by D. A. Young
“Fuck it,” he muttered and pulled his iPhone from his shirt pocket and pressed a button. “Siri, call Casey Sullivan.”
Max placed the call on speaker and waited. The phone rang three times before a sultry-voiced woman answered, “Hello?”
Max smiled, thinking about the beautiful woman on the other end of the phone. “Don’t you ever let him up for air, Sidra?”
“Good morning to you too, Maxwell,” Sidra greeted him cheerfully. “And the answer to your question is no. I just got back into town last night and am only here for three days. You’re lucky I happened to be reaching for the phone or you wouldn’t have gotten a call back for a couple of days.”
“Well now, I’m really grateful. Any chance I could get two minutes of his time?” Max asked as he drove down Main Street and pulled up to the cafe.
“Okay, but time starts…now!” Sidra warned. As he turned the truck off, Max heard her say something to Casey and then her laughter. He still couldn’t believe that his good friend was now in a relationship. For the last four years, Casey Sullivan was graced with the title of being “D.C.’s Sexiest Bachelor”, which he wore reluctantly and with embarrassing humility. Then a couple of months ago, he enthusiastically stripped himself of the title by committing himself to a relationship with Sidra Barton, a beautiful dee-jay that kept him on his toes.
“This better be good, brother. I know you heard my woman say we’re workin’ with limited time,” Casey growled into the phone.
“Trust me it is, otherwise, I would have hung up when she laughed her “barely this side of sane” laugh,” Max responded. “I need your friend to get information for me. He available?”
Casey’s “friend” was a jack-of-all-trades. An excellent hacker and former employee of the NSA, he was now in the information business. If there was information to be found on anyone, he could find it. The price for information wasn’t cheap, and Max had to ask himself again if “Gina” was worth it. His question was answered as he grew hard again with the memory of her satin tongue stroking his and the way her lips had clung to his desperately as he bottomed out in her silken heat.
“If I’m not mistaken, he’s out of the country. You need somethin’ buddy? Not that you can’t afford it, but you know the price won’t be cheap,” Casey warned.
Max reached the entrance door to The Comfort Table and opened it. He could see the restaurant was busy, but he easily spotted the man he’d come to talk to, standing on the outskirts of a small group of people. Raymond wore the oddest expression on his face, and for a moment, Max was concerned that he was in pain and like Nate having a heart attack. Then Raymond let out a laugh that sounded like a wounded grizzly bear and Max realized he was seeing the grouchy old bastard happy for the first time in the eight years that he’d lived here. And all his happiness was directed at the petite woman standing next to him.
Satisfaction surged through Max as he met her startled wide-eyed gaze, and his lips curled up into a victorious grin.
“Max? You still there?” Casey asked impatiently. “My woman says your two minutes are up and I’m inclined to agree with her.”
“Seriously, could you be any more pussywhipped?” Max inquired. “Cancel that request. Later, Case.”
***
What the hell was JAY doing here?! Had he followed her?? He must have. Yes, that was it. He was stalking her! It figured that the one time she decided to be impulsive and drop her panties, he turned out to be a psychopath! Despite her internal freakout, Georgina struggled to keep her face expressionless as she watched him strolling towards her, looking sexier than any lunatic had the right to look as he smiled smugly at her. It was probably the look he gave all of his victims before he peeled their skin off and used it as sofa covers. Except she wasn’t anybody’s victim.
Casually she reached inside of her bag and was annoyed to come out empty-handed. Damn. She’d left Effie in her glove compartment. Effie was the name she’d lovingly bestowed upon the semi-automatic pistol her big brother Graham had gifted her with two birthdays ago. Most men might give their sisters gifts like jewelry, flowers, and chocolates, but Graham Carlton wasn’t like most men. He gave his sisters useful life-saving gifts like guns, survival kits, and shooting and self-defense classes. Never had Georgina been more thankful for his sweet and thoughtful gesture or pissed at herself than now. She needed to alert Raymond that they had a serious psycho situation on their hands-
“Well if isn’t Old MacDonald,” Raymond announced with a loud cackle, interrupting Georgina’s train of thought. “Shouldn’t you be off somewhere getting all your moo-moo’s together?”
