Broken (33 page)

Due to one of her patients going into labor, Cassidy was hours late getting home. This was another benefit of Max being in their lives. She didn’t have to call Nell and make childcare arrangements or worry about being an imposition. While she didn’t hesitate to ask Nell for help when needed, Cassidy never quite felt comfortable doing so knowing Zoe wasn’t truly Phillip’s child.

As she entered the house, she heard the low murmur of Max’s voice, Zoe’s bubbly, high pitched giggles, and the sound of one of Zoe’s children’s programs playing in the background. Smiling, Cassidy stripped out of her outerwear and placed them on the kitchen table for hanging up later. This was the sound of home.

“Zoe, Mommy’s home,” she called out.

“Mama!” Zoe squealed. The patter of small feet on bare wood floors resounded as Zoe raced to greet her.

Cassidy caught her up, swung her around to Zoe’s delighted shrieks, and blew a loud raspberry on her daughter’s cheek.

“Can I get one of those?” Max asked. He was propped, arms crossed and shoulder leaning against the doorjamb, in the entrance to the kitchen. Mouthwateringly sexy, he was dressed casually in loose cargo pants made of gray sweat suit material and a fitted navy blue, long sleeved Henley. Even the white socks on his narrow, masculine feet appealed to her.

“You’re a little big for me to spin around,” she teased.

The side of his mouth crooked up while those mesmerizing blue eyes danced with mirth. “I was referring to the kiss,” he said dryly.

She grinned down at their child. “Hmm, I don’t know. What do you think, Zoe? Does Daddy deserve a kiss?”

“Tiss,” Zoe declared. She planted her small hands on Cassidy’s face and gave her a big, sloppy smooch on the lips.

“I think I’ll follow Zoe’s excellent example and take what I want.” Max sauntered over to them, cupped her by the nape, and pulled her close for a slow, deep kiss. Things were heating up nicely when Cassidy felt a small hand pushing on her chest.

She looked down to see Zoe trying to shove her and Max apart. Laughing, she told Max, “I think we’re squishing Zoe.”

“Naw, she’s just jealous. Aren’t you, Princess? Much as I love you, Mommy’s still my number one girl.” He buzzed Zoe’s cheek, and said to Cassidy, “How’d the delivery go?”

He followed as she walked to their bedroom. Cassidy put Zoe down, tossed her purse on the dresser, and sank onto the mattress, thankful to come out of her shoes. Didn’t matter how comfortable the pair were, she’d had them on one hour too many.

“We had us a healthy, bouncing baby boy. Mother and infant are doing well. Junior took his sweet time making his appearance, but otherwise, things went with textbook perfection. Oh, that feels great,” she said on a moan.

Max had placed her feet on his thigh and was using his thumb to massage her instep. “Whatever you want, it’s yours, up to half my kingdom,” she promised.

He grinned. “You have a kingdom? Does this kingdom have any gold, silver, or precious jewels?”

“Nope, just the best foot massager in the world.” She pulled him close for another embrace. Tongues intertwined and Max was slowly lowering her to the mattress when Cassidy became aware of Zoe’s voice.

“Dada!
Dada
!” she imperiously demanded.

They both glanced over to see Zoe patting Max’s leg, determined to gain his attention. Her blue eyes were narrowed and she gazed at her mother with something that looked like betrayal.

“Uh-oh! I think you’re right about that jealousy thing. Her staying home with you this last week might not have been such a good thing,” Cassidy mused, eying her daughter.

Cassidy wondered if her mother had ever felt like this. This combination of amusement, love, and yes, competition for her man’s attention and affection.

Max scooped Zoe up and gathered her close. Zoe laid her head on his chest, stuck her thumb in her mouth, and her expression clearly said, “Hands off. Mine.”

“Don’t be silly. Zoe and I have bonded. Haven’t we, Princess?”

“All the same, you, young lady, go back to daycare next week,” Cassidy said, matching her daughter stare for stare.

Max laughed and stood with Zoe still in his arms. A sudden suspicion struck her. “You don’t walk around holding her all day, do you?”

“What? No,” he denied, looking guilty as sin. “Have you eaten? Are you hungry? Zoe, let’s go fix Mama something to eat,” he said and made a strategic retreat.

“Yep, he’s spoiling her rotten,” Cassidy said, grabbed a change of clothes, and went to take a shower.

Hours later after she’d eaten and watched a movie with Zoe and Max, Cassidy stood at the bathroom mirror moisturizing her face, neck, and hands. Max lay on the bed watching avidly.

“Is that how you keep your skin so soft?” he asked.

She looked at the cream and shrugged. “My skin gets very dry in the winter. This helps.”

“Well, whatever it is, it works.”

Cassidy wiped her hand on a nearby hand towel, capped the cream, and cut off the bathroom light as she exited the room. She wore a short nightshirt that barely skimmed the top of her thighs and had a low-scooped neckline. With Max in her bed, she didn’t have to worry about being cold even on the coldest nights.

Max waggled his eyebrows. “Want to finish what we started earlier?”

She came to his side of the bed, grinning mischievously as she asked, “Did we start something earlier?”

