Page 28 of Max Bannon

And just as I leaned into him, breath caught and knees soft, he pulled back.

His eyes searched mine, something raw flashing there.

Then he turned around and walked out the door without saying another word.

I stood there, stunned.

My hand drifted to my mouth, fingertips grazing the place where his lips had been.

I smiled.

Not the shaky, uncertain kind I’d been wearing the past few days—but a real one. Small and stunned and just a little bit scared. But real.

Because whatever this was between us—it was real, too.

And now I knew he felt it.

15

Max

Ihadn’t made it five steps down her porch before the weight of what I’d done hit me like a punch to the chest.

I kissed her.

I kissed her—and then I walked away like a damn coward.

But if I hadn’t left right then, I wouldn’t have. I would’ve stayed, the entire night and every night after that.

And maybe that was the problem.

This thing with Tessa—it wasn’t casual. It wasn’t something I could tuck away and pretend didn’t matter. It mattered too much. She mattered too much.

The second I saw her standing in that doorway, eyes blazing and heart right there in her voice, I knew I couldn’t lie to myself anymore.

I felt more for her in four weeks than I ever did for Olivia. And that scared me. Because what if I messed this up too? What if I let her in and she walked away like everyone else eventually did?

But then she looked at me like I’d already broken her. Like I was just another guy who didn’t know what the hell he wanted.

I did. Ido.

I just didn’t know if I deserved it.

I reached my truck and leaned against the side, scrubbing a hand over my face. The sky was dark now, the kind of inky black that swallowed the stars. Crickets sang in the distance, but all I could hear was her voice echoing in my head.

“If you’re still hung up on her, you need to say it.”

I wasn’t. I hadn’t been for a long time. But I didn’t know how to explain that without sounding like a fool.

God, I should’ve stayed.

Should’ve told her the rest.

How every time she smiled, I felt like I could breathe easier.

How I caught myself looking for her in every room.

How she made me want to be a man worthy of something more than just duty and regret.

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