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He squeezes my hand and dips his head until we lock gazes. “Sydney, you don’t have to do it if you’re not ready.”
“Is that what you want?”
Confusion registers on his face. “What do you mean, is that what I want? This isn’t my decision.”
I roll out of bed, needing a little more than a foot of space between us. A pool of dread knots my stomach as I wrap the silk robe around me, pulling the belt tight. Max raises his brows.
“I know it’s not your decision.” I swallow as the knot moves to my throat. “But what if my decision is to keep singing?” He sits up, leans against the headboard with a confused expression. The stark contrast of the white sheet against his tan body only makes his sculpted body stand out more.
“Are you worried what I’ll think if you keep singing?” I nod slowly. “Tink, I want you to be happy doing what you love. There have been no assumptions made that if we’re together, you would drop your dreams. You’ve earned your place in that world and I’d never take it away.”
My eyes cast down as embarrassment stirs in my belly. Especially after that answer. “Sorry,” I whisper, sitting on the edge of the bed. Wishing I could have half of Max’s confidence.
“Don’t be sorry, babe. There’s a lot of unanswered questions about what’s next. But I’m on your side wherever that is.” I peek up and softly smile. “Now, I can’t promise that I won’t be an overprotective husband.”
“You? Overprotective? Noooo.”
He pounces from his spot, pushing me back and ends up straddling me. “Okay, smartass,” he says, tickling me. I writhe under him, squealing for him to stop. He leans forward on his hands, steel-blue eyes lock onto mine. “You underestimate how deep my love for you is.”
He’s wrong, I feel it, deep inside my bones.
“It scares me to fall this hard for someone, I feel so out of control, it’s mind bending, yet I’d fight the world alone to keep it. To keep you.”
The rawness from his words melt into my heart. I cup his jaw and nod, tears pool in my eyes. “I’m yours, Max. Forever.” He lowers onto his elbows and runs his thumb across my cheek, catching the tear that broke free.
“Forever isn’t long enough,” he whispers, leaning down and dusting featherlike kisses down my neck. He reaches between us, pulling the knotted silk belt loose.
For the next hour, our hearts and souls strip bare. With no words, Max shows me how deep his love is for me.
“I would pay a million dollars for that picture.”
I glance over my shoulder, wondering who Max is talking to. He’s staring at me from the bed, his hands behind his head and the white sheet covering only one of his legs and outlining his hard cock. I roll my body so my back is against the doorframe instead of my hip. “What picture?”
“I lied. I don’t want that picture anymore. I want that one.” He points at me. “The silhouette of your naked body in the doorway, the sun shining behind you, blue skies as the backdrop. It’s flawless. Don’t get me wrong, the one with your tight ass was glorious, knowing that anyone could fly by and see your beautiful tits. But this one…” he groans, licking his lips while he adjusts himself “… is breathtaking.”
I glance at his phone on the nightstand and smile. “You only get one, so you better make it perfect.”
His smile reaches his eyes as he grabs his phone. I glance out to the ocean, and standing here naked, out in the open, waiting for my picture to be taken, is probably the most provocative thing I’ve ever done. Granted, no one can see me unless they fly by in a helicopter. But it’s a possibility. I’ve heard a few fly by. I loll my head in Max’s direction when he keeps telling me to hold on, don’t move.
“Max.” I smile. “Take the picture.”
“There. Don’t move.” He takes the picture and winks. “It wasn’t perfect until I had your eyes on me.” He stares at it and hums. “Damn, Tink. You couldn’t have given me a better present.”
I giggle and crawl up on the bed, sneaking a glance at the photo. It surprises me to see how sensual I seem. “Wow.” My sneaky glance turns into a flat-out stare.
“You are so beautiful,” he softly sings in my ear, goosebumps pebbled my bare skin. The tune “You Are So Beautiful” by Joe Crocker snaps me out of my gawking and I pull up on my elbows.
His voice, rich and deep, is sexy as hell. “We should sing a duet.”
Humor crinkles in the corner of his eyes. “Nope. Don’t get used to it, Tink. That’s your job, not mine.”
“You know where to find me if you change your mind.”
He laughs. “Tell me what you were thinking earlier.” It takes a couple seconds to register his shift in conversation. “When you were staring out to the ocean. I called your name a couple times, but you didn’t hear me.”
“Ohhh.” I slowly nod, the thoughts coming back. “I decided I want to do the concert. If I stop, she wins. It’s what she wanted all along — for me to fail. That’s why she tried to sabotage my performances.”
“I guess we’re going to Dallas.”
