04

Ah. The highly common and frequently mocked male condition shows itself—pride.

I raised a brow. « Other than a three-month relationship and basic human decency, no, there’s nothing else. »

« Well, that’s very obliging of you, » He shook his head with a dry laugh. « But I don’t suffer from selflessness so let’s talk about what I require. »

I smirked, relieved to have the usual Max back. I could handle him better when he was being entitled and obnoxious like this. « Fine. What do you require ? »

A sly smile formed on his lips. « Sex. What’s your stand on that ? I personally like to be horizontal but I don’t mind if you like to stay on your feet. »

He then gave me a lopsided grin and I wanted to smack him on the side of his head for making me flush from my neck to my hairline. « Yes. Tonight clearly showcased how flexible you are on that stand in more ways than one. »

His eyes sparkled with humor and he almost looked like he wanted to say more but all he said next was, « Well ? »

Well, what ?

This had been an impulsive move on my part and I hadn’t really expounded on what a ‘relationship’ would mean when I asked him for one. Of course, to most of society, it would include sex. Naturally. It was all wired in us to desire further genetic further propagation. For a while, I thought I just had faulty wiring because I felt zero interest in the endeavor but watching Max the past several weeks made me feeling something. Something possibly worth exploring.

At the thought of such exploration, I couldn’t help my own blatant appraisal of Max and the gears in my head hummed to life. He was a tall, large man and already overwhelmingly male without towering over me, which he would anyway given my mere five-foot-three frame. He was easily close to six-four or five, head and shoulders above most men. To imagine him caging me in those arms and moving on top of me—it made me feel like I had ten times the amount of nerve endings in my body, all of them electrified.

Something on my face must’ve given me away because I saw the shift in Max, his eyes brightening with heat, his nostrils flaring slightly as he sucked in a breath and squared his shoulders, reminding me of an animal scenting a mate nearby.

Good Lord, Aiko. How many National Geographic shows did you watch ?

Many and according to those shows, the fact that he suddenly seemed uncomfortable in his own jeans meant that something was taking up space in them where it normally wouldn’t. And considering his size, it must be taking up a lot of space.

« I can eye-fuck just as well as I can do the real thing, » he said with a sardonic arch of his brow. « And I’ve got nowhere else to be right now so we can do this all night if that’s all the sex you can manage. »

I pushed my glasses up my nose and tipped my head so I could narrow my eyes through them. « I might manage more than you think but I’ll restrain myself if all the mouthful I’m going to get from you is how good you are in bed. In publishing, you need to show and not tell. »

His eyes widened with pleasant surprise and I had the most curious thought that Maximilian Croft was starting to enjoy surprises again.

« I could but I might get arrested, » he quipped before glancing around his cell. « On second thought, I’m already in jail so maybe I should. »

I raised a hand. « I’m flattered but you’re going to have to hold it until there’s a comfortable bed nearby. »

« For a writer, you have limited imagination, » he teased lazily. « So sex is on the table then ? »

« I didn’t consider taking it that far but now that you’ve mentioned it, we might as well, if you’re agreeable to it, » I answered a-matter-of-factly. « Disposing of my virginity at some point in my life seems to be part of that adulthood list too. »

Max sharply drew in a breath and for a fleeting second, he looked extremely annoyed.

Guess virgins weren’t as popular as they used to be.

« And where exactly is this list that you’re talking about ? »

« In my head, » I replied casually. « I’m sure you’ve crossed off that item on your list so many times you’ve probably worn a hole through it. »

A laugh rumbled out of him and he shook his head as if he hadn’t wanted to be amused. « And is it only if I agree that you’ll bail me out ? »

I snorted. « Your papers are getting signed off as we speak. Blackmail is sordid business. I’d rather it be a mutual decision from the both of us. I need to cross this off my list and you need to ease off on the notoriety if you want your brother to have a fair shot at running for mayor next year. »

Max’s lips thinned at the reminder. « You don’t know me. »

My shoulder hitched up in a half shrug. « You can remedy that. »

« Why me of all people ? »

I smiled. « You’re attractive, intelligent and experienced enough. You’re also at a disadvantage. »

He smirked. « This is nothing. »

« Of course, » I answered easily. « Nothing could mean much to someone who has no care about anything in his life. Which means you won’t complicate things when it’s time to part ways. »

He actually winced—the man who probably parted ways with a woman as often as he parted a pair of female legs. « That hardly sounds romantic. »

I laughed. « Which makes you perfect for it. I didn’t come to the most infamous playboy in Cobalt Bay for a happily-ever-after. You’re the last person who could offer it. »

« I’m glad you’re realistic about that, » he shot back, frowning. « Are you also realistic about the fact that I could be a crude bastard ? I could hurt you and I’m not just talking about your broken heart. Did you ever think about that ? »

I scoffed because this noble version of Max seemed preposterous even though I’d seen fleeting glimpses of it before. « Considering your love life is as well thumbed-through as a free magazine that had passed hands in a doctor’s office, stories of physical abuse would’ve surfaced by now if there had been any, not necessarily because of your popularity or that it’s easy to report abuse but merely because of the size of your sample. It’s more likely to come out if you’d slept with a hundred women than it is if you’d only slept with ten. Simple statistics. »

Max rubbed his jaw as he watched me and I couldn’t be sure if it was in exasperation or admiration. It was hard to read the light in his eyes but however he felt about it, one thing was sure—he was surprised, again.

It’s just that kind of night for you, buddy, and it’s not even over yet.

« Huh. Sex and statistics are often used in the same sentence in context of me but never quite this way, » he grunted after a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly. « So you’re absolutely sure that you won’t suffer from any heartbreak when it’s time for me to move on to someone else ? »

« Uh, no, » I said emphatically. « I can’t suffer heartbreak if my heart’s not involved. I highly doubt I’d keep company with you long enough to get attached. »

His irritation flared back to life. « So I’m merely a means to an end ? You just want to carry out what you already know is doomed to fail ? »

I shrugged. « It depends on what you consider to be a failure. If I can cross off a couple items on my list and you can get the regular serving of sex you need to survive and stay sane, I’d call it a success. »

He glared at me. « And what of my feelings ? »