Keeping Her Guilty Secret (Forever Yours Trilogy) (7 page)

Chapter 11

Nicole stood in the kitchen on Sunday morning setting out the ingredients for the chocolate cake when Max came through the door. She gave him a tentative smile. “Hey there. I didn’t hear you come in.”

“Kate left just as I arrived. She said I’d find you in here. Wow, it smells really good already.”

“I decided to put the lamb in the slow cooker. That way we don’t have to rush. Ready to start on the cake?”

Heat blazed in his smoky blue eyes. “Not yet. Come here.”

A shiver ran down her spine as her gaze locked with his. The man just oozed sex appeal. One smoldering look from him sent her hormones into overdrive and got her hot and bothered in seconds.

She moved toward him, her eyes never leaving his.

He gazed at her for a moment and then frowned. “You didn’t sleep well last night.”

No, she hadn’t. Barely a wink since she’d gotten the text from Carlo the night before last, and she still hadn’t come up with a plan to get rid of him without him divulging her secret.

His thumb caressed her cheek and the tenderness in his eyes had a lump forming at the back of her throat.

“You’ve got too much on your plate. Maybe you should think about giving something up.”

She stood up on her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”

“Promise me you’ll find time to get some rest.”

She nodded. “I will.”

His arms wrapped around her and he flashed a sexy smile. “Now, where was I?”

He gave her what she liked to call a full-body kiss, the kind where every inch of her pressed intimately against every inch of him and his lips and tongue tangled deliciously with hers. It was the kind of kiss that swept you off your feet, left you breathless and wide-eyed, and just a bit muzzy in the head when it was over.

He winked at her. “Now, I’m ready.”

It took her a few moments to gather herself, then she tossed him an apron and walked back behind the island, making a concerted effort to banish Carlo from her mind, at least for today.

“What do I need this for?” Max asked. “I’m just the taste tester.”

She grinned. “Change of plan. You’re going to make the cake.”

His eyes widened. “I don’t think so. I burn water, remember?”

“You made gravy last weekend and you didn’t burn that.”

“But, you’re the expert here, not me,” he insisted.

She walked over and slung her arm around his waist. “How about we make it together?” she said.

He stared down at her with another of his imperious glances. “You had this planned all along. Lured me in with the promise of sweet confections.”

Her lips curved into a smile. “Maybe.” She grasped his hand and pulled him the rest of the way to the island. “Come on, I promise it will be fun.”

He tilted his head to the side as if considering. “You know you’re right.”

She eyed him speculatively. “That was too easy. What gives?”

He grinned. “I’m going to love teaching you how to play golf.”

“It’ll be more like a lesson in frustration for you. Professionals have tried, and failed, miserably.”

He came up from behind her, placed his hands on her hips, and brushed his lips against the crook of her neck. “It’s all about perfecting your stance,” he whispered into her ear.

She drew in a quick breath as his thumbs slid to the center of her back and traced a path up her spine. Her body tilted the tiniest bit and her shoulders and head rolled forward.

“That’s it,” he said in a low, husky voice then glided his hands over her shoulders.

She gasped when he ran his palms down the length of her arms and his thumbs grazed over the outside swell of her breasts.

He drew her hands together in front of her, then pressed his chest to hers and whispered, “We’ll work on your swing next time.”

He eased away but she didn’t move, couldn’t, because once again he’d reduced her to a mass of jangling nerve endings. If he could create these sensations in her when she was fully clothed what would it be like when they got naked together? And if she started thinking along those lines they’d never get anything done.

She finally stood and found Max leaning on the counter trying to steady his ragged breathing. Her lips curved into a satisfied feline smile knowing he’d been as affected by the sensual byplay as she. “Ready to make that cake now?”

He gave her another of his imperious glances.

She laughed. “We’re going to make the batter first. Grab the bowl I set on the counter next to the bag of flour.”

Max moved to do her bidding.

“The dry ingredients go in first.”

He peered at the items set out on the countertop. “Flour, baking soda, and salt. How much of each?”

She handed him a recipe card. “It’s all right here.”

He nodded. “Got one of those sifter things?”

She arched up her eyebrows and gave him one of his own arrogant looks, and he grinned.

“I confess. I used to bake with my mom when I was a kid, when it was just the two of us, but I haven’t done it in years.”

“What did you help her make?”

“My favorite, chocolate chip cookies. We made them every weekend.” He gave her a considering look, then added, “I guess we had a tradition after all.”

