Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 130255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 651(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 651(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
The only leading he was doing was leading me to exhaustion.
“Oh, my God,” I whispered to myself, heading into the kitchen. It’d been a long time since I’d seen my brother drunk, and I’d forgotten just how insufferable he was.
I fetched him a glass of water and went upstairs to the room he’d chosen to stay in. He was already lying on the bed, and Max was closing the curtains. He turned when he saw me and pressed a finger to his lips in a ‘shh’ motion, nodding towards the bed.
Kevin was out of it.
He must have passed out the second his head hit the pillow.
I set the glass down on the bedside cabinet and pulled off his shoes. Together, me and Max were able to shimmy the duvet out from under him and tuck him in, and we left quietly, closing the door behind us.
I closed my eyes and sighed. “Thank you for that.”
Max chuckled, leading me downstairs. “We’ve all been there.”
“You don’t drink. At least not like that.”
“Not anymore, but I made some pretty bad choices at university. I rolled into bed in that state more than once.” He paused. “Actually, I think me and Fred usually just passed out in the living room.”
“He hasn’t done that in a long time. Either he got carried away, or this proposal thing is playing on him more than I thought.” I checked on Winston to make sure he was safely inside, which he was, then turned back to Max. “This might have been one of the weirdest nights I’ve ever had.”
His lips tugged to the side. “Now do you understand why I couldn’t explain it?”
“Yes, honestly. There’s not really any way to describe what’s happened tonight, but I fear I’m going to have to try in a future book.”
“Now that’s something I want to read.”
“Speaking of. I can’t believe you actually read my book.” I leant against the kitchen counter. “Like you read it, read it.”
Max raised his eyebrows. “Grandma had a point. Don’t tell her I said that, though.”
“I wouldn’t dare.” I smiled a little. “Did you enjoy it?”
“Your book?”
“No, our conversation.”
“Yes, I enjoyed it. As much as I don’t want to admit it.”
“Ooh, no, not the big bad grumpy duke enjoying a—gasp—girly romance novel.” I turned away with a roll of my eyes and grabbed a glass to fill it with water. The tap roared out as I put it on too strong and the water whirlpooled right out of the glass, so I turned it down, filled the glass and spun around.
To Max.
Right in front of me.
“Can I help you?” I asked, sipping my water.
“Yes.” He gripped the edge of the counter either side of me. “What are the chances that your brother is going to wake up from his drunken stupor?”
“Before ten a.m. tomorrow? Almost impossible.”
“Well, then.” He cupped my neck, lowering his mouth closer to mine. “We have unfinished business.”
“We do?”
Max took the glass and put it on the counter with his free hand, and I barely had time to breathe before he cradled my face and brought his lips against mine. His kiss was firm and forceful, and I squeaked in shock.
Ah.
That unfinished business.
I pulled back and looked at him, my breath catching. “Max. Are you sure?”
“Ellie.” He dipped his chin and kissed my jaw, trailing a path down my neck, and I tilted my head to the side. “I would have done this long before now if I could have.”
I swallowed as my stomach tightened. I couldn’t say if it was nerves or anticipation, but a shiver danced down my spine and shook my whole body. Max’s lips traced a line of slow, tantalising kisses across my neck and collarbone, and I could feel all the desire pool in the depths of my belly and between my legs.
He slid his hand around the back of my head and fisted my hair, tugging my head back. Every kiss set a tiny inferno of desire bolting through my body, and I reached out to grasp his shirt. Just when I thought he was going to kiss me properly, he pulled me away from the counter and towards the table in the middle of the room, pushing me against it until I was on my tiptoes and perching on the edge.
He dropped his hands and slid them up my legs, pushing my dress up until it was around my hips.
“Max, I—”
“Are you asking me to stop?”
I paused, then shook my head.
“Do you want me to carry on?”
I nodded.
“I need you to tell me, Ellie. With words.” His blue gaze bore into mine. “Do you want me to stop?”
“No.”
“Do you want me to continue?”
I inhaled sharply. “Yes.”
“Then shh.” He covered my mouth with his, kissing me deeply, and I melted against him, only pulling back when his thumb got closer to the apex of my thighs.