He wanted to go back to the penthouse and consummate Romi’s promise to be his and he was certain she wanted the same.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
KNOWING MAX WOULD want it as much as she did, Romi had packed for a much longer stay than overnight.
Triumph had flashed in his gaze when he’d seen her suitcases and matching carryall. He’d smiled, too. “Lime green with white polka dots?”
“I suppose your luggage is black.”
“No.” He winked. “It’s brown leather.”
She melted at the wink and poured herself into the passenger seat of his growling predator of a car.
He shocked her by insisting she unpack before doing anything else, but when her last pair of bright purple jeans was hanging in his walk-in closet, which was the size of a small bedroom—and empty on one side for her—he carried her off to bed and they made love.
She’d thought maybe the night before had been so beyond the known universe because it was her first time, but she’d soon discovered it was just being with this man.
He rocked her world and by every indication she did the same for him.
Maddie returned from her honeymoon in high spirits and ready to find a building for the charter school. She and Romi spent hours trailing after Viktor’s incredibly competent Realtor.
Not really sure why she did it, Romi hid her engagement ring in her purse whenever they were together. She didn’t tell her SBC that Romi’s father was in rehab and Romi herself was living with the man she intended to marry.
“Would you like to have Madison and Viktor over?” Max asked as she curled into his side while they watched his favorite crime drama one evening after Maddie’s return to town.
They shared similar taste in music and most television shows. Their workout regimens were complementary and they had the same favorite area restaurants.
But she wasn’t a huge fan of the crime drama they were watching, so she’d been texting with Maddie while it played.
“Huh? What?”
He turned down the television, a one-hundred-and-twenty-eight-inch screen that dropped down from the ceiling. “I said, you should invite Viktor and Madison over for dinner.”
No, he’d asked if she wanted to. Apparently, to Max it was the same thing. “Uh…”
“We’ll have it catered if you like.”
Romi actually liked Max’s housekeeper’s cooking. She was no Mrs. K, but the woman was really talented at dinners that did well straight from the fridge or with an easy reheat. “That’s not…I mean…Maddie doesn’t know about us.”
Max gave her ring a disbelieving look. “How can she not?”
“I…uh…I didn’t tell her?”
“Are you asking me, or telling me?”
“Telling you.”
“How did she miss the ring?” he asked, his tone carefully neutral.
“Um…I took it off.”
Max picked up the remote and pressed a button. The television turned off and the screen lifted slowly toward the ceiling with a soft whir.
“Was your program over?” Romi asked, pretty sure it hadn’t been, but she hadn’t been paying attention.
“No.”
“Oh, um…”
“That’s a lot of ums for a woman who rarely feels the need for the word.”
She didn’t have an answer for that. He was right, she wasn’t used to stumbling over her words.
He turned so their gazes caught. “Why haven’t you told your sister-by-choice that you are engaged to be married and living with your fiancé?” Max’s lips thinned and he did not sound happy.
“I…”
“You are not thinking about backing out.”
“No.”
“You said you wanted this.”
“I do.” Couldn’t he tell how much she enjoyed being with him?
Dark gray eyes narrowed. “Then why?”
“They just got back from their honeymoon.” It sounded lame, even to her own ears.
He wasn’t impressed, either. “Nearly two weeks ago.”
Romi had been hiding her ring and new living situation for weeks? It hadn’t seemed that long. “Maddie is still settling into being married, though.”
“And you sharing your own plans would somehow impede that?” Disbelief laced his tone.
“No. I don’t know.” Romi didn’t really know why she didn’t want to tell Maddie about Max.
“Viktor knows.”
“What?” Romi demanded, sitting up in agitation. “How?”
“I told him.”
“Why would you?”
“We are friends. More to the point why wouldn’t you?”
“I…” Romi’s gaze skittered around the room, seeking inspiration.