Sensing a potential showdown, the crowd quickly dispersed back to their seats, eager to enjoy a blustering tirade of Raymond’s which could be amusing as long as you weren’t the intended target. Georgina knew this little skirmish would be all over town within the hour. Wait…Raymond knew Jay? The sinking feeling in her stomach let her know she wasn’t going to like where this was going. She watched Stalker Guy’s lips tighten at the older man’s mocking tone.
Max’s gaze remained locked on the woman in front of him as he addressed Raymond. “Actually, I got called in to help tame a stubborn and unruly jackass that’s been causing unnecessary problems. Know anything about that?”
She’d traded in her black suit for a crisp white button-down shirt, a fitted knee-length black leather skirt that clung to her body in all the right places, and wine-colored ankle boots that matched her oversized purse. Why did women carry such large purses? Max wondered as his eyes rose to meet hers. Judging from the way her pretty lips were pursed as if she were sucking lemons and her ire-filled brown eyes were snapping, she planned on taking his head off and stuffing her trophy in that big ass purse. Clearly she was not happy to see him. Well too fucking bad for her because he wasn’t going to let her get away again.
“Say what?? Now wait just a damn minute, Mr. E-I-E-I-O,” Raymond blustered, but Max held up his hand.
“Relax, I’m just serious, old man,” Max said with a cordial smile. “On behalf of the town, I’d like to extend our heartfelt thanks in assisting with your boss’s party. I know how much the Bankses will appreciate hearing about your sunny personality and willingness to be a team player in planning the event. Did you have a minute to discuss the menu?”
“It looks like I arrived just in time, Raymond! You’re helping to plan a party for my uncle? Oh, I can’t wait to see what you make! The entire drive here, all I could think about was eating some of your fantastic cooking! I’d be more than happy to assist if you don’t mind,” Georgina said sweetly, hoping to diffuse a potentially flammable situation.
Max rolled his eyes as he fought the urge to snatch the perfectly manicured hand off of Raymond’s arm while the chef spluttered and blushed ten different shades of red. His eyes met hers, and she must have sensed his irritation when he deliberately dropped his gaze back down to “Templeton’s” arm, and she hastily removed it. So she was Nate and Valerie’s niece and she’d probably come home because of Nate’s heart attack. Which meant she could be staying a while. Perfect.
Feeling annoyed that she had obeyed his silent warning so readily, Georgina decided to introduce herself as if they had never met. “I’m Georgina Carlton,” she said coolly and held her hand out.
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Max Hayes and welcome to Baymoor. Georgina…why do I feel like we’ve already met, hmmm?” Max teased with a grin. He grinned wider as her eyes narrowed even more. Georgina. How prim and uptight sounding. It suited her perfectly, Max decided.
He took her hand into his, and electricity passed between them again as they stared at one another. Georgina felt the heat from his touch down to the balls of her feet. Quickly she yanked her hand back, barely suppressing the urge to rub it against her thigh to rid herself of the tingling sensation. She needed to stay alert and away from him. But he refused to be denied as he perused her from head to toe again, and she felt the slow blistering heat of his gaze. It was the same loo
k he’d given her naked body before bringing her to extreme heights of pleasure last night. An image of him spreading her thighs wide as he plunged deeply into her flashed through her mind. The way his beard rubbed against her aching nipples….
Wait…Max. Hayes. As in Framer Hayes, Nate and Valerie’s good friend and business associate that’d traded the successful career of international law in for a tractor riding life? He’d lied last night probably in the hopes of never seeing her again. The irony of his strategy was not lost on Georgina. Oh God, how humiliating was that? Max/Jay had given her the best sex of her life, and she hadn’t even known his real name! At least she’d given some sort of variation of hers. Georgina made a mental note to fire Renee when she got back to Las Vegas as this was all her fault. Come on, boss, be adventurous, walk on the wild side….
