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“I happen to be free this weekend,” I tell him instead. “And I’ve never been to Turks.”
“Really.” Max’s eyes are practically popping from his head. “Wow. This is fantastic. I’m so glad.”
And he is. Happiness radiates from him like a wave, and I’m not exactly sure how to process the fact that I made him happy. “You don’t have to make a big deal about it,” I murmur into the last of my tea.
“Of course I do because it is a big deal.” His smile is—wow. How can a woman say no to him when he flashes that?
From a distance, Max Steele is attractive. More than just attractive, but up close and personal? Being caught in the circle of attention and interest when he smiles like that?
Will I want to say no? “Maybe this is a bad idea,” I say.
“It’s not a bad idea; it’s the best idea and I am giving myself all the credit.” He pats himself on the back and I smile. “You, Cady Quinn, woman of mystery and who probably works too hard, will have a fantastic time because I will make sure of that. I will be at your beck and call for the entire time to make sure you have the most incredible time at the wedding of people you don’t know.”
Beck and call-girl. The line from Pretty Woman flashes through my mind. I’d hate that movie if I didn’t love it so much. It hits too close to home.
“You’re pretty confident,” I point out.
Max leans back. “I am confident in three things: that no woman will be left unsatisfied after an encounter with me, that I have the innate skill of pissing off my father, and that I have the awesome ability of creating a good time wherever I go.”
“Does it piss off your father that you satisfy all your women?” I ask with a straight face.
I’ve heard the rumours, and it appears Mr. Steele, Senior, doesn’t share that same talent as his son.
Something that looks a lot like pain flashes across his face. “Probably,” he says shortly.
I make a note to get Tana to figure out what’s going on there.
Max searches the restaurant for the waitress. “This is going to be great,” he says in a brisk voice. “Would you like some more tea?”
“No, thank you. I—”
Max raises his hand to cut me off. “Please don’t say you have to get back to work,” he pleads in the same voice I can picture him using when he was a child. “You took the time off to come and track me down, so that means your morning is free. Go ahead and check.”
“I don’t need to check.” First, he interrupts me and then he decides he knows what I’m about to do? This should annoy me to no end.
So why do I find him amusing? Even… charming.
“If I can’t get you more tea, then let’s leave right now and go shopping.”
I lean back with a skeptical sniff. “Shopping?”
“You know—the buying of clothes for an event? Marcus implied that the suit I brought with me is unsuitable for the weather of Turks and I’ve got to go get me another one. We have six hours before our flight, so let’s get cracking.”
“You certainly don’t need me to find a suit.”
“You remember what I said before?”
“The fact you never leave a woman unsatisfied?”
Max’s eyes widen and he coughs. “I don’t know what to think when you say things like that,” he admits, his voice losing the confident note.
“Why?” I ask, keeping my voice low and husky. Flirting comes naturally to me, which is helpful in my careers, but it’s different with Max. I don’t want to flirt because then it would make it business, but I can’t seem to help myself.
“Because if you keep it up, I’m not going to be able to stop myself—”
“From trying to get me into bed?” I interrupt with a raised eyebrow. It’s a shame if he’s that predictable.
“From falling in love with you.”
