Alicia heard the murmur of their voices while they stayed close to the door, but not what they said. She wondered what they were whispering about. Max didn’t look very happy and Patrick looked like a child who just got caught with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar.
She chose to ignore them and walked to the big window so she could watch the snowfall. Big fluffy flakes danced by the window. The blanket below looked about three feet deep. The benches they stood near not that long ago were already buried in snow. It sure did fall fast.
They were several hours north in the Blue Ridge Mountain area of North Carolina, which normally got more snow then Charlotte, but learning it had been snowing in the city before it started here made her wonder how deep it was at home. They normally didn’t get that much snow in Charlotte, but the mountains got a lot. It sounded like the weather had reversed itself.
She didn’t hear the door close, but knew when Max drew near. The heat of his body surrounded her. His breath tickled the back of her neck. All she had to do was relax her stance a little and she could lean against his warm body.
But she didn’t want to repeat what happened between them. Alicia didn’t want to be bound to this man. She didn’t think she could leave if they continued to be intimate. Yet the quiet moment they were sharing seemed so right.
Instead of being awkward, it comforted.
“The snow is beautiful.” Max whispered. “I love to watch it fall.”
She nodded. Alicia felt his arms wrap around her stomach, pulling her back against his chest. Their bodies fit together perfectly. How could she fight this?
They stood that way for quite a while. Neither ready to break the mood that embraced them. Alicia ended up yawning.
“Sorry.” She could feel the blush fill her cheeks. “I’m used to wearing my fuzzy slippers and drinking hot cocoa when snow covers the ground.”
“Such a domestic image, but fuzzy slippers? You don’t strike me as a fuzzy slipper type. Combat boots, yes. Five inch spiked heels, in my dreams.” He arched his brows at her. “Don’t tell me you’re wearing flannel too.”
“Guilty.” She stepped away from him. “I find flannel very comfortable. What did you expect? Sexy, little lacy things?”
“No.” His gaze locked with hers. He gave her a sultry smile. “I expected absolutely nothing. Guess that’s in my dreams, too.”
Alicia pressed her hands against her cheeks. They were inflamed by his comments. The comments were safe, but they still had her blood pumping. “So, I’ll take the couch. You can have the bed.”
“But that’s not fair to you. I’ll sleep on the couch.”
“Max, you are far too big for that thing.” She pointed to the small sofa.
“Patrick told me it pulls out to a bed. I’ll be quite comfortable.”
Alicia didn’t want to argue with him so she stepped into the large bedroom and looked at the massive bed. A whole family could fit on the thing. Turning her back to it, she wondered what she would wear to bed. The dress might be gorgeous, but not practical as sleep wear.
She opened a couple of doors to find clothing for men and women. Slacks, shirts, even a few dresses and suits, but nothing that looked like sleepwear. Crossing to a dresser she pulled a few drawers open. “Bingo!”
“What?” Max shouted from the other room.
“Found the PJ’s. What size do you wear?” She was met with silence for a moment.
“Extra-large.”
She felt the urge to ask him if he wore bottoms and tops or just bottoms, but wasn’t sure she could handle the answer. She grabbed a blue pair and walked into the other room. “Here you—oh, wow.”
Max had his back to her. His cummerbund had been flung over the coffee table. Cufflinks had been tossed onto one of the side tables. He was in the middle of pulling off his shirt when she walked into the room. The ripple of muscles as the shirt eased over his head stopped her in her tracks. The nightwear slipped from her fingers to fall in silence on the thick carpet.
He turned when he heard her voice, giving her the view of his chest. Her heart skipped a beat.
Seeing the hair on his chest again, made her want to forget all the promises she made to herself about keeping her distance and run her fingers through the silky hairs. Her mouth went dry at the thought of it.
Alicia cleared her throat. “I found you some sleepwear.”
He had a washboard stomach. What a six-pack. Tight pecs, great biceps. She was so busy staring at him she couldn’t come up with anything else to say. This wasn’t helping her resolve.
Max came up to her and picked up the clothing she dropped on the floor. Straightening up he gave her another bone melting smile. “Thanks.”
A quick nod and she dashed back to the safety of her own room. Being near him was not smart. She leaned against the doors after she closed them and forced her heart to slow down to a normal beat.
This wasn’t good. If seeing him out of his shirt did this to her what would happen when they continued to spend a lot of time together. Would she have trouble keeping her hands to herself?
Was that what happened the night she stayed at his house? Did he exude some sort of pheromone that made her drop her protective shields and sleep with a man she didn’t know?
“Ha, I’m losing my mind.” Alicia stepped away from the doors and pulled sleepwear out for herself.
***
Max rested his head against the door Alicia leaned against. He could feel her frustration at what was happening between them. His frustration was as strong as hers. He was drawn to her. A human.
Although he felt the legend was just a good story before Alicia brought the legend to life, now he believed. She lived it. She was it. He didn’t want to admit it but he was starting to fall for her the way the legend said he would. Max began to hope she would accept the legend a lot quicker than he did.
But how could he be falling in love with her so fast? Love was not something he had felt in a long time. Not since Francine. In fact, he didn’t think he was capable until now.
He walked back to the pullout couch and plopped down. He slid his shoes off, yanked his socks off, slouched against the couch and groaned. Shoes hurt his feet if he wore them too long.
Undoing the clasp to his pants, he shed them to don the bottoms. Sleeping nude was what he normally did, but he didn’t want to upset Alicia so he’d wear them for her.
After stacking the cushions on the floor to the left of the couch he pulled the bed out and lay down, fearing his dreams would be filled with steamy images of Alicia.
