Chapter Seven
TREAT SENT A quick text, and fifteen minutes later they were in a dark, nearly empty parking lot. He shifted mischievous eyes to Max and said, “Be right back, sweetness.”
Sweetness. That’s what he’d called her in Nassau.
He left the engine running, and Max watched as he strode toward another SUV. A tall man stepped out, and the two men disappeared behind the vehicle. She didn’t know what was going on, but it made Treat even more mysterious. She played with ideas that made her laugh about the clandestine meeting, picturing him as a drug lord or a mobster, neither of which could be true. But the amusement helped ease her nerves.
When the two of them reappeared, Treat held a large bag in each hand. The other man slapped him on the back and climbed into his truck. Treat put the packages in the back seat and climbed back in behind the wheel.
“Sorry about that,” he said, and drove out of the parking lot.
“Aren’t you going to tell me what that was all about?”
He put his hand on hers and asked, “What do you think it was about?”
“I came up with some pretty funny ideas. Drug deal, talking about where you’ll hide my body. You know, normal stuff.”
Treat’s low, sexy laugh rumbled through her, tugging at all the parts of her that had longed for him. How could she have missed his laugh?
“That was my brother Josh. He’s visiting from New York, and I asked him to bring us a few things since the stores are closed.”
He turned off the main road and drove down a number of dark, narrow streets. She wondered where they were going and what he could have possibly asked for to fill two large bags. She didn’t have much experience with men, and she didn’t want to make a fool of herself, but she felt a little out of her league and her confidence was slipping away.
As if Treat could read her mind, he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. “I’m so glad I came home today.” He rubbed the back of her hand against his cheek and said, “I remembered how soft your skin was. I missed it, Max. I missed you. How is that even possible after one night?”
He lowered her hand to his thigh and covered it with his own. She tried to keep her hand from trembling, but she had no idea how to respond.
“Thank you?” Ugh. Max could coordinate tens of thousands of people, she could multitask like a pro, negotiate with sponsors and always come out on top, but she had so little experience with seduction she should have had Kaylie give her CliffsNotes.
“Thank you”—he glanced over with a serious look before returning his attention to the road—“for giving me another chance.”
“I think we’re giving each other another chance.” That earned her the sweetest, sexiest look she’d ever seen. She was about to ask where they were going when the SUV climbed a steep hill, and he pulled over on the side of the dark road.
“Um…Treat?” she asked as he cut the engine and darkness fell upon them. “Please tell me we’re not going with the hide-the-body scenario.”
“I’d love to hide something in you, Max.” His voice was like liquid fire. “And I can assure you, getting rid of your body isn’t on my mind.”
Max. Couldn’t. Breathe.
Rivers of desire flooded her as he came around to help her out of the truck. She wasn’t a fall-into-bed type of girl and never had been. But when Treat opened her door, looking like a dream come true, it was too hard to wait for their first kiss after finally clearing the air and knowing he’d felt just as much for her that night at the resort as she had for him. Max turned and stepped onto the runner. He took her hands to help her down, and instead of stepping off, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. His hands moved to her waist as the kiss turned deep and sensual, and he drew her body against his. Max’s arms circled his neck as he lifted her, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He grasped her thighs, kicking the door closed as he intensified the kiss. One of his hands traveled up her back and into her hair, just like she remembered. His lips were soft yet firm, his hold confident and possessive. She wanted to kiss him all night, right there beneath the stars, with her legs around his middle and his phone ringing endlessly.
Phone?
Max pulled back, the ever-efficient side of her breaking through. “Your phone.”
With a hand on the nape of her neck, he drew her lips to his again and said, “Kiss me.”
“Nothing is more important than you.”
He pressed his lips to hers, and her heart soared. His phone stopped ringing, and she surrendered to their passion, giving herself over to kiss after toe-curling kiss.
Sometime later, five minutes, maybe an hour, she had no idea, lights broke through her reverie, and they drew apart again as a car climbed the dark road.
“Oh gosh,” she said breathlessly.
