“All right, Max, you made your point.”
“Thank Christ,” he muttered then grinned.
“But you’re still domineering.”
“And you like it.”
“I do not,” I snapped.
“Baby, if I wasn’t you’d be at the hotel in town or worse, in Denver and you wouldn’t be right here.”
“Which is where I don’t want to be. I want to be upstairs, nursing my snit,” I shot back.
“Too bad, darlin’, because you aren’t goin’ anywhere.”
“Fine, then I’ll nurse my snit here,” I shot back, crossed my arms and transferred my glare to the fire.
After a moment Max sighed then his hand came to the back of my neck and, as he sat back in the chair, he forced my head to his shoulder. I let him do this but I still kept my eyes on the fire and my arms crossed on my chest.
We were silent awhile before Max spoke again.
“Becca told me about Mindy.”
At his tone, I pulled in breath, pushed down my irritation and asked, “Sorry?”
“She told me that she was worried somethin’ like today would happen.”
I uncrossed my arms and lifted my head to see he was also gazing at the fire.
“Really?”
“Yeah,” Max replied, not shifting his eyes from the fire. “That’s why we moved her out of her place and into Becca’s. Becca and I decided it on Tuesday. We needed to keep a closer eye on her so we worked it and got it when Damon fell into our plans, bein’ such a dick.”
Something was wrong in his tone, in the blankness of his face so I called, “Max.”
“Shoulda kept her up here with us,” Max whispered and I knew what was wrong.
I slid my arm along his belly and curled it around his side, whispering, “Max.”
“Shoulda told Brody.”
“Max.”
“Shoulda took her myself to talk to someone.”
I gave him a squeeze and said more firmly, “Max, look at me.”
Slowly, his eyes went from the fire to me and what I saw in them made me melt into him as my arm left his middle and my hand went to his neck.
“Darling, this stuff will torture you if you don’t let it go.”
“Nina –”
“I missed the signs too and I’ve seen them before.”
“Nina.”
“You couldn’t have stopped today if this was where she was heading. You can’t do that to yourself.”
“Hard not to think I fucked up when all I got in my head is you jumpin’ into that river and her floating in it.”
Yes, I was such an idiot.
My fingers flexed at his neck and I pulled myself up to get closer to him.
“Max, you didn’t fuck up.”
“Coulda took you both.”
“Max –”
“Woulda been on me if it did.”
I pulled up closer and my hand slid into his hair.
“Stop it,” I whispered, Max opened his mouth to speak and I moved to stop him, pulling up further and pressing my mouth to his.
His hand slid up my spine, my head came up from my kiss and I saw his eyes were still dark with bleak emotion.
I slid my nose alongside his and spoke again. “Max, stop it, everyone’s safe and I won’t run into anymore rivers, I promise.”
“Baby –” he whispered, unamused.
“Sweetheart, don’t go down that path. I’ve been down it and, trust me, it leads nowhere.”
His eyes moved over my face then his fingers slid into my hair and he pressed my face into the side of his neck.
“Sorry, Duchess, you don’t need this shit, the demons you been battlin’ today,” he muttered, my arms slid around him and I kissed his neck.
Then I said, “You know, earlier today I wondered if it would have hurt less if I hadn’t been alone when Charlie died.”
His fingers slid through my hair and he asked, “Yeah?”
“I decided it wouldn’t have.”
“Probably not.”
“But, maybe, if I hadn’t been alone I wouldn’t have wandered down that path.”
“Probably not,” he repeated.
“So, since you’re not alone, will you let me guide you away from that path?”
He was silent a moment then he asked an impossible question, “Where we goin’, honey?”
“I don’t know, just not there.”
His body shook with silent humor, not a lot of it but it still shook.
“That shield you got, babe, like titanium,” he muttered and my arms gave him a squeeze.
“I thought we were going to enjoy being alive, breathing and alone?” I reminded him.
“Yeah.”
“We’re not really doing that.”
“Nope.”
“Let’s move onto that phase of the evening,” I suggested.
His fingers curled around my shoulder and gave me a squeeze.
“Good idea,” he murmured.
“Do you want a beer?”
“No.”
“I can make some hot chocolate,” I offered.
“Thanks, but, no.”
“Do you want anything?”
“Anything?”
My stomach dipped and my body grew tense.
“Max –”
“There’s somethin’ I been wantin’ a while.”
“Max –”
“Take my mind off things.”
My head came up and I repeated, “Max.”
His fingers slid into my hair again and his eyes focused on my mouth. “Be a good way to celebrate breathin’, bein’ alive and bein’ alone.”
“I –”
“Kiss me, Duchess.”
My hand went to his chest as his hand pressed my face closer to his.
“You’re being domineering again,” I informed him.
I felt his mouth grin under mine and watched his eyes do it.
“Yeah, baby, fair warnin’, when we’re naked, you better get used to that.”
I gasped at his words then he kissed me.
It could have been the snow falling softly all around the A-frame, the fire burning in its grate, the soft lighting under the cupboards in the kitchen and just the lamp by the couch lit making the house more cozy and romantic than ever.
