her, ―Wow, what‘s this for?‖ he said looking over her head at
Luke.
―I‘m going to the office for a bit,‖ Luke said standing up,
―I‘ll get a head start for Tuesday.‖ He glanced at his watch, ―I‘ll be
home late, so don‘t wait up.‖ He turned and walked out of the
room leaving Max staring at him completely baffled. Then he felt
Lily‘s hands on either side of his face causing him to look down at
her.
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―I want my ring back.‖
He stared down at her still confused about the sudden
affection not missing her tearstained eyes. Then he smiled
slowly and reached into his pocket withdrawing the ring, ‖All
right.‖
―You had it with you?‖ she said in awe as he slipped it
back on her finger.
―I‘ve had it with me for three years.‖ He confessed deeply.
―All the time?‖
―Every day.‖
―Is it really mine?‖ she looked up at him after admiring it.
―Luke‘s got a big mouth.‖ He said pursing his lips.
―I would have said yes at sixteen.‖
He reached up and brushed her long hair back over her
shoulders to cup her face in his hands and search her eyes for
some sort of apprehension, there was none. ―I would have
married you then button, but Luke was right in a lot of ways.‖
―I‘m not sixteen Max, I‘m twenty now.‖
―Yes you are.‖ He said huskily before he lowered his head
and kissed her.
Luke came home a little after midnight and saw his sister
and Max sleeping on the sofa covered by a quilt. He released a
sigh of relief. Max still had his shirt on but it was unbuttoned
and his sister was curled against him and he could see that she
still wore her nightgown. Then his eyes guided to the hand on
Max‘s bare chest noticing the engagement ring back where it
belonged and he smiled. Quietly he made his way by the sleeping
couple to his room. He had to give it to his friend because under
the circumstances, he showed a great deal of restraint. If it was
someone Luke loved the way Max loved Lily, he would want to be
with her in every way after hearing such news.
Lily had never slept so well in her life. When she awoke
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Lietha Wards
the next morning she was ecstatic to see that Max didn‘t get up
and leave this time. He was still with her and asleep. He looked
peaceful and incredibly handsome. She lifted her head and
moved her gaze over his face. His jaw had a day‘s worth of
stubble and it made him look worn but sinfully appealing.
Having her body pressed against his hard form was doing
amazing things to her insides too. She didn‘t forget what he
looked and felt like naked and those feelings of desire rose within
her like a volcano.
―Quit staring.‖ He murmured.
―Oh for gosh sakes! ― she flushed.
He opened his eyes and grinned, ―Well, I can get used to
this.‖ He lifted his arm and looked at his watch, ―I‘ve got to get
going. Go get dressed Lily, you‘re coming with me. I have some
things to finish up at the office, and then we have a ten o‘clock
appointment with Doctor Jenson.‖
―Oh.‖ She couldn‘t stop the tremor.
―Hey,‖ he said softly nudging her chin so she‘d look at
him, ―I‘m with you every step of the way.‖
―I know. I‘m terrified.‖
―I‘m scared to honey, but we‘ll beat this together.‖
―Are you?‖ she said raising her brows. She was sure Max
hadn‘t been scared of anything in his life. He faced adversary
head on with horns out.
―Of course I am.‖ He said softly, ―Luke has finally let me
near you and now that I‘ve got you I certainly don‘t want
anything to happen to you. You‘re my life.‖
She could feel her eyes moisten, ―Do you really mean
that?‖
―Come here honey.‖ He said shifting his body and easily
lifting her over him so he could kiss her. It was a kiss of complete
tenderness and it was loaded with affection.
Finally he lifted her off him and sat up. ―Let‘s get going
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before I drag you to your room.‖ He said in a strained voice.
Lily couldn‘t see anything wrong with that, but intimacy
was still new to her and she didn‘t know how to tell him so she
did as he said and made her way to her room to get dressed.
At the office Max made her sit in the waiting room across
from Nancy, ―Keep an eye on her Nance, I‘ll try not to be too
long.‖
―No problem.‖ She said looking past him to Lily. The girl
looked pale and exhausted. ―Lily, would you like some tea?‖
―I‘d love that.‖ She said.
When Nancy got up to go and get it, he turned back to
her, ―I‘ll try not to be too long, but stay here and wait for me,