by James, Anna
“You driving?” the barkeep asked and gave Nicole a pointed glance.
She nodded.
Another glass appeared, but this time Max took some time drinking it down. “No one else knows.”
She figured as much, although how he’d managed to hide the truth was beyond her. “Not even Reed?”
He motioned for another and the tapster obliged.
“No one. It was part of the deal.”
“What deal?”
He didn’t elaborate.
The bartender objected when Max tried to order a fourth. “Do yourself a favor, buddy, and let your girlfriend take you home so you can sleep it off.”
Nicole opened her mouth to correct the barkeep, but decided to let it slide.
Annoyed, Max pulled a hundred-dollar bill out of his wallet and slammed it down. “Does this change your mind?”
The bartender’s eyes widened. He scarfed up the note, shoved it in his pocket and went to pour another.
Enough was enough. “It’s time to get you out of here,” Nicole said.
Max didn’t move. He continued staring straight ahead. “Not yet.”
She couldn’t, in good conscience, let him have any more. “Yes, now.”
He seemed to understand she meant business because he hefted himself up off the chair and wobbled when he got to his feet.
Great, just great. The man could barely stand, let alone make it back to the car. She wrapped an arm around his waist. “Let’s go.” He held on to her, nuzzled his head into the crook of her neck, and sighed.
“You smell good.”
His soft kisses had a shiver running down the length of her spine and the tips of her breasts, now pressed firmly against the hard wall of his chest, tightened. So not the time or the place. She pulled away from him. “Come on, big boy, let’s get you home.”
“Don’t want to go home,” he said with only the slightest of slurs.
I bet you don’t.
They headed toward the door and, miracle upon miracles, Max made his way without incident. He even got into the car without her assistance, but, once inside, had trouble buckling his seat belt. She slid into the driver’s seat and leaned across him to snap it in place.
“Where am I taking you? Reed’s house?”
“No. Your sister’s there,” he said, the slur a little more pronounced this time.
“Fine, we’ll go to your parents’.”
He shook his head, then moaned.
Was he going to get sick? She rolled the window down just in case.
“Don’t wanna ‘splain. Bad ‘nuff, you know.”
Not sick. Disgusted she’d learned his secret. Yes, she could understand that. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone, and you can sleep in Ashley’s room tonight. I’m sure she won’t mind.”
He leaned his head back against the leather seat and closed his eyes. “Kay.”
A faint razz echoed in the interior of the car and she assumed he’d fallen asleep until he said, “Love her. Soooo stuthid.”
“Love who?”
“Angela.”
Her breath hitched. “You still love Angela?”
He grunted and flicked his hand in the air as if waving off the notion. At least that was how she interpreted the gesture, but she couldn’t be sure. “Who’s stupid?”
“Me. Right udder my nose. So stuthid.”
“What happened under your nose?”
He snorted and waved an unsteady hand in the air again. “Eve . . . Angela.”
The affair happened right under his nose and he kicked himself for not knowing anything about it. She could relate to that, too. Hadn’t she done the same thing to herself for not realizing Joe had been married?
“You can’t blame yourself, Max. You probably weren’t expecting your wife to cheat so you weren’t looking for the signs and even if you were, I doubt you were expecting her to be with another woman. Jeez Louise, why the heck didn’t you fire Eve?” She flashed him a cheeky grin. “Isn’t having an affair with the boss’s wife grounds for dismissal?”
His lopsided smile just about melted her heart.
“Couldn’t. Part of the deal.”
“What’s this deal you keep talking about?”
He shook his head. “So, so stupid.”
He wasn’t going to tell her. Well, it wasn’t her business anyway, but she was curious just the same.
Nicole pulled the Lincoln into her driveway a few minutes later. “We’re here,” she said. When there was no response she peered over and found Max asleep. “I’m sorry to do this, but there’s no way I can get you inside in this state.” She shook his arm.
He muttered something inaudible.
She shook him harder. “Come on, big guy. The sooner we get you upstairs and into bed, the better.”
He mumbled again, but this time moved so she got out of the car, hurried around to the passenger side, and opened the door.
He stared up at her with lost-puppy-dog eyes, and Nicole’s heart skipped a beat. He tugged the belt and then let out a disgusted snort. “Can’t move.”
She smiled, despite the situation, then reached across him and unfastened the belt.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
He hefted himself out of the car on his own and once again astounded her by making it across the driveway, into the house, and up the stairs without wavering. When they reached the bedroom, she opened the door and ushered him inside. He wobbled a moment, leaned a hand against the doorjamb to steady himself, then straightened. “Are you going to be all right?”
He waved off the blunder as if it didn’t matter. “Yeah.”
“Okay. I’m down the hall. Call if you need anything.” She turned to leave. “Oh, and the bathroom is the door right across from here.”
“Got it.”
“Good night, Max.”
“Wait.”
Nicole turned to face him because he sounded just a little panicky. “What?”
