Neighborly Complications (Stories of Serendipity #1) (16 page)

“Sleep okay?” He asked her, attempting cordiality before coffee, ending up pleased with his results.

“Sort of. Did you?”

“Yeah.” He took a tentative sip from his mug of coffee before turning to Summer. “What time is Brent getting in?”

“Not until around three. He said that’s the soonest he can make it.”

“That’s great. Can you hang around Claire until it’s time for the party? I don’t want her to be left alone.”

Claire’s throat-clearing got his attention, and he knew exactly what she was prickled about. He turned to her, a smirk on his face.

Her eyes never made it past his chest. He hadn’t put on a shirt this morning, and apparently, Claire’s attention had been diverted when he turned around. He amused himself by imagining what he would do to her pretty little mouth later that evening.

When she finally dragged her eyes up to his face, he saw the pink flush on her cheeks and knew she’d forgotten what she was mad about.

“Can you put on a shirt?” Her voice was husky, and just the sound made Max’s groin tighten with memories of the feel of her skin under his hands.

“Why? Is my naked chest bothering you?” He slowly stalked towards her, watching the flush deepen, spreading down her chest and disappearing under the neckline of her tee shirt. His goal today was to keep her off-balance, and so far, he was doing pretty good.

“No. It’s j-just impolite to have bare skin at the breakfast table.”

He took another step, until he was almost chest to chest with her. “Is it?”

“Yes.”

“I had no idea.”

Max took the last step, and snaked an arm around Claire crushing her against his chest before claiming her mouth with his own. He delighted in her scent, freshly showered, she smelled of tangerines or something sweet and citrusy. His tongue parted her lips and swept the inside of her mouth. He was conscious of Summer’s gasp behind him, but he didn’t care. He needed Claire to know that she was his.

His mouth made love to hers, while his hands roamed her back, before climbing up to her hair, gathering it in fistfuls, pulling her head closer. Max owned her with this kiss, and he wanted her to know that she wasn’t getting away that easily. He ignored the electricity pulsing between them as he focused on her ragged breaths that made her breasts heave against his bare chest. The tiniest of whimpers escaped her mouth into his, and he swallowed it. He felt her trembling against him, and relished in the fact that she couldn’t deny her attraction when they kissed.

When he was finished with her, Max took a step back, triumphant at her glazed look of confusion.
Take that, Claire Dunlap.

“Thanks for offering the breakfast table to my bare skin, maybe later. I’ve got to run. I have a party to get ready for.” Whistling a tuneless melody, he climbed the stairs to get dressed and shop for brisket.

“Oh. My. God.
My
toes curled during that kiss, how are you breathing?” Summer bounced over to where Claire was standing, and put a hand on her hip, demanding an answer.

“Son of a…” Claire whispered, defeated. Looking up at Summer, she said, “He really does not fight fair.” Summer grinned at her, presenting a stunning set of perfect white teeth. “I’m serious! Stop smiling like that!”

Summer’s smile faded and she looked at Claire with sadness that made her feel guilty. Again. “It’s just been so long since I’ve seen him like that. It’s nice to see that Max again. I didn’t think I would see it again.”

“Yeah, well, that one doesn’t listen very well.”

“Is he a good kisser?”

Claire threw a piece of mushroom at Summer and they giggled together while finishing breakfast.

While they ate their omelets, Summer asked Claire about Edie.

“Does she tuck you in at night?”

Claire nodded. “Yeah, it’s sort of sweet. But I wish I knew what she wanted.”

“She definitely has something she needs here on this plane before she can move on. Do you think she’s trying to tell you where the gold is?”

“By tucking me in and drawing me a bunch of circles?” She laughed. “I don’t think so.”

