“It sounds like paradise. I’d love to go.”
“Visitors are restricted, but if you know a local who can grant you access…” He arched a brow. “How about you? What’s your all time favorite place outside of London?”
“I’ve never left England.”
He looked shocked. “That’s ridiculous, Daisy. Are you serious?”
“I just don’t…fly.”
“But…there are so many beautiful countries to see. Would you visit me in Brazil?”
I hesitated, his question hanging in the air between us.
I finally exhaled. “You come to London frequently, right?”
“Daisy, I work six days a week at my law firm. I come back once every few months.”
A cold dread closed around my heart at the thought of not seeing him. I would miss him terribly. I couldn’t see a way round it. “Flying is impossible for me.”
“You’re scared of flying?” He shook his head. “You need to get over that.”
“I’ve come to terms with it.”
“With what? Your inability to fly?”
Dragging my bag onto my lap, I reached in and opened my purse, rummaging around for cash.
“Is it the cost?” he asked.
“No.”
Max waved a hand. “I’ve got this.”
I need fresh air.
“I want to pay.” With a trembling hand, I threw several twenty-pound notes on the table.
Max snatched them up and pushed to his feet. He shoved the money back into my handbag. “This is my treat.”
My chair squeaked as I pushed it back. “I’m sorry. I have to go.”
He looked confused. “Did I say something to offend you?”
I rushed for the door and stepped outside, sucking in cold air, trying to calm my breathing, glancing left and right to get my bearings.
I needed to get home…needed to push that haunting memory away.
Max’s strong arm pulled me back, crushing me against his firm chest.
“Take a breath.”
I gave a nod that I was calmer.
He spun me around to face him and gripped my shoulders. “What just happened in there?”
“I’m never going to see you again after you go back to Brazil. And it’s my fault.”
Max yanked me against his chest in a bear hug. He was too strong for me to pull away from. This was only delaying the agony—parting from him now would hurt so much worse than before.
“I’ve upset you.” He pressed his lips to the top of my head. “You have to tell me why, Daisy.”
“Can you take me home?”
“Of course.” He led me back to his car, glancing at me with concern as he opened the passenger door. “Please talk to me about what’s bothering you.”
I climbed into the front seat. “There’s nothing to talk about.”
We drove across town in silence, the familiar landmarks proving we were heading in the right direction. Embarrassment over my outburst caused my cheeks to burn. This fear was embedded so deep within my soul that I knew nothing could be done about it.
I wanted to reach out to him, but didn’t…and I wanted to apologize for ruining our lunch, but my anxiety continued creeping and crawling throughout my body, causing my muscles to tighten and my throat to constrict, making it hard to breathe normally.
Max pulled the car up to my aunt’s house. When I went to unclip my seatbelt, his hand grabbed my wrist. “Wait.”
“I should go.”
I heard a click and realized he had locked the car’s doors.
He turned to face me. “Consider yourself my prisoner. You’re not going anywhere until you tell me what happened back there.”
“Please, let me go.”
His hand slipped from mine and he leaned back with a sigh. “Trust me, Daisy. Give me that much, please.”
Tears stung my eyes and I felt those familiar feelings of guilt return with a vengeance.
“Talk to me, Daisy.” He reached over and squeezed my hand. “I promise I’ll understand.”
I let out a shaky breath.
Get out of the car.
Forget this.
“We’ve come this far, you and me,” he said quietly. “Despite the odds.”
A tremor ran through me. I’d carried this tragic event around for so long it had come to define me.
“Does it have something to do with your brother, Liam?” he coaxed.
“I can’t…” I shook my head. “I’m ashamed.”
“Why?’
I swallowed the lump in my throat.
“Liam was scheduled for a flight to Bavaria,” I said, my voice trembling. “He was a member of the ski team and he was flying out there for winter training with his teammates. They all met up at our place first. Whoever was meant to be taking them to the airport was running late, and Liam and his friends were panicking because they thought they’d miss their flight.” My throat tightened as I relived the nightmare that had ruined our lives. “I offered to drive them.”
Max let out a long breath as he tried to piece together the rest of my story.
“Traffic was heavy,” I continued. “With seconds to spare I got them to the airport.”
“Safely?” he asked, revealing that he’d guessed at some other horror.
I gave a nod. “I told Liam to grab his gear from the boot. I didn’t even hug him goodbye because he had to hurry and get through customs. I helped rush them along. He and his mates ran into the airport with big smiles on their faces because they’d made it there on time.” I paused, swallowing hard. “I helped them catch their plane.”
“Oh, Daisy.” Max studied my face, reading my thoughts.
“He made it to his flight because of me.”
“You can’t blame yourself.”
“They tried to make an emergency landing over Stuttgart. They had engine trouble.”
He lifted my hand to his mouth and kissed it gently.
“If only they had missed that flight,” I said, my voice breaking.
“It wasn’t your fault.”
“How could it not be? All those lives lost because I insisted on doing them a favor.”
