Page 65 of The Ruthless and the Strong

Max

I movedmy hand up and down her naked back, keeping her close to me. Years of longing and waiting for her, of imagining what it would be like to be with her this way, and still, it paled in comparison to the real thing.

And she was that.

So achingly real, it broke my heart just a little bit to be holding onto her like this.

I should have been stronger than this.

I’d told myself to let her go. I thought I was succeeding.

I was a fucking fool.

All it took was for her to show up at my door, and I was gone.

She snuggled into my chest, and I leaned down and placed a soft kiss on the top of her head. She smelled addictive. Like home. Like she had always smelled before. Like nostalgia for a memory I hadn’t wanted to forget.

“Max?”

My arms tightened around her. “Yeah, sweetheart?”

“What are you thinking about?” She moved her hand over my chest, her finger drawing indistinguishable shapes there. I felt the simple touch all the way down to my heart, and I wished there was a way I could freeze time. Freeze all my problems and just be here with her.

I had never wanted time to disappear so badly until now.

“You,” I answered.

I felt the smile she pressed on my chest, and I couldn’t help the twitch at the corner of my lips from that. “Oh, yeah? What about me?”

“You’re beautiful,” I said.

She was quiet for a moment. Then, “Thank you.”

No modesty there. I fucking loved it.

“You’re not going to feign modesty?” I teased, running my hand down her side. She squirmed a bit against me. She was ticklish.

Interesting.

“Why would I do that? I am beautiful.”

I laughed and she thumped my chest. Not hard, but it wasn’t a love tap either. I coughed. “You’re the one who gave me the compliment,” she said. “I am only agreeing with you.”

“You’re right. I do think you’re beautiful. The most beautiful girl I’ve ever laid eyes on.”

She pulled back from and leaned on her elbows so she was looking down at me, her green eyes glinting a bit in the soft lighting of the lamp nearby. “Oh, yeah? Have you always thought I was beautiful?”

I nodded. “You are beautiful, Lizzie. You were even during your awkward, gangly teen phase.”

“Hey, I have never been gangly.” She looked at me, and I worked hard to keep the smile from showing. “Have I?”

“Of course not, baby. I don’t know what I am saying.”

She scoffed. “Of course not. I forgive you. It must be your old age catching up. I heard memory is the first thing to be affected.”

I moved her up on top of me fully, her legs tangling with mine, then I ran my hands to her sides, tickling her a bit. Her cheeks turned a shade of red that matched her hair perfectly, as she squirmed that delectable body on top of me. Perfect.

“Max, stop. Sorry,” she laughed.

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