by Peggy Hunter
Every time he was with her, sank his hungry cock into her, he came away wanting more, needing more.
How long would his need for her last? Max didn't want to love anyone. It wasn't his style. Yet, the more time he spent with Lacey, the more he thought their relationship just might be long-term. Forever had come to mind more than once.
Max winced. Is Lacey an addition? If so, he'd have to admit he had a problem and purge her from his system. And he fully intended to do just that ... sometime.
He picked up the phone and buzzed his secretary. “Cancel my appointments from noon on,” he said.
"But, Mr. Barton, Ludwig and Hawthorne are coming in this afternoon. You've wanted to lure them away from Billings for years and now they're willing to talk to you."
Max hesitated. Eleanor was right; he'd been courting Ludwig and Hawthorne for years. He wanted their portfolios, he wanted to show them just how much more he could offer than Billings.
But he wanted Lacey more.
Damn! Max reeled back in his chair as realization hit him like a ton of bricks. He really was addicted to Lacey! And, if that wasn't bad enough, his need for her had taken precedence over making money. Had, that was the operative word. It ends now!
"Right, I forgot,” Max said, hoping his secretary would accept the feeble excuse. “Call Ms. Masters and tell her—"
Max caught himself just in time. If he was going to purge Lacey from his system, he'd have to do it himself. Having his secretary call Lacey wasn't the way to go.
Eleanor waited for a respectable amount of time before she asked, “What should I tell her?"
"Never mind,” Max said. “I'll take care of Ms. Masters myself."
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Chapter 13
Just as the elevator opened, Lacey's cell phone rang. She stepped out onto the eleventh floor of Rachael's apartment building and rummaged through her purse for the phone.
"Hello?"
"Hey.” The caller didn't have to identify himself. The moment she heard his rich baritone, her body tightened, her senses peaked.
"Max,” she said breathlessly. “I'm glad you called."
"Are you?” he said. His voice had a generic tone, as if he was talking to someone he'd never met.
"Well, yes,” she replied. “I was wondering when I'd hear from you. And,” her voice softened, “when I'd see you."
"Not today,” he said briskly. “Maybe tomorrow. Just called to tell you not to expect me."
"Oh.” Lacey couldn't disguise the disappointment she felt. “Well, okay. Maybe tomorrow then."
Silence followed for a moment. “You gonna be okay?"
"Sure,” she replied. “In fact, Rachael and I are getting together today. She asked me to come by her apartment for lunch."
"What?"
Lacey began to walk down the long hall to Rachael's apartment. “You heard me,” she said. “Don't tell me that you have issues with me having lunch with my best friend."
She could hear Max take a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Lacey,” he said firmly, “I want you to turn around right now and leave that building."
Lacey laughed. “Why?"
"Because it's Monday.” His voice was soft, almost as if he hadn't meant for her to hear. “Trust me,” he said, his voice louder now.
Lacey sighed as she approached Rachael's apartment door. She wished she could trust Max, she really did. “I've gotta go."
"Damn it, Lacey, listen to me!"
She hit the end button on her cell phone and, for added measure, turned it off and tucked it into her purse. She grinned. Max needed to learn she wasn't about to take orders from him anytime soon.
Remembering Rachael said the door would be unlocked, she twisted the handle and pushed it open. The blinds were drawn and Lacey blinked in an effort to adjust her eyes to the low light. She dropped her purse on the leather sofa and gazed around. The apartment was quiet. She peered toward the kitchen. There were no signs of lunch.
Lacey frowned. Very strange. “Rach?” she called. “Are you here?"
A soft sound caught her attention, a cross between a kitten's mew and a moan ... and it seemed to come from the bedroom. Lacey's heart began to beat heavily in her chest. The blood pumped furiously through her body and she suddenly felt very warm all over.
She walked toward the closed bedroom door. “Rach?"
Another moan, this time deeper and, Lacey didn't want to admit, familiar. Her heart told her to turn tail and run; her head told her to keep walking. When she got to the bedroom door, she slowly pushed it open.
