Courage in the Kiss (19 page)

Maxx sneezed into a tissue and sank onto the bed. It was soft and springy, but the moment he lay back, he started another coughing fit and had to sit up again. In between coughing, he grabbed a tissue and blew his nose.

This was the worst he’d felt in years. He never got the cold, but that stupid investor had brought it into his clean office and infected him. His nose wouldn’t stop running, and his eyes watered nearly every time he coughed.

It was disgusting and he was glad Hadley couldn’t see him like this. This would ruin her image of perfect, well put together Maxx that she’d dreamed about for years. This drippy nosed, red eyed, dozy version of himself was hampering his productivity and had made him sleep in and miss two appointments, already. The last thing he wanted was for it to ruin Hadley’s dreams, too.

When someone knocked on the door, he was too tired and sick to get up. “It’s open,” he called out.

The door opened and a trolley advanced into the room. There were a few plates on it, as well as something that smelled amazing. It reminded him of his childhood, though his nose was too choked to figure out what it was.

“What’s that?” Maxx asked, as he rose and crossed to the trolley.

“The order was called in for you, sir,” the employee explained, pulling off the lid of the biggest plate. “Steak, with creamy potatoes and vegetables,” he explained, before lifting a lid off a smaller plate. “Chicken soup, from a special recipe,” he continued, then gestured to a large mug. “And chamomile tea.”

Maxx looked up at the young man who had brought this feast to him. This was everything Hadley would give him, if he was at home. Everything he’d want, that would make him feel better.

“And there’s this,” the employee said, handing over an envelope. “We had strict instructions to place it on a USB drive, at your expense, but not look at the contents. The note said it was to cheer you up and, if you’ll pardon the expression, sir, ease your man flu,” he continued, shyly.

He laughed and took the envelope, knowing fine well who the gifts had come from. Only Hadley would be brave enough to tell him he had man flu, and this was everything that she would offer in a care package. He couldn’t help but feel excited at the very thought of what the envelope may contain. It had to be something incredible, if the staff weren’t allowed to look at it.

The young man nodded and left the room, without waiting for a tip or to see if he wanted anything else. He must have been under strict instructions, from Hadley, to leave him be.

God, that girl was a gift.

Maxx pulled the trolley to the side of the bed, so he could eat in comfort. He opened the envelope, as he sat on the edge of the bed, only to frown at the written note that accompanied it.

Watch me.

He frowned and backed up until he leaned against the headboard, as he grabbed his laptop from the other side of the bed. He’d planned to do some paperwork while he was eating, but this would be better.

Maxx grabbed the tea and placed it on the bedside table to cool, until he was ready for it. Then he opened his laptop, plugged in the USB drive, and waited for the contents to load.

There was one item on the drive, labelled ‘From Hadley’.

Curious, Maxx double clicked it and watched a video window appear. He put it onto full screen and waited for it to start.

Hadley came into view, walking around from the back of the camera, to head for the opposite wall. Her lean back was facing him, reminding him of that last teasing, before he left for this trip, when she arched her back against him in the kitchen, and nearly had him salivating over her.

Her head turned to the right, as though she’d heard something, then her right hand raised and lowered the cardigan from her right shoulder.

Maxx couldn’t help but wonder if he was supposed to be seeing this. Had she set up the camera to make a video for him and then forgotten that she’d switched it on as she got changed?

But then she pulled off the left shoulder of her cardigan in a slow, deliberate manner. Even when a sneeze caught him off guard, he absently reached for a tissue, eyes glued to the screen. He couldn’t look away from this stunning display from Hadley, while she very slowly peeled away her cardigan, revealing a low backed top and high-waisted trousers.

It was a very professional, sexy look that he’d never seen on her before.

Then Hadley turned to face the camera and sat on the end of the bed. “I thought about flying out to see you,” she said, capturing his undivided attention again. “But I remembered what you said about not mixing business with pleasure,” she continued.

Maxx almost cursed himself for even mentioning that to her. He’d only said it to reassure her that he wasn’t going to be sleeping with anyone else, while he was gone. “I’d rather have you here,” he muttered to himself. But then he coughed and remembered his cold. He definitely didn’t want Hadley here to see him like this. Especially not when she was in this sensual mood of hers.

He lifted his tea and took a sip, feeling the warmth soothe the scratch in his throat.

Hadley unbuttoned two of the four front buttons on her top, revealing a black lacy bra. It seemed to be her preferred style and he couldn’t disagree. The lace design left a lot of skin on show, while covering up just enough to make his imagination run wild.

Her fingers drifted lower to the fastening of her trousers, slowly unbuttoning them and then pulling the zip down. But then she stood up, surprising him. He’d expected her to whisk them off and advance the show, but she stalled, for whatever reason.

