CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
BECCA
I was a bit uncomfortable as Max led me into the hut. I mean, there was an entire camera crew following us. A bit weird? Yeah, a bit. I understood that it was a show, but I was thankful in that moment that Max and I had been able to sneak away so many times before. How embarrassing it would have been to actually have all those moments on tape.
Holy crap. I would officially have had my own sex tape! My parents would have killed me, and I’d never have been able to work at Starbucks again. I never saw anything about it in the training manual, but I was pretty positive sex tapes for Starbucks employees were frowned upon.
“So . . .” Max cleared his throat and held up his hands. “This is it.”
“Fancy.” I looked around the room and crossed my arms. A bottle of champagne was cooling on the table with more dessert. I pointed. “Are they trying to get you to seduce me?”
“Depends.” Max shrugged. “Are you seducible?”
“Guess you’ll have to find out.”
Max groaned and made his way over to the small couch and patted the cushion next to him. “I think not.”
“Not?”
“Seducible.” He sighed and then wrapped his arm around me when I sat down. “Want to know why?”
“Even if I said no, you’d tell me.”
“Truth.” He toyed with my hair. “You’re too pretty for the likes of me.”
“Is this where we part as friends?” I joked.
“Never. I could never kiss my friends the way I want to kiss you and I’m pretty sure I’d get arrested if I tried to kiss Pop-pop that way.”
“He’s dead.”
“See? You get me.” Max’s fingers continued combing through my hair. The rhythm was hypnotic. “Besides, I’m a Sagittarius.”
“What?” I yawned.
“Sleep,” Max whispered in my ear. “At least take a small nap and I’ll get them to leave.”
“Then what?” I whispered as low as I could so the camera crew couldn’t pick up on it.
“Oh, I thought you knew.” Max kissed the top of my head. “Then Max gets dessert.”
“Max won’t get anything if Max keeps referring to himself in the third person.”
“I feel you,” Max said in a serious tone. “Care to feel me too?”
“Had to add the last part.”
“I’m Max.”
I rolled my eyes and snuggled into his chest. Soon sleep overtook me.
The smell of chocolate woke me up . . . my eyelids felt heavy as I tried to open my eyes. A piece of dark chocolate was placed right in front of my face. I blinked a few more times and then opened my mouth.
Max dropped the piece of chocolate onto my tongue. The taste of dark chocolate mixed with salt exploded in my mouth. What a way to wake up.
“That was nice,” I whispered, still chewing.
“Well, I almost let Mighty Max wake you but I figured it would probably scare you. I know how girls are with big objects in the dark. I mean, what’s to say you didn’t mistake it for a snake? Or a bear!”
“Or a worm.” I smirked.
“Or the largest piece of PVC pipe a girl could see!”
“Because you know us girls, we’re really scared of tools and such.”
“I offer you my services, madam. You may play with my tools any which way you please. I know just the one to start with.”
“Max.” I pushed myself into a sitting position. “I’m not playing with your—”
Max gripped my hand and placed it across his chest. “Start here.”
“Huh?”
“My heart . . .” He grinned. “What? You thought I was talking about something else? Geez, Becca, get that pretty little head out of the gutter. I would never, and I do mean never, force you to put your hands on me.”
I grinned. “That’s sweet.”
“Now asking . . .” He winked. “I’d probably do that.”
“You’re impossible.”
“I could have starred in that movie . . . I’m way more badass than Tom Cruise. Besides, I have better hair.”
“Speaking of hair—” I reached for another piece of chocolate. “Where’s Reid? And the production crew?”
“You like his hair?” Max’s eyes narrowed.
“It’s nice,” I teased. “So thick and wavy.”
“Not funny.”
“Silky.”
“Becca . . .” Max warned.
“Running my fingers through it would feel like—”
“One more word and I’m putting Nair in his shampoo.” Max flipped me onto my back and pounced on me, straddling my body. “Then again, the guy would probably look good bald too.” He closed his eyes. “Damn you, Reid!”
