lion,” Max said defiantly. “I can’t be felled by a simple drink.” He grabbed the Dire Bear and threw it back. “Not even one named after Benny.”
But like its namesake, the Dire Bear was stronger than Max could have imagined.
He was fine for a couple minutes, but just before he could grin triumphantly at Harley, the world spun slightly, throwing him off balance and almost making him fall off the stool.
“Whoa there, kitty,” Harley said, reaching out a hand to steady him.
“I’m fine,” he said, regaining balance and trying to salvage control of his mind. He didn’t feel bad exactly, just a little bit… loose. “Don’t call me kitty. I’m king of the jungle. Rawr.”
Harley handed over a bowl of peanuts. “Eat these. Sober up some. I think you might be a little too buzzed.”
Max gave her a bleary smile and began to eat the peanuts. As he looked over at Jackie, she seemed even more beautiful, as if that were possible. Under the lights in the club, she actually seemed to glow.
He wanted her, more than he’d ever thought it was possible to want anything.
Ignoring Harley’s warning to stay put, he got off the stool and headed out onto the floor, weaving only slightly.
The lion in him wanted to be with his mate, and the man in him was too drunk to hold him back.
Jackie was dancing across from Tasha, tossing her curls back and forth to the music, when warm arms wrapped around her from behind.
She jumped, hard, and turned to face whoever had grabbed her, only to see Max’s long hair partially covering his face as he leaned his head over her shoulder, keeping her back pinned into his chest.
To her surprise, he pushed her farther onto the dance floor, nibbling at her neck and swaying with the music, letting her feel all of his muscled strength.
“Max?” She tried to turn and look up at him, but his hands kept her pinned, one over her chest, one at her hips, a low growl emanating from his lips.
“Wow,” Tasha said, pausing in her dance as she looked up at Jackie and Max. “That’s, um… Never seen him like that.”
“Max,” Jackie said, giggling as she pulled on his hands. “You okay there?”
She spun in his arms, braced her hands on his large forearms, and looked up into his eyes. If anything, they looked even more feral than normal, his irises gleaming like molten brass.
The whites of his eyes were slightly reddened, and his cheeks had a bit of a flush. His hair was also extra mussed, and he made no attempt to push it out of his eyes, giving him a rakish look.
She pushed it behind his ear for him, and he shook his head to put it back in place. She laughed, cupping his cheek, surprised when both his hands lowered to her ass.
“Whoa,” she said, reaching for his hands to move them up to her waist. She grinned. “We aren’t back at your place yet.”
“Doesn’t matter,” he said gruffly, pulling her in tight and nuzzling his lips into her neck. His nails dug lightly into the soft skin above her hips. “I want all of you. All the time. I’m always holding back. You have no idea how much.”
She blinked up at him. Her grumpy, carefully controlled, usually stiff boyfriend had definitely taken her request to cut loose. “Harley really got you drunk, didn’t she?”
Max nodded. “You wanted me to.” He raised one of her hands to his lips and kissed it, continuing to dance as he did. His huge body could be so languid, so smooth when he was relaxed like this.
Before she could protest, he spun her out under his arm and then back in against him, her back to his front.
“I like you like this,” he growled, keeping his arms around her. “All mine. So trapped.”
Though she was barely buzzed anymore, she felt her whole body heat in response. This Max now reminded her of the Max from last night, but even hotter because he felt so unleashed.
Yet despite his inebriation, she still trusted him with all of her heart. It was a good feeling, and she let herself relax against him so they could sway to the music as Max hummed along. He growled occasionally when someone had the misfortune of getting too close to them, but otherwise, he seemed content to just keep her in his arms.
He reminded her a bit of an animal unwilling to let go of its toy.
She turned around to face him again, her eyes going to his full, perfect lips as he ran his tongue over them. “You sure you’re going to be okay to do things tonight?”
He nodded avidly. “Oh yeah.”
She wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head against his chest. “I don’t know.”
“I’ll show you,” he said in a low voice. Then he reached down and tipped up her chin, bringing his lips down over hers.
She groaned as he spread her lips with his, forcing his tongue inside, swiping around and filling her with warmth.
His large hand kept a strong grip on her. Otherwise, she might have melted into the floor. As he continued to kiss her, she felt herself become wet, ever more willing.