Her throat constricted when she saw the couple in the bedroom. Zack stood naked, his eyes closed tight, his hands braced on his hips. Rachael was on her knees, her hands cupping his balls, her mouth on his cock.
"Oh yeah, babe,” Zack said. “Suck it harder."
Rachael complied. Her eyes opened and lit with amusement when she focused on Lacey. She pulled her lips off Zack's cock. “You gonna fuck me now, big boy?"
"No,” Zack replied as his hands buried in her hair and pushed her head back to his cock. “I'll tell you when I'm ready."
Lacey knew she'd been set up. This was Rachael's revenge for having left her at Pettybone's. She knew she should be aghast, she should be reeling. Rachael, her best friend, was sucking Zack Billing's cock like there was no tomorrow ... the man she'd loved with all her heart. And there they were ... or, there Rachael was, giving her all to please him.
So when a giggle erupted from her chest, Lacey tried to stamp it down. There was nothing funny about seeing her best friend and her former lover like this. So why wasn't she able to keep from laughing out loud?
Lacey clapped her hand over her mouth to cover the throaty chortle. The sound drew attention from both her best friend and her former boss.
"Looks like we have company,” Zack said as he eased his cock out of Rachael's mouth. He twisted to face Lacey, his cock standing straight out, gleaming with Rachael's salvia.
"I was invited for lunch,” Lacey said, barely able to contain her laughter. “But I see Rachael is dining without me."
Zack's chest expanded. He nodded, indicating his ripe cock. “There's always room for one more."
Lacey laughed out loud then. She backed slowly out the bedroom door. “Thanks for the invitation,” her eyes swept over his cock, “but there's nothing on the menu that interests me."
With that, she turned and ran from the apartment. She didn't wait for the elevator, instead choosing to run down the stairs. She didn't stop until she rushed out of the door of the building. She leaned against it, gasping for breath.
And still, her body shook with laughter. Perhaps because she'd always suspected Rachael had taken up with Zack after she'd been fired and maybe because she'd come to realize that she didn't need anyone to make her feel whole. Lacey wasn't sure of the cause, all she knew was that she felt good for the first time in months.
"Lacey!"
She pushed off the door and looked toward the voice. “Max?"
He walked toward her, a look of relief on his face. “I'm very annoyed you hung up on me,” he said. “But I'm glad I caught you before you had lunch with Rachael."
Lacey frowned as she pushed off the door and moved forward, closing the distance between them “What makes you think I didn't?"
Max looked so damn handsome in his tailored suit, his tie knotted loosely around his neck. His brows knitted together as his brown eyes watched her closely. “Because my office is two blocks away and I left as soon as you hung up."
Lacey's frown deepened. “Why would you do that?"
When Max didn't reply, realization settled over her. “Oh my God!” She took a step back, putting more distance between them as her mind reeled. “You knew?"
"Lacey—"
"You knew!” Her breath caught in her throat, her stomach plummeted to her toes. She looked up at Max, hoping she was wrong, that she'd see something in his face which would tell her otherwise.
Wh
en Max offered a sheepish grin, Lacey's head began to pound as the blood rushed through her brain.
"Okay, yes, I knew.” The words barely registered as Lacey continued to struggle to understand. “But I didn't expect you'd find out so soon."
When he reached for her, she slapped his hand away. “Just when would you have told me?"
"I wanted to,” he said. “If you recall, I said Rachael was no friend of yours."
"Yes, I recall. But I also recall asking you to tell me why.” Lacey bit back a sob. “You knew and you didn't tell me."
Max stepped forward, reaching out to her. She turned away. “I can't deal with this,” she said, her voice cracking.
Lacey ran. She had no idea where she was going but knew she had to put as much distance between herself and Max as she could.
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter 14
"Hey, Lacey, where's my Makeshift Breakfast Special?"
Lacey peered at the burly man sitting at the diner counter. “Oh, shut up, Bob,” she said as she pushed her pencil behind her ear. “You'll get it when it's ready."
