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“I know.”

We watched each other for a moment. For once the silence wasn’t laced with tension or hostility.

“Bet all my shit makes your life seem like a piece of cake, huh?” Max offered.

I shifted on my stool, considering how much to share. “Not really. I got a promotion right before I met you, and now I’m competing with this guy Avery for a company-wide bonus. He’s going to realize sooner or later that I’m a threat. A few years of Dick Whispering does not equip me for a war.”

“What?”

“Oh.” I flushed. “It’s this nickname my friend gave me. She thinks I look after the assholes.”

“Like me.”

“I didn’t say that. Though you do a fine impression when the mood strikes you,” I said lightly.

Max took our plates and moved them to the dishwasher. I looked around us, wondering how it had happened that I’d gotten comfortable here.

“Hey. What are you doing now?” I asked.

Max straightened, leaning against the other side of the bar facing me. “Nothing. I can’t read another line of code or I’ll see it behind my eyes when I fall asleep.” He raised a brow. “You wanna hang out?”

The drinks and the new normal that’d somehow sprung up between us over a plate of sushi had my head spinning. “Um. And do what?”

“I have an idea.”

I followed him out into the living room. Max tapped a spot on the wall and doors opened to reveal a hidden shelf running between the massive TV and the fireplace. He stepped back with a flourish. “Lady’s choice.”

“Shit,” I breathed, my gaze running over shelf after shelf of DVD-sized cases. “Do you have every game ever invented?”

“Pretty much.”

A sea of brightly colored covers competed for my attention. “This one!” I held it up.

He plucked it out of my hands, frowning. “I think I got that as a demo. It’s six years old. And it’s for kids.”

“So…you’re saying no?” I pouted.

Max’s gaze narrowed on mine. “I’m not saying no.”

He popped it into the gaming system and handed me a wireless controller. I followed his lead and settled next to him on the white leather couch, curling my bare feet under me.

Some peppy music started and unicorns flew across the screen. Max shot me a look. I tried to hide my smile.

“This is the most ridiculous game I’ve ever seen,” I admitted ten minutes later.

“Shhh.” Max’s face was furrowed in concentration. “I’ve almost gotten over ten rainbows without falling off or dropping my leprechaun. I’m a kickass unicorn.”

“That’s not a leprechaun on your back, it’s a child.”

Max scoffed. “It’s a really green child. I think it needs medical attention.”

I laughed as we finished the level, me not doing nearly as well as Max but it didn’t matter. Max dropped his controller between us and shifted to face me.

“So this guy, Avery. He likes to give you a hard time?” he asked. I nodded. “You think it’s just about the bonus?”

“I don’t know. He asked me out a long time ago and I said no.”

“Getting rejected will turn a guy into an asshole faster than anything.  But you’ll deal with him. After all, you’re the Dick Whisperer.” Max smiled and I couldn’t look away.

“It’s true. You wanna see my credentials?”

“What?”

I bounded up to retrieve the card from my bag, dropping it in his lap. He held it up, having the decency to look impressed. “Nice.”

I sighed and leaned back against the couch, losing myself in its luxe fabric. The feel of it was cool and comforting on my thighs and shoulders. “Hey, can I tell you a secret?” I asked.

“Sure.” Max set the card on the coffee table in front of us before shifting back next to me.

I leaned in close enough to see the colors shift in his eyes. “I’m not really the Dick Whisperer,” I whispered.

“I see,” he replied, his low voice laced with mock seriousness. “Can I tell you a secret?”

“Uh-huh.”

“I’m not really a dick.” His gaze moved over mine before he reached out a hand to tuck my hair behind my ear. By the time I realized what he’d done, Max had turned back to the game.

Chapter 15

You made me a mix tape?

Jamie took his time working through my update on Titan, his head bent thoughtfully over the printed pages. Jenna had prepared the report, Riley had looked it over, and Max had signed off. I clasped and unclasped my hands from my spot in the chair in front of his desk.

“Looks like everything’s on track. That never happens.” He smiled, looking up. “Payton, whatever you’re doing? Keep doing it.”

I relaxed. “Thank you. So much.”

I liked working at Alliance. Hearing praise from Jamie, who I’d respected since my first day on the job, made my whole week. Once Titan had secured the last of their funding and I knew they were good to go on Phoenix, I could get back to focusing more on other projects, other clients.

