by Layla Holt
“Nancy is not my girlfriend and she never has been,” he said.
She cocked her head and stared at him. “You don’t know when to give up, do you?”
He wasn’t getting anywhere. He folded his hands into fists. She wasn’t ready to listen to him or believe anything he had to say. An idea came to him then. There was only one person who knew about the Nancy fiasco and whom Megan would believe.
He speed-dialed a number as familiar to him as his date of birth. They’d had the same landline number for years.
“Hi mom,” Max said relieved that she had answered the phone.
“Hey Max, didn’t we speak this week?” she said.
“We did ma. I need a favor from you. I’m standing here with Megan Cohan and I need you to tell her everything you know about my arrangement with Nancy. Thanks ma.”
He handed the phone to Megan.
“Are you insane?” she mouthed. “I’m not speaking to your mother.” When she realized that he had no intention of backing down, she reluctantly took the phone.
“Hello Mrs. Foster,” Megan said and then smiled at something his mother said.
Megan said very little and just listened but her face softened and she stared at him several times. When she was done, she smiled and thanked his mother.
“Your mother said that you’re a fool but a kind-hearted fool,” Megan said.
Max nodded. “I agree with the first part. I’m sorry I hurt you Megan, even unintentionally. Agreeing to be Nancy’s fake boyfriend was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done.”
Megan pressed a hand to her mouth to stifle her giggles. “I’d love to meet Nancy. Who asks her guy friend to be her fake boyfriend?”
It was so good to see her laughing.
“Megan,” Max said. “I’ve always loved you. Always.”
She stopped laughing. “What do you mean when you say always?”
“I can’t pinpoint the year but loving you is something that’s always been in me. Even when you got married and left for Italy.”
Her eyes widened and then they flooded with tears. “You mean it, don’t you? I’m the married woman you fell in love with?”
“Yes. I waited too long and you slipped through my fingers. I never thought I’d get another chance. And then you came back but trust me, it didn’t make me happy to see you in so much pain at Jaime’s wedding. It broke me and made me feel so helpless. I couldn’t protect you,” he said, his voice harsh.
“No one could have protected me Max. You can’t protect the people you love from life,” Megan said. “Why didn’t you say something before I left for Italy that first time?”
“It was never the right time. You were too young and you needed to see the world first,” he said.
She stared at him with wonder-filled eyes. “I’ve always had a crush on you. Always.”
“You did, huh? How come I never saw it?” he said as his world gradually righted. She had feelings for him. He didn’t care what she called it. A crush or whatever. What mattered was that he had a chance. They had a chance.
“Well,” Megan said, her cheeks pinkening. “It was embarrassing. You were Dean’s best friend. How do you think he would have reacted?”
“Yeah,” Max said. “He would have beaten me to a pulp.”
“Hey, we had plans remember? You were taking me somewhere that was a surprise, even though I’ve told you countless times that I don’t like surprises.”
Max let out a loud laugh filled with joy, disbelief and wonder. Everything inside of him came to life. He felt as if all his life, he had been living on the edge, watching life go by but never truly immersing himself in it.
“You still want to go?” he said.
“Yes,” she said. “I’ll just grab my purse.”
“Wait,” Max said and tugged her gently towards him. He cupped her face. The atmosphere which had been filled with playfulness turned into a current of electricity that zapped between them.
His breath caught as he stared at her and then brought his mouth down to brush against her soft one. He drew back and traced her lips with his thumb. “You’re exquisite Megan. You never have to worry about me having eyes for another woman. It will never happen.”
Instead of responding, Megan went on tip-toe and kissed him. Her feminine smells wrapped around him and her hands slipped around him to caress his back. Just like the first time he had kissed her, Max worried that he might crush her. He held her loosely but as the kiss intensified, his worries dissipated as he melted into her.
It had always driven him crazy wondering how it would feel to kiss Megan. She tasted better than his fantasies. She tasted of sunshine and heat. He’d kissed her like an animal before, devouring her and unleashing all the feelings he had kept hidden for years.
This time Max was determined to savor the kiss. Take it slowly. That was the initial plan. Before her lips touched his and before she curled her fingers around his neck. The kiss deepened and Megan was clinging to him and making sweet noises that he was quickly getting addicted to.
His hands splayed on her back, pressing her to him, as close as he could get her. Then Megan eased off the kiss and drew back. She let out a laugh. “Do you realize that we are still standing outside my cottage?”
Max looked about him sheepishly. “It’s a good thing you don’t have nosy neighbors.”
“True. Give me a sec,” she said and wriggled out of his hold and dashed into the house.
Max could not stop himself from grinning. It was finally happening. The one woman he had loved all his life was his now. By a sheer miracle, somehow, Megan had feelings for him. He didn’t know what good fortune had come his way but he wasn’t going to question it.
All he had to do now was ensure that he did not mess up. Protect her from anyone and anything that would harm her. Was it possible to be as happy as he was?
Chapter 17
He had frightened her a bit with his intensity but now seated on a beanbag with her back against his massive chest, all Megan felt was peace. The movie was a classic romantic comedy, one of her favorites. Max had brought her to tears when he commented that it was her favorite movie.
