Dirty Maverick (The Maxwell Family) Page 22

  “You know it?”

  “Oh yeah, I definitely know it. But I’ve never been. It’s not the sort of place you just happen to stumble across on a Friday night. I’ve always wanted to go here, though. Everyone talks about this place. I’ve heard such good things. Thank goodness, I dressed up for this. I would’ve kicked myself if I had changed back into my jeans.”

  “Oh, but we’re not going there. We’re going to a place down the road. Ah, this is embarrassing. The sign is so big. I should’ve realized you would assume it was here. Ah no, the place we are going to is just a small Italian restaurant, but nothing fancy.”

  “Max, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin the evening. I’m completely happy with a small Italian restaurant. It sounds fantastic. Please don’t feel bad.”

  “I don’t. I’m just kidding. We’re going to Quatre.”

  Madison groaned and swatted me on the arm. “You’re so annoying.”

  “I am to please.”

  “No, you aim to tease. Also, by the way, you look incredible. I can’t wait to get that suit off you. You know, because I have no idea what sort of body is hiding underneath.”

  “Looks like we have an interesting night ahead,” I said.

  The restaurant was absolutely beautiful, just as I had hoped it would be. It dripped of elegance. I could imagine that a lot of proposals were done at a place like this. It was hard not to feel romantic inside. Low lighting, brick walls, and soft music filled the air around us. We made our way to the table, and the waiter immediately brought us a bottle of wine that I had ordered upon making the reservation. When the waiter left, Madison picked up the bottle and gasped.

  “No way; it’s my favorite wine. That’s so strange. What a weird coincidence. And it’s not exactly an easy wine to come by.”

  “Is it?” I said and raised my eyebrows.

  “Is it what?”

  “Is it a coincidence?” I said and grinned at her.

  “You did this?”

  “I did. But . . . it’s not quite what you think. They ask when you call in if there is a wine that you prefer, and I mentioned this one. They said they would see what they could do, but I honestly didn’t expect them to have it. I didn’t want to say anything in case they didn’t bring it out for you. Although I figured if they couldn’t find your wine that they would find something similar. How’s that for great service?”

  She beamed. “That’s amazing. I’ve never heard of a restaurant doing something like that. No wonder they’re so popular. It’s beautiful here, Max. I’ve seen some photos, but it really doesn’t do it any justice. You have to experience it for yourself. How did you get a reservation so easily? Isn’t it tough to get in?”

  I actually had no idea how I managed to get one either. I think that lady luck just happened to be on my side. Apparently, there was a cancellation the day I called in. I grinned at Madison. “I must simply be that popular.”

  “You must be,” she said and chuckled. “Well, here’s to a wonderful night. I’m so happy to be here. Better than spaghetti in a safe house, isn’t it?”

  I laughed. “That sounds like the name of a really interesting book. Spaghetti in a safe house. Definitely something I would read. But no, this isn’t better. This is amazing, obviously. But nothing beats that time with you in the safe house. I will never forget that time we shared, as strange as the whole thing really was. It didn’t feel strange, though. It felt so good to be there with you.”

  “Well, minus the threat of danger and it would’ve been perfect,” she said.

  “Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that. Like I said, it didn’t feel like we were in any danger. I just felt like I was on vacation with a very beautiful woman. I kept feeling lucky instead of scared.”

  “I felt the same way, Max. Like I was actually enjoying myself, which I knew I shouldn’t be. Isn’t it crazy to think how much we have been through together? It’s been such a rollercoaster ride of emotions. Don’t you sometimes feel like the past few months happened to someone else? My sister was saying to me the other day that she can’t believe how upbeat I’ve been considering I’ve had a gun pointed to my head twice. That’s when I realized I hadn’t actually thought about it much. It doesn’t really feel real, if that makes sense.”

  I’d thought the same thing myself. Like I should be in a much worst state them I have been. I had even been in a coma, and I was acting like everything was completely normal. No wonder everyone at work looked at me like I was an alien these days. I had just jumped straight back into my working career like nothing had happened. “I don’t even have nightmares anymore,” I said. “Although, I was thinking the other day though that maybe we should see a counselor.”

  “Really? I’m very surprised to hear you say that. You don’t seem like the counselor-going sort. Not that I know what sort that is, but it just doesn’t seem like you. You’re not exactly known for talking about your feelings, you know.”

  I laughed. “I’m not. But, maybe it will be good for us to talk about it. I don’t want to talk about it all the time, and I definitely don’t want to think about it. But if we talk about it with someone, we can choose just that hour to concentrate on it, and then we can move on.”

  “You know, that’s not a bad idea. I’ve never really thought about it like that. One hour of getting it all out a week. Yeah, I like that. We should do it. We’ve sure got some interesting stories to tell the counselor, that’s for sure.”

  “Hey, maybe we should go together?” I suggested.

  She laughed. “Wow, we’ve already moved on to couples counseling. That was quick.”

  “What a weird relationship we have.”

  “We’re in a relationship?” she asked with surprise.

  I chuckled. “I thought we were.”

