“Max!”
She was still coming hard, as he stood and leaned over her. Gripping her hip, he thrust full length, filling her with everything she could take. She gasped, her breath punching out as he pushed in. Sensation rushed through her, flooding her senses and short-circuiting her resolve. Her inner walls pulsed around his slow retreat. He thrust again, giving her even more, pushing into her so hard and deep she swore she could feel him everywhere.
“Again,” she begged, caught in the dark intensity of his eyes. “Like that.”
This was what she needed. Physical. Release.
Another slow withdrawal pulled and teased every tender nerve. Another measured pause. “So beautiful, baby.” Another driving thrust left her filled to overflowing with the man who was making her want more than she could have.
She could feel him everywhere—in the pressure where he met that deepest spot within her, in the decadent stretch from taking him, and the almost painfully hard beating of her heart. Each ragged breath reminded her of just how badly she wanted him.
He dragged his length from inside her, easing that too-intense pressure by teasing her with the slightest push and pull, until she begged him, “Max!”
Shoving deep, he grunted as his groin trapped that pulsing sweet spot between them. Her inner channel spasmed, wrenching tight around him. “Like that, baby?”
So much.
“More,” she whispered desperately. Because she couldn’t fight what was happening. She wanted to feel him everywhere. She wanted to ache from him for days.
He was thrusting in earnest now, making her clench and shake, giving her everything she’d asked for and more. “Too gentle for you?”
She was so wet. So slick. So full. “No.”
“You sure?” His voice was like the most seductive threat. A sensual warning. He angled his head next to her ear. “Or do you want me to fuck you harder?”
She clenched around him, the spasm almost brutal in its intensity. Crying out, she nodded desperately, begged almost incoherently until she managed the necessary words. “Do it. Harder.”
The sound that ripped from Max’s chest was the sexiest she’d ever heard, and then he was shafting ruthlessly inside her, again and again, catapulting her over the edge once more. Watching her as she fell and then catching her with the gentle rock of his hips.
“Jesus, Sarah, it’s never like this for me.” Pressing his forehead against hers, Max held her tight. “How the hell am I going to let you go?”
She closed her eyes against his words, but they were already too deep inside her. For the first time in a long time, the goal she’d set her sights on was out of reach. Beyond her ability. Because this wasn’t just a physical encounter, and that flimsy defense she’d tried to erect around her heart wasn’t holding.
She loved him. And there was no coming back from that.
* * *
“Where’s Sarah?” Brody asked as Max walked into the bar Wednesday night.
As questions went, this one ranked benign at best, but still it rubbed in a way Max wasn’t exactly thrilled about. Mostly because he kept thinking it himself. Why wasn’t she there? The answer was simple.
“Back at Piper’s place tonight.” The bar was more crowded than it usually was on Wednesday, and he had to speak up to be heard as they walked back to the table.
“Shoulda brought Piper too. Bit of a firecracker, that one.” Brody rolled three darts between his palms, a wicked glint in his eyes. “She could give our girl Molly a run for her money.”
Max glanced up and saw his little sister with her hands wrapped around Sean’s neck, fake strangling him as the guy made a show of squinting up his eyes and sticking his tongue out. “Yeah, she could. But Piper’s not even there. Sarah’s parents live back in North Carolina, and they just got home from a cruise. She wanted to call and figured her mom might keep her on the line a few hours talking about the trip and catching up.”
She could have done it from his place and been there when he got home. He’d have been happy to stick around and work upstairs—give her space for her call, then order in some dinner after. But she’d passed.
Totally fine. Not a problem.
Only the tightening of the muscles across his shoulders not only called him a liar, but made him feel like a jackass too. Because seriously, he didn’t own her. It was good she had a life outside him. He loved how independent she was. Besides, they were still a few weeks from when she’d leave for New York. He just couldn’t help thinking about each passing day taking them closer to when he wouldn’t be able to see her at all.
It sucked, and he felt like a pussy. Especially since Sarah wasn’t taking her impending departure quite the same way. Up until Saturday, he’d thought they might be in the same bittersweet boat—both wanting everything they could have until good-bye finally came. But then, he didn’t know.
Jase and Emily were standing across the table from Sean and Molly, their fingers caught in a loose hold that caused a pang in his chest. Yeah, total pussy.
“Hey, guys, Emily.”
“How’s it going, man?” Jase asked, stepping closer to his wife to make room for Brody and Max. “Big day of bringing down the bad guys?”
“Nah, word’s out that I’m on the street.” Max nodded for Brody to throw first. “We’re expecting the criminal element to lay down their arms and get in line.”
Sean let out a short laugh, then straightened, his expression blanking as he went for his phone.
Molly sat back, brow raised. “Five bucks it’s his dad.”
“Nobody’s taking that bet,” Brody said, setting the darts down rather than starting the game.
Sean shot them an apologetic look and signaled to give him five. No one minded. The hotel was more than his job, and Sean Wyse II was more than just his dad.
“You have a chance to look at that order we talked about last night?” Molly asked, turning to Brody when Sean headed toward the front door.