He set her gently on the ground, pressed his lips to hers again, and said, “Perhaps we should get away from the street.”
He took off his jacket and tie and laid them neatly across the seat of the truck. Max liked his careful nature. It mimicked hers so perfectly. He grabbed the bags, carrying both in one hand, and put his other arm around her waist. He must have sensed her nervousness as they walked down a dark path through the woods, because he leaned closer and said, “Don’t worry, sweetness. There will be no body hiding tonight. Promise.”
Moonlight rained down on them through the umbrella of trees, guiding their path up a hill to a clearing. At the edge of the woods, two trees with long branches arched over the grass like gates to a private oasis.
“This is where I used to come to think when I was a teenager,” he said as they walked into the clearing, presenting her with a breathtaking view of Weston.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” she said as he spread out a blanket.
A sea of sparkling lights lit up like diamonds against the landscape. Roads snaked through neighborhoods, partially hidden behind bands of trees. She could make out the vicinity of the fairgrounds and main streets through town. The mountains stood sentinel in the distance against the midnight-blue starry sky.
Treat wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her cheek, bringing his intoxicating scent with him. “It’s almost as gorgeous as you.”
She put her hands over his, weak-kneed by the rush of emotions coursing through her.
“How did you ever find this place?” she asked.
“I was knocking around with my cousin Pierce one afternoon. He lives in Reno now, but he grew up in Trusty.” Trusty, Colorado, was a small town located just to the east of Weston, while Allure, where Max lived, was on the west. “Pierce has a big family, like I do, and we were out one afternoon looking to get away from everything. We parked and just blew through the woods. We figured we’d find a boulder and sit for a while. Then we found this spot. I don’t know if Pierce ever came back, but I spent many hours here. Honestly, though, I haven’t even thought about this place in years.”
Treat turned her in his arms, and her heart skipped a beat. He’d hung lanterns from the branches of the trees. A bottle of wine and wineglasses sat upright in a small picnic basket beside a few throw pillows. He sat on the blanket and brought her down beside him.
“You had your brother do all of this for us?”
“I would have done it myself had I known I’d see you tonight.” Treat smiled, and it reached his eyes, making him even more devastatingly handsome. “Although I have to admit, Josh did a better job than I could have. He’s a fashion designer and has a knack for perfect presentations.”
“It wouldn’t have mattered if we were sitting on the grass with none of this. Just the idea that you thought to bring me here is romantic. Why did you decide to bring me here?”
He filled the wineglasses and handed her one. “Believe it or not, even though I have properties all over the world, I don’t own any in Weston. I prefer to stay with my father when I’m in town. I didn’t have a house to take you to, and I wanted to take you someplace special. This was the first place that came to mind.” He lifted his glass in a toast and said, “To new beginnings.”
She sipped the delicious wine, feeling his presence like a torch beside her.
“Tell me something about yourself that I don’t know,” he said.
She had no idea what to say and was too inexperienced to come up with a quick, sexy answer. Where were those CliffsNotes when she needed them?
“I’ll start,” he offered. “My favorite place in the world, besides right here next to you, is Wellfleet, Massachusetts.”
“You travel all over the world and your favorite place is a little town in Massachusetts?” She laughed, which helped ease her nerves.
“Yes. I have a little house on the bay. It’s quiet, and has sentimental value. We vacationed there a few times when I was younger.”
“That sounds nice. I’ve never traveled much.”
“I’d like to change that.” He put his hand on her leg, nudging those butterflies into flight again.
She downed half her wine trying to think of something else to say before she leaned forward and planted her lips on his. “What gets your juices flowing?” she asked, immediately realizing she deserved the amorous look he was giving her. “I mean, outside of…this.”
“That’s easy. My work. I get a thrill out of taking a resort from nonexistent in the eyes of travelers to world-renowned. I love every bit of the process. Even the negotiations are exciting. When I walk into a room and know the people on the other side of the table want something I’m not willing to give, just being able to turn it around is the biggest high I’ve found.”
