Tara dropped her clothing near the tub and slid back beneath what remained of the bubbles. She ran the tap to warm the water, then laid back, closed her eyes, and imagined Max’s lips on hers.
In reality, being with Max made no sense.
Luckily, fantasies were held to an entirely different standard.
***
Max read Tara’s message and laughed out loud. Tara Holmes was a woman unlike any he’d met before. Her answer couldn’t have been more perfect. If she’d shown up with Gerald, Max would have enjoyed flying her anywhere she wanted to go, and there was no doubt in his mind how they would have spent the next day or so, but he would have been disappointed.
Her response left her a puzzle. A challenge.
Gerald looked as if he were wondering if Max had lost his mind, but Max didn’t care. He handed him a large tip and told him to drive him to his Manhattan hotel. On the way, he called Dale and told him to switch his meetings that week from in-person to conference calls. Normally he preferred to be at the site he was discussing; it kept people more honest. However, the project he was most interested in was not yet willing to leave New York, so New York was where he would stay—for as long as it took to change her mind.
He had just walked into his hotel suite when his phone rang. His breath caught in his throat at the possibility it could be Tara. When he saw the caller ID he was much less excited. He removed his tie and threw it over the back of a chair. “Nick, this is a surprise.” Luke called on a weekly basis. But his brother Nick? Max couldn’t remember the last time they’d spoken on the phone.
“You know why I’m calling, Max.”
Max shrugged off his jacket and threw it on top of the chair beside his tie. He undid the top button of his shirt. “Because you missed me?”
Nick sighed. “I understand why you don’t want to go to Gio’s wedding. I’ve spent half my life running as far away from this family as I could get. But this is important to Gio, so it should be important to the rest of us.”
“Since when do you care what Gio wants?”
“Things are changing around here, Max. I run Cogent with Gio now and, although it’s not perfect, it’s good. Luke is Luke. He worries about everyone, but he doesn’t drive me as crazy as he used to. Come to the dinner party Gio is hosting on Saturday. They want to choose the wedding date with all of us.” When Max didn’t say anything, Nick continued, “And before you tell me you’re out the country and can’t make it, let me assure you I am perfectly capable of flying to wherever you are and dragging your ass home for this.”
Max laughed. For just a moment he was reminded how they talked to each other when they were children. “I’d like to see you try.”
“Would you? I’m not proud like Gio; I’ll make it an embarrassingly public event if I have to. And I’m not Luke—I don’t care if you get mad at me. So, are you coming willingly, or am I flying to get you?”
“I’m already in New York,” Max said tiredly. This was exactly what he didn’t want to happen. His family would be relentless now that they knew he was in the area.
Shit.
“Perfect. So we don’t have a problem.”
“I’m not going—” Max didn’t finish his sentence. It wasn’t worth arguing about a point he’d already taken a clear stand on.
“Hey, out of curiosity, have you met Maddy’s friend Tara?”
Max sat forward in the chair, instantly much more interested in the conversation. “Yes, have you?”
“Not yet. I’m going to dinner with her and Maddy on Thursday. Maddy said she wants me to get to know her. I’m engaged to Rena. I don’t know what Maddy is thinking. If this is about that stupid matchmaking bet she’s involved in, I’m already taken. You or Luke can have this Tara.”
Oh, I’ll have her.
“Want some company?”
“Company? You can go in my place. I am not about to mess up what I have with Rena for Maddy or anyone.”
Max smiled.
Oh, yes, this can work.
“Give me the details. I’ll make your excuses.”
Nick said, “About Gio’s dinner . . .”
“Nick, there are only two options for how the wedding is going to go down. Either Mother will attend and enough drama will follow her that everyone will be fighting. Or Mother won’t attend and it will cause enough drama behind the scenes that everyone will be fighting. I don’t want to be part of that.”
Nick cleared his throat. “It doesn’t have to be that way, Max. We don’t have to keep repeating our mistakes. At the risk of sounding like Luke: We’re brothers. That means more than whatever life can throw at us.”
See, that’s the shit that’s dangerous to start believing. It never leads anywhere good.
“I’ll think about it,” Max said and hung up.
