Max watched her face in the reflection of the car window as the wrought-iron gates slowly swung open.The mansion beyond was set far back from the road, tucked into rolling hills and framed by old oaks that arched like guardians. Pale stone. Arched windows. A wraparound terrace with wrought iron railings and ivy curling along the edges like nature itself had claimed it as sacred.But it wasn’t the house that stole his breath.It was the way Suzi looked at it.Her lips parted, eyes wide, pupils glinting with a kind of disbelief that made something tug in his chest.“Max,” she whispered, fingers clutching the seatbelt strap. “Are we allowed to be here?”He chuckled.“We’re not just allowed,” he said, offering his hand. “We are expected.”She blinked up at him, tentative as always, like she was waiting for someone to laugh and say it was all a joke.He helped her out, keeping her hand in his. “Come on. Let’s see if it feels like home.”The door creaked open as the real estate agent waved
The penthouse door clicked shut behind them with a soft thud, cutting off the rest of the world.Max’s hand still held Suzi’s.She looked up at him, eyes wide, cheeks a little pink from the attention and compliments she’d received all afternoon.“Thank you,” she whispered.Max didn’t let go.Instead, he stepped closer, letting the hush of the room settle between them. His voice was quiet. “That lavender dress.”Suzi’s eyes flicked down, almost shy. “You were staring.”“I couldn’t help it.” His thumb brushed over the back of her hand. “You looked like something out of a dream.”Her breath hitched. “I looked weird.”“No,” he murmured.Suzi swallowed, and Max saw it—the flicker in her eyes, the pull of hesitation and something deeper. Want. Uncertainty. Trust.So he let go of her hand slowly, gently, but didn’t move away. “I want to make love to you.”Suzi’s breath caught. She didn’t speak right away. Her eyes searched his and they were quiet, unsure, burning.“I…” Her voice trembled. Sh
The boutique didn’t have a sign. Just tall glass doors, a sleek black roof, and a concierge who opened the entrance like they were entering a private club. Suzi clutched Max’s hand tighter the second they stepped inside. The air was perfumed with soft jasmine and something expensive she couldn’t name. Plush white carpets muffled every step, and each clothing rack looked like it held only three carefully spaced items—each one more elegant than the last. “I shouldn’t be here,” Suzi whispered as her gaze darted across the high ceilings and gold-accented mirrors. Max leaned down, brushing his lips lightly against her temple. “You’re exactly where you’re meant to be.” A few feet ahead, two women were already waiting. Suzi recognized one immediately. Daphne, with her sleek dark hair and sharp-edged elegance that made even standing still look like a photoshoot. Beside her stood a blonde woman with bright blue eyes, Lucas’s cousin Tiffany, if Suzi remembered right. Next to her was
The elevator doors opened directly into the penthouse.Suzi stepped in cautiously, her fingers still curled around Max’s.The place was beautiful with floor-to-ceiling windows stretched across the far wall, bathing the room in golden light. Marble floors gleamed beneath her sneakers. Sleek furniture in soft grays and creams filled the open floor plan, accented with gold and glass. It didn’t look like a home. It looked like something out of a magazine.She froze just inside the threshold.Max let go of her hand without a word and set her bag down gently by the wall.“You okay?” he asked after a moment.She nodded, even though her throat felt too tight to speak.Max took a slow breath, then gave her a crooked smile. “I hope you like it. But don’t get too attached because I plan to buy a real house for us.”Suzi didn’t know how to respond to that. So she didn’t. She took a few more steps inside, her arms wrapped around her middle.“Come on,” he said, his voice gentle. “Let me show you the
Suzi watched Max scroll through a tablet with curiosity.“What do you feel like eating?” he asked, tapping the screen. “They’ve got pancakes, waffles, eggs, fruit, some kind of hipster avocado situation…”“Toast,” she said quietly. “With jam.”Max looked up, grinning. “Adventurous.”She shrugged one shoulder, clutching the sheet tighter. “And maybe some fruit. Strawberries, if they have them.”He nodded and added it to the order without comment.Suzi sat up, slowly, holding the sheet to her chest like armor. Her body ached. She couldn’t believe they had sex again.Max caught the motion and glanced her way. His smile softened. He didn’t make a joke. Didn’t tease. He just said, “We can take it easy today. Stay in. Watch bad movies. Or nap. Whatever you want.”Suzi looked away. That was the problem, wasn’t it? He kept asking what she wanted, like it mattered.She wasn’t used to it.After a pause, she asked, “Are you always like this?”Max tilted his head. “Like what?”“Nice.”His brows l
Suzi didn’t know what to make of this man. It still didn’t feel real. None of it did.Her. Suzi Myers. Picking a house? With clawfoot tubs and window seats and someone who actually cared what she wanted?But then again, she was no longer Susan Myers. She was Mrs. Susan Costello.“I…” Her voice was thin. Wispy. “I want a bookshelf. One of those tall ones. That goes all the way to the ceiling.”Max was quiet beside her.“And one of those front porches with a swing. Not the fancy kind. Just a simple one. Big enough to sit and read.”Max was still silent, but when she glanced over, his jaw was tight. His eyes were on her.“You think I’m silly,” she whispered.“No, I think you are cute,” he said.Her lips parted, but no words came out.She looked away quickly, heart pounding, afraid she’d start crying if she looked at him too long.She wasn’t supposed to have this. People like her didn’t get fairytale endings, didn’t get clawfoot tubs and porch swings and a man who said things like “our ho