Chapter 20 Chapter Nineteen

"Lillian, Lillian, my dear...wake up. Oh, I asked someone to bring tea." Daisy stood by the bed, shaking Lillian's shoulders gently with her small hands. Turning over with a grunt, Lillian squinted at her sister's face. "I don't want to get up." "Oh, you have to get up. There's something I think you should get ready for." "Things? What's the matter?" Lilian struggled to get up, and pressed her hands on her painful forehead; but when she saw Daisy's little face full of interest, her heart thumped. "You lean on the pillow," Daisy replied. "I'll bring you tea, here."

Taking the steaming cup, Lillian struggled to concentrate her thoughts, which were as chaotic as a tangled wool. She vaguely recalled Max quietly escorting her back to her room last night, where a tub of warm bathwater and a helpful room maid were waiting for her.She bathed, put on a new pajamas, and lay on the bed until her sister returned from the village festivities.Had it not been for the lingering soreness in her legs after the long, dreamless sleep, she might have been convinced that intimate scene never happened. And now?She thought uneasily that he had said he was going to marry her.But in the light of day, he'd very likely reconsider, and she wasn't sure if that was what she wanted.If she had to impose the rest of her life on Max as a superfluous responsibility...

"What happened?" she asked. Daisy sat on the edge of the bed and looked at her. She was wearing a blue morning gown, her hair was disheveled behind her neck, and her eyes were fixed on Lillian's tired face with interest. "About two hours ago, I heard some movement in Mum and Dad's room. It sounded like the Earl of Westcliff had asked Dad to meet him alone - in the family drawing room, I believe - and then a short while later Dad When I came back, I poked my head in and asked what happened; Dad wouldn't say, but he looked very excited, and Mom was hysterical, laughing and crying, and then Dad calmed her down with soft words .I don't know what the Earl of Westcliff and Papa said, but I hope you can—" Daisy stopped, seeing Lillian's teacup click on the saucer, she reached out quickly Take the cup from Lillian's limp hands. "My dear, what's the matter? You look strange. What happened yesterday? Did you do anything to make Lord Westcliff angry?"

Lillian let out a hoarse laugh from her tightly shut throat. She had never felt like this before, putting herself on the verge of anger and sadness.In the end anger got the upper hand. "Yes," she said. "There is something. And now he's using that to force me, whether I want to or not. Behind my back, plan everything with my father... Oh, I won't tolerate it! No!" Daisy's eyes were as round as dinner plates. "Did you ride Lord Westcliff's horse without permission? Did you?" "I... God, no, it would be fine if it was just like that." Lilian buried her blushing face into her palms. "I slept with him." Her voice escaped from her cold fingers. "Just yesterday, when everyone was away from the manor."

There was a shocked silence after the simple confession. "You...but...but I don't see how you can..." "I drank brandy in the library," Lillian said blankly. "And then he found me. One thing after another, and then I was in his bedroom." Daisy digested the news silently in astonishment. She opened her mouth to speak, but took another sip of the tea that Lillian didn't drink to moisten her throat. "I guess when you said 'you slept with him' you meant more than just sleeping?" Lillian shot her a sharp look. "Daisy, don't be so retarded."

"Do you think he would propose to you responsibly?" "Oh, yes." Lillian said with deep disgust. "He'd take 'responsibility' like a big, heavy bludgeon and hit me on the head with it until I gave in." "Did he say he loves you?" Daisy asked again boldly. Lillian snorted with a sneer. "No, he didn't even say simple words like that." A bewildered line appeared on her sister's forehead. "Lillian...are you afraid he wants you just because of the perfume?" "No, I... oh my god, I didn't even think of that, I was so confused..." Moaning, Lillian grabbed the nearest pillow and covered her face as if trying to suffocate herself, which, for the moment, Not too bad.

But the pillow wasn't thick enough to completely muffle Daisy's voice. "Do you want to marry him?" The question made Lillian's heart ache, and as she threw the pillow aside, she muttered, "But not like this! Not like this, where he decides without regard to my feelings and claims it's the only thing he can do." Yes, because I was seduced by him." Daisy pondered her words. "I don't believe that is the character of the Earl of Westcliff," she said. "He doesn't look like the kind of guy who would just take a girl to bed or marry him unless he really wants to."