B
y one-thirty, the briskets had been smoking for four hours, with at least four more to go. He really should have started them yesterday, but he’d forgotten, with all the Claire business. Now the chicken was marinating in the fridge, and the veggie trays were ready. The corn on the cob was clean and wrapped in foil, ready to throw on the grill, as were the squash packets. Max prided himself on his ability to cook anything on the grill. He cooked potatoes, meat, fish, veggies, even a cobbler once on the grill. It was an art, and he hadn’t done it in way too long.

He was just putting the bacon-wrapped, cream cheese stuffed jalapeños on the grill to cook slowly when his first guests began to arrive.

A lanky guy with a guitar case slung over his shoulder came around the back with a woman on his arm that Max didn’t know, with another guy trailing behind him that Max did know.

“Les! Jon! Welcome to my humble deck gathering. I’m fixing to bring out more chairs, y’all get comfortable. Bar’s set up in the corner, cooler’s over there. I’ll be right back.”

Max spent the next hour or so greeting guests, playing host, and feeding appetizers off the grill, but missed Claire. She hadn’t shown up.

Les had started playing his guitar as soon as he’d found a comfortable chair to perch in for the afternoon, and the soothing background music lent a festive mood to the gathering. Everyone was clustered in groups in various areas of the massive deck, some by the grill, overseeing Max’s efforts, while others were around Les, giving suggestions for music he play, while still others congregated around the table full of food that Max had set up.

When Claire finally arrived with Summer and Brent, Max sensed her presence even before Michael, his high school buddy nudged him in the ribs.

“Who’s that stunning creature with Summer? Her latest conquest?”

Without turning to see who he was talking about, a possessiveness that was completely foreign to Max shot to the forefront. “She’s mine. Quit looking at her like that.”

Michael laughed. “Like what, man?”

“Like you’re imagining her in some sort of kinky girl on girl fantasy with Summer,” Max gritted out through clenched teeth. He knew what a perv Michael was, he’d always been that way.

“Easy, cowboy. I read you, loud and clear.” Michael put his hands up in an innocent gesture before backing away to join another group.

Max turned to see Claire looking around at everybody, and admitted to himself that he was going to have to keep a close eye on her. She did look stunning.

Claire wore a sundress that came to her knees, showing off her fabulous legs, and was cut low enough to give everyone a hint at her astounding tits. When her eyes fell on his, he flashed her a hungry look, watching her flush in reaction to the desire radiating off him.

His plan was working. He knew that last night he’d been angry with her, and she knew it. He had no idea what had happened in the night, but he’d felt differently when he woke up, and was doing everything in his power to be standoffish, while still letting her know he was going to pursue her. The greedy kiss this morning had been part of it too.

She dropped her eyes first, and Max didn’t bother hiding the grin that sprang to his features before turning to finish basting the chicken.

Max caught Claire looking at him several times as the afternoon progressed, but with so many guests there, it was easy to steer clear of her physically. He watched her nonetheless.

She smiled easily and seemed to enjoy everybody at the party, and Max watched as Summer introduced her around. Her smile dazzled more than just Max. He noticed Michael watching her with interest, then catching himself and glancing sheepishly at Max. He also noticed Tyler, the man who’d come with Les watching Claire’s legs as she walked around the deck space.

Claire was laughing in a group of women: Summer, Jessie, Alyssa, and Renee. Max had spent most of his High school years referring to them as the Brat pack. With the exception of Alyssa, who had moved into town about the same time Max came back they were all Brent’s kid sister and her friends from high school.

Brent walked over to him with an extra beer in his hand. “If she’s yours, why aren’t you talking to her?” He asked casually.

“You been talking to Michael?”

“Yeah, but even if I hadn’t, it’s obvious, man. You’re drooling all over her, and you haven’t gotten within ten feet of her all day.”

A slow smile crept across Max’s face. “That’s because she doesn’t realize it yet.”

“Ahh…I get it…So what’s the story? She lives next door, and Summer told me you guys have something going on, but she couldn’t go into details, because Claire was always with us.”

Max told him about Claire, the vandals, the attack, her decision to move, and then his plan.

