by J. Woods
“Of course.” He raised his eyebrows and sent a look only for her before he sent Max a flirtatious grin and left her office, closing the door behind him. She watched as Max sauntered toward her with confidence. Placing both hands on the arms of her chair he bent down and took her lips in a breath stealing kiss. Framing his face, she pulled him impossibly closer, pouring her need into every movement. Pulling back slightly she opened her eyes and stared into the endless blue depths of his. Running her thumb lightly over his bottom lip she felt his teeth bite down on the pad sending a shiver of desire down her spine.
Damn, she missed him last night.
“Hey, sexy.” She grinned at the dark huskiness in his voice.
“Hey, sexy,” she said, repeating his greeting.
“Were you able to get some sleep last night?” She nodded her head refusing to tell him how she tossed and turned for half of it. “I’m warning you right now, that’s going to be the last night you sleep alone when I’m here.” She pressed her lips in a soft kiss on either side of his mouth before sealing her lips fully over his.
“Do I get to choose who your replacement is when you’re gone?” His threatening growl as he swooped in and bit down on the tender skin of her neck caused her to squeal with laughter before he peppered the sting with gentle kisses.
“You’re going to get yourself into some trouble if you keep talking like that,” he murmured.
“Hmm, maybe I like your trouble.” Just as Max’s fingers trailed down her arms and went to grip the hem of her shirt, the shrill of Brie’s cell phone sliced through the moment. Max’s arrogant smirk grew as he watched her swallow her groan.
“Saved by the bell,” he whispered against her lips. He stepped back as she answered the unknown number.
“Hello?” She heard a rustling come through the speaker followed by a distinct silence. “Hello?” she repeated with a frown. The click sounded in her ear causing her to pull her phone away and stare at the screen. Instantly a pair of dark, aged eyes flashed in her memory.
“Who was that?” Max asked breezily, the memory quickly forgotten.
“I don’t know. Wrong number I guess.” A spark of concern flashed across his features before quickly masking it with a mischievous male grin. Checking his watch he held out his hand and pulled her up from her chair. His large palm cupped the curve of her belly.
“Ready to go?”
“Ready,” she confirmed with a nod.
Brie sat down beside Max after signing in with the nurse behind the desk. She watched a little girl about two, stand in front of him and lift her arms as if she wanted up. Her mother, who sat across from them, stared on in awe as Max picked her up and sat her on his lap. She watched as he gave his full attention to the toddler and it was in that moment, when he had a conversation with her teddy bear that she completely lost her herself to him. Surrendering, she could almost feel her heart hold up a white flag. Max looked over and caught her staring until the little girl begged for his attention back. A few minutes later a middle aged nurse called Brie’s name and Max told the reluctant little girl she had to return to her mother. Helping her up, Brie didn’t let go of his hand causing him to lift their entwined fingers to his lips. Leading them into the examination room, she told them the doctor would be in shortly closing the door behind her. Brie pounced on Max once they were alone, pouring everything she couldn’t say into the caress of her lips against his. She felt his fingers thread through her hair as he pulled her closer, fighting for dominance that she willingly gave to him. His tongue plunged into her mouth, playing masterfully against hers. Backing her up to the exam table, he lifted her so she was sitting as he moved to stand in between her legs. Remembering they were in a doctor’s office, they both slowly pulled away. Resting his forehead against hers, she listened to his ragged breathing with pride.
“I don’t know what that was for, but I’ll take it.”
“It was for being too damn sexy for your own good.” Before he could answer, the door opened and in walked his Aunt and her doctor, her head buried in a file. Brie hadn’t thought about how this particular scenario was going to play out. Realizing now her and Max should have discussed this first, she felt her desire quickly disappearing as nerves took their place.