He didn’t want to think about Gio, his wedding, or family in general. He’d rather focus on the one positive that had come out of coming to New York: dinner with Tara.
“What do you mean you can’t stay?” Tara asked as she exited the town car behind Maddy in front of the uptown French restaurant Maddy’s husband owned. Tara smoothed her coat as she straightened and walked with confidence on spindly heels that had intimidated her before Maddy had permanently added them to her wardrobe. She was beginning to think she might actually miss wearing tailored clothing when the job ended. There was definitely something to be said for a dress that was not only her size, but was fitted to perfectly complement her figure.
Don’t get too used to it, Tara. Off-the-rack has always been good enough, and it will be again. None of this is real. Don’t forget that.
“Adam was fidgety. No fever, but I don’t want to leave him for long. Richard is working tonight. I told our nanny I wouldn’t be out late. Don’t worry; Nick is hilarious. You’ll get along great. I’ll stay just long enough to introduce you, then I’ll cut out. Nick has been working closely with Gio lately. He may know why Max is upset. If he has Rena with him, it may be harder to get him to open up, but you don’t have to get either of them to say anything tonight. Just hang out with them. And that won’t be hard to do. They are both wonderful. You’ll love them. Then, on Saturday you can take them each aside and pump them for whatever they know. They should trust you if you play tonight right.”
Tara put a hand on Maddy’s arm to stop her from entering the restaurant. “You could go in there without me and ask Nick for the truth.”
Maddy glared in an unusual show of temper. “Unfortunately, that’s not how my family works. The more serious the problem, the more secretive they become. And since no one is talking, I’m starting to get a bad feeling about what they’re hiding.” Maddy studied Tara’s expression and asked, “What’s wrong with you tonight?”
Tara raised one shoulder and grimaced. “The more I meet your family, the worse I feel about the way we’re doing this.”
Maddy’s eyes narrowed. “Are you shaking me down for more money? We had a deal.”
“This isn’t about money,” Tara protested. “I haven’t even cashed your check yet. This is about how I feel. I didn’t expect your family to be so nice to me. I don’t like lying to them.”
Maddy waved a hand at her in frustration. “What kind of private investigator are you?”
Tara squared her shoulders. “I told you what I do for a living. I take pictures. Incriminating pictures involving people who deserve to be exposed. I don’t run around pretending to be someone I’m not and spouting the kind of lies you’ve made me memorize about who I’m supposed to be. I don’t think I can do this anymore.” Tara reached into her purse and pulled out the check Maddy had given her. “I’m sorry.”
Raising both hands, Maddy went from irritated to urgently persuasive. She ignored the check Tara held out. “Whoa. Whoa. You can’t quit.” She took one of Tara’s hands in hers. “I need you.”
Tara looked away. “Don’t give me those eyes, Maddy. You’ll thank me eventually.”
Maddy clung to her hand. “You may not agree with my methods, but if you really do like my family, you won’t walk away without finding out if they need help with something.”
Tara wavered. “I know weddings make people crazy, but you’re taking this to an extreme.”
Maddy continued, hammering home her point. “This isn’t just about a wedding. I love my cousins, and it kills me every time I see them pulling away from each other and the rest of the family. We can’t stop until we figure out the reason my father won’t look me in the eye when I ask him what he knows about it. Love is resilient and beautiful, but just like people, sometimes it needs help, too. That’s all we’re doing, Tara. Helping my cousins find their way back to each other. Have you ever had a pet that got hurt and wanted to hide from everyone? What happens if you let it? Nothing good. This is no different.”
Putting the check back in her purse, Tara met Maddy’s eyes again. “Does anyone ever succeed at saying no to you?”
Maddy merely smiled. As if on cue, the door of the restaurant opened, and she dragged Tara through it. They handed their coats to an attendant. Her husband was talking to a patron in the main dining room, but headed their way when he saw them. He kissed Maddy warmly, then greeted Tara with a kiss on either cheek. “I wasn’t sure if you both would still come tonight.”
Maddy linked hands with Richard. “I can’t stay; Adam was cranky when I left. I’m only here to drop Tara off. She’s looking forward to meeting Nick. Did he bring Rena with him?”
“Nick had some last-minute business and canceled for tonight, but Max is here.”