Which was exactly what I wanted.

Bullshit,
a little voice said.

Now that the team was putting the finishing touches on Evolve and going full steam ahead on Phoenix, it was exciting. I wasn’t going to start spending my Saturdays with a headset on, but I’d wanted to try out some other games on the market. Max had loaded me up with his favorites when I’d asked him, his eyes sparking. He’d even sent me a spare gaming system to hook up to my TV at home.

By the end of the week I’d tried Minecraft, CoD, Diablo, and a half dozen more. Since we were waiting to hear back from prospective funders, no one at Titan gave me a hard time about ducking out early to play.

Still, no matter what games I tried, nothing compared to Oasis. Max and his team really were in a league of their own.

Working alongside the high-energy developers and their wacky leaders was the high point of my day. The team at Titan felt more like colleagues than the ones at Alliance. I knew all the coders, especially Claire, Jimmy, and Muppet. I knew their jobs, their talents, where they were from. I knew about Riley’s strawberry allergy, that he was the middle of three children, and that he’d met some girl at a bar named Maria who he was going all swoony over but would never admit it.

And Max…

We worked together most days. Sometimes with Riley, sometimes just the two of us. True to his promise, he did help me with the presentation, and anything else I needed. Even when I asked one of the coders something, inevitably Max would appear to take over. There was a marked shift after the night I’d crashed his place with a chip on my shoulder and a stomach full of vodka. He was friendly, even open.

He’d talk to me about what made games exciting. About characters, story, setting. I could get lost in his knowledge and enthusiasm. The other night we’d even gone up to his apartment and ended up talking music instead of games.

All of that made the days at Alliance feel longer. Except for Charlie, they were just something to kill time until I got to go to Titan. Max had been right that night at Stack: he was by far my most entertaining client.

“Payton, someone’s here for you.” Charlie called from the hall.

“Will the Dick Whisperer see me now?” a familiar voice intoned before I could lift my head. I looked up to find Max in the doorway wearing dark jeans, a white t-shirt, and a faded brown leather jacket. Charlie sent me a devilish look from behind his shoulder before turning on her heel.

Max approached, tilting his head in amusement. His hair was messy but not spiked today, and it fell across his forehead. The barbell caught in the light from my tiny window. “Nice to see you too.”

“Sorry. It’s been a busy morning.”

I
was
glad to see him. Lately, I was always glad to see him. Despite our agreement that the kiss had been a mistake, and our argument-free interactions in the days since, I couldn’t completely stop the part of me that wanted to jump him.

Scratch that.

Somehow, it had gotten
worse
. Now it was a rare night that I didn’t check him out when he wasn’t looking. Or flush when he said my name.

Once I’d even imagined him coming to my office like this, telling me to lie back on the desk as he shoved up my skirt, then proceeding to do all kinds of completely unprofessional things with his hands and his mouth.

Glass walls be damned.

I shuffled the papers in front of me into two stacks and set them on the corner of my desk. Max tapped his fingers absently on my desk, a half-smile on his face. My breath stuck in my chest. “Feels like I haven’t seen you all week, Coyote,” he said.

“It’s been two days.” But it felt like that to me too.

His gaze took in my white lace cap-sleeve blouse, but I could’ve sworn his eyes warmed before he came back to my face.

Oh boy.

“Payton, have you seen Charlotte—Oh.” I jumped and Max straightened from where he’d been leaning a hip on my desk when Avery stuck his head in the door. “I didn’t realize you had company.”

“Avery. Hi,” I managed. “This is Max, uh, Mr. Donovan, founder of Titan Games.”

Avery was all charm, extending a hand. “Good to meet you. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to come and see me.”

Max didn’t so much as blink. In fact, he ignored the hand completely. I fought the urge to smile. “Payton’s taking very good care of me.”

“Of course.” He didn’t look convinced. “If anything changes…”

Max flashed teeth in what couldn’t be construed as a smile. “It won’t.”

“Ignore him,” I told Max after Avery retreated. “He gets excited around big deals. I think he can smell money the way those police dogs can smell coke.”

Max frowned, dropping into the visitor’s chair in front of my desk and leaning back. “That’s the guy you’re competing with?” I nodded. “He’s territorial. I don’t like it.”