***
Max rolled over, hoping to block out the odd sound breaking the silence. It had taken him several hours to fall asleep and he didn’t want to fight that battle again.
His sensitive ears picked up Alicia thrashing in her bed. The sound grew louder as Alicia added a groan. He heard her moving in the sheets, heard the material tightening against her body with her movements.
Max sat up when her groan turned into a whimper. Something wasn’t right.
The door to her room opened without a sound. His bare feet silently treaded the carpet to her bed. The mattress sagged where his weight pressed it down.
What to do. Waking her wasn’t an option. It could do more harm than good. But leaving her in this nightmare could do damage, too. He passed his hand over her hair, hoping a gentle touch would wake her.
Alicia turned from him, clutching the sheet tight to her. She mumbled some words but he couldn’t understand what she said. Suddenly, she struck out, catching him across the cheek.
“Leave me alone!” Alicia screamed. She continued to flail about, forcing Max to subdue her.
“Alicia, wake up.” He spoke in a soft voice. “It’s only a dream. It can’t really hurt you.”
“Yes, it can,” she blubbered. “Every night it haunts me. No matter how much I train I can’t defend myself. Why? Why won’t it leave me alone?”
Max caressed her face. He wanted to answer her, but felt it was safer if he remained quiet.
Alicia’s demeanor changed. She wrapped her arms around his upper torso and buried her face into his chest. Was she still asleep?
His libido took control when she started to rub her face into his chest hair, planting little kisses as she went. When she stopped abruptly and lifted her head, he knew she had woken up.
“Good morning, sunshine.”
“Max.” She sat up and brushed her hair out of her face. “What are you doing here?”
“You were having a nightmare.”
“Oh.” She looked away.
“You’ve had that dream before.” Max placed a finger under her chin and turned her face toward him. “Want to talk about it?”
“No.”
“You sure?” He lowered his finger. Somehow he had to get her to tell him the dream, but invading her space would only make her clam up.
“It’s silly.” She looked down when she spoke.
“It can’t be that silly if it tears you up so much. I promise not to make any comments. Pretend I’m invisible.” He shifted until he rested his back against the headboard.
“Max.”
He remained silent, crossing his legs to get comfortable.
She sighed. “I keep dreaming about wolves.”
He watched her turn toward him. Mimicking her moves, he did the same.
Alicia paused.
He knew she needed a little prodding, but had no clue what to say, just as the words started to come to him she spoke again.
“The dream has been haunting me for about three years now. I have it every night with the exception of one.” She looked up at him for a moment before ducking her head back down. “Anyway, it always starts the same. I’m walking in the woods. Wherever I am, it’s beautiful. So lush and green. I hear a noise that attracts me toward a small clearing. As I step through the ring of trees I find wolves reclining; some on rocks and others on logs, all looking at me with curiosity. Then another wolf shows up. This one threatening, growling and coming after me. I try to get away, but just before I wake up it’s at my throat.”
Max wasn’t sure what to say.
“But it’s changed recently. Now, a second one shows up. The second one sits in front of me. I’m not sure if it’s trying to protect me, but the first wolf circles me and the other wolf. When I try to get away that’s when they attack. As long as I don’t move neither do the wolves.” She gave him a sheepish grin. “Silly, huh?”
“Dreams are never silly.”
She crawled over to his side and snuggled against him. “It scares the hell out of me.”
“You said you had one night free from this dream.” He stroked her hair with one hand while resting the other around her waist.
“Yes, one.” She pulled away. “I don’t normally go back to sleep after the dream.”
Max understood. “Patrick has this suite fully equipped. There’s a TV in the other room if you want to unwind a little. I can make you some tea or hot cocoa.”
“Cocoa would be nice. But I don’t want to keep you up. I can make it myself.” She headed to the bar.
“You take a seat.” He took her hand and led her to his bed. He helped her into the bed and wrapped covers around her, then he fluffed the pillows so she had something to lean against. “I’ll make you something to drink.”
“Why?”
He went to the wet bar and pulled out a small carafe. “Because I’ve had my share of nightmares. They can mess up your dream cycle.”
***
Alicia watched Max putter around the bar, mixing and heating her beverage. When he walked around the bar, he carried two steaming cups.
“Max, you didn’t have to.” She took a cup from his hand.
“It’s okay, Alicia. I wanted to.” He sat down beside her with his own cup. “I love this stuff. Call it one of my weaknesses. When Patrick realized how much I liked it he always made sure it was available.”
“Then you stay in this suite when you visit?” She took a sip as she thought about sleeping in the same bed he had.
“I normally stay in the family wing.” Max picked up the remote and pushed the button. “Anything in particular?”
“Something funny?” She snuggled into the pillows. “You sure you don’t want your bed back?”
“It looks so much better with you in it. No. I’d rather share.” Max smiled and wrapped an arm around her. “Patrick has an awesome library. Do you want comedy? Standup? Movie? TV show?”
“Too much to think about. How about you choose.” She leaned against him and sighed. “I just want to forget for a moment or two.”
“I can think of many things to do to help you keep your mind off things, but if you want humor I’ve got just the thing in mind.” Max smiled as Alicia curled up next to him. He started the DVD, but Alicia had fallen asleep before the show began.
He tucked the covers around them both before he turned the TV off and dimmed the lights with the remote. Max knew he was taking advantage of the situation, but her heat melded with his. Having her close for a few hours was more than he thought he would get. He wouldn’t walk away from a chance like this.
***
The blanket of sleep lifted from her eyes, revealing something fuzzy in her face. She felt like she was kissing Chewbacca.
Oh, good Lord, it was Max’s chest.
His breath labored in his lungs. She didn’t have to look up to know Max was wide awake and holding himself back. How was she going to get out of this?