saw in me. Or maybe he was trying to look into my soul. That’s what it felt like when Max Marquis’ focus was solely on you.
He knows. He knows you’re falling for him.
“I have to go now.” I pivoted and hurried toward the lift.
Ted called after me, “You don’t want to stay for a drink?”
With a wave and a shake of my head I hurried out.
Summoning the lift, I waited for the doors to open, my heart racing with a swirl of emotions. I’d kissed him. That alone had me reeling. Making eye contact with Max now was impossible.
A hand rested on my shoulder. I knew that touch, that presence.
“At least let me escort you out,” said Max, his voice husky. “I won’t take no for an answer.”
With a quick nod, I stepped into the lift.
Max followed me in and stood watching me, as though he wanted to make sure I was really okay.
I couldn’t stand the embarrassment any longer. “I’m sorry I kissed you.”
He did that thing with his lips…that curling of the mouth that ended in a devastating expression of joy. “Really?”
“Yes, it won’t happen again. I was just so glad to be alive.”
“That’ll do it.”
“Do what?”
“Inspire you to be spontaneous.” He lowered his sights on me. “Daisy?”
“Yes,” I said breathlessly.
“Are you going to do the honors or shall I?”
“Excuse me?”
He leaned over and pressed the DOWN button.
I let out a sigh. “You know that gold envelope you gave me yesterday?”
“Yes.”
“It was for membership to a Dare Club. That’s what this was all about.”
Max’s expression was inscrutable.
“Did you know about it?” I asked.
He smiled. “I must admit that I love seeing you in those glasses.”
“You have a lovely taste.” I gulped. “I meant you have lovely taste. In things. Like glasses. And hotels. This place is so nice.”
“Daisy,” he said softly, his tone seductive. He moved closer until he was towering over me.
I felt an electric charge in the air, a crackle of volatile chemistry between us.
He reached out with both hands and yanked the front of my coat closed, the tug nudging my breasts together and causing my nipples to bead in pleasure.
“You lost a button on your shirt,” he explained.
“Sorry?”
“I was pulling your coat closed to cover your shirt.”
Looking down, I saw where my bra was peeking through a gap in my shirt. I let out a long moan of mortification; it sounded erotic.
Max stepped back and leaned against the wall. He whipped out his phone, now seeming to ignore me.
I pulled mine out of my back pocket and swiped over to Instagram. I raised it closer to my face to better see the screen.
Max hurried toward me and crushed my body against the wall. “Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
His eyes narrowed. “Don’t take my photo. I don’t want Nick to see it.”
I cringed inwardly. “Of course not.”
His intense brown gaze met mine. “Daisy, what I meant was…”
“Why would I want a photo of you?” I asked, his closeness making me shudder.
Our breathing was in sync, our eyes still locked on each other. His minty breath tickled my face. The pressure of him leaning against me made me feel alive.
“I was seeing if Nick watched it,” I finally admitted.
He flinched. “Watched what?”
“I recorded my adventure.”
“Right.”
I gave him a polite smile and showed him my screen. “See? Me sliding down the glass chute.”
The angle of the recording hid the fact that I had crash landed into Max.
I squinted at the number of “likes” my video had racked up. “Wait. That can’t be right.”
“What’s wrong?”
My gaze snapped to his. “It’s got two thousand hits already.”
He turned my phone around so he could see the screen again. “Are you okay with this?”
My eyes widened with a sudden realization. “Nick will see it!”
Max’s jaw tensed. “He doesn’t deserve you.”
Silence filled the space between us as I replayed his words. It was the kind of moment you wished you could rewind so you knew you hadn’t misheard it.
Max read a text on his phone. “Carl’s at the curb, ready to drive you home.”
“I’m fine with the Tube—”
“Under no circumstances. I’d drive you myself, but I have a conference call scheduled with my firm.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t want you to drive me.” I lied because the feelings I had were so intense, they scared me. I didn’t want him to see I had a silly crush.
Our eyes met as the panic in my words weighed heavily in the small space between us.
“Then I won’t drive you,” he said flatly.
I gave him a weak smile. “Thank you