Page 28 of My Fake Lover

»Thank you, I actually found the two of them quite amusing.«

»They’re only amusing until they want to set you up. But that’s not an issue for you anyway, right?« Did he really want to know if I was so firmly involved with Max that no other man stood a chance?

»Exactly,« I replied with a smile, and we stopped in front of the bar. Something told me it didn’t matter what answer I would have given; Christian didn’t care who I was with here or anywhere else. It should flatter me. Max probably didn’t mind anyway, as we had established that we were only playing a game here. Although he had wanted to say something earlier, which sounded like a question about a real date. Or was it?

I handed Christian my empty champagne glass, and soon he conjured up two glasses with red liquid that a bartender had given him. »Cranberry vodka, it hardly gets more delicious,« he said and clinked glasses with me. Christian probably didn’t appreciate a good old single malt like Max. Damn it. Max dominated my entire thoughts.

»And where’s your companion? Did he just leave you behind?«

»He had to take a phone call.«

»Ah, right, the successful CEO from New York.« Why did his tone suddenly sound so bitter?

»He’s very busy, but he’s still here and has taken several days off.«

»Sorry, you’re right, I shouldn’t interfere. Maybe I’m just a little jealous of him,« Christian admitted honestly, looking at me expectantly.

»It’s okay, I’m sure his job makes some men envious.«

»It’s not about the job,« he replied quietly, and my heart skipped a beat. Oh no. I didn’t want to give Christian any hope, but he was indeed a nice guy.

I felt his presence before he came to my side. The hairs on my arms stood up, and I shivered, even though the sun made the air shimmer under the stretched pavilion roof. »Christian.« Max’s voice sounded cool and reserved. I missed the relaxed Max who had left me earlier. But I would never see him like that again in the presence of so many people.

»Max, we were just talking about you.« Max wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me possessively close to him. I leaned against him, giving him the feeling that I wanted to be as close to him as he wanted to be to me.

»I figured.« Max’s voice was almost a growl.

»You have a wonderful companion; I noticed that today at lunch when we met. Where were you at that time, actually?«

Oh wow, testosterone and the charming flair of the Stone Age hung in the air. »I’m pretty sure I only have to report my whereabouts to my assistant and Ivy.«

»Christian, it was nice to meet you,« I said quickly, wanting to escape this spectacle. He nodded at me and gave me a smile that seemed tense and didn’t reach his eyes. »We’ll see each other later.«

»Absolutely,« he said, and something about his tone made me increasingly uncomfortable. I pulled Max past him and to the board where the seating arrangements were drawn.

»What was that all about?« I asked him quietly, and he pulled me a little closer to him. Did he just want to stake out his territory or did he feel the urge to keep me close on his own accord?

»I don’t like him.«

»Really? I hadn’t noticed. It seemed to me like you two were brothers.« Max snorted, and I had to grin. »Why do men always have to outbid and outdo each other?«

»Because it’s in our nature.«

We stopped in front of the board, and I still felt Christian watching us. »So you mean there’s nothing you can do about it?«

Max turned to face me. The muscle in his jaw twitched as he looked at me and wrapped his hand around the nape of my neck. Possessive. Dominant. And utterly, unbelievably hot. I was an independent woman who knew exactly what she wanted, but I couldn’t deny that Max’s manner drove me out of my mind. »You have nothing to worry about. Apart from the fact that we’re not really together, I wouldn’t start anything with someone else at your brother’s wedding. Besides, we have a deal.«

»The money,« he growled, and his grip tightened. The throbbing in my lower abdomen increased. God, how I wanted this man.

»The money,« I echoed back with the same hardness.

His gaze drifted to my lips, and the attraction emanating from him was unbearable. He was unbearable. His mere presence robbed me of the air to breathe. I knew exactly what he wanted. A kiss, and it wouldn’t just be for showing Christian who owned me, but there was much more to it. Max was afraid of losing something he didn’t even know he had wanted. Actual, genuine affection. His entire life was full of superficial acquaintances. He wanted me because what was between us felt real. Because I felt it too. Because I had been just as unaware that I missed something honest, authentic.

»Now kiss me, damn it, Max,« I whispered, and his eyes jerked up to meet mine. He weighed his options, was far too much in his head, and it nearly drove me insane. I was on the verge of grabbing him in front of all these people and taking for myself what he was withholding from me.

»No.« His growled word pulsated intensely between us. »I won’t kiss you.« Why, was written in my expression. He pulled me a little closer to him. His breath broke on my skin, and I suppressed the urge to close my eyes. »Because I won’t be able to stop once I start.«

I swallowed, and as Max slowly released me and the familiar self-control returned to his gaze, I couldn’t even remember my own name.

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