“In a way, yes. I think you’ll be pleased with my selections. Be right back.”

  I ran into the store and grabbed enough candy to feed a school bus of children. Max burst out laughing when I placed the two overflowing bags in her lap.

  “Why so much?” she asked as she peered inside them.

  “I wasn’t sure if you were feeling fruity or chocolate-y so I got both. In one bag you’ve got your Nerds, Sour Patch Kids, Starburst, and Jolly Ranchers, and the other is all chocolate. Snickers, Milky Way, Reese’s, Skor bars, stuff like that.”

  “Did you clean them out completely?” she asked, pulling out a giant lollypop.

  “Maybe, but it was worth it to make you smile.”

  She giggled as she dug through the bag, and once again I was reminded how easy it was to make Max happy. I wasn’t used to someone who was so … real. I’d gone out with women who refused to talk to me in the morning until they’d had a chance to put on their make-up, yet Max greeted the world with a bare face every day. She didn’t need fine dining or expensive clothes. Everything about her was straightforward, transparent, honest, and I was getting way too used to it.

  Once we were back at my place, we headed for my media room. “What do you want to watch?”

  “I think I’ve probably seen everything you have,” she said, plopping onto an oversized recliner. “I watch a lot of movies.”

  “Have you seen the latest George Clooney movie? The one where he’s a long-haul truck driver named Miles who has multiple personalities? I think it’s called Many Miles.”

  “A Million Miles.” She frowned at me. “That isn’t out yet.”

  “Ah, but I know people,” I said, pulling my phone from my pocket.

  “You know George Clooney?” she asked, awestruck.

  “Not yet. But I know the primary financial backer on the film. He’ll send me a screener if I ask. So do you want to watch it?”

  “I mean, yeah, I do.”

  “Done,” I replied as I typed out a quick message. Jay McGinnis had yachted with me a bunch of times and was more than happy to hook me up. Twenty minutes later, I turned the lights down and dropped into the chair next to Max.

  “What’s the candy of choice?” I asked.

  “Don’t judge. I haven’t had Nerds in years so I’m on my second box. They’re delicious.” She shrank down in her chair, sheepish.

  “And I’m having a chocolate craving, so hand over that Snickers bar,” I shot back, grinning at her.

  We watched the credits, and I noticed that Max was rubbing her calf. “What’s going on with your leg?”

  “Ugh, I’m sore. I had a session with the owner of a new shop and I was on my knees for hours, trying to frame the shots properly. My whole body hurts, but my legs especially are super tight from crouching.”

  “Gimme,” I said, holding out my hand.

  “Give you what?”

  “That leg,” I nodded toward it. “Let me massage it.”

  “Oh come on,” she scolded playfully. “If you want to get me in bed just say so.”

  But even though I hoped that was where the night would end up, in the short term I only wanted to ease her pain.

  “I do, oh I definitely do, but can I at least take a crack at it first?” I held my hand out and she dropped her shapely leg into it. I started rubbing her calf and she winced.

  “Are you that tender?”

  “A little.”

  “Hold on, I have an idea.”

  I jogged out of the media room and down the hall to my master bathroom. One of the resorts I frequently visited always left gift baskets full of products for me, and I knew at least one of them had massage oil in it. I picked through the vials and pots in my closet until I found it, along with a towel.

  “I tried to pause the movie, but I don’t know how to work your controller,” Max said, pointing at the screen as I walked in. “So far all you’ve missed is Miles driving down a lonesome highway, singing along to Willie Nelson.”

  I stared at the screen and realized I was much more interested in the beautiful woman in front of it. I got back into position next to her, and she draped her legs over the arm of the chair and into my lap.

  “Massage oil?” she asked as I unscrewed the cap. “This is going to get messy.”

  I pulled the towel off my shoulder and put it beneath her legs. “I planned ahead.”

  “You’re a full-service concierge,” she said, raising an eyebrow at me. “But is this a full service massage? The kind that comes with a happy ending?”

