Max
STALKING TOWARD MY office, it took everything inside me to contain my anger. All I wanted to do was barge into her office, confront her father and Harris, and tell them she lied right to their faces.
Tell them I was the one with her last night.
I took care of her.
I slept in her bed.
I wanted to shout at them we had feelings for each other, feelings beyond lust, at least for me.
Because I cared about her, however, I kept my stupid mouth shut and walked away before I said something I’d regret. Pouring myself a stiff drink, I emptied the contents in two gulps, refilling my glass when I heard someone enter. I knew who it was, so I didn’t bother turning around.
“What!” I shouted gruffly, no mistaking my sour mood.
I heard the click of the door closing, my anxiety dispersing the smallest amount. There was no way she was going to tell me what I wanted to hear, so I tried to brace myself for the worst. What that was, I had no idea. We weren’t together, so she couldn’t end things between us, not in the typical sense. After allowing the whiskey to slide down my throat, I spun around on my heel and finally looked at the woman who was turning my world on its ass.
“Why are you here?” Barely controlled fury pinged through me, amping me up for a fight that would no doubt ensue, especially if she remained silent and kept looking at me the way she was. As if she was at a loss for words. As if she wanted to run to me but held back. As if she was fucking confused.
My last thought irritated me the most. I knew she didn’t want to marry Harris. Her words, not mine. Yet she refused to fully acknowledge she wanted me, and that wasn’t me being arrogant. The connection between us was undeniable.
She walked toward me. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I . . . I didn’t know what to say to them.”
“How about the truth?” My tone was harsh, but I wasn’t about to sugarcoat my feelings toward our situation any longer. “What’s the worst thing that’s going to happen? Huh? You tell me.”
“I don’t want to hurt Chris.” She took another step closer, stopping by the edge of my desk.
“But you’re okay with hurting me?” I scoffed. “How nice of you.”
“It’s not my intention, Max. Please believe me.” Running a hand through her blonde hair, she traipsed across my office and stood in front of the wall of windows overlooking the city. Her shoulders were slumped, and she looked as if she carried the weight of the world on top of them.
“I don’t believe you. You want to be with me but are too scared to tell your father no. To tell Harris no.” I was frozen in place, knowing damn well if I walked up behind her . . . well, I wasn’t quite sure what would happen. Would I toss her out of my office? Or would I beg her to choose me?
“I do want to be with you, but I have to marry Chris.” She hung her head, her breathing hampered by emotion.
“Why?” I pounded the wall next to me and startled her. “Tell me right now why you have to marry him.” Abandoning my earlier plan, I walked up behind her and spun her around. I wanted to see her face when she gave me her weak excuse.
A tear fell down her cheek, prompting something to twist inside me. I wanted nothing more than to take her in my arms, but I restrained myself. Barely.
“Because if I don’t, my father won’t hand over the position of managing partner to me.” I furrowed my brows, encouraging her to elaborate. “My father calls me a bleeding heart, and I suppose I am. I’ve always wanted to help people, ever since I was little, and since I grew up wanting for nothing, I’ve dedicated part of my career to those less fortunate.”
“Yeah, look where that got you,” I interjected, pointing at her throat.
She continued as if I hadn’t just thrown the attack in her face. “Once I’m managing partner, I can do so much more. Bring on more pro bono cases for the firm and help countless people.” She looked away for a moment, seemingly contemplating her next words. “I just met you, Max, and while I do feel strongly toward you, is it enough to give up all my aspirations?” It sounded like she was asking herself that question instead of me.
“You don’t have to give up anything. Be with me. End things with Harris and be mine.” I had no idea those words were going to leave my mouth, but they had all the same, and I was happy they were out in the open. I breached the remaining space and reached up to touch her cheek. “Your father will understand. Once he sees how happy you are with me, he’ll still hand over the reins to you.”
“You’re confident you can make me happy?” She attempted a half smile, but her expression flattened.
“I know I can. Let me try.” I leaned down and tried to kiss her, but she moved her head at the last moment, placing her hand on my chest as she tried to push me back. That fucking diamond glinted off the lights above, and it took everything in me not to rip it off her finger and toss it in the trash.
“No. I can’t. I’m sorry, Max.” She walked around me, but I snagged her wrist. “Let go,” she pleaded.
“No.” I tightened my grip but knew I wasn’t hurting her.
“Please,” she whispered.
“No,” I repeated. “Not until you admit you have feelings for me. Feelings beyond lust.” I prayed she was in as deep as I was.
“I’ve already told you I do. But it doesn’t matter.” She tried to snatch her arm back but failed, and when she saw I wasn’t going to release her, she stepped into my personal space, to do what I had no idea. I inhaled her subtle perfume, wanting her scent all over me. “We can’t do this anymore.” What her mouth was telling me and what her body wanted were worlds apart. I noticed the way her breaths were uneven, the way she licked her lips when she looked at me and the way her nipples pebbled beneath her silken blouse.
“Yes, we can,” I countered, pressing her hand on my chest before nuzzling into her neck.
She gasped.
I growled.
Before I could stop myself, I flicked my tongue over the column of her throat, working my way towards where I really needed to be. My lips captured hers, deepening the kiss and delving into her warmth so I could taste her. There was no resistance on her part as she matched my eagerness, lick for lick, suck for suck, teasing bite for teasing bite.
I pushed her backward until her ass hit the edge of my desk, yanking up her black pencil skirt until it bunched around her waist. Before she could stop me, I hoisted her on top of my desk, her practically bare ass sitting on top of some important legal documents, not that I gave a shit.
“I want you so badly. I can’t think straight, not since the night we met.” I cradled her cheeks, looking deep into her eyes. “I can’t fully explain my connection to you for fear I’d sound like a crazy man.” Softly brushing my lips against hers, she inhaled my air, our kiss quickly becoming deeper and so much more.
“I want you too,” she finally said, wrapping her legs around the backs of mine. “But it’s bad timing.”
I pulled back. “Bad timing?” I wanted to make sure I heard her correctly. “What does timing have to do with anything? I want you and you want me. Your relationship with Harris”—I refused to say his first name—“is not real. And you wouldn’t be with him if it wasn’t for your father.” Without warning, a devastating thought ripped through my brain. “Did you sleep with him?”
My question took her by surprise, her brows nearly hitting her hairline, but she remained silent. The longer she took to answer, the more rigid I became, anger swirling through me faster and faster. On the one hand, I had no right to be angry if her answer was yes, seeing as how she was involved with him, but on the other, she’d divulged on the night we met that they hadn’t had sex. I’d been chasing her ever since, and the thought of her fucking him while I’d been consumed with her was beyond hurtful.
Like I said . . . I sound like a crazy person.
Just when I thought I was going to lose it, she answered. “No, Chris and I have never slept together.”
A rush of breath escaped my lungs as I lunged at her once more, tangling my hands in her hair and pulling her impossibly close.