Chapter 31

Max

“She’s beautiful,” Lia whispered, pressing her fingers over her lips as she leaned closer to my mama.

Onstage, dancing in a black leotard and tutu, was my baby sister, Charlotte. We’d made the trip to see her, and Lia couldn’t have been more awesome about it.

“She is the star. Look at her,” Mama whispered, wiping at her tears. My stepdad, Tom, looked equally enamored, a huge smile on his face as he watched Char move.

It made me wonder if I’d be the same way with my own daughter someday. Then I looked over at Lia. If she were the mother of my baby girl, then I’d no doubt be way worse than Tom ever was.

Two months with Lia, and there I was, planning our entire future. I’d always prided myself on patience, but every day seemed like one more day I didn’t want to wait to make her permanently mine.

Lia yawned and lowered her head to my shoulder, her fingers laced through mine, palm to palm. We were exhausted, but we’d promised to have dinner with my family after this. Then we’d head back to our hotel in downtown Nashville for a night of doing what we’d gotten really good at over the past few months since that night at my house.

Her body and my body, hot, sweaty, and sliding all over each other…

She shivered like she could read my mind, then leaned back to look in my eyes. Knowing I wouldn’t see those eyes up close every day after tomorrow killed me, but I loved her and supported her enough to let her go.

I just prayed it wouldn’t be forever.

Once the half-hour recital was over, we met up with Charlotte backstage. One look at me and she raced across the room and jumped into my arms with a huge squeal. Her short, skinny arms wrapped tightly around my neck.

“Did you see me dance, Max?”

I tipped my head back to look into my little sister’s eyes. They were the color of Tom’s—bright blue—but she had black hair and dark skin like Mama and me. She was a gorgeous girl who would no doubt break a lot of hearts someday. “Yeah, I did. Next stop, Juilliard—no doubt in my mind.”

She giggled as I set her on her feet. Mama hugged her hard, the strain around her eyes easing as she kissed the top of Char’s head. “You did beautifully, hija. I am so proud of you.”

“Thanks, Mama.” Charlotte’s cheeks turned red, but her eyes were almost dancing as she stared up at her dad and then Lia.

One weekend wouldn’t be enough with my family. But it was all I could do for now. I had catering gigs scheduled every weekend for the next several weeks, while during the week, I planned on a little side cooking from my store. When Ma had asked us to visit, it worked out that on my way back home, I could drop Lia off at her new place, where her mom would be waiting to help her get settled.

Clearing my throat, I pulled my favorite woman against my side, my arm wrapped around her waist as I did my introductions. “Char, meet Lia. Lia, this is world-famous ballerina Charlotte Franklin.”

“You’ve got a girlfriend with pink hair? That is so cool.”

Lia grinned. “I have purple hair too. You just can’t see it well right now.”

I laughed and Ma squeezed my hand, smiling just as widely as the rest of us.

“Good to meet you, Charlotte. You dance like an angel.” Lia offered her hand.

My sister shook it, awestruck and wide-eyed over the beauty that was my girlfriend. Couldn’t blame her, really, because Lia looked exceptionally gorgeous tonight. Dressed in nothing like the getups she usually wore, she had on white jeans and a pink tank with sparkly straps that matched her sparkly sandals. She looked like a lady—but acted like a badass woman.

And those tats… Sweet Jesus, did I love her tats.

“Your nose and lip rings are cool too. Mama said I can get my ears pierced anytime I’m ready. But I’m scared it’ll hurt. Did yours hurt?”

“Nah. They didn’t hurt much at all, actually.”

Charlotte reached for Lia’s hand. The sight of them together did all sorts of messed-up shit to my heart—the good kind of messed up though. Ahead of us, they walked toward the exit, leaving me behind with Mama and Tom.

“She’s a pretty special lady, Maxwell.” Tom spoke first.

I looked at my mama next, waiting for her thoughts.

“She good to you, hijo?”

“She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Mama squeezed my arm and sniffed, probably crying again. I didn’t look because that was when Lia glanced at me from over her shoulder and smiled.

Dinner passed by quicker than I wanted, but Charlotte was exhausted, and Tom and Mama looked about as drained as I felt. Lia and I said our goodbyes, and Mama hugged me like it was the last time she’d ever see me. “Don’t let her get away,” she whispered, then patted my arm before she slipped into their car.

Tom offered to drive us back to the hotel, but the night was cool and the streets were alive with music, so we decided to do a little exploring and walk instead.

Both hands in mine, Lia turned around, pulling me with her as she walked backward down the street. “Your family is pretty awesome.”

I smiled. “I’m glad you got to meet them. My sister couldn’t keep her eyes off you. I think you might be her new superstar idol.” My eyebrows waggled up and down, and Lia blushed that pink I loved so much.

“Hardly. My guess is she’s never seen someone with so many piercings and tattoos in all her eight years of life.”

“She lives twenty minutes from this city. Girl’s seen her fair share, trust me.”

Lia stopped and looked up at the stars in the sky, her face lit up by the flashing bar and club signs hanging along the street. A musician with long hair sat just behind her, and I couldn’t help but watch as his fingers danced over the strings of his guitar. Lia must’ve noticed too, because she turned, backing up to grab my hand. It wasn’t fear pulling her close to me. Instead, it was fascination.

A few people surrounded him, some clapping to the beat, while others urged him to sing. But with his head down and his hair hanging over the side of his face, he seemed oblivious to everything.

“He’s really good.”

I nodded, an idea forming in my head. Once he finished his song and the people around him cleared out, I crouched down next to him. “You take requests?”

He didn’t look at me, but I saw him nod, so I reached into my wallet and pulled out a fifty. “Can you play…” Not wanting Lia to hear, I leaned forward a little more and whispered my song choice.

