Page 42 of Unrivaled

“Ever had phone sex?”

Jesus. “Not while I’m driving.”

“How long until you make it home, do you think?” Max asked, faux innocent. “Wonder how much trouble I can get into before then.”

Grady’s dick twitched against his thigh. “I’m hanging up.”

Max chuckled, low and sexy. “Call me back in ten.”

Grady made it home in eight.

THE MONSTERSbeat the Vancouver Orcas in overtime, thanks to Max’s tricky mitts and a nice feed from Hedgie.

Max sent Grady a text afterward,thx 4 the good luck sex, followed by the water-drop emoji and the little siren that looked like the goal light.

Then he passed out in his hotel bed for nine hours, woke up, got on the bus, got on the plane, and passed out for sevenmorehours. By the time he pulled into his driveway, he had no idea what time it was, only that he wanted a dinner cooked in his own kitchen and about a thousand doggy kisses.

But before he could get to either, he half tripped over an Amazon box sitting in front of his door.

Max was pretty sure he hadn’t ordered anything. Had one of his neighbors been waiting for this while he was away? He hoped not. But the package had his name on it, so he shrugged and unlocked the door. It could wait until after he and Gru had some face time.

He set the package on the console table inside and knelt down as Gru ran up, wagging his tail and barking like Max had come back from the dead.

“Missed you too, baby.” Max kissed his nose. Gru kissed him back. “Thank you. Yes, I love you too. Is it time for some belly rubs?”

Gru gazed at him in adoration and flopped over.

“If only humans were this easy to please, eh?” Max made a claw with his hand and ruffled Gru’s curly tummy fur.

Gru kicked his back leg reflexively, tongue lolling out toward the floor. Max snorted at him. “On second thought, I don’t think that’s as good of a look on us.”

They played a quick game of fetch in the backyard to work off Gru’s excitement, and then Max reacquainted himself with his kitchen.

He’d just finished dinner in front of the TV, Gru lying on his feet, when there was a knock, followed by the sound of the front door opening. “Max?”

Max had a dog walker for when he was out of town, but Gru stayed with El when he was away, so she had her own key. “Come in, El.” He paused the movie and turned the TV off.

She did, waving the little yellow person-shaped squeaky toy. Gru didn’t move from Max’s feet. He was always extra clingy after a road trip, especially the first one of the year. “I brought Gru’s baby—I forgot I had it when I dropped him off this morning.” She paused beside the console table. “New toy?”

“No idea,” Max said. “Toss it here?”

The box rattled when he caught it. It felt like a couple of items rather than only one.

“You don’t know what it is?” El frowned as she sat in the armchair. “Should we be concerned it’s a bomb?”

Max looked up from peeling up the tape long enough to raise an eyebrow. “A bomb? What is this, a bad spy movie?” Stupid Amazon tape. He gave up and yanked at the cardboard instead. “It’s only October. I haven’t had a chance to piss anyone off yet.”

Finally the box opened and Max stuck his hand inside. “Survey says it’s….” A bottle of something. He pulled it out and looked at the label. “Shampoo?”

El laughed. “What? Let me see that.”

Shrugging, Max handed it over and dove into the box to pull out the other item.

Conditioner.All-natural Nourishing Formula.

“What the fuck?”

“This is nice stuff.” El whistled. “Somebody must like you a lot. It’s, like, fifty bucks a bottle.”

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