“I like your hair too.” I reached up and tucked his dark hair behind his ears. “It’s . . . nice.”
“Hmm.” He leaned down. “We can do better than nice, can’t we?”
“Sexy?”
“A word that starts with sex?” Max seemed to think about this for a minute. “Sold.” He jumped off me and held out his hand. “Now for the second part of the date. The film crew got the footage they needed, and you and I are going on an adventure.”
I placed my hand in his. “Where?”
“To the moon.” Max grinned. “Where else would I take the girl I like?”
“Go big or go home?”
“See!” Max wrapped his arm around me and led me outside. “We get us!”
“Us?”
“A couple.” Max kissed my forehead. “That’s what we are.”
“Oh.” I felt my face heat. Had he just . . . declared us an us? Did that mean he wanted more time once the show ended? I decided not to approach the subject. Instead I leaned farther into Max’s embrace and calmed my rapidly beating heart. I had him for now. We were an us . . . and I loved the sound of that.
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
MAX
“Becca!” I yelled over my right shoulder. “Hurry up!”
“Must. Get. Water!” She heaved, leaning her head against the rock.
“Water’s for wimps,” I scolded. “A few more feet, come on, I know you like climbing things . . . remember what I taught you about rock climbing.”
“Orgasms,” Becca muttered. “The last thing on my mind.”
“Funny.” I laughed. “They’re always the first thing on mine.”
“You’re a guy.”
“Hooray! You noticed.” I lifted myself up to the top of the rock and turned around to offer my hand. “I was afraid I was going to have to drop my shorts or something.”
“Keep”—she heaved—“pants on.”
“Where’s the fun in clothing if you can’t take it off?” I offered an easy smile and lifted her the rest of the way to the top of the cliff. The climb had been close to thirty feet. To be fair, I hadn’t realized it would be so hard, especially after drinking all that wine and taking a power nap, but I was desperate for romance. No, not true, I was desperate to romance her.
And Becca wasn’t like normal girls. I couldn’t bring her flowers; she’d probably sneeze into them and be like, Oh, cool, you got me weeds. I couldn’t give her chocolate because the show had already done that. I was big on the gesture thing, the only issue was that the minute I realized I wanted to do something . . . another thought occurred.
I’d never actually dated a girl beyond a few weeks.
The big gesture?
Hadn’t ever taken place.
I’d never wanted to invite a girl into my life. In my mind it was like inviting a vampire into your house, all of a sudden they had free rein to come and go as they pleased, meaning they could redecorate while you were out golfing and you couldn’t say shit about it because ding ding ding, you’re the jackass who invited them in the first place!
But if Becca was a vampire . . .
I’d totally invite her in.
Let her bite me.
Hell, I’d bite back—pretty sure it would be hard not to . . . biti
ng into that supple skin was what dreams were made of.
“Max?” Becca touched my shoulder. “You okay?”
“Just thinking about vampires.” I shrugged. “Sexier than zombies.”
“True.” She nodded. “Plus vampires bite.”
“So do zombies,” I pointed out. “But I’d rather be bitten by a vampire.”
“Why?” She grabbed my hand as we walked toward the edge of the cliff and up to the last peak.
“Easy.” I helped her up the rock, placing my hands on her hips. “I’d be a badass vampire. Super fast, sexy, able to lure women into my den of iniquity.”
“Do you even know what iniquity means? Just curious.” Becca’s foot slipped; I caught her, allowing her to gain her footing again, then helped her the last part of the way.
“We think alike.” I nodded. “Just in case you were on the fence about the whole us thing.”
“I’m not on the fence.” Becca smiled. “I’m jumping over the fence, then jumping right back onto my own lawn.”
“I guarantee my lawn’s nicer than yours . . . I keep it freakishly green. It’s one of my things, and if the reason for your hesitation is that my lawn is new and scary . . . well, just know I wouldn’t be worth it, we wouldn’t be worth anything, if we weren’t a little bit terrified.”