“I’m sorry, Daisy. Truly, I am.”
“Liam’s instructor told me he was a fine sportsman. He was destined for the Olympics.” I wiped my runny nose with the back of my hand.
Max reached over and retrieved a tissue from the glove box. “Here you are.”
I dabbed my face with it, sniffing, as more tears sprang from my eyes and trickled down my cheeks.
“His coach should have been more considerate of your grief,” said Max.
“I believe their friend was meant to be late, and I interfered with fate.”
Max gathered me into a hug. After a moment, I pulled away. “I’ll never forgive myself.”
“You have nothing to forgive yourself for.”
“I replay that morning over and over. It’s like an out-of-body experience where I’m shouting at myself not to speak up…not to offer them a lift.”
“Have you considered that maybe you were meant to take them, Daisy?”
I shook my head. “What do you mean?”
“Maybe you were meant to see your brother happy as he headed off to do what he loved. It wasn’t about the awards to him, it was the sport itself. It was about the camaraderie with his teammates.”
“Aunty says Liam’s forever happy now, that he’s skiing all over heaven.”
“You’re aunt’s as mad as a hatter.”
I burst out laughing. “Aren’t you supposed to agree with her for my sake?”
“Well, I know this much—he wouldn’t want you to be sad. He certainly wouldn’t want you to take the blame.”
“I know you’re right, but I can’t shake it.” The trauma I still felt was stifling.
I was afraid Max wouldn’t want to see me again. I’d been too emotional, and now he knew how damaged I was inside.
I reached for the door handle. “Thank you
for lunch.”
“You have to go back to university,” he said flatly. “Promise me you’ll consider it.”
“I will,” I said to appease him.
“There’s something I’ve been meaning to do,” he said. “I just never get around to doing it.”
I looked back at him, fingers curling around the door handle, ready for him to release me from the car.
He narrowed his gaze on me. “I want to see more of…London.”
“I thought you spent your summers here while you were growing up.”
“Yes, but I haven’t allowed myself to be a tourist in years.”
“What sort of things do you want to see?”
“All of it.”
“Even taking a double-decker bus ride? That kind of thing?”
“That would be a fun place to start.” He gave me a questioning smile. “Want to be my guide?”
I couldn’t believe Daisy had never visited The Victoria and Albert Museum before.
Together, we strolled along the hallways and huddled close in the vast showrooms awed by the variety of the art and fashion—and even the architecture of the building itself. It was easy to get lost in the place.
Before coming here, we’d acted like tourists, having taken a tour on a double-decker bus around the city, and then getting off at the stop outside this museum.
After her tearful confession of self-imposed guilt earlier, I was glad to be the one to make her feel better.
She’d lit up with joy the moment she’d realized we were stopping at the museum. It housed some of the most incredible sculptures. One could see a brilliant snapshot of Great Britain within its formidable walls, but other objects from all over the world were showcased here as well—from rare manuscripts to a showroom full of glamorous wedding dresses.
“It’s impossible to see everything in one day,” I told her. “There are well over two million treasures here spanning five thousand years. We’ll have to come back again. Just you and me.”
She brightened at that. “To be honest, you didn’t strike me as the type of person who would want to visit the Victoria and Albert Museum.”
“I have a soft spot for Prince Albert.” I rolled my eyes. “No, not because of that, Daisy Whitby,” I chastised her with a grin. “For what Albert did for the United Kingdom. Advancing social issues, his passion for the working class, that kind of thing.”
“It’s the most common type of male piercing, apparently.”
“Hey, focus.” I snapped my fingers in front of her face.
We both laughed, drawing amused stares from the other tourists.
We continued on until we reached the jewelry collection, lingering before a glass case with a collection of rare objects. The one that caught Daisy’s attention was an eye miniature from the early nineteenth century.
“This seems to be a common theme around the world,” she said.
“Doesn’t surprise me,” I said. “They are the gateway to the soul.”
She rose onto her toes so she could stare right into my eyes.
“What are you doing?”
“Looking into your soul.”
“Careful, you might not like what you see.”
She wagged a finger in front of my face. “You can’t fool me, Max. I see who you really are.”
I grabbed her fingers and squeezed them gently. Perhaps she really could see the real me. It felt like a revelation.
Daisy filled the vacuum within me, making it easier for my feelings to find their freedom. I had never really allowed myself to love a woman before. With her, I could see it happening.
We stopped at the entrance to another exhibit. “I have to cover your eyes for this next one.”
“It’s not horrific, is it?” She sounded nervous.
“Trust me?” I stood behind her and put my hands over her eyes. “Walk forward.”
She giggled, finding this mysterious adventure funny.
Once we were inside the exhibit, I eased my fingers off her face. “Open your eyes.”
She glanced back at me, smiling, and then turned to face the glass window shop displays. The one before us had been created by Liberty’s.
Within the small space directly ahead of us was a mannequin dressed in a green taffeta gown. It was holding up a book and was surrounded by many more that were artfully positioned here and there. Liberty had created a glamorous shop window with a colorful collection of romance novels. The museum plaque stated this one was called “The love of reading captured in a moment of time.”