Bob growled as he looked at the older woman behind the counter. “She's back just two weeks and look how she treats me."
"It's your own damn fault,” the woman said. “You've disrespected my daughter from the time she was a baby."
Lacey rounded the counter and placed her arm around her mother's shoulder. “That's true,” she said. “Who filled my head with stories of monsters when I was four years old?"
Leona Masters nodded. “And who was stuck with a child who wouldn't sleep because of it?"
"I didn't fill Lacey's head with stories,” Bob said indignantly. “I just told her about the time I came face to face with a Sasquatch."
Leona snorted. “The only one willing to believe you was a child with a vivid imagination. Go figure."
"I told the truth,” Bob said in protest.
"Order up!” the cook called.
Lacey grinned as she reached for the plate. After years of living in Toronto, she'd gotten used to eating light breakfasts, usually cereal and maybe a bit of yogurt. It would take some time for her to get used to serving the artery-clogging breakfast people loved in her hometown. The Makeshift Breakfast Special was stacked high with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, home-fried potatoes and two thick slices of fresh white bread, slathered with a copious amount of butter. As owner of the Makeshift Diner, her mother had been serving it for over twenty-five years.
Lacey put the plate in front of Bob. “Just shut up and eat,” she said. He did just that, quickly tucking in to the meal in front of him, Sasquatch stories now forgotten.
When Lacey reached for the coffeepot, ready to refill mugs, Leona rested her hand on Lacey's shoulder. “Break time."
Lacey smiled at her mother and sighed. “I could use a break. It's been a busy morning."
Leona took the coffeepot and filled two mugs. She handed one to Lacey. “Friday mornings are always busier than the rest of the week, but it's slowing down now so Diane can cover while we rest our tired ole dogs for a few minutes."
Lacey looked at the heavy-set middle-aged waitress. Diane winked and nodded. “No prob. Take a load off for a little while."
Lacey followed her mother to the rear of the diner and took a seat at a table reserved for the staff. Leona spooned sugar into her mug and opened two creamers. As she poured the cream into her coffee, she looked at Lacey. “It sure is good to have you home for awhile,” she said.
"Thanks. It's good to be home."
"Is it?” Leona asked skeptically. “There was a time you couldn't wait to put as much distance between you and Makeshift, Manitoba as possible."
"I know,” Lacey replied. “But things have changed a lot since I was a teenager. I wanted excitement and adventure back then. Now, I just want peace and quiet."
"Really?” Leona asked. “So coming home had nothing to do with that game show?"
Lacey trained her eyes on her mug, knowing Leona would be able to tell in a second that she was lying otherwise. “Of course not. Can we talk about something else?"
"You've been home for two weeks, Lacey. I think we've waited long enough to talk about this,” her mother said. And then, with a stern voice added, “And look at me when I'm talking to you."
Feeling like a scolded child, Lacey felt her cheeks warm as she slowly raised her eyes to meet her mother's.
"I think it's time you told me what happened between you and this Maxwell Barton,” she said firmly.
Lacey shrugged. “It's over. End of story."
"I think there's more to it than that,” Leona said.
Lacey moaned. “Mom, please don't tell me you've been following the story in the tabloids.” Every day since she left Toronto, new stories surfaced about why she left the city, the latest being that she was pregnant with twins and Max wanted no part of them.
"You know I don't read those rags,” Leona replied indignantly.
"Then why do you think there's something I'm not telling you?"
This time it was Leona who broke the eye contact between them. She lifted her mug to her lips and looked to the side. “Don't know."
Lacey frowned. Her mother was keeping something from her. “Mom, look at me."
Leona slowly moved her eyes back to her daughter. She took a deep breath before she put her mug back on the table. “All right,” she said. “I talked to him."
Lacey's throat tightened. “Him? Who him?"
"Max."
"You called him?"
"Of course not. He called."
"When?"
