Max checks out the room, then closes the door behind us. Instead of locking the door, he shoves the back of a chair beneath the doorknob, then shows me how to get it free in case I need to leave the room.
“But don’t leave unless you’re with me.”
“What if I…”
“Uh-uh. You don’t walk around anywhere without me.”
“But…”
He gives me a look. “Pretty American woman, pretty young American woman, do I need to spell it out?”
“No.” That’s how I wound up here in the first place, partying down in Cancun without a care in the world.
Yes, I figured my father would put a security detail on me. It gave the illusion of sneaking away and giving him the proverbial finger. I thought I was safe, until I wasn’t.
Then came that terrible house in Cancun, the shipping container which followed, and the harrowing ride in the back of a truck covered in a thick tarp. The heat alone almost took me out, but I survived. I survived and became the very special guest of Tomas Benefield.
“He’s going to find us, isn’t he?”
“He will.” Max sits on the end of the bed and pats the mattress. “Come here.”
He pulls the rifle from over his shoulder and lays it on the bed behind him, then he draws out the two pistols.
“Let me show you how these work.”
“How about we take a look at your leg?” We have privacy now, and while I wouldn’t call this place clean, it’s cleaner than anywhere else we’ve been in the past twenty-four hours.
“After I know you’re comfortable with your gun.”
My gun?
“I’ve never had a gun before.”
“I thought you said you’ve shot before.”
“It was a really long time ago.”
“Ok, listen up.”
Despite his fatigue, Max gives a very thorough introduction on gun safety and shows me how to use the pistol until he’s confident I won’t shoot myself, or him, accidentally.
A deep yawn escapes him, and I realize how long it’s been since he’s had any real sleep.
“We need to get you in bed.”
“Music to my ears, bubbles.”
“I didn’t mean that!”
“You didn’t?” The wounded look on his face makes me laugh.
“I mean I do, but you’re in no condition…”
“Let me be the judge of what condition I’m in.” He pulls me into his lap, then winces in pain as he places my bottom directly on his injured thigh.
I scoot off immediately. “How about this? We strip you down…”
“I like the sound of that…” The way he winks at me shouldn’t be legal. I’m surprised I don’t melt into a puddle of goo right then and there.
“We clean your wound. When do you have to take the rest of those pills?”
“In the morning.”
“Okay, strip you down, clean your wound.” I back away when he tries to grab me. “We each take a shower.”
“Together.”
“Don’t think there’s enough room in there for the two of us.”
“You’d be surprised.”
“Let’s focus on cleaning your wound. You take a shower while I scrub your clothes. Then I’ll…”
“You’ll get naked while I watch…”
“You’re incorrigible. You know that, don’t you.”
“Bubbles, I’ve been hard for you going on a week now. My balls are bluer than those pills I need to take.”
“I think we can fix that.”
“Liking the sound of this.” He gives a cheeky grin. “Go on.”
“We may not be able to ‘do the deed,’ but I’m pretty sure I can help you relieve some of that tension.”
“Sounds perfect.” Max yanks his shirt over his head and stands. He grabs at his belt buckle.
“You might want to kick off those boots before you get much further.” I don’t know where this sudden well of confidence comes from, but I’m loving this little back and forth.
We’re going to have sex. No doubt about that. Not the in and out variety, but there is so much we can do. I’m especially interested in getting him in my hands and my mouth, and I’m pretty sure he’ll be fine with that. The rest of it can wait.
I’m also keenly interested in finding out if his tongue is as talented down there as it is on my lips and when nipping on my earlobe.
My breath catches at the smooth expanse of his chest. Rock-hard abs, sculpted pecs, he looks like he belongs on the cover of a men’s fitness magazine. I bet there’s not an ounce of body fat anywhere on him.
Max sits back down, unlaces his boots, and kicks them off. “You going to just stand there and stare?”
I cross my arms over my chest and laugh. “You sure bet I am. I’ve been fantasizing about this since the first day I saw you.”
“The day you saw me? You hated me on sight.”
“I hated what I thought you were, but you’re pretty damn easy on the eye. Any girl would want of piece of that.”
“That?”
“You.”
“And do you?”
“What?”
“Want a piece of me?”
I lick my lips as he stands and hooks his thumbs on the waistband of his pants. That bulge is back, and it’s bigger than before—as if that’s possible.
“I want all of you.”
Max takes a step toward me. He cups my cheeks and leans down to place a feather-light kiss on my lips.
“I want all of you too, bubbles.” Max releases my cheeks.
Taking one step back, his gaze never leaves me as he strips out of his pants. Impossible to miss, the hard length of him tents his boxer briefs. With smoldering eyes, he kicks free of his pants and looks down at the angry red skin over his thigh.
“Oh my God!” I rush to him. It’s worse than I thought. “Sit down and let me clean that.”
The towels in the bathroom are barely clean. Turning on the water, I let it run until it steams. Then I head back where he waits for me on the bed.
Max bends over, examining the entrance wound. I go to my knees and start dabbing at the skin.
“Bubbles…” His hoarse voice draws my attention. When I look at him he clears his throat. “I think I should take that shower.”
“No, we need to get this cleaned up. Scrub it as much as possible.”
“Bubbles…” He lifts my chin with the pad of his thumb. “You on your knees right now is more than I can handle. I’m more than capable of taking a shower and cleaning this up.”
“But…”
“No buts, bubbles. Give me a minute. Okay?”
I glance at the hard length of him, suddenly understanding what he’s saying. If I were bolder, I’d help him take the edge off, right then and there, but I’m kind of a chicken and scoot back.
“Um, okay.”
“You should rest.”
“If I lie down on that bed, I’ll be out.” I head over to the nightstand where he left my pistol. Following exactly what he taught me, I check the chamber and make sure the safety is on. “I’ll keep watch while you shower.”