It became obvious an hour later that Paul was definitely a lot more optimistic about where this night was going than I was. He wouldn't be spending fifteen minutes outside the bar trying to talk me into going to his place if he thought he had no chance.

It was somewhat my fault.

I flirted up a storm with him after leaving Max when most of the time, I was pretty straightforward with a guy about not being interested.

Now I had to let him down and I didn't know a nice, easy way to do it.

"Aiko. You coming or what?" Teesha asked as a cab pulled up in front of her and what was left of Paige's friends. They were going to make one more stop at another bar before calling it a night—or morning since it was almost three a.m.

"Yes. Just give me a sec," I said, knowing it was going to take them a few minutes to decide which bar to go to. I turned to Paul with a sheepish smile. "Listen. I had a good time hanging out—"

My words were cut off when a car neatly whipped into the spot next to us by the curb, its powerful engine humming.

The window rolled down and Max's blond head poked out. "Get in. I'll take you home."

My brow rose at the innuendo but Paul intervened in a nervous stammer. "D-do you know him?"

I smiled at Paul. "He's obsessed with me. Stalks me everywhere. Wants to marry me and have a dozen babies."

Paul's eyes widened and Max just snorted. "She's talking about how she is with me, man. Trust me, you're not up for that kind of baggage."

I snorted. "And you are?"

He grinned crookedly. "I'm the only one who can manage you and you know it."

God. Will this man ever make up his mind?

Unprepared for another round of games when I knew I wasn't going to end up with the one thing I wanted, I shook my head. "Sorry. I don't get into cars with drunk drivers."

"Perfect because I haven't had a drink all night," Max answered easily.

I blinked. And blinked again.

Because he was right.

At least from what I'd seen of him all night—which was most of his entire stay in the bar because I really was a bit stalkerish like that and couldn't stop watching—I hadn't seen him tip back a beer or his usual glass of hard liquor.

Well. That was a bit of a surprise.

I glanced back at Paul and realized he'd already stepped back as if it was a foregone conclusion that of course, I was going to go with Max.

That made my decision for me.

I wasn't going to waste time with someone who couldn't even man up to another guy for me. Not that I was inclined, with or without Max in the picture.

"It was nice to meet you, Paul. Good night," I said with a polite smile before turning to Max with a held-up finger. "Stay right there."

I headed over to Teesha and quietly murmured that I was going to split. Since they'd been busy chatting and laughing a little drunkenly while waiting for a cab, they probably hadn't noticed my little interaction with Max who was still mostly concealed within his car. She thought I was still debating going with Paul which she confirmed when she giggled and offered me some advice.

"That boy's cute but a little shy," she told me. "So don't hesitate about taking initiative, if you know what I'm saying."

I couldn't help but smile when I silently reflected on the irony of her advice. I was definitely taking initiative but the guy I was leaving with was no shy boy.

"I'll text Paige so she knows," I told her. "You guys enjoy yourselves."

Teesha gave me a little wiggle of her brows. "You too, girl!"

I just rolled my eyes and headed back over to Max's car. Paul had drifted out of my sight so there was nothing left for me to do but slide into the passenger seat of the sleek little sports car, the window rolling back up as soon as I shut the door.

"This feels like I'm in a space ship," I said as I took in the interior, fascinated by all the luxurious and high-tech finishes.

"How would you know? Have you ever been inside one?" Max smirked and leaned over me.

For a second, I thought he was going to pounce on me but he just reached around me to grab the seatbelt and strap it over me.

"I've seen enough documentaries and I have some imagination," I muttered, feeling a little silly in my demure dress inside such a small but masculine space. "But don't distract me. What do you want with me now?"

"I told you I was going to take you home," Max said easily as if he had no idea how confusing he was being. "I'm going to deposit you at your door and bid you goodnight."

"You can't because I'm banned from Paige's place tonight," I said with a sigh. "She's got her new boyfriend over and I think she plans to scream her lungs out until sunrise."

Max made a face. "I didn't need details for that."

I smiled. "Me neither so I'm not going to stay there tonight. Can you drive me to a nice, safe hotel somewhere in the city? Maybe somewhere close to where I live? I'll camp there for the night and just head back tomorrow."

"I'm not taking you to a hotel!"

I couldn't hide my amusement. "You don't have to make it sound like I invited you to tag along because I didn't. And I won't."

He glared at me. "It's not safe for you to stay in a hotel alone."

"Why not when I've stayed in hotels by myself before?" I asked. "I've traveled quite a bit between seeing my family and attending some business meetings. I usually traveled alone. I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself."

He looked mutinous. "I still don't like it."

Now I was irritated. "Let me remind you that I wasn't asking for your preference. If you don't want to drive me there, I'll get out and take a cab."

I didn't wait for him to answer because Max was turning out to be just as bull-headed as I was. I was trying to find the button to open my door when Max reached over to seize my hand and stay it.

