Jane had always found the main cabin on the
“Good thing I don’t mind cuddling up with you.”
Jane pulled back the covers and slid between the sheets, and Max joined her. He couldn’t even stretch out all the way, but he didn’t complain. He tucked her against him and idly caressed her breast, and she sighed.
She’d never known a human being could feel such contentment.
It was just sex, she reminded herself. But she’d never felt this way with Scott, who by comparison had been a rough and insensitive lover, more interested in conquering her than pleasing her.
Tentatively she touched Max, pleased that he responded instantly and amazed that she could want him again, already. At this rate, in nine hours they could make love nine or ten times. She suppressed a giggle.
He probably hadn’t come
Chapter Fourteen
The second time they made love was slower, almost drowsy. Max thought he’d appreciated every part of Jane before, but now he noticed more things about her. She made little whimpers low in her throat when he found just the right place; she had an adorable freckle right in one of the dimples above her bottom.
Now thoroughly sated, Max was content to watch Jane as she fell asleep. So much for staying up all night.
But he had no more condoms anyway.
This was the point where, with other women, he’d felt a strong urge to flee. He hadn’t spent an entire night with a woman since his breakup with Alicia, and even with her he’d stayed only because she had pressured him about it.
He had absolutely no desire to leave Jane. In fact, he could have happily stayed here with her for days. It was so easy to put work out of his mind. They could sail the
Was this love? When you were fascinated with everything about a woman, in bed and out, and you cared more about her welfare than your own, was it love?
He’d almost told her he loved her. But some small grain of self-preservation instinct, maybe only a holdover from his swinging bachelor days, had stopped him.
It would be bad to say it if it wasn’t true. And what did he know about love? He only knew that he’d never told any woman he loved her before, not even Alicia. Love-real, true love-implied a future together. Commitment. Marriage.
He had other priorities right now. The Remington Agency was on the brink of turning a profit. He couldn’t afford to get distracted, worrying about Jane and Kaylee and how to provide for their futures as well as his own.
It was too much.
But if he’d fallen in love with her, how did he undo it?
He fell into a troubled sleep. Jane nuzzled him awake at some point in the early morning hours, when it was still dark out, and though he was out of condoms they still managed to pleasure each other in mind-boggling ways.
When seven o’clock came, Max had to drag himself out of bed. Tempting though it was to invent some excuse for blowing off the whole day and spending it in bed with Jane, he could just imagine the gossip fallout.
Jane, however, still snoozed blissfully. Max took one look at the miniscule marine shower and decided to bathe at home. How did Jane live in such tight quarters? The
When he was dressed, he woke Jane with a light kiss but pulled back when she reached for him.
“No, no, gorgeous. If we even get started I’ll never make my meeting in time.”
Jane sat up, rubbing her eyes like a child. “Wow. What time is it?”
“Seven-fifteen.”
“I can’t believe I slept this late. I never sleep past seven.”
Max grinned. “We didn’t get much sleep last night.”
She grinned back. “Good point.” Then she frowned. “You’re already dressed.”
“I have to go. I’m not sure how long this meeting will last-it might be an all-day thing.”
“You never told me who you’re meeting with. Is it a secret?” Jane slid out of bed, and Max got a glimpse of her lush curves before she grabbed a silk dressing gown from a hook and wrapped it around herself.
“It’s not a secret, exactly. It’s my brother, Eddie. I’m not sure if he’s here to spy on me, scold me or beg me to come back. But whichever, I figure I owe him the courtesy of a meeting.”
“So bring him to the office. Show off what you’ve built.”
“Maybe. We’ll see how it goes.” He looked at his watch. “I have to get going. You won’t be late to work, will you?”
“Huh, not a chance. I don’t want people saying I slept in because I was up all night boffing the boss. Even if I was.”
She walked him up to the deck, and they paused at the railing for one last, lingering kiss.
“Hi, Max!”
Max and Jane sprang apart as they both searched for the source of the cheerful greeting. Then Jane saw it; Kaylee was at a porthole on the
OF COURSE, Jane was left to deal with the fallout alone. Not that she blamed Max; he’d warned her when she invited him to stay the night that he had to leave early. But that meant Jane had to answer Kaylee’s thousand-and-one questions all by herself.
She showered quickly and dressed for work. By then, Allie had gotten Kaylee into her clothes and was ready to bring her home. They met on the dock for the handoff.
“She was no trouble at all,” Allie said. “Such a little angel, and so cheerful when she wakes up. I fed her a waffle.”
“Can you say thank-you to Allie for taking care of you last night?”
Kaylee hugged Allie fiercely. “Thank you.” But then she turned back to her mother. “Where’s Max?”
“He’s gone home, sweetie,” Jane said.
“Did he say thank-you that he got to spend the night with you?”
Allie snickered, and Jane shot her friend a warning look. “Yes, he did.” There was no point in denying she’d had Max as an overnight guest.
“Did you give him a waffle?”
“Is that what they’re calling it now?” Allie asked.
Jane decided she needed to leave before the conversation deteriorated any further. “We’ll talk to you later, Allie,” she said tartly as she took Kaylee’s hand and made her escape.
“Did you give him a waffle, Mommy?” Kaylee asked as Jane washed the child’s face and hands and got her into some clean clothes. No time for a bath, but she was marginally clean.
“No, I didn’t have waffles.”
“Did you give him cereal?”
“No, he didn’t eat breakfast.”
“Won’t he be hungry?”
“I’m sure he’ll eat something when he gets home.”
“Where does Max live?”
“He lives in a condo. It’s like our new apartment that we’re moving to.”
“Can we go there?”
Jane hedged. She didn’t want to come right out and discourage Kaylee from her attachment to Max, because that might make her want it even more. “Maybe some time he’ll invite us over and we can see it.”
“Why doesn’t he live here?”
Jane prayed for patience and guidance. “Because this is our home, and he has his own home.”
