Page 44 of Max

Screw it. He’d called her brave, and she was going to take a chance. Desi prodded her to do it because she said Max wouldn’t, not while he was on the job.

She would be brave. Without giving herself time to think about it, she reached up and pulled his head down, crushing her lips to his.

Max went stiff around her, and she pressed herself closer, urging him to kiss her back. “Please, Max. I need this. Please.”

She felt him softening at her gently spoken words, and she went up on her tiptoes to press her lips more firmly to his. Max groaned, and she knew she’d won, but she didn’t expect what happened next.

His hand tangled in her hair, angling her head where he wanted it, and then he kissed her back.

Her world exploded.

That was the best she could describe it.

Her body heated and tingled all over, the sensations running through her unlike anything she’d ever felt. Desire pooled in her veins, and she wanted to climb him, to wrap herself around him and never let go.

Max pulled her closer despite his misgivings. The feel of her lips was as soft as he’d imagined, and sweet baby Jesus, could she kiss. He deepened the kiss and swept his tongue inside her mouth, and hers wrapped around his, urging him on, and his arms slid down her back to cup her ass and pull her up. Her legs wrapped around his waist, and he held her while every single kiss he’d ever shared with a woman died and was laid to rest.

Her breasts pressed against his chest, and he could feel the pert peaks of her nipples against him. He wanted to taste them, and he started to slide his hands under her t-shirt to lift it when he remembered where they were and that he was supposed to be watching for her stalker. That his job was to protect her.

Fuck.

Max pulled back and took several deep breaths before setting her down. He walked over to the window to get himself together. He was winded. From just a kiss.

“Max?”

“Give me a minute.” His voice came out rough and gravelly.

“I…I’m sorry…”

“No, Shay, you have nothing to be sorry for.”

“Then why did you stop?”

“Because we can’t do this.”

“You don’t want me?”

He whipped around at the rejection in her voice, at the pain. “Fuck, yes, I want you, but I can’t, Shay. Not now. Right now, I am supposed to be guarding you, and if I let myself kiss you, then…”

“Then what?” she prompted when he didn’t finish.

“Then I might miss something. I might not see your stalker sneaking up on you. You make me lose myself in the feel of you.”

Her eyes brimmed with tears, and he got very concerned. Waterworks. He wasn’t good with waterworks.

“Don’t cry, darlin’.” He hurried over and pulled her back into his arms despite his reservations.

“Did you really get as lost as I did?”

“Yes, darlin’, I did, and that’s why we can’t do this until we catch the bastard trying to hurt you.”

“But you’re saying after you catch him, that we can…”

“We can do whatever you want. It’ll be up to you.”

“I…I really like you, Max. You make me feel safe and cherished. I’d like to see where this might go.”

Max let out a breath. He hadn’t expected to feel like this about a woman, especially not a client. It was fucking with his head, but damn if he didn’t want to see where it went too.

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