Placing my purse down next to me, I rubbed the palms of my hands on my jeans and focused on my hands. It was easier to talk to my hands than to look into his eyes. “I needed to tell you…that night… what you saw wasn’t what you thought you saw.” I paused. “He…I called him so that I could end things with him. We went out to dinner so I could tell him, then he brought me back home. I told him goodbye and that’s…that’s when he kissed me. I was completely shocked, and was not expecting that at all. I tried to push him away, but he was too strong.”

Max’s body tensed and his hands balled up tightly. “Did he hurt you?”

“No…yes…I mean…he hurt me in the sense that I didn’t give him my permission, and he wouldn’t let go. I didn’t have an option. He was holding on so…tight. I was trying so hard to push him away…but….”

Max’s shoulders relaxed, and something had changed in the way he looked at me. I wasn’t sure if it was for the better or worse. Standing up, he headed for the window. “If what you are telling me is true, then I was the fool not to let you explain it to me. But you have to understand…I’d wanted to take you out since the first time I saw you at the restaurant. I remember seeing you there with Becky. After all the no’s and the reasons why we couldn’t go out, you’d finally said yes, and made me the happiest man in the universe.

“I was suppose to be in New York that weekend, but now I wished I hadn’t cancelled just to surprise you. I didn’t want to wait another week to see you, so I rescheduled for this week…which I rescheduled again because I found out you were sick. And when you didn’t call Lisa back, she let me know. I was very worried. I didn’t mean to step over the line, but I just needed to know you were okay, especially more so when you weren’t answering your phone. I didn’t want to leave you a text message. I needed to see for myself.

“Going back to that night, the only thing I saw was…that…Puke….” He had the most disgusted look on his face. I wanted to laugh so hard, but I didn’t want to correct him. Knowing he knew Luke’s name and called him “Puke” was hilarious and cute. Max continued. “…Kissing you like there was no tomorrow, and the fact that I told you I was going to be out of town….” He stopped pacing and surprisingly sat on the floor in front of me. Taking my hand, he gently caressed the back of it, seemingly apologizing through his gesture. “But…I’m so sorry. I didn’t let you explain, and I don’t mean to go all possessive on you like that…it’s just that…I’ve never felt like this with anyone before.”

When Max’s hand cupped my left cheek, I let out a soft sigh and shuddered, and I tried so hard not to lean into his hand. “I was really hurt,” Max continued, placing his hand back to mine. “We haven’t even gone out, and how you could make me feel this way…I don’t understand. You have this hold on me that’s exciting and terrifying at the same time. But if I held onto my fears, then I would never have taken the leap, but I did. I wanted to dive right into your heart and permanently stay there. I fell for you the first time I looked into your eyes. That’s all it took. Then I knew I’d found the one I’ve been waiting for all my life.”

I wanted to say that I felt the same, but the words wouldn’t come out. My lips were sealed shut as I listened, because for the last eight days I’d felt like I was in hell because of him, and like he said, we hadn’t even dated. Was this wrong? I only went there to explain so he wouldn’t hate me…that’s it. But hearing his words confused me. After that night, I was thinking of trying to find another job.

When my free hand went straight to my mouth, Max pulled it away. “Don’t do that, Jenna. You have no idea what that does to me.” Then Max pushed his way between my legs, reaching closer…oh please don’t! His hands cupped my face. “I’m sorry for being…a jerk. Let’s start over again. Hello…I’m Max, and I really want to get to know you and take you out.” His brows twitched playfully, looking so adorable.

My eyes grew wide, trying to hide my smile, but it curled up enough for Max to see it. I hadn’t expected that at all. He already “had me at hello,” but I had to talk some sense for the both of us. We weren’t thinking clearly about all of this at all. “Max…after what we’ve both been through, I think we…ummm….” He felt what I was going to say, so he placed his hand straight down with that funny look in his eyes. “Like you said before, we work together, and if things don’t work out, then…it would be really difficult…and I think...like you had indicated, it wouldn’t be good for—”

“It’s too late, Jenna,” he said softly, placing his hands on my arms. “I only said that not knowing what you would be saying to me. I know you feel something. I can see it in your eyes…the way you respond when I’m close to you. And because I know this, there is nothing that I wouldn’t do to convince you now. I’m not letting you slip through my fingers again.”

Somehow I was standing. How did he get me to stand without me even knowing? Darn his eyes, that made me get lost in them. “Look what we’ve been through, and we haven’t even gone out,” I said.

“I don’t know, Jenna. I’ve only told you what I’ve been through.” His eyes widened and glowed, and those lips of his curled up wickedly. “Tell me…did you feel the same way as me when I didn’t text or call back? Did you miss me as much as I missed you?”