In a heartbeat (Heartbeat #1) Read online

  To pass the time, she started browsing aimlessly online, watching videos on Youtube and organising her shelves on Goodreads, when her phone beeped.

  Max: What are you doing?

  Stella: Why? You miss me yet? *wink*

  Max: Hell, yeah. Get your butt over here.

  Stella: Can’t. Still haven’t talked to my mum.

  Max: After?

  Stella: Max ... I’m already in my PJs. I’d rather stay in.

  Max: PJs? And what does it look like exactly? *wink*

  Stella smiled. She loved it when Max flirted with her, even though she’d told him to stop. But they were texting now; it wasn’t in person. It was just a bit of fun. Right?

  Stella: Shorts that barely cover my ass and a tank top that barely covers... anything.

  Max: I’ll be there in 10.

  Stella: Nooo, I was kidding. It’s baggy sweats. Totally unsexy, I swear.

  Max: Too late. Image is already in my head.

  Stella: You’ll just have to take care of that image yourself, ’cos my mom’s calling. Bye x

  When Stella clicked on the green button flashing on her computer screen, she couldn’t help but grin.

  “Hi, Mum!” Stella waved as her mother’s face came into view.

  “Hi, sweetheart. You look happy.”

  “Yeah, I know,” she said, thinking that she hadn’t laughed, or even smiled, that much before she’d met Max. It must be weird for her mum to see her like this. “You look great, Mum.”

  “Thanks, honey. The girls at work pestered me to go to a spa with them last weekend. I guess it shows.”

  “You went to a spa?” Stella was beyond surprised. Her mum never did anything like that. Helen was a beautiful woman, even though she didn’t give her appearance much thought. Maybe their separation was good for both of them.

  Since it had been just the two of them alone for so long, they’d grown very close to each other and shared everything. Stella missed her mum and really wanted to talk to her about Max, about Lisa’s weird mood swings, about how afraid she was that this was all a bubble full of fairy dust and sooner rather than later it would burst.

  “I believe that everything happens for a reason. People come into our lives for a reason; nothing is a coincidence,” Helen finally said, after she’d listened to Stella get everything off her chest. “I know you don’t want to get hurt, darling, but sometimes we have to take risks and explore the possibilities presented in front of us. Remember that film with Jim Carey, ‘Yes man’?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Try and be more like him. Say ‘yes’ to things you wouldn’t usually agree to.”

  “You know, that’s terrible advice coming from a mother to her daughter!”

  Helen laughed. “Probably. But I know what kind of a daughter I’ve raised. And I trust you.”

  They talked for about two hours. Helen told Stella about her phone conversations with Niki and how happy she was that her former best friend had finally decided to reach out to her. Neither of them wanted to hang up, but in the end Stella saw her mum trying to stiffen a yawn for the third time running, so they said their goodbyes.

  Stella went down to the kitchen to grab something to eat, just as Niki came through the front door. Lisa still wasn’t home, which was weird – she never worked that late in the gallery. Stella tried to call her, but her phone went straight to voicemail. Her aunt didn’t find it strange, though; she said the signal in the gallery wasn’t that good and she’d probably got held up. Lisa was a good girl – she never went out late alone or got drunk or disappeared without calling, and that gave her mother a reason to trust her implicitly.

  They had dinner together and Stella offered to do the dishes, since Niki looked exhausted. She thanked her and headed straight for her bedroom.

  By the time Stella got back to her room, it was almost eleven. Picking up her phone to try calling Lisa again, she saw she had a missed call from Max.

  “Hey, what’s up? You called?”

  “Yeah. We have a problem.” He sounded concerned. “Lisa’s here.”

  “Here where? At the bar?”

  “Yeah.” Stella couldn’t believe this. Her cousin ditched her today, then went off to work, supposedly, and was now out partying without her. It was so unlike her.

  “Is she alone?” Stella asked, thinking that maybe Lisa had got a date and that’s why she hadn’t invited her along.

  “Not anymore,” said Max, his voice grim and sounding a little angry.

  “Max, just tell me what the hell is going on.”

  “She came in here about an hour ago. I didn’t call you because I thought you knew and maybe you were coming too. She barely talked to me and started ordering shots. When I tried to get her to ease up, she barked at me to back off and went crazy on the dance floor. Now she’s got that sleazebag all over her.”

  “Oh, God. I’m coming right over.”

  “No. You stay home. I’ll take care of it.”

  “Max, your shift’s not over. How exactly are you going to take care of this? I’ll come and drag her ass home if I have to.”

  “No, Stella. I don’t want you out alone that late. I’ll handle it.”

  “Max ...” Stella really didn’t like his over-protective tone and was ready to argue some more, or even slam the phone down and get over there, when he interrupted her.

  “Please, Stella. Just stay there. I can’t deal with Lisa and worry about you out alone at night.” His voice was gentle, yet commanding.

  Despite herself, Stella agreed.

  It was past midnight when Max called her to come to the door, because he didn’t want to ring the bell and wake Niki. He had Lisa in his arms and she was passed out. Stella’s reaction must have been close to horrified, because he immediately said,

  “It’s OK. She passed out in the car. She’s going to be majorly hung over tomorrow, but otherwise she’s fine.”

