Free Courage in the Kiss by Elaine White Page A

to find the words to say how she felt.
    Just when she thought he would lose himself to the moment, he dug his fingers into the back of her hip, holding her in place. He met her gaze and thrust harder and faster, taking full advantage of the support the bed provided.
    Hadley knew she should have said something; she shouldn’t enjoy the sense of being filled each time he pushed into her. She should have stopped him long ago, but when he kissed her…the way he touched her…the way he looked at her…it sent tingles through every fibre of her body. She couldn’t ignore the quivering gasps of pleasure that rang in the air as she clung to him, desperately.
    She never thought the night would end this way. But there she was…minutes after confessing her love, praying that it meant something to Maxx. She was too scared to ask.
    No matter how many times Hadley told herself that it was wrong, that she should never have been in this situation, she couldn’t ignore the fact that her body was screaming for his touch. What was so exquisitely exciting, was that Maxx knew that. He knew exactly what she wanted…because it was exactly what he wanted. And God, was she glad for that. Even if it only lasted for tonight.

Chapter 15
    Hadley woke the next morning, her entire body tingling from the things Maxx had done to it. The smile that reached her lips couldn’t be fought off, though she didn’t want Maxx to see it. She couldn’t say why, but she had an awful feeling that whatever they’d done wasn’t permanent.
    She’d gone to sleep in his arms, but as she blinked and tried to wake, she realised they were no longer there, and there was a chill on his side of the bed.
    Squeezing her eyes shut, she turned onto her side and hugged the pillow, choosing not to acknowledge that truth, just yet. Although she’d hoped it wasn’t true, she wasn’t entirely surprised that he’d gone.
    The hopeful part of Hadley said that he could have just gone downstairs to make breakfast, or be in the bathroom. But the logical side said that she wasn’t that lucky and, no matter how many times she’d uttered the words, Maxx had never claimed to love her back.
    When she heard movement behind her, she turned over to find the culprit. Maxx was getting dressed in the corner of the room, silent and forbidding as usual. There was no trace of the passionate, sexy man she’d been with last night.
    “Are you leaving?” Hadley ventured, bracing herself for the only answer she knew he could give.
    “I have to get to work,” Maxx answered, though he didn’t look up.
    She had a feeling he was trying to avoid her, now that the cold light of day had come around. But she wouldn’t let him; she’d expected this and she was a big girl. She could deal with being used and treated like shit, but there was no way he was going to get away with it. “I’d really like you to stay…there’s so much I have to say,” she persisted, wondering if that would work.
    He turned with a frown, as he fixed his tie into place. “I really haven’t got time for meaningless chitchat. I’m late for a meeting,” he complained, as he walked over to the desk in his room and flipped through some papers. He grabbed three pieces of paper and opened his briefcase to place them inside.
    “Then you’ll be late,” Hadley insisted, sitting up and holding the sheet to herself. She wasn’t ashamed of giving in to the heat and passion of last night, only that Maxx had proven undeserving of that honour.
    Maxx looked up at her, furious and ready to say something, until she got there first. He could have his say later, when he had something worthwhile to say.
    “Don’t freak out. I know fine well that you were only interested in sex,” Hadley promised, so that he didn’t get defensive and say anything she couldn’t bear to hear. “Fine, whatever. I just want to know if you’ll be back for dinner. It’s just me, since Emerson is at the cabin and Micah is with Rowan. Do I need to