She let out a long breath and lowered her gaze. “You did a pretty good job last night taking care of me.”
“Well, you were out of it.”
“Did … did anything happen?” her voice was almost too small for him to catch.
“Other than I helped you take a bath, dried you off, and tucked you in?”
“Yeah, about the part after you dried me off and before you tucked me in. Did we?” She coughed and cleared her throat.
A slow burn heated his gut. He would never take advantage of her. What kind of monster did she think he was?
“I found a nightgown and pulled it over you. No way was I going to find a pair of panties and tackle that one.” He tried to keep his voice light.
“So, I didn’t try anything? I just fell asleep?”
“You were mumbling about your writing, but yeah, you were pretty out of it.”
“Well, thanks for taking care of me.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her face against the crook of his neck.
“Thanks for being such a good sport at the bonfire.”
“I was rowdy and wild.” She giggled, shaking her head. “Are you sure I didn’t embarrass you?”
“You weren’t any worse than the rest of the town. It was a great party.”
“Thanks for breakfast. We’d better get to the pumpkin patch.”
“Oh no. You’re going to the mani-pedi and the lunch I set up at the diner.” He tilted her chin up and kissed her cheek.
“But the kids. I …”
“I was supposed to have them this weekend so you can enjoy yourself.” He raised a hand to forestall more argument. “I’m sorry I didn’t pick up my share when we were married, and I want you to have this mini vacation to yourself.”
“But, I can do the mani-pedi some other time. Can you cancel the lunch and house tour?” She stepped from his arms and pointed to the event schedule. “Weren’t you looking forward to the zombies paintball tournament? I know how you are with your horror movies.”
“I can still go to it. Unless you want me to go with you on the house tour?”
“We can do the house tour some other time. I’m sure the realtors or whoever is putting it on won’t want to miss the paintball tournament.”
“They’re not realtors,” Max said. “But ladies who know my mom. Don’t worry, they’re not interested in running around shooting paintballs at each other. Plus, the kids are too young for it.”
“Are you going to be able to play?”
“Doesn’t matter.” Max shrugged, glancing at his phone. “Oh, look, Dad sent a picture of them.”
A picture of Mattie and Sara wearing baby wolf costumes and holding their pumpkins appeared on his phone.
“I missed it!” Honey clapped her hand over her mouth. “They’re so cute. Why didn’t you wake me up?”
Max set his phone down and seated Honey back in front of her cooling breakfast. “You deserve a break. Here, eat before you faint.”
“I’ll take a raincheck on the break.” Honey flipped through the handwritten notes. “Are these people going to be upset if we do this another day? You wanted us to be a happy family this weekend, so let’s do it.”
“Are you sure?” Max took a seat next to her. “I don’t want you turning around and saying I made you go on all these things when all you wanted was to relax and have some alone time.”
“But look at this.” She swiped through the photos that his father had sent of the kids at the pumpkin patch. “I’m missing out, and your parents must think I’m selfish. What did you tell them about me sleeping in?”
He couldn’t help wiggling his eyebrows. “Believe me, they understood. They heard about your howling at the riverside.”
“Heard about it? You told them?”
“Oh, no. My brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, their neighbors. There are a few videos where you were concerned.”
“Videos? They must think I’m a horrible mother.”
“On the contrary.” Max massaged her tense shoulders. “They’re very happy that our second honeymoon is going so well.”
“Well, then, if they want us to give them a show …” Honey licked her lips and her eyes glinted with mischief. “Then what do you say if we go around acting like we’re on our second honeymoon?”
He’d rather that it was real and not for show, but if that was all he could get, or all he deserved, then heck yeah, he’d run with it as far as he could.
“Sure, what were you thinking about?”
“For starters, we might want to christen this bed, and public displays of affection in the town square might do.”
“I’m liking this a lot.” He could feel himself grinning like an idiot. Hopefully, she was serious and not leading him on. His Honey was on the temperamental side. He was never truly sure where he stood, although right now was a heck of a lot better than two days ago when he’d been frozen in the doghouse.