The guy whipped his face up, his eyes sparkling under the club lights along the street. I grinned back, and he nodded again.

“What’d you ask him?” Lia nudged me with her shoulder.

“You’ll see.”

Seconds later, he started strumming the chords, his fingers slow but knowing the rhythm.

“Dance with me.” I turned to Lia, pulling her close to my chest without waiting for her answer.

“What, here?” She looked around at the new crowd forming. A few people stared at us, but most eyes were on the guy playing.

“Yeah, Lee-Lee. Right here.”

“You’re crazy.” She laughed but wrapped her arms around my neck, only to lay her cheek against my heart.

My hands tightened around her waist as we swayed, the music like a lullaby for lovers as I whispered, “I’m crazy in love with you.”

She snorted, not the response most guys would wanna hear when they dropped a line like that. But I didn’t need to hear anything when I could already feel her answer right there in my arms. Her hands grazed the back of my hair, and her heart beat really fast against me… Then there was a soft sigh that barely registered over the guitar sounds as I kissed the top of her head.

Come tomorrow, she and I would be apart. Me back home, her working in Springfield… But tonight? Right there in the middle of downtown Nashville, with my forever woman in my arms and the song “I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” playing on a guitar? I knew our lives were right where they should be.

* * *

Lia

Anticipation was supposed to make things hotter and more exciting, but I found myself hating that feeling—the way it made my skin crawl, the way my stomach clenched with every soft touch Max made. The second our elevator hit the third floor and we found the hallway leading to our room person-free, I grabbed the top of my shirt and ripped it off, only to fling it behind me against Max’s face.

His bare feet scuffled to a stop behind me. “Damn, woman. I think I’ve finally met my match.”

Grinning, with no more time to waste, I pulled him closer and unbuttoned the rest of his shirt as I leaned back against our hotel door. “Yes, I do believe you have. Now take me inside. One-up me.”

I kissed him after that—climbed his body too, not wanting to wait long for the throbbing to be eased between my thighs. He urged me up higher against his waist. His shirt was still on, but his bare chest was on display, rubbing against my lacy pink bra. He tasted like wine and mint, his tongue caressing mine in a battle I was more than able to keep up with.

I moaned against his mouth as he palmed one of my breasts. He answered my begging plea by dry fucking me against the door. “Max, yes…” I threw my head back, riding him clothed, only for him to stop, drop me to my feet, and step inside the hotel room.

“Not like this.” He stared down the hall. A couple was walking toward us, kissing like we’d done just seconds before. Nodding in understanding, I followed him inside and closed the door, but after that, we didn’t waste another second.

My pants came off, and his did too, until all I had on were my bra and panties and him his boxers. I swallowed hard, panting as I looked over his body. He had baby-soft skin, perfect pecs, delicious abs, and two nipples I wanted to latch my mouth onto for all time. So, I did just that, which earned me a groan and a loud “Fuck me, Lia.”

He didn’t have to tell me twice.

He yanked me around, my ass pressed against his erection, one of his hands buried just inside the band of my panties. With the flick of his fingers, my bra was off, joining the pile of clothing on the floor. He urged me toward the bed, whispering words of love and affection in my ear along the way.

Like I knew he would, he sat on the edge of the mattress, watching as I slid my panties to my knees, then my calves, until finally I flung them behind me somewhere in the dark room. The curtains were open, and we basked in the glow of the moon and the streetlights. Appreciation lit up his eyes as he took me in, and love filled my soul as I closed the distance between us. Wordless, I straddled his lap, sinking down on him without a second thought.

I’d gotten an IUD two days after our first time having sex, and we hadn’t used anything else between us since. Because of his active sex life before me, Max had gotten tested quite often, his last results coming in clean a week after our first time in his room.

“You’re so fucking beautiful” was what he finally said to get me to move. Inhaling through my nose, I did just that, opening my eyes to meet his.

Lust and love filled the darkness of his stare as he lay on the bed. I knew then that something about this moment was different—for both of us. There was a desperation that said This is it. This is real.

Max leaned up on his elbows, latching his lips around my nipples as I moved. He bit, then sucked, then bit, then kissed, a torturous pattern that had me crying his name.

One of his hands dug into the flesh of my ass, nails deep. He guided my movements, never releasing my breast as he did. Eyes shut, I threw my head back, pushing my chest forward, needing more but too afraid to ask—too afraid to discover what exactly that more might be.

I yanked at the tips of his hair instead, begging for a fast release. Up and down I moved, my insides twitching and throbbing.

“Lia,” he growled and moved back, forcing me to meet his stare. Slowly he sat up, holding my hands like a lover would, leaning forward to whisper in my ear. “I love you.” With our bodies still connected, he rolled me onto my back, taking control.

Swallowing hard, I wrapped my legs around his waist, never wanting to lose this moment, this connection. “I love you too.”

The air-conditioning’s blower killed the silence between us. Slowly, Max moved, taking his time, looking at me, kissing me, touching me everywhere he could.

I shivered, so cold but so hot at the same time. “Max?”

Pressing his forehead to mine, he whispered, “Yeah?”

“Faster.”

He laughed. I laughed harder. Then I kissed his chin, and he hissed and groaned and lowered his lips, kissing me like this would be the last time.

And then I was falling, losing my heart to him even more, and loving. So much love, so much Max, so much more than I’d ever thought I’d have in my life.

Max was right there with me, gripping my hips as he pounded out his release. “Lia, Jesus, yes.”

Holding my breath was easy. Catching my breath wasn’t. If I let the air go, I’d likely say something stupid, or maybe even cry. But Max, being Max, collapsed on top of me. With hot breath panting in my ear, he asked, “You wanna do that again in a little bit?”

I laughed. “Let me recoup a little. ’Kay, Soldier Boy?”