Max couldn’t believe he’d agreed to show up this morning.
Was he trying to get himself caught in a damn lie? Because if he got anywhere near Mrs. Howard with Jessa around, that was exactly what the hell was going to happen.
He liked Mrs. Howard. He really did. The dear old gal reminded him a lot of his late Grandma Bess. It had never mattered how big he was. Or how old he was. With just a simple look, that woman always made him feel like he’d just been spanked.
Mrs. Howard had that same gift. As well as a big mouth.
Of course, it was probably no bigger than his own since he’d been the one to get himself into this whole mess in the first place.
Idiot.
After leaving Jessa’s house earlier, Max had taken his sweet time driving to his own house across town so that he could change his clothes. Then, while he was there, he’d made himself a quick breakfast of microwaved egg whites, fake bacon, a dry slice of whole-grain wheat toast, and a vanilla protein shake. Yeah, he couldn’t cook worth a damn, and breakfast had basically sucked.
But it wasn’t like he could’ve eaten at Jessa’s house. Well, unless he’d been able to convince her to come back to bed…which hadn’t happened. So his only option had been to go home to eat. Because, unfortunately, cold pepperoni pizza didn’t coincide with a healthy lifestyle. At least not in his way of thinking.
And that sucked too.
Max pulled his truck into the bar’s parking lot and drove around the back. He parked next to her food truck and then walked over to see if she was inside. A short Hispanic male with stocky shoulders and big biceps glanced over at him. “You Mario?” Max asked.
“Who wants to know?” the guy asked warily.
“I’m a friend of Jessa’s.”
The guy gave Max a once-over and shrugged one shoulder. “Yeah, she said you’d be stopping by. She’s in the kitchen,” he said, pointing toward a solid metal door at the back of the building.
“Thanks,” Max said, heading for it.
He opened the door quietly, poked his head inside, and caught sight of Jessa standing alone in the kitchen. Thank goodness for that. Maybe he wouldn’t have to worry about running into Mrs. Howard, after all. “You busy?” he asked, stepping fully inside the room.
Jessa’s head snapped up. “Oh. I almost thought you weren’t coming.”
“I told you I would.”
“Yeah, but that was earlier when I still had time to show you around. Now I’ve only got a few minutes before I have to head out on the truck.”
“Sorry about that. I got…held up.” By the shitty breakfast he’d made for himself…and his conscience. “I guess we’ll just have to reschedule for another day.”
Out of his peripheral vision, a figure moved into view, and a scratchy older female’s voice asked, “What is it that you need to reschedule?”
Mrs. Howard had apparently been bent over a counter on the other side of the upright freezer, so he hadn’t noticed her standing there. Just great.
Jessa smiled. “Oh, it’s nothing. Max was going to inspect the kitchen for any problem areas.”
Mrs. Howard’s mouth drooped at the corners. “Is there something wrong with the electricity that I don’t know about?”
Shit. Jessa opened her mouth to respond but Max beat her to it. “I’m sure everything here is perfect,” he said quickly. “I was just going to have a look around. But since Jess has to leave soon, we’ll do it another time. Right, Jess?”
The elderly woman looked over at Jessa and shook her head. “That won’t be necessary. I can stay and show Max around for you. I know exactly where the circuit panel is, as well as the outside electrical box.”
Jessa cocked her head at Mrs. Howard. “Why would he need to look at those?”
Damn it. He was so busted. There was nothing he could do now to stop Mrs. Howard from throwing him under the bus and running him over with it. Twice.
Mrs. Howard’s mouth quirked up with amusement. “Well, Max is an elect—”
“Electrifying individual,” someone blurted out from across the kitchen.
Max’s head snapped up, and his eyes fell on Logan Mathis entering the room from a door that apparently separated the bar from the kitchen.
As if things weren’t bad enough?
“Logan,” Max said with a cordial nod.
“Max.”
