Page 67 of Merciless Union
Memories of our time together on this lake fill my mind. Her laughter like twinkling bells, my joyful squeals, the times we fell down and laughed together.
“I’m starting to remember my mother without so much pain,” I say softly.
He nods. “It will get easier. In time.”
I inhale deeply. During my reverie, my foot slips out from under me. I let out a small scream as I fall backward.
Maxim wraps his arms around me, catching me.
But in the process, his feet wobble, and we both fall onto the ice. I land on his arm, which cushions the worst of my fall. Maxim isn’t so lucky.
He grunts as his back hits the hard ice.
We stare at the sky for a moment, stunned.
Then I start to laugh. Real, full-bodied laughs. The laughter overtakes my body, and I can’t stop. Even my stomach starts to hurt.
Maxim stares at me a moment before a laugh slips from his lips. As I laugh harder, a huge bark of laughter comes out of him.
We laugh together, holding onto each other.
Finally, our laughter starts to die down. As it does, I catch one last glimpse of his smile.
I reach my hand out and stroke his face. “I’ve never seen you smile so wide, nor have I ever heard you laugh.”
He looks at me. I don’t remove my hand. “I guess it’s a first time for everything.” His words come out soft, floating on the cool air.
“It’s a good look on you. Laughter. Happiness.”
His eyes soften. “I guess you bring it out in me.”
It’s at this moment that I wholeheartedly believe I could fall in love with this man. And it’s terrifying.
But I don’t pull away.
Instead, I lean forward and press my lips to his. It’s a sweet, simple, little kiss, but it says so much.
Maxim’s voice is husky as he says, “What was that for?”
“For you. Just you.”
We lay on the ice for another minute until the cold starts to get to us.
As we drive home, I’m distinctly aware of just how happy I am.
CHAPTER16
Maxim
The minute Arina and I return home, we stop in the foyer, looking at each other. For a beat, we just look.
Then my arms are around her, her arms are around my neck, and our lips are colliding into a passionate kiss. She moans softly into my mouth. I clutch her tighter to me.
I was never one for kissing—it implies a closeness I never had with any of the women I fucked. I’ve tried to keep my distance from Arina, but she hasn’t made it easy.
I’m tired of keeping her at arm’s length. If I want all of her, I need to let her in.
So I kiss her with as much hunger as I can infuse into a kiss.
