been shuffled out of the house into the cold. Max opened the passenger side door on a flashy silver Tesla.
“Where’s your bodyguard?” I asked.
He frowned. “Carl believes I’m at the Waldorf.”
“You lied to him?”
“I gave him the day off.”
His frown deepened as he studied me. “Thought you and I should have some privacy. Is that okay?”
Instead of answering, I climbed into the front passenger seat, sinking into the cream-colored leather. “Where are we going?”
Max got in and pushed a button. Heat blasted over us. “You’re going to approve.”
“Why do you need my help?”
“You’ll see.”
Warmth curled around my bum—the seat was heated. We were driving through London in the lap of luxury, but it would have been easy to look at Max and forget everything. He was that alluring. The smile he gave me when he sensed I was staring his way was so damn sexy. It made my insides curl with pleasure.
My face broke into a grin…
It was turning out to be the best day ever since my life imploded. Right up until Max stopped in front of Sunny’s, my optometrist. Deflated, I realized he was just trying to shake off the guilt he felt for breaking my glasses.
“Your aunt told me this is where you got your last pair.” He gave me a satisfied smile. “Your prescription will be on record, I imagine.”
“You’re buying me…” I stated the obvious, shaking my head.
“It’s the right thing to do.”
“But it’s completely unnecessary.”
“I insist, Daisy. You were trying to catch up with Nick when I got in your way.”
“You left out the harassment bit.”
“Carl ushered you aside…”
“Ushered?”
“It’s our story and we’re sticking to it,” he said, giving me a wink.
I let out a sigh.
“This should make us even.” He looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to cooperate.
I fought back my disappointment. At least I’d have new glasses.
Inside the store, Max walked along the aisles ahead of me perusing the collection. He lifted a pair of sunglasses off the display case and tried them on, turning to see my reaction. He put them back and continued to move around the store, cheerfully picking up spectacles to examine them.
He found a pair of sunglasses with blacked out frames and put them on. He rocked the look. “Olá!”
“Are you going to get them?”
Max looked surprised as he took them off. “No, we’re here for you.”
I was still feeling some guilt over the secret crush I had on him—though I would never risk my connection to Nick. Deep down I held on to the hope we would one day reconcile. But Max was charismatic and being with him made my evening bearable.
Glancing over at the shop assistant, I saw I wasn’t the only one ogling the cutie studying the display of fashionable eyewear. Max was now over in the designer section, viewing the selection with interest.
I hurried over. “These are very expensive.”
Max studied the price tag. “These are okay.”
“Those over there are on sale.” I pointed toward the other end of the store.
He narrowed his focus on the bargains. “I can’t be seen with you if you wear any of those.”
“That section is where I got my last pair!”
Max chuckled, then lifted a pair of fancy looking frames off the panel and handed them over. “Try these.”
Blinking up at him, I let him ease the new frames on my face, his warm fingers trailing over my cheeks.
He took a step back and studied me. “No.”
“Why?” I liked the way they looked.
But I let Max remove them. He put them back and chose another pair, sliding them onto my face. “Look in the mirror.”
I turned and studied my reflection, loving how the delicate frames complemented my face and made me look pretty. Max rested his hands on my shoulders and turned me around to face him. His eyes were so easy to fall into, but my gaze dropped to his mouth.
And my surroundings slipped away…
Dazzled by him, I was unable to stop staring, and I felt my cheeks blaze with heat at my failure to tear my gaze away.
A ghost of a smile curled Max’s lips. “Beautiful,” he said, as though I confounded him.
He stepped closer and reached around to pull out my hair tie, releasing my ponytail. Locks tumbled over my shoulders. Gently, he tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear, sending a shiver through me.
Looking up at him made me feel protected, as though all he had to do was wrap his arms around me and everything would be all right again.
I