"I'm not leaving you to prowl the streets by yourself in this ungodly hour," he said firmly. "You can stay with me."

I paused, wondering if there was an opportunity here or just one of Max's fickle tricks again. "What exactly does staying constitute?"

Max narrowed his eyes at me. "I'm not taking advantage of you, if that's what you're thinking."

I scoffed. "You have no idea what I'm thinking."

His expression changed into smug satisfaction. "You think that but you can't see your face right now. Your heavy-lidded eyes and flushed cheeks and the uneven rhythm of your breathing suggest a very obvious condition."

My cheeks grew even warmer but I didn't break away from his gaze. "I've never made secret of the fact that I'm very sexually attracted to you. But that's not the entirety of me, Max, as much as it can be for a few reckless moments when you let your own guard down and take what you want from me."

Max was the first to look away, groaning lowly and dragging a hand down his face. "I already know this is going to be huge mistake but I'm not changing my mind, Aiko. It's either home for you or my place."

Deciding to let him off for now, I smiled and turned back toward the road. "Your place then."

Max revved the engine to life and bolted out into traffic, sucking me back against my seat and taking my breath away for a second.

He gave me a cheeky smile. "Don't worry. I know how to drive this thing."

"I'm sure you steer it like any guy steers his dick," I muttered with a roll of my eyes. "Into dangerous places with great speed and reckless abandon."

Max choked on a laugh. "Aiko!"

I feigned a look of remorse. "Did I say a bad word? I'm not sorry though."

Max laughed and leaned back in his seat. "I don't think you're ever sorry for the outrageous things you say."

I smiled. "No. Never."

Max just kept smiling and before I knew it, I felt his large, warm hand settle over my bare knee like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Where do you actually live?" I asked when we started toward the outskirts of the city in the direction of sea.

"I'm surprised you don't know that about me," he mused. "I thought you'd have my Wikipedia page memorized by now."

"One, you don't have a Wikipedia page and two, there's plenty of information about you online but only within specific categories such as your daredevil antics and dating history. There's a mention here or there about events you attend and people you socialize with but not much more than that."

"I'm guessing that's probably because those are really about the only things most people are nosy about," he said. "As for where I live—well, I have a little beach house all to myself just by Granger Summit."

I assumed that 'a little beach house' was merely a euphemism because Granger Summit was not anyone's usual neighborhood. It was the highest point in all of Cobalt Bay, perched on a rocky cliff that overlooked the vast Pacific Ocean. I'd taken out Paige's car around town once and found myself in the area and I couldn't remember seeing any houses there. There was nowhere to really pull up and park for a little sightseeing so I just coasted along the scenic drive, enjoying the warm, salty air and the incredible view.

"Do I have to sign a log book?" I teased. "Will I recognize any of the other women on it or do they use an alias to protect their identities?"

Max rolled his eyes. "My home is off-limits to anyone outside of family and very close friends."

"And random people banned from coming home for the night?" I added because I didn't fall in either of the qualifying categories.

Max kept his focus on the road. "No. Just you."

Right.

I had no idea where this night was going to take us but it was definitely to unexpected terrain and I meant that literally when we crested over the summit and down toward a narrow sloped road that disappeared behind a small jungle of trees.

Only the car's headlights guided us along the winding road that eventually stopped at a massive black steel gate framed by even more trees. Max pressed something around his steering wheel and the panels of the gate slid into its own self-containing pocket, allowing us passage. There was more driveway after that, weaving around even more trees before finally reaching what looked like a giant metal box. The door slid up and Max drove in, pulling into one of the spots in what looked like a garage with a small fleet of vehicles of all kinds.

"I'm getting some James Bond vibes," I told Max as he went around to my door to help me out. "Can any of these cars make itself invisible?"

Max laughed and took my hand. "No. But Stellan's determined to build one that can."

Stellan...

Oh, right. Stellan. Max's friend and fellow Cobalt Bay Billionaire.

Don't blame me. It was difficult thinking of other men when this one was holding my hand and leading me up the slate steps that stopped at what looked like an elevator door.

It wasn't an elevator.

The door opened to a long foyer that led to a vast living space on a sunken level, the view of the ocean filling the entirety of one wall thanks to the floor-to-ceiling glass panes that lined it. There was a cozy sitting area with a stone fireplace on one side and an industrial kitchen on the other.

Without a word to Max, I wandered down the steps and straight to the view of the ocean, my hand pressing against the glass as if I could almost feel the moonlit water on my fingertips.

I looked down and sucked in a breath when I realized that we were practically hanging over the cove, a few marker lights illuminating the shore below us.

"At the lower level, there's an infinity pool and a hot tub," Max said as he came up from behind me. "Then below that, right along the shore, there's a little beach cabin where you can take a break from the sun. I can show you later if you'd like to see it."