Brent rubbed his thoughtfully. “I’m not sure that’ll work, man. She seems like she’s pretty easy to rile up when you’re around. Won’t that just make her mad at you more?”

Max shrugged. “Maybe, but she’s sexy as hell when she’s mad…”

He walked over to where Claire was with the Brat Pack.

“Ladies. Y’all doing okay? Can I get anybody anything?”

“A date with Ty?” Jessie asked hopefully.

Max laughed. “Sorry, my matchmaking abilities are awful. But he’ll probably be open to some friendly conversation, if you go over and talk to him.”

She made a face. “I’m not particularly looking for conversation, if you know what I mean.”

He pantomimed a noose around his neck. “TMI, Jessie. Geez, I used to babysit you.”

She shrugged. “Whatever, Max. I’m not a kid anymore. A woman has needs.”

Renee joined in. “Girl, you seem to manage your needs just fine without Max setting you up.”

“Thank you, Renee.” Max looked over at Claire, across from him in the circle. He was pleased to see her watching him. “You having fun?” She nodded, and let his gaze drift down her body, while he remembered the body parts he’d seen and felt. He made his thoughts clear on his face, letting her see them, and flashed a triumphant smile when she blushed.

“Jesus, Max!” Jessie had seen it too, apparently. “Put a lid on those thoughts. Y’all aren’t alone!” He looked around the circle of women and chuckled to himself when he saw that Claire wasn’t the only one blushing. Alyssa was looking at her feet, her scalp distinctly pink. Summer, however, was glaring daggers at him.

“What?” He put on his innocent look. “Just playing dutiful host.” He slowly stalked around to where Claire was standing, bent over and whispered in her ear, “You look fucking stunning tonight, Claire. Are you sure I can’t get you anything?” She shook her head. From here, he could see down the front of her dress, to her cleavage, and his groin tightened as he watched with pleasure as goose bumps popped up on the flesh there. Max inhaled her scent and exhaled slowly, watching more goose bumps rise. He grumbled in her ear, “Stunning,” before walking away, a satisfied smirk on his face.

Max walked over to a group of men with dates, who stood on the outskirts of the music circle around Les. “How are you guys all doing? Can I get anybody anything?”

A Hispanic man with a deceptively small stature looked up at him. “Max! Thanks for the invite, man! This is an awesome deck. Is it compensation for something? I’ve never seen one this big!” He stretched his hands out, and his girlfriend slapped his shoulder.

“Juan. Be nice!”

“I’m sorry, mamacita. He knows I’m playing.” His contrite tone made Max laugh out loud.

Derrick, one of the other guys in the circle, said, “Yeah, thanks for inviting us, too. It’s been awhile since we’ve all been to a Max Houston shindig.”

He shuffled his feet. “Yeah, well, I’ve been busy.”
Making furniture and feeling sorry for myself.

Derrick’s smile faded. “You been doing alright, man?”

Max plastered his fake smile on, ready for condolences. He kept thinking they would stop. “Yeah, I am, actually.”

Before they could come out with all kinds of “I’m sorry, man’s” he turned and went to check the chicken.

Claire was really enjoying herself, even though Summer had practically dragged her over here. Summer’s group of girl friends were really a lot of fun, she couldn’t remember when she’d laughed so hard. Alyssa was moaning about her mother and the fact that she was having some sort of elective surgery, with high expectations of Alyssa helping with the recovery process. Her descriptions of her mother’s neediness made Claire laugh, even though she suspected that Alyssa used the humor to mask a serious frustration with her mother.

Jessie was just starting a business with her farm. So far, Summer was one of her best customers, buying goat cheese to set out at her bookstore for customers to sample while they browsed. Apparently, it had drawn her some business, but she still had a ways to go, as she had taken out a loan to license the dairy for human consumption. Claire admired the woman’s grit and her honesty. She wouldn’t mind talking to Jessie a little more one on one about men. She seemed to have a love ‘em then leave ‘em attitude that Claire would like to be able to emulate.