"Of course I can," said Lillian coldly. "He will care about what I want." She got out of bed and walked to the washstand, glaring at her haggard self in the mirror.Pouring water from the jug into the basin, she washed her face and wiped off the water with a soft square towel.Opening a small tin can revealed cinnamon-colored tooth powder inside. Lillian dabbed some on her toothbrush. The crunchy powder gave off a sour taste in her mouth, and she swished vigorously until her teeth were clean and smooth. Glass. "Daisy," she said, turning her head away. "Do me a favor?"

"of course can." "I don't want to talk to Mum or Dad right now. But I need to make sure that Westcliff really proposed to Dad, if you can manage to find out—" "You don't need to say much." Daisy said quickly, and went out. During this time, Lillian finished her morning wash and put on a white muslin burqa over her pajamas, and Daisy returned. "There is no need to ask." The younger sister reported regretfully. "Dad wasn't there, but Mum was humming the wedding march while staring at a bottle of whiskey, and she looked beyond happy. I must say, there is no doubt that the Earl of Westcliff has proposed."

"That bastard," Lillian muttered. "How dare he exclude me, as if I'm just a by-product of the whole deal?" Her eyes narrowed. "I really want to know what he's doing right now? Maybe he's making sure that every detail is covered. That is, the next person he's going to talk to is—" She was all over and finally seemed to be popping out of every pore again.Wouldn't Westcliff, the controlling villain, let her end her friendship with St. Vincent?Couldn't she have dealt with it in a dignified and appropriate way?No, Westcliff would take care of all the little things for himself, and Lillian would be left to face his schemes, as helpless as a child. "If he does what I think he does," she growled. "I'll hit him on the head with a poker!"

