Page 55 of Cream and Punishment
Max: Judgment? From me? Never.
I rolled my eyes, my smile firmly in place. And there it stayed until two knocks echoed through the apartment.
I secured my purse across my body and whipped the door open, practically floating on a cloud just from knowing I got to spend the evening with him.
“Hey, Che—whoa.”
Max’s brows shot up as he took in my appearance. His dark eyes flicked over my face, leaving a smoldering trail wherever they alighted. And when they darted to my lips, however briefly, my breath caught in my throat.
Breathing was overrated anyway. If I could fill my lungs with the appreciation in his eyes, I could live forever.
“You’re wearing jeans,” he finally said, his voice a little strained.
The heat that had stained my cheeks drained, taking my confidence with it. “Is that bad? I can change real quick.”
“No,” he blurted. He shook his head and coughed lightly. When he spoke again, his voice was almost normal. “You look great.Theylook great, is what I meant.”
“Oh. Uh, thanks.” I closed and locked the door behind me, grateful for the opportunity to get my blush under control before turning back around where he could see me. I kept my voice light and casual, even while my skin prickled from our proximity. “You look great, too.”
And, really, he did. Like. Freaking. Always. This time he wore a light gray Henley that showcased the little divot where his collar bones met before the buttons pulled the collar together to conceal the rest of his chest from view. I had the most random, intrusive urge to run my tongue along that divot and savor the saltiness of his skin like it was sugared berries.
Which wasn’t just weird, but completely illegal. Or it should be. Crushing on my hot neighbor while he was on a dating hiatus was one thing. Fantasizing aboutlicking himlike a lovesick puppy was another.
Max grinned and stuck his hands in the pockets of his jeans, blessedly oblivious to the weird turn my thoughts had taken. “What, these old things?”
I arched an eyebrow. “Max, I’m going to say this as your friend” —I only choked a little on that word, so yay, me— “but youdoknow you’re stupidly handsome, right? It seems impossible that you’ve lived this long without knowing it, but I’ve heard that a lot of guys don’t get many compliments, so I want to make sure.”
Max looked away, and I could’ve sworn his cheeks darkened. It was the most endearing thing I’d ever seen. In that moment, terrified as I was of conflict, I would’ve fought the whole world to protect him.
“A few girls have said something like that over the years, yeah.” He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck as we set out toward the stairs. “But you’re right. We don’t get many compliments.”
I furrowed my brow. “Well, that changes starting now.”
I waited until we made it to the lobby doors, which he held open for me like always before offering my sunniest smile. “Max, your laugh is infectious, and I adore it.”
He laughed, blessing me with the glorious sound as we continued walking to the parking lot. “I want to return the compliments now. Tit for tat and all that.”
I pretended to shudder. “Oh, no, please don’t. It’ll be like trying to insert a wrinkly bill in a vending machine.”
“How so?”
“It’s an unnecessarily awkward experience for everyone involved, that’s how. I turn bright red and flounder like a trout because it feels like having the experience of everyone singing happy birthday to you condensed into a few seconds.” I gestured vaguely with my hands. “What do I say? What do Ido—curtsy? Blow kisses?Bow?”
He tipped his head back as he laughed, unlocking a new favorite memory. The sun, creeping closer to the horizon, cast its golden light on him as if it, too, couldn’t resist Max’s pull. Happiness radiated from him. In his smile, his laugh, the way he walked. He was utterly magnetic, and I was the fool coating myself in iron shavings, eyes wide open and accepting of my fate.
I nudged him playfully. “You laugh, but I’m pretty sure I’ve done each of those at some point.”
He wiped at his eyes. “I’d pay real money to seethat.”
“Yeah, well, stick around me long enough and you’ll get the whole awkward show for free.”
His grin faded to a soft smile, his gaze meeting mine. “Hard to resist an offer like that.”
“Then don’t.” I attempted to wink, but what really happened was an uncoordinated series of blinks that scrunched my whole face.
“Are you okay? Do you have something in your eye?”
“Uh… yep.” I pretended to wipe away an imaginary speck, since that seemed like the least humiliating option. “I think I got it now.”