She grinned and set the mixing bowl aside after he added the ingredients.
Note to self. Make chocolate chip cookies for Max.
“Now, we melt the chocolate.” Moving to the stove, she turned up the double boiler that had been simmering and waited until the water came to a boil.

Max placed the required number of chunks into the pot and watched as they began to melt, then he grabbed the wooden spoon, which he’d stuck in the back pocket of his jeans, and began to stir. His cell phone must have buzzed because he yanked it out of his pocket, glared at the caller ID, and shoved it back in without answering the call.

She stiffened. Oh no, had Carlo somehow gotten Max’s number and called?

Um, paranoid much?
the voice inside her derided. So much for putting thoughts of Carlo aside for the day.

Get a grip, girl, before you go off the deep end.
“You can go ahead and return the call. I don’t mind.”

He shook his head and returned to his task. “It’s not important.” His competent hands whipped the butter and sugar together, then he went to the stove and checked on the chocolate.

“You’re pretty good at this. I’m starting to think this notion of you burning water is a complete fabrication.”

He snorted. “That’s Reed for you. Little pipsqueak has to rub it in because I kind of burned the Thanksgiving turkey one year. The rest of the meal turned out great. It’s just the turkey was a little overdone.”

He cooked Thanksgiving dinner? Talk about being impressed. Most guys wouldn’t have even tried. “What happened?”

He shook his head. “I forgot to put the damn thing in the oven on time, so I cranked up the temperature to four hundred degrees just to get it started. The trouble was I forgot to turn it down.”

She laughed. She couldn’t help it. “Yes, that’ll do it.”

“I’ll say. We wound up chucking two-thirds of the bird. The rest wasn’t bad, though.”

When the chunks melted into a smooth texture Max turned off the heat and set the pot aside. “These days I steer clear of the kitchen.”

But he was here now. With her. “Well, you’re doing great today,” she said.

Max walked back to the counter and glanced down at the recipe card again, then deftly added the moist ingredients to the whipped butter in the required order. “Where’s the vanilla?” he asked.

“This is where we put a new twist on an old family recipe. I’ll be right back.”

She walked into the living room and over to the far corner where an ornate, hand-carved walnut dry bar gleamed against the wall in the late-morning sun.

“This is a beautiful piece of furniture,” Max said and ran a hand over the smooth surface.

“It’s been in my father’s family for generations. I think my great-great-great-grandfather made it.”

“So you inherited your design talent from your great-great-great-grandfather, then.”

She smiled up at him. “Yes, I guess I did.” After fiddling with the old lock, she opened the door and took out a bottle of amaretto liqueur.

Max laughed. “This is your secret ingredient?”

“Yes. I think the amaretto flavor will enhance the taste of the cake, but we’ll have to wait and see.”

Once they got back in the kitchen Nicole poured a jigger of liquid and handed it to Max. “Add about half to the batter, then we’ll taste it to see if we need more.”

Max added the liquor to the batter, beat it in, then dipped his finger in and tasted. “Needs more.”

Nicole frowned and stuck her own finger in the bowl, but before she could taste the gooey mixture, he snatched her hand and stuck it in his own mouth then sucked on the tip. A wave of desire crashed over her.

His eyes glittered as he gazed down at her.

Everything inside her melted.

Instead of releasing her hand, he placed it on his chest and her senses swam. Before she could stop herself, her fingers had unbuttoned his shirt, pulled it open, and her palms rested on his hard pecs.

He quivered.

It was all the incentive she needed. Her hands glided over every inch of him while her eyes feasted on every muscle and ripple.

He thrust his hand under her shirt, unclipped her bra, and cupped her breast in his hand. She cried out when his thumb brushed over her nipple.

The oven timer dinged, indicating it had heated to the designated temperature.

Screw the cake.
“We should take this upstairs,” she said and grabbed his hand.

He froze and shot her a deer-in-the-headlights gaze.

She stared at him nonplussed.
What the—?

“Sister in the house,” Kate called.

Max must have heard Kate before she had. Nicole dropped his hand and moved away making sure to refasten her bra and adjust her shirt. What the heck had she been thinking?

When Kate ambled in a moment later Max stood behind the island, shirt rebuttoned and tucked into the waistband of his jeans. Nicole sat on the stool in front and watched while he mixed the dry cake ingredients with the moist.

“Hey, you guys, what . . .? Oh my gosh, are you making Nicole’s chocolate lovers’ cake?” Kate asked hopefully.