"What?" Daisy was obviously at a loss. "You think he—no, Lillian, you can't just run out in your pajamas!" she whispered loudly to her sister, who was scurrying down the hallway angrily. "Lillian! Please come back! Lillian!" The frills of her nightgown and white burqa billowed behind her like a ship with full sail as Lillian ran down the corridor toward the main staircase.It was still very early, and most of the guests were still asleep, and Lillian, so angry that she didn't care who saw her, rushed past a few surprised servants, and by the time she reached Max's study, she was out of breath.The door was closed, she pushed it open without hesitation, so hard that the door hit the wall, and then walked in. As she expected, Max and Viscount St. Vincent were inside, and both turned to face her. Lillian looked at St. Vincent's calm face. "How much did he tell you?" she asked straight to the point. Putting on a neutral and happy expression, St. Vincent replied softly: "That's enough." She turned her eyes to Max's stubborn face, knowing that he had communicated his demands with deadly efficiency like a surgeon on the battlefield, and once the target was set, he attacked to ensure victory. "You don't have the right." Her anger boiled even more. "I don't want to be manipulated, Westcliff!" With false relief, St. Vincent left the desk and came towards her. "I wouldn't advise you to hang out in such casual clothes, dear," he said softly. "Well, allow me to put my—" Max was already behind Lillian, though, throwing his coat over her shoulders, hiding her pajamas from other men.She tried to throw the clothes off angrily, but Max clamped her shoulders firmly, pulling her stiff body back against him. "Don't be a joke," he whispered in her ear, and she bowed desperately to break free. "Let me go! I want to speak to Viscount St. Vincent, he and I deserve more respect. If you want to stop me, I will do it behind your back." Max let go of her reluctantly, and stood aside with his arms folded.Despite his outward composure, Lillian could sense the presence of some strong emotion within him, which he hadn't been so successful at controlling. "Go ahead," Max said curtly, his jaw clenched stubbornly, and it was clear that he had no intention of allowing them to be alone for a moment. Lillian thought that she was afraid she was one of the few women who were foolish enough to think they could handle someone so arrogant and stubborn.She narrowed her eyes and stared at him. "Try not to interrupt, will you?" she demanded again alertly, before turning away. Continuing to maintain a nonchalant look, St. Vincent half leaned on the table.Lillian frowned thoughtfully, desperate to make him understand that she didn't mean to deceive him. "My lord, please forgive me. I don't want to—" "Sweetheart, there's no need to apologize." St. Vincent looked at her lazily, as if he understood her inner thoughts. "You did nothing wrong. I know very well how easy it is to seduce an innocent and pure person." The technique paused, and he continued gently. "Obviously Westcliff can't avoid that either." "I'm warning you—" Max began, furious. "I tried to be a gentleman, and this happened." St. Vincent interrupted, brushing back a lock of Lillian's hair that fell over her shoulders. "If I resorted to my usual tactics, I have seduced you more than ten times by now, and you would already be mine. But I seem to be too comfortable with Westcliff's boastful sense of honor." "I've made as many mistakes as he has," Lillian said, determined to be honest.However, it could be seen from his expression that he didn't believe it. Not wanting to argue this, St. Vincent let go of her hair and leaned forward. "My love, what would you do if I told you I still wanted you, no matter what happened to you and Westcliff?" She could hardly hide her surprise at the question. Behind her, Max seemed unable to remain silent, his voice crackling with rage. "You're dreaming, St. Vincent. The truth is, she's mine now." "Based on that essentially meaningless act?" St. Vincent retorted coldly. "My lord," Lillian said to St. Vincent. "It...it doesn't make sense to me. And it probably has consequences that I can't marry another man with a man's child." (It doesn't make sense to me : I think this sentence should be paid attention to~~) "My love, this will work out eventually. I will treat the child as if it were my own." "I can't listen to this anymore!" came Max's warning growl. Ignoring him, Lillian looked at St. Vincent apologetically. "I can't. I'm sorry. The dice has been thrown, my lord, and I can't get it back. But..." She reached out and took him impulsively. "But no matter what happens, I hope I'm still your friend." With a strange smile, St. Vincent took her hand affectionately and refused to let go. "There's only one situation where I'd want to say no to your request, sweetheart...but not like this. Of course I'll be on your side and be your friend." Over her head, he said sullenly He met Westcliff's eyes with a smile, suggesting that he would not let it go. "I don't think I'll be here until the party is over," he said flatly. "While I don't like the prospect of any gossip by leaving so suddenly, I doubt I'll be able to hide my, uh...disappointment, so I'd better get going. Of course, there will be when we see each other next time." There's more to talk about." Max watched him exit through narrowed eyes, closing the door behind him. A smoldering silence ensues as Max ponders St. Vincent's words. "There is only one situation where he will reject you... What do you mean?" Lillian turned to face him angrily. "I don't know, and I don't care! You behave abominably, and the gentleman of St. Vincent is ten times better than you!" "If you knew a little bit about him, you wouldn't be saying that." "I just know he has a lot of respect for me, and you see me as some kind of pawn to advance your business relationship, and—" She pounded both