Page 43 of A Love So Sweet
As he was wiping the water from her body, he knew just what to do. He would protect Max’s heart with simple acts of kindness and love, until that was all she knew. He was surprised when Max reached for his neck, wanting him to carry her to the bedroom. He knew the first time he’d carried her from the car that she might fight him. She was strong and self-sufficient, and she was proud of that. The woman he was carrying to his bed never failed to astonish him—even the way she’d gone from intensely sexual to full-on fear on the hill in Colorado had showed her strength. Most women would have continued making out and rationalized it in their minds just to complete the act. In his experience, most women feared losing the men in their lives. As Max had told him, it was clear that she didn’t fear that as much as not being able to trust her own instincts.
He drew back the covers with one hand and laid her on the clean sheets, then grabbed one of his T-shirts from his dresser. He carefully helped her put on the shirt. It fell almost to her knees. She looked adorableandsexy.
Treat pulled on a pair of boxer briefs, then retrieved the candles from the bathroom and placed them on the slate in front of the fireplace. He lay beside Max, leaning on one elbow. “Feel better?”
“Much. I didn’t think I’d had that much wine, but I am definitely still a little tipsy.” She wiggled closer and pressed her lips to his.
“That’s okay. I’m not. I won’t let you take advantage of me.” He rubbed his fingers lightly down her back, and she closed her eyes.
“Mmm. That feels good. I want to stay right here. Forever.”
Forever was just what he wanted. She was so sleepy and relaxed, he kissed her softly and said, “Sounds perfect to me. Why don’t you get some rest, babe.”
“Resting isn’t what I had in mind.”
She yawned, and he knew she was exhausted.
“Part of loving someone means letting their body do whatever it needs to do, and your body obviously needs to rest.”
She kissed his chest and gazed up at him. “But my heart needsyou.”
“Then you shall have me, baby.” He pressed his lips to hers, shifting and aligning their bodies, cradling her beneath him, and said, “All of me.”
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Chapter Twenty
MAX AWOKE TO the smell of coffee and Treat, only she was alone in the bedroom. She went into the bathroom and was surprised to find her toiletries laid out in a basket beside the sink. Her shampoo and conditioner were already in the shower. She loved his propensity for organization, which was so much like her own. After brushing her teeth, she headed downstairs in search of him.
As she stepped onto the first floor, a floral scent surrounded her. She spotted an enormous antique metal bucket overflowing with Knock Out roses.Oh, Treat.She found him in the kitchen, showered, dressed, and strikingly handsome in his jeans and T-shirt. Two more vases of roses sat on the counter and in the center of the table, which was set for two, with warm croissants, fresh fruit, and hard-boiled eggs. Max’s hand covered her heart.
“You are the most thoughtful man on earth.”
“Good morning, beautiful. I had to take care of some business this morning, so I got up early.” His gaze traveled slowly down her body from head to toe, heating her up from the inside out.
“You didn’t have to do all this,” Max said as Treat handed her a delicious-smelling cup of coffee.
“It wasn’t much, and I figured you’d be hungry. Vicky called. She said that she wanted to make sure you were okay, but I think she really wanted to make sure we’d made up.”
“Did you tell her we weren’t really fighting?” She set the coffee on the counter and wrapped her arms around him.
He kissed her and said, “I told her we had a horrible fight but the makeup sex was incredible.”
“At least you were half honest. These roses aregorgeous.”
“They line the driveway. Fate?” he asked with a shrug.
“Fate indeed.” She gazed out the windows at the gorgeous view of the bay. The sky was a clear powdery blue, mirroring her feelings, like the fog that had hung over her and Treat had evaporated and all that was left was the beauty between them. But she knew the skeletons of her past had only gone back into hiding and feared the time they might poke their evil heads out again.
Treat took her hand in his, and she pushed those thoughts away, focusing on the incredible man who was as real and present as he was good.
“Thanks for all of this, and for bringing my things inside,” she said.
He placed her hand on his hip and stepped closer, drawing her against him so their thighs brushed and her breasts pressed against his torso. “I put your clothes in the dresser drawers.”
“Treat, it’s not like I’m moving in.”
“Not yet, anyway. See? That’s why I didn’t want to get too close last night. Women are fickle,” he teased, and began kissing her neck.
