Hailey shivered, but before she could respond to that promise, the waitress stopped by their table to clear Max’s empty plate. “Do either of you want or need anything else before I bring the check?”
“No, thank you,” Hailey said.
Max shook his head. “I’m good.”
“Then I’ll be right back with the bill,” the server said.
Hailey glanced at the time on her phone, surprised to see that it was already past eight in the evening. “I really should get going. I have an early meeting with a client tomorrow morning who is having her first matchmaking reception on Saturday.”
“Sure.” Max withdrew his wallet and paid the bill when it was delivered, then moved out of the booth so she could slide out, too. “I’ll walk you out to your car.”
“You don’t need to do that,” she said, putting on the sweater she’d worn to the restaurant since it was the beginning of April and still chilly outside in the evenings. “Since you spent all your time with me tonight, you should probably go and hang out with Connor for a bit.”
“I know I don’t need to do it,” Max replied with lighthearted sarcasm as he grabbed her hand again—something she secretly liked and was quickly getting used to. “I want to do it. And even if I did plan to join Connor, I’m not letting you walk to your car alone at night.”
Always the gentleman, of course Max would insist on accompanying her. She didn’t issue any other argument as he headed toward the front of the restaurant. The last time he’d held her hand like this, he’d been dragging her back to his office for a confrontation, with her trotting a few steps behind him because of his fast stride. This time, she was able to walk next to Max, like they were a couple, and when a few single women sitting at the bar glanced at Max appreciatively, a territorial thought popped into her mind.
Back off, ladies. He’s mine. Or at least he would be for a little while, until she figured a way out of this mess she’d gotten them both into. The end was inevitable. It was just a matter of when. Max himself had admitted to being a bachelor, and she wasn’t foolish enough to believe she’d be the one to change that status.
Her car was parked to the side of the building, and when they neared her white Honda Accord, she disengaged the alarm and unlocked the door with her remote. Max walked her to the driver’s side, but instead of opening the door, he turned her around and gently eased her backside against the side of the vehicle.
As soon as her body touched the car, she sucked in a quick breath. “The metal is cold.”
He smirked and didn’t hesitate to align his body right in front of hers, making her want to snuggle into the delicious heat emanating off of him. “Then it’s a good thing I’m here to warm you up.”
She laughed, and now that everything was out in the open between them, it was easy for Hailey to relax and enjoy what she knew was about to happen. Want it, even. Because kissing Max was one of the most singularly pleasant things she’d ever experienced, and she wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity to do it again.
He pushed his hands into her hair, his fingers tugging on the strands as he tipped her head back and looked into her eyes with a smile that was as sensual as a caress. “So, how would you like this kiss, sweet girl?” he murmured, the rich timbre of his voice flowing over her like warm honey. “Slow and soft and all about the romance? Or hard and deep and thorough?”
She’d already experienced both with Max, and either option made her blood sing, but the thought of him seducing her mouth and taking his time doing it already had her legs quivering. “I want it slow, please,” she whispered.
“Good choice,” he said, dipping his head to lick across her bottom lip before sealing their mouths together, giving her what she asked for, everything she craved with him.
He took his time and didn’t rush, making sure her lips were nice and wet and slick before he took things deeper. She moaned when he slid his tongue inside, her hands reaching out and settling at his sides, just above the waistband of his dress pants. She could feel the heat of his skin through his shirt, and if she were braver and more sexually daring, she would have pulled the hem from his trousers so she could run her fingers over his firm stomach and up to his chest.
As if he had all night long, his tongue stroked lazily along hers, lingering and teasing and tempting her as he slanted her head one way, then another, depending on the angle he wanted. Her breasts tightened and ached, and she moved restlessly against him, drawing a groan from his chest that reverberated against her lips.
After what seemed like forever, he moved his mouth from hers. He slid his lips along her jaw, trailing soft, gentle kisses up to her ear while pressing his hips harder against hers. “Can you feel how much I want you?” he asked, his breath hot and damp on her neck.
He was at least seven solid inches of wanting her, and her sex clenched at the thought of him filling her and burying the rigid length of his cock to the hilt so that she was completely pinned beneath him. “Oh, God, yes.”
She felt him smile against her neck before he marked her with a gentle love bite that sent tremors running throughout her body. “When you’re ready, when you’re begging for my cock, it’s yours,” he said with a rough edge to his voice. “All of it. As hard and deep as you want it. As fast as you need it.”
A soft, mewling sound rose up from her throat—a sound so shameless it shocked her. She was slick between her thighs, so physically ready she knew it wouldn’t take much to orgasm if she were at home, lying in her bed, her fingers circling and rubbing her clit. No man had ever given her an orgasm—by hand, mouth, or intercourse—and she suddenly wanted Max to be the first to make her climax, when that time came. And she knew without a doubt, sooner or later it was going to happen, because she wanted it to.
Max finally lifted his head from her neck, his breathing harsh as he stared into her eyes. “Jesus,” he rasped, the sound scratchy and aroused. “All I can say is that any man you’ve ever dated has been stupid as fuck. And they obviously don’t know what to do with a woman as sexy and passionate as you.” A slow, sinful smile curved his mouth. “But don’t worry, sweet girl, I know exactly what to do to make your body purr.”