Super. Just what he needed. This smug jerk to witness his embarrassing demise. If Max was going to go down in flames in front of someone, why did it have to be Logan of all people? Damn it. “What are you doing here?”
Logan propped his hip against the counter and grinned. “I own the building.”
“I know that,” Max said, stifling the urge to roll his eyes. “But why don’t you stay on your own side of it?”
“Max,” Jessa blurted out, her eyes pinned to him. “That was rude.”
Logan grinned. “It’s okay, Jess. I know Max is just kidding around. Just like that time he kissed my girlfriend’s neck. Yeah, funny stuff.”
Max let loose a sardonic chuckle. “Still pissed about that, huh? Valerie wasn’t your girlfriend at the time. She was as single as I was, and what happened between us is none of your business.”
Logan’s heated gaze sliced into Max. “Nothing happened between the two of you. I know because Valerie said so.”
He was absolutely right. Nothing had ever happened between Max and Valerie. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t still get on Logan’s nerves about it. “Maybe.”
Valerie’s pissed-off fiancé took a step toward Max. “There’s no maybe about it, asshole.”
“Logan Mathis!” Mrs. Howard yelled in that stern tone she’d perfected over the years. “If I hear you use that kind of language in front of us ladies again, I’m going to…to…call your mother.”
Logan winced and his shoulders relaxed. “Uh, sorry, Mrs. Howard.”
Max grinned. Thank goodness he hadn’t been the one to curse in front of them. Mrs. Howard didn’t know his mother, but the last time he’d slipped up in front of her, the old-fashioned schoolmarm had given him a twenty-minute lecture about cleaning up his vulgar vocabulary. And all he’d said was shit.
“Well, this has been lots of fun,” Jessa said sarcastically. She glanced at her wristwatch. “But I’ve got to hit the road so I can get there on time and start setting up. Max, why don’t we just do this another day? I really don’t want to inconvenience Mrs. Howard. It is quitting time for her, and she was just getting ready to leave.”
“Works for me,” he replied. The last thing he wanted to do was spend the next hour listening to Mrs. Howard drone on and on about her women’s poker night or something even worse. Like her bunions.
But Mrs. Howard raised one wrinkled hand. “It’s no bother.”
“Actually,” Logan said with a pompous grin, “why don’t you let me show him around the kitchen. I need to discuss something with him anyway.”
That piqued Max’s curiosity, but he shook his head. “We don’t have anything to talk about.”
Logan grinned again. “I beg to differ. I have a few things I need you to…inspect,” he said, emphasizing the last word. “And since that’s apparently your job now, I think you might want to reconsider your position.”
Sonofabitch. The bastard knew something about what was going on. But if that was true, then why wasn’t Logan outing him in front of everyone, including Jessa? Surely Logan would love the chance to get back at him, and it wasn’t like Max could blame him.
Max nodded firmly. “All right. Then I guess it’s just you and me, buddy.” Though the words came out friendly, the tension between the two men was palpable.
“Um, okay,” Jessa said, her high-pitch tone lending some inconsistency to her agreement. Her eyes trained on Max. “But I’d like to have a word with you first, if you don’t mind.”
“I’ll wait for you at the bar, Max,” Logan said, heading to the inside door that led to his side of the building. “I’m pretty sure that we’re both going to need a strong drink for this conversation.”
The moment Logan disappeared through the doorway, Mrs. Howard turned to Jessa. “Dear, do you think it’s wise to leave these two alone together? Especially while they’re drinking? I’m pretty sure nothing good will come from that.”
Jessa shrugged. “Well, they’re two grown men. I think they should be able to have a simple conversation without it turning into a full-out brawl. Don’t you?”
Mrs. Howard laughed as she looped her oversized purse on her frail, skinny arm. “Good luck with that,” she said, heading out the door.
Once they were alone, Jessa turned her concerned gaze onto Max. “I know you and Logan don’t have the best relationship, but I hope you’ll be on good behavior today while you’re talking to him.”
“Define good.”
“Max.”