She knew he was watching it too from the deep chuckles rumbling up his throat. Their ceiling was the night sky filled with dazzling stars and a crescent moon. Megan hadn’t known that such a place existed in Lockwood. A drive-in theatre minus the car.
They sat on beanbags and listened to the movie with wireless headphones. Max gently rubbed her arms as though to keep her warm. Before the movie, they had had dinner from a food truck in the parking lot of the theatre. She was glad that he too loved simplicity.
After the movie, Max helped her to her feet and like moths to light, they gravitated towards each other. She couldn’t get enough of Max’s kisses. He held her as if he was restraining himself at first; when the kiss grew heated, he unleashed his passion. That was the part she loved the most.
When he wasn’t kissing her as if she would break at any moment, she lost herself in the kiss and the voices of people as they walked by faded. Megan palmed Max’s chest, her fingers caressing the hard muscles underneath.
Megan lost track of how long they stood there kissing. The sound of someone clearing their throat brought them back to the present.
“Sorry to interrupt but we’re closed now,” a theatre attendant said, looking apologetic.
“We’re the ones who are sorry,” Max said. “We’re on our way out.”
He took her hand and they hurried out to the parking lot. When they reached the car, they stared at one another and burst out laughing, their laughter mingling with the sounds of the night.
“I’ve never had to be reminded to go home,” Megan said, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes.
“Me neither,” Max said. “You should have seen your face. You looked so guilty. Like you’d stolen something.”
She beamed. “I’d stolen their time.”
“Yeah, but I bet we’re not the first couple in lov
e who had to be nudged into leaving,” Max said.
Joy and fear exploded inside of her. Love? Wasn’t it too soon for that? What if she was making the same mistake as she had with Luca? It dawned on Megan that she was letting her fear get the upper hand. They were not moving too fast.
She had known Max most of her life and she’d always had feelings for him. There would not be any nasty surprises with Max as there had been with Luca. He’d grown bored six months into their marriage.
Max unlocked the car and opened the door for her.
“Thank you, that was fun,” Megan said as they were driving home.
“Which part, the movie part or the last part?” Max teased.
“Both,” Megan said, her cheeks heating up a little. “I expected you to fall asleep when the movie started.”
“It was funny and I enjoyed it,” Max said.
“Most guys would not be caught dead watching a chick flick,” she said.
“Then they don’t know what they are missing. Besides when you’re interested in someone for the long term, it’s more fun when you enjoy what they enjoy.”
“I don’t know about that,” Megan said. “I dislike going to the gym and you going won’t make me like it any better.”
He chuckled. “You’re right. There are some things you can’t force but there are others which you can try.”
Megan loved debating and disagreeing with Max did not result into a week-long sulking session as it had with Luca. She was loving being in a relationship with a mature man and each time that thought crossed her mind, it hit home, how empty and lonely her marriage had been.
It was almost nine o’clock when they got home. Max parked right behind her new car.
“I hate that car,” he said.
“Why?” Megan asked. “It’s a smooth ride and like Lance said, it picks up speed very fast.”
“It’s the sole reason why I won’t get to pick you up in the morning and bring you back home in the evening,” Max said.
Megan laughed. “We’ll see each other plenty. Oh and I promised your mom to have lunch with her this weekend.”
A soft look came over his features. “That’s sweet of you but you don’t have to. She won’t be expecting you to actually go.”
“I want to, though.” Everyone who was important to him was important to her. She had met his mom only once and it would be nice to see her again.
“Okay, I’ll let her know that we’ll go on Saturday,” Max said.
They got out of the car and Max walked her to the front door. Her heart pounded hard in anticipation of his good night kiss. Megan wanted to laugh at herself. She was behaving like a young girl out on her first date and about to experience her first kiss.
“I’m going to be a gentleman and kiss you goodnight lightly on your soft, sweet lips,” Max said, slipping his hands around her neck.
“I don’t think I like gentlemen very much then,” Megan said.
The expression of laughter on Max’s face disappeared and his eyes changed to a darker shade of gray, like a sudden storm. Instead of terrifying Megan, it thrilled her. She was responsible for the dark passion in his eyes. It made her feel powerful and sexy—a feeling that Megan had never experienced.
He let out a growl and heat sizzled over her skin. He tightened his hold on her, drawing her closer at the same time as his lips grazed against hers. A soft moan escaped her lips. Would she ever get used to the firm feel of his lips against hers or to the way her whole body came alive as if a switch had been turned on?
She forked her hands through his hair, softly massaging his scalp. Her body trembled as wild sensations rocked her. She had experienced passion before, but never this way. It transcended the physical and made her feel as though she and Max were connecting on a level beyond the physical.
A surge of heat threatened to overwhelm her and their breaths grew ragged with every passing second. When Megan finally came up for air, her lips were swollen from all the kissing.
“You are going to drive me insane Megan Cohan,” Max said, his voice gruff.
“I want to drive you insane,” Megan said; flirting with Max coming naturally to her.
He took a step back. “I’m going to leave now, while I can.”