Becca put her hands on her hips and peeked at me from beneath heavy lashes. “It amazes me how you can go from talking about vampires to speaking philosophy.”
I nodded. “I’m a strong personality so I try to mix it up a bit as to not overwhelm people into having seizures.”
“How kind.”
“I think so.” I grinned. “Now close your eyes.”
She closed her eyes as I led her to the edge. The moon was just starting to rise above the water, giving everything a silvery glow.
“I give you,” I whispered in her ear, my tongue sliding along the outside curve, “the moon.”
Becca opened her eyes and gasped. “It’s huge.”
“Not me, silly.” I rolled my eyes. “The moon.”
Becca elbowed me in the stomach and continued to stare. “So, you bring all the girls here?”
“First, I can’t.” I sighed. “We’re halfway across the world and for a first date that’s kind of spendy, feel me? Second, the timing has to be perfect. And third . . . well . . .” I moved behind her, wrapping my arms around her middle and leaning my chin on her head. “The moon is for lovers.”
“W-what?”
“For lovers.” I moved my hands down her arms, interlocking our fingers. “It’s for lovers. I would never bring someone the moon unless I was planning on giving them the sun and stars as well. It’s kind of a package deal; therefore, the moon is for lovers. The stars are for partners. The sun . . . for best friends. Package deal . . . you get one, you get all, just like a real relationship.”
“Are you asking—?” Her body trembled. “Are you asking what I think you’re asking?”
“For your firstborn? Yes, yes I am,” I joked.
Becca laughed, the tension easing from her body.
“I’m asking for something much more scary,” I whispered in her ear, “Your trust . . . and that giant muscle between those perfect breasts.”
“Classy.”
“You wouldn’t want me any other way.” My lips found her neck. “I want it all . . . past this week, past two weeks from now. The only question . . . the one I won’t make you answer, not yet . . . is how much are you willing to give?”
I stepped away briefly, then turned her around to face me, tilting her chin toward my mouth. “I’ll wait for your answer . . . praying to the moon, the sun, the stars, that it’s the one I want to hear, because you’ve managed to lay your soul next to my heart, and I’ve discovered it doesn’t want to let go.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
BECCA
We didn’t talk much as we hiked back down. My mind was whirling with possibilities. He’d said everything I’d wanted to hear and yet . . . it didn’t feel real. Maybe it was the atmosphere? Or possibly the circumstances. I needed him to say those things to me in the grocery store, or after work when I smelled like coffee beans and was having trouble paying my electric bill because my textbooks cost so much.
But I wanted to give him that chance.
Which meant, in the end, I wouldn’t take just the money. I’d take Max too . . . I knew the choice I’d make and it was him. It would be him every time, because the thing about Maxes in the wild? Once you catch one.
They stick forever.
Like a disease.
Like Hades.
And what woman in her right mind wouldn’t want one all to herself? Max chose that moment to flash me a grin straight out of the movies. And not a B horror flick that goes straight to DVD. No, his grin was something out of a Channing Tatum movie. Just. Beautiful. Dark hair fell across his face, he brushed it away, licking his full, sculpted lips, and leaned his head against mine.
“You ready for the next surprise?”
“There’s more?” I asked, elated. Never had a guy done anything as extravagant as claiming to bring me the moon and the stars. Heck, most guys thought they were doing an awesome job when they opened my door.
“With me”—Max pulled me into his arms—“there will always be more.”
Grinning, I gripped his hand, my heart jumping up and down as we made our way back to the hut.
The excitement, however, was short-lived, as Max cursed under his breath and released my hand. “Show yourselves and live. Hide and die.”
“What?”
Reid stepped out from behind the hut. “I’m here to supervise.”
“Your own beheading?” Max nodded. “Very well, proceed. Just get down on your hands and knees and—”
“I wonder,” came another male voice. “How many times he’s said that in his lifetime? Hmm? Get down on your hands and knees and—”
A loud thump sounded and then a female voice chimed in. “Really, Jason, you should talk.”