He grinned. “Okay. I won’t kill him. How’s that?”
Jessa sighed. “I guess that’s about the best I can hope for.”
“It’ll be fine,” Max assured her. He glanced around the kitchen at his surroundings. “How did you even meet Logan anyway?”
“I ran into him after I got into town. I was in the grocery store talking to one of the cashiers as she rang me up. I had asked her if she knew where I could rent some kitchen space, and she suggested I check with the owner of Sweets n’ Treats. But that wouldn’t work out.”
“Why? Leah wouldn’t be able to help you?”
“I don’t know. I never asked. Unfortunately, bakeries just don’t have the right kind of equipment that I need. When I said that to the cashier, Logan happened to be standing behind me in line and overheard the conversation. We got to talking, and he mentioned that he had a fully equipped kitchen at his bar that he wasn’t even using.”
“That was pretty convenient, I bet.”
“I know. I couldn’t believe my luck!” Her face brightened. “It was as if fate had stepped in and the stars had all aligned perfectly. Like we were meant to be.”
Irritation settled in Max’s gut. He didn’t like hearing her talk about another man like that after she’d spent the night in his arms. “You do know that Logan’s off the market, right?”
She stared blankly at him. “You’re kidding me.”
“No. Logan is really engaged to Valerie. They’re getting married soon.”
She scowled at Max. “Not about that. I meant you’re kidding that you seriously think I’m interested in Logan in that way. God, Max. We’re just friends. Nothing more. Logan has been very kind to me and went out of his way to help me out. And I know he’s engaged to Valerie because she and I are friends too. They’re adorable together.”
He hesitated thoughtfully. “Okay, then what was up with the whole fate and stars bit?”
“You don’t believe in stuff like that?”
Max shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I never really thought about it. But I take it you do.”
“My mother believed in it wholeheartedly. And well, yeah, I guess I do too since I said all of that without even thinking about it. I guess I just find it pretty amazing how one person can come into your life and affect you so much without you or them even realizing it. Then before you know it, you’re attached to them and it’s too late to do anything about it.”
His heart thumped in his chest. Hard. “Yeah. I know exactly what you mean.” As strange as it was, he was starting to feel that way about Jessa.
She smiled and glanced at her watch again. “Anyway, now I’m really late. I have to go.” She grabbed her keys from the table. “Will I see you later tonight?”
Max hesitated, knowing he should put a stop to all of this now. But remembering how great last night had been, he couldn’t seem to do it. “Sure,” he said, glancing at the closed door to the bar. “If I’m still alive, that is.”
She smirked lightly. “I’m sure you two will be able to find some kind of common ground. Who knows? Maybe you will even become friends.”
“Yeah. Maybe.” Don’t hold your breath.
“Just try, please.” She leaned up on her tiptoes and brushed her lips firmly against his. “If you won’t do it for yourself, then do it for me.”
He cupped his hand around the back of her neck and brought her mouth back to his. When he broke the kiss, he said, “That’s a lot to ask, ya know?”
“I’ll make it worth your while when I see you later tonight,” she said with a wink.
That one little gesture foretold all the dirty, delicious things she would do to him. Maybe he believed in this fate and stars shit, after all. “You’re on. I’ll keep my hands off Logan. But later with you? That’s going to be an entirely different story. Count on it.”
“Good to hear,” she said with a smile, and then headed for the door. “By the way, Mario will be locking this door up when he leaves. So just have Logan let you out when the two of you are done.”
“Okay. Drive safe.”
“Always do,” she replied, waving as she walked out.
The moment she started her truck and drove away, Max headed into the bar to find Logan. It wasn’t hard to do since he was exactly where he’d said he would be. Max walked straight up to the bar and slid onto the black vinyl stool. “Okay, so what is it that you know?”
Logan grinned wide. “I know it’s early in the day, but I’m going to drink a beer anyway. Want one?”
“Okay. Give me a Bud Lite and then start talking.”