"This place is unbelievable," I said with a reverent sigh, my body nearly shivering with sheer pleasure. "All this beauty and sunshine in the morning. The glow of the moon and the stars at night. The ferocity of summer storms rolling in. You can stay here forever and never run out of inspiration for anything."

I sighed even more deeply when I felt Max's arms circle around my waist from behind, pulling me back gently against him. "There's still a few hours before sunrise. The stars are still out and you can see so many of them from here. If you're really lucky, you might be able to see a falling star."

My heart squeezed with the imagery. "How about a meteor shower?"

He laughed. "I've only managed to catch one in the last five years. It was quite spectacular. Makes you realize that there's an entire universe out there you can't even begin to comprehend. Puts things in perspective."

"We're always smaller than the world we presume to dominate," I murmured, peering in the shadows to see the landscape outside. "Do you think we can sit outside and stargaze? Please?"

"Alright," Max said, nuzzling against my hair. "I'll make us some coffee and we can sit out on the deck. It's still warm but we'll bring a blanket."

I glanced at him over my shoulder. "Never in a million years would've I ever pegged you for being a starlit sky romantic."

"I'm not," he said with a soft smile. "But you are and I want you to have your moment."

Sure, he wasn't a romantic about the night sky. But his last statement made him a romantic about me and I wasn't sure if he realized how much more potent that confession was.

"Thank you," I said quietly. "I'm sure I'll never forget this for as long as I live."

Finally, he was able to lead me away from the view. He directed me to the bathroom when I wanted to wash my face and when I came back to the kitchen, he was already making something on the stove.

"I'm starving," he declared when I came over to look at what he was making. "So I hope you don't mind some scrambled eggs and bacon and toast. I only know how to make a basic breakfast."

I grinned. "Sounds good to me. I'll make the coffee if you'd just show me how to use your fancy espresso machine. I'll try not to break it."

In the next twenty minutes, we worked together to get breakfast ready. And just like we did that morning after we first met, we huddled by the eating bar and demolished our breakfast. We talked between bites, knees bumping, hands brushing past, eyes barely leaving each other. There was a new, strange thing happening but neither of us dared to say it out loud.

"I'll go refill our cups and you go get a nice big blanket," I told him after we cleared up in the kitchen. "The stars aren't going to wait for us forever."

At this point, I'd kicked off my sandals and my makeup was all gone. My hair was probably a mess too but I didn't care. I was too excited and too wired to worry about anything else.

I was holding two steaming mugs of coffee when Max returned with a hefty bundle in his arm. I followed him to a door down the hallway which walked out to a spacious balcony with glass railings that preserved the unobstructed view of the glorious ocean. In the shadows, only a few marker lights glowed, giving the space just enough soft light to make navigation easier while retaining an intimate, almost secretive atmosphere.

As I followed Max to a sprawling outdoor sectional under the shade of rock formation that seemed to curve around the side of the house, I wondered how many people have shared this with him. Specifically, how many women.

I wasn't usually petty like that but I couldn't help but be possessive of this moment. Of him.

I'd just set down our mugs on the side table when Max suddenly enveloped me with the thick, cashmere blanket he already had around himself and pulled me down to his side on the sectional. My legs remained bare and Max reached for the second blanket he'd brought and draped it over them, tucking the edges under my toes so no heat escaped.

"Warm enough?" he asked with a smile.

I grinned in contentment. "Sitting next to you is like sitting next to a radiator but the blankets do feel very nice. Thank you."

He didn't say anything, just huddled closer to me.

Sitting there under a blanket of glittering stars, sipping a cup of hot coffee and leaning back into the security of Max's arms felt like a perfect yet stolen moment that I feared I would never know again.

But it's mine for a little while.

It was some time before the spell of the shimmering night sky fully enveloped us and our random conversation fell into a hush.

All we could hear in that moment were our quiet breaths, the rush of the waves down by the shore and the comforting silence of peace.

People had prattled and prosed about experiences like this before and I never understood. I never knew of such a quiet, devastating force that inexplicably changed something in you. Something you never knew you wanted—needed—until you found yourself right in the moment.

I glanced up at Max and was surprised to find him gazing down at me. A ruggedly handsome face with stark rugged features. His eyes, normally fierce even in the shadows, had a tenderness in them I suspect didn't show often.

No words were said between us.

He simply angled his head down and touched his lips to mine so fleetingly before his cheek pressed against my forehead.

I closed my eyes, wondering why I suddenly felt like I was teetering over an edge in a moment when I was safely snuggled in Max's arms.

I didn't know but I didn't let it stop me.

It was several hours later when Max and I stirred. What was left of our coffee was cold in their mugs and the sun was high up in the sky. We were spared by the shade of what I now considered a mini-cave where we'd snuggled and fallen asleep shortly before sunrise.