He pulled a face and shook his head. “Sorry, Mol. Run in back with me now, and we’ll take care of it.” Then because it was Brody, and the guy couldn’t help but be the hostess with the mostest, he leaned back over the table. “Want me to have Jill bring you guys anything?”
“I’m good,” Max answered as Jase and Emily declined in kind. Then Em got a call too, and like that, it was just Max and Jase.
Jase picked up the darts and gave Max a wicked look. “Hope you’ve got some tissues.”
Grinning, Max stood and crossed his arms. They were pretty evenly matched but seldom went head-to-head. “Sorry, man, you’ll just have to use your sleeve.”
They threw a few rounds, volleying trash talk because it didn’t get any better than that. Then Jase stepped up to the line and tossed. “How long’s Sarah got left in Chicago?”
Max rolled his shoulder. “Not long enough.”
Jase’s head came up with a start.
“What? I’m into her,” Max said, defending himself and wondering what was so surprising. “It’s fucking good between us.”
Jase patted down the air. “No, I can see that. Just didn’t expect you to see it too. I’m happy for you, Max. She’s a great girl, and seeing you guys together is awesome. You thinking about trying the long-distance thing when she goes?”
This time it was Max going traffic stop with his hand in the air. “No. Not a chance. That shit never works, and from the few tries I’ve seen my friends make, it pretty much blows until it’s over. I’ll take having all of her now and a clean break when she leaves. I mean, if you think about it, it’s actually pretty sweet. We both know the score. There’s a ticking clock on this relationship, which means no one has to hold back or be careful or whatever.”
It made sense to Max. So he wasn’t sure what was with Jase standing there, looking at him with his head cocked to the side. “What do you mean no one has to h
old back?”
Yeah, right. Jase might have it bad for Emily, but before they got together, the guy cycled through girlfriends like Max went through breakfast cereal. He might not want to remember the before time, but Max was betting he did.
“Come on, man. You know how it is when you’ve got to gauge everything you do to make sure no one gets the wrong idea. Like sleeping over. I never did it, because wrapping my arms around the warm body across the bed might have given the girl ideas, even though I’d gone out of my way to be clear she shouldn’t get them. Going out more than once or twice. Or seeing the same girl two nights in a row. You can’t do that and expect them not to wonder if maybe you’ve started to reconsider.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Jase answered, but clearly there was still something on his mind. “So all those things you never let yourself do with the other girls. You’re doing them with Sarah?”
That was the best part. Max leaned in to his buddy. “She sleeps over damn near every night, man. My pillow smells like her shampoo. And I cook with her, Jase. I actually cook for her.”
Jase’s chin snapped back. “With what? You have a single frying pan and a pot. What’d you make her, an egg and some ramen?”
Asshole. “For your information, I bought myself a bunch of kitchen shit from that store where Brody made you get yours. Set of pans. Couple good knives. And I’m confident enough with my manhood to tell you I even have a set of those ‘nested’ bowls. The little baby one is so small that Sarah picked it up and kissed it.” At Jase’s look, he grinned. “I know. But why not? Couple more things to move, and it’s nice while I’ve got Sarah here. Hell, maybe I’ll cook for you guys sometime. But I’ve only got two kitchen chairs, so someone’s going to have to use the lawn chair.”
Nodding, Jase walked back to the table and reached for his beer. “And you’re sure Sarah isn’t getting the wrong idea? Because just listening to you, gotta say, I kinda am.”
“Not a chance.” Max glanced around the bar, making sure the rest of the guys were still otherwise occupied. “She’s all about New York. I mean, we’re having fun. A hell of a lot of it. But she makes me look clingy.”
He probably should have waited until Jase put the beer down, because now the guy was coughing up foam.
“Shut up,” Jase croaked, grimacing as he rubbed his chest.
“I’m serious. I keep thinking we’ve only got so much time left, so all I want to do is make the most of it together—which I will deny saying if you breathe a fucking word of this to anyone.” Jase was waving him on, the understanding between them clear. “But just this week, it’s like half the time she’s got this little furrow between her eyes. I ask what’s wrong, and she says she’s thinking about work. She’s mentally moving forward, even though I want to keep her here with me until I actually have to let her go, you know?”
He thought about Saturday morning and how she’d woken up with that nightmare and all he’d wanted was to hold her. Like somehow the power of his arms alone would be enough to banish whatever unwelcome thoughts had crawled into her consciousness. Nice thought, but Sarah had turned to work instead.
“You think maybe she’s just, I don’t know, giving the brakes a tap because she knows the relationship has to end? Like maybe better to slow down before that happens?”
Max rubbed the back of his neck, thinking about what it was like when they were together. When he was inside her. The way their eyes locked and that connection lit up. “Nah. No way. It’s just how she is. And I shouldn’t be whining about it, because it’s part of what makes her so fucking perfect.”
He knew exactly where he stood with her. He knew what her priorities were. Her plans. Which meant there wouldn’t be any excuse for getting in her way.
Chapter 16
Sarah stood in front of the wall of glass across from the mezzanine-level Wyse coffee shop overlooking the lake, her untouched coffee cooling in her hands. It had been a week since she realized she loved Max, and the feeling wasn’t going away. No matter how hard she tried to put the distance back between them, she just couldn’t make it happen. If anything, she was sinking deeper every day.