Max only nodded.

Something put Nicole on alert but she couldn’t identify what. Maybe it was the remote expression in his eyes, his hunched shoulders, or his stiff, wooden movements. Regardless, the sudden tension in the air indicated something was wrong. But what? Better yet, why? They hadn’t gotten caught so what happened to cause this change in him?

He poured the batter into the pan, placed it in the oven, and set the timer.

“What time will dinner be ready?” Kate asked.

Nicole turned her attention toward her sister. “In a couple of hours.”

“Great. I’ve got some studying to do. I’ll be upstairs in my room. Call me when everything is ready.”

Nicole nodded. “Will do.”

Kate headed upstairs, and Nicole turned back to find Max glaring at his cell phone again. Who kept calling him and why wouldn’t he answer? “Is everything okay?”

He only grunted, then shoved the phone back in his pocket again.

She would have pressed the point further, because clearly something was wrong, but Ashley and Reed chose that moment to walk into the kitchen. What she wouldn’t do for some privacy once in a while.

“It smells
wonderful
. Nicole, you’ve outdone yourself again,” Reed said. He took one look at Max and his eyes bulged. “An apron? Please tell me you didn’t go anywhere near the food.”

Max growled at Reed.

Nicole’s eyes widened. What happened to put him in this foul mood? Everything had been going great.

Reed rolled his eyes. “I was only kidding.”

“We still have a couple of hours before dinner’s ready, right, Nicole?” Ashley asked.

“Yes.”

“We’ll be in the living room. Call if you need help.” Ashley turned to Reed. “Come on. We’ve got to look at the meal options for the reception so I can get back to the wedding planner before we leave this afternoon.”

“Hang on a minute.” Reed yanked out his phone. “What the hell?” He glared at Max. “You want to tell me why your ex-wife has called me twice in the last half hour?”

“Shit,” he hissed.

Oh, damn.
So that was who’d been calling him.

“Well?” Reed said.

“I don’t know, but I’ll take care of it.”

“Yeah, do that and tell her not to bother me again.”

Max turned to Nicole. “I’ve got to go.”

Chapter 12

Nicole sat at the sewing machine trying hard to concentrate on stitching Ashley’s dress, but it was no use. Her mind kept drifting back to Sunday and Max’s sudden departure.

She tugged on the fabric, straightening the seam. It was almost as if he’d been searching for an excuse to leave and Angela had provided it. But why?

She lifted her head at the soft knock. Max loomed in the open doorway. A part of her wanted to cheer because he’d finally come back. She squashed the traitorous impulse and pinned a neutral expression on her face. At least she hoped it was neutral because her heart was hammering so hard it just might burst.

“Hi,” he said.

“Hi.” When he didn’t say anything more, she returned her attention to feeding the fabric through the machine.

“You’re upset.”

Hurt
, the voice inside her accused.

No!
No way would she go down that path. She stopped the machine, sucked in a long, slow breath and released it, then peered up at him. “Why would you think that?”

He sighed. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have left the way I did.”

She stared up at him and blinked back the tears forming in the corners of her eyes. “So why did you? You left without a word of explanation.”

He flinched.

Good.

“I needed to take care of Angela.”

“Ah. So you walked out on our date to go to your ex-wife.”

“Come on, Nicole. You heard Reed. She called him.”

“He didn’t call her back.”

“I couldn’t take the risk. At least I didn’t think I could.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I finally told my family the truth about the divorce.”

Her brain cheered and started doing the Snoopy dance.

No. Not going to get excited.
Because he’d still stayed away. “Then why did it take you three days to come back? You didn’t even call.” Hell. Her voice sounded shaky.

His face turned red. “I, ah . . .”

Her heart sank.

Fool
, her brain jeered.

Yep, she’d been right all along. He’d changed his mind about dating her and had used the issue with Angela to beat a hasty retreat. No big deal.

Except it was. She liked him a lot. More than she cared to admit. Tears burned in her eyes again, damn it, and she blinked them away. No way would she let him see her cry. She straightened her shoulders and swallowed hard to clear the lump in her throat. “Don’t worry about it, Max, I got your message loud and clear. I won’t make a scene.”

He frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“You don’t want to see me anymore. It’s okay. It wouldn’t have worked out anyway.”

“So, what? It was one big lie on your part?”

Her eyes widened. “Hey, I’m not the one who walked out.”