“Maybe it’s you who should start talking,” Logan said, grabbing Max a bottle of beer and popping the metal cap off before sliding it toward him. Then he grabbed himself a Corona and did the same. “You want to tell me what the hell’s going on between you and Jessa?”
Max took a long pull from his beer. “None of your damn business, that’s what.”
“Bullshit. You made this my business the moment you showed up at the building I own pretending to be something you’re not.” He chuckled. “Isn’t that right, inspector?”
Max ground his teeth together. He had a feeling Logan had somehow figured it all out. “It’s not what you think, damn it.”
“Funny seeing how I don’t have a clue what to think. I have my reservations about you, Max. Always have. But I’ve seen how you are with Valerie and Leah, and never in a million years would I think you’re such a lowlife that you would use a job title to get into a woman’s pants. So why the hell would you let Jessa believe that you’re the new city health inspector?”
He sighed. “It’s a long story, but the summed-up version is that I was trying to get her to leave town because she was taking Pops’ customers away from him and he’s about to go out of business.”
Logan lifted a brow. “Pops is that old guy who owns the Empty Plate Café, right?”
“Yeah, he’s a good friend of mine.”
Logan smirked. “You sure about that? I still find it hard to believe that anyone other than Sam actually likes you.”
“Very funny, smart-ass.” But Max grinned. It was probably true. “You want to hear this or not?”
“All right. Go on.”
“Okay, so here it is. The old man is a friend of mine and he’s losing money every day because the Gypsy Cantina has been parking across the street from his restaurant. He won’t be able to stay open much longer so I told him I’d pretend to be the new inspector and run the truck off. I was just trying to help him out.”
“By hurting Jessa?”
Max shook his head furiously. “No. I didn’t know that she was running the food truck at the time. And by the time I figured it out, it was too late. I’d already put my foot in my mouth. But I haven’t done anything all that bad. I’ve made up some ridiculous fake city code violations and told her to fix them. Other than that, I didn’t do anything to hurt her.”
“Yet, you mean? You haven’t done anything to hurt her yet. I saw the way she was looking at you in that kitchen, Max. There’s more going on than you just lying to her about your profession.”
Lord, were they really going to talk about this? “Look, Dad, if you dare ask me what my intentions are with her, I’m getting up and leaving.”
“I’m just saying that it wasn’t a we’re-just-friends kind of look. She obviously likes you a lot, and you’re sitting here feeding her a bunch of bullshit. Don’t you think she’s going to figure it out at some point?”
Max ran his hand through his hair. “Yeah, I do. That’s why I need to tell her the truth before she does. I just…don’t know how to. I’m working on that.”
“Well, you better work faster. Because if you don’t tell her soon, I’m going to.”
Anger simmered in Max’s blood, and his eyes narrowed. “Like I didn’t know that already? Of course you’d look for any excuse to send me up shit creek without a paddle. I’m not the least bit surprised, Logan. In fact, I don’t even know why you didn’t let the truth come out in the kitchen a few minutes ago instead of covering for me. I’m sure you would’ve loved seeing me in hot water.”
Logan set his beer down and swallowed. “I didn’t do it for you. I don’t give a shit if you get yourself in hot water or not. You’ve always been an instigator, and yeah, payback would’ve been a bitch for you back there. But there’s only one reason I stopped it from happening and that was for Jessa’s sake. She’s a sweet girl. The last thing she deserves is you fucking with her head like this. So you need to fix this shit. Now. Or I’m going to.”
“First off, I already planned on it. Second, Jessa’s not a girl. She’s a woman.”
“Yeah, but she’s short and sweet and has those freckles, which makes her seem more vulnerable somehow. That only makes me want to protect her more…especially from the likes of you.”
A grin stretched Max’s lips. “Yeah, well, I felt the same way about Valerie. We’re good friends, and I only wanted the best for her. Unfortunately, she had shitty taste in men. It is what it is.”
There. Now they were back on solid ground.