She bit her bottom lip, believing every word he spoke.
He gently released her hair and slowly took a step back. Then, he opened the car door for her and waited until she was in the leather seat and buckled up before saying, “So, I’ll pick you up at four on Sunday for the get-together at Wes and Natalie’s?”
“Yes,” she said, looking forward to seeing him again.
“See you then,” he replied with a smile as he closed her door.
God, three days never felt so far away in her life.
Chapter Six
At ten thirty on Friday evening, Max lay in bed watching an episode of Criminal Minds on TV, debating on whether or not to call Hailey. Deliberately not contacting her for the past twenty-four hours since he’d put her inside her car and she’d driven away from him had been sheer torture. He’d been restless all day, finding it hard to concentrate when his mind was consumed with thoughts of her and everything that had transpired between them the day before.
In the span of a few hours, they’d gone from business associates to perpetuating a fake engagement, not that he was complaining about the legitimate excuse he now had to spend more time with her. He’d been attracted to Hailey from the first day they’d met, and the more he learned about her, the more his interest increased, not diminished as it normally did with the women he’d dated in the past—or with the women his mother set him up with.
While all those other women had been beautiful and sophisticated and worldly, they’d lacked . . . substance. In comparison to Hailey, their conversations were superficial, their personalities one-dimensional and shallow. The topic of discussion was either all about them or they tried too hard to impress him. He’d been through the same process, time and again. Different women but the same end result of being bored and his interest quickly waning.
/> Coming from a wealthy family, and having done extremely well in the luxury real estate business, Max knew his money was definitely an allure to the fairer sex. But at the age of thirty, he was at a point in his life where he was looking for more in a relationship. He wanted something substantial and meaningful, and a connection that went deeper than just surface appearances or a temporary hookup. Hailey had given him a glimpse of all those things last night at the bar, when she’d opened up and shared something so personal and private with him—her parents’ deaths, being raised by her aunt and uncle, and her struggle to be on her own and make positive changes in her life. But he’d also been privy to a deeply vulnerable side to Hailey that had stirred his protective instincts, and that was something new to him, too. If he ever came across the asshole who’d damaged her self-esteem in college, Max was certain the other man wouldn’t walk away unscathed. In fact, he’d take great pleasure in teaching the jerk some manners—with his fist, because Max was all about defending a woman’s honor.
The TV show he was barely paying attention to went to commercial, and he reached over to his nightstand and picked up his cell phone. After everything that had happened yesterday, he’d wanted to give Hailey space so she didn’t feel overwhelmed—by their real fake engagement or by him. But as he was starting to learn Hailey’s habits and understand her insecurities, he was concerned that time apart for three days, without any contact, might cause her to doubt them, which in turn would make things awkward between them when they saw each other again on Sunday. And that was the last thing he wanted.
Decision made, he put the TV on mute and hooked up his Bluetooth so he could be hands-free, then brought up her number and put the call through. This was all about making sure she knew he was thinking of her, and he planned on keeping their conversation easy and casual. Nothing heavy or deep, especially after last night’s emotional revelations.
He set his phone beside him on the bed and relaxed more fully against the pillows he’d stacked behind him as she answered the call.
“Max?” she said, her husky voice drifting through the line. “Is everything okay?”
He heard the concern lacing her question, and realizing that the late hour must have worried her, he was quick with a reassurance. “Everything is fine. Did I wake you?” He cringed. He should have thought about that possibility before he’d called, considering it was now nearly ten forty-five.
“No. I’m in bed, but I’m still up,” she said with a soft sigh, the seductive sound making his cock twitch beneath the cotton fabric of his boxer briefs. “I always find it hard to sleep the night before a matchmaking event since I’ve got so many things going through my head that I don’t want to forget. It’s hard for my brain to shut down.” She paused, then asked self-consciously, “Is there something you needed?”
“No.” He smiled to himself. “I just wanted to hear your voice and see how your day was.”
“Oh.” He heard her surprise, as if she wasn’t used to someone checking up on her. “It was good but busy. Yours?”
“Same,” he said, wondering if he ought to let her go back to bed, considering her long day tomorrow. “Do you want me to let you go so you can try and sleep?”
“No,” she said quickly, leaving no doubt in his mind that she was staying on the phone because she wanted to. “You’re a nice distraction and I like talking to you.”
Her admission pleased him, and since he wanted to keep things light and playful, he came up with an idea. “Speaking of distractions . . . want to play a game?”
Her soft, sexy laughter was like a silky stroke across his skin. “Depends on the game. I think I’m beginning to realize that you like things a little . . . dirty.”
She was being a bit bolder than normal, probably because she didn’t have to look him in the eyes, and the safety of being on opposite ends of the line made her willing to take a few risks. To be a little naughty and flirt, and he intended to take advantage of her relaxed mood.
He clasped his hands on his bare stomach and settled in. “You don’t seem to mind me being dirty when I’m whispering in your ear all the filthy things I want to do to you.”
