“So…”

Maxine couldn’t stop the smile. “Yes, yes and oh my God, yes.”

Natasha laughed. “You going out with him again?”

“I think so. He left a message on my cell phone, but I haven’t reached him yet. Coffee tomorrow, if the time works for him.” Maxine paused. “He’s incredible, although I’m not sure what the family will think. He’s older than me.”

“Crap, girl, don’t you start that. Don’t push those buttons with me. How much older? Twenty years? Thirty? Because if not, there’s no problem and I don’t want to hear about it, capiche?”

Maxine smiled. “So speaks the older woman, right? It’s not an issue for me, really. There’s something amazing about being with a man who actually knows what he wants in life.”

“Which your ex had major issues with.” Natasha wandered the kitchen to the fridge and started pulling out lunch supplies. “Right on. You get to date a grown-up for a change. Make sure you have lots of fun, and practice safe sex.”

Maxine buried her face in the baby’s neck to hide her flushed skin. Safe sex had been the farthest thing from her mind. She wanted hot, steamy and invigorating. Not safe.

Natasha continued piling food on the counter. “You’re old enough, and now that you’ve got the house, it’s not like you’ll have hide out from the cousins anymore.” She shivered from head to toe in an exaggerated fashion. “You know I love your brother, and you. But at times the whole mess of Turners is too much to bear. Give me a small intimate gathering of…oh…twenty of you, and I can handle it. Having to live with the mob for years—unbearable. You’re a saint to have survived this long.”

Sainthood felt achievable at times. Maxine nestled Samantha back into her car seat and carefully placed the whole contraption on top of the kitchen island. The baby had fallen asleep and her soft curls were damp from where she’d been snuggled against Maxine’s body. “I love the family, but I hear what you’re saying. There are times I think about moving away. Then I see another miracle like Samantha added to the clan, and I can’t bear the thought of missing a single moment. I’ll accept the bad to enjoy the good. But yes, I plan to take advantage the opportunity of having a place to myself for the first time.”

Guilt rocked her again. “Are you and Junior sure you’re okay with me living here? I love the place so much, but I’m keeping you from getting your share of the money from the sale.”

Natasha put her hands on her hips and glared at Maxine. “Shut. Up. We’ve had this conversation a million times. We have a new house we love. You’re already making monthly payments to us and Maximilian, and when you have a bit extra to spare, you can buy out the rest of the shares. We’ll all be square within the next couple of years. We can wait, Mill can wait. God knows how many times we’ve heard him say how fabulous he’s doing—with two condos here and another one there—like he needs the money. We’re not hurting, and it’s the only way to keep the house in the family.”

Maxine held up her hands and grinned. “Okay, fine. Shutting up. Thanks, Tasha, I appreciate the support.”

“Yeah, whatever.” Her sister-in-law hip-checked her out of the way with a laugh and dove into the fridge again. “Hey, you got any pickles somewhere else? This one is dead.” Natasha held up a nearly empty jar.

Pickles. Maxine blinked at the abrupt change of topic. “I don’t think there are any in the pantry, but there’s an additional storage cupboard Gramma kept food in over there.” She pointed to the far wall.

Natasha chuckled as she strode over and swung the door open. “Seriously, that porch swing? Fabulous location for playing.”

“I don’t want to know—”

Natasha’s cry of disgust interrupted her. A mess of wood shavings poured out the open door along with dozens of squirming brown mice. The rodents scattered through the room, disappearing under the bottoms of doors and scurrying under the fridge.

“Crap, we’ll have to clean the whole kitchen again.” Natasha grabbed a broom and started sweeping.

Maxine groaned in frustration. “What is with the silly mice? I don’t remember Gramma having these problems.” She hung her head out the kitchen door and hollered at Maxwell. “Hey, bro, where’d you put the extra mouse traps?”

One of the rodents scrambled over her foot and disappeared into the living room, and she shuddered. It was going to be a long afternoon.

* * *

Ryan stirred another sugar into his coffee before he realized it already contained two spoonfuls. Maxine grinned at him and sipped her steaming cup, the curls of her hair falling like autumn leaves in the wind around her shoulders.

“You saw that, did you?”

She nodded and smirked at him. “I thought you took it black.”

“Usually, but you’re not being fair to me.”

