downstairs. She poked her head further
under the covers and turned over. It’s too early for this .
She hadn’t slept much last night, and when she had slept she dreamt
of Max. Then she woke up hot, sweaty, and achy.
Maybe coffee will help . She threw on a
pair of shorts and a tank top as she went out the bedroom door,
padding barefoot down the stairs. Shaking the sleep from her eyes,
she stopped in the middle of her descent.
Her house was a wreck. Men drilled holes and
hammered nails in her walls, electronic gizzmos and gadgets
decorated the carpet, and wires wiggled out of the walls and hung
from the ceiling. And standing right in the middle of all that
chaos, barking orders at everyone, was Max, the invincible mountain
of a man who vowed to protect her with his life. Maxwell meowed,
rubbed against him, and zig-zagged back and forth between the tree
trunks Max called legs. Max reached down and scooped the big grey
cat into his arms, scratched him under the chin, and cradled him
against his beefy chest. Her breath hitched. What she wouldn’t give
to trade places with her cat.
It was at that exact moment she knew she was
in love with Maximilian Sterling.
She propped herself against the wall and
digested that realization. Max was one fine specimen of male, rock
hard and steel-plated from the tips of his toes to the top of his
shiny, smooth head. But her interest only began there.
Past his impressive exterior lay his
compassionate heart and tender thoughts, both of which she had
witnessed firsthand. Bound and determined to single-handedly
protect her from Vince, Max portrayed the ultimate warrior,
complete with a brash, bad-ass attitude. Yet when he felt her fear,
he was a mushy, cuddly teddy bear and opened his arms to surround
her with comfort.
Her mind spun with bewilderment. Did he feel
the same? Or was she just an assignment? She knew his loyalty to
Hawke and Rachel would never be broken, but was this more than
loyalty? She pushed herself off the wall and tabled her
uncertainties. Only one way to find out.
At the sound of her footsteps, Max glanced up
and gave her a heated look that accused her of being naked. Her lip
curled. At least she was dressed this time.
“Looks like you two made up,” she said.
He shrugged and released the cat. “The noise
makes him nervous and I’m familiar to him.” Obviously unhappy,
Maxwell braced his two front legs against Max’s leg and poked his
claws into the black denim, intent on climbing back into Max’s
bulky grip. Max shook him loose and nudged him out of the way with
the toe of his boot. Maxwell meowed his objection before strutting
out of the room.
Cameron stood mesmerized by the unmistakable
power and energy that oozed from Max. Even her stubborn, alpha male
cat felt it.
Max turned and offered his hand. “Careful
where you step.”
She didn’t think twice before she slid her
hand into his. The strength of his gentle grip sent a warming
shiver through her as he guided her around the mess and into the
kitchen.
He dropped her hand. “I’m hungry.”
Disappointed by the loss of contact, she
rolled her eyes. “You’re always hungry. Cereal or frozen
waffles?”
“You’re not going to cook breakfast? You owe
me, remember?”
Cameron opened her mouth to argue, but words
escaped her as she glanced into his flickering eyes. The intense
heat she found there forced her to reconsider her response. She
could think of several ways to repay her debt, all of which
involved hand-to-hand combat. Or sweaty-naked-body to
sweaty-naked-body.
Shaking those thoughts from her brain, she
grabbed a skillet and went to the fridge. Once she opened the door,
she stood there a minute and begged the cool air to soothe her
heated skin. She definitely needed the freezer, but that would be
too obvious.
“Are you gonna just stand there and stare at
the food, or are you gonna cook it?” she heard him say from behind
her.
As she spun around, she felt her backside
graze the bulge
under the covers and turned over. It’s too early for this .
She hadn’t slept much last night, and when she had slept she dreamt
of Max. Then she woke up hot, sweaty, and achy.
Maybe coffee will help . She threw on a
pair of shorts and a tank top as she went out the bedroom door,
padding barefoot down the stairs. Shaking the sleep from her eyes,
she stopped in the middle of her descent.
Her house was a wreck. Men drilled holes and
hammered nails in her walls, electronic gizzmos and gadgets
decorated the carpet, and wires wiggled out of the walls and hung
from the ceiling. And standing right in the middle of all that
chaos, barking orders at everyone, was Max, the invincible mountain
of a man who vowed to protect her with his life. Maxwell meowed,
rubbed against him, and zig-zagged back and forth between the tree
trunks Max called legs. Max reached down and scooped the big grey
cat into his arms, scratched him under the chin, and cradled him
against his beefy chest. Her breath hitched. What she wouldn’t give
to trade places with her cat.
It was at that exact moment she knew she was
in love with Maximilian Sterling.
She propped herself against the wall and
digested that realization. Max was one fine specimen of male, rock
hard and steel-plated from the tips of his toes to the top of his
shiny, smooth head. But her interest only began there.
Past his impressive exterior lay his
compassionate heart and tender thoughts, both of which she had
witnessed firsthand. Bound and determined to single-handedly
protect her from Vince, Max portrayed the ultimate warrior,
complete with a brash, bad-ass attitude. Yet when he felt her fear,
he was a mushy, cuddly teddy bear and opened his arms to surround
her with comfort.
Her mind spun with bewilderment. Did he feel
the same? Or was she just an assignment? She knew his loyalty to
Hawke and Rachel would never be broken, but was this more than
loyalty? She pushed herself off the wall and tabled her
uncertainties. Only one way to find out.
At the sound of her footsteps, Max glanced up
and gave her a heated look that accused her of being naked. Her lip
curled. At least she was dressed this time.
“Looks like you two made up,” she said.
He shrugged and released the cat. “The noise
makes him nervous and I’m familiar to him.” Obviously unhappy,
Maxwell braced his two front legs against Max’s leg and poked his
claws into the black denim, intent on climbing back into Max’s
bulky grip. Max shook him loose and nudged him out of the way with
the toe of his boot. Maxwell meowed his objection before strutting
out of the room.
Cameron stood mesmerized by the unmistakable
power and energy that oozed from Max. Even her stubborn, alpha male
cat felt it.
Max turned and offered his hand. “Careful
where you step.”
She didn’t think twice before she slid her
hand into his. The strength of his gentle grip sent a warming
shiver through her as he guided her around the mess and into the
kitchen.
He dropped her hand. “I’m hungry.”
Disappointed by the loss of contact, she
rolled her eyes. “You’re always hungry. Cereal or frozen
waffles?”
“You’re not going to cook breakfast? You owe
me, remember?”
Cameron opened her mouth to argue, but words
escaped her as she glanced into his flickering eyes. The intense
heat she found there forced her to reconsider her response. She
could think of several ways to repay her debt, all of which
involved hand-to-hand combat. Or sweaty-naked-body to
sweaty-naked-body.
Shaking those thoughts from her brain, she
grabbed a skillet and went to the fridge. Once she opened the door,
she stood there a minute and begged the cool air to soothe her
heated skin. She definitely needed the freezer, but that would be
too obvious.
“Are you gonna just stand there and stare at
the food, or are you gonna cook it?” she heard him say from behind
her.
As she spun around, she felt her backside
graze the bulge
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