  I’d poured a little bit of oil and was warming it in my hands before I touched her skin. I didn’t answer, instead smoothing my oily palms along her calf.

  “You’ll find out,” I murmured as I worked my thumb against her tight muscle.

  Max writhed on the chair. “I can’t tell if that feels good or terrible.”

  “Should I stop?”

  “Don’t you dare.”

  I eased my fingertips up and down her leg and felt her start to relax beneath my touch. It was turning me on, but I refused to let it show.

  “Oh my God!” Max exclaimed, pointing at the screen. “Ugh, no thank you.”

  I looked up and saw a jump cut of a crying woman tied up in the back of the truck cab.

  “Oh, it’s that kind of movie?” I asked, scowling at the screen. “Not what I was expecting from George.”

  “Same. I hate scary movies.”

  “I’ll turn it off,” I said, using the back of my hand to click through the menu on my phone. I was surprised to learn that the tough girl had a weakness. “Let’s watch something else.”

  “Watch whatever you want, I’m just going to close my eyes and enjoy the massage,” Max sighed as I resumed my therapy.

  I managed to turn on music without getting my phone completely greasy. I refocused on my work, making Max melt into my hands.

  “Shoulders next,” I said. I moved back and slapped the cushion in front of me. “Right here.”

  Max eased down, letting her ass drag along my crotch like a stripper before she ended up settling in front of me with her back to me. As much as I wanted to tear off her clothes I refrained, because I could tell that even though she wanted me as well, it was clear that she also wanted a massage. Her tank top with thin straps gave me plenty of real estate to work on.

  As I dug into the knots along her shoulders her breathing slowed, and she let her head fall forward. It wasn’t just the strain from her work the day before; I’m sure the stress of dealing with her mom was contributing to her tightness. I tried to remember the techniques my massage therapist used on me.

  “This is exactly what I needed,” she whispered.

  I smiled and dragged my hands across her back. I wanted to make her feel good. I wanted to make her happy. Yeah, my dick was straining in my pants, but I was more concerned with easing her discomfort than prioritizing my own pleasure.

  I was so focused on working a knot in between her shoulder blades that I didn’t even notice she was leaning back slowly.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “You never answered my question about if this is a full-service massage,” her back was pressed against my chest, and she placed a little kiss on the side of my neck.

  “Ma’am, I’m not sure what you mean,” I huffed, pretending to be confused.

  “Sometimes women have … tension … that needs a special touch,” she whispered, low and sexy. “Do you understand what I mean?”

  “Like this?” I murmured, rubbing along her ribs and letting my hand slip ever so slightly to graze the side of her breast.

  Her body curled slightly at the ticklish touch. “That’s a start. What else have you got?”

  I moved closer and draped my arms over hers so that I could reach her legs. “How about this?”

  I started at her knees and inched my way higher, making little circular patterns as I got closer to the edge of her dress.

  “Feel good?” I rasped in her ear.

  “You’ve got the right idea,” she sighed as I let my hands trail toward the soft skin of her inner thighs.

  Max spread her legs a little farther and I teased her, letting my fingertips come within inches of her heat but moving away at the last moment before actually touching her where she wanted to be touched. She writhed against me then grabbed my hand and moved it directly on top of her underwear.

  “No more games,” she scolded. Her breath caught as I snuck my fingertip beneath silk and found the soft, wet center of her pleasure.

  Max arched back against me, and I swear every time her ass brushed on my crotch I felt like a high schooler in the back of a car. I was not going to let myself get off from dry humping, not when a little patience would mean I could bury myself in the beautiful woman I was currently making tremble.

  I could tell she was trying to wait, biting her lip and squeezing her eyes shut as I touched her.

  “Come for me,” I whispered, my lips pressed against her ear. “Right now, and then again and again once I get you in my bed.”

  It was as if she was waiting for me to give her permission to let go. She writhed against my hand as I trailed kisses along her neck. The second her cries faded, I picked her up and headed for my bedroom.

  “Ready for more?” I asked as I strode down the hallway with her clasped in my arms.