He came toward her and gave her a big bear hug. “Thank you,” he said slowly, enunciating every word. “You’re the best.”
The boyish grin and soulful eyes were back and the combination melted her heart. Could the man be any sweeter? She hugged him back. “You’re welcome, Max. Now get some sleep.”
She tried to ease away, really, but he wouldn’t let go, not that she wanted to complain because she rather liked his arms wrapped around her.
He stared down at her again. Gone were the puppy-dog eyes. Now, a molten fire burned with scorching intensity. It sparked a corresponding inferno in her.
Better not play with fire, little girl, the voice inside her taunted. You’re gonna get burned.
“Max.”
“Shh,” he said, then cupped her face and traced lazy circles over her cheek with his thumb. “So soft.”
She swallowed hard.
“I want to kiss you, Nicole.”
Heaven help her, she wanted that too. More than anything. Surely one kiss wouldn’t hurt?
His lips captured hers, and oh . . .
Their last kiss had been all heat and fire and passion, but this one . . . This kiss was soft and warm and had her insides melting.
He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her, strong and sure. His mouth steady on hers as he tasted, teased, and oh God, it was better than a bottle of the finest wine, sweeter than the most decadent gourmet dessert.
His arms tightened around her and he deepened the kiss.
This is wrong, her mind screamed. He was drunk, and he might still be in love with his ex-wife and she . . .
His marauding mouth nibbled on her ear, then planted soft kisses down the column of her neck to the hollow at the bas
e of her throat where his tongue, oh lord, licked at the pulse hammering there then his teeth grazed over the throbbing skin.
“Max,” she cried out. How could something this good be wrong? Her knees buckled. He scooped her up in his arms and strode to the bed, his mouth devouring hers.
Oh yes, she was a mass of jangling nerve endings and if this didn’t stop now they’d be naked in no time flat. “We can’t do this.”
He lowered her to the floor and pulled her tight against him so that every inch of her came into full contact with his hard body. His erection pressed against her pelvis and, dear lord, yes, he could definitely do this. Just thinking about what it would be like to have him deep inside her . . .
His hands slid under her shirt and unhooked the front clasp of her bra.
You’re gonna get burned, the voice inside her taunted again.
She eased away. He was already going to beat himself up over the information he’d divulged in the car earlier. And if he still loved Angela . . . Her heart sank. She didn’t want to be another thing he regretted. “No, I mean—”
He tumbled them onto the bed.
“I can’t do this.”
His hands went slack.
She rolled away and stared up at the ceiling, not able to face him. A cold emptiness settled inside her. “I’m sorry, Max.”
He didn’t answer. He lay perfectly still for long moments and didn’t say a word.
Tears filled her eyes and she swiped at them with the back of her hand. Impulsive, foolhardy, reckless. Shouldn’t have let things go so far.
His slow, steady breathing echoed throughout the room. She blinked. “Max?” When he didn’t respond, she turned to face him then burst out laughing.
The man had fallen dead asleep.
Chapter 7
Nicole woke the next morning to sunlight streaming in through her bedroom window. A quick glance at the bedside clock confirmed her worst fear. Nine o’clock and over an hour late for work. What a way to start the day. How had she slept through her alarm?
Thoughts of Max occupied her mind into the early hours of the morning, the pain and devastation evident in his stark blue eyes and pale face as Angela had kissed Eve, full on the lips, in front of him. Oh sure, it had only been there for an instant before he hid it behind a mask of outrage, but it had been there nonetheless.
He denied still loving his ex-wife. What if he lied? If so, what had last night been about? Was she just a convenient substitute for the woman he really wanted but could never have?
Yet another reason to steer clear of any involvement with him. Nicole Bradford wasn’t a substitute for anyone.
She dressed quickly and hurried down the hall toward the stairs. Her eyes strayed to the door of Ashley’s bedroom. A sudden impulse had her detouring into the bathroom to grab a bottle of pain reliever and a glass of water. He’d probably need both. Taking care not to wake him, she opened the bedroom door, peered in, and let out a soft gasp.
A nearly naked Max lay sprawled on the bed, clad only in a pair of outrageously sexy black silk boxers, one arm haphazardly bent across his face, the other flung out to the side. His right knee was bent giving her an impressive view of a well-muscled thigh and calf. And his chest . . . It took every ounce of control she could muster to ignore the urge to run her fingertips through the dusting of dark spirals that covered his pecs then arrowed down and disappeared below his waistband.
Leave, her brain commanded, and give him his privacy.
Good advice, but a team of wild horses couldn’t drag her away from this spot. Not with so much of his lithe body on display.
The thunk as he rolled over onto his stomach made her flinch, as if he’d caught her ogling him red-handed. Heat invaded her neck and cheeks. Time to leave before he woke and found her there gawking at him. She tiptoed over to the bedside table, placed the bottle and glass of water on the hard wooden surface, then made a hasty retreat. Once outside, she closed the door and headed downstairs and out the door to the office.
