Chapter 24
Chapter
Twenty-Four
Laney stepped inside her apartment, cheeks flushed. She set down her purse and leaned against the door, replaying the goodnight kiss with Max. Her lips tingled from the pressure of his lips, and the memory of his strong arms around her waist sent a flutter through her stomach.
“Oh my goodness,” she whispered to the empty room, touching her fingers to her mouth.
The night had been magical from start to finish. Meeting his parents, dancing under the festival lights, and that perfect kiss at her doorstep. She closed her eyes, savoring how safe and cherished she had felt when Max intervened with that pushy stranger at the jewelry booth. The possessive way he had slid his arm around her waist had thrilled her to her core.
Yet an old insecurity nagged at her. Did he only like her new look? Was it just the fancy dress and professional styling that had caught his attention?
Still wearing her festival outfit, Laney paced her small living room. The blue dress swished around her legs as she moved, a reminder of how different she looked tonight compared to her usual self. The memory of Max’s possessive gesture stirred both excitement and anxiety inside her.
Her inner fox whined, wanting to trust the mate bond, but her rational side fretted over whether the novelty would fade. She took the little figurines out of her purse and put them on an empty shelf. Max still didn’t know the truth about her half-shifter status. When he’d given her the gift, it had made her feel exposed. Memories of being called a freak had filled her mind, and she might have run away again if Max hadn’t pulled her onto the dance floor.
Laney sighed and headed to the bathroom. She carefully removed her makeup, watching as the enhanced version of herself disappeared with each swipe of the cleansing cloth. The woman who emerged looked familiar but somehow changed. Was it confidence that made her eyes seem brighter, her smile more natural?
She changed into pajamas, her mind racing with excitement and leftover nerves. The soft cotton felt comfortable against her skin after hours in the dress. As she brushed her teeth, she replayed their slow dance, her heart fluttering each time she pictured Max’s intense gaze looking down at her.
Laney turned off the lights and curled under her blankets. Her body hummed with longing. She tossed and turned, trying to quiet her thoughts. Gradually, her eyelids grew heavy, and she drifted into sleep, images of Max following her into her dreams.
She found herself back at the festival, but now they were alone in the town square. The light illuminated only them in the velvet darkness, the music softer yet somehow resonating through her very core. Max's strong arms lifted her as if she weighed nothing, his large hands gripping her thighs as he pressed her against the rough bark of a nearby tree.
The dream intensified, her dress hiking up as she wrapped her legs around his waist, feeling the hard evidence of his desire pressing insistently against her center. His hands explored her body, cupping her breasts through the thin fabric before sliding beneath to feel her bare skin, thumbs circling her hardened nipples until she whimpered. His lips trailed fire down her neck, teeth grazing the sensitive spot where her pulse raced beneath her skin.
“Laney,” he growled, his voice dropping to a gravelly timber that made heat pool low in her belly.
She gasped as his hand slid between their bodies to touch her slick need. She arched against him, desperate for more. She felt herself building toward release, every nerve ending alive and singing with pleasure as his touch became more insistent, his mouth capturing hers to swallow her moans as the pressure coiled tighter within her.
Laney jolted awake in the morning, flushed and breathing hard as an orgasm clenched her core. Morning light filtered through her blinds. Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, startling her to full alertness. She grabbed the phone and checked the screen. A text from Max made her sit upright, suddenly wide awake.
“Morning, beautiful. I’m running in the Fate Mountain Charity Fun Run today. Would love to see you at the finish line. Meet me at the square after I finish? We can grab pancakes!”
Laney read the message twice, a jolt of excitement running down her spine. She hadn’t expected to see him again so soon, but the thought of spending more time with Max filled her with anticipation.
“I’d love that,” she typed back. “What time should I be there?”
His response came quickly. “Race starts at 8. I should finish around 9. See you then?”
“I’ll be there,” she replied, adding a smiling emoji.
Laney tossed aside her blankets and headed to the shower. The warm water helped clear her mind as she contemplated what to wear. After drying her hair, Laney opened her closet and surveyed her options. She selected a casual but flattering outfit from her recent shopping spree with Liv. A soft, fitted top in a sky-blue shade that brought out her eyes, paired with jeans that hugged her curves just right.
She stood before the mirror, styling her hair in a neat, daytime-friendly way. Following the makeup artist’s instructions from yesterday, she applied light makeup for a fresh glow, nothing too dramatic but enough to enhance her natural features.
“Stop overthinking this,” she told her reflection. “Max wants to see you, not just your fancy festival look.”
The thought gave her courage. Max had met her when she was at her most disheveled, stumbling into his brewery with a folder of water data and rumpled clothes. He had still recognized her as his mate then.
Satisfied with her appearance, Laney grabbed her purse and keys. Her stomach fluttered with butterflies as she locked her apartment door behind her. The bright morning sun warmed her face, and the faint sound of cheering echoed from the direction of the town square.
She inhaled the crisp mountain air, her nerves thrumming with anticipation. The walk to the square gave her time to gather her thoughts, to remind herself that this connection with Max was real.