“So,” Maxwell said, looking at her levelly. “I’ve got you all to myself tonight. What do you want to do, apart from the obvious?”
“The obvious? So you think I’m a sure thing?” Chloe teased.
“I’d bet my life on it,” Maxwell said, moving closer to her and running his fingers over her cheek. Chloe felt her body grow hot once more. Nothing to do with her run. Not at all.
“I…” Chloe began. “I’m still kind of sweaty after my run,” she admitted. “Maybe I should take a shower, before—”
“Excellent idea,” Maxwell said softly. “But the thing is, the plumbing in this place is a little tempestuous. I think you might need some help getting the water temperature just right.”
Chloe let out a breath. “You think you should join me, then?”
“For your safety and comfort, it would be the gentlemanly thing to do.”
“There’s a bathtub upstairs, right?” Chloe bit her lip. “I had this dream about you and a bathtub, when we first met.”
“How would you feel about a re-enactment?” Maxwell’s mouth was so close to her own, and Chloe felt wet heat surge between her thighs.
“That,” Chloe said. “Sounds like an excellent idea.”
“So, the bad news is, I have zero human food,” Maxwell said as Chloe snuggled into his chest after they had used absolutely all of the hot water. “I was going to get some in before you came over next, but you were an unexpected delight this evening.”
“That is bad news,” Chloe scrunched up her face. “I’m starving. And it’s your fault.”
“I accept full responsibility,” Maxwell told her. “But we can order in. Anything you want.”
“Pizza?” Chloe’s eyes lit up at the thought. “Maybe we can do pizza and a movie. You know, pretend to be disgustingly domestic for the night.”
“We could do that,” Maxwell said. “A quiet night in. I mean, I can’t do the pizza part, but the movie sounds good.”
“Really? Oh yeah, I guess pizza would be a bad idea because of the garlic thing.”
Maxwell laughed out loud. “That’s a bit of a myth, actually,” he said. “There was this one vampire hunter who wrote a lot about our kind. And the rogue vampire he was hunting – Brad the Bad, total bastard who fed from humans – was allergic to garlic. He was as a human, too; it just carried on when he turned. But the hunter thought it was a universal thing.”
“Oh, I’m kind of disappointed,” she said. “It was quite an image, hanging up strings of garlic to ward off the undead.”
“I’m sorry to disappoint you,” Maxwell chuckled. “But I can’t eat pizza, anyway. Can’t eat anything, really. My system just rejects it; it’s all very unpleasant. I’m pretty sure a vampire being force-fed pizza was the inspiration for that scene in The Exorcist.”
Chloe laughed again. “Okay, point taken,” she nodded. “No pizza for you.”
“But the movie part, I can do,” Maxwell said. “Did you know this place has a viewing room? What am I saying? Of course you do! You probably know the floorplan better than me.”
“Oh, the viewing room was one the key selling points on my flyer,” Chloe said.
“Then let’s do it,” Maxwell said. “You can pick the movie. I mean, I did make you watch Casino.”
“Well, if you’re sure…” Chloe bit her lip. She should go home. She had work to do. She had a dress to finish for the awards ceremony. But none of that seemed very important, not right now.
“Okay,” Chloe grinned. “You’re on.”
As the credits rolled, Maxwell stretched out his long arms. “You know, I had my doubts, but that was bloody brilliant. I want to go out and get myself a law degree and a tiny dog.”
Chloe laughed. “Legally Blonde was always my favourite as a little girl. I just…I liked how she made a new life for herself and didn’t do what people expected from her. She was successful on her own terms. And she looked good in pink while doing it.”
“It’s a cracker,” Maxwell said, chuckling. “I never would have thought I’d enjoy a movie like that.”
“Don’t tell me I’m teaching you how to have fun,” Chloe teased. “I know movies and quiet nights in don’t really compare to what you’re used to.”
Maxwell was silent for a moment. “It’s true I don’t have much practice with quiet nights in,” he said finally. “And I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed this in the past. But I am now. Maybe it’s the company.”
Chloe felt her chest fill with warmth. “I’m glad,” she said. “I should get going.”
“So soon?” Maxwell made a face. “I thought you’d stay over.”
“I have work tomorrow,” Chloe faltered. She didn’t want to leave. Not one bit. She wanted to stay. Maybe forever. “And I can’t take another sick day. I’ll jog back, I just need to get changed.”
“You can’t run back in the dark.” Maxwell insisted. “I’ll drive you.”
“I’ll be fine,” Chloe said, getting to her feet. “Really. Jesse gave me a charm of protection for when I’m out running and meeting new clients.”
“Didn’t stop you from getting cursed, did it?”
“No,” Chloe agreed. “But that was a fluke.”
“Let me drive you back, Chloe,” Maxwell looked pleading. “You don’t want me to worry, do you? Emmett wouldn’t have let Elle jog home alone.”
And how could Chloe say no to that face? And even if she could have, she definitely couldn’t have said no to a reference from her favourite movie.
“It is kind of cold,” she relented.
“And it might snow!” Maxwell got to his feet. “And you hate snow. We can’t risk you getting caught in the snow.”
“It’s not going to snow,” Chloe said, but she let him lead her towards the door anyway. “The sky’s wrong for snow.”
“Are you sure I can’t tempt you to stay?” Maxwell looked pleading, and Chloe was almost about to submit as he pressed his lips to her neck.
“You have no idea how much I want to,” she said. “Next time, okay?”
“There’s going to be a next time?” Maxwell gave her a crooked smile. “I’d like that.”
“Oh, there will be whole lot of next times,” Chloe said.
In truth, Chloe wanted a lifetime of next times with Maxwell. But she couldn’t tell him that. Not yet, anyway.