“Is that your game?” she murmured, a smile in her voice. “Who can talk the dirtiest? Because if so, you’ll win, hands down.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll work on that.” Because, yeah, he was looking forward to hearing that sweet mouth of hers telling him exactly what her body wanted, in explicit terms. “You just need a bit more practice talking dirty to someone who likes it. That would be me.”
She laughed again, amused this time. “What is the game, Max?”
“It’s called ask me anything,” he told her, tongue-in-cheek. “Since we’re still in the getting-to-know-you stage of our engagement, I figure it’ll help us get better acquainted with each other so we’re prepared for any personal questions when you meet my family. I’ll start.”
“Okay.”
He began with a simple, basic one. “Which would you rather have in the morning . . . ” Warm, sleepy sex in bed or a hot, slippery fuck in the shower? was what he wanted to ask. Instead, he went with a much safer, “Coffee or tea?”
“Definitely coffee,” she replied easily. “With cream and sugar. I can’t start the day without caffeine. You?”
“Coffee. Strong and black,” he replied. “Now it’s your turn to ask me something.”
“Hmmm.” The line went quiet for a few seconds while she thought about her question. “Do you prefer watching movies or reading books?”
“Watching movies,” he said without hesitation. “I’m all about instant gratification.”
“Of course you are,” she said wryly, and he imagined her doing an exaggerated eye roll. “I prefer reading. I’m all about making it last.”
He chuckled, enjoying the fact that she was comfortable enough to tease him and issue sexual innuendos. They spent the next half an hour asking most of the basic questions couples would want to know about each other: favorite color, favorite thing to do for fun, their major in college, favorite foods, and at least a dozen other common queries that gave them both better insight into their lives and personalities.
“What is your most annoying quirk?” Hailey asked when it was her turn again.
He groaned. “Are you really going to make me admit my worst habit so soon?”
“Yes,” she said, laughing.
“What if there’s more than one?” He certainly wasn’t a saint.
“Then I think you’re obligated to divulge the truth to your fiancée,” she said playfully. “I need to know what I’m getting myself into.”
“Fair enough.” He mentally pulled up a list of all those traits that would undoubtedly drive a woman nuts, and prepared himself to man up. “Let’s see . . . I drink orange juice out of the carton, but in my defense, I live alone, so it’s not as though anyone else is drinking it. I also let the dishes in the sink pile up, but I do rinse them first. If I’m watching a baseball game on TV, nothing else outside my personal bubble exists, and if you touch the remote or change the channel during the game, you will pay dearly. Yes, I leave the toilet seat up, but I’m sure I can be trained to put it down when I’m done. I occasionally leave wet towels on the bathroom floor and . . . can I stop now, please?” he all but begged, laughing.
“Wow.” She sounded completely shocked that he’d actually confessed all his transgressions. “I didn’t expect you to be so . . . honest.”
He smirked as he absently scratched a spot on his belly. “I’m not going to ask if you have any irritating habits, because I’m still in the honeymoon phase of our relationship, but I think you owe me big-time for that question and, of course, my honest answers.”
“You’d better make it a good one then.”
Damn. Was that a sultry dare he detected in her voice? He believed it was, and he wasn’t about to back down from her inviting challenge.
“What is your hottest sexual fantasy?” he asked, going for the gusto. “When you’re in be
d at night, touching yourself, what gets you off?”
A long stretch of silence ensued, and he was almost certain he heard crickets chirping across the phone line. He gave her time to absorb his request, to gather the confidence to tell him what he wanted to hear.
“Umm.” Her nervous hesitation vibrated against the Bluetooth piece in his ear. “I’m not sure that’s a question that your family is going to ask me.”
He laughed at her comment, which was a blatant attempt at avoidance. “I sure hope the fuck not. This question, and your answer, is all for me, sweet girl.”
He heard her exhale a deep breath, still uncertain, and decided to give her a little nudge in the right direction. “Are you still in bed?”
A distinct pause, then, “Yes.”
“Good,” he murmured gently. “Now close your eyes, relax your entire body, and imagine me kissing your neck and gradually sliding my lips down to your gorgeous breasts. Your nipples are already hard for me, aren’t they, sweetheart? So tight they want to be sucked on, and gently bitten.”
“Yes,” she said, an unmistakable tremor in her voice.
He closed his eyes, as well, his own mind getting in on the action as he mentally put himself in Hailey’s bed with her and envisioned pushing her tits together, his lips pulling on her tight nipples, his teeth scraping across the rigid tips. His dick hardened to granite, bulging against the front of his boxer briefs. He rubbed his hand over the pulsing length, already aching for release.
“Now spread your legs nice and wide and slide your hand in between,” he ordered and knew she’d obeyed when a soft, mewling sound escaped her. “Are you wet?”
“I’m . . . I’m getting there,” she admitted self-consciously, and he could easily imagine her blushing, torn between modesty and allowing herself to just let go and lose herself in the fantasy.
“Let me help you get there faster,” he offered, knowing he was about to risk pushing her outside that comfort zone Brielle had mentioned. The question was, would she trust him enough to take the leap?
The Book Boyfriend Series Box Set Page 24
