An Ounce of Hope (A Pound of Flesh #2)(57)

“Color me shocked as hell,” he muttered sarcastically, causing Grace to snort. She lifted her hand to shield her eyes from the glare off the water.

“My goodness it’s beautiful here.” She breathed in deeply. “I can see why you like it.”

Max peered over at her. Her eyes closed as she tilted her face up to the sun. She’d put her hair up into a messy bun that was unable to hold a handful of curling tendrils that hung from it. His eyes roamed over her shoulders and throat.

“Yeah,” Max murmured. “Beautiful.”

“Guys, come on!” Ruby yelled from behind them, making them both turn. “Get your bags and get changed. Dad’s gonna start the grill while we have a swim.”

“Best do as she says,” Grace said out of the corner of her mouth. “She can be scary.”

Max snickered and watched her bound back over to the deputy’s truck. Back at his uncle’s truck, Max yanked his own bag from its bed and slung it over his shoulder. “Which room am I in?”

Ruby paused and chewed on her lower lip. Max tilted his head. He knew that f*cking look from when they were kids. “What did you do?”

“Well,” she answered, elongating the vowel. “Buck’s friends won’t share a room, so we’re one short. You’ll be okay to share, right?”

He pulled his shades down his nose so he could glare at her better. “With whom?”

Ruby grinned. “Your buddy.”

Max’s brows snapped together in confusion. “My what?”

“Hey, Grace!” Ruby called out, the volume of her voice belying her tiny stature. “You don’t mind bunking in with Max, do you?”

Max turned to see Grace shake her head and quickly drop her eyes to the ground. Max spun back to his cousin, opening his mouth to unleash a barrage of what-the-f*ck?

Ruby held up a hand. “Oh, stop,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “You’re such a drama llama!”

“A drama llama?” Max spluttered incredulously. “Are you f*cking high?”

Ruby laughed and shook her head. “Look, it’s simple. Grace can either share with you or with Caleb.”

“Fuck that,” he hissed.

“As I thought,” she replied with a knowing smile. “So chill your bean, dude. It’s just a hot woman in your room, is all. Relax.” Ruby slapped his belly and hurried up to the house.

Max exhaled and stretched his neck, making it crack.

Well, this was sure to make shit interesting.

Max opened the bedroom door and threw his bag down at the foot of the bed. The huge bed. The only bed in the entire f*cking room. He put his hands on his hips while he watched Grace place her bag next to his. She pressed her lips together and pinched her shoulders, looking small and maddeningly nervous.

“Listen,” Max started with a wave of his hand toward the room. It was at the front of the house with picture-perfect views across the water and up the mountains, which could be accessed through French windows that opened onto a private balcony. “Don’t worry about all of this. I’ll get some blankets and sleep on the floor.”

“You will not!” Grace retorted firmly. “This is your break, too.” She cleared her throat and glanced at the bed, then back at Max. “I trust you. It’ll be fine.” She fingered the duvet cover. “Sort of like friends having a sleepover.”

Max stared at her for a moment before bursting out laughing. “Sure, a sleepover, but don’t for one minute think I’m having pillow fights with you in my underwear.”

She didn’t miss a beat. “Oh, my friends and I don’t bother wearing underwear during our pillow fights.”

Max’s crotch tightened at the same time the breath left his lungs. Holy f*ck. She blinked all innocent and shit, waiting for an answer. “Don’t tease,” he grumbled with a small smirk. “It’s not nice.”

She laughed and pulled a smaller bag from the depths of the larger. “Who’s teasing?” she asked as she walked into the bathroom.

Max rubbed his face. Fucking woman was gonna kill him. He followed her to the bathroom and leaned against the jamb. He watched her place all manner of lotions and potions onto the shelves and around the sink. It was no wonder her skin was as soft and unblemished as it was. Plus it always smelled incredible. His eyes lingered on the back of her thighs and over her ass. He really liked her ass. He wondered whether it was as soft as the rest of her.

“You okay?”

Max blinked, her voice coaxing him from his visual appraisal. She eyed him provocatively in the mirror.

“Yeah,” he answered, his voice rough.

“You know,” she said, turning slowly and leaning against the sink, “I like it when you look at me like that.”

Max swallowed. “Like what?”

“Like that.” She nodded toward him. “Like you want me.”

He took a step forward, propelled by her large eyes and the rise and fall of her chest. The bathroom filled quickly with heavy anticipation. “I do want you,” he answered because why the f*ck lie about it? He was aching to touch her, to feel her nipples against his tongue again.

“Good,” she replied, lifting her chin to look at him better. “I want you, too.”

Max’s cock hardened further. He reached out a finger and let the back of it trace the apple of her cheek. Her eyes fluttered closed at the same time her tongue wet her lips. She had a great mouth. Max had imagined many times what it would look like around him, sucking and kissing where he wanted her most.