So I do, from the very corner of my eye. A tall, slim redhead stands there in the fruit and vegetable section, holding a stick of celery. She’s glaring at us.
Uh oh. My body droops into his. “Max, she’s pissed.”
He pulls me closer, hands roaming over my body. His face falls into my neck. “I know. I told her I didn’t want to go out with her and she got mad.”
My body stiffens. “Are you using me right now to put on a show?”
He presses his nose to my throat and breathes me in. The dirtbag. “You smell good.”
Not in the mood for games, I turn and bite his earlobe. He yelps then sighs, “Okay, okay. She may have said I led her on.”
I lift my head and bark a humorless laugh. “Let me guess. The flirting?”
He pulls back and his golden eyes flash as he fiercely glares down at me. “I’m single. I’m allowed to flirt, so sue me. I like to flirt.”
Rolling my eyes, I mutter under my breath, “With everyone but me.”
His large hands grip my waist tight, his eyes now pleading. “Help. Please.”
In my peripheral vision, I see the redhead come closer. I whisper, “She’s coming.”
His lips hit my cheek. His sweet, minty breath warms me as he whispers against my skin, “Please, please, please, please, please.”
I rush out, