Yes, it was time to be smart, sane and rational and get out of there before I let my mind wander to what I wanted to make of it.

I put the dishes in the dishwasher, wiped down the counters and grabbed my diet cola.

By the time I hit the alcove, Max was sitting at the roll top, the screen on the computer was lit.

“What do you want me to change it to?” I asked as he rose from the chair and held its back for me to sit in it so I did and he stood at my side.

“I’m thinkin’ shebitchfromhell666 might continue to be a reminder of Shauna,” Max muttered drily.

I pressed my lips together in order not to laugh and slid my eyes up to look at him.

Then I unpressed my lips and asked, “So what do you want?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It has to be something you can remember.”

“Nina, honestly, it doesn’t matter. It could be one, two, three, four.”

I shook my head in horror and advised, “It can’t be one, two, three, four. That’s way too easy to hack.”

“Considerin’ I check my e-mail about once every three months, dump most of it, check the weather every once in awhile and got nothin’ else on there, ain’t nothin’ to hack.”

I sighed and explained, “Yes but you rent this place and other people could use it, look up porn, maybe even icky stuff.”

He grinned. “Icky stuff?”

I ignored his grin and the way it communicated he thought I was adorable (and the way that made me feel) and continued, “Icky stuff, icky stuff that could get you into trouble. Don’t you watch television?”

“Not much.”

“Well, your every day pedophile probably wouldn’t hesitate renting a beautiful, A-Frame in the mountains and enjoying himself by accessing your one, two, three, four computer.”

“Jesus, darlin’.”

“Sick people are everywhere. Just watch Criminal Minds.”

“If that’s their subject matter, I’m thinkin’ I’ll avoid it.”

“It’s really good,” I told him, warming to my topic because I liked that show and therefore I idiotically lost myself and did not keep my mouth shut. “They have this really smart, genius guy who’s fascinating. And this really sharp, tough lady. And this hilarious computer mastermind who wears funky clothes and always has perfect lipstick. And they almost always get the bad guy.”

He was grinning down at me again when he muttered, “Sounds like I’m missin’ out.”

“It’s worth it just for Penelope Garcia’s lipstick and the stuff she wears in her hair, trust me,” I shared.

I stopped talking when I saw his eyes start glittering and his body start shaking and his face definitely said he thought I was adorable.

Instead, I looked at the computer and got down to business, clicking through the screens to take me to the window that changed the password and I asked, “What’s your favorite number?”

“Lucky number’s three.”

I pulled in breath through my nostrils. That was my favorite number.

And it was Charlie’s.

“Okay, then, something three…” I prompted.

“Make it up, Nina.”

“Give me something to go on.”

“Just make it up, I’ll write it down and hide it somewhere.”

I looked up at him. “Max –”

He cut me off and said, “Three duchess three.”

I wasn’t certain but I was pretty sure I felt the blood draining from my face.

I didn’t shift my eyes from the screen when I asked, “Sorry?”

“Three duchess three, I won’t forget that.”

“But –”

“Type it in, babe.”

“But, Max –”

“Type it in.”

I sat there paralyzed and when I didn’t move Max leaned into me, picking out the letters on the keyboard with one finger then again to confirm then his hand covered mine on the mouse and he clicked “OK”.

His hand still on mine on the mouse, he twisted his head to look at me and he said, “That should do it.”

“I have to go,” I blurted and watched his brows draw together.

“What?”

I slid my hand from under his, rolled the chair away as he straightened and I stood, repeating, “I’ve got to go.” I held out my hand, palm up and requested, “Can I have my car keys?”

His brows were still knitted when he asked, “Where you goin’?”

“To town.”

“To shop?”

“To check into the hotel.”

He took a step toward me murmuring, “Duchess.”

I took a step back.

He stopped, his brows snapped together again and his face grew dark.

“What the fuck?”

“Thanks for, you know, today and last night and everything but, I have to go.”

“Why?”

Why?

There were so many reasons we’d both be eighty if I took the time to enumerate them all.

“I just do.”

“Give me a reason.”

“Max –”

“One,” he demanded firmly.

“Okay,” I said to get it over with, “maybe I’ve got it wrong, what’s happening here, but if I don’t perhaps I should remind you, I’m wearing another man’s engagement ring.”

“You don’t gotta remind me, Duchess, you gotta remind you.”

Oh drat.

I was getting angry, I could feel it.

“I’m sorry?” I said quietly.

“No woman had my ring on her finger when I got into bed with you last night.”

“Yes, well,” I leaned toward him, “I’m glad you brought that up.”

“Because you’re pissed I did it?”

“Yes!”

“Then why’d you wake up at two and stay in bed with me until mornin’?”

I stared at him at a loss for words mainly because any explanation I could give him I was never going to give him. And I realized, belatedly, even if it was to give him something as important as a rock solid alibi when the police popped by to question him as a potential murder suspect, perhaps I shouldn’t have shared that tidbit.

Then I announced, “I’m leaving,” and I started to walk around him but he took a quick step to his left and caught me by the waist, pulling me in front of him. “Take your hands off me!” I snapped but his arms wrapped around me tight, bringing me up full frontal to his body.

“This is something we both wanna explore,” he declared, my eyes narrowed and I wedged my arms between us, my hands against his chest.

“This?”

“What we got, what’s happenin’ here, you and me.”