  Stella nodded and they took her to her bedroom, taking off her shoes and covering her with the blanket.

  Coming back to the living room, Max sat down on the sofa and Stella sat next to him.

  “What’s going on with her, Max? This is so unlike her.”

  “I know.” He put his arm on the sofa’s back and his fingers brushed Stella’s shoulder. She shivered, suddenly feeling very cold. His body was so warm and inviting next to hers that on an impulse she snuggled into him. Without missing a beat, his arm came tighter around her and his fingers started making circles on her upper arm.

  “We have to talk to her. Make her confess what’s been bothering her,” said Stella, and felt Max nodding his head.

  “You weren’t kidding about the PJs after all,” he said, putting his cheek on top of her head. She hadn’t even realised she was wearing just her shorts and the top she slept in, she’d been so worried about Lisa. Stiffening in his arms, Stella wondered how to reply. “Hey, relax. I don’t bite,” he said, feeling her uneasiness, and tightened his embrace reassuringly around her.

  Too bad, she thought. I think I might like it.

  Then she immediately scolded herself for thinking that.

  Stella craned her neck to look at Max’s face. He raised his head from hers and looked down at her. His lips were so close that he had only to dip his head down two inches and they’d touch hers. Feeling her looking at his mouth, Max bit his lower lip and his eyes clouded with desire, his eyelids hooding them. He released his lip from his teeth and it had bright red bite marks on it.

  Stella swallowed slowly, her heart rate picking up as she remembered what those lips tasted like. Bells started ringing in her head as she unsuccessfully tried to pull away and everything around her blurred. There was just Max and her, his hazel eyes glazed with heat and his lips so inviting and close.

  Max brought his other hand to her cheek and tenderly caressed her. What surprised Stella was that he didn’t spring on her like he had before. He was showing amazing restraint, considering how intimate that moment was. It was as if he waited
for her, as if it was her decision to make.

  She melted into his hand and closed her eyes, fully surrendering to the moment. Exhaling loudly, Max tightened his arms around her, almost crushing her, and bringing his face to the side of her neck, breathed her in. Then he slowly, almost agonisingly so, touched his lips on her neck.

  Stella physically shivered. She’d never felt such intense pangs of pleasure before. If he could do that to her with a soft kiss on her neck, what would it be like to make love to him? The thought made her gasp, as another wave of lust thundered through her body.

  “Stella,” Max whispered, his voice husky. “You’re killing me here.” He dragged his lips and the tip of his tongue up her neck to her jaw line. Stella moaned as contradicting emotions spread inside her; she needed to pull away, because if she didn’t they’d end up spending the night together – and yet she’d never felt this good in her life. It was the single most amazing moment of her existence, and how was she supposed to interrupt it?

  “Max ...”

  “Please don’t tell me to stop, baby. I want you so much,” he whispered, as his lips found hers.

  This time his kiss was slow and luxurious. She savoured every moment as he stroked her tongue with his. Sucking on her lower lip, Max buried his hands in her hair and eased her back on the sofa. He laid on top of her, his lips never leaving hers, his hands stroking her thighs, her waist, her breasts. His thigh parted her legs as he positioned himself right on top of her, and she whimpered at the back of her throat.

  What am I doing? Making out with Max on my aunt’s sofa, for Christ’s sake! What if she wakes up and finds us? What if Lisa wakes up?

  All Stella’s thoughts were cut off, because Max had increased the pressure of his thigh between her legs and his hand was under her tank top.

  Oh God!

  *

  Stella gasped under his touch, her whole body trembling with need. She kissed him back as if her life depended on it. Her lips were eager and anything but gentle. The moment Max pressed his thigh between her legs, she bit his lower lip and moaned, her hands finding their way under his shirt. Her grey eyes were so unfocused they looked black.

  God, she’s so close!

  Max wanted to make her come and to watch her the whole time, drinking in her face, her lips, with her whole body shuddering underneath him. He moved his hand under her tank top, over her breasts, her stomach, until he replaced his thigh with his fingers. Stella’s breath caught as she was trying to be quiet, and she arched her body, her head falling backwards. Max bent down and kissed her neck, then moved away to watch as she came undone in his arms.

  It was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen and sexy as hell.

  He’d been imagining that moment since he’d met her on the beach and poured hydrogen peroxide on her injured foot. She had arched her body in the same way and he had craved to make her do that from pleasure, not pain.

  Slowly, Stella relaxed in his arms, and looked at him, her eyelids half closed. Her skin was flushed and her lips were swollen and red. Max bent down again and kissed her, gently, savouring the sweet taste of her. She wrapped her hands behind his neck and drew him even closer.

  Good, she wasn’t pushing him away. That was a good sign. He wouldn’t be able to take it if she started acting all awkward on him right now. They had crossed a line and from now on it was all or nothing. No more friendship bullshit. Max wanted Stella like he’d never wanted anything before.

  Judging by her body’s reaction to him, she wanted him just as much.

