Fifi lifted an eyebrow, her eyes gleaming in the light from the kitchen. “Isn’t it amazing? I mean, how did the insect know to bite him on the face?”
I shook my head, pretending to mull over her question, as if it was even vaguely sane. “Maybe it’s a thing in France. It was big, though. Quite impressive.” I leaned back into Maxime as I spoke—nestling againsthisimpressive hardness.
He cleared his throat. “I have to go and … check on the … the boat.” With a choked growl, Maxime turned on his heel and strode away around the back of the club.
Fifi blinked after him. “Why does he have to check the boat?”
“I don’t know, maybe he left one of his nets unattended.”
Fifi huffed. “He’s left something unattended, but I’m glad to see you two finally sorting yourselves out. I don’t need any more drama.” She thumbed over her shoulder. “I just talked the chef off a ledge, again. Apparently, the new assistant didn’t chop the salad finely enough for the lobster dish. Who knew celery could be so triggering?”
My pulse raced. Lobster and celery be damned. “What do you mean, sorting ourselves out?”
She practically choked. “Come on. I’m not stupid. The air isso thick between the two of you. It takes a solid effort to walk from one side of the club to the other sometimes. And last week, I caught Maxi humming. Humming! I’ve known him for a long time. He’s cracked more smiles in the last fortnight than I’ve seen since he turned twenty.”
She tightened her brows. “Whatever the problem is, sort it out. He deserves some love in his life.”
She turned, and I blinked at her retreating back.
Love?
I swallowed and scooped my hair off my neck, trying to cool the flush creeping up my skin.
Yes, Maxime made my blood pulse and my knees weak. Yes, I wanted to spend every waking minute with him. But that was just lust.
I’d never been in love before. I didn’t know what it was supposed to feel like.
As Fifi disappeared into the night, I fanned my face, hoping to cool the ridiculous warmth creeping up my neck.
Was this it? I held my breath, trying to take stock of what was going on inside me.
I felt… weird. Weird and warm. Like someone had tossed my insides in a blender. And dizzy, too.
A picture of Maxime danced in my mind. His hooded eyes, his firm jaw, his beautiful mouth.
When I thought of his lips so close to mine, only minutes ago, the usual zing of pleasure zipped straight to my core.
I pressed my thighs together, ordering my racing heart to get a grip, pleading with my body to calm.
The scent of Maxime’s cologne still hung in the thick air and, as it wrapped around me, I smiled.
If this was love—this quiet, delicious pull I never wanted to end—then honestly?
Sign me up.
24
MAXIME
After walking off an erection rivalling a rogue Kraken, I dipped back into the club. The first face I saw? Fifi’s. My skin prickled at her beaming smile—cheeky and bold.
Sheknew.
After almost walking in on Chloe and I doing lord only knew what in the alley, she’d guessed there was something happening between us.
I chewed my lip. Her being up to speed on my supposed love life wasn’t ideal. But something about her knowingloosened some of the pressure that’d taken up residence in my chest recently. If Fifi knew, that meant I wouldn’t have to hide how much I wanted Chloe from my best friend. I could talk about her freely. Laugh about how Chloe and I met with another person.
I exhaleda long breath. My new habit of over sharing my feelings was about to get a solid workout.
