Page 57 of Dangerous Play

Thalia glanced behind me, catching Max’s eyes, like he was going to step in and defend her. She was delusional.

“You are crazy.” She shook her head, staring at me.

“Good, that means I will do it.” I grinned at her.

She stared at us for a long moment, before turning on her heels and leaving without any further comment.

“Can you really do that?” Max asked, stepping behind me once again.

Turning to face him, I arched a brow. “The words you are searching is thank you.”

“Oh, Blossom, I think you owe me a thank you as well for the painful beer pong match. Do you know how hard it was to miss on purpose?”

A laugh bubbled out of me as I watched his teasing half smile light up his face.

“Can we please get the hell away from here?”

“Yes, please,” he groaned, grabbing my hand again and lacing our fingers. “Look at the bright side.”

“What is the bright side?” I chuckled as we made our way through the house.

“We don’t have to do another couple’s costume. I think this party traumatized me enough to not go to the one tomorrow.”

Under normal circumstances, I would have pouted. I loved Halloween, but I agreed with him.

“We can have a movie night,” I offered innocently.

“Yes.” Max grinned. “I think it’s my turn to pick a movie, you can pick the snacks.”

I leaned on his shoulder and he wrapped his arms around me. It might have started out fake, but this genuine friendship we’ve built the past months was anything but fake. I loved him as a friend. And even as more, if my crazy hormones were anything to go by. My body was obsessed with him, and my mind and heart followed along.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

MAX

The morning runpushed me to my limits as sweat trailed down my back. Despite the chilly November morning, I was sweating like a pig which might have something to do with all the beer I consumed over the weekend. I fully blamed Ander for it, but it was my own selfless act that got me in this shit.

“Fuck me,” I muttered, resting my hands on my knees as I looked up at Ivy.

She grinned at me, like we hadn’t just run six miles. She was wearing a cute skirt and a long-sleeved shirt that fully molded on her body, and yeah… my three-day hangover wasn’t the only reason I was falling behind her in pace. Plus, she was crazy fast. Her endurance was impressive. No wonder Ander’s ego couldn’t take it.

“I would love to,” she teased me with a grin as she caught her breath and blew a loose piece of hair from her eyes. “You are being such a gentleman.”

“I’m going to die.”

“You’re being dramatic.”

“I’ll show you dramatic.” I bent down to throw her over my shoulder and sprinted toward the ocean. The sand made my steps unsteady, but I continued with determination until the sea licked my shoes.

Ivy squealed over my shoulder. “Do not drop me in! Maximilian! Don’t you dare!”

Smirking, I walked deeper into the ocean, the cold water freezing my burning and aching legs. “Maybe you should ask nicely.”

“Fuck off, I hate you! If you do it, I will never talk to you.”

“You and I are stuck together, Blossom.”

Ivy screamed, and her voice echoed off the emptiness around us. We were alone. I submerged both of us.

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