by Virna DePaul
Without warning, she was almost there. Her body started trembling. Straining. She recognized the signs. She was going to come. With Max watching her. She was going to—
Her gaze locked on his even as her fingers froze. Her mind rebelled.
No.
She couldn’t come. If she came, their week would be over. She wouldn’t get to spend more time with him. She wouldn’t be able to get to know him better. And she wanted to. She wanted more time with Max, and she didn’t care if he made her come or not.
He was so right. There was pleasure in the journey and not just the destination.
She didn’t want her journey with Max to end.
She tried to pull her hands away but he wouldn’t let her.
“You’re there, baby,” he said, his hands guiding her again, this time his fingers brushing against her as well, until she had to hold back a scream. “Take it.”
“Stop,” she said. “Please stop,” she choked out, and even she could hear the panic in her voice. Only she knew the true source behind her panic.
He hesitated and his grip lightened slightly, giving her the opportunity to pull away, quickly lower her legs and skirt, and curl towards the window. She pressed her forehead to the cool glass as she pressed her thighs together.
She wanted him inside her. She ached so badly. But this time she didn’t care. She wasn’t ready to let him go.
Not yet.
She heard him move and switch the music off.
“You okay?”
She nodded.
“You were there, Grace. Why’d you stop?”
She didn’t turn to look at him and she didn’t answer him for a long time. He didn’t push. He gave her the time she needed. He’d told her before, but now she got it: as her lover, he’d give her anything she needed, even if that was space.
“You said stringing the pleasure out would make it better in the end.”
“That’s true, but you were there…”
At his obvious confusion, she forced herself to face him. She tried to come up with another excuse to protect herself. Somehow she managed to take a huge leap of faith instead. “You promised me something, Max, and I want it. Not some half-measure. The next time I come, I want it to be because you’re touchin’ me. If I can’t have that, then I don’t want it.”
CHAPTER NINE
Max’s Magic Rule #10:
Always have another trick up your sleeve.
Grace made Max stop at a gas station so she could wash up. She used the opportunity to take some deep breaths and compose herself so his mother wouldn’t instantly know what they’d been doing on the drive. Since her confession about only wanting an orgasm if Max was touching her, Max had gone quiet. Maybe he was reading too much into what she’d said. Maybe he thought she’d get clingy at the end of their week together. To put him at ease, she started telling him the requirements she had for her baby’s father, including a stable job that didn’t involve a lot of traveling, as well as a large extended family. Though he nodded and responded here and there, his answers were terse.
Finally, he pulled into a neighborhood where the houses had big lawns and vast amounts of grass and trees between them. Being from overpriced-housing-and-space-deprived California, it wasn’t the type of place she’d expect retirees to live. As they got out of the car, a fawn-colored Cocker Spaniel with feathered hair on its chest and legs ran up to greet them with a ball in its mouth. It dropped the ball at Max’s feet and sat, its hinny wriggling and tail wagging like crazy.
Max laughed, crouched down and petted the dog. He didn’t seem to mind when it covered his face with wet sloppy kisses. “This is Houdini. My parents got him when they moved in.”
Grace bent to rub the dog behind his ears, laughing when he licked her hand then nudged the ball with his nose.
“Are they going to put him in a kennel while they’re gone?”
“They’re hiring a pet sitter to come to the house.” He picked up Houdini’s ball and waved it in front of the dog, who barked excitedly and spun in circles. Max hurled the ball towards a tree in the distance, and Houdini ran after it. Max turned to Grace with a grin. “I’d love to take him, but between all the performances…” He shrugged.
Despite the dismissive gesture, she wasn’t fooled. Not being able to watch Houdini—not being able to have a dog period—was not something Max was okay with.
When Houdini brought the ball back, Max threw it again. He looked so carefree that she automatically wondered what else he didn’t allow himself because of his commitments to the show. What other regrets did he try to hide behind a smile and shrug?
“Max,” a woman called.