He reached out and tumbled her onto the mattress, rolling smoothly to cover her. A long while later he raised his head. Both of them gasped for air.

“Oh, now I remember,” she said huskily and pulled him back down.

Their lovemaking was leisurely and very, very thorough. At the end, Cassidy gave a contented sigh and snuggled closer, her body still humming with pleasure. Her head lay on his shoulder and she was plastered to the long, lean line of his when she remembered her promise.

“Nicco called me today,” she said.

Max’s whole body stiffened. “My brother, Nicco? What the hell did he want? How did he get your number? Why didn’t you call me and tell me he’d been bothering you?”

“Whoa! Slow down. I can only answer one question at a time.” She sat up and pulled the sheet with her, using it as a shield to cover her exposed breasts. “Yes, your brother. He’s the only Nicco I know. He called my work cell, not my personal one. I don’t know how he got the number but at a guess, I’d say he Googled me, discovered I worked for the clinic, and got the number from them. I’m not exactly hiding my whereabouts. You found me. Stands to reason others can too if they put their mind to it.”

She paused to mentally replay the barrage of questions. “As this is the first time he’s contacted me, I can’t really say he’s ‘bothering’ me.”

“I repeat, why didn’t you call and tell me?” Max viciously punched his pillow and shoved it against the headboard before pushing up to a seated position. He scowled, his displeasure evident.

“Because this isn’t a conversation I thought we should have over the phone,” she explained reasonably.

“Then you should have told me as soon as you got home,” he argued.

“That may be, but with the delivery and all, I forgot until just this moment,” she admitted patiently.

He grunted, clearly unsatisfied but there was nothing he could say. She’d made a valid point and he knew it.

“Nicco apologized for the damage he’d caused us both with his interference,” she said, figuring she’d start with the apology and work up to the rest.

Max sat stone-faced in the golden glow of the bedside lamp.

Sighing inwardly, she continued. “He also said your mother’s been in a state of depression since you left and they’re all worried about her.” If she hadn’t been watching Max so closely, she’d have missed the flicker of remorse. “He wants you to stop by Christmas and let the family see you’re all right.”

“No.” He reached up, switched off the lamp, and slid down under the covers to lie with his back facing her.

Cassidy clicked on her matching lamp and stared at Max in dismay. She’d known this would be difficult but hadn’t realized he would totally shut her down. “Max.”

“I said no. End of discussion.”

Her eyes narrowed automatically at his autocratic tone.
It’s his family
, she reminded herself.
You told Nicco you’d talk to Max and you have. Mission accomplished. No need to push the issue
.

“Just how long do you plan to hold a grudge?” she demanded. “You’re going to have to let it go eventually. They’re your family, Max.”

He snorted. “You’re one to talk.”

Now she was scowling. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Max erupted. He jumped out of bed and stood facing her, feet planted, and hands fisted at his side. Naked and furious, he glared at her. “Don’t play stupid. It’s not becoming. You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

She took a deep breath.
Stay calm. Don’t respond in kind.
‘
A soft answer turneth away wrath.
’ She would not get into a stupid argument with Max about
his
family. “No, I really don’t,” Cassidy answered as calmly as she could.

“I’m talking about us!” he shouted. “How long are you going to hold our past against me? I’ve explained, apologized, and done everything I know to make it up to you.”

Pure bewilderment drowned budding temper. Brows furrowed, she gazed at Max, completely confused. “Max, I already forgave you. Yes, there’s still a bit of hurt lingering—that’s going to take time to heal—but I’m not holding anything against you. Why would you think I am?”

“Why?
Why
? Look at us,” he roared, hands flinging wide to indicate the two of them. “My bedroom is in the basement. Yours is here. We’re married but we don’t share a room. I have to wait for permission to sleep with my wife. At any moment you can decide this isn’t working for you and then where will I be?” Suddenly he slumped, all hint of aggressiveness gone. “Cassidy, I’ve given you everything, but you, you’re still holding back. Yes, you’ll have sex with me and let me be a part of Zoe’s life, but what about the rest? I know I said I’d give you time, but honest to God, I don’t know how much longer I can continue like this.”

Absolutely flabbergasted by his outburst, all she could do was stare. She’d thought things were going great between them and had absolutely no idea he’d been holding all of this inside. Managing to pull her scattered wits together, she got out of bed and crouched, reaching under the bed to retrieve the present she’d hidden. She tossed the gift-wrapped box onto the bed in front of him. “Open it.”

He glanced at the box before nailing her with angry eyes turned navy blue. “I don’t want a present. I want you to forgive me and let me fully into your life. Didn’t you hear what I said?”

“Open the damned box, Max,” she ordered.

Max jerked like she’d slapped him. His gaze turned wary. Something in her expression must have convinced him to do as she said. He reached hesitantly for the gift and slowly tore the wrapping off. Again he cast an inquisitive glance her way, his curiosity visibly beginning to stir.

The small white box sat neatly on the flat of his hand. He hefted it, testing its weight. “What’s inside? Doesn’t weigh much.”

Exasperated she said, “Open it and see.”