It could have been what happened that day to Mindy, Brody, Max and me and relief that we were all here, still able to walk, talk, breathe, kiss.
It could have been Max’s long fingers in my hair, his hard, warm body so close to mine, his mouth tasting vaguely of coffee and cake and strongly of Max.
It could have been that this was Max and, today, he proved he was more Wonder Max than ever.
Or it could have been he was just a very good kisser.
But I melted into him and his kiss, tipping my head to the side, lifting my hands to his neck and sliding my fingers into his thick hair, touching my tongue to his.
He growled in my mouth and at the feel of it, the sound of it, my body responded to just how much I liked that noise coming from Max and the fact that it was me who made him make it, I pressed into him.
His hand went from my waist, up my shirt and I felt the rough pads of his fingers against the skin of my back.
My body liked that too.
I pressed closer.
Max twisted his torso to me, pushing me back into the chair, his hand coming to my front, running over my ribs, my midriff then up to cup my breast.
“Yes,” I whispered against his lips when his warm hand closed over my soft flesh.
Then I kissed him, our tongues tangling, his thumb stroking my nipple, one of my hands went from his hair to tug up his shirt and it slid in, gliding along his hot skin and solid muscle.
His finger found his thumb and together they squeezed then rolled.
I felt this dance through my body, most specifically straight between my legs, and it felt so good, I liked it so much, I lost it.
I pushed him back and followed him, moving u
p over him to straddle his hips as my hands went to his shirt, lifting it up. Max helped, his hands went from me to the back of his neck where he tugged the shirt over his head, down his arms and he tossed it away.
It was my time, my chance, his magnificent chest was right there in front of me and I wanted to explore.
So I bent, my lips going to his neck, my hands going to his body, both explored, fingers, lips, tongue, teeth. I slid down, bowed my back to get to him, taste his skin, drift the tips of my fingers across the ridges of his belly, run the edges of my teeth against his nipple, the sound of him sucking in breath forcing a surge of wetness to strike between my legs.
His fingers curled into my shirt and up it went, forcing my torso up, my arms then it too was tossed away and Max’s hands came to my back, pressing in, forcing me to arch forward, pushing me up and his lips fastened on my nipple over my bra.
“Max,” I breathed as the sensation of his mouth closing on me rocked through my body, my hands sliding into his hair and his tongue flicked out.
Even over my bra this felt better than his fingers, way better. He had a very strong tongue.
“More,” I demanded on a whisper, my hips instinctively rolling against his hard crotch and his mouth went away but his hand pulled my bra down, his fingers curling around my breast and there it was, Max’s mouth direct on me.
Divine.
I tipped my head down to watch and there was something so amazing about Max’s dark head close to my skin, his tanned hand holding my breast to his talented mouth, I couldn’t hold it back and I heard my moan as it escaped my lips.
His head tilted back, his face more beautiful suffused with want, especially his want of me, and he muttered, “Jesus, honey.”
“More,” I whispered again and suddenly we were up, Max’s hands at my bottom, my legs went around his hips, my arms went around his shoulders and he was striding to the stairs.
I couldn’t stop, didn’t have near enough of him, maybe I could never get enough. But I was going to try.
I bent my head and put my mouth to his neck, tasting it with my tongue, tugging his earlobe with my teeth.
Before I knew it we were by the bed, Max bent at the hips and the light went on.
“Drop your legs, Duchess,” he ordered and I did what I was told.
I no sooner got my feet on the floor then the drawstring was pulled on my pajama bottoms and they pooled at my ankles and then I was up again, only to be partially placed, partially tossed on the bed.
I watched Max follow me down but he didn’t land on top of me, his hands slid up my inner thighs, spreading my legs and then his mouth was on me, over my panties.
I heard the low, rough noise escape my throat as his mouth moved on me then he muttered, “Fuckin’ soaked,” before his fingers shoved the material of my panties aside and his mouth was on me.
I bucked against his mouth and moaned, “Max.”
It was debatable whether his finger or his tongue was more gifted until his finger slid inside and his mouth covered my sweet spot and sucked deep. My whole body jolted at the sheer beauty of it and I knew a combination of the two was the best.
“Oh my God,” I breathed because it was coming and it was going to be beyond anything I’d ever experienced.
Then Max’s finger slid away and his mouth moved up an inch and he kissed me over my panties.
My head shot up and I cried in protest, “Max!”
His hands went to my armpits and he hauled me up and twisted me in the bed until my head hit the pillows and he came down on top of me.
“You stopped!” I accused.
“We’re comin’ together this time, baby,” he said against my mouth and then kissed me, his tongue sliding inside and this time I tasted me on Max and it was so appealing, me mingled with Max, I forgot to be angry that he left me hanging and I kissed him back.
He rolled to my side, his finger hooking in my underwear, tugging it down and I pedaled my feet to kick them off. They no sooner left my ankles then Max’s arms came around me and he rolled to his back, taking me with him and I pulled up, straddling him and my hands instantly went to his jeans. His hand went to the nightstand. I unbuttoned. He pulled open the drawer.