“It is not!”

“No?”

“No.”

He looked over my head and clipped out, “Christ, you’re full of shit.”

“I am not!”

He looked back at me, giving me a shake. “Oh yeah, Nina, you are.”

“You don’t even know me!”

“I know enough I wanna know more.”

“Well, you can’t know more. I’m leaving.”

“You’re stayin’.”

“You can’t keep me here.”

“I can.”

“That’s –”

“And you wanna stay.”

I shook my head in disbelief and cried, “You’re infuriating!”

“And you love every fuckin’ second.”

My mouth made a “poof” noise at such a display of arrogance and I pushed against his chest. His hand slid up my spine, bringing me closer, pinning my hands between us as I watched his neck bend.

I had a feeling I knew where this was going.

“Max,” I warned, my body bracing.

“Quiet,” he ordered softly. “Got a point to make, honey.”

“Max!” I snapped.

“Let’s see how good this could be,” he muttered, his eyes on my mouth and I knew, I just knew, he was going to kiss me.

“Max, don’t you –”

But his fingers had sifted into my hair against my scalp cupping my head, holding me steady and his mouth came down on mine, cutting off my words.

And considering my mouth was open, he didn’t miss the opportunity to slide his tongue inside.

My body froze when his tongue touched mine.

Then my hands curled into his shirt and my body melted.

His tongue felt good, it tasted good, it was all just good. Not just good. It was better than good. I missed this, I loved kissing and, Lord, did I miss it.

My eyes drifted closed, my head tilted and that was it, I was lost.

And then Max really kissed me and I became so lost, I never wanted to be found.

It wasn’t good.

It was astounding. He was just as amazing a kisser as he looked amazing, maybe more, and that was saying something.

My toes curled in my boots, my hands glided up his chest to wrap my arms around his neck, my body pressed the length of his and my stomach did a somersault before it plummeted in a delicious way. I felt a tingle between my legs that was more than delicious, it was luscious and, given all of that, I had no choice but to open myself up to him.

And I did.

When I did, Max took and he took and he took. And I gave and I didn’t care if he drained me dry, in fact, I wanted him to.

His mouth broke from mine, his head came up, my fingers which were in his hair put on pressure and he whispered, his gravelly voice actually hoarse, “Jesus, honey.”

“More,” I breathed, not even opening my eyes and his mouth came back to mine, he gave me what I wanted and I loved every bleeding second.

Somewhere in the back of my head, I realized he was moving, taking me with him, shuffling us what I understood was toward the couch and I was happy to be going there, couldn’t wait to get there, couldn’t wait to explore Max more and let him explore me, when the phone rang.

On the second ring, Max’s head came up and he stopped our movement.

“Don’t.” It sounded like a plea and it was coming from my mouth

“I’ve gotta, Duchess.” His voice was still rough and he sounded like he didn’t want to but when his arm left my waist and his palm touched my cheek, I opened my eyes and saw in his face that I was right, he didn’t want to but he had to. “Don’t lose that look,” he ordered, bent forward, kissed my forehead then let me go and with long strides, walked to the phone on top of the roll top.

I watched him go and listened to him answer with a, “Yeah?”

I shook my head trying to clear it but I could still feel his arms around me; his lips on mine; his tongue in my mouth; his soft, thick hair under my hands; his hard body against mine and I wanted it back. I couldn’t shake off that feeling of want even though I tried. It was like it was born in me, natural, everything I was or everything I was meant to be and there was no way to get rid of it.

“Now?” Max asked, sounding incredulous and a bit annoyed but also sounding like he was trying to hide both. “Okay, yeah, calm down. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.” I stared at him as his eyes sliced to me, his face wasn’t soft with desire like it had been five seconds ago, it was tight and impatient. “Yeah, I said I’d take care of this, I’ll take care of it.” Another pause and he didn’t unlock his eyes from mine before he said softly, “Don’t worry, I’ll be there. Fifteen.”

Then he hit the button for off, it beeped and I felt my body twitch at the sound. Sanity was returning but Max was right in front of me, impeding its progress.

“I gotta go.”

I just nodded.

“I don’t know when I’ll be back.”

I nodded again.

“Duchess, you with me?”

“Yes,” I whispered.

“I’m takin’ your car keys with me,” he announced.

“Okay,” I replied instantly.

His hands came to either side of my head and he tipped it back as he got closer. I saw his face was back to soft and he looked almost relieved.

“I made my point, didn’t I?”

Oh, he made his point.

“Yes,” I whispered again.

“We’ll finish when I get home.”

I didn’t answer. I didn’t know what he meant, finish talking or finish making our way to the couch so I could act like an even bigger idiot and behave like a screaming bitch besides.

“Nina?”

“It sounds like something important.”

“It is or there’s no fuckin’ way I’d go.” His hands at my head brought me closer and he finished, “I’ll explain later.”

“You better get going,” I told him.

I felt one of his hands come down to my neck then his thumb slid along my jaw.

“Be good,” he whispered.

“I’ll try,” I whispered back, his eyes moved over my face then he bent his neck, touched his mouth to mine, giving me an exquisite, sweet, light kiss that was much like his forehead kiss except a whole lot better and let me go.

I watched him go to the closet, he disappeared behind the door, came out, shrugging on a canvas coat, his eyes came to me and he ordered, “Stay awake.”