“Max?” Dr. Dae sputtered as she placed the file on the desk. “What... what are you doing here?” She looked between Max and Brie and back again, trying to figure it out in her head. Brie thought she might have an idea since his aunt had seen them together at the party, but she wanted to do this right. She didn’t want to cause any waves, especially when it came to Max and his family. They were all so close, they never kept anything from each other - they were like another species compared to her and her mother. Brie didn’t know how to deal with this overwhelming guilt she suddenly felt. She hadn’t just kept Max in the dark. She’d kept his whole family in the dark. She hadn’t realized while she was swimming in her own ocean of self loathing she had tightened her grip on his hand until he turned to face her and kissed each finger while he searched her face silently for answers.
“I’m sorry,” she mouthed. She watched his understanding smile, knowing she wasn’t talking about his hand, erase the tension in his frown as he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek.
“I know. And I can think of a number of ways you can make it up to me,” he told her with an arrogant wink. “But today on, we move forward okay? No more apologizing.” He spoke so low she knew even though his aunt was pretending she wasn’t watching them, she couldn’t hear what he was saying. She nodded her head, leaning in to his warmth. Stepping back he found his winning smile and turned to face the very patient woman in the lab coat.
“Auntie Sylvie!” He spread his arms and pulled her into a tight hug before kissing both her cheeks.
“Well, I think I have my answer as to why you are here now.” Brie didn’t have to see him to know he winked at her statement. “How are you doing, Brie?”
“I’m very well, thank you.” Dr. Dae pulled up her rolling stool and gestured for Max to sit in the chair beside the bed Brie sat on. She looked between Brie and Max and Brie could almost see the questions she wanted to ask. “Yes,” Brie answered into the silence.
“Yes?” Dr. Dae asked as she raised her eyebrows.
“Yes,” her and Max repeated.
“Okay then - wonderful!” She stood up and pulled Max into a hug. “Congratulations. I bet Juliette is over the moon!”
“We haven’t told them yet. We’re going to go over there for dinner after this.”
“We are?” Brie asked, Max’s statement a surprise to her.
“We are,” he confirmed, daring her with his male arrogance to argue. She swallowed her sharp retort. She was going to have to speak to him about that.
“Let’s take a listen to this little one. Brie, can you lift up your shirt?” Minutes later the thunderous sound of a rapid heartbeat filled the room. She felt Max entwine his fingers through hers and she turned her head to catch his look of awe. Kissing the back of her hand, his eyes moved to hers and she could see so many emotions flash through them. She moved her hand to cup his cheek and in that moment she forgot that the doctor was in the room. She felt the three words lay heavy against her tongue and before she could embarrass herself, Max’s aunt cleared her throat. Pulling her hand away she listened to Dr. Dae tell them everything was on track.
“Do you think you have time for an ultrasound? It’s just Max hasn’t seen the baby yet.”
“Oh I’m sure we could fit that in,” she told them with a knowing smile. “But only because you’re my favorite nephew.” She encased the room in darkness and minutes later the screen lit up in black and white with an image of little Blue. Brie heard his gasp as he leaned in closer to the screen, staring at the little person who was half him moving around in the confined space of her belly. She clamped her lips shut against the giggle in the wake of happy she was feeling. She was almost certain Max Savage had never been so quiet or so in wonder befo
re in his life. Moving the wand over her stomach she felt Dr. Dae still as she moved her fingers over the keyboard, zooming in on something only she was seeing on the screen. The air in the room quickly turned from happy to tense and both her and Max felt it.
“What is it?” Max asked with concerned determination. Pressing a few more keys she made the image on the screen larger.
“See here, this is where your placenta attaches to your uterine wall. I’m concerned that it seems to be separating itself.”
“And what does that mean?” Brie asked. Max squeezed her hand, her tense muscles responding to the warmth of his touch.
“When the placenta separates from the uterine wall before delivery it is called placental abruption. It can mean that baby won’t receive enough oxygen. It may also be contributing to the pains you are having. Are you having any bleeding?”
“No, none.”
