Page 59 of One Pucking Life

He shakes his head. “Not once.”

“How is that possible? You have a daughter,” I tease.

“I know. And as I mentioned, her existence came as quite a shock. Her mother and I never went without. I guess that warning on the box about them only being 97 percent effective is true. She fell in that 3 percent.”

“Why now? Why me?” The words leave my mouth before I can stop them.

“Because it’s you.”

His answer sends a rush of warmth through me, and I pull him closer on instinct. He lowers his mouth to mine, and our kiss deepens. Even with our clean bills of health, he doesn’t rush.He kisses, sucks, and caresses every inch of my skin—savoring my body until I’m the one trembling with need.

“Max,” I sigh, no longer able to wait another second to feel him inside me.

“Laney,” he breathes, my name leaving his lips like a prayer.

He straddles me, his hands cradling my face. My mouth falls open with desperate breaths as he slowly inches inside. A smile crosses his face.

He begins to move—and this time, it’s not hard and fast like I usually prefer. It’s slow, measured, and somehow, it feels even better. The realization hits me: Max and I will never be the same. This connection, this moment, it’s something deeper. It’s everything.

And I’m not scared.

That is, until he speaks.

Still holding my gaze, he says, “I love you.”

Now I’m terrified.

CHAPTER

TWENTY-THREE

MAX

She pushes her hands against my chest with a good amount of force. The motion doesn’t push me off her completely, but it’s hard enough to kill the mood and bring me back to reality—at least hers. I was just in heaven. The scowl on Laney’s face tells me she’s experiencing something completely different.

This isn’t how I saw my first non-condom experience going.

I pull out and roll off her. She bolts from the bed and riffles through her bag. In seconds, she dressed in a T-shirt and shorts.

Okay…

Grabbing my boxer briefs from the ground. I slide them on. “Laney… what’s going on?” Arm raised, my hand squeezes the nape of my neck as I look at Laney in confusion.

She points a finger at me. “You can’t do that. It’s not part of the agreement.”

“Do what?”

“Say you love me!” she protests, anger radiating from her features.

I shrug, my palms up. “Why not? I do love you.”

“No. No. No,” she almost cries under her breath.

“Laney, please explain what is going on.”

She touches her chest, then extends her hand toward me. “This. Us. We’ve discussed it. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement. We’re taking advantage of our proximity, chemistry, and attraction—using them to fulfill our needs. That’s all. You’re still my boss. I’m still your employee. Rules are set for a reason. The moment boundaries are crossed, everything changes.”

I raise my hands in confusion. “So what? Then things change.”

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