Tara’s mouth went suddenly dry. “Max Andrade?”
“Max is here?” Maddy practically clapped with joy. “I didn’t know he was back in New York.”
Richard shrugged. “Yes. He’s in there waiting for you. Impatiently, I might add.”
Maddy pursed her lips and tapped her fingers excitedly on her mouth. “I wonder why he’s here.”
Richard, pulling his wife against his side, joked, “My cooking?”
Maddy smiled up at him. “Besides that.” She looked across at Tara and mulled aloud, “Do you think he knew you would be here?”
Richard chuckled indulgently. “Oh, Maddy. Are you matchmaking again?”
Maddy wrinkled her nose at Tara. “No, but this could work out anyway.”
Richard raised Maddy’s chin with his hand and looked down into her eyes. “What are you up to, mon ange?”
“I don’t want to tell you yet.”
He kissed his wife’s upturned mouth. “Then it’s trouble for sure. Don’t lead your new friend too far astray. Tara, careful, Maddy could talk a saint into sinning. I wish I could stay to see how this unfolds, but I have been gone from the kitchen too long already.” After a nod of acknowledgement to Tara, Richard walked away.
Speaking of being led astray, dinner alone with Max is a bad, bad idea. Especially if Maddy isn’t staying.
“Maddy, since Nick isn’t here, I should head home.”
Maddy spun toward her. “Are you kidding? Max is here, and I have the perfect excuse for leaving. You need to take advantage of this opportunity.”
That’s exactly what I’m trying not to do.
Tara gave herself a mental kick
.
Stop picturing Max naked and focus.
If I’m not quitting this job, then Maddy is right, this is a chance I shouldn’t pass up. We’re in public, for God’s sake. Nothing is going to happen. Still . . .
“Didn’t you tell me to stay away from him? Plan B? Remember?”
Maddy waved off her earlier advice. “Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.”
“We’re not the Marines, Maddy.”
“Well, we need to start thinking like them. As soon as you start believing something isn’t possible, you’re right. We can do this, Tara. Don’t give up now. We’re so close.” Without waiting for a response, Maddy linked arms with Tara and led her through the restaurant to a private area where Max was seated at a small table. He stood when he saw them approach, and Tara’s breath caught in her throat. He was even better-looking than she remembered. The casual suit he wore was modern and edgy. He wore his shirt unbuttoned at the neck, with relaxed sophistication. There was nothing relaxed about how he watched Tara approach, however.
His eyes held Tara’s, even as he bent and gave Maddy a kiss on the cheek. Although she couldn’t hear what Maddy was saying, she knew the exact moment Maddy said she couldn’t stay. Max didn’t conceal his pleasure. Tara licked her bottom lip nervously, and his gaze followed the movement. When their eyes met again Tara shivered with anticipation. She felt both excited and more than a little out of control.
She shouldn’t feel this way. Not here. Not with Max.
That didn’t stop her body from quivering when Maddy moved aside for Tara to greet Max. She wanted to say something snarky, start off the dinner on the right foot. As she looked up at him, she realized wit came much easier when he wasn’t close enough to imagine the feel of his lips on hers. “Hello, Max.”
He stepped closer. “A pleasure to see you again, Tara.” He held out a chair for her. “It’s a shame Madison won’t be joining us for dinner.”
Tara sat and flushed when one of his hands brushed against her bare back after he pushed her chair in. The touch might have been accidental, but she doubted it. “Yes, it is.”
Maddy checked the time on her phone, voiced a hasty goodbye to both of them, and rushed off. Tara took the napkin off her plate and laid it across her lap, giving herself an inner pep talk as she did. There was no reason why she couldn’t be professional with Max. She squared her shoulders and looked across the table at Max who had settled in the seat across from her. The table was small enough for couples to hold hands easily and speak softly to each other.
Not that we’ll be doing any of that.
“So, are you in New York for business?”
A playful light flashed in Max’s eyes. “A project of sorts.”
A waiter came over and took their drink order. Once they were alone again there was an awkwardly long silence that Tara eventually broke. “I’m not going to apologize for what I wrote to you.”
“I’d be disappointed if you did.”
“Your gift was insulting. It felt like you were trying to buy me.”
