Page 34 of Max

“How?”

“I told my family Max was my boyfriend because I didn’t want Daddy to worry. He can’t go into surgery worried about me, and I didn’t know how else to explain his presence.”

“That’s understandable, honey. Max went along with it, didn’t he? If not, I will personally castrate him.”

“No, he did. He wasn’t even mad.”

“No, he wouldn’t have been. If either of us could have done something to ease Mama’s worries at the end, we would have.”

“There’s more.”

“More?” She went quiet for a second. “What else happened?”

“I almost kissed your brother.”

Silence greeted her, and she winced. God, Des was probably pissed at her. Here she’d gone and recommended Max to Shay, and Shay completely…

“Good for you.”

Shay’s mouth dropped open. “You’re not mad?”

“Mad? Good Lord, no. I think the two you would be good for each other.”

“But…”

Desi laughed. “Tell me you don’t like him.”

“He’s my bodyguard!”

“So?”

“So…so it’s unprofessional of me to try to kiss him.”

“Says who?”

“Says the bodyguard code of ethics.”

“There is no such thing, and even if there is, screw it. You deserve a good guy, and you won’t find anyone better than my brother.”

She had a point there.

“You do like him, right? It’s not just lust after going celibate for so long?”

“He’s sweet and kind and funny and strong and…yeah, I like him, Des, more than I have any right to.”

Desi’s tone softened. “You have every right to a life, Shayna. You’ve lost so much. Give yourself a break, and let Max put you back together. He comes off as a flirt and a trickster, but deep down, he’s steady as a rock.”

“A flirt and a trickster? I haven’t seen that side of him.”

“No?”

Shay shook her head even though Des couldn’t see it. “No. He’s been very serious the whole time I’ve known him.”

“Maybe because he thinks of you as a client. Make him see you as something other than a client. Make him look at you like a woman who needs to be fucked and fucked badly.”

A few years ago, that would have been easy for Shay, but since Duncan, she’d lost her self-confidence when it came to men. She didn’t feel sexy or desirable. Part of it was the head job Duncan managed, and part of it was her own guilt over losing the baby. She didn’t feel like she deserved to be looked at as sexy and worthy of a man’s attention.

Shay sighed and leaned back against her headboard. “I’m not so sure that’s a good idea, Desi. What if he gets in trouble with his boss?”

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