All I've Ever Wanted - Adrianne Byrd [63]
She rolled her gaze from him, too angry to speak.
“If you would just be honest with yourself, you’d realize that you can’t solve this on your own. Lawrence wants you because you witnessed a murder. He’ll kill your son and grandmother to get to you. That is if he hasn’t killed them already. We’re talking about a no-win situation here.”
Kennedy sagged into a nearby chair. Despair descended on her like a ton of bricks.
Max knelt beside her. “I’m sorry. If I thought that there was another way—”
“Don’t be sorry. You’re right.” She wiped her eyes dry. “If you think this is what it’s going to take to save my family—then let’s do it.”
He took her trembling hands into his. “I know just the guy to call.”
Chapter 29
Max pushed open his door and swept out a hand to allow Kennedy to enter first.
“What’s this?” Her tote bag slid to the floor at the sight of the elegant dining-room table.
“I…uh…prepared a lunch for us this afternoon, before I discovered you’d jumped ship.”
She lifted a curious brow. “More soup?”
“Hardly.” He moved over to the table and lifted the top off his serving dish. “Homemade crab Alfredo. It’s ice-cold now.”
She walked over to the table with a timid smile. “Well, for what it’s worth, it looks beautiful.”
He turned in her direction with a disarming smile. “Too bad you didn’t stick around, this meal would have knocked your socks off.”
Her heart fluttered. “I’m here now.”
“So you are.” His steady gaze probed hers. The room’s temperature seemed to rocket and Kennedy suddenly found it hard to breathe. Her mind suddenly cluttered with memories of being locked in his arms, and relishing the taste of his lips.
She blinked and broke the hypnotic spell, only to notice that he, too, stared at her with the same level of intensity.
Kennedy cleared her throat. “Maybe this time I should fix us something to eat.”
“Not only are you beautiful, but you can cook, as well?”
She blushed at his casual compliment. “There are a lot of things I can do that aren’t in your little folder.”
“Really?” He inched closer. “Like what?”
Her thoughts scrambled and she quickly forgot what they were talking about. “Huh?”
Max laughed, jolting her out of her stupor.
“Oh…uh…” She shook her head and laughed at herself. “I must be getting tired.”
“Uh-huh.” His smile widened. “Why don’t we cook dinner together?”
“Together?” she repeated dumbfounded.
He nodded. “Unless being with a great chef, like myself, makes you nervous.”
“You know, you talk a lot of trash, Mr. Campbell’s Soup.”
“You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”
“Not if I can help it,” she said, then realized the oddity of her comment. The chances of her returning to his apartment, or even seeing him again after all this madness, were slim to none.
“All right then. What would you like to cook?” He turned and walked to the kitchen, then stopped short when he saw the mess he’d left.
“My goodness.” Kennedy joined him. “It looks like El Niño hit this place.”
“I was creating.”
“Please don’t start that again.”
He shrugged. “If you insist.”
“How about we just order a pizza?”
“I don’t know. It doesn’t sound too romantic.”
Kennedy’s brows rose in curiosity. “Were you trying to romance me?” Her knees felt weak when he flashed her another potent smile.
“What if I was?”
“Why do you always answer my questions with other questions?”
Another shrug. “Didn’t realize I did.”
“Bull. I think you do it in order to avoid giving me a straight answer.”
“Do you now?”
Her smile widened. “There you go again.”
“All right. You caught me.” He turned away from the kitchen.
Kennedy followed. “So, what’s your answer?”
“To what?”
“You’re impossible.” She laughed. “I asked you whether you were trying to romance me.”
“Ooh.”
“Ooh,” she mimicked him.
“I might have been,” he finally answered.
“It’s a yes or no question.” She couldn’t believe her eyes. He was actually blushing.
“Then the answer is yes.”
Flattered, her body warmed beneath his intense gaze.
“To be honest,” he continued, “I’ve been attracted to you since