Page 39 of Primary Seduction
Max looked him over and couldn’t believe him ever looking different to what he did then.
Sean cut the tension with his words. “Right, we’re heading off. Make sure you come over to ours in the next few days, and we’ll feed you.”
He smiled at the thought of seeing his favourite girl. “Will Janie be there?”
Asher laughed. “Yes, Janie will be there. You will no doubt spoil her rotten as always.” He looked at Sean. “Remind me to limit her treats the day they come so she doesn’t have too many!” He laughed again.
Everyone joined in. Max had become close to the little girl when Sean and Asher’s relationship was beginning and struggling. He loved her as if she was his own. She was such a beautiful girl, inside and out, and so sensitive to others’ emotions. It was never a chore when they asked him to babysit or when she appealed to him to play with her.
Asher, Sean and Zak said their goodbyes, Dane waving madly as they went out the door, and then it was just Trent and him, standing awkwardly in the middle of the hospital room.
Trent cleared his throat and broke the silence. “Do you have any things you need to collect?”
“Just the bits I came in, although the clothes are covered in blood, so need a good wash…or throwing in the bin. I’ve not looked at the state of them yet.”
“Where are they?”
Max indicated the cupboard by the bed, and Trent opened it, collecting a blue bag.
“Okay, let’s go.” Trent held open the door and indicated for Max to go first. He walked slowly, trying to remember what the doctor said about allowing his body to move in normal motions instead of restricting it. It hurt, as the doctor had said it would, but he knew it would be better for him in the long term. It was slow going, but they managed to get to the entry waiting room.
“Let me go and fetch the car and bring it so you have less distance to walk. Sit down here for a breather.”
Max didn’t object. He felt liked he’d walked a marathon already, sweat dotted his forehead, and his breath was raspy. As he sat waiting, he thought about what was going to happen once he got to Trent’s house—at least he assumed that was where they were going, they never agreed completely when they’d discussed it earlier.
Trent returned and put an arm around Max’s back to help him get up and kept it there as they started walking, which Max was grateful for. That slight help eased the weight on his back, and it helped him to breathe more freely. Getting into the car was another fun chore, twisting his body was painful, and he was sweating again once he was sat down.
Trent crouched down next to his open door. “You okay?” His brow pinched, making Max want to smooth it with his finger.
Max nodded slowly. “Yeah. It’s just taking a lot out of me. Guess I have this to look forward to for the next few days or weeks.” He rolled his eyes.
“We.”
Max rolled his head on the headrest towards Trent. “What?”
“Wehave this to look forward to. Not just you.”
Max stared at him and spoke quietly, “Are you sure you know what you’re getting into?” He didn’t intend for there to be a double meaning to his words, but he realised it could be taken a different way. He waited to see which way Trent would take it.
Trent stared back for a few seconds, and Max saw a faint blush tinge his cheeks. “Nope,” he whispered. Then he stood and shut Max’s door, walking around to the other side to drive them away from the hospital.
Max had no idea which version of the question Trent had answered—maybe both. He’d deal with it later. He was exhausted.
****
Trent
Trent knew they hadn’t agreed on a place for Max to rest, but he was taking him to his house. He remembered what the medic had said and thought Max would be safer away from his own house, therefore Trent’s house was the better choice. He’d also realised he loved the idea of Max being inhisspace, which was monumentally stupid. He had no idea where all these thoughts were coming from over the last few days. It had only been just under a week since Crush had opened its Garden Bar and he had taken Max to his house for the first time. So much had happened in that small amount of time.
He suddenly recalled they had a birthday party to attend this weekend. Charlie was the bartender at Crush and had been there for a couple of years if Trent remembered rightly. As Sean had been the architect for the Garden Bar’s refurbishment, Trent had been spending more time there because Asher had been spending more time there, for obvious reasons. He’d gotten to know Tom and Ginny, Charlie and Josh, and Analise really well during the last few months, and so he, Sean, Asher, Logan, Max, Zak, Ethan and Eric had all been invited to Charlie’s party. It wasn’t a huge get together as such, he’d been told, just friends getting to know each other in amongst the public customers too; they weren’t shutting the place down for the night—although Tom had insisted, but Charlie had threatened to not turn up if he did.
Trent huffed a laugh. “Did you—” he began, then glanced over and saw Max was asleep against the car window. He smiled at how he looked, mouth agape, dark lashes resting on his cheeks. He looked forward again, scared he’d go off the road if he looked for as long as he wanted to.
He couldn’t believe Max was going to be in his space for the next few days. He was back at work on Monday. There was plenty of holiday days leftover though. He remembered the doctor’s caution of complications. He’d take his holiday days if Max needed him.
He arrived at his house and parked the car in the allocated spot. Looking over at Max again, his heart seized in his chest. He wasgorgeous. Trent sat there for a few more minutes under no illusion that he was giving Max more time to rest, but in fact, was just watching him like a crazy man. He had even twisted a little in his seat so he could watch him more easily and rest his own head in his hand.
When Max coughed, then groaned in pain, Trent jumped into action and flew around the car to help him however he could.
