arms around her as he watched her. She looked exhausted. Her face was a ghostly pale. But for the first time in a long time, she seemed peaceful.
When she glanced up to him, Max dipped his head, softly enveloping her lips with his. He expected her to pull away, to cringe like a frightened rabbit. He didn’t expect her fingers to brush the stubble of his chin, to feel her lips part to allow him to dive deeper. He tugged her closer as he tasted her. He wasn’t sure how soon he would get to kiss her like this again.
She stared at him with amazement as they parted. “Surprise,” he whispered. Then, he frowned. “Are you all right?”
“Uh-huh,” she murmured as she grazed her fingertips over her lips.
He kissed her forehead. “I’m going to shower and get ready for bed. I’ll get the dishes when I’m done. You should go sit and relax. All right?
“Uh-huh.”
He led her to the living room, holding her hand until she sat on the sofa. He met her awestruck gaze as he ascended the steps to his room.
Chloe started on her medication just as Chad had ordered. The process was an adjustment for sure. She nearly forgot to take her medication every day for the first week. Between Max and Liz, however, she managed to get it down.
Max noticed the changes in her. As each day passed, her energy level increased. She had a little more life every morning. She grew more mischievous. She was genuinely happy to be alive, and Max loved every second of it. She no longer ate like a bird, terrified she would lose what she ate as quickly as she ate it. She ate well. Her stick-like figure developed a curve or two.
He watched her scrutinize herself in the mirror, noticing the subtle weight gain. He groaned as his eyes raked over her. He loved her. Nothing would change that. But those curves set his blood on fire.
When she turned and found him standing there, he grew hot in embarrassment. She smiled as she sashayed by, then winked at him over her shoulder. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t breathe. He could only stare. This new Chloe was learning how to flirt. But she had no idea he was putty in her hands.
Max and Chloe took turns driving Liz to physical therapy. Soon, she was able to stand on her own two feet and take a step or two. Liz was proud of her accomplishment. She should have been. The fact that she had survived the accident was a miracle. Being able to return to normal was an epic feat.
Days of working at Hard Drive and nights at home watching television drove them closer to Chloe’s typical sick day. Max tugged on a pair of sweats and a T-shirt as the day of reckoning arrived. Would the medication work? Or would he be holding Chloe in his arms, comforting her as she vomited?
He jogged down the steps to find Liz and Chloe sitting in the living room. Liz was watching the morning news as she popped bits of blueberry muffin in her mouth. Chloe had a scowl plastered on her face.
Max kissed her cheek. “Good morning. What’s up?”
Liz frowned. “Chloe is doubting the meds.”
“Are you feeling all right?” Max asked, concerned.
“I feel fine,” Chloe huffed. “I just don’t think it will work. Nothing else has.”
“You need to have faith. I’m going to get a bowl of cereal. Can I get you one?
“So I can throw it back up?”
Max shook his head as he straightened himself and walked into the kitchen. He came back out with his bowl, settled into the couch, and began to eat.
The day wore on. The passage of time was marked by the next program on the television. Max worked new training schedules on his laptop in the morning then made sandwiches for the afternoon Cubs game. Liz did crossword puzzles from one of the many books she had received while in the hospital. Chloe still wanted nothing to do with food. She sat perched in her chair, a frown firmly etched on her face.
Max stood as the game ended. He stretched his cramped muscles then tugged his shoes on for a run. “Chloe, do you want to come with
When she glanced up to him, Max dipped his head, softly enveloping her lips with his. He expected her to pull away, to cringe like a frightened rabbit. He didn’t expect her fingers to brush the stubble of his chin, to feel her lips part to allow him to dive deeper. He tugged her closer as he tasted her. He wasn’t sure how soon he would get to kiss her like this again.
She stared at him with amazement as they parted. “Surprise,” he whispered. Then, he frowned. “Are you all right?”
“Uh-huh,” she murmured as she grazed her fingertips over her lips.
He kissed her forehead. “I’m going to shower and get ready for bed. I’ll get the dishes when I’m done. You should go sit and relax. All right?
“Uh-huh.”
He led her to the living room, holding her hand until she sat on the sofa. He met her awestruck gaze as he ascended the steps to his room.
Chloe started on her medication just as Chad had ordered. The process was an adjustment for sure. She nearly forgot to take her medication every day for the first week. Between Max and Liz, however, she managed to get it down.
Max noticed the changes in her. As each day passed, her energy level increased. She had a little more life every morning. She grew more mischievous. She was genuinely happy to be alive, and Max loved every second of it. She no longer ate like a bird, terrified she would lose what she ate as quickly as she ate it. She ate well. Her stick-like figure developed a curve or two.
He watched her scrutinize herself in the mirror, noticing the subtle weight gain. He groaned as his eyes raked over her. He loved her. Nothing would change that. But those curves set his blood on fire.
When she turned and found him standing there, he grew hot in embarrassment. She smiled as she sashayed by, then winked at him over her shoulder. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t breathe. He could only stare. This new Chloe was learning how to flirt. But she had no idea he was putty in her hands.
Max and Chloe took turns driving Liz to physical therapy. Soon, she was able to stand on her own two feet and take a step or two. Liz was proud of her accomplishment. She should have been. The fact that she had survived the accident was a miracle. Being able to return to normal was an epic feat.
Days of working at Hard Drive and nights at home watching television drove them closer to Chloe’s typical sick day. Max tugged on a pair of sweats and a T-shirt as the day of reckoning arrived. Would the medication work? Or would he be holding Chloe in his arms, comforting her as she vomited?
He jogged down the steps to find Liz and Chloe sitting in the living room. Liz was watching the morning news as she popped bits of blueberry muffin in her mouth. Chloe had a scowl plastered on her face.
Max kissed her cheek. “Good morning. What’s up?”
Liz frowned. “Chloe is doubting the meds.”
“Are you feeling all right?” Max asked, concerned.
“I feel fine,” Chloe huffed. “I just don’t think it will work. Nothing else has.”
“You need to have faith. I’m going to get a bowl of cereal. Can I get you one?
“So I can throw it back up?”
Max shook his head as he straightened himself and walked into the kitchen. He came back out with his bowl, settled into the couch, and began to eat.
The day wore on. The passage of time was marked by the next program on the television. Max worked new training schedules on his laptop in the morning then made sandwiches for the afternoon Cubs game. Liz did crossword puzzles from one of the many books she had received while in the hospital. Chloe still wanted nothing to do with food. She sat perched in her chair, a frown firmly etched on her face.
Max stood as the game ended. He stretched his cramped muscles then tugged his shoes on for a run. “Chloe, do you want to come with
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