She arrived thirty minutes later and had barely made it to her desk before Reed stormed in.
“Eve quit,” he said. “Do you have any idea why?”
Oh crap! How the heck was she supposed to answer that without breaking her promise to Max? “Um . . . No, why?”
He shook his head. “I don’t understand any of this.”
What had Eve said to make Reed so upset? “Why don’t you sit down and tell me what happened.”
He dropped his tall, lanky frame down into one of the chairs sitting on the other side of her desk.
“She walked into my office and told me she was leaving, how she didn’t have a choice now that Max was back. It makes no sense. Why would she have to leave?”
Nicole clenched her hands into tight fists. Un-be-liev-able! How could she blame Max when she’d been the one having the affair with his ex-wife? “What did Max say?”
“I tried calling him, but he didn’t answer his cell. Damn it. Why would Eve think Max would make her leave? You two are friendly. Did she say anything to you.”
Nicole shook her head. “I’m afraid not.”
Reed sighed. “I guess I’ll have to wait and talk to Max. In the meantime, I’ve assigned Eve’s workload to Gabriella Rossini.”
“Okay. I’ll get with her in a little while and let her know what I need.”
“Good.” He glanced at his watch. “Gotta run. I’ve got a meeting with zoning and planning that’ll take up most of the morning.”
“The new mall in Naperville?”
“Yes.”
“Good luck.”
Nicole stared at his retreating form, contemplating what she’d just learned. Why quit now? Eve told Reed she’d had no choice, but Max hadn’t said anything to force her to leave. What game was she playing at?
Later in the afternoon, Nicole had just returned to her desk after a meeting with Gabriella when Max knocked on the open doorframe of her office. She sucked in a deep breath. He didn’t look like a man who’d had too much to drink the night before. He looked . . . yummy, dressed in a navy Armani suit and a white dress shirt. She swallowed hard. “What’s up?”
He eyed her warily. “Can I come in?”
“Sure.”
Max walked to her desk and took a seat in one of the chairs opposite her. “I wasn’t sure you’d be speaking to me after last night. I assure you I don’t normally deal with problems by drowning my sorrows in alcohol.”
His sorrows . . . A revealing choice of words. “How are you feeling?”
“Not bad, all things considered. Thanks for the Advil.”
She smiled. “I thought you might need it.”
“Oh yes, especially after I had lunch with Angela.”
Lunch? With Angela? Her shoulders slumped. He wouldn’t do that if he didn’t still have feelings for her. Would he? “Did she tell you Eve quit?”
He nodded. “She blames me, said I broke the agreement, which is a bunch of crap as far as I’m concerned.”
“You mentioned some deal you had with her last night.”
He arched an eyebrow and peered down at her.
Nicole couldn’t quite hide her smile at the now-familiar gesture.
“What exactly did I say?”
“You don’t remember?”
A slash of color highlighted his cheekbones. “It gets a little fuzzy after we left the bar.”
Did he remember their little interlude in Ashley’s bedroom?
“Although, I have a distinct memory of kissing you.”
I’ll take that as a yes. “Um, yeah.”
He grinned. “Did I do anything else I need to apologize for?”
Heat scorched her face as she remembered his fingertips slipping under her shirt, grazing over her ribcage
and up to her breasts. A shudder ran down her spine just thinking about it and made her hot for him all over again. “Um . . . no,” she squeaked.
“Good. So, what exactly did I tell you about Angela and Eve?”
This was the part she’d dreaded because he’d told her things she was sure he didn’t want anyone else to know. “You don’t have to worry, Max. Your secret is safe with me. I won’t tell a soul.”
He flinched. “Right. Um, thanks.”
They sat in silence for what seemed an eternity, then Max stood. “I should get going.”
Oh yes, he definitely regretted telling her anything.
“I never thanked you for helping me out last night.”
“No problem. What are friends for?”
“Friends, huh? I think I like that.” He gave her a ghost of a smile and then he was gone.
Chapter 8
Later that evening, Nicole unlocked the door, dropped her duffle bag on the passenger seat of the car, and breathed a sigh of relief. The restaurant was packed with a steady flow of customers until her shift ended. Her stomach growled. There hadn’t been time to grab dinner. It didn’t matter. She was too tired to eat now.
She shut the door and started walking to the driver’s side of the car. A hand slammed down and tightened on her shoulder, then dragged her back against a hard body. Another hand closed over her mouth, stifling her scream.
“Shut up!” Carlo whispered furiously in her ear.
Nicole squirmed and bit down hard on his hand.
Carlo let out a harsh laugh and tightened his grip on her. “Bitch! Thought your boyfriend would scare me off, did you?”
Boyfriend, what boyfriend? A memory of Max putting his arm around her and kissing her while Carlo stood at the front door fuming flashed into her mind. She tried to tell him Max wasn’t her boyfriend, but with his hand still clamped over her mouth it came out as a muffled moan.
