Page 65 of Crush

And I didn’t. I even told him that Max had got handsy and smacked my arse. Fuck me that had been hot.

We both needed something from each other last night and had taken it. Whether or not that would be the end of it, only time would tell.

I knew it was probably better for both of us if we left it there. He didn’t date and was in no way the Mr Normal I was supposed to be looking for.

The best, sensible way forward was to leave it as a one-off.

So why did the thought of that make me feel so sad? And I was hardly sensible given my past actions.

Burying those thoughts, Mia and I helped with the clean-up.

The house eventually started to look normal again but it took most of the Sunday. Dexter came back and parked the car and I was dying to ask him what the men talked about on their journey home but decided against it.

The glass partition would have been up anyway and so I doubt he’d have heard anything.

I wondered if Max had told Luca about us. His friend didn’t give anything off to signal that he knew we’d had sex and Max had said that he wasn’t one to kiss and tell.

Later that evening, after a huge bubble bath, I sat on my bed and replied to some text messages. As I was just about to place my phone on my dressing table, another message came in.

It was from Max and my spirits lifted.

Don’t forget to buy yourself a nice dress for our night out.

My brow scrunched as I wondered what he meant. OMG! Was he asking me out on a date?

It suddenly felt like my heart was going to burst from my rib cage and then hope dipped as another message dropped in below the last.

For the charity ball, a week next Saturday. So, you only have next weekend to shop.

Of course, the works thing he was taking me to. I had gotten ahead of myself and my reaction to the thought of Max asking me out was pathetic.

I replied, keeping my thoughts and true feelings out of it.

I’m on it.I didn’t say I was looking forward to it or add any kisses, I kept it neutral.

Sleeping with Max had scratched that itch and now maybe we didn’t need to go there. I logged onto Max’s calendar from my laptop and there was still nothing in there about a meeting in Birmingham.

He was avoiding me. And I had gotten ahead of myself, again!

The sexual chemistry between us had been fed and who knew, maybe there could be a friendship between us. Especially after he had been so attentive during that moment I’d freaked out in Daddy’s study. Plus what he said about demons made sense. I certainly had more respect for him as a man now.

I would keep my resting bitch face on ice and allow Max to see my softer side.

I just hoped he didn’t do what so many people in my past have done and let me down.

The more fool him.

Because out of every person I had met, I was the biggest grudge bearer of them all.

And that wasn’t pretty.

* ****

Partway through Monday morning, I got a pleasant surprise. As promised, I was given extra duties. Wes, the site foreman arrived at my office with a bag of PPE. Safety clothing for me to wear on site. He explained that Max had suggested I shadow Wes on-site for a couple of days. I tried everything on later that evening and it fit. I was fully kitted with steel-capped work boots, a hard hat and a couple of neon vests.

Wes also mentioned Max’s trip to Birmingham so he was lying to keep his Boss’s secret safe or Max’s absence was genuine.

I didn’t have time to dwell as there was so much to do. The thrill of doing something different and out of my comfort zone felt amazing. And by shadowing Wes, I had stepped into an entirely new area of responsibility.

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