Logan chuckled and clanked his bottle of Corona against Max’s Bud Lite. “Touché.”
“Great talk,” Max said, taking another swig from his bottle. “We’re good, right?”
“Yeah, we’re good,” Logan agreed. “But you know Valerie’s brother, Brett? He still hates your guts.”
Max smirked. “What can I say? Feeling’s mutual.”
* * *
Jessa awoke to something touching her thigh.
It was a…hand. A very large, very warm one. And it didn’t belong to her. Holy hell. The man is insatiable.
She couldn’t move so she didn’t even bother to try. “Again? So soon?”
Max chuckled. “You up for it?”
Well, no. Not entirely. When Max had arrived earlier in the evening, she’d opened the door and started to ask him how things went with Logan. But before she could, Max had covered her mouth with his, kicked the door closed with his foot, and began yanking off her clothes. Her legs still felt like jelly from where he’d taken her up against the wall an hour before. Afterward, they’d collapsed on the bed, their limbs intertwined while they dozed off.
“One more hour,” she said, yawning. “Then I’m all yours.”
But Max apparently had other ideas. His hand continued up her inner thighs, massaging lightly, while his fingers shifted upward. “I don’t think I can wait another hour. I’m selfish like that. Open up,” he said, giving her leg a nudge.
She giggled. “Okay, but I’m warning you now. I’m just going to lie here. I’m too tired to move. I had a long day and spent most of it on my feet.”
Max leaned over and kissed her mouth softly. “You can lie there. I just want to taste you again. That doesn’t really require any effort on your part.”
She smiled. “Should I give an occasional moan to let you know that I’m still awake?”
A smile spread across his face, and he winked at her. “It certainly would be appreciated.” He moved down her body and positioned himself between her legs. “Though if what I’m about to do to you doesn’t have you screaming my name at the top of your lungs, there’s something seriously wrong with the both of us.”
Jessa laughed. “I’m sure my neighbors hate you already.”
Propping each of her legs over his strong shoulders, Max nuzzled his head between them. The stubble on his unshaved jaw scraped lightly against the sensitive skin of her inner thighs, and she squirmed a little in response to the sensation.
“So you can move.”
She grinned. “Looks like I’m gaining back some of my abilities.”
“Hallelujah, it’s a miracle!”
She started to laugh, but without warning, he nestled his face into the apex of her thighs and found her with his warm mouth. The laugh came out more like a strangled gasp, and her hips jerked involuntarily at the sensation.
His hard, muscular arms wrapped around her soft, pliable thighs in a death grip, holding her in place as he began his onslaught. Without a doubt, he wasn’t going to let go until she fully surrendered everything she had. And that thought only made her nipples peak and her breath quicken.
His tongue slid over her in a sensual rhythm, gliding through her wet folds and teasing her clit. Sharp teeth lightly grazed over her, nibbling on that sensitive little bud, then sucked on it until she began to pant harder.
Jesus. She hadn’t felt this good in…well, about an hour.
Max slid his fingers into her. First one. Then another. And after pumping them in and out for a while, stretching her, he finally added a third. The overwhelming sensation of fullness and pressure against her inner walls only brought her closer to the edge. But it was when he started rubbing against her G-spot that the exquisite heat pooled in her abdomen, radiating out to her limbs.
Her hands fisted in his hair. “Oh God. Oh my God! Oh…I’m going to…”
He firmed the pressure of his mouth and thrust his fingers faster. Her head thrashed back and forth on the pillow. Desire coated her with wetness. Need flooded her system. Spasms of raw pleasure spiraled through her belly, making her body twitch in delight.
When the glorious convulsions finally subsided, Max lifted his head, his lips glistening with her arousal. He licked them. “So fucking good.”
Her eyes were closed at half-mast, and she sighed contently. “I’m sorry, but I’ll need another hour before I can return the favor.”
“Like hell you will,” Max said, moving swiftly between her legs and lifting her hips until his erection prodded at her. “I think we’re about to witness another miracle.”