Maxx took another drink and watched the screen, while lifting his soup. He knew, from Hadley’s badgering over the years, that the healing effect of her concoctions only worked when it was hot. And if she’d gone to all this trouble, he wouldn’t be the one to put it to waste.

On the screen, Hadley walked back to the camera and placed it on the bed post, giving him a corner angle that intrigued him. It looked like she was trying to give him the best view possible, without having anyone hold the camera for her. Which, now that he thought about it, would ruin the effect.

A swell of jealousy, unexpected and unwelcome, rushed through him at the thought. He never wanted anyone else to see Hadley like this. Especially when she stood on the far side of the bed and slid her top off, pulling it to the front and refusing to turn round, to expose herself to him.

She dropped the top casually to the floor, then bent over, as though to pick it up.

Maxx frowned in confusion, until those tight trousers were caught in two hands and slowly inched over her tight backside. Inch by inch, more flesh was revealed, along with a very thin slip of fabric that suggested she’d opted for a G-string this time.

He smiled and took a sip of soup, tilting his head to the side to watch Hadley glance over her shoulder at him. Then she straightened, in a very slow, seductive manner that he’d never expected from her.

She was such an innocent, unworldly girl that he didn’t even know what made her think of this. The rare moments of hesitation and uncertainty told him that this was the first time she’d ever put on a deliberate performance for someone.

He couldn’t help but feel honoured.

After peeling off every layer of clothing at an excruciatingly slow pace, Hadley’s video took a more direct route.

Maxx had finished his soup and moved on to his steak, until the sight of her naked body lying on the bed, at the perfect angle to let him see her in all her glory, had him frozen.

As soft music played, Hadley began tentatively touching her own body, while talking through memories of how it had felt to have
him
touch her. “The first time you touched me here,” she said in a husky voice, as she lowered her hand between her spread thighs and pressed her finger to herself, “I thought I’d lose my mind,” she confessed.

Maxx tilted his head to a new angle, as he watched her exploring her own body, for perhaps the first time. If her hesitant actions and gasps of surprise were anything to go by, she’d never done this before and that brought a whole new thrill of satisfaction. To know that he’d inspired this self-exploration and that she’d only ever done this for him, was stunning and perfect.

“I thought that I’d never be able to survive, if you actually went ahead and made love to me. But, somehow, I did,” she explained.

The fork dropped an inch, on its way to his mouth, as she dipped the tip of her finger inside herself and her head went back. It was so erotic to watch her like this, but a part of him wished they were in the same room so that he could fuck her when it was over.

“I know you’re sick right now,” Hadley went on, in that soft, breathy voice, “but take care of yourself. I’m waiting for you to come home, Maxx...I’ll be here, waiting, needing this...wanting you...loving you. You have to get better, so you can come back to me,” she begged, all the while twisting and gently pushing her finger in further.

Maxx felt something dribble over his chin and rushed to wipe it away, unable to believe he was literally drooling over her. Then he realised that his fork had missed his mouth and stabbed into his lip, dribbling gravy down his chin and over his shirt.

Realising this wasn’t ‘dinner’ material, he paused the video and gently pushed his laptop aside. He’d rinse the gravy off his shirt, before it stained, and then finish his dinner. Once he was done and had taken some paracetamol, he’d get naked and enjoy his video to its full potential.

After all, it wasn’t often Hadley got naked and filmed herself for his pleasure. Once he was fully prepared and had taken himself in hand to make the most of her ‘care package’, he’d call the little tease and thank her. And, if he was a really lucky boy, he might get some phone sex thrown in for luck.

One Week Later

Hadley let out a sigh as she switched off the kitchen light, ready to spend one more night alone.

Micah was upstairs with Rowan, watching a movie before they turned in, while Emerson was doing ‘paperwork’ in the study.

Maxx...well, she wasn’t sure where Maxx was, but she had a feeling that he was somewhere comfortable, maybe even being entertained while he wined and dined a prospective investor.

She went through to the library and grabbed a book from the shelf. She had a few shelves of her own, with romance novels and paranormal stories that Emerson didn’t approve of. He didn’t like them being included in the library, but Micah insisted, because she shared the same literary taste as Eloise had once fostered.

Micah had his comics and manga novels alongside hers, in moral support.

Taking a seat by the window, Hadley settled, to spend the rest of her night in peaceful silence. With everyone busy and having taken Maxx’s advice to relax on her cleaning schedule, she had at least three hours to herself.

A few nights ago, she’d spent her free hours on the phone to Maxx, exchanging the dirtiest conversation she’d ever had. He’d talked her into repeating some of the self-explorations from her ‘care package’ video, just so that he could hear her. In return, she’d heard Maxx pleasuring himself. It had been a whole lot more satisfying to touch herself, while listening to his grunts and expressive mutterings through the phone.

Who knew she’d be a girl who enjoyed phone sex? She would certainly have never imagined that, before Maxx corrupted her.