His parents walked down the long driveway toward them. Jack was fit, tall and handsome despite the fact he was losing his dark hair. What he had left of it seemed to stick up in random tufts. Rachel was beautiful, with an hour-glass figure and smooth skin that made her look closer to forty than sixty. She had the same light hair and eyes as her sons. Grace gave them what she hoped wasn’t a nervous smile.
After hugging both his mother and father, Max turned and motioned for Grace to join them. “Mom. Dad. You remember Grace. She was in town visiting Melina and graciously offered to keep me company on the drive over.”
Grace didn’t miss the look Rachel quickly shot Jack before they both hugged her.
“Of course I remember Melina’s beautiful friend from the wedding,” Jack said.
“So wonderful to see you again,” Rachel said. “And so nice of you to come along with Max. We know it’s a long trip.” She turned to Max. “I’m sorry for the trouble, sweetie. I know it was last minute and I appreciate you taking the long drive. I just really wanted Melina to have the baby blankets before we left, and with all the preparation we’re doing for the trip…”
“Let alone all the arrangements we had to make for Houdini here,” Jack said. “I’m telling you, Rachel, we should never have gotten him.” In contrast to his words, however, Jack was petting Houdini and about to take over throwing the dog the ball.
Rachel patted her husband’s shoulder. “You’re just afraid you’re going to miss your number one fan while we’re gone. I’ll have to make sure I keep you appropriately occupied so you won’t.” She winked at Max.
Instead of cringing at his mother’s sexually-charged teasing, Max grinned. “Just leave the handcuffs at home this time, will you? We don’t want another disaster on our hands.”
Grace’s eyes widened and her cheeks heated. She knew Max and his parents were close. She’d been close with her parents, too, but she couldn’t imagine exchanging innuendos with them, no matter how old she was.
Rachel slapped Max’s arm. “Max, stop. You’re embarrassing Grace.”
Max wrapped an arm around Grace’s back and pulled her close to his side. “Grace isn’t as easily shocked as you might think. Besides, I told you, if you flirt with Dad in front of me, I’m going to have to upstage you. It’s in my nature.”
Without taking her eyes off Max’s arm, which was still around Grace, Rachel said, “I’m your mother, Maxwell. I know your nature by now. And I also know you have good taste. Both my boys do.” Her gaze lifted and she winked at Grace.
“That we do.” Max squeezed Grace’s shoulder before dropping his arm.
As a group, they walked up the cobbled walkway toward the cottage-style ranch. The light blue shutters and wraparound porch lent themselves to the setting—so charming, so different from the bright lights and hectic energy of Vegas. Max looked totally at home. For a moment, it threw Grace. Made her wonder again—who was Max Dalton?
“How’s Melina feeling?” Rachel asked, her expression shifting from delight to worry.
Grace frowned. “Is Melina not feelin’ well?” Was there something the others weren’t telling her? Sure, Melina seemed tired after that massive shopping trip, but…
“She’s feeling a little run down,” Max said. “That’s why Rhys wanted to spend the day with her today. He said he has some
big meetings coming up, so he wants to give her some extra TLC.”
Rachel stopped just outside the front door and turned toward Jack. “It’s not too late for us to cancel our trip. If Melina’s not feeling well—”
Max rested his hands on his mother’s shoulders and gently turned her so she was facing him. “Mom, Melina’s fine. You’ve been looking forward to this trip for a year—”
“That was before Melina got pregnant.”
“—and there’s no reason you can’t go. The babies aren’t due for another two months. You’ll be back in two weeks. Enjoy yourself now because, as I told Grace earlier, you’re not going to want to travel after the babies are born.”
Rachel bit her lip. When she looked at her husband again, Jack stepped up and hugged her. “We’re a plane ride away if they need us, Rachel,” he said.
She nodded. Sighed. “Okay. It’s just hard not to worry. About my boys. And about Melina.” She patted Max’s cheek. “I’ll worry about your wife too, when the time comes.”
“I know.” He kissed her cheek. “Now, where are those blankets you’ve been working so hard on?”
His mom hooked her arm through his. “Let’s go inside. I just need to give Donna, the lady who’s going to be watching Houdini for us, some final instructions.”
