06

« Come on. I’ll drop you off on my way home, » he said as he opened the door for me.

« I should probably drop you off first considering how you’ve mentally deteriorated from your night of drunken excess, » I said as I strapped on my seat belt, neatly tucking my cardigan under it. « Give the driver your address. »

« No, give him your address, » he argued as he stretched out his legs in the backseat.

This close, I could smell him and it surprised me to find that he smelled cleaner than I thought. He was definitely not emitting alcoholic fumes as one might imagine. It gave me me a heady feeling but not enough to deter me. « I’m more sober than you are so you’re going home first. »

« As if there’s any chance in hell that I’m leaving you in a cab alone in the middle of the night. »

« I’m not a child, thank you very much. »

« No, you’re a lunatic which is probably why you want to know where I live so you can stalk me and kill me in my sleep, » he muttered before he rested his head against the back of the seat, looking too relaxed for someone who suspected murder and mutilation from me.

« Well, that was creative, » I muttered back. « Why don’t you write a book about—« 

« For the love of God, Aiko. Just—« 

« Hey ! Tell me where I’m going or I’m going to charge you double for going in circles around this block, » the driver snapped, glaring at us in annoyance over his shoulder.

Max had closed his eyes so it was up to me. I leaned forward and murmured an address to the driver.

« Thank God, » Max said under his breath, kneading his temples. « We’re not even dating yet but we’re already fighting like an old married couple. »

« I wouldn’t know, » I said, smiling. « We’re neither old nor married. Actually, let me amend that. You’re old. »

He opened one eye to glare at me. « Apparently not old enough to discourage you. »

I shrugged. « What can I say ? You’re aging well physically. Emotionally—that’s still to be determined. »

I thought he was going to get mad but he had a small smirk on the corner of his mouth. « You’ll make a nightmare of a girlfriend. »

« You’re going to be the least ideal boyfriend in history so we’ll be pretty even, » I said cheerfully. Both his eyes were open now and the intensity in them as he gazed at me, shadowed as he was in the backseat save for the moving shafts of streetlight, had an enigmatic pull that I found myself slowly leaning in, my knee bumping his.

Whatever his age or reputation was, Maximilian Croft was man in his ultimate peak—physically perfect from what I could see and fairly oozing with masculine confidence that was both slightly infuriating and immensely tempting at the same time.

But there was no kiss or Gossip-Girl backseat action. What came next was unexpected but better in my opinion.

His eyes fluttered close and his large hand suddenly enveloped mine, our fingers flexing to interlock with each other. We didn’t say anything. Just sat back in comfortable silence and the warmth of the other person’s hand seeping into our own.

When the cab pulled to stop, Max opened his eyes and sat up straight, peering through the window. « I can’t imagine you live here. »

I was already climbing out of the car after handing the driver a few bills and Max scrambled to follow. « Hey. Why did we stop here ? »

« I thought you could use some food first, » I said as we stood by the sidewalk outside a brightly lit Chinese restaurant. « It’s one of the few places in the city that’s still open and serves more than just alcohol. »

It was three in the morning and while I could definitely use some dim sum at this moment, I wasn’t sure Max would appreciate my initiative. But he’d have to start getting used to it because there was going to be a lot of that in our relationship—if he agreed, that is.

« Probably open for those who need greasy, hang-over antidotes, » he muttered as he started for the restaurant. « And I’m one of them. »

It wasn’t busy inside and we were quickly ushered into a cozy booth against the window.

While Max was leisurely scanning the menu, I rattled off half a dozen things to the waitress.

When I extended my hand to take the menu from him, he handed it over with a meaningful look. « I take it that this isn’t a democracy. »

« You’ll like what I got us, » I assured him as the waitress left. « I ordered all their specialities that the kitchen’s still making at this hour. »

Then I looked him over in concern. « Do you have any major food allergies ? »

He smirked. « A little late for you to be asking me that now but no, I don’t. I’d like something to drink though. »

« Oh, I had her grab us some green tea, » I said with a smile.

He stared at me like I started growing extra eyes. « Green tea ? »

« Yeah. It will help make you feel better. »

He rolled his eyes. « If a bulldozer was ever a girl, it’d be you. »

The waitress promptly returned with a small, stone tea pot and two small matching cups with no handles. I poured each of us a cup and Max swirled his warily before taking a sip. It was an amusing sight to see such a good-looking, roughed-up man drinking daintily out of a little stone cup but he wouldn’t appreciate me pointing that out.

Instead, I reached for one of the folded napkins and tipped some of my water on it to get it damp. « Scoot over. »

He looked confused but before he could ask, I stood up and slid into the booth next to him, forcing him to move to give me space. « What do you think you’re doing ? »

« Cleaning you up, » I said as I reached out to dab the napkin on his face. He leaned away from me though, looking at me like I’d somewhat morphed. I exhaled sharply in exasperation. « You’re going to have to give it a proper wash and dressing later but right now, I can at least clean the dirt off the perimeter of your scratches so that you don’t get infected. Unless you have more alcohol than blood in your veins that you just automatically disinfect yourself. »

« I’m not that drunk, » he grumbled even though he did lean forward this time so I could reach his face more easily. In slow, gentle rubs, I cleaned around the cut on his cheek and the scrape on his jaw.

« I didn’t think you were, » I said, getting just a little bit lost seeing Max this up close and proving his appeal more potent than ever. « I was surprised you let that guy get one or two in there with you. It seemed like you could’ve run circles around him if you’d wanted to. You were quick on your feet, barely staggering and your swings were economical but precise. »