“Okay that’s good. The separation is very minor so I just want to keep an eye on it. I’d like you to come in every week and we can assess the situation as you progress further along. I want you to make sure you have no stress or I will put you on bed rest. Just take it easy, no heavy lifting, no long hours at the office. Sex won’t affect the baby, just make sure you’re in a comfortable position,” she told Max directly. He laughed at the knowing look in her eyes. “But your baby is perfectly healthy, nothing to be too concerned about.”
Max led her out of the building. “I want to grab some flowers for your mom.” She watched as he pondered her statement before reluctantly agreeing. She knew that after listening to what his aunt had to say he would want to wrap her up in cotton and never let her out of his sight. That wasn’t going to work for Brie. As much as she loved the idea of Max being prominent in her pregnancy, she knew she couldn’t handle it if he coddled her. She knew from the start that Max was the type of guy, dominant, arrogant, who wanted to run the show, hell, was used to running the show his way. And Brie was the same. She was used to playing by her own rules, thriving on the defiance of others like her mother. “Don’t even think about it Savage,” she warned as he opened his mouth to speak. “I won’t have it. Not now, not ever.”
“Brie.” He said her name in warning that she probably should have listened to but chose to ignore. “Aunt Sylvie just told you...”
“That there is nothing to be too concerned about,” she finished for him. She watched as the muscles in his jaw worked to contain the simmering anger she could almost see. Max was normally so carefree and playful, rarely did he let his emotions show behind his carefully placed mask. But in this moment she could see the mask slipping. She didn’t want to argue, to ruin the perfect moment they just had, when his eyes landed on the screen and stared at their baby for the first time. Max managed to give her everything and make the entire world disappear at once, he gave her memories she would forever remember, that made her question what the hell she was doing before him. But she wasn’t going to allow him to control and manipulate her into doing what he thought she needed. She had grown up in a life of dictatorship and she had made a vow to herself that she would never go back.
“You should be lying down, resting.”
“I’m not doing this with you. You need to trust me, Max. Trust me to tell you if I’m not feeling well. I’m feeling perfectly normal and I will not allow you to take over this pregnancy. I was doing just fine without you for seven months.” He quickly covered his hurt with frustrated annoyance but not before she saw it. She hadn’t meant to throw it back at him, hell it was something she would regret for the rest of her days but she wasn’t going to allow her guilt to control her either. He had said no more apologizing and she would keep that promise. It was time they moved forward, wherever forward was taking them. She still wasn’t fully convinced he wouldn’t get bored of her, her own insecurities and affirmations about Max Savage always lingering in the back of her mind. “I’m going to buy flowers. Either you’re coming with me or you’re not,” she stated, leaving the snap out of her voice. Turning on her heel she didn’t get two steps ahead of him before he gripped her upper arm and moved to stand in front of her.
“Here’s the deal, I will actively try to not coddle you but I will absolutely protect you and that baby with everything I have. Even if that means that you disagree with me. It’s who I am Brie, and it’s not something I will apologize for if it means keeping you healthy and safe.”
“And that’s all I could ask for,” she told him with a reassuring smile.
“You need to promise me something in return.”
“Look, I know how that mind of yours works and I don’t know if I can make any promises when it comes to blow jobs,” she teased him with a dramatic sigh. He threw his back with laughter before his eyes darkened with a carnal hunger that beckoned her own.
“Oh sweetheart, that was inevitable the minute you put your hot little mouth around my dick,” he warned with a predatory smile. Just as she was about to respond, to tell him to find his truck so she could show him just how inevitable it was, a flirty female voice crashed through her desirous want.
“Max?” They both turned to stare at the beautiful woman walking toward them. Or rather toward Max. Brie saw black once she glimpsed the want in the other woman’s eyes. She watched as the woman, taller than Brie with long dark hair, let her eyes travel lazily down his body, a slow curve lifting the side of her mouth. Immediately she felt Max’s hand around her hip as he pulled her impossibly close to his side. Brie felt the surge of victory when the other woman’s calculated steps faltered at the sight. “I thought that was you,” she continued smoothly.
