“I-I couldn’t do it.”
Remy interrupted, “Honey, it was probably still too fresh, too painful. You can’t let this scar your entire life.”
“It wasn’t just that one time, though. Remember John, the guy I dated a few years back?” Remy nodded, his lips pursed in a sour expression. Theresa knew he never really cared for John when they dated.
“I tried to be intimate with him, too. I thought we would be good together. We’d taken our time. I cared about him. Same thing happened.”
“Just because it happened then doesn’t mean it will happen with Max. You weren’t in love with those idiots. It’ll be different with him.”
“I’m not willing to take that chance. Not now, not ever. He deserves so much more than what I can give him.” Theresa choked back tears. And I won’t get my heart broken by him again. I can’t.
“That’s just plain BS and you know it.” Remy turned an accusatory glare on her, and she flinched. “Don’t give up on Max. He’s not going to be happy without you.”
The vehemence in his tone surprised her.
“Don’t look so shocked. Max is fighting his feelings tooth and nail, but it’s a losing battle. He wants you. You want him. Go see a shrink, a priest, do something. Don’t give up on your future.”
The back door flung open, slamming against the opposite wall. Max stalked into the room, his sinewy muscles rippling beneath a tailored navy-blue shirt. Tight jeans encased muscular thighs. With each step closer, Theresa felt the invisible flames of lust flickering within her. Her desire for him never diminished, it grew stronger every day. He stared at them, a question in his eyes.
“Theresa.” Remy pulled her attention away from Max. “Remember what I said. If it’s what you want, fight for it.” With that, he sauntered through the back door, leaving her alone with Max.
Chapter Fourteen
“Did I interrupt something?” Max drawled out his question, scrutinizing her face. His lips curled upward slightly as he arched his brow, mildly amused. He knew he had interrupted and didn’t care.
“Not a thing. Remy stopped by for his morning coffee, just like he always does.” Theresa lifted the carafe. “Would you like a cup?”
“Sure,” he replied. “It’s been a long night. I could use it.” One of the longest nights of my life, Max thought. He’d replayed Theresa’s agonized confession over and over, the thunderstorm outside a fitting orchestration to accompany each painful word. Seeing her this morning, remembering what she had gone through and how he’d once treated her made him feel like the biggest jackass alive. Even knowing about her past and the devastating psychological toll it had taken on her, he still wanted her more than any other woman he’d ever met.
“Has something happened?” Theresa’s voice came out a bare whisper. She cleared her throat and waited for his response.
“I got a call from a friend who works just across the river in Mississippi. They raided a chop shop and broke up a stolen car ring. He said they found a Suzuki there, which they thought was unusual. They tracked the VIN number back to David Saunders. It might be Tommy’s bike. I’m on my way there now to check it out.”
He paused for a moment and took a sip of the coffee. “I wondered if you’d like to go with me. Maybe you can get something off it, if it is Tommy’s bike.”
“Really?”
The corner of Max’s lips curled at the surprise in her voice. “Yeah, really. You’ve been pretty accurate so far, it’s worth a shot. We have to leave pretty soon, if we want to get there and back today.”
“I think I can get Maggie to cover for me. Give me a couple of minutes to call her and we can be on the road.”
Max watched Theresa pick up the phone and dial her friend. He took in her gently rounded hips under the long loose folds of her skirt. Even the bagginess of her clothing couldn’t fully hide her distinctly feminine shape. As much as she tried, the
Remy interrupted, “Honey, it was probably still too fresh, too painful. You can’t let this scar your entire life.”
“It wasn’t just that one time, though. Remember John, the guy I dated a few years back?” Remy nodded, his lips pursed in a sour expression. Theresa knew he never really cared for John when they dated.
“I tried to be intimate with him, too. I thought we would be good together. We’d taken our time. I cared about him. Same thing happened.”
“Just because it happened then doesn’t mean it will happen with Max. You weren’t in love with those idiots. It’ll be different with him.”
“I’m not willing to take that chance. Not now, not ever. He deserves so much more than what I can give him.” Theresa choked back tears. And I won’t get my heart broken by him again. I can’t.
“That’s just plain BS and you know it.” Remy turned an accusatory glare on her, and she flinched. “Don’t give up on Max. He’s not going to be happy without you.”
The vehemence in his tone surprised her.
“Don’t look so shocked. Max is fighting his feelings tooth and nail, but it’s a losing battle. He wants you. You want him. Go see a shrink, a priest, do something. Don’t give up on your future.”
The back door flung open, slamming against the opposite wall. Max stalked into the room, his sinewy muscles rippling beneath a tailored navy-blue shirt. Tight jeans encased muscular thighs. With each step closer, Theresa felt the invisible flames of lust flickering within her. Her desire for him never diminished, it grew stronger every day. He stared at them, a question in his eyes.
“Theresa.” Remy pulled her attention away from Max. “Remember what I said. If it’s what you want, fight for it.” With that, he sauntered through the back door, leaving her alone with Max.
Chapter Fourteen
“Did I interrupt something?” Max drawled out his question, scrutinizing her face. His lips curled upward slightly as he arched his brow, mildly amused. He knew he had interrupted and didn’t care.
“Not a thing. Remy stopped by for his morning coffee, just like he always does.” Theresa lifted the carafe. “Would you like a cup?”
“Sure,” he replied. “It’s been a long night. I could use it.” One of the longest nights of my life, Max thought. He’d replayed Theresa’s agonized confession over and over, the thunderstorm outside a fitting orchestration to accompany each painful word. Seeing her this morning, remembering what she had gone through and how he’d once treated her made him feel like the biggest jackass alive. Even knowing about her past and the devastating psychological toll it had taken on her, he still wanted her more than any other woman he’d ever met.
“Has something happened?” Theresa’s voice came out a bare whisper. She cleared her throat and waited for his response.
“I got a call from a friend who works just across the river in Mississippi. They raided a chop shop and broke up a stolen car ring. He said they found a Suzuki there, which they thought was unusual. They tracked the VIN number back to David Saunders. It might be Tommy’s bike. I’m on my way there now to check it out.”
He paused for a moment and took a sip of the coffee. “I wondered if you’d like to go with me. Maybe you can get something off it, if it is Tommy’s bike.”
“Really?”
The corner of Max’s lips curled at the surprise in her voice. “Yeah, really. You’ve been pretty accurate so far, it’s worth a shot. We have to leave pretty soon, if we want to get there and back today.”
“I think I can get Maggie to cover for me. Give me a couple of minutes to call her and we can be on the road.”
Max watched Theresa pick up the phone and dial her friend. He took in her gently rounded hips under the long loose folds of her skirt. Even the bagginess of her clothing couldn’t fully hide her distinctly feminine shape. As much as she tried, the
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