The Summer Proposal by Vi Keeland

“But you’re fine going on Tinder for a hookup or meeting a guy you knew wasn’t someone you’d be into…”

“Those just seemed less complicated, for some reason.”

Max looked back and forth between my eyes. “What if I told you I was moving at the end of the summer?”

An unexpected pang of disappointment squeezed my heart. “Is that true?”

He nodded. “It’s not public yet. My contract here is up. My agent hasn’t worked out all the details, but as of this morning, it looks like I’ll be going to the Blades, out in California. I’ll have better postseason playoff potential with them.”

“Oh wow. So when would you go?”

“Training camp won’t start until the first week in September. But I’d probably want to be settled in by the beginning of August, at the latest.”

Max watched me intently as I absorbed what that meant. It was almost the end of April, so he’d only be around for a little over three months. I bit down on my bottom lip. “I don’t know…”

“Enjoy the summer with me. I’m not looking for anything serious, and I can tell we’ll have fun. But we’ll also have an expiration date, which will keep things less—as you said—complicated.”

It was a seriously tempting offer. I did want to date. At first it might’ve been only because Gabriel was seeing other people. But the more I’ve thought about it, the more I realized maybe I needed some life perspective, too. A year ago I’d had my entire life planned out. Maybe I needed to stop planning and analyzing and just live a little, play things by ear? Though that sounded great, it also made my palms sweat.

“Can I…think about it?”

Max smiled. “Of course. That’s a hell of a lot better answer than no.”

After that, we stayed at the bar talking for a few hours. Then Max hailed a cab, and we both got in. My apartment was on the way up to his, so he told the driver to drop me first. When we reached my building, he pulled out his billfold and offered cash over the seat to the driver.

“Give me a few minutes so I can walk her up.”

The driver took a look at the bill and nodded. “No problem, boss.”

Max and I walked side by side to the door to my building.

“I’m on the road the next four days—games in Seattle then Philadelphia. My schedule kind of blows until the season ends. But that’s soon. And I’m having some people over next Saturday, if you’d be up for it. No pressure…but it is my birthday.”

“Really?”

Max nodded. “You can bring Maggie or someone, if you want. That way you won’t feel like it’s a date, if you haven’t decided on us yet.”

“That’s very nice of you.”

He opened my apartment building door and walked me to the elevator.

“Thank you for drinks and the ride home,” I told him.

After I pressed the up button, Max reached out and took my hand. He stared down at our joined hands for a long while before his eyes worked their way up. They stopped at my mouth, and he shook his head. “This is the second time I’m leaving you, and each time it gets harder not to kiss you goodbye.” His eyes met mine. The intensity radiating from them took my breath away. “I want to kiss you so fucking bad.”

I couldn’t say anything, though it seemed like he was waiting for a response. My brain was too busy sending electric currents racing through my body.

Our eyes stayed locked as Max took a pensive step forward.

Through my peripheral vision, I saw the elevator doors slide open. It was right next to us, so we both clearly heard it, too. Yet our gazes remained steady. Max took another step toward me.

I think I might’ve stopped breathing at that point.

Then he took another step, and our feet were toe to toe. Slowly, Max reached out and lifted one finger to my mouth. He traced my bottom lip from one side to the other, then his finger slid down over my chin, over the length of my throat, and stopped at the hollow of my neck. He spoke directly to the spot as he traced a circle. “I’m not even going to ask to kiss you. Because I won’t be able to control myself if you let me.” He shook his head. “I want to leave marks.”

Oh my.

Max swallowed. Watching his Adam’s apple work made me feel woozy. But it was nothing compared to how the way he was looking at me made me feel. Or maybe the lightheadedness came from the fact that I still hadn’t remembered to breathe.

My mouth grew dry, and my tongue peeked out to run wetness along my lips. Max’s eyes followed, and he groaned. Somewhere in the distance, I heard a bell ding, but the meaning didn’t register until Max held out his hand to stop the elevator doors from closing. He tilted his head toward the open car.

“You better go,” he growled. “I’m not ruining my chance before I’m even given one. But I hope you’ll give my summer proposal some thought.”

“I will.” I had to force myself to step into the empty elevator car. “Goodnight, Max.”

“Sweet dreams, sweetheart.” He grinned. “I know I’ll be having them.”





CHAPTER 5




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Max



“What’s up, old man? You have kids doing all the work for you again?”