I slid down his thighs and bent low, touching my lips to the flat, taut skin over the waistband at his fly as I kept unbuttoning. His hand came to my hair. I got the buttons undone and yanked the jeans partly down his hips and saw my first glimpse of the true meaning of Wonder Max.
He was beautiful all over.
My hand wrapped around him for half a happy second when I was pulled up, rolled over and Max was on me.
“You keep stopping me in the middle of the good stuff,” I snapped, my hands sliding down his back, one going in his jeans and over his bottom and it was soft (his skin) and tight (his muscle) and I immediately decided I loved it.
Max ripped open a condom with his teeth before he grinned, his mouth came to mine and he promised, “You’ll get the good stuff, Duchess.”
His hand was working between us but his mouth was now covering mine and he was kissing me again and then his hips were between my legs and, just as I was really getting into the kiss, I felt the muscles of his bottom bunch under my hand and he thrust into me.
The feel of him, so big, so glorious, surging into me, filling me, connecting me to him, made me break our kiss as my neck arched reflexively and I committed that moment to memory, burned it into my brain, knowing I’d never forget it as long as I lived.
My other hand went into his jeans, both my legs bent at the knees to give him deeper purchase and I pressed them against his sides as Max pulled out and rammed back in.
“That’s beautiful,” I whispered the God’s honest truth.
“You’re absolutely fuckin’ right,” Max muttered his agreement, pulled out so I could only feel the tip and then slammed back in.
My fingers flexed, my legs squeezed and my mouth begged, “More, darling.”
He gave me more, he gave me his mouth, his tongue, his right forearm in the bed beside me, his left hand fisted in my hair and he thrust into me harder, faster.
It was back, it was coming, I was coming and he’d been right the day before, it was going to be so big, I was going to split straight out of my skin.
“Max –” I panted, my hips rocking with his drives.
“I can feel it, Jesus, Nina, you’re ready,” Max groaned. “Come for me, baby.”
“Okay,” I breathed and did what I was told.
I closed my eyes and my head rolled back, my hips reared up, my hands went from his behind to become my arms wrapping him tight and I gasped as it tore through me, hard, long and soul destroyingly beautiful.
Max’s face was in my neck and I felt his growled release against my skin half a second after I felt him drive in deep and stay planted there.
After, for awhile neither of us moved, Max stayed buried deep, his face in my neck and my arms stayed wrapped around him, my thighs pressed to his sides.
Finally, Max rolled to his back, his arms coming around me as he settled me, straddling him and still connected, on top.
“Yeah,” he murmured against my neck as his hand drifted along the skin of my back, “it’s fair to say we got chemistry.”
I closed my eyes tight and pressed my forehead into the pillow because the case for that was so strong there was no use arguing against it.
One of his arms curled tight around me as his other hand slid down and cupped my bottom.
“How’s your leg, Duchess?” he asked softly.
“It’s okay,” I told the pillow.
“I didn’t hurt you?”
God, he was so wonderful.
I shook my head.
His voice was even softer when he asked, “How’s that shield?”
Before I could stop myself, I whispered, “Cracked.”
“Finally,” he muttered both his arm and hand giving me a squeeze.
I sighed.
He rolled again, disconnecti
ng us and laying me on my side. My knees came up as I curled into myself, Max’s hand slid my hair from my neck and he kissed me there.
“Don’t move, be right back,” he ordered then he was gone.
I stared at his pillow thinking I just had that, had him, and I wanted it again.
And again.
For eternity.
In the grips of a sudden, irrational panic, I whirled around and jumped off my side of the bed, thinking that my rummaged through suitcase and my pajama bottoms would take too long, I ran to the dresser. I opened and closed the top drawer then in the one down I found what I wanted. I yanked out one of Max’s t-shirts and tugged it on. I was pulling up my panties, my mind blank, no thoughts in my head, none at all, no idea what I was even doing when Max came back in, his hair sexily disheveled from my hands, still in his jeans but they were only partially buttoned.
My mouth went dry. His brows snapped together.
“You moved,” he informed me of the obvious.
“Yes.”
“You dressed,” he went on.
“Um…”
I stopped mumbling when Max started stalking.
I took one look at his big, tall, powerful body in stalk mode and I retreated. In about a step, I hit the dresser with my bad leg.
“Ouch,” I said but I barely got out that one syllable when I was up in the air and then I was down on the bed and Max was on top of me.
I looked into his clear, gray determined eyes.
“Max –”
“I got in,” he declared and he could say that again.
“Max –”
“I’m in, Duchess, you think for a second I’m gonna let you push me out?”
“Um…”
“I’m not.”
“Max –”
His hands started roaming and he stated, “No fuckin’ way.”
I forgot what we were talking about because his hands were up the shirt.
Then I asked, “What are you doing?”
“That was fast.”
“Sorry?”
“Too fast.”
“Um…”
I stopped muttering when his mouth came to my neck. “This time, gonna fuck you slow.”
“Oh my God,” I breathed out loud.
His head came up and he was smiling.
The Gamble Page 35