“What shall we do first?” She hooked her hands around his neck.
“Whatever you’re up for.” He gulped as his cock twitched to life. Last night had been torture, seeing her naked, drying her with a towel and then tucking her into bed, all while acting one hundred percent the boy scout.
She wiggled her belly against his hard-on and smiled. “Or should we say whatever you’re up for?”
“Oh, Honey, it’s really not up to me.” He hated that women could tell if he was aroused but able to hide theirs. He’d never been good at reading people, and half of him wasn’t sure if she was trolling him—getting him excited right before pushing him off a cliff.
One thing was for sure. If they were going to have sex, he’d let her lead. He wanted her back for good. Family, togetherness, marriage, the whole nine yards. But sex was good. It could be a start. A very promising start.
“Let’s have a Sapphire Falls Fling. Me. You. Costumes. Pumpkins. Paintball. Monsters. All of it. Now that I’ve seen your charming town, I want to experience it all.”
“That’s exactly why I asked you to come here.” His heart leaped with joy. If he couldn’t get her to fall in love with him again in Sapphire Falls, where there was a lot of love-falling going on, he wouldn’t stand a chance elsewhere.
“Great. I’ve always wanted to write small town romances instead of the billionaire bad boys I’ve been doing. When we get back to San Francisco, you can have more time with the kids while I go to the writers’ conventions you claimed I’ve gone to.”
“Yeah, great!” He bent her backwards and slathered her with a scorching kiss. If she wanted a small town romance, then she’d have it—with him.
Chapter Eight
Even though Honey’s head still throbbed and her stomach was queasy, she dragged Max by the shirt—a sexy orange and black plaid flannel one—and led him to the bed. She didn’t think he had casual clothes, but dang if he didn’t look hot wearing jeans and a soft, unstarched shirt.
This second honeymoon charade was turning out better than she’d thought. Max would have to do anything and everything she wanted him to do. After all, he was the one who wanted his parents to think he had the perfect marriage.
“Uh, Honey, your eggs are getting cold.” Max quirked his head at her breakfast, his sweet way of checking for consent. One thing was sure—he was a gentleman, maybe too much of one.
“Then you definitely should warm them up.” She gave him a shove and he landed on the heirloom quilt, but not before he latched onto her and pulled her on top of him.
“Oh, I’ll warm them and you up all right.” He took a hold of her head and turned it so his kiss went straight to deep and very impolite.
Great. Much better. Being around country boys was doing him a lot of good.
He’d always been a damn good kisser, and lack of practice didn’t keep Honey from dipping in deep. Their lips crashed together, faces smashed, tongues grappling and lips sucking until she was dizzy with desire and crawling with impatience.
She fumbled with his shirt, and he broke th
e kiss only long enough to lift her sweater over her head. Sex had never been a problem between them. It was everything else.
When Max cupped her breasts through her bra, Honey didn’t much care about anything else. She wasn’t married to this man, so nothing else mattered. She had him here for a few days, and her body wanted payback for all the long nights she spent alone with her book boyfriends and a vibrator.
“Max, do me good, like you used to,” she said in as sexy a voice as she could muster.
“I’ll do you even better than before, Honey. You’re so damn beautiful.” He flicked his fingers over her pebbled nipples, and they burned at his touch, sending signals of pleasure straight to her clit.
“I can’t believe it’s been so long.” She laid bare his impressive chest, noting he’d gotten more muscular since the divorce. His abs, too, were defined, whereas before, he’d had a little bit of a pot belly. He even had a slight tan, and as she peeled his shirt from his shoulders, she got the overwhelming urge to lick every inch of his newly impressive body.
“It’s been too long.” He sat up and let the rest of his shirt fall from his body.
“When did you get the abs?” She ran her fingers along the ridges and planes of his body. “You never had time for anything except work.”