She gave “Max the Ass” a dirty look, “Funny…you don’t look like a Max to me.”
His grin widened and his dark eyes were brimming with humor at her expense. “Oh yeah? What do I look like exactly?”
Her own grin was on the nastier side as she smoothly returned, “Several other choice names come to mind.”
Georgina turned to Raymond who was watching their exchange suspiciously. “Well it sounds like you’ve got an important meeting, Ray. I won’t keep you any longer. I’m just going to sit and enjoy your famous shrimp ‘n’ grits before I go. I’ll be back tomorrow, okay?”
Raymond pulled her in for another heartfelt hug that she eagerly returned. “That sounds really good, cherie. I’ll have my sous chef Mario put together a basket for you to take. Just like old times, right? Alright now, you take care.”
He let her go and walked off without acknowledging Max. To April, he called, “Make sure pretty boy here gets the usual!”
Max took that as a sign that he should follow after him. But before he did, he leaned down to whisper into Georgina’s ear, “For the record, I’m cool with what you were calling me last night.”
“I don’t recall saying your name, Jay,” she sneered, lifting her chin defiantly at him. Georgina really hoped he couldn’t see the effect his nearness was having on her body. Her nipples were so hard they were pressing against the front of her blouse and goosebumps had broken out all over her body.
“Well, close enough,” Max said in a low seductive voice, enjoying their banter. “Most people tend to get my name and “God” confused. It’s an understandable mix-up baby.”
He smirked at her mortified expression before walking away. This morning he’d looked at the empty condom wrappers on the hotel floor and counted. Six total. That meant there were six more in the box on the nightstand. Furious, Max had grabbed the box and taken it with him, because he’d hoped that somewhere in the near future he would find “Gina” and be doing the same thing they’d done last night.
Hopefully sooner rather than later, Max thought smiling as he felt her eyes burning a hole in his back. He knew it depended on how pissed she was at his slight deception. What started out as a shitty day was quickly turning into one of the best days of his life, and it was all because of her. Georgina.
Chapter Five
Georgina avoided the speculative looks from the other patrons as she navigated her way through the busy restaurant to an empty picnic table in the corner. A busboy brought her lemonade; she smiled her thanks as she reached into her bag and pulled out her notebook, determined not to give “Max the Ass” another thought as she waited for her food. He certainly did not look like a farmer, Georgina told herself in a snide tone. More like a playboy. She could easily picture him in a designer tux racing through the streets of Monaco, behind the wheel of a Ferrari with a beautiful girl in the passenger seat.
A beep signaled an incoming text. Georgina pulled out her phone to see Renee had sent her two article links. One was written by a well-known financial guru about successful businesses that were started on grants and helpful tips when applying. The second link was a how to bring him to his knees by getting on yours by Cosmo Magazine.
“Humph, heffa, the only time I get on my knees is to pray,” she mumbled to herself and then blushed hotly as her mind flashed back to last night. Well, technically she’d been sitting…
“Hello! My name is Chandra and I’ll be taking care of you today. I believe this hot plate of Chef Raymond’s legendary shrimp ‘n’ grits belongs to you, beautiful lady.” The owner of the cheery voice was a middle-aged, attractive black woman with auburn Senegalese twists and a warm smile that lit up her entire face. She was holding a large, steaming plate and a smaller one on a tray. “Please be careful, the plate is hot. I also have a crystallized ginger lemon square that chef is insisting you try.”
“Hi, Chandra, you have no idea how homesick I’ve been for this dish, thank you,” Georgina beamed. “Please tell chef I said thank you as well.”