  Her answer was a searing kiss and a look that told me we were in for a long night.

  23

  THEO

  We’d said no complications, yet here I was, strolling through the farmer’s market holding Max’s hand, with my mother on one side of us, Renee on the other, and a surly, skateboard-toting Rafe bringing up the rear.

  My mom had suggested a family get-together the week prior, and I knew the minute it came out of her mouth that it was going to happen. I’d inherited my own persistence from the petite force of nature beside me. I could try to tell her that it wasn’t an option, but resistance was futile. What Elena wanted, Elena got.

  “Renee, have you heard of these candles?” she asked, reaching out to grab Renee’s hand. “They’re soy, made by a little brother-sister team. Come look.”

  Renee allowed herself to be dragged away, and Rafe drifted off to stare at his phone. I took advantage of the moment alone with Max to check in.

  “You okay?” I whispered to her. “Is this too much?”

  She watched our moms sniffing candles with a little smile on her face. “It’s a lot, but I sort of like it. I had a feeling they’d get along.”

  I pushed down the conflicted feelings rumbling inside of me. This merging of families stuff wasn’t at all normal for me. Sure, my mom occasionally met the women I was dating, but it was rare for her to spend this much time with them. I knew she’d pushed for it this time because she liked Max, and she wanted to get a read on her “people.” As much as I felt a little strange about the togetherness, I was happy to get to know a more relaxed, warm Renee. Rafe was as standoffish as ever, but at least I knew his bad attitude wasn’t reserved just for me.

  Max joined the moms, so I wandered over to where Rafe was perusing a stall.

  “Stickers, huh?” I asked him, looking down at the array of brightly colored options spread out on the table in front of him.

  He nodded. “I like this guy. He does street art.”

  The skinny, beanie-clad young guy behind the table gave us a nod. Rafe was right, the artist had talent. Most of his wares were small prints and stickers that sold cheaply, not more than twenty dollars, but he had two large paintings on easels next to him, realistic images of rabbits that had ribbons of a star-filled galaxy wrapped around them. They were incredible, thoughtful works that looked museum-worthy.

  “How much for the paintings?” I asked him.

  The artist seemed to steel himself to say the number. “They’re, uh, two thousand each.”

  “Dimensions?” I asked, squinting at them.

  “Thirty-six by forty.”

  “Are they signed?”

  The artist pointed to the lower right corner. “Real small. Right there. Horatio Suarez.”

  “Sold, Horatio,” I said, thrusting out my hand to him.

  Both he and Rafe stared at me with their mouths hanging open.

  “Bro … seriously?” Horatio asked.

  “Yeah, I like your style.” I glanced at Rafe and saw that he was laying out a dozen stickers in front of him, as if he was trying to pick between them. “And whatever stickers he wants. Get all of them, Rafe.”

  “No way.” Horatio laughed. “Is this a joke?”

  I shook my head. “Not at all. I think it’s important to support local artists. And I’ve got the perfect spot for them in my office.”

  “Can you, like, swing back later? I need to wrap them up for you.” Horatio was shaking his head in disbelief as I handed him my credit card.

  “You got it. Ready, Rafe?”

  He scooped up the stickers. “You mean it? All of them?”

  “Of course. I don’t think you’ve got enough room for them, though,” I pointed to his skateboard.

  “I’m only going to put this one on.” He held up a cat head with galaxies for eyes. “The rest will go in my box.”

  We started walking together, back to where the ladies were still inhaling candles. “Your box?”

  Rafe seemed to go bashful. “I have a hard time actually sticking them, so I keep them in a box. I just like to look at them.”

  I chuckled. “So you’ve got an eye for art as well, like your sister. I get it.”

  We paused at the edge of the candle stall as they made their purchases.

  “Thanks for these,” Rafe said, holding his pile up to me.

  “Glad you like them,” I said.

  Rafe shuffled his feet. “Listen, I need you to know something.”