He left her lips and trailed down her neck, over her shoulder, pushing her blazer aside.
She smiled but pulled the blazer up to remind him where they were.
He gave the club around them a quick glance and, with a small snarl, caught her face with both hands and kissed her, his tongue going deep and sensual once again.
She couldn’t help thinking about what that tongue could do… so much lower. What it had done the other night.
When he pulled back, she could barely breathe, and all she wanted was to be away from the darkness and the music, alone and in his arms.
Naked. Wet. Sweaty.
He licked his lips, looking down at her again, but before he could pull her into his arms, she put a hand on his chest, forcing him to stop.
“Not here.”
She looked over at Tasha, who was still staring agape, fanning her face. Others in the club had also stopped to stare at them, though Max seemed utterly unaware.
His big chest was heaving, and his eyes were intense. He was focused on her in a way she hadn’t known anyone could be, and she felt utterly beautiful and helpless at the same time.
She tightened her hand into his sweater, pulling him closer. “Let’s go home.”
He nodded quickly, and she was surprised by how natural all of it felt. Calling his place home. Taking him by the hand to lead him out. Him sweeping her up in his arms the minute they were out of the club together.
“What about Benny and Harley?” she asked, holding on around Max’s neck.
“They’ll be fine,” Max said. “They ran the whole place on their own before. They’ll know where we went.” He smiled smugly. “I think everyone in the club can guess what’s going on.”
She flushed as she looked up at him. “I didn’t think you’d be the type to want people to know that.”
“I don’t want them to think of you that way, but I do want them to know. That you’re mine. That you’re everything. That someone like me is behind you, and if they mess with you, their ass is grass.”
She laughed, running a hand through a strand of his gorgeous hair. “You’re funny drunk. Your hair is beautiful, though. Have I told you that before?”
“I don’t know,” Max said. “Doesn’t matter. Just something I’ve always had.”
“Well, it’s beautiful,” she said, still feeling a slight buzz. “Never cut it off.”
“I can’t,” he said. “It’s my birthright. I’ll never cut it off, even though I’ll never be king.”
“King?”
He laughed. “Never mind. Inside joke.” He set her down when they reached his apartment, fumbling for his keys.
Sometimes she truly didn’t understand him. Odd things he said and then corrected. But at the moment, it didn’t matter. She had other things on her mind. They could get to know each other more later.
Right now, all she had to know was he was kind, protective Max. A man who could rescue a k
itten, rescue her from danger, and make her body respond as it never had before.
As he shut and locked the door behind him, she rushed forward to push him back against it, pinning him as she got up on her toes to press a kiss to his lips. For a second, she wanted to be in control.
But she had no complaints when he reversed things, spinning her in his arms so she had her back to the door and he had both of her hands pinned above her head.
“Thought to pin me, little one?”
She grinned up at him, amused. “Maybe. You’re so hot, after all.”
“My mate wants me,” he said, leaning in to inhale her hair, her neck. “It’s all I could want. And yet I’m afraid drunk, I can’t even hide the fact that I need all the control. I need to please you. I need to hold you. I need to be inside you.” He let out a little growl. “God, I need it all.”
“Then take it,” she said defiantly, loving the feel of her hands above her head. The way she felt small and helpless, as though he could do whatever he might want.
Chapter 20
Jackie gasped as Max pushed her blazer off and caught the front of her tank top, pulling it up over her head and around her hands. Then he reached behind, unhooking her bra.
It was so hot to be standing there, chest bare, still wearing her jeans. It was even hotter when he leaned forward, slipping his mouth over one of her nipples, sucking it into his mouth.
She squirmed, unable to move while he held her, licking and suckling and teasing one nipple and then the other with his teeth.
When she gasped, his hand that wasn’t holding hers above her head moved to her waist, feeling inside her belly button and then playing with the button of her jeans.
“God, you’re beautiful,” he said, flicking her jeans open with one simple move. Her wet nipples felt exposed to the air, extra sensitive and cold as he released her hands and knelt in front of her, cupping her hips as he pulled down her zipper and pushed her jeans out of the way of his mouth.
She quickly shook her tank top off her hands so she could grab his head as he kept her pinned to the door by his mouth playing at the edge of her panties.
Then, with both of his hands trapping her hips, he slowly pulled her panties down with his mouth, leaving her bare.
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