“Let’s not talk about work.” He brought her lips to his and Honey melted with hunger. She wrapped her tongue with his and let her hands roam south, down his chest, heading for Gloryland. He was hot and hard and bigger than ever.
Need overwhelmed her, and she panted, moaning, wanting him to touch and handle every part of her reignited body. The one thing Max was good at was focus, and while they were in bed, he was so intense it sometimes scared her—but not now.
She craved that intensity, and she wanted more—faster.
Breaking the kiss, she reared herself up and ripped off her bra. He sat up and she straddled him, cupping her breasts as an offering to him.
His talented tongue wrapped around one nipple as he massaged the other one with a warm palm. Wet and hot, his lips suckled and stimulated her and she moaned so loudly, she almost climaxed.
That had never happened before.
“I can’t wait any longer. I need you, Max, inside.”
He hummed against her breasts, but didn’t change his tune, licking, sucking, squeezing them together and exchanging nipples, laving them with equal attention.
Did he want her to beg?
She wiggled her crotch against his hard-on and moved to unbuckle his belt.
“Not yet.” He stopped her hands. “We were always in a rush, but not now. Not anymore.”
He returned to his leisurely feasting off her body, kissing and licking the sensitive column of her neck, cupping the fullness of her breasts and rubbing his hands over every square inch of her body.
Skin on skin. He flipped her onto her back and hovered over her, his glorious muscles flexing and bulging as he dragged her pants along with her panties down, slowly, skimming her hips and squeezing her behind.
His heated gaze burned at the bare lips of her sex, and he raised an eyebrow, hooking her a knowing look.
“I didn’t think we would be … I mean, I was going to get a full body massage, I thought … I didn’t want my bikini line to show.”
He spread his big hands over her smoothly shaven legs and grinned like she was his Thanksgiving feast.
Oh, wow. This was so happening. She shuddered with anticipation, almost delirious as he kissed and licked her belly, dipping his tongue into her belly button and leaving it cold and wet. His hands scraped between her inner thighs, and she lifted off the bed, silently begging him to move those naughty lips down to her even naughtier ones.
Knock. Knock.
Honey froze. “It might be the lady coming to take my tray away. Tell them we’re busy.”
“Who’s there?” Max yelled while tugging his shirt back on.
“We brought Mattie and Sara back,” his dad said. “We aren’t interrupting anything, are we?”
“Did Honey go to her massage?” his mother asked.
“Mama!” Sara cried. “I want Mama!”
“Oh, no. Is she okay?” Honey fumbled with her pants and pulled her legs through them quickly, then yanked her sweater over her head. She’d barely threaded her arms through and hadn’t had time to check her hair when Max opened the door.
Mattie streaked into the room, wearing a baby wolf costume. “I won. I won the prize!”
He held a bright sapphire blue ribbon that said “best animal costume, age four.”
“Wow, you did!” She picked him up and gave him a big hug. “Mama missed you.”
“Mama!” Sara cried out as Anne put her on the floor.
She toddled over, drooling orange candy from her lips. “I want candy.”
Honey cringed at how much sugar her kids had been exposed to, but one thing at a time. She had to kick the habit herself. She grabbed a napkin from the table and dabbed her little girl’s face. “I missed you, baby. You’re so cute. Did you win a prize, too?”
She was also dressed as a baby wolf and had a blue ribbon pinned to her chest.
“Mama?” Mattie tugged Honey’s pants. “Is this your blindfold?”
He pulled her black bra around over his head and laughed.
“Give that to me.” She grabbed at it, but he ran between her legs and hid behind Max.
Honey didn’t dare glance at her in-laws, even to check out their elaborate costumes. She was sure her face was scorched, while her girl parts were grumpy with being left high and wet, dripping with frustration.
“Dada!” Sara toddled off with Honey’s black lace panties in her chubby hand.
“I think we disturbed them,” Max’s mother said to his father. “I told you to take them home for a nap.”
“Yes, but you also said Honey was at the spa getting her massage.” Carl chuckled. “You just didn’t say who was giving her the massage.”