"I'm going to make us something to eat," I murmured to Max as I rubbed the sleep off my eyes and tried to locate my sandals before remembering I'd left them by the foyer. I glanced at my watch and found it was quarter to eleven.

"Later," Max murmured, turning his head around on a cushion to face me. In our sleep, we'd slinked down the sectional and used the cushions for pillows, sharing the two blankets until it became too warm. I was a little stiff around my neck but the sectional had been mostly comfortable with its luxurious padding and soft linen covers.

He threw an arm over my lap as if to keep me in place. "Stay here."

I laughed. "I'd love to but I can't function without meals in regular intervals."

"I'm man-meat enough for you," he said without opening his eyes.

I laughed harder, reaching out to tuck a long strand of blond hair behind his ear. "Unfortunately, while man-meat can be orally enjoyed, it can't be ingested."

He cracked one eye open to look at me. "I'd like to see this oral enjoyment in action."

"I'm sure you would," I said with a light smack on his shoulder. "But let this be your first experience at not getting what you want."

He gave me a half-scowl, grumbling, "I don't always get what I want. You're proof of it."

"You made that call." I shrugged before slipping off the sectional. "Anyway, do I have free reign on your fridge and pantry?"

"Yes."

"Come find me in the kitchen then."

Max's kitchen was incredible from the vast kitchen island with a concrete countertop to the high-grade industrial appliances. I was surprised at the decent amount of staple items I found in his fridge and pantry because his image would have most people believe that he wouldn't bother with cooking at home. I was transferring our BLTs into plates when Max walked in, his hair messy and his clothes wrinkled from sleep.

"Do you want to stay for the day?" he asked after I handed him his plate. "It's going to be nice and sunny. A perfect afternoon at the beach."

I tried not to show my surprise at the extended welcome because while Max seemed to be led by an unusual instinct when it came to me, I didn't mind the direction it was going.

"I can't stay in this dress forever," I said, looking down at my own wrinkled outfit. "And I don't have my swimsuit with me."

He gave me a lopsided grin. "It can be a nude beach."

My cheeks burned. "Yeah. No."

He laughed and dialled on his cellphone. "Hey. I need a favor. I need a few things delivered to my place in half an hour. I'll text you the sizes."

After hanging up, he typed into his phone while eyeing me quizzically.

I rolled my eyes. "I can just tell you my size."

He smiled. "I like to guess based on visual evidence."

"I could've just picked up my stuff from Paige," I muttered.

"You're not going anywhere yet," he said before finally putting his phone away. "Besides, I needed to get you a wetsuit as well."

"A wetsuit?"

"Yes. For surfing."

"Um. I don't surf though."

"Do you know how to swim?"

"Yes."

"I'll teach you how to surf," Max reassured me as he took a big bite of his sandwich. "At the very least, I'll put you on the board and float you around the water like a baby."

I made a face at him. "Unlike you, I'm not at all athletic. And I don't want to accidentally kill myself by trying to be."

"You won't. I won't let you." He dragged himself off his stool and came over to me, his large hands resting on my shoulders. "You told me wanted to live a little, didn't you?"

I looked at him warily. "Exactly. Living being the operative word. I can't do that if I drown."

He smiled and pulled me a little closer to him. "I won't let you drown, I promise."

Oh, yeah? I already feel like I'm drowning right now and you're just making it worse.

But I didn't say any of that because I realized something.

Max needed something from me, whatever that was. Neither of us seemed to know.

And I needed something from him and we didn't know exactly what that was either.

So he had as much right to ask as I did.

And I had as much choice to give it to him as he did.

Someone needed to be the first.

It would have to be me.

***

So, what do you guys think?

I'm so excited for next week's chapter but I'm also glad to be seeing these small changes in Max and Aiko's relationship. I really like how chill Aiko is and how Max seems completely disarmed when it comes to her. 

P.S. I know there seems to be a lot of breakfasts in this story so far. It's the most important meal of the day, you know? LOL.

Please don't forget to vote and comment! I love reading every comment even though I don't have time to always reply back!

XOXO,

Ninya

♪♪♪ Chapter Soundtrack: Close by Nick Jonas featuring Tove Lo ♪♪♪

Oh damn, oh damn, oh damn
I'm so perplexed
With just one breath, I'm locked in
Oh damn, oh damn, oh damn
I'm so perplexed
On that, it's almost shocking
I know, I know you know you're scared
Your heart, your mind, your soul, your body
They won't, they won't, they won't be careful
But I guess that you don't know me

'Cause if I want you, and I want you, babe
Ain't going backwards, won't ask for space
'Cause space is just a word made up by someone who's afraid to get too

Close, oh
Oh, so close, oh
I want you close, ooh
'Cause space is just a word made up by someone who's afraid to get close, oh
Oh, so close, oh
I want you close, ooh
Oh, I want you close, and close ain't close enough, no