Page 64 of Sparks Fly
“What was that for?”
“You’re cute,” he said.
“Ew,” Effie said from across the table, but Stella was sure she saw her lips quirk up ever so slightly.
“Alright, shall we get another round?” Kira asked. “This is on him, right?”
“Kira,” Stella warned.
“No, no, I got it,” Max said. “Let this be my treat.”
Stella shook her head. “Max, you don’t have to do that.”
“¡Stella, cállate!” Kira said, smacking Stella’s hand. “Let your man spoil us.”
Your man.
The simple phrase echoed in Stella’s head. She never thought of herself as the possessive type, but having Max be labeled ashersmade Stella feel warm, tingling feelings that she was tired of trying to tamp down. He was hers, and she was his, and she wanted to keep it that way.
Thirty-Two
By the time they finally left Miti Miti, their bill looked like a CVS receipt. Max refused to let Stella even look at it, although that didn’t stop her from thanking him profusely.
And she maybe was a little drunk.
She’d stuck to sangria because she didn’t want to get sloppy with Max, but those sangrias were stronger than she remembered. Still, she was faring better than Kira, who was leaning on Effie for support as they waited for an Uber to come pick them up. When their car arrived, Stella didn’t even bother trying to parse if they’d be making one stop or two.
“So,” Max said, after her friends were gone. He stood in front of her, and Stella fell into him, wrapping her arms around his middle and resting her cheek against his chest. The wool of his coat was scratchy on her face, but she didn’t mind it as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer, his warmth protecting her from the cold.
“Comfy?” he asked.
Stella only nodded, and she could feel his chuckle.
“So, as I was saying, have you decided if you’re taking me home, or shall I order us two separate cars?”
Stella, in the chaos of the evening and after sangria number two, had completely forgotten about Max’s suggestion that he sleep over at her place. Now that she was faced with making a decision, she was torn. She knew Chelsea would make a huge fuss about her showing up at the apartment with someone for the first time, but she also didn’t want to let go of Max yet.
Max pulled back slightly so he could look down at her. “If you’re worried I won’t fit in your bed, I can promise you I’m quite bendy.”
Stella laughed, and Max smiled.
“Really, though, if you’re not ready for me to come over, I don’t have to,” Max said. “I would like to, but I don’t have to. I just want to get you out of the cold one way or the other.”
He ended this sentence with a quick kiss to her temple, and Stella grabbed his wrists, holding his warm hands to her cold cheeks.
“I want you to come over,” Stella said. She blinked up at him, and there was a heat to his gaze that made the night feel more like spring than winter.
“You’re sure?”
Stella almost laughed at the way he seemed to force out the question. It was clear that the last thing he wanted her to say was no, but he still asked, and how could she not love him for that?
“I’m sure,” she said.
Then, to seal the deal, she pressed up on her tiptoes and kissed him.
In the car to her place, Stella texted Chelsea to tell her she was coming over with Max and begged her to be chill about it.
Unfortunately, Chelsea did not respond, and Stella had no idea if that meant Chelsea was already asleep, although that seemed unlikely because it wasn’t even ten yet, or if Chelsea didn’t see the message. This lack of knowledge made Stella incredibly anxious as she led Max up the two flights of stairs to her apartment.