Chapter Nine
Max had his fist in front of his mouth, unable to contain his chuckles. Honey was so disheveled, and her face was bright pink as she chased their underwear-bearing kids around the room.
His dad coughed and his mother looked flustered, but pleased that her son’s marriage was still going hot after all these years, or so he told himself.
He swooped little Sara into his arms and tried to take the panties off her head.
“No. I want hat!” Sara pouted as she held onto the black lace with her wolf ears sticking through them.
Honey finally corralled Mattie. “Give Mommy back her blindfold.”
“But I want one, too. I want to be a big bad wolf!” Mattie protested.
“How about we take you big bad wolves to the candy booth back at the square?” Max’s father distracted the boy. “There’s a candy corn eating contest.”
“Candy corn contest?” Honey’s face dropped with appall. “Max, haven’t they had enough sugar for the day? That’s why they’re so high, they’re jumping off the walls.”
“Oh, but it’s Halloween. Comes around once a year.” Max played peek-a-boo with Sara and managed to snatch the panties from her head. “I’ll make sure they eat their veggies for lunch. You just get to the diner and have a great time.”
“You’ll have to wear a costume,” Anne reminded her. She, of course, was in full fairy godmother costume, complete with sprinkly wand, a tiara, and a pale blue shimmery dress.
“I, uh, well, do I have to make a speech or something?” Honey paced around the room with Mattie hanging onto one leg. She was, however, able to take the bra from him by slipping him a lollipop she found on the dresser.
“No speech, just a lunch to meet some of my friends,” Anne said. “They’re so tickled pink that a real romance writer’s in town and they want to meet you.”
“Oh, well, I don’t have a costume,” Honey muttered.
“One farm girl costume coming up,” Max’s father, who was dressed as an Amish farmer, complete with hat, fringe bea
rd, and suspenders, presented Honey with a duffle bag.
“I, uh, sure, how much time do I have?” Honey asked, seeming to be totally discombobulated after her near-orgasmic miss.
Max had to hold back a chuckle. She was out of her element, and once the ladies of Sapphire Falls got to her, she’d be glad to put down roots here and join all of their committees and clubs—not to mention be his wife again and mother to hopefully more of his children.
“Half an hour, sweetie,” his mother said. “I can help you put on your makeup.”
“I’ll take the kids to the candy contest,” his father said. “Son, you’re coming with me. We have to leave the ladies alone to do their thing.”
Yeah. He trusted his mother. One hundred percent. She’d have Honey turned into a country girl in no time.
“I’ll see you in the park for the zombie paintball tournament this evening.” He closed the gap between them and gave Honey a promising kiss. “We’ll postpone the house tour for tomorrow or Monday.”
“Yes, sure.” She gave him a half-hug with Sara squeezed between them. “But I don’t know a thing about paintball.”
He leaned in close and whispered in her ear. “You worry too much, sweetheart. I’ve got it all covered. Relax and enjoy yourself, okay?”
“You owe me.” She narrowed her eyes before pressing her lips hard over his and bruising him with a punishing kiss.
Okay, so she wanted to get rough later on. Max smiled to himself as he hefted Sara over his shoulders for a ride up high on his neck. His Honey wasn’t so sweet, but then, he wasn’t so nice either.
Tonight was going to be a fair fight between the zombies and the slayers, and he was going to make sure to plaster her with blood red paint and then get lost in the woods with her and have a devilish good time.
* * *
Honey couldn’t believe how quickly Max’s mother transformed her into a farm girl. She had the typical flouncy gingham skirt and the apron, and her hair braided into pigtails. The straw hat was cute, and the bright red boots were over the top.
She suspected real farm girls didn’t dress like a cross between Dorothy and the scarecrow’s bride. Oh well, at least she refused the fake freckles and gap in her teeth. She hoped she fit in with this town, and her nerves were crawling at the thought of meeting so many new people.
Sapphire Falls: Going Haywire (Kindle Worlds Novella) Page 5