They walked into the house, modest in size and decoration—rustic, and with walls covered by photos of Max and Rhys, from young boys to adults. It was clear to Grace which twin was Max in the pictures—the one usually mugging it up for the cameras. Rachel beckoned them into the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee, which she held out to Jack. Grace took a moment to examine the numerous clippings stuck to the refrigerator with magnets. Each featured Max or Rhys or both. Many featured Max with young women, gazing adoringly at him or melted over his arm or shoulders.
“Rachel,” a young girl’s voice cried out just as a whirling ball of energy exploded through the back door.
“Grace, Max,” Rachel said, smiling as she swung the girl who looked to be about four years old up into her arms. “This is Chloe. She belongs to Donna, our housekeeper and, for the next two weeks, Houdini’s caretaker.”
A young woman with the same strawberry blond hair and freckles as her daughter came into the kitchen after Chloe, clutching a baby boy on her hip, a wide smile on her face. The baby didn’t have much hair, but what he did have was dark. “Sorry, she’s a little out of control. Chloe, what are you supposed to do when you come to Rachel and Jack’s house?”
“Knock on the door and wait for permission to come in,” the little girl said, patting Rachel’s cheeks and gazing at her with adoration. “And I did. Yesterday.”
Max laughed out loud, catching Chloe’s attention. The girl, still in Rachel’s arms, focused her gaze on him, but pulled in tighter to Rachel, and dropped the big grin.
“Chloe,” Rachel said, “remember how I told you I have two boys? This is Max.”
The little girl looked at Max, then at Grace, then back at Max again, twisting her body to meld closer to Rachel’s, obviously uncomfortable. “He’s not a kid. He’s a grownup.”
“Sorry,” Donna said, apologizing again. “She doesn’t do so well with strangers.”
“It’s okay,” Max said. “Chloe, you’re right, I’m definitely not a kid anymore. Both Rachel and Jack’s kids grew up. But just because we’re grownups doesn’t mean we’re not fun. In fact…” He took a step toward his mother, then reached a hand out, as if he was going to stroke Chloe’s hair.
Grace held her breath. Even though she’d been an older child when her parents died, strangers approaching her always freaked her out. Max should know better than to come up to a kid so directly, especially one whose own mother said she was afraid of strangers.
But then he smoothed his hand over his mother’s head, tweaked her ear, and held up a large silver dollar in his hand to show Chloe. “Check it out, Chloe. Did you know Rachel had a dollar in her ear?”
Chloe stared at the silver dollar with intensity, then swept her gaze back up to Max’s face, a mixture of disbelief and concentration. “She didn’t have money in her ear. You made that happen.”
Max chuckled. “Yep. Know how?”
Chloe shook her head.
“Magic.”
At that, the girl frowned, pinching her brows together. “There’s no such thing as magic.”
“You sure about that? Here,” Max said. “Stick your fingers in your ears. See if there’s any money there.”
Promptly, Chloe stuffed her fingers in her ears, then pulled them out again, a satisfied look on her face. “No money.”
“Bet you’re wrong,”
The girl grinned. “No money,” she shouted excitedly.
Max stretched his hands out, palms up, and let Chloe see he wasn’t holding anything. Then he swept his hands over her ears and produced a silver dollar in each hand. “So what do you call this?” he asked.
A bright grin swept over Chloe’s face. She grabbed the silver dollars, squirmed out of Rachel’s arms and ran over to her mom. “Max made magic. He found money in my ears. Can I keep it?”
Donna started to shake her head, but Rachel said, “Of course you can. Max meant it as a gift. And a gift from Max is the best thing a girl can ever receive because he doesn’t give gifts to just anyone. Just to those who are special. And you are special,” Rachel said, tweaking Chloe’s nose. Rachel glanced up at Grace and smiled, as if she was talking to her as well as Chloe.
Donna laughed and said, “Okay, so what do you say when someone gives you a gift?”
