I laugh shakily. “You won’t hear any argument from me there,” I agree. “I guess he thought that if he bought me three dinners, I was obligated to put out.”
Max frowns. “Does the guy know where you live? Does he have a key to your place?”
“No.” My mood improves as I see another opportunity to tease Max. “Do you give women keys to your place after three dates?” I can’t help grinning at him. “I didn’t think of you as the commitment-seeking type.”
Joe, who’s listening to our conversation, snorts at that. “Max give a girl a key to his place?” He rolls his eyes. “This guy? Three dates is Max’s limit.”
“Seriously?”
“Let me guess, Charlie,” Max challenges lightly, those dimples flashing into view. “You’re searching for your soulmate, right?”
Not even a little. I ignore the question directed at me. “So what happens after the third date? You can’t get it up?”
Joe bursts out laughing. Max tries to look wounded, but he can’t maintain a straight face for very long. “I thought you were on my side,” he grumbles to Joe, before turning to me with a wry grin. “I assure you, Charlie, I’ve never had any complaints.”
He’s so cute. Okay, cute’s not a great way to describe a grown man, but he’s got a Chris Pratt vibe going on. Add in those dimples, and he’s irresistible.
And as tempting as it is to snack on this piece of man-candy, I resist. I love this bar and I love Joe. I’ve been coming here at least once a week for the better part of a year and a half. This has become a place of sanctuary to me. Max is clearly friends with Joe, and is probably a regular here as well. You know what they say - you don’t shit where you eat.
I change the topic. “Thank you for coming to my rescue. How did you know I was in trouble?”
His eyes twinkle. “The last time you were here, Charlie,” he drawls, “you told me that my break-up skills needed work.” His lips compress with mirth. “I was watching you, hoping to pick up a tip or two.”
I flip him off, but the gesture has no heat. “Let me buy you a drink,” he continues. “And Charlie,” he looks at me with a wicked glint in his eyes, “you are most definitely my type.”
He’s rescued me from Richard and now he’s flirting with me. My insides liquefy as I contemplate the idea of his big hands running all over my body, squeezing my breasts, snaking lower to find my heat…
Stop that, Charlie.
“Max,” I shake my head sternly, “I’m not going to start something with you. Neither of us do relationships, so when we implode, we’d have to determine who gets custody of Joe’s bar.”
“Me.” He doesn’t try to deny that we’ll implode. “I went to high school with Joe.”
“And I’ve been coming here for the last eighteen months.”
“Stop fighting, you two,” Joe instructs, moving back to us after serving a couple of customers. “If you want to avoid a clusterfuck, don’t sleep together. Surely, even for the two of you, that’s possible.”
“Of course it is,” we both say at the same time, then we grin at each other. Max cocks his head to one side and sticks his hand out. “Friends?”
My libido mutters a protest, and I ignore it ruthlessly. Sex isn’t necessary, and having a bar to call home is a lot more important. I put my hand in his, ignoring how good his touch feels, ignoring the shock of desire that travels up from the point of contact through my entire body. “Friends.”
Click to keep reading MAX: A Friends to Lovers Romance. It’s a standalone romance with a guaranteed HEA and absolutely no cheating!
A Note from Tara
Dear readers,
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Tara
About Tara Crescent
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Tara Crescent writes steamy contemporary romances for readers who like hot, dominant heroes and strong, sassy heroines.
When she's not writing, she can be found curled up on a couch with a good book, often with a cat on her lap.
She lives in Toronto.
Tara also writes sci-fi romance as Lili Zander. Check her books out at http://www.lilizander.com
Find Tara on:
www.taracrescent.com
[email protected]
Also by Tara Crescent
MÉNAGE ROMANCE
The Playing for Love Series (Ménage MFM Romance)
Betting on Bailey
Gambling with Gabriella
Playing with Piper
Wagering on Wendy
Messing with Miki
The Dirty Series (Ménage MFM Romance)
Dirty Therapy
Dirty Talk
Dirty Games
Dirty Words
The Cocky Series (Ménage MFM Romance)
Her Cocky Doctors
Her Cocky Firemen - coming soon!
Standalone Books
Dirty X6 (A MFMMMMM Menage Romance)
BDSM ROMANCE
Standalone Books
Mr. Banks (A British Billionaire Romance)
Teaching Maya
The House of Pain
The Professor’s Pet
The Audition
The Watcher
Dominant - A Boxed Set containing The House of Pain, The Professor’s Pet, The Audition and The Watcher
Nights in Venice Series
A Thief in Venice
An Heiress in Venice
A Starlet in Venice
The Assassin’s Revenge Series (Romantic Suspense)
Assassin’s Revenge - The Complete Series
Found (Book 1)
Bought (Book 2)
Freed (Book 3)
Claimed (Book 4)
The Doctor Dom Series (BDSM & Medical Play)
Triage (Doctor Dom Volume 1)
Observation (Doctor Dom Volume 2)
Diagnosis (Doctor Dom Volume 3)
Relapse (Doctor Dom Volume 4)
Recovery (Doctor Dom Volume 5)
Or, buy the collections for a discount…
Doctor Dom Series Sequence One (Triage | Observation | Diagnosis)
Doctor Dom Series Sequence Two (Relapse | Recovery)
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
The Drake Family Series
Temporary Wife (A Billionaire Fake Marriage Romance)
Fake Fiance (A Billionaire Second Chance Romance)
Standalone Books
MAX: A Friends to Lovers Romance
A Touch of Blackmail
A Very Paisley Christmas
Boyfriend by the Hour
You can also keep track of my new releases by signing up for my mailing list!
Fake Fiancé Page 11