“I see it in your eyes. That’s how I feel about my job, too. It’s the same. I mean, not on the same scale, but I definitely feel a thrill with each piece of the puzzle coming together, and then seeing it to fruition. It’s unreal.”
He ran his finger down her cheek. “What else?” he asked in a seductive voice.
I want to kiss you right this very second. “I love sweets,” she said quickly. “Chocolate mostly. And I hate jelly.” Jelly? I’m so lame. I’ll tell you anything—just kiss me already.
“Okay, no jelly.” He smiled, resting his hand on her thigh again. “My favorite color is blue. Yours?”
My favorite color is your hand on my body. “Lavender,” she managed. “Favorite scent?” Scent? This is not good. Please just put me out of my misery before you laugh in my face and trade me in for a woman who knows how to act sexy.
She downed the rest of her wine, and he set both glasses aside.
He slid his hand beneath her hair, cupped the back of her head, and brushed his cheek over hers. He’d done that when they were in Nassau, and she’d never forgotten the way it sent heat pinging through her from head to toe.
“Toasted almond ice cream,” he said softly.
A hazy, lusty fog enveloped her mind, and it took her a minute to remember she’d asked him a question. “Ice cream has a scent?”
“A delicious one.” He touched his lips to her cheek in a feathery kiss. “Tell me something you love,” he asked in a voice full of desire.
She could taste his minty breath as he spoke. She curled her fingers into the blanket beneath them, sure that if she didn’t, she’d pounce on him like a lioness on her prey and devour him in ways that made her blush to think about. She wasn’t sure she was ready for that, no matter how much she craved him. Something I love. Think, Max. Think.
“My favorite flowers are Knock Out roses. I’ve never seen them in person, only in pictures.”
“KNOCK OUT ROSES,” Treat whispered, brushing his lips over hers. He’d told himself to go slow with Max, but weeks of thinking about her, wanting her, drove his need. “I’ll show you Knock Out roses one day.” He pressed a kiss to the corner of her mouth, testing the waters. “Tell me to stop, Max, and I’ll stop.”
“Don’t stop,” she pleaded.
His mouth came greedily down over hers. Her kisses were sweeter than sugar and so hot she made him ache with desire. He’d wanted to make love to her right there by the road when they were kissing. To lay her down on the back seat and show her how much he’d missed her. He’d never had sex in a vehicle. Ever. That’s how much he craved her. But Max was not a one-night stand, and if his racing heart was any indication, she was destined to be so much more than any woman ever had.
He lowered her to the blanket, kissing her until he felt the tension ease from her body. She felt so good, so right, her delicate fingers clinging to his arms as he poured weeks of repressed desire into their kisses. But it wasn’t enough. Would anything ever be? She was finally in his arms again, and he needed more of her. He ran his hands along her waist, up her ribs, and she arched beneath him. He kissed the edge of her jaw, the dip above her chin, and then he tasted her neck in a series of sensual kisses.
“Treat,” she said breathlessly. “I want to touch you.”
The plea in her voice sent fire through his veins. She reached for his pants, and he took her hand in his. “Not yet,” he said. “Let me cherish you first. Is it too cold out here? Do you want to go back to your place?”
“No. I don’t want to stop.” She took off her glasses and set them aside.
He took her in another passionate kiss, earning a stream of sexy sounds, and they both went a little wild, groping and kissing. He wanted to savor this moment, and drew back just enough to see her sweet face in the moonlight. She was exquisite, and it took all his resolve to try to take it slow, pushing past the intoxicating rush of the innocence that softened her sexuality, setting her apart from anyone else.
He kissed the tender skin beside her ear and whispered, “I’ve dreamed of being close to you for so long.”
He brought his mouth to hers again, taking her in a long, slow kiss as he caressed her thigh. Her skin was smooth and soft. Perfect. He rained kisses along her neck, across her breastbone.
“I love your kisses,” she panted out.