Just as she turned page three, there was the sound of footsteps in the hallway. Which made no sense. The study was down the hall, so she would have heard the squeaky hinge before she heard any footsteps, and the boys were upstairs. Again, she would have heard their footfalls on the stairs, before they even reached the hallway.

Curious and a little nervous, Hadley grabbed the biggest book she could find off the nearest shelf, and made her way to the door. Being careful to open it without making a noise, she raised the book, ready to strike whatever trespasser had managed to get inside the house.

“Did I ever tell you how sexy you are when you threaten me?” that familiar voice said, close by.

Hadley threw the door open and let the light of the library extend into the hallway. Standing in the darkness was Maxx; suave and irresistible in a suit. “Maxx,” she gasped in surprise.

Then he grinned and caught her in his arms. His mouth landed on hers, silencing her before she could even attempt to speak. Hadley moaned and wrapped her arms around him, holding him close.

She couldn’t say how happy she was to have him home again; especially after the way he’d teased her over the last few days. Whispered threats of what he wanted when he got home, of how he was going to touch her and bring her more pleasure than she could imagine.

Maxx broke away, despite her tight grasp, and smiled down at her. “I’ve missed you, gorgeous. So damned much,” he admitted with a deep sigh. “I need to talk to Dad, but then I want you alone. Can you abandon your book until tomorrow?” he asked, hopefully.

Hadley opened her mouth in surprise. “How did you know I was reading?”

“You were in the library. Either you were cleaning or reading,” he hinted, with a light chuckle.

Flushing in embarrassment, she withdrew her arms from his and backed away, toward the door. “I’ll go upstairs then?” she wondered, too concerned with missing him and his return to care that she was falling at his feet, on command.

They’d missed each other equally, as far as she could see, but she didn’t want to assume too much. Her pride was at stake, but so was her heart.

Maxx’s smile became more approving, as his eyes raked over every inch of her. “I swear, since we first hooked up, you’ve opened right up and blossomed into this sensual, erotic creature. I’m not sure my heart can take it,” he said, reaching out for her waist, only to stop himself at the last minute.

All Hadley could do was agree. She wasn’t sure her heart could take the weight of this ‘fling’ either, but she was too terrified of saying that out loud, in case he left.

“Yes.” He nodded. “Maybe you should go upstairs. I can’t wait to get my hands on you, but I promise I won’t be long,” he said, speaking almost as though he was lost in a dream.

Trying to figure out what he meant and what it would mean for them, Hadley slipped around him and headed upstairs.

It took Maxx nearly forty minutes to reach his bedroom, where he shut the door behind him and let out a deep sigh.

Then, without a word, he made his way further into the room and yanked off his tie, as though in frustration. He silently removed his shirt and then his trousers, continuing with each inch of clothing until he was naked in the moonlight.

“Maxx,” Hadley ventured to speak, not sure what was wrong, now that he’d come back.

When he turned her way, he smiled and his blue eyes shone in the darkness. “Baby, I’ve missed you so much,” he confessed, with a hint of longing and dread that surprised her.

“Then get over here and show me how much,” she teased, trying to remove that aura of worry and loneliness from him.

Maxx shook his head, but crossed to the bed and crawled over the cover toward her. “Had, you have no idea how much I’ve missed you,” he said, in a low, serious voice that equally thrilled and frightened her.

Just what was he trying to say?

Hadley nervously pushed the covers from her body, until Maxx’s eyes followed the trail and took in every inch of her bare skin. She’d stripped naked for him, somehow knowing that this wouldn’t be like every other time.

Once she was fully exposed, Maxx kissed the inside of her knee and looked up to meet her gaze. Again, he nodded along to something she couldn’t hear and didn’t understand. Then he pushed himself up until their lips were just a breath away.

“I promise,” he whispered, his breath tickling her skin, “I’ll show you how much I’ve missed you. But tomorrow, when you wake up, I won’t be here,” he continued, sounding as sad as that revelation made her feel. “I had to get Dad to sign some papers, and I really shouldn’t be staying tonight, but...”

His voice trailed off and he raised one hand to cup her cheek, as his lips moved closer to hers. “I need you, Hadley. I need you so badly I can’t stay away...even when I know it’s good for me. That being here is a mistake,” he went on, having some deep and meaningful conversation that only he understood.

Why was coming home a mistake? Why was leaving good for him?

Hadley didn’t understand, but she knew enough to see that he was conflicted over something. So conflicted that he wasn’t making sense and his eyes couldn’t focus on one part of her; they flitted over her face and body, as though he couldn’t decide what to look at first.

Maxx kissed her and everything else faded away. Everything but the sadness in every inch of him. Everything but the tension and conflict in his muscles.

She held on tight and dragged him to bed, hoping that she could change his mind, even if only for tonight.