“Alexis.” Her name was said in a distant greeting and Brie struggled to keep the smile off of her face. “This is my girlfriend Brie, Brie this is Alexis.” Brie knew exactly who she was. One of the harem and even with his arm around her in a possessive showing and his very evident lack of interest in the other woman, she still couldn’t help but feel a jealous unbalance with it all.
“Girlfriend?” She turned her gaze on Brie, staring at her as if she didn’t understand the concept of the word. Rather, she didn’t understand it when it related to Max. There was no heat in the other woman’s eyes, just a genuine curiosity. “How did you manage that?”
“Alexis,” Max warned. She held her hands up in surrender.
“It was just a question, Max. I didn’t think I would ever see the day.” Turning back to Brie she let out a shallow breath. Brie could almost feel her hurt and instantly her envy morphed into pity. She was one of the many that hoped Max wanted more than the no strings passion he promised. She wanted Max to tell her he wanted her heart. But Max Savage didn’t do hearts and he didn’t do relationships - Brie knew his playboy reputation from the beginning which still left lingering doubt as she stood across from this woman in understanding. But she had been given a promise she knew no other woman ever had before - he promised her exclusivity. And she hoped with that promise came his heart. Because Brie had already lost hers, completely. She loved him until she couldn’t see anything else, she just hoped she wasn’t standing in front of a mirror. Because she knew it would break her to stand in front of Max as he held onto another woman.
Alexis stared down at Brie’s belly, her pregnancy evident even through her jacket. “Congratulations,” she said softly. Brie wasn’t sure if she was talking about the baby or the fact that she was the one left standing.
“Thank you.”
“It was nice to see you, Max.” Max nodded his head and they were left standing alone on the sidewalk as the woman walked quickly in the other direction.
“You broke her heart,” Brie told him without judgement. Pulling her in front of him, his arms went around her waist and as he looked down at her she could see the regret in his eyes. Not because of what could have been with Alexis but because of the hurt he had caused her.
“She knew what it was from the beginning,” he assured her with a heavy, regretful sigh.
“I know that. And she does too,” she reassured hi
m. Standing up on her tippy toes she pulled his face down to hers. His kiss, although soft, never failed to spark the hunger she had for him. “Let’s go buy some flowers,” she suggested, entwining her fingers through his and pulling him reluctantly down the street.
Chapter Fifteen
Max tried to hide his smirk at the look of confusion on his mother’s face. He and Brie had shown up, together and with no Roxy in sight.
“Is everything alright?”
“Everything is fine Ma,” he reassured her, bending down to kiss the top of her head. He looked over to his dad and saw contemplation before he could almost hear his mind putting it all together.
“How are you feeling, my dear?” His father asked, pressing a quick kiss to Brie’s cheek.
“Very well, thank you.” Max could tell Brie was nervous. He knew she carried the burden of guilt with her and meeting her mother the other day, he could see how she was close with his. He knew the last thing she wanted to do was let his parent’s down. Ushering everyone into the living room, he took his seat beside Brie, taking her hand in his. Her wide, uncertain eyes met his and with a wink and a grin he felt her relax marginally.
What Max didn’t see was the look his parent’s exchanged. An, I told you so, of sorts as Juliette sat back in her chair regally, the sound of victory bells singing in the distance while her beloved husband chuckled softly beside her.
Max pulled out the flimsy photo he had stored in his back pocket and handed it to his mom. She looked from the ultrasound image and back, her brows knitting in confusion. Finally looking from him to Brie and back again, she shook her head silently.
“The baby is mine,” he stated.
“A little more eloquence would have been preferred Max,” Brie chastised under her breath. Squeezing her fingers in reassurance, he watched closely as his mothers emotions went from instant shock to pure joy while her eyes filled with tears. He knew she wanted to get up and embrace them both but before she allowed her emotions to get the best of her, she did what any loving mother would have. She asked questions.