  “We’ve never really talked about it, though. We really do need counseling. We’re terrible at talking about things that matter. So, you’re my boyfriend?”

  I smiled. “Hey, that has a nice ring to it. Yeah, I am definitely your boyfriend. Do you think we should let everyone at work know?” The thought of calling a meeting for something like this made me cringe in embarrassment. I could imagine how much everyone would tease us.

  “Oh, I think they have pretty much all figured it out. I think we’re very obvious,” she said. “I think they are more surprised that we took so long to get together. They probably think we were doing it all along.”

  I smiled. “That’s true. I never thought about that. This is nice, Madi. You and me. Finally admitting to liking each other. You do realize that we could’ve been doing this a long time ago.”

  “Oh, I realize. What idiots we are. Such a waste of time.”

  “Nah, I still had a ball with you over the years.”

  “Yeah, but imagine the amount of sex we could’ve been having all this time,” she said and grinned at me. A man at a table next to us turned his head towards us, and we both started laughing.

  “True,” I said. “But now think of all the sex we have to do to make up for it.”

  “Ah, smart thinking.”

  “Well, what can I say, Madi? I’m not all brawn, you know. There’s a lot more to me than just my handsome good looks.”

  “Like your ego?” She teased.

  The rest of the dinner was wonderful. Each course was presented to us perfectly, like artwork on a plate. It was hard to imagine that anyone could come up with something quite so exquisite in the kitchen. And each one came with a different wine to pair it with. The food was just as delicious as everyone said it would be, and the atmosphere, service, and company were even better. It was an expensive restaurant for a reason, and one that I definitely saw myself coming back to. But it was a place I would only want to go back to with Madison. It was just too romantic to go with anyone else. I looked around the room and saw that I wasn’t the only one feeling that way. All the couples seemed to be looking lovingly into each other’s eyes. This was a place that could make you forget about any argument you might hav
e had before.

  “I’ve had the best time, you know,” Madison said. “And I’m so full. The food was amazing.”

  “It was no pastrami sandwich, though,” I said and grinned.

  “Do you ever think about that café? Going back, I mean.”

  I’d thought about it often. I nodded. “Yeah. Part of me is dying to go back. They had the best food ever and the most amazing coffee in the world. But . . . the memories there are both good and bad. Part of me feels really ill at the thought of going back there.”

  “We should go,” she said. “We were in such a good mood that day. Things between us were going well, we couldn’t get enough of each other, and you got your incredible pastrami sandwich. And like you said, the coffee was out of this world. And the poor waitress. I feel like we need to go back and tell her that everything is fine now. I hope she isn’t having nightmares about what happened. Also, it’s the place where we finally captured the boss. So, when you look at it that way, it really has good memories and not bad.”

  I grinned at her. “You’re just saying that because you want that coffee again, aren’t you?”

  “You better believe it.”

  “Let’s go tomorrow,” I said. “I mean, you might as well just sleep over then. No point in going home and me having to come all the way to get you. Sleep over and I’ll take you for coffee in the morning.”

  “I like the way you think.”

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Madison

  I was happy that I had worn my new black dress. It was good to see the look on his face when he saw me in it. I could also tell that he was undressing with me his eyes all night. We got home, and I almost expected him to throw me against the door again. But he didn’t. He was unusually quiet. We walked inside and made our way to the bedroom without saying anything. I was just about to ask him if anything was wrong when he spoke.

  “I love you, Madi.”

  The words took me completely by surprise. It was the first time that he had said those words to me. I knew he liked me. But love? I looked at him, his kind eyes, his messy hair, his strong body. It was strange to think that not long ago he was fighting for his life in the hospital. Max had always been the strong one in the team, even though I would never admit that to him. I liked that I could always depend on him no matter what happened. The idea that he could so easily be taken away from me was almost too much to think about.

  “I love you too, Max.”

  “Max and Madi,” he said.

  “Madi and Max,” I replied and we both chuckled.

  He walked up to me and hooked a strand of hair behind my ears, then he put his hand behind my head and pulled me towards him. The kiss was slow and meaningful. It was as if just saying the words ‘I love you’ had changed the way we were with one another. I was in love with this man, and I’d been too afraid to admit it even to myself.

  “You’re beautiful, Madison.”

  “That’s just because I’m in a fancy dress,” I said.

  He shook his head. “No. You’re beautiful with or without the dress. In fact, I’m ready for that dress to come off now. It’s been on too long already.”

  I turned around and moved my hair off my shoulder. Max reached for the zipper and slowly pulled it down. The dress fell to the floor. He kissed my neck and unclasped my bra. Then he pulled my panties down too. I was now fully naked and still facing away from him. His hands were all over me; he reached around to touch my breasts, then he trailed his hands down my stomach and between my legs. His breath was hot on my neck. I turned around and undressed him, moving slowly through his jacket, tie, and shirt until finally working on his pants. I smiled when I saw how ready he was for me.

  “Keep the shoes on,” he said.

  I picked up the tie and put it around his neck. “Keep the tie on.”