Daisy let out a gasp filled with awe.
“I want the rest of today to be about you.”
She seemed dazed. “What?”
“Go look.” I nudged her forward.
She hurried over and peered through the glass window, mesmerized by the display. She started to press her nose against the window, but then seemed to think better of it.
“Does it inspire you?” I asked.
“Tremendously! Thank you so much, Max.” She fell back against me as my arms closed around her.
“I can’t stop looking at it,” I said. “It’s the spectrum of colors and the unique way the display conveys its meaning.”
“When I was little,” she said, excitement in her tone, “we went Christmas shopping, me and my mum, and all I wanted to do was peer into the shop windows. They really can be magical.”
I released her and tilted her chin up, staring intently into her eyes. “When you’re drawn to something like this you have to listen to your heart.”
“It isn’t easy to join the design teams. There’s a lot of competition.”
“You have to believe in yourself.”
She looked away. “After Liam died, nothing seemed to matter.”
“Your dream matters now more than ever,” I said softly.
She gazed up at me. “If you reconsider your career, I will too.”
That made me smile. “I’d sit in on my dad’s court cases…always in awe at how he tore apart the prosecution’s case.”
“How old were you?”
“I was a teenager.”
“And here you are now,” she said. “A top lawyer.”
“I’ve never taken three weeks off before.” I gave a shrug. “There was never a reason.”
“Thank you so much for today. It’s been special.”
“I don’t want this day to end, Daisy.”
“What would you like to do?”
“How about we go back to the hotel for dinner?”
“I’m still full from lunch.”
I smiled suggestively. “Go back for a drink, then?”
“I have a fun idea.”
She wouldn’t tell me what it was, though. She kept her secret from the time we left the museum, all the way back to the Waldorf Hotel.
We snuggled in the backseat of the taxi grateful for the warmth.
When we arrived at the Waldorf, she guided me to the lift with mischief in her step, and punched the UP button. I was amused by her enthusiasm, the way she kept glancing back at me with a cheeky grin.
We arrived at the hotel’s top floor bar.
Ahead of us was that long glass chute that went down several floors.
“I’ll go first,” she said.
After receiving a nod from a member of the staff, Daisy climbed into the entrance of the chute and sat on the blue mat. Her confidence made my heart soar. She looked back at me and grinned, then shot down the chute, screaming and laughing as she disappeared from view.
I climbed in behind her, waiting for the staff member to give me the go ahead. Below me was a sheer breathtaking drop and to my left was a wall of glass. The view was spectacular.
I hesitated before pushing off, realizing the profoundness of this moment.
This act represented me risking everything to go after what I wanted—the person waiting for me at the end of this dare. I had to change my life to get to a place where I could find fulfillment.
I shot down the chute, zooming ar
ound the corner with my heart racing, my throat tight, adrenaline surging through my veins, sparking an uncommon joy inside me as the world whooshed by.
The end came up fast, but I slowed just enough to avoid doing a “Daisy”—coming to a halt and using the momentum to stand.
Daisy ran forward and fell into my arms. We laughed hysterically at ourselves. It was ridiculous and yet liberating.
Feeling high from our mutual rush, we jumped on the lift and virtually tripped over each other to get to my hotel room. I fumbled for my door key impatiently.
Finally, we made it inside…
I immediately nudged Daisy back against the wall, pressing my body against hers and kissing her passionately.
I yanked off her coat and then my fingers found the zipper of her jeans, tugging them off her hips and pulling them down. She stepped out of them, her fingers trailing through my hair. Neither of us could stand not touching the other.
With perspiration misting my forehead, I unzipped my jeans and hopped out of them. Neither of us cared about the rest of our clothes.
I cupped her face in my hands. “You’re a part of me now, Daisy.”
She sealed her lips to mine, fighting to get closer.
I ripped off her panties, needing to be inside her, lifting her up so that she could wrap her legs around me.
I entered her in one thrust, feeling her wet warmth envelope my cock, hearing her moan loudly as she tugged at my hair, both of us captured in a feverish embrace.
Hearing our ragged breathing—and the erotic sounds of our bodies banging against the wall as I took her—only aroused me more.
I wanted to give her everything, every last part of me.
I was consumed with need whenever I was around Daisy, starved even when she was with me, even with me buried deep inside her, her hands around my neck as we clung to each other.
She climaxed with a thready cry, her body trembling against mine.
When it was over, I rested my forehead against hers and whispered, “Daisy Whitby, I love everything about you.”
“You don’t have to say that,” she whispered back.
“But I can show it,” I said, lifting her up in my arms and carrying her over to the bed. “I can show you how I feel.”
My life was perfect.
Max and I had indulged in a whirlwind romance over the last four days. I’d been having the best sex of my life with the best man I’d ever met—a man who treated me with dignity, who occupied my every thought.
Maximum Dare Page 14
