Page 63 of Max's Mission

“Do you want the shower first?” she asked.

“No. You can go ahead. I’m going to find some bedding and make up the couch.”

Glancing past him at the sofa, she bit her lip. It wasn’t a two-seater, but it wasn’t full-size, either. “Are you sure you want to sleep there? You can go home. I’ll be fine by myself.”

“Babe, I’m not going anywhere.” He waved a hand toward the bathroom. “Go take your shower.”

She could tell by the firm note in his voice, nothing she said would persuade him to leave. And honestly, she didn’t want him to. His presence helped calm some of her anxiety about the danger directed at her and her daughters. Bottom line, Max made her feel safe.

“All right. The extra sheets and stuff are in the closet in the hallway. You can grab a pillow off my bed.”

He nodded once and set their bags down by the kitchen island.

Margot retreated before she did something dumb and invited him to sleep with her. They’d kissed and skimmed the subject of a relationship, but that would be jumping several crucial steps. Like dating.

Ducking into her bedroom, she dug some fresh pajamas out of a drawer, then locked herself in the bathroom. Hot steam filled the room as the shower heated. She stripped out of her clothes and stepped into the spray.

The warm water relaxed her muscles. It also brought down some of the barriers in her mind. All the “what ifs” that had been safely locked up now swirled around.

What if Berry showed up?

What if their security measures failed?

What if they didn’t?

What ifTadshowed up?

It was that last one that bothered her most right now. She’d had time to think about the danger, but she hadn’t let herself dwell too much on the fact Tad was alive. Mostly because she wasn’t sure how she felt about that. About him.

She didn’t love him anymore. Not the way she used to. He’d killed that love when he left without an explanation. When he left their daughters without a father.

Grabbing the shampoo bottle, she soaped her hair.

But she cared about him. She didn’t wish him harm. Except for maybe a punch or two to the face and a good knee to the groin for all he’d done. One solid right hook to the nose, followed by a swift kick in the balls. She’d always considered herself a lady, and a rather proper one at that, but Max would probably have to hold her back if Tad showed up now.

A pair of smiling blue eyes flashed through her mind.

Max…

He was another “what if.”

What if she let herself love again?

She could so easily love that man. She wasn’t so sure she didn’t already.

And really, what reasons did she have to not have a relationship with him? Their age difference? She didn’t see that anymore. He was just Max.

Their friendship?

She could see that becoming a problem if theydidn’tdo something about the way they felt.

Because those feelings weren’t going away. They were only getting stronger.

Margot looked toward the door through the shower curtain. Max was out there making up a bed on a couch where the seat was about a foot too short for his frame to comfortably stretch out on.

He didn’t have to.

She could invite him into her bed.

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