“Thank you,” Chloe said sweetly before wrapping her arms around Max’s knees, squeezing him tight. Grace felt warmth spread through her chest. She was moved by Max’s actions, but also by Chloe’s unreserved affection, as well as the message Max’s mom had given the little girl. And Grace.
“Chloe,” Donna said, shifting the baby to the other hip, “it’s time to say goodbye to Rachel.”
“And Max,” Chloe said promptly, then hugged Max again, who chuckled and ruffled her hair.
“I hope to see you again, Chloe,” he said.
After Donna managed to drag her daughter out of the house, Rachel poured more coffee. “Help your father put away the outdoor furniture, would you, Max?”
Grace caught the silent look that passed between Max’s parents, which clearly communicated Rachel wanted to be alone with Grace. Tension slid up her spine and she felt herself blushing again, wondering if Max’s mother suspected all the “gifts” Max had given her so far.
“No problem,” Max said, but turned to face Grace and winked. “You want to come with me? I can show you the yard. My mom’s a great gardener.”
Bless Max’s heart. He was giving her an out in case she didn’t want to be alone with his mother. She took a quick peek at Rachel, who was fighting to hold back her laughter. Grace felt like laughing, too.
“Go help your father,” Grace said quickly, “and maybe your mom will show me these baby blankets she made.”
“They’re in the guest room,” Rachel said.
After Max and his father headed outside, Rachel gestured for Grace to follow her to a back room, where two large gift boxes sat on a bed. When Rachel pulled a quilted baby blanket out of one of the boxes, Grace caught her breath. It was beautiful. Hand quilted, with tiny stitches that had to have taken hours upon hours. The blanket bore Rhys and Melina’s name and a large blank heart, which Rachel traced with one finger.
“Since Rhys and Melina waited to find out the sex of their babies, the baby’s name will be placed in the heart once it’s born,” Rachel said.
“You did this?” Grace asked. “This must have taken months.”
“Years, actually,” Rachel said.
Grace looked up, puzzled. “Years?”
“A grandmother’s love starts when the idea of a baby forms in her child’s mind. Not when the baby is conceived. Or born. Rhys loved Melina for years, and I knew Melina felt the same way. That they dreamed of being a f
amily long before they actually became pregnant.”
Grace choked back a sob and fought against the stinging in her eyes.
Rachel was right. Melina had loved Rhys since she was fourteen. She’d just never believed Rhys could feel the same way. The day they married was the happiest of her life—until the day she found out she was pregnant. Now Melina, who was already close with her own parents, had twice as much family. That included Max.
Grace had friends, good friends, but she didn’t have family. What would her life look like if her parents and their parents had lived? If a grandmother loved her when she was just a dream in her mother’s heart?
She ran her thumb over a row of stitches that formed the intricate border of the heart. “Is the other one exactly the same?”
“Identical,” Rachel said with a laugh. “Wishful thinking I guess.”
The comment made sense, given Rhys and Max looked exactly alike. Funny, Grace usually didn’t think about that. Max just seemed like Max. Not a twin but wholly unique.
“The babies will be lucky to be all wrapped up in quilts so obviously made with love. Melina and Rhys are lucky, too. I’m sure they’ll be grateful. Are they expectin’ the blankets, or is this a surprise?”
“Rhys and Melina know about the blankets, but Max doesn’t about his. Not yet.”
Grace’s eyes widened. Her first thought was, Won’t that be as useless as an ashtray on a motorcycle? “You made a blanket for Max?”
For the first time, Rachel frowned. “I made blankets for both my boys.”
“I’m sorry,” Grace said quickly. “I didn’t mean to imply… I mean, of course you’d make one for Max. Why wouldn’t you?”
Rachel’s expression smoothed and she smiled slightly. “I’m sure Max would recite several reasons. And I understand your reaction, Grace. Really. Despite the fact he’s dated his fair share of women and sowed more than his fair share of oats, most people expect Rhys to be a great dad, and I’m sure he will be. It’s Max who’ll surprise everyone when he finally gets to be a parent. He’ll be a fantastic uncle, but he’ll be an even better father. Even if he doesn’t quite believe it himself.”