This morning, she’d fled from Max’s bed at the crack of dawn after realizing tears were leaking from the corners of her eyes as she thought about saying good-bye. He hadn’t seen her cry, but she hadn’t been willing to risk him noticing if she stayed, so despite it being Saturday, she’d gone to work to try to clear her head. So much for that. She’d already been there an hour and a half, and that deep churn of nerves in her stomach still hadn’t settled. She’d tried to talk herself down, tell herself that, in the scheme of things, falling in love didn’t really change anything. She’d known her emotions were getting away from her. She’d been ready for the inevitable hurt when she left.
Sure, having gone and fallen in love with a man she was leaving in two weeks’ time hadn’t been part of the plan, and it upped the expected ache on an exponential level. But she’d recover. And until she left, she’d hold this epic lapse in judgment close to her chest. Quietly. Tenderly. Gratefully even. Yes, it was going to hurt. But a part of her had believed she’d never feel this way again, and even knowing how much harder it was going to be to say good-bye, it was good to know she’d been wrong. That she could still love.
“Looks like some deep thoughts going on there, Sarah.”
She glanced over to find Sean had walked up beside her. Smiling, she turned to him. “Just realizing it might be harder to say good-bye to Chicago than I was expecting.”
Sean nodded, pushing his hands deep into his suit pockets. He squinted out to the lake for a moment before meeting her eyes with a serious look. “Sarah, I know you’ve been looking forward to New York, and I’ve been laying it on pretty thick about trying to score you for Wyse Chicago. But I’m not just screwing around, and I’m not talking about you staying on in some position that doesn’t challenge you or compete with the offer you have from Manhattan.”
They’d been through this before, but this morning Sean’s tone was devoid of all teasing. Today he sounded serious. And today? Sarah crossed her arms and rubbed her fingertips over the back of her thumb. Maybe she was ready to hear what he had to say. “Okay, you have my attention.”
A smile tugged at Sean’s mouth, and he cut her a conspiratorial look. “You sure you want to hear? It’s gonna mess up all your plans.”
“You wish.” She doubted it could, but what was the harm in listening? If nothing else, maybe it would distract her for a while. Keep her mind from drifting back to Max and the way he smelled and tasted and made her feel alive. Yes, she definitely needed the distraction. “But by all means, give it your best shot.”
Satisfaction lit his face. “Let’s go to my office.”
She nodded and walked with him to the bank of elevators. It was still early, but in the hotel industry, there were always people around. And while the Chicago staff was incredible, more like family than coworkers, certain conversations were best held behind closed doors.
Sean glanced at his watch. “Pretty early to be at work on a Saturday, Sarah. Especially since you don’t work weekends. Everything okay with you and Max?”
Her stomach bottomed out, but before she could find the words, Sean held up a staying hand. “Scratch that. I don’t want to know, because I’d like there to be no confusion about the context of this conversation.”
Her brows rose in question.
“I’m talking to you as my friend and as your employer. Clear?”
The elevator doors glided open, and they stepped inside. “Clear.”
Sean punched in his floor, and when the doors closed, he turned to face her straight on, his expression as serious as she’d ever seen. “Forget about the guy you’re dating.”
* * *
“You’re shitting me,” Piper gasped, holding a pillow over her head like some ginormous hat. It was almost noon, and she’d texted S
arah thirty minutes before, begging her to bring a sandwich to counteract her night of excess.
Ready for a break and hungry herself, Sarah had stopped on the way home, only to discover Piper was still in bed and hadn’t realized she wasn’t actually in the apartment.
Now they were sitting on Piper’s bed, a couple of Potbelly subs laid out between them.
Sarah nodded, taking a sip of her drink. “It was really cool. For all the pushing about the job thing, he didn’t want me to make my decision based on a guy—even if it happened to be one of his best friends. Or maybe especially because of that, since he knows Max so well.”
“Wait.” The pillow came down, and the light in Piper’s eyes faded just a little. “He wasn’t hitting on you?”
Sarah’s eyes bugged. “Sean? No way. Piper, this is about work. Focus.”
“It would be easier to focus if this was another installment in your sexual chronicles.” At Sarah’s glare, Piper heaved a sigh and picked up a chip. “Fine, I’m listening. Sort of.”
“Piper, all these side projects he’s been giving me. The work with sales and marketing, the projection project, everything I’ve been telling you about this last month and a half—”
Piper froze mid-chew, a guilty look on her face. “Full disclosure here…when you talk about work, I sometimes zone out.”
Sarah pinched her lips between her teeth, but now that she thought about it, she remembered her friend warning her it might happen. “Okay, nutshell version: the work he’s been giving me is awesome, above my pay-grade stuff, dream-job stuff.”
“That’s good.”
Sarah laughed. “Yeah, it is. Because Sean just offered me that job.”
Now she had Piper’s attention. “Here in Chicago?” At her nod, Piper sat straighter and pushed her lunch aside. “But you were dying to move to New York, Sarah. It’s all you’ve talked about for more than a year.”