“I was.” There it was again, that twinkle in his eye, suggesting a private joke between the two of them.
She refused to bend. “That’s disgusting.”
His lips curled with a hint of a smile. “No, that’s realistic. People say money doesn’t matter, but stand between them and a dollar and you’ll see their true colors.”
Tara smoothed the napkin on her lap. “You won’t get an argument about that from me. People suck.”
Max threw his head back and laughed. “I did not expect you to say that. I thought for sure you would lecture me on sounding jaded.”
Tara shrugged and said dryly, “No, eighty percent of people are assholes. Possibly eighty-five.”
Their conversation was briefly interrupted by the arrival of their drinks. When the waiter asked for their order, Max deferred to Tara. Without thinking, Tara ordered as she normally did in a new restaurant. “Could you bring me two dishes? The most popular and the least requested on the menu.”
Without missing a beat, Max requested the same. Once they were alone again, he said, “If I can tell you why you ordered the way you did, what would you give me?”
“Are we betting on how well you know me? Because I’d say so far the odds are against you being correct.”
“So, make it interesting. If I’m wrong, what would you want from me?” His voice was deep and filled Tara’s mind with a multitude of things she’d like to ask him for, but none of them were appropriate for why she was there that evening. She couldn’t forget that. The spark between them, although fun to flirt with, could not lead to anything else.
“Okay. If you’re wrong, I get to ask you five questions about your family, and you have to answer them.”
“My family?”
Is now a bad time to tell you I’m being paid to ask you?
“Maddy talks about all of you so much, I’m curious.”
“Agreed. And if I’m right, you’ll owe me a kiss before the night is over.”
Heat spread up Tara’s neck and warmed her cheeks. “No.”
He leaned forward, his mouth close to her ear, and whispered, “I didn’t take you for a chicken.”
Tara pulled away from him and smoothed her napkin on her lap. “I’m not afraid to kiss you. I told you, you’re not my type.”
He sat back, smiling, and waited.
Oh, he’s so smug.
And, thankfully, most likely wrong.
Tara laid her hands flat on the table in front of her. “Fine. Five questions if you lose. One kiss if you win. Now, wow me with your insight into why I ordered the way I did.”
Max rubbed a thumb across his chin. “You’ve heard wonderful things about Richard’s talent, but you’re not easy to impress. You want to enjoy this experience, but you also want to know his weaknesses. Someone you trusted betrayed you, and now you test everyone.”
Tara scoffed, “You sound like a long-winded fortune cookie.”
“But am I right?”
Tara wanted to say no. She met his eyes and told herself the truth didn’t matter. A lie would serve her better. She could say it was simply a silly game she played wherever she went and then she could ask him the questions and possibly get the answers Maddy sought. She opened her mouth to lie but found she couldn’t. “Yes.”
A sexy smile spread across his face.
Half excited, half cornered, Tara said, “You and Maddy have more in common than you know. She also doesn’t hear the word no.”
Max reached out and took one of her hands, lacing her fingers casually with his. “Is that what you’re saying each time you run your tongue over those luscious lips of yours? No isn’t what I see in your eyes when you look at me. It’s only a matter of time before you give in and admit you want me.”
Tara’s heart was beating loudly in her chest. She knew she should pull her hand away from his, but she didn’t. When she spoke her voice was husky. “Never going to happen.”
“Want to bet on that?” he asked and released her hand when the waiter arrived with their dinner.
Over dinner, Max asked her questions about her family, her friends, what it had been like growing up in the suburbs. He was attentive, reflective, and downright funny with some of his dry comments.
It didn’t hurt that he was also gorgeous. And the way he looked at her, as if she were the most beautiful woman on the planet, made Tara giddy in a way she thought she’d outgrown. He ordered a bottle of wine, and the two of them toasted the good food and company. It didn’t take Tara long to forget the real reason they were having dinner together.
Maddy?
Maddy who?
***
The next few hours flew by in a blur of drinks and conversation. Max and Tara had switched over to water, but Tara was still riding high on a royal buzz that Max blamed himself for. She’d told him she wasn’t much of a drinker, but each drink had lowered her guard more and more, and he couldn’t resist getting to know the unguarded side of her.