He continued moving south, kissing her belly through her dress, and when he reached her legs, he pressed his lips just above her knee and glanced up to make sure they were still on the same page. Her eyes were closed, so he reached for her hand, wanting to be even more connected.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yes,” she whispered.
He pressed several kisses along her leg and ran his hands up her outer thighs, beneath her dress, feeling her tremble. He drew back again and noticed her clutching at the blanket harder than before. A pang of worry pierced his heart. He moved swiftly over her so he could look directly into her eyes, and she began fumbling with the buttons on his shirt.
He pressed his hand over hers, holding it against his chest. “Max, slow down.”
Moonlight reflected in her eyes. Her skin was flushed, her lips pink from their kisses. She was so incredibly feminine, contradictory to the woman who’d been standing on the car, taking charge of the world before her. All hints of the vixen that had tried to seduce him were gone. Her gorgeous eyes brimmed with inescapable desire, but he couldn’t deny the trepidation warring alongside it, and his protective urges charged forth again.
“We need to stop.”
Max shook her head, but the fear in her eyes told him otherwise.
“We’re stopping, Max.” He righted her dress and helped her to a sitting position. Cradling her face in his hands, he gazed deeply into her eyes and said, “I shouldn’t have gotten carried away. I’m sorry. I just feel so much for you.”
“Sorry?” Her brow furrowed. The hurt in her eyes was all consuming as she put her glasses back on. “This is my fault. I’m the broken one, not you.”
He gathered her in his arms and held her, feeling her heart beating frantically against his. “It’s not your fault. Don’t ever say that. What we do together is both of us, and if I pushed too far—”
“You didn’t.”
Max tried to turn away, but he continued holding her, unwilling to let another misunderstanding come between them. “If this is about what happened at the resort—”
“It’s not,” Max insisted. “I feel so connected to you, and I want to be closer to you. It’s all good. It’s not you. It’s…” She inhaled deeply, then pressed her lips together, as if she was trying to hold back her words. “I haven’t been with a man in that way since…”
In that second, he knew in his heart what she was going to say. He pressed a kiss to her cheek and said, “Since the guy who hurt you in college?”
She nodded and closed her eyes.
“Sweetness, it’s okay. I understand.”
“Understand?” She opened her eyes, embarrassment evident in them even as she avoided looking directly into his eyes. “You can have any woman you want. You don’t need one you have to try to understand. Can you please take me to get my car?”
Now he was the one filling his lungs with brisk air, gathering the courage to put his foot down on a sensitive situation. “Yes, I’ll take you to your car, but can we talk first, please?”
Her eyes flicked up to his. “Treat…”
“I’ll tell you what. You don’t have to talk. Please just listen. Everyone has something to overcome. I don’t care if it’s the prince of Egypt or the first lady. We all have broken pieces, and we have choices to make. We can either tiptoe around those pieces forever and let them guide our happiness, or if we’re lucky, we can find someone who has a broom, a dustpan, and a bottle of glue, and try to make it work.”
Max smiled, and a soft laugh fell from her lips, warming him to his toes.
“When I first saw you at the resort, Max, I felt something so strong, it scared me.”
“Scared you? You expect me to believe that? A man like you?”
“Of course I don’t expect you to, but I hope you will. I didn’t know what to do with my instant attraction to you. I mean, I’ve been attracted to women before, but with you it was different. I wanted to take care of you. I wanted to lo—”
Max closed her eyes, and he lifted her chin with his finger and said, “Please open your eyes. Hear me out. No more misunderstandings. If you walk away from us, I want you to do it with your eyes open.”
She swallowed hard, barely breathing, and finally met his gaze.
“I had never felt anything so powerful,” he confessed. “Then, before I had a chance to even process what I was feeling or why, I thought I lost you. I have shattered pieces too, Max. Lots of them. I’ll bring the broom and dustpan. Hell, I’ll even bring the glue. Just meet me halfway.”
“I’m so embarrassed,” she said. “All I want to do right now is bury my face in a big chocolate cake and forget this ever happened.”
“That’s funny, because I never want to forget a second of it.”