fists on his chest, and he slammed his arm Circle her. "You won't be happy with him," Max said, reining in her struggles as easily as if she were a kitten caught by the scruff of the neck.The coat he had draped over her shoulders fell to the floor. "Why do you say that I would be better with you?" He put his arms around her waist, twisted her arms behind his back to fix them, and let out a cry of pain when she stomped hard on his instep. "Because you need me," he said, short of breath from her squirming. "Just like I need you." His lips brushed hers. "I've wanted you for a whole year." Another kiss, deeper and more intoxicating, his tongue probing her intimately. Of course she could continue to struggle to show that the words had no effect on her.But he let go of her wrist, wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her into a warm, tender embrace; unguarded, she relaxed, her heart beating wildly. "It doesn't mean nothing to me, either," Max said, whispering hoarsely in her ears. "Yesterday I finally realized that everything I thought about you before was wrong, and in fact I had a lot of fun with it. I won't blame you for what you do, as long as it pleases you: Barefoot Run on the grass in front of the mansion; eat pudding with your fingers; call me hell if you like it. I just like you the way you are. After all, besides my sister, you are the only one who dares to call me to my face Arrogant, stupid woman, how can I resist you?" His mouth moved to her soft cheeks. "My favorite Lillian," he said softly, turning her head to kiss her eyelids. "If I had the gift of a poet, I would write countless sonnets for you, but I am too excited to speak; however, there is a special word that I cannot say to you... ...that's goodbye. I can't bear to see you go away, and if you don't want to marry me for self-esteem, it's for everyone who has to put up with me. Marry me because I need someone who can Let me laugh at myself, someone who can teach me to whistle, marry me, Lillian . . . because I have an irrepressible crush on your ears." "My ear?" Lillian felt drowsily as he lowered his head and nibbled on the tip of her pink earlobe. "Well, the most perfect ears I've ever seen." His tongue traced the slits inside her ears, and his palms lifted from her waist to her breasts, outlining a corsetless figure.When he touched her breasts, she was keenly aware of her own nakedness hidden under her pajamas; his fingers curled around the soft, small shape until the nipples stretched taut under his palm. "Very..." he murmured. "Perfect..." Caressing her intoxicatedly, he undid the small buttons on the burqa. Lillian felt her own pulse thunder, and her rapid breathing merged with his.She recalled the smooth, springy texture under her palm when they made love, the feeling of his hard body brushing against her lightly, the two of them fitting together so well.Her skin tingled at the thought of his touch, the deft exploration of his lips and hands soothing her trembling need.It's no wonder he's so calm and reserved during the day - he saves all his lust for bedtime. Shocked by his intimacy, she grabs his wrist.There's still a lot to discuss between them... issues that are too important for them to ignore. "Max," she said breathlessly. "Don't, not now. It's only going to make things more confusing, not to mention—" "For me, that made everything clear." He slid his hands over her face, cupping his cheeks tenderly and nostalgicly; his eyes were much darker than hers, only a faint amber glint in the innermost part of them could tell they were brown rather than black. "Kiss me." He said softly, looking for her mouth, biting the upper lip, then the lower lip, and the unreserved caress drew her trembling response from head to toe.The floor seemed to move from under her feet, and she had to grab his shoulders for balance.He pressed against her lips more firmly, and the wet pressure made her lose herself in a new, pleasurable shiver. He continued to kiss her, pulling her hands around his neck, caressing her shoulders and back, and when her legs began to tremble, he laid her down on the carpet.His mouth wandered over her breasts, licking the nipples through the white muslin; her eyes flashed with color, crimson and blue and gold, and then dazedly they were lying in the sun, Light streamed through a row of rectangular windows of stained glass, generously flooding her skin with colors as if under a rainbow. Max grabbed the front of her nightgown and tore it hastily, the buttons flying all over the carpet; his face looked different, softer, younger, his skin flushed with lust.No one has ever stared at her like this, enthusiastic and focused, completely different from other cognitions.Leaning toward her bare breasts, he kissed the creamy skin to the bright red buds, then opened his mouth to suck. Lillian panted, arched her body, and pulled him into her arms, running her fingers through his thick black hair.Understanding her silent plea, he gnawed on her nipples carefully, torturing her tenderly with his teeth and tongue, one hand got into the wrinkled pajamas and stroked her abdomen, and the ring fingertips gently stroked around the navel lock up.Desire burned her, causing her to linger and toss in the streaming multicolored sunlight.His fingers slid down to the edge of the thick, silky hair; she knew that if he found that little spot half-hidden in a sensual fold, she would reach a peak of white-hot ecstasy. Suddenly, he withdrew his hand, and Lillian whimpered in protest.Cursing, Max hid her under him, pressing her face to his shoulders, and at that moment, the door to the study opened. In the frozen silence, only the sound of rough breathing could be heard, and Lilian nestled in Max's arms and peeped out, horrified to see someone standing there.Is it Simon?Hunter, holding a ledger and a few folders tied together with black ribbons; discreetly, Hunter looked down at the pair on the