exactly blame you,’ he added ruefully. ‘If I were in your shoes I would feel exactly the same way!’
This wasn’t helping January in her efforts to dislike him! Neither was his close proximity!
But maybe May had been right after all; maybe getting to know them all personally—some more than others, January acknowledged with an inner wince!—was making this as difficult for Max as it was for them? She certainly hoped so!
‘I’ll see you in the morning,’ she told him distantly as she moved away determinedly.
‘Aren’t you going to tuck me in and give me a good-night kiss?’ Max prompted huskily.
‘No,’ she drawled, turning back to look at him, dark brows raised derisively. ‘I’m not going to offer to read you a bedtime story, either!’
‘Pity,’ he teased, sitting down on the side of the double bed. ‘I would like to come with you tomorrow, by the way,’ he added seriously.
‘Come with me where?’ January was having a little trouble keeping up with the jumps in the conversation.
‘To see Josh, of course,’ he dismissed. ‘You will be going in to see him tomorrow, won’t you?’
‘If the weather breaks,’ she confirmed slowly. ‘Max, are you sure it’s a good idea for you—? What are you doing?’ she gasped as he crossed the room in two strides, his fingers biting into her shoulders as he held her in front of him.
‘January, I will tell you once more—and once more only!’ he warned harshly, shaking her slightly, his eyes glittering darkly. ‘I did not—I repeat, not!—have anything to do with the attack on Josh.’
‘I don’t—Max, you’re hurting me!’ she gasped at the pressure of his fingers against her shoulders.
He scowled darkly. ‘At this moment I would like to very thoroughly beat you,’ he told her gratingly. ‘But as I’ve already assured you I am not a violent man—!’ His mouth came down fiercely on hers.
His kiss was full of the anger he refused to express in any other way, and January met that anger with the tenderness she longed to give him but daredn’t show him in any other way…
It was that tenderness that finally won through, Max groaning low in his throat, his hands cradling each side of her face as he now sipped from the softness of her lips.
Finally he raised his head, his forehead damp against hers as he looked down at her. ‘You are the most extraordinary woman I have ever met,’ he murmured dazedly.
January moistened her lips before answering, ‘I am?’
‘Hmm.’ He nodded, grimacing slightly, obviously not at all happy with the fact. ‘One moment you’re thinking I’m some sort of crazed attacker, and the next you’re kissing me—’
‘Max, you didn’t let me finish what I was going to say earlier,’ she said huskily, one hand reaching up to briefly touch the hardness of his suddenly clenched jaw. ‘I was merely going to ask whether, in the circumstances of your connection to the Marshall Corporation, it was wise for you to come with me to visit Josh. Whether you should become any more involved with my family,’ she explained softly as he still frowned.
‘I think your warning is probably a little late,’ he acknowledged self-derisively. ‘And I have every intention of going to see Josh. Maybe he got a look at the person who attacked him. Maybe—’
‘Max, I’m sure the police are perfectly capable of dealing with that,’ January cut in pointedly. ‘After all, you’re a lawyer, not a policeman,’ she reasoned lightly.
He shook his head. ‘There’s something wrong with this attack on Josh. Something other than the fact that it was a man this time rather than a woman,’ he added wryly at January’s knowing look.
‘Max—’ She broke off as a knock sounded on the bedroom door.
Obviously one of her sisters. Probably wondering why it was taking her so long to make up the bed!
She gave Max a rueful grimace as she moved out of his arms. ‘Come in,’ she invited dryly, giving her eldest sister a knowing look as she opened the door. ‘I was just making sure Max has everything he needs for the night,’ she told May teasingly.
May’s green gaze flickered reprovingly over Max before moving back to January. ‘And does he?’
‘As much as an unexpected guest can expect.’ Max was the one to answer derisively.
May returned his gaze unblinkingly. ‘If you want them, you will find some laundered pyjamas in the top drawer of the dresser.’
‘I always sleep in the nude, but thanks anyway,’ Max returned tauntingly.
May gave a tight smile. ‘You might find the farmhouse a little cooler than you’re used to.’
‘Not so far,’ he came back, dark brows raised challengingly.
‘May, I think we’ll leave Max to get settled for the night,’ January cut in determinedly, having decided this verbal battle of wills had gone on long enough.
‘We’re usually all up by about six o’clock,’ May told Max pointedly.
He nodded, blue eyes dancing with merriment. ‘A cup of tea in bed about then will be very welcome!’
May gave a snort of dismissal. ‘Guest or not, if we don’t have that luxury, then neither do you!’
He shrugged. ‘I would be quite happy to bring you all a cup of tea in bed.’
May’s gaze narrowed. ‘I’ll just bet you would—’
‘He’s winding you up, May,’ January cut in once again, shaking her head reprovingly at Max even as she chuckled softly. ‘But if you should get the urge to make an early cup of tea, Max, we all take ours without sugar!’ she added even as she pushed her sister towards the door. ‘You were the one who invited him here in the first place,’ she reminded May lightly once they were outside the bedroom, the door safely closed behind them.
‘I may have done,’ May snapped. ‘But I told you why that was. I certainly didn’t think he had the nerve to try to seduce my little sister right under my nose!’ she added indignantly.
‘Your little sister is twenty-five years old,’ January reminded her dryly. ‘And I’m more than capable of taking care of myself.’
May shook her head. ‘Not where Max Golding is concerned, I’ve just realized,’ she said slowly. ‘January, are you serious—?’
‘Could we leave this for tonight, May?’ she cut infirmly, her earlier humour having completely disappeared. ‘I’m really not in the mood to discuss Max any more tonight,’ she added heavily.
May looked at her searchingly for several long minutes, before slowly nodding her head. ‘Okay,’ she agreed huskily. ‘But just—never mind.’ She shook her head, smiling. ‘Everything will look different in the morning,’ she added brightly.
January