“Will do, honey. It seems like you are something of a celebrity around here. First time back home in a while, huh?” Chandra asked, missing the closed off expression that came over Georgina’s face as she arranged the plates. Chandra continued on, “You know my niece has been gone for a minute, and our whole family’s been real cut up about it. Especially her fiancée. Maybe you coming home will start a trend and she’ll return. Now wouldn’t that be something?”
The server straightened and gave Georgina another smile; only this one didn’t reach her eyes. “Oh, look at me just rambling on. Pay no attention to me, baby. I’m just an old lady rambling on.”
“No, no, you’re fine. What’s your niece’s name?” Georgina asked curiously. While Baymoor wasn’t her cup of tea, she’d never heard anyone else leaving on bad terms or expressing a desire to leave as vocally as she had.
“Annabelle Gaines. You ladies might have gone to school together. Maybe you know her?” Chandra suggested and Georgina smiled.
“I did know her. We were pretty much in each other’s classes the entire time I went to school here,” she replied, thinking of the quiet, slender girl that could usually be found with a book in her hand. “She was always good people. How long has she been gone?”
“Well, it’s been a little over two years now. She just up and left. Police suspected foul play for a while, but we’ve never found any good or bad evidence to determine exactly what happened,” Chandra softly said, and Georgina felt terrible about what she was hearing. Annabelle had been part of the group who’d reached out to her and she’d ignored the attempt. Her appalling behavior towards her friends was ten levels lower than a snake’s belly.
“Oh well, maybe while you’re here you can catch up with my other niece Inez. I’m sure I don’t need to jog your memory about that one, do I?” Chandra asked with a chuckle; “That one was born infamous!”
“No, ma’am you certainly don’t,” Georgina answered, nodding her head in agreement. Inez Gaines was Annabelle’s older cousin and hell on wheels. Georgina and her friends used to trail after the bold and fearless trendsetter, pretending to be her. It wasn’t a big surprise to anybody when she was crowned the winner of the Miss World Beauty pageant, but her path of self-destruction afterward was. Now looking at the time frame of Annabelle’s disappearance, Georgina was certain it had something to do with Inez’s behavior, as the two cousins were extremely close.
A shadow fell over the table, and she looked up to see “Max the Ass” standing by the table with his own plate of food. Georgina’s eyes narrowed as Chandra hastened to take the plate from him. “Oh my word! I’m so sorry, Max! I didn’t realize you would be joining this kind lady. Well have a seat, and I’ll be back to check on you two shortly.”
Max gave her one of his sexy smiles and pulled out a chair. “Thank you very much, Chandra.”
Georgina’s watched their server leave, making sure she was out of earshot before turning back to face her uninvited companion with a scowl. “Go away.”
“Do you know that you look like one of those emojis when you slit your eyes and flat- line your mouth like that?” Max grinned as Georgina quickly rearranged her f
eatures. “It would appear that you coming back to town is big news?” he inquired, picking up his salmon burger and taking a big bite. Damn, for food this good, Max could put up with “Templeton’s” crazy ass. The burger was seasoned to perfection and juicy, with the creole remoulade sauce and bib lettuce on a buttery brioche bun. “So how long are you staying?”
“None of your business.” Deciding to ignore him, she focused instead on her food and took a healthy bite of her own and closed her eyes as the rich flavors hit her taste buds. Yassss. It was even better than she remembered. The spicy tasso ham, fresh shrimp, peppers, and onions were a wonderful combination and complimented the stone ground grits with white cheddar nicely. Lord, she missed eating food this good. Georgina had always been a curvy girl, and as a dancer, she kept herself to a strict eating regimen and exercised fanatically. Now that her dancing days were behind her, she allowed herself two cheat days a week. She knew she was in deep trouble, not only with the insanely good-looking and charming man sitting across from her, but also with the fresh down-home cooking she would now have unlimited access to. Georgina opened her eyes to find Max watching her intently and knew the hunger in his dark eyes had nothing to do with food.