ground; although it was not easy, he managed it with commendable calm Face it calmly.The Earl of Westcliff, recognized as a permanent supporter of stability and self-discipline, never in Hunter's life would he have imagined that he would be rolling around on the floor of the study with a woman in only a pajamas. "Forgive me, Sir." Hunter said in a carefully controlled tone. "I didn't expect you to...meet...someone else at this time." Max's fierce eyes could pierce him through. "Next time you can try knocking on the door." "You're right, of course." Hunter cleared his throat, and spoke again after careful consideration. "I'll walk away and let you end your, uh... talk." He turned to leave the room, but as if he couldn't hold himself back, he asked Max ambiguously, "Once a week, what did you say?" ?” "Get out and close the door," Max said dryly, and Hunter obeyed, making a choked sound that sounded suspiciously like a laugh. Lillian still buried her face in Max's shoulder, as distressed as the day she'd been caught playing baseball in bloomers, or ten times worse.She can never face Simon again?Hunter, she thought, moaning. "It's okay." Max said softly. "He'll keep his mouth shut." "I don't care who he tells it to," Lillian struggled to speak. "Even if you seduce me a hundred times, I won't marry you." "Lillian," he said, with a sudden, trembling smile in his voice. "It will be my greatest pleasure to seduce you a hundred times, but first I need to know, what unforgivable thing did I do this morning?" "First, you talked to my father." His eyebrows were raised an inch. "This offended you too?" "Why not? Your behavior is extremely arbitrary. You tried to discuss everything with my father behind my back, but you didn't even say a word to me—" "Wait." Max said teasingly, turned over and sat up easily, and stretched out his big hand to pull Lilian up to look directly at him. "Meeting your father is not arbitrary, I just follow the tradition. A man who is going to be a groom usually goes to talk to the girl's father before making a formal marriage proposal." As he continued, the voice added A hint of mild irony. "Even in America. Is my information wrong?" The clock on the mantelpiece ticked off slowly for half a minute before Lillian reluctantly answered. "Yes, that's usually the case. But I figured you'd already made an engagement with him, whether or not that's what I thought—" "You guessed wrong. We didn't discuss the details of the engagement, and we didn't say a word about the dowry or the wedding date. I just asked your father to allow me to pursue you." Lillian stared at him in surprise and chagrin, then thought of another question. "Then what did you say to Viscount St. Vincent just now?" Now it's Max's turn to be annoyed. "That's arbitrary behavior," he admits. "Maybe I should say sorry, but I don't think so. I can't take the risk that St. Vincent might persuade you to marry him instead of me; so I think it's very necessary to warn him to stay away from you." He paused , Lillian noticed that his hesitation was unusual. "Years ago," he said, looking away from her. "St. Vincent was interested in a woman who I...was involved with. I didn't love her, but at the time she and I might—" He paused and shook his head. "I didn't know where that relationship would lead, and I never had a chance to find out. When St. Vincent started courting her, she abandoned me." His lips curled into a smileless smile. "As expected, St. Vincent got tired of her after a few weeks." Lillian looked at his stern silhouette with pity.There was no trace of anger or self-pity in this curt account, but she could still sense how traumatized he was by the experience.For Max, a man who values ​​loyalty, the betrayal of a friend and the infidelity of a lover must have been unbearable. "And you continue to maintain a friendship with him?" she asked softly. He replied with a cautious grace, obviously it was still too difficult for him to talk about personal matters. "Every friendship has its scars. And I believe that if St. Vincent had known how I felt about that woman, he wouldn't have pursued her. But now, I won't let it happen again. To me...you are too... ...important." Jealousy pierces Lillian when she hears that Max has feelings for another woman...but then her heart skips a beat as she ponders the meaning of the word "important" .Max, with his English nature, did not like to show emotion; but she could sense that he was doing his best to open up to her, and the encouragement this gave her might have some surprising results. "Since St. Vincent has a clear advantage in appearance and charm," Max continued calmly. "Then I decided I could only focus on total decisiveness. That's why I met him this morning and told him—" "No, he didn't." Lillian couldn't help objecting. Max looked back at her again, his eyes puzzled and inquiring. "what?" "He doesn't have an advantage over you," Lillian said, blushing and finding it hard to be honest, either. "You're very attractive, it's very attractive to me. As for the looks..." The blush deepened, and her heart was beating fast. "I think you are very attractive," she blurted out. "I...I've been thinking this way. If I didn't want you, I would never have slept with you last night, no matter how drunk I was." He smiled, and gently pulled her torn pajamas back together, stroking the rosy skin of her throat with the back of his fingers. "Then I can think that your reason for refusing to marry me is mostly because of coercion, rather than some personal prejudice?" Reveling in the pleasure of being caressed by him, Lilian looked at him blankly. "Well?" He chuckled softly. "What I want to ask is, if I promise not to force you, will you consider being my wife?" She nodded cautiously. "I... I can think about it. But if you're acting like a medieval nobleman and trying to intimidate me into doing what you want—" "No, I'm not trying to intimidate you," Max said seriously, though