"Last night, when you were out for a walk,” Leona rushed on. “And I must tell you, Lacey, he's a fine young man. He misses you terribly."
Lacey's throat went dry. She took a small sip of her coffee but it might as well have been sand. “Why didn't you tell me he called?"
"I just did."
Now her mother was just being obstinate. Lacey gritted her teeth. “I mean, why didn't you tell me last night?"
"He asked me not to."
"Why?” Lacey cried.
"Because I didn't want you to run off before I got here."
Max's rich baritone wrapped around Lacey like a silk cloak. Her heart pounded as she turned to find him towering over her. Her senses filled with his scent, one she'd missed so much since she left him on the city street outside Rachael's apartment building.
Lacey struggled to catch her breath and then find her voice. He smiled down at her, looking quite amused that she'd been caught off-guard. When Lacey finally forced her heartbeat to return to normal, elation at seeing him quickly changed to anger. “What are you doing here?” she snapped.
Max shrugged. “I've come to take you home."
"I'm home now,” she countered.
"This isn't your home,” Max said in a low voice. “The only reason you're here is—"
"You know what?” Leona cut in as she got up from the table. “I think the two of you should take this discussion elsewhere."
Lacey looked at her mother and rose from the table too. “There's nothing for Max and me to discuss."
Leona's eyes softened as she took Lacey's hand. “I think there is, my darling. Hear him out."
What is there to hear? She had no idea why Max had come to Makeshift but if her mother thought she should take the time to listen, then that's what she'd do. “All right,” Lacey said as her mother walked away. She reached behind her to undo her apron. She pulled it over her head and tossed it on the table. “You've got five minutes,” she said as she headed toward the diner's door.
"Five minutes isn't very long,” Max said.
Lacey glanced back at him as the pushed the door open. He hadn't made a move to follow her; instead he remained in the very same spot. “Then I guess you better talk fast,” she said as she walked through the door.
The gravel in the parking lot crunched under her feet as she made her way toward the town park across the street.
She
stopped in mid-stride when she heard a dog barking. The bark was familiar and made her heart ache.
Harry, her beloved Irish Setter. She'd gone to the shelter before she left Toronto only to find that he'd been adopted. She knew she should be happy that he'd found a loving home and had not been euthanized. But she missed him terribly and felt guilt over the fact she'd turned his life upside-down.
She planted herself on a bench and gazed across at the diner. No sign of Max. He hadn't followed her out.
Damn!
He was toying with her, didn't want her to get the upper hand. Lacey's frown deepened along with her resolve. She folded her arms over her chest in an act of defiance. If Max came all the way from Toronto just to see her, then he could damn well walk across the street to have a private discussion.
Lacey frowned again when she heard the mournful whine of a dog. Sure, it sounded like Harry but Lacey tried to shut the memory of him out of her mind. But when the dog began to yelp sorrowfully, Lacey could no longer resist.
The piteous yelps changed to excited barks as Lacey crossed the street and approached the diner's parking lot. She stopped when she saw Max leaning against his gleaming BMW, his arms folded across his chest. He smiled as he reached out and opened the car door. Lacey couldn't believe her eyes as the dog bounded out and, his tail wagging wildly, ran to her. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she opened her arms to embrace Harry.
When he finally settled down, Lacey wiped tears and drool from her cheeks and gazed at Max. “I don't understand. Why?"
"You had every right to be angry at me. I should have told you what I knew about Rachael. I wanted to shield you from the truth."
Lacey leaned to run her hand over Harry's back. “But why did you rescue Harry and why are you here?"
Max inhaled deeply and let his breath out slowly. “Because I wanted to show you how much I care. I wanted you to see that when you're hurting, I am too."
Lacey blinked back tears as she gazed at Max. She grappled to get her mind around what he seemed to be saying.
"I never thought I'd say this to anyone but...” He slowly approached her and took her into his arms. “I'm a better man with you in my life than I am without you. The fact is, I believe I'm in love with you and I can't explore this bizarre feeling if you're hundreds of miles away."