“Burn.” Another male voice laughed.
And then the people belonging to the voices stepped out from behind the hut and waved.
“Really?” Max sighed and looked heavenward. “I go to synagogue.”
“He does,” Reid piped up. “You’d think he’d be given more grace or something.”
“Max!” Milo put her hands on her hips. “It’s our last night together. They’re sending us home after the ceremony tomorrow.”
“Ceremony?” we both said in unison.
“Yeah, for the final choice.” Jason made quotations with his fingers.
“We have a full two days until the final vote.” Max sighed. “Nice try, though.”
“No.” Reid scratched his head. “Actually it’s tomorrow. A huge storm’s coming in and they want to wrap up filming before the weather turns bad. If they wait it out, it will put us off schedule, cost a ton of money, and, well, piss Rex off, so we’re going to move things forward.”
“You can’t just move a dating show forward!” Max shouted.
Reid paused and then looked at his watch. “Oh, look, they just did.”
Max ground his teeth and wrapped his arm around my waist. “And the reason for you guys interrupting our awesome date?”
“What did he do?” Milo asked, her eyes full of curiosity. “Did he kiss you? Hold your hand? Make you jump off a cliff? I’ve heard he’s super romantic. Never experienced it for myself and—”
Colt placed his hand over her mouth and sighed. “It worries me that she’s so eager to hear about someone else’s love life.”
“Marriage.” Max nodded. “Lose some romance, Milo? Pretty sure there are plenty of guys willing to help you out at the Sex Toys and More store. Really, give them a call. Mention my name, they may give you a discount.” He held out a card.
Colt swore. “Take that card and I drown Max in the ocean.”
“Weird, I was thinking of doing the same thing to Reid!” Max laughed. “Not anymore, thoug
h, we no longer have the element of surprise.”
“Thank you?” Reid said it like he was wondering if he should be thankful.
“So.” Jason clapped his hands together. “Last night together, mallows? Grahams? Chocolate?”
“Okay.” Max released my hand. “I’m going to say this once.”
“Oh, good.” Jason nodded. “We hate when you’re long-winded.”
“Colt,” Max seethed. “Slap Jason for me.”
“I have enough bruises,” Jason snorted. “It looks like I’m into BDSM, all right, bro? Just add another one to the list. I feel no pain.”
At that moment Max bent down and threw a shell at Jason’s stomach.
“Shit!” Jason bent over. “What’d you throw? Freaking conch shell?”
“I was just checking to see if you feel pain. Bonus points for being right.” Max shrugged. “Now, if it’s the last night, don’t you think you should let Becca and me have some alone time?”
“No,” they all said in unison. It was strange, watching them all communicate. Like they were bickering married couples.
“Fact.” Reid held up his hand. “You like Becca, therefore she has to like us before she can join the group.”
“So we’re a group now?” Max sighed. “A club that only lets in cool people?”
“We have a motto.” Milo winked. “Star Wars fans only.”
The group fell into a hush. As if mentioning Star Wars were the equivalent of saying a prayer. So naturally I shrugged and said, “I’m only a fan of the older versions.”
“Thank God,” Colt whispered under his breath while Milo gave me a nod of approval and a thumbs-up.
“We’re kind of like . . .” Jason went to the fire and sat on one of the pillows. “The family you marry into. You can’t get Max without the rest of us.”
“Thanks, guys.” Max released my hand. “Run along, Becca, find someone who won’t scare you shitless. It’s okay, we’ll always have the moon.”
“We’re not that bad!” Milo shouted. Colt winced while Jason said, “Could you muzzle her?”
“That’s my wife!” Colt’s pitch matched Milo’s.
“You don’t say,” Reid said dryly. He patted the seat next to him and motioned for me to come over and sit. Reluctantly Max walked with me to the fire.