serene. Only the slight
singe of hair on the left side of his head gave any other impression.
Without thinking, Max reached out and caressed Chris’ cheek. Stubble rasped his
fingertips. At the last second, Max stopped himself before bending down to press a kiss
to Chris’ mouth. Anyone could walk by at any moment and see the amorous exchange.
He slowly dragged his hand away and tried to remember to be more careful.
“You really do love him.”
He looked up to find McKenzie staring at him, her eyes suspiciously bright. “Yes.”
Max wiped his cheeks and turned his attention to Chris’ face. “He broke my heart when
he walked out on me. I thought I’d die.”
Max didn’t know why he was telling her all of this. He couldn’t stop the words
though. There was something about McKenzie Collins that coaxed the truth out of him.
“He was coming to see me?” Max still couldn’t believe it.
McKenzie nodded and placed her hands on the side rail of the hospital bed. “I
offered him my frequent-flier miles for the trip. He called me after he got back from
Paris. He knew he’d made the biggest mistake of his life…but you know Chris.” She
smiled and shook her head. “He’s so stubborn sometimes.”
Max’s lips curved. “Yes, very.”
A nurse popped her head in the door. She smiled apologetically. “Time’s up.”
Max lingered at Chris’ bedside. The thought of leaving tore him up but he knew
there was nothing he could do about it. Until Chris woke, the ICU enforced strict
visitation policies. He brushed his fingers over Chris’ lips, pressing all his love and
hope for a quick recovery into the brief touch. His silent goodbye made, Max left the
room and stripped out of the protective clothing.
78
Swap Meet
“Where are you staying?” McKenzie asked as they rode down in the elevator. “I can
give you a ride.”
“I have no idea,” Max admitted. “I didn’t think that far ahead.” He reached into the
front pocket of his jeans for his phone. Hopefully his usual hotel had a room.
McKenzie stopped him with a touch of his arm. “Don’t bother. I know of a place
you can stay.”
“No need to worry. I’ve never had a problem booking a room in this town.”
She fixed him with a determined look. “Why don’t you stay at Chris’ place? I saw
the look on your face when the nurse asked us to leave.” Her voice softened. “You need
this, Max. It’s a way for you to be close to him.”
Max didn’t know what to say. The idea of sleeping where Chris slept was
incredibly comforting but it struck him as vey intrusive. “I’m not sure.”
“I insist.” McKenzie slipped her arm through his and walked him out of the
elevator. “If you think Chris is stubborn, you have no idea how hardheaded I can be.”
Max decided he didn’t want to find out and allowed her to take him out to her
luxury sports car. He stowed his bag in the trunk and slid into the passenger seat. She
drove a bit too wild for his taste but he held the urge to stomp his imaginary brake at
bay. As she navigated through the thick traffic, McKenzie talked shop. He could tell it
was her attempt to keep his mind off Chris and played along. Soon, she’d drawn him in
completely with her extensive knowledge of the financial markets. He found himself
wondering if he should have her investigated by one of his headhunters.
“Almost there,” McKenzie said as she turned into a modest subdivision.
The scent of barbecue hung heavy in the early-evening air. He jumped at the
unexpected sound of fireworks.
McKenzie laughed. “Fourth of July.”
79
Lolita Lopez
“Ah.” He’d completely forgotten. The date had barely registered as he’d rushed to
leave Paris. The sight of a bottle rocket bursting against the purpling sky caught his
attention. “How was Chris hurt?”
“Some stupid bastard stored his inventory of fireworks in his apartment.”
Annoyance and disbelief colored her voice. “Who the hell
singe of hair on the left side of his head gave any other impression.
Without thinking, Max reached out and caressed Chris’ cheek. Stubble rasped his
fingertips. At the last second, Max stopped himself before bending down to press a kiss
to Chris’ mouth. Anyone could walk by at any moment and see the amorous exchange.
He slowly dragged his hand away and tried to remember to be more careful.
“You really do love him.”
He looked up to find McKenzie staring at him, her eyes suspiciously bright. “Yes.”
Max wiped his cheeks and turned his attention to Chris’ face. “He broke my heart when
he walked out on me. I thought I’d die.”
Max didn’t know why he was telling her all of this. He couldn’t stop the words
though. There was something about McKenzie Collins that coaxed the truth out of him.
“He was coming to see me?” Max still couldn’t believe it.
McKenzie nodded and placed her hands on the side rail of the hospital bed. “I
offered him my frequent-flier miles for the trip. He called me after he got back from
Paris. He knew he’d made the biggest mistake of his life…but you know Chris.” She
smiled and shook her head. “He’s so stubborn sometimes.”
Max’s lips curved. “Yes, very.”
A nurse popped her head in the door. She smiled apologetically. “Time’s up.”
Max lingered at Chris’ bedside. The thought of leaving tore him up but he knew
there was nothing he could do about it. Until Chris woke, the ICU enforced strict
visitation policies. He brushed his fingers over Chris’ lips, pressing all his love and
hope for a quick recovery into the brief touch. His silent goodbye made, Max left the
room and stripped out of the protective clothing.
78
Swap Meet
“Where are you staying?” McKenzie asked as they rode down in the elevator. “I can
give you a ride.”
“I have no idea,” Max admitted. “I didn’t think that far ahead.” He reached into the
front pocket of his jeans for his phone. Hopefully his usual hotel had a room.
McKenzie stopped him with a touch of his arm. “Don’t bother. I know of a place
you can stay.”
“No need to worry. I’ve never had a problem booking a room in this town.”
She fixed him with a determined look. “Why don’t you stay at Chris’ place? I saw
the look on your face when the nurse asked us to leave.” Her voice softened. “You need
this, Max. It’s a way for you to be close to him.”
Max didn’t know what to say. The idea of sleeping where Chris slept was
incredibly comforting but it struck him as vey intrusive. “I’m not sure.”
“I insist.” McKenzie slipped her arm through his and walked him out of the
elevator. “If you think Chris is stubborn, you have no idea how hardheaded I can be.”
Max decided he didn’t want to find out and allowed her to take him out to her
luxury sports car. He stowed his bag in the trunk and slid into the passenger seat. She
drove a bit too wild for his taste but he held the urge to stomp his imaginary brake at
bay. As she navigated through the thick traffic, McKenzie talked shop. He could tell it
was her attempt to keep his mind off Chris and played along. Soon, she’d drawn him in
completely with her extensive knowledge of the financial markets. He found himself
wondering if he should have her investigated by one of his headhunters.
“Almost there,” McKenzie said as she turned into a modest subdivision.
The scent of barbecue hung heavy in the early-evening air. He jumped at the
unexpected sound of fireworks.
McKenzie laughed. “Fourth of July.”
79
Lolita Lopez
“Ah.” He’d completely forgotten. The date had barely registered as he’d rushed to
leave Paris. The sight of a bottle rocket bursting against the purpling sky caught his
attention. “How was Chris hurt?”
“Some stupid bastard stored his inventory of fireworks in his apartment.”
Annoyance and disbelief colored her voice. “Who the hell
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