God, it was so annoying how bloody smart he was.
I yanked at my hand to no avail so I let it relax but twisted my head to look out the window and suggested sharply, “Let’s not talk about this.”
“Why? Because you know I’m right?”
I twisted my head back to him and used my words as an accusation, a loud one, a loud one that bounced around the cab. “You’re moving too fast!”
“Found somethin’ I want, don’t tend to f**k around when that happens, Duchess. Ever.”
Although his words made my belly feel kind of squishy in a good way, my mind reminded me he was annoying.
“Perhaps, Macho Mountain Man Max, you’ll give me a second to breathe and get my head sorted before I decide to turn my life on a dime. Or would that be asking too much?” I queried sarcastically.
“You don’t wanna breathe, babe, you wanna find time to repair your shield to hold me back. Since I’m guessin’ I got in more than your pants today the answer is, yeah, that’s askin’ too much.”
I yanked at my hand, again to no avail, gave up and snapped, “God, you’re so annoying.”
“You fight with Niles?” Max asked suddenly.
“No.”
“Never?”
“No! And stop asking about Niles,” I demanded.
He ignored my demand and kept questioning. “Didn’t care enough to fight, didn’t match you in fire or was so lazy, he just put up with your shit?”
My head shook back and forth, short, angry shakes.
Then I repeated, “My shit?”
“Yeah, babe, your shit.”
I crossed my one free arm on my chest, it wasn’t much but I suspected it made somewhat of a statement, and declared, “I’m not talking about this.”
“That’s what I thought,” Max said, not sounding annoyed anymore but amused. “All of ‘em, didn’t care, no fire and lazy as hell.”
I looked out the passenger side window unable to retort since he was correct, on all counts.
“Poor Nina,” Max muttered, lifting my hand in his and I felt his lips against my knuckles before he dropped it back to his thigh and he finished, still muttering, “you must have been bored outta your f**kin’ brain.”
I turned to look at him and announced, “Regardless of the fact that Brody has been your friend since childhood and you undoubtedly wish for me to make a good impression, I’m giving you fair warning that I am, as of now, officially no longer speaking to you.”
This made him burst out laughing. I turned my head away and commenced fuming.
His hand gave mine another squeeze and he said, “Have at it, Duchess, Brody got you the minute you put your arms around Mindy this afternoon. You could probably set fire to the Cherokee in The Rooster’s parking lot and Brody’d still like you.”
“Don’t give me any ideas,” I muttered.
“Thought you weren’t speakin’ to me.”
I clamped my mouth shut, tried once more to yank my hand from his, failed, gave up and continued fuming while Max chuckled thinking all this was hilarious.
So.
Annoying.
* * * * *