Chapter 5 05

05

Max

“I'm downstairs.”

I must have stared at the screen for what felt like hours, though it had only been seconds. I gritted my teeth so hard that I heard that annoying, grinding sound in my jaw.

Why did he have to bring that girl here?

A sigh slipped out as my fingers danced over the keyboard. “Come over to my bedroom.”

Having sent the message, I tossed my phone onto the bed like a piece of trash. I gripped the waistband of my wet shorts, slid them down, and kicked them toward a corner of the room.

Everything annoyed the hell out of me. I ground my teeth again at the thought of what that loser could be doing, especially with Jenny.

Was he pinning her against a wall right now? What were they even doing?

“What was that?” I muttered. I swear I heard a strange noise through the wall. I leaned closer to the surface, the corner of my lips rising in a sneer.

The moment my ear touched the cold wall, my senses returned. Even if he were doing something stupid with her, what business was it of mine? Jenny was his girlfriend to begin with.

A groan slipped through my lips as a sound came through again. This time it was clearer: the sound of shoes pacing the floor and approaching my room. No wonder it had sounded like bodies slamming against the wall or whatever else I’d imagined.

Just as my eyes landed on the knob and watched it twist, I reached down to grab my discarded shorts. I needed to get decent, but the person who opened the door was already well-acquainted with my torso and everything else.

She stood at the door. My eyes skimmed from her long, fair legs up to her mini leather skirt and her tank top. I stood up straight, meeting her gaze as she batted her mascara-coated lashes at me.

“Paige,” I said, feigning surprise as if I hadn't texted her the second I walked out of the pool.

Paige took the hint. “What a pleasant surprise.” Her smile widened, and I forced myself to mimic it so it didn't look like I had just demanded her presence.

“Max,” she squealed under her breath with a tone of playful mockery. She strolled in like she owned the place, her eyes roaming over the room. “It's been a while.”

If she had hesitated at the door, I might have lost interest.

The weight of her purse hit the bed first, before she lowered herself onto the plush mattress and finally took me in. “Naked already? I see you couldn't wait.”

As if I’d stripped specifically for her. I looked into her brown eyes until she looked away, glancing toward the window. The sunlight illuminated her straight nose and the small, perfect lips beneath it.

Paige was undeniably attractive. She was exactly what I needed right now.

“Bet,” I chuckled.

Her eyes snapped back to mine. “What?”

I laughed with genuine amusement, not taking my eyes off hers. I watched as her lips parted. “Really, what? Are you in love with me now?” Based on her laugh, it sounded as ridiculous to her as it did to me.

With a glint in my eyes, I shook my head. “Maybe. Who knows?” I shrugged.

A blush crept over her face so fast I almost missed it. Masking it with a nervous giggle, she asked, “Then what?” She looked toward the ray of light coming through the window again. “Why are you staring at me like that?”

I hooked my fingers into the band of my boxers and tugged. “Like what?” I pulled the damp fabric over my hips, letting the fresh air hit my skin as I stepped out of them.

Paige’s eyes darted to my face before dropping down to my torso and my length. “What are you doing?” Her eyes widened, and she took a visible gulp of her saliva.

A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. “Stripping for Paige Robinson. Is that a bad thing?” I cocked my head to the side. “Wait, are you suddenly shy? Paige?”

“What?” She refused to look me in the eye.

“What's wrong?” Why was she suddenly so tense, acting as if I were a new package she hadn't opened before? This wasn't the first time she’d seen me like this.

She swallowed hard, the tiny veins in her neck appearing under the skin. She still wouldn't meet my eyes. “Is this all you think of me?” she asked, finally looking up. “Is this why you called me here? For sex, Max?”

The tone of her voice caught me off guard. I squinted at her, trying to read her expression. This wasn't the Paige I knew.

I took a breath and looked away from her face, my gaze dropping to her cleavage.

She let out a snort at my silence. I looked at her long legs, suddenly fearing she might actually get up and leave. “No,” I blurted out. “No, Paige. That isn't all I think of you. Sex isn't the only thing on my mind.”

The truth was, I needed her right now more than I ever had before.

She drummed her fingers lightly on her soft thighs. I wanted to feel them under my palm. Her eyes found mine, and I held her gaze immediately.

“Are you thirsty?” I asked.

Surprisingly, she nodded. I nodded back, feeling a strange surge of nerves. “I'll get you some water first,” I told her. I reached for the towel draped over the chaise lounge and wrapped it around my waist. After tightening the knot, I hurried toward the door.

I turned back to her one last time. “Just wait here, okay? I'll get you water.” She nodded softly, looking like a literal babe as I stepped out of the room. I started down the hallway, but my steps faltered when I heard Rowan’s high-pitched voice.

“It's not mine. Jenny’s not pregnant for me,” he said.

I would recognize that sound anywhere.

My brows knitted together out of habit, my feet rooting to the floor at his next words.

“She's pregnant for Max. We were just practicing how she’ll deliver the news to him.”

That little bastard!