“He just doesn’t think I’m capable of tying my own shoes. He’s harmless.”

Max let out a shallow breath, his eyes trained on the front of my desk and his brows furrowed. I thought of something to lighten the mood. “Oh. I have something for you.” I reached for my bag, producing a flash drive. My foot tapped under the desk as he took it. “We were talking about music the other night. So I made this. It’s some songs, mostly the Raiders. They helped me get through the worst times. And, I guess, the best ones.”

He raised an eyebrow in amusement as he turned the drive over in his fingers. “You made me a mix tape?”

“What? No!” I frowned. “Give it back.”

But Max had already shifted forward and jammed it in the pocket of his jeans. Eyes that saw way too much warmed. “No way. I like it. But, I actually came for business. I need you to take three days off.”

“Huh? Why?”

“For Comic-Con.”

I shook my head to clear it. “Wait. That’s
Star Wars
and
Star Trek
and girls in Wonder Woman costumes, right? You want me to take vacation to go to a trade show?”

Max let out a sigh. “It’s not just gamers, Payton. It’s industry. And don’t make like you don’t have vacation days. I bet you have a stack of them.”

“That’s not the point.”

“You’re right. The point is, Harmon replied to our request. The Boston team’s swamped, but their San Diego team is willing to meet with us during Comic-Con and hear us out.”

My jaw dropped. I got hot just hearing the name Harmon. After all my research, I’d decided they were the perfect candidates to help Max make Phoenix happen. They had tons of experience in the industry and would buy into his vision if anyone would.

“Surprise,” Max taunted, his mouth curving in a smile that stunned me for a beat.

“But why do you want me there?”

“I know you said you wouldn’t be involved in the pitching. But I’ve decided I can’t do it without you. So there we are.”

My heart beat faster at the thought of having a front row seat for that important meeting.

I could shift a few things around to make it work.

“You are evil. And wonderful.” Excitement buzzed through me. “All right, I’m in.”

“Great.” Looking immensely satisfied, he pushed out of the chair and turned for the door.

“But one more thing!”

Max paused at the door, expectant.

“Did you say California?”

“Yeah. Already booked our tickets and hotel. We leave Thursday.” He started down the hall before I could even chastise him for being presumptuous.

The second he was out the door, a text arrived containing our hotel and flight information.

I watched Max with narrowed eyes through the glass as he strode down the hall toward the elevator. As if feeling my stare, he turned and raised his eyebrows.
What?
he seemed to say.

I bit my lip as he disappeared from view.

Did it even occur to you I’d say no?

I texted. His response came a few seconds later.

Yes

And what would you have done

Convinced you 

Suddenly, rebelliously, my brain could think of a lot of things Max Donovan could do that might convince me.

Charlie stuck her head in my office and I groaned. “How much of that did you get?” I asked.

“Eighty percent, since I was standing just outside your door. Except when Avery came by, when I did what any grown woman would do.”

“Hide under your desk?” I suggested.

“Duh.”

“Listen, Charlie. I know you think I’m an idiot for not telling Max to go to hell after what happened.”

She shrugged. “You’re a sweet idiot, and I love you. And you like Max.”

“I don’t,” I replied instantly, but the words felt weak. “Fine, I do. It’s not just the fact that I want to climb him like a tree.”

“But also.”

“But also,” I confirmed, feeling a warm and familiar tingling heat spreading through my body.

“So why don’t you?”

“Even if he was up for it, which he’s not, Max is the definition of emotionally unavailable. I spent a lot of time doing casual and it never gave me anything real. The next time I want to date someone whose idea of heaven is more than five minutes in the bathroom of a bar.”

Charlie made sympathetic noises as she took Max’s seat in the visitor’s chair, swinging her legs so they hung off the side. “But you’re going to San Diego?”

“Yeah.” I tapped my fingers on the desk. “It’ll be fine, right?”

“If by ‘fine’ you mean you’re going to attack that man with your vagina the second you get him alone.”

Alarm sprung up. “That is not going to happen.”

“Then you better take some drastic measures to keep that shit—” she waved a fingernail at me, “—under control. Because you’re giving off vibes like a Real Housewife in heat.”

I swallowed.

Three days in California with Max.

At a hotel.

No Alliance, no Charlie, no Riley.

No sweat.