“I told you I had to deal with Angela.”

Fine, but he shouldn’t turn the tables and act as if
she’d
been the one to walk away. “That’s a load of crap, and you know it. You were looking for an excuse to leave the minute Kate walked in on us.”

He stiffened. “I wasn’t looking for an excuse to leave.”

“Then why
did
you?”

“I told you—”

She shook her head.
Just drop it. It doesn’t matter anymore.
“You should go now.”

“I don’t want to,” he said quietly.

She glared at him. “Then what do you want?”

He stayed silent for so long she feared he wouldn’t answer, then he spoke.

“Why didn’t I know?”

Why didn’t you know what?

He let out a harsh, scathing laugh. “God, I never even suspected. What kind of an idiot does that make me?”

She scrutinized him. Hurt and anger radiated off him in waves. Had she done something to upset him?

“You didn’t do anything. It’s not you. It’s me.”

Her lips tightened and she shook her head. “Another load of crap. That’s the oldest line in the book.”

He strode toward her, pulled her up from the chair and into his arms, and kissed her breathless.

“You didn’t do anything. It’s me. I’m the one with—”

He kissed her again. And, heaven help her, she kissed him back.

His hands stroked over her back, her shoulders and arms, then closed over her bottom and pulled her up against him. Then those masterful lips of his sought the hollow at the base of her throat and her whole body lit up like a white hot flame. Wave after wave of hot need coursed through her.

She slipped her hands under his shirt and groaned the minute her palms touched his warm, smooth skin. More contact. She needed more contact. Her nimble fingers made easy work of unbuttoning his shirt and sliding it over his strong shoulders.

He kicked it away when it hit the ground.

He yanked her shirt over her head and tossed it in the same pile where his had landed. His fingers slipped under her bra and caressed her breast.

“Max,” she cried out.

He froze and stared down at her, a look of horror on his face, then pulled his hand away.

“You’re right. I should go.”

“What!”

He’d already grabbed his shirt off the ground, put it on and was buttoning it. “I’m sorry.” He strode toward the door.

No damned way!
She ran and inserted herself between him and the exit. “You don’t get to walk out. Not after what just happened between us.”

“Please—”

She let out a growl of frustration. “What the heck? If you don’t want me then why—”

Color flooded his face. “I told you, I’m the one with the problem.”

“Well, you certainly didn’t have a problem the night you stayed in Ashley’s room or—”

His eyes widened. “That . . .”

“That what?”

“Actually happened?”

She stared up at him. What game was he playing at now? “Oh what. You’ve suddenly developed amnesia?”

“I told you, things were a little fuzzy and—”

She folded her arms across her breasts and glared up at him.

“I remember kissing you and . . . You said I didn’t do anything I needed to apologize for.”

“Who asked you to apologize?”

“So, you wanted—?” A hint of uncertainty glittered in his eyes.

What did she have to do? Shout it from the rooftop? Of course she wanted him. How could he not know?
Wait a minute
. What had he said earlier?
Why didn’t I know? I never even suspected . . .
She drew in a quick breath.
Why didn’t I know?
As in didn’t know his wife preferred women over men.
I never even suspected.
Meaning, even when they were together, he hadn’t suspected the truth. Holy crap.

He shoved his hands in his pockets and turned away from her.

He wasn’t kidding. He really did have a problem. She wasn’t surprised. The man had found his wife in bed with another woman after years together. “Angela messed up your head but good.”

He let out a harsh laugh. “You must think I’m a complete moron.”

No. She didn’t. Who had more insecurity when it came to the opposite sex than her? She was the queen of self-doubt. “Well, if you are then I’m one too. I’m just as uncertain when it comes to male/female relationships as you. Why do you think it took me so long to agree to go out with you in the first place?”

He turned back to face her, his eyes wary. “I find that hard to believe, given you kissed me less than five minutes after we met.”

She stiffened. “Yeah, well that was a one-off thing.”

His eyebrow winged up.

She understood his disbelief given her impulsive behavior. “I . . . Ah . . .” Heat crept up her neck and flooded her face. He’d confessed his problem to her it was only right she do the same. “I’d been sort of . . . fantasizing about what kissing you would be like.” She swallowed hard. “Since I saw your picture on Reed’s desk.”

He flashed another of his sexy smiles, then his mouth settled on hers.

Nicole sighed and gave herself up to the sweet tenderness of his kiss.

He drew her into his arms long minutes later and she snuggled in close.