Megan laughed. “We’ll talk tomorrow.” She watched him as he made for his car. Max walked with animal power, like a tiger waiting to pounce. All that muscle and huge frame, and he was hers.
He turned and waved. She blew him a kiss back. In the house, she plopped down and fished out her phone. There was a short message from Ruby asking if she was home. Megan quickly responded that she was and seconds later, her phone beeped with a new message.
They’d just finished dinner at her parents’ house and she wanted to pop in. Megan said yes and went to her bedroom to change into comfortable clothes before Ruby arrived.
Megan’s thoughts meandered to Max and she found herself wondering what he was doing at that very moment. She had never been to his place and she couldn’t picture him at home.
She returned to the living room just as a soft knock came on the door.
“Come in,” Megan said, moving to the door.
It swung open and Ruby entered. “Hey you,” she said as they fell into each other’s arms. Ruby was a hugger and there was no getting away from her hugs.
“Coffee?” Megan said.
“I’m stuffed,” Ruby said, rubbing her belly. “No space for anything. Your mother cooks as if she’s feeding an army.”
Megan did not bother to remind Ruby that it wasn’t her mother who did the actual cooking. They sat down facing each other.
“Why didn’t you join us?” Ruby asked.
“I just got home. I’d gone out with Max,” Megan said, glad for the opportunity to set Ruby straight on the Nancy story.
Ruby wrung her hands together. “Actually, that is what I came to see you about. I messed up. Dean told me about his conversation with Max. Turns out all along that my husband who doesn’t trust me to keep a secret knew that Max and Nancy were just old friends trying to make her boyfriend jealous. I’m so sorry.”
“Hey, it’s okay. We ironed things out,” Megan said. “Dean and Max talked about it?”
Ruby laughed before answering. “Yes, Dean went to Max’s office to talk after seeing you two kissing outside Candin Inc. He asked Max point blank what was going on with his sister.”
It should not have surprised Megan but it did. Being away for those five years, she had forgotten how protective her brothers were.
Ruby slapped her forehead. “Dean is right, I really can’t keep secrets. I shouldn’t have told you that.”
“It’s fine. I’m just surprised at myself. It used to annoy the heck out of me when my brothers interfered with my life. Now, I completely understand and it kind of does feel good to know that they’ve got my back.”
She had been so immature and such a brat when she first left for Italy. It had been a tough five years but it had also helped her grow up. Stop seeing as if the world revolved around her and her family owed her something. A relationship with Max could not have worked then and she was glad they hadn’t started anything.
“Those four men have more than your back,” Ruby said. “They’ve got your last toe covered.” Her expression grew serious. “It’s not just them Megan. We’re all here for you and we love you so much.”
Tears filled Megan’s eyes. “Thanks. I love you guys too.”
Ruby wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “Okay, enough crying. Let’s talk about Max. What’s he like as a boyfriend?”
Megan grinned. “Intense. It’s a little frightening sometimes but then I remind myself that it’s Max. And protective. Can you imagine me having a bodyguard?”
They both giggled.
“I’m not surprised,” Ruby said. “Dean was that way too. He gives everything a hundred percent focus. He still does it even now.”
Megan leaned forward. “What do you do when it’s too much?”
; “We have a code word for back off. An innocent word which doesn’t hurt but it reminds us to give the other person some space,” Ruby said and shrugged. “It works for us.”
Ruby stayed until Dean came to pick her up an hour later.
Chapter 18
Megan jolted awake to the vibration of her phone on the night table. She reached for it and checked the time. Just five minutes before her wake-up time. She had been operating on adrenalin the previous day and hadn’t realized how tired she had been.
Usually, she woke up half an hour before the alarm went off. Her phone had new messages but it wasn’t a surprise. Ever since she started working in the social media department, Maisie sent her any comments she found interesting. That woman never slept. She lived and breathed Candin Inc.
There were several messages from Maisie and one from Max.
Max: Morning beautiful. I’d like to check out your car. Take it for a short spin. Can I pick it up from work?
Megan: Sure. Busy day ahead so I’ll leave the keys with Lillian at reception.
Max: Great. Love you. Dinner at my place.
Megan: I don’t know where you live.
Max: I’ll pin you the location.
Megan: Okay. I can’t wait.
Smiling, Megan swung her legs off the bed and padded to the bathroom to get ready for the day. She admired how easy it was for Max to say I love you. She couldn’t bring herself to say it yet.
It wasn’t that she didn’t love Max. Her love for him had always been inside her, hibernating and waiting for the right time. Saying it aloud though, meant vulnerability and as much as she trusted Max, there was a part of her that needed him to prove himself. And proving himself was through the passage of time.
Half an hour later, Megan was on the way to work. She wished that she was going on the car ride with Max, but she was busy at work now. They were deep in the midst of creating an awareness campaign. The plan was to hit hard and fast in all media, especially social media.
Their department was at the forefront of the campaign and days zipped by as they planned and created posts and scheduled them for the coming weeks. It was fascinating work and Megan felt privileged to be in the thick of it from the concept to the actual campaign.