She scowled back. “Do what? I was only defending-”
“I don’t need you fighting my battles for me,” he said, cutting her off. “I’m a grown man, Silken. I can speak for myself.”
“But-”
“No ‘buts’. Whatever your beef with Dundix, what you did inside there was uncalled for and it was rude.” He slapped his forehead with his palm. “God, where do you get off thinking you can do things like that?”
“I’m…sorry,” she said, looking half shocked, half confused at his reprimand. “It’s just that I know that man and he’s nothing but a low-down snake.”
“Yes, you’ve said that before,” he said, shaking his head. Then he gave her a heavy sigh. “I appreciate the warning but let me handle my own business, okay? All you succeeded in doing just now was embarrass yourself and Dundix and me. Happy?”
“I…I didn’t think…” Her eyes grew wide as she stared up at him and her brows lifted in a look of concern and regret.
“You’re damn right, you didn’t,” he said, his voice full of reproach. “If you had, I wouldn’t be in this predicament now. I practically had to throw myself out of their office.” Then he snorted. “And worst of all, it was goddamn humiliating having a woman come in to defend me. Where do you come off doing shit like that?”
Silken looked mortified, her eyes big as saucers as he spat the words out. “I’m sorry,” she said finally, her voice a pained whisper. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you. I just got carried away…”
She dropped her gaze and ducked her head like she was trying to hide her emotions. But too late. He’d seen the stricken look in her eyes, the shame in her face, and the remorse. And he’d seen the way her bottom lip – so soft and full and tempting – trembled in her contrition.
Feeling like he needed to comfort her, wanting so badly to soothe her, he reached out to stroke her lip with his thumb.
That seemed to have the desired effect because she grew still and lifted her eyes to his, and in them he could see the conflict – the uncertainty and the desire.
Max knew he was taking advantage of her moment of vulnerability but he had to taste those lips again. His hand slid down to cup her chin and he lowered his face to hers then he was pulling her close, so close that they were only a breath apart. Then he touched his lips to hers, gently at first, giving her time to relax and give in to his demand. As he felt her acquiescence his kiss became more insistent and he pressed her softness against him, molding her body into his.
God, she felt good…and tasted even better. Sliding his fingers into her hair he tilted her head so that he had full control and soon she was gasping in his arms.
She clung to him and when he lifted his head – eventually – she moaned, eyes closed tight, lips soft and slightly swollen from his kiss.
“Silken,” he whispered.
She blinked then, slowly, her deep brown eyes focused on his. “Yes?” she said softly.
“I think we’d better get out of this parking lot,” he said with a chuckle, “before they tell us to go get a room.” He lifted his eyes and threw a glance toward the side entrance where two people, probably staff members, had paused to stare at them still locked in each other’s arms.
To Max’s surprise Silken did not pull away. She’d seen the spectators but instead of breaking his hold, she lifted her face and gave him a peck on the cheek.
Confused, Max gave her a smiling frown. “What was that for?”
“Thank you,” she said, her dark eyes glinting with renewed impishness.
“For the kiss?” He lifted an eyebrow. He couldn’t remember ever being thanked for a kiss, at least not in words.
She shook her head. “For reining me in. Sometimes I can be such a hothead. I needed that.”
If her kiss had bewildered him then her admission surprised him even more. It took a special woman to admit…so willingly…that she’d been wrong – and he admired her for that.
He bent his head to give her a quick kiss on the forehead. “Come on,” he said with a smile that told her all was well. “Let’s go have some lunch."
CHAPTER SEVEN
“Get your little butt in there.” Silken gave her sister a shove toward her bedroom closet. “Pick out a nice little outfit and let’s get going.”
“I told you, I’m not going.” Suave planted her feet firmly on the carpeted floor and folded her arms. “This is your date, not mine.”
Silken let out her breath in an exasperated sigh. “For the eleventeenth time I told you, it’s not a date. Max is having his brothers over for dinner and he said it would be great if I could come and you, too.”
“Right.” Suave’s tone dripped with sarcasm. “He invited you and then you went and tacked me onto your invitation, didn’t you?”
Silken looked away then walked over to the closet and began rifling through Suave’s clothes.
“Didn’t you?”
God, why couldn’t Suave just let it go? “Well…not exactly.” Silken’s voice grew muffled when she stuck her head farther into the closet, hoping that Suave would just let it drop. But she knew Suave, and that wasn’t going to happen.
“So what exactly did you say?” There was that bulldog tone again. Once Suave had chomped down, she was going to thrash and wrestle until Silken gave in from sheer exhaustion.
Realizing she might as well come clean and save herself the inevitable fight, Silken withdrew from the closet and went over to the bed where she plopped down. “I said,” she bobbed her legs up and down, not looking at Suave, “I’ll come meet your brothers if my little sis can come, too.”
Suave gave her a look of horror. “You did not say that.” At Silken’s nod she began to sputter. “That sounds so…juvenile. What are we, in kindergarten?” She clenched and unclenched her fists then swung her arms, looking for all the world like she didn’t know what to do with herself. Then she shook her head and heaved the mightiest of sighs, like she’d finally realized the futility of trying to reform her sister.