  The tone in his voice made me turn to give him my complete focus. He was locked onto me, frowning, looking more like Max than I’d noticed before.

  “Sure, what’s up?”

  “Don’t hurt her,” Rafe said. He pointed a finger at me. “Okay?”

  He said it in a way that I imagined he considered menacing, but my heart fumbled at how the boy was practicing manhood. It was a movie version of intimidation, his take on protecting someone dear to him, and it was remarkably endearing. I liked him all the better for it.

  I was about to answer him but I paused, realizing I couldn’t make that promise. Max and I had an arrangement that had morphed from just business to whatever we were doing at the farmer’s market surrounded by family. We could try to deny it, but feelings were involved now.

  And feelings could lead to pain. I knew that all too well.

  “I’ll do my best, Rafe,” I finally answered. “Please understand that I’d never do anything to intentionally hurt your sister.”

  “Good,” he harumphed, looking down at this skateboard.

  Max strolled over and bumped her shoulder into his. “What’s going on over here? You two look so serious.”

  “Just talking sticker placement,” I said, nodding toward Rafe’s board.

  “Oh yeah? What’d you get?” she asked him.

  “Theo bought them for me,” he said, fanning out his new collection for Max to examine.

  She glanced at me and smiled. “That was nice. Thanks.”

  I winked at her.

  “Who’s hungry?” my mom shouted to us. “Crepes for lunch? There’s a great food truck down there.”

  “What’s a crepe?” Rafe asked.

  “Oh, child,” Elena said with a grin. “Let me educate you. C’mon.”

  She grabbed his hand, getting a loud laugh out of Renee as they barreled down the middle of the street.

  “You holding up okay?” I asked Max, taking her hand in mine.

  “Yeah. Total shocker. I thought double moms meant double trouble, but they’re like automatic besties.”

  “That’s my mom’s best trick. Even if people don’t like her, she levels up the charm until they relent.”

  “What’s not to like?” Max asked.

  I squinted at her. “Seriously? Have you met the woman? She’s a lot.”

  “A lot of fun, just like her son.” She squeezed my hand. “Thanks for being nice to Rafe. I know he’s a pill right now.”

  “He’s in a tough stage. I don’t blame him.”

  We walked along, dodging a bikini-clad woman handing out smoothie samples and a tarot card reader who called us “honeymooners.”

  “Your brother said something to me.” I glanced at Max out of the corner of my eye. “He told me not to hurt you.”

  She threw her head back and laughed. “Or else what? He’ll break your knees with his skateboard?”

  “Stop,” I scolded. “He’s looking out for you. That’s sweet.”

  “It is,” she nodded. “What did you say?”

  We walked a bit before I answered. “I said I wouldn’t do anything to intentionally hurt you.”

  Max laughed again. “Well that’s … carefully worded. Almost worthy of a politician. Leaving some margin for error with that wording, huh?”

  “It’s the truth, right? We mapped everything out to avoid exactly that.”

  Her hand loosened a little in mine. “I guess we did.”

  We wound up at the crepe truck, where the line wrapped around the vehicle and down the sidewalk. We joined Renee, Rafe, and my mom.

  “Insane,” I said, pointing at the line. “Are they that good?”

  “Oh yes,” my mom said. “I sold them on crepes, so we’re waiting no matter how long it takes.”

  “I’m excited to try them,” Renee added. “So is Rafie.”

  “Mom,” he protested when she wrapped her arm around his shoulder.

  “Well, I’m too hungry to wait. Gourmet tater tots it is,” Max said, dragging me to a truck down the lane.

  We got in line and I noticed that Max seemed less chatty, opting to people watch.

  “You still okay?” I asked as we edged closer to the order window.

  “Just thinking,” she shrugged. “About what Rafe said to you.”

  “And?”

  She pointed to where they were all waiting in line. “I’m starting to think that this was a mistake, letting them all meet and hang out. They think we’re in a real relationship, and they’re going to get invested in us, and each other. Meanwhile we know we have an expiration date. It’s weird, Theo.”