  With the heels on, I was exactly the same height as him, but it didn’t take long for us to fall into bed together. Somehow, my heels stayed on. I kept looking at Max, amazed that a man as beautiful as him had just told me he loved me. I didn’t believe that love was something you said easily to someone. I thought of my sister and how Dalton had said it in conversation. But that was different because he had meant it. Her last boyfriend had said it too, but it had been obvious that it was just a word to him. Just something that you said to girls that you wanted to get into bed. I had a strong feeling that Max didn’t give out that word too easily. I knew that when he said it to me, he meant it.

  Sex with Max had always been incredible. He was an attentive lover, and he spent a lot of time thinking about my needs and not just his. I liked that about him. He made me feel special. Sex had also been exciting and different, with the two of us not always even making it into the bedroom on time. But tonight, it felt like something else. I wasn’t sure if it was because he had told me that he loved me, but something about the sex had changed. It felt like it had more meaning. There was the accustomed passion, but also a greater depth of significance, and a sweet need to be together.

  Max was on top of me now, smiling down at me. He chuckled when he looked down and saw that I still had my shoes on. I wrapped my feet around him, and he pulled my legs up higher so that he could get even deeper inside me. He pushed slowly, and I moaned. I pressed my hips back up against him, and he sighed. He leaned down and kissed me with so much desire that I felt my entire body give in to the moment. I closed my eyes, bit my lip, and allowed myself to let go. And when he came, it was long and beautiful.

  He didn’t pull off me right away. Instead, he looked at me and kissed me gently on the mouth. He smiled at me and told me that he didn’t want to come out of me.

  “We’re just going to have to do that again,” I said and smiled at him.

  “We’re going to have to,” he said.

  He climbed off, and we pulled the duvet high up to our necks, and I snuggled into him.

  “I love you, Max Aarons,” I said.

  “I love you Microwave Madison.”

  I giggled. “So, we love each other, huh? I wonder how long we’ve both felt that way?”

  “I get the impression I’ve been in love with you for a very long time. I’ve just been too much of an idiot to admit it to you . . . or to myself.”

  “I’ve been just as much of an idiot. So, does that mean we’re not idiots anymore?”

  He laughed. “We’re idiot-free.”

  “Max, what’s going to happen at work? I mean, we’re partners again. We are going to see each other all the time.”

  “So, what?”

  “Well, I just don’t want this relationship to hurt us at work. We’ve got something special going there.”

  “And we have something special going here too. Madi, all that’s going to happen is that I’m going to want to keep you safe. Which means I’ll probably do my job even better than before. The chief will be happy, we’ll be happy, and everyone will win.”

  I chuckled. “I like the sound of that. So, let’s get some sleep because I am dying for a good cup of coffee.”

  “Coffee?”

  I poked him in the ribs. “You know I only came back with you tonight so that you would take me for good Italian coffee in the morning.”

  “I feel so used.”

  “Don’t lie. You want it too.”

  “I do. Pastrami sandwich for breakfast?”

  “It’s an hour away!”

  “Yeah? So?”

  “Why the hell not? Goodnight, Max. I love you,” I said. I wasn’t sure I’d ever get sick of saying those words to him.

  “Goodnight, Madi. I love you, too.”

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Two months later

  Max

  As I had suspected, working with Madison while being in a relationship with her had only strengthened the way we were as a team. We decided to tell everyone at work during one of our big conference meetings, and everyone had laughed and said that they had assumed we’d been together from the start.

  “I thought that figh
t you guys had was due to some personal tiff that you had,” someone said.

  Thomas, who’d become pretty close to us over the past few months, had come up to me to tell me that he knew that Madison and I weren’t a couple before. Instead, he had wondered why we weren’t.

  “The team was divided between those that thought the two of you were together but just hiding it from us at work, and those that thought you weren’t together because you refused to admit that you liked each other.”

  “I had no idea that people were talking about us so much behind our backs like that.”

  Thomas had laughed. “Are you kidding me? Madison and Max! The two of you have always been the best partners here. We’ve all been itching for you to get together.”

  Now, two months later, we were on our way to the police officers’ ball that was held once a year. I usually dreaded it, but now that I was going with Madison, I was actually looking forward to it. Two years ago, I had brought a girl that I had just started dating, and the whole thing had been incredibly awkward. She’d seemed nice at the time, but at the ball she had turned into someone completely different, flirting with all my coworkers and making a complete fool of me. The next year I had gone alone, and that had been just as bad. This year, I would be going with my girlfriend and my partner, and it was nice to know that we would be in on it together.

  I made my way to Madison’s house to get her and smiled when she opened the door. She was wearing a beautiful green dress that made her look like a goddess. The dress flowed around her ankles in a way that was both sexy and breathtaking all at once.

  “Wow.”

  She smiled. “Is it okay?”

  “Madi, you’re beautiful.”

  She blushed. “I bought this dress the same day that I bought that black one that I wore to Quatre. My sister made me get them both. I have been keeping this one for a special occasion, and I figured tonight would be the perfect night for it.”

  “You do realize that all the guys from the office are going to go crazy when they see you like this? I think some of them forget that you’re a girl sometimes.”