“That’s my girl,” she shouted with glee then she turned to Max who sat back in his chair, an amused look on his face. “Girls rule,” she yelled and pumped her fist in the air.
“Yeah, we know,” he said and this time he was laughing outright. “Now sit back down for a sec. You’ve trampled my foot enough for one morning.”
“Sorry.” Silken gave him a rueful grin and plopped back down beside him. And as the races went on, she stayed still…for a while. And then she was up again, cheering for her girls because now it wasn’t just Danica, it was Chrissy and Amber and Jennifer. By the time she was done cheering she’d gone hoarse and had to swallow gulp after gulp of water just so she would be able to talk.
That day she feasted on hotdogs coated in ketchup, potato chips and soda pop. No healthy eating for her, not on a day when she felt so free, so alive and so…happy. Yes, she actually felt happy, cheering and laughing and just having a good time.
And it was all because of Max, this man sitting beside her, smiling at her so indulgently. He’d pretty much let her have her own way, hardly even complaining when, in her excitement, she smashed his toes.
And one time she even ended up on his lap. Even now, as she thought about it, she couldn’t help but laugh. She’d tripped and he’d caught her before she fell, pulling her into him, wrapping his protective arms around her. And it had felt so right.
Too soon she’d had to slide off his lap and take her seat by his side. But she wished she could do it, that lap thing, again.
That evening as they flew back to California Silken leaned back in her seat and sighed.
Max looked over at her. “You okay?” He rested his warm hand on top of hers.
“Perfect,” she whispered and gave him a smile of gratitude. He had no idea what he had done for her. How could he? It wasn’t even something she could explain.
But today with Max she’d begun to feel joy again and as he closed his eyes and settled back into his seat she watched him, the way his strong brows relaxed, his mouth softened and his breathing slowed to a soft, calm rhythm.
And she wished she had the courage to tell him…because how could she dare say the words?
Max, I think I’m falling in love with you.
CHAPTER TWELVE
The rest of July shot by like a bullet. Where was the time going? Maybe it was because things had got so busy at the shop or maybe it was because lately she’d been feeling on top of the world. Silken didn’t know which, but the days came and went so fast it made her head spin.
And maybe, just maybe, time seemed to have accelerated because she was having the time of her life…with a man who made her heart skip every time she thought of him.
Okay, so maybe it was a bit sudden, this falling in love bit, but since they’d gotten back from Daytona Max and she had spoken every day…every single day…and he’d been the one doing the calling, not her. And what normal girl wouldn’t be flattered by so much attention?
And they’d gone out, too, three times this month already, to the best restaurants in Cupertino, places she’d only heard of but never entered. Not because she couldn’t, of course, but because she’d never had occasion to…until now.
And tonight they would be spending time together again. Max had invited her to yet another restaurant but she’d suggested his house instead, as long as he promised to cook her dinner. She’d really enjoyed the meal he’d prepared last time she’d been there and although the restaurant cuisine had been exquisite, she was getting a bit tired of having to dress up every time she wanted to see him. At least at his house she could wear jeans or a summer dress. The high heels, she could do without.
And tonight, hopefully, he would kiss her again.
They’d kissed each time they’d gone out, but once it was in the car and then at the entrance to her apartment. The last time he’d come up in the elevator with her and kissed her in front of her door. But always, she’d felt his restraint, like he didn’t want to go too far with her, probably because they were kissing in public.
But tonight he would have no excuse because they would be all alone. Not that she was planning to seduce him or anything but she hoped he would make that move and kiss her till her world spun round and round. And there was nothing wrong with hoping, was there?
Silken smiled to herself. It was funny how, in the last few weeks, her behavior and her personality seemed to be undergoing all kind of changes.
She wasn’t quite so prickly, she was sure of it, and she’d even grown sort of slow, waiting for him to kiss her instead of demanding it, like the old Silken would have done. She must be getting old…
Silken got to Max’s house at six o’clock as planned, four packs of microwave popcorn in her handbag. They were going to do dinner and a movie and how could it feel like a movie without popcorn? Sans popcorn it would only be a television show.
And if she had her way they’d have dinner and two movies because he wanted to watch one of those Bourne Identity films – of which she hadn’t seen even one – and she wanted romantic comedy. Max had let her have her way on most things but on this he was adamant. No ‘chick flicks’ for him, he’d declared, as if there was something wrong with watching a nice love story. But she would have her way and she knew just the thing to make him yield.
In the end, she didn’t have to pull out the big guns. One kiss on the lips and he crumbled. If only everything could be so easy.
In the den Max settled himself on the sofa while Silken slid her disc into the Blu-ray player. Then she came over and sat on the other end of the sofa, lay down and put her head in his lap. It felt so natural, being there with him, and there was no place she would rather be.
As she lay there watching Cameron Diaz charm her on-screen love interest, Max stroked her hair and she almost purred, feeling like the world’s most pampered cat. She gave a soft sigh and stretched out on the couch then she settled back down to enjoy his caress.
Silken lay like that for several minutes, watching the movie but then not watching, so aware of Max’s hand on her hair and the warmth of his legs beneath her cheek that she was having a hard time following the love story.
And then when his hand slid lower she was lost. It wasn’t that he was doing anything blatantly seductive. All he’d done was slide his hand from her head down to her nape where his fingers kneaded gently then stroked and caressed, driving her to utter distraction.