“Are we okay now?”

She nodded. “As long as you don’t walk out on me again the next time we’re in the middle of—”

He laughed. “I won’t.”

“Good.”

Heat blazed in his eyes as he stared down at her. “I don’t want to talk anymore. I want to make love with you.”

She wanted it, too, had from the moment she found him sitting in the conference room going through her files a few short weeks ago. “Then what are you waiting for?”

He scooped her into his arms and strode toward the bed.

Tingles of anticipation radiated through her as they made their way, and she came alive for the first time in . . . too long to remember. The need to taste him, become one with him overwhelmed her. Grasping his head, she drew it down, pressed her mouth to his, and savored the lush softness of his lips.

He groaned. “Dear God, woman. Kissing you is enough to make me come right now.”

She smiled, and a sense of her own feminine power soared inside her.

He lowered her to the ground and gazed down at her, a burning intensity blazing in his eyes, then his lips lowered to hers again.

Just the slightest brush of his mouth over hers, but the sweet tenderness was almost her undoing. She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder and his arms tightened around her. He held her there, in the warmth and security of his embrace, for long moments, then eased her away and removed her bra and jeans.

She stood before him clad only in her navy satin panties. His fingers brushed over her cheek and he stared into her eyes.

“You’re beautiful,” he said.

His words warmed her heart. Lifting up on her tiptoes, she captured his mouth and drank in the sweetness of his kiss.

“I want to touch you.” With unsteady hands she unbuttoned his shirt and shoved it over his shoulders and down his hair-roughened arms. It slid off and landed in a heap on the floor.

Her eyes feasted on his bare chest while her hands roamed over every exposed inch of male flesh, learning each curve and plane. His shoulders . . . solid, strong. His chest . . . hard, firm, and
oh
, the soft, silky dusting of dark hair covering his pecs . . . Her fingers stroked through the swirls and traced a path down until it disappeared below his pants.

He sucked in a deep breath when she reached inside and wrapped her hand around his engorged shaft. She ran her fingers over the hot steely length of him and he shuddered.

“Nicole . . . Oh . . .” He pulled her hand away. “It’ll be over before we even start if you do that.”

She let out a husky laugh. “We wouldn’t want that.” Then she pulled him, and they collapsed on the bed together. His eyes gazed down into hers while his fingers skimmed over her ribcage, her belly and the swells of her breasts. She closed her eyes and immersed herself in the sensations storming through her.

“Oh,” she gasped when he took the weight of one breast in his hand and traced tiny circles around her nipple with his thumb.

She unbuckled his belt and removed his trousers and boxers with one quick pull. “I want you inside me now.”

He gave her a wolfish smile. “Not yet. I’ve wanted this from the minute I laid eyes on you and I’m going to take my time and explore every inch of your gorgeous body.”

Oh, God.
She swallowed hard imagining what he might do to her and trembled as his tongue caressed the hollow at the base of her throat then moved to capture the tip of her breast. He tasted, teased, building the wanting to a fevered pitch.

“I promise it will be worth the wait.”

She didn’t think she could wait much longer. Dear lord, those lips, that tongue. Her body quivered as his hands floated over the soft lines of her waist, her hips and then glided down to probe the moist heat of her core. “Max,” she cried out when his mouth replaced his fingers. Never had she experienced the mind-blowing pleasure coursing through her. Never had she wanted anything this badly. “Now. Please!” she begged between ragged gulps of breath. His tongue darted inside her and an orgasm ripped through her fast, hard and brilliant.

He gathered her close and held her until her breathing slowed to a normal rate.

“You okay?” he asked quietly.

She gave him a satisfied smile. “More than okay. I’m fantastic.”

He grinned, rolled on top, and plunged into her.

A moan of ecstasy slipped through her lips as he moved inside. She wrapped her legs around his waist and surrendered to his masterful seduction.

“Baby . . . I . . .”

They soared toward the stars. Two separate souls rising together, bursting into a million pieces, then melding into one.

Long hours later Nicole lay cocooned in the warmth and comfort of Max’s strong arms trying hard to refute the undeniable truth. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t. She loved Max. The kind of heart-pounding, pulse-soaring, head-over-heels, forever kind of love that had you planning a life together and walking down the aisle. When the attraction turned to love, she wasn’t sure. She only knew that it had. The notion terrified her because sooner or later she’d have to tell him her secret and her shameful past.

There’d be no happily-ever-after for her when he learned the truth.