Page 24 of A Little Harmless Pleasure

Cynthia stifled a sigh and shifted her weight against the padded seat. Her butt was still stinging from the tattoo. Max had been in a mood since he found out where Cynthia and Anna had spent their afternoon.

“Cynthia is her own woman, Max.” Anna showed no reaction to his threatening tone as she sipped her sweet tea. Even after all the time she spent in their company, Cynthia was still amazed at how easily Anna dealt with Max.

When she noticed Max’s face turning red, she decided to step in. “It was my decision.”

He grunted. “Anna can be very persuasive.”

“Actually, Maxwell, we got off cheap. I offered Cynthia a round-trip ticket to Hawaii.”

Before Max could form a retort, the waitress showed back up to take their food orders. Once they were alone, he started in on them again. “It isn’t as if Cynthia came up with the tattoo idea on her own. You can be a bad influence.”

They continued to bicker. Cynthia watched them from across the table as a whisper of annoyance slipped down her spine. They were discussing her as if she weren’t there and had no say-so in her actions. It was just too much for someone trying her best to break free.

She cleared her throat and was ignored. The rebellious anger that had been boiling beneath her skin since she’d dumped Max bubbled over. Deciding she had heard more than enough, she interrupted them with one comment. “I’ve decided to go to Hawaii for a few months.”

Both Anna and Max stopped their argument and turned to stare at her. Truthfully, Cynthia had doubts about her decision. It wasn’t like her to make so many life-altering decisions in one day. First, she got her butt tattooed and now she was moving thousands of miles away. She might have lost her mind, but damn it felt good.

Max was the first one to gain his footing. “Months? How long?”

She shrugged. The idea of moving there permanently scared her. At the same time, she felt a thrum of excitement she hadn’t felt in quite some time.

“You can’t just pick up and move.” Max’s tone told her that he had made the decision and it would be followed.

“Actually,” she said with a defiant smile, “I can.”

Anna coughed, drawing Cynthia’s attention. A gleam of amusement twinkled in her eyes.

“She’s got you there, Max.” Anna cocked her head to one side. “What are you planning on doing when you get there…or should I ask who?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Why would you want to go there?” Max asked.

“Again, I’m not really sure. I just know that those were some of the happiest times of my life. My grandmother loved it there, and since the house is free, I figured a few months there to plan out what I want to do with the rest of my life would be good.”

Max’s frown returned. “I don’t like it.”

“Really? I wouldn’t have guessed. What I don’t understand is why you think it’s your business.”

That question caught him off guard because, for the first time in all the years she had known him, Max seemed to be at a loss for words.

“I’ve been thinking about this since last week. I want to go, it’s my choice to go, and for once in my life, I’m doing whatIwant to do.”

“Fantastic,” Anna said. “Have you told Chris?”

Max glowered at Anna. “Chris? Why would she tell him? She met him once at our wedding—”

“She did more than that.”

“Anna.” Heat crept up Cynthia’s neck. “Stop trying to bait Max.”

“You didn’t answer my question,” Max said, ignoring their byplay.

“No, you two are the first I’ve told.”

Max pursed his lips and studied her. He opened his mouth, but the waitress returned with their salads, and he again waited for her to leave.

This time, when he spoke, Max’s voice held a gentler tone. “You haven’t told your family?”

---