she saw the twinkle of pleasure in his eyes. "Obviously that strategy won't work. I've figured out what works, it seems." Lillian felt a little relieved, and she didn't object when he sat her on his lap and folded her long legs over his.His warm hands reached under the pajamas and wrapped around her hips, more soothing than lustful, and then he looked at her slyly. "Marriage is a partnership," he said. "Since I've never partnered with someone without negotiation, we'd better discuss it; just you and me, in private. No doubt there will be some points of contention--but you'll find that I'm very keen on negotiation. How masterful the art is." "My father will insist that he decides the dowry." "I'm not talking about financial matters. There are certain things I want in you that your father can't provide." "What are you going to discuss with me? ... What are your expectations for each other? Where are we going to live?" "That's right." "And if I say I don't want to live in the country... I prefer London to Hampshire... would you agree to live at Marsden Hall?" He gazed at her thoughtfully. "I'll make some concessions, though I'll have to come back here often to manage the estate. Don't you like the stone garden?" "Oh, no. That's...I like it here very much. I'm just hypothetical asking you that." "Even so, you're used to the joys of life in the city." "I want to live here," insisted Lillian, thinking of the beauty of Hampshire, the rivers and forests and pastures, where she could imagine playing with her children.The interesting villagers and shopkeepers in the village and the local festivals vividly record the leisurely pace of rural life.And the manor itself, vast and inviting, with all its hidden nooks and crannies to hide in on a rainy day... or an amorous night.And so far, the owner of the stone garden is its most attractive, and she can't help but blush; living with a man she values, no matter where they live, will never be boring. "Of course." She said bluntly. "If I could be allowed to ride horses again, I would certainly prefer to live in Hampshire." The statement drew almost uncontrollable laughter. "On this particular morning, I'll have the groom saddle Starlight." "Oh, thank you," she sneered. "There are two days before the party is over before you let me ride. Why? Because I slept with you last night?" His lips curled into a lazy grin, and his hands moved quietly over her hips. "You should have slept with me a few weeks ago and I'll have you running all over the estate." Lillian tilted her head and nibbled at his cheek to hide her smile. "I understand. In this marriage, as long as I want to ask you for something, I can only give you some sweets in exchange. " "It's definitely not like this. Even though..." A hint of teasing lightly appeared in his eyes. "Your sweetness seems to please me very much." Max was flirting with her, relaxing teasing in a way she hadn't seen before.Lillian bet few people could believe that the stately Earl of Westcliff would sit lazily on the rug with her while away the hours.In his arms, he changed her to a more comfortable position, and his hands went down her calves, gently pinching the slender ankles. Lillian felt more pleasure than physical sensations; her enthusiasm for him seemed to be Has penetrated into the bone marrow. "Are we going to get along, do you think?" she asked uncertainly, playing with his scarf knot boldly, loosening the gray moire with her fingertips. "We're on the opposite side of almost everything." Tilting his head, Max rubbed her wrist tenderly, his lips brushing the delicate lace-like blue veins under the skin. "I've come to believe that finding a wife who is exactly like me would be the worst decision I've ever made." "Maybe you're right," Lillian said thoughtfully, curling her fingers through the neatly trimmed, glossy hair on the side of his head. "Your wife should be someone who won't let you have your way all the time. She..." She trembled slightly as his tongue licked the delicate skin on the inside of her elbow. "Her," she continued, struggling to gather her thoughts. "She can cool you down when you get too conceited." "I'm never vain," Max said, pushing back the hem of the pajamas that covered the delicate curve of her throat. Her breath caught when he started kissing the collarbone. "What's that called? You act as if you alone know best, and anyone who disagrees is a fool." "Most of the time, the people who are against me just happen to be stupid. There's nothing I can do about it." A silent laugh escaped the corner of her mouth, she rested her head on his arm, his lips moved to the other side of her neck. "When are we negotiating?" she asked, surprised by the huskyness of her voice. "Come to my room tonight." She glanced at him suspiciously. "Isn't this a trick, so that you can seduce me unscrupulously?" Looking up at her, Max replied solemnly, "Of course not. I'm going to have a meaningful discussion and put aside all your doubts about marrying me." "Oh." "Then I will tempt you unscrupulously." He kissed her, and Lillian's laugh faded between her lips.She realized that this was the first time she had heard Max make a wisecrack, and that he was usually too strict to display this kind of indecency, but now it came out to her so naturally.Perhaps this was a little evidence that she had influenced him. "But now..." Max said. "I have a practical problem to solve." "What's the question?" she asked, shifting slightly as she felt the arousal of the body beneath her. His thumb slid across her mouth, gently stroking and tracing the shape of her lips, and then stole the last kiss as if he couldn't help himself.The deep and longing caress from his lips made her lips tingle and numb, and the feeling of excitement flowed through her whole body, and then she fell limp in his arms panting. "The question is how to get you back upstairs," Max whispered. "Before no one saw you in your pajamas."