“It’s my fault you can’t remember how you take your coffee? Hmm, this is going to be good. Let’s hear it.” She recrossed her legs, stretching them farther in front of her as she leaned back in her chair, and Ryan groaned. His cock was so fucking hard he would be lucky to be able to walk when it was time to leave the table.

The outdoor deck of the coffee shop was empty. With the cool wind blowing off the ocean, everyone else remained huddled indoors. Maxine had picked one of the corner tables and at first Ryan had enjoyed the location. Until she began to torture him. It wasn’t deliberate, he was sure of it. She was too guileless for that, but as she spoke she stretched and twisted, each movement showing off the long length of her legs in her short skirt. Her breasts were clearly contoured by the stretch of the sweater caressing her curves and Ryan longed to touch her.

“Ryan?”

Damn, he’d done it again, gotten lost staring at her. “Sorry.” He lifted his gaze from her chest to see her smiling at him, her cheeks bright red.

“Maybe we should—”

“When do you think—”

They spoke together and cut off simultaneously.

Maxine giggled. “You’ve got the most amazing expression on your face right now.”

Ryan shook his head. “It’s called ‘going insane by stages’. Damn it, woman, you’re dangerous. We’ve been out a half a dozen times and you get more fascinating each time I see you.”

He moved his chair around so they sat next to each other and casually draped his arm across the back of her chair. Leaning closer he breathed in deeply, brushing his lips against the smooth skin of her neck. “I hope you don’t mind me admiring you. I plan to do a lot more of it.”

The gingery scent surrounding her tickled his nose, and he cupped her face in one hand to turn her mouth to meet his. He traced her lips slowly. The flavor of the coffee faded as their tongues brushed together and her sweet taste overwhelmed him. She pressed into him, her head resting on his shoulder as they kissed. The waves and the cries of the gulls in the distance were a gentle backdrop to the pounding in his ears. He gave to her tenderly, enjoying her response as he hooked a hand around her waist to draw her closer. Lost in her taste and touch he was unaware of the door opening from the shop until she stiffened and pushed against his chest. The new couple barely looked in their direction before finding seats, but Maxine continued to attempt to put space between them.

“I think the installation is going well on the house.” She fidgeted with her spoon and cup, inching her hips to the far edge of her chair away from him so his arm slipped off.

Hell if he was going to let her get away with that. He slid closer and she stiffened even more. Had he read all her signals wrong? He didn’t think so, but he had to ask. “Maxine, are you embarrassed to be seen with me?”

She jerked upright. “Of course not! I’m just…it’s just…I’m sorry. Guys don’t like public displays of affection. I got a little distracted and forgot where we were.”

Ryan couldn’t stop his chuckle. “Where the hell did you get that idea? I was the one kissing you. I don’t give damn who sees.”

“Jamie didn’t like—”

“He’s your ex? He’s a jerk.” Ryan wrapped his arm around her again and this time she softened. “You need a little lesson in what I like. Come here.”

She squealed as he lifted her and placed her on his lap. Her gaze darted around the deck, but the other couple remained busy chatting. “Ryan, I’m not sure—”

“You said the first time we met you trusted me. We’ve seen each other for a couple weeks now. Do you still trust me?”

She swallowed hard but nodded.

“No one cares if you’re sitting on my lap.” He stroked the back of his knuckles along the column of her throat and buried his fingers in her hair. She was absolutely gorgeous. “No one’s watching to see if we’re doing anything. Do you want to kiss me?”

She nodded, her eyes hidden as she stared at the ground.

“Then kiss me.”

She raised her head slowly and the brilliant shine in her eyes nearly blinded him. Her kiss started tentative, then grew stronger. She wrapped an arm around his neck, like she was clinging on for dear life. His cock ached where it pressed into her hip. She had to know what she was doing to him, how much her touch turned him on. He dropped a hand on her thigh and stroked the line where her skirt stopped, the warmth of her skin radiating out, pulling him like a magnet. Tracing small circles with a fingertip, he moved slowly to the inside of her leg. She quivered in his lap and a small pleading noise escaped her lips.

“You like that?” he whispered. She tucked her chin into his neck but he could still hear her quiet response.

“Feels so good to touch you, and have you touch me. Oh my, what—”

“Shhh, it’s okay. No one can see.” His finger skirted the edge of her panties and he rubbed the silky fabric covering her mound with a single digit. “You’re wet, Maxine.”