  *

  As Stella calmed down, she started to realise what had just happened. Max had made it clear that he wanted to be with her, and he’d been trying to be her friend only because she’d asked him to. She had succumbed to her attraction to him and given him false hope.

  There was no way she was going to break his heart.

  He deserved someone he could be with, without any complications like a long-distance relationship or, even worse, cancer. There was a very real possibility that when she went back to London and had her check-up, the cancer would be back. It had been back after the first surgery.

  Stella gently put her palm on Max’s chest, trying to push him off her. She had to be very careful how she reacted right now – she didn’t want to hurt him, but at the same time he had to know that this couldn’t happen again.

  “Max,” she whispered, still a little bit breathless. He lifted himself off her and looked into her eyes, his own full of longing. She pushed him up a bit further until they sat back on the sofa. “That was amazing.”

  “But?” His expression clouded and he frowned, sensing there would definitely be a ‘but’.

  “We can’t do this right now. Lisa’s really fragile at the moment and I don’t want to spring any relationship between us on her. She’s made it clear she wouldn’t approve and I just think it would be a good idea if we put her needs first. Let’s talk to her tomorrow, see where her head is.”

  He looked at her, frowning, for a long time. She knew she’d put him in a horrible position and hated herself for it. Max wanted to be with her, but if he said so right now, he’d seem like a jerk because he didn’t care about his friend’s feelings.

  He closed his eyes and rubbed his neck, trying to collect his thoughts.

  “OK. You’re right. Let’s talk to her tomorrow morning, I’ll come by for coffee. And we’ll take it from there.”

  Stella nodded and got up from the sofa. Even though that was exactly what she wanted him to say, deep down she couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed. It was too easy, considering what had just happened and the intensity of Max’s attraction to her. She expected him to argue with her, make some big statement about how he couldn’t stay away from her a second longer – but he didn’t.

  Stella hated the way Max scattered her emotions all over the place, making her lose focus on what was right and what she really wanted.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Max decided to call Stella before he went out of the house, just in case she was still sleeping. She picked up on the fourth ring and her voice was still husky and low.

  “Did I wake you?” he asked, unable to keep the smile from his voice. He’d give anything to have woken up next to her and heard her sexy morning voice in person.

  “Yeah. But if we hang up right now, I might just pretend this is a dream and continue sleeping.”

  “No way. If you have dreams about me, they’re not going to be about me waking you up over the phone.”

  She laughed in a cute, throaty way and Max started to regret that he’d agreed to pretend nothing had happened between them last night. If he’d argued his case, he was certain Stella wouldn’t have been able to resist him, not in the state she was in. And that was exactly the problem. He would be waking up next to her right now, but she’d start to regret it and doubt her decision. If Max ever did spend the night in her bed, he’d have to make sure there would be no regrets in the morning.

  “I called to let you know I’m coming over. I’ll be there in ten. You’d better get up and make that coffee.” She groaned on the other end, clearly not enjoying the idea of getting out of bed yet. Max sighed. “OK. Stay in bed. I’ll grab some coffee on the way and bring it to you.”

  “You have no idea how good that sounds right now,” she murmured, and Max heard sheets being ruffled. Just thinking about her under those sheets, imagining her wild hair everywhere and her eyes sleepy and her body warm, got him instantly turned on.

  “Can you just drag your cute ass downstairs and unlock the door?” she mumbled a ‘Mm-hm’ and he added, “I’ll see you soon, tesoro.”

  When Max arrived at Lisa’s house, the door was indeed unlocked and he let himself in, carrying three cups of coffee. He didn’t see Niki’s car in the driveway, but it was 10 a.m. so he guessed she was already at work. He left Lisa’s cup on the table and, carrying the other two upstairs, knocked quietly on Stella’s door. A barely audible ‘Come in’ came from the other side and he
pushed the door open.

  She was still in bed and he had imagined it correctly before – her hair was indeed all over the place and her eyes were barely open. Max sat on the edge and handed her the coffee.

  “Thanks,” she said, sitting up. Watching her drinking her first sip and exhaling in pure pleasure was mesmerising. His thoughts immediately drifted towards last night, when he had watched her experiencing a different kind of pleasure. Shaking his head to disperse those thoughts, at least for now, Max noticed that Stella was staring at him, assessing him. Was it obvious what he was thinking about? Was she thinking about the same thing?

  For a moment, he felt uneasy under her gaze. When she watched him like this, he could almost feel her poking around inside his head.

  “So, do you think we should wake her up?” Max said, breaking the silence.

  “Let’s give her another half hour. I need some time for my brain to start working.” Max nodded.

  “Usually you don’t have a problem waking up early. What’s wrong today?” he asked, remembering that she was always up and running in the morning.

  “It’s not that I don’t have a problem waking up. It’s just that sometimes I can’t sleep and I prefer to get up instead of tossing and turning in bed.” She paused to take another sip of her coffee. “Last night I slept better than recently,” she said, and Max almost choked on his coffee. Was she referring to what had happened last night? As if realising what she’d said, Stella quickly added, “This is the real me, not a morning person at all.” She smiled and tried to cover he slip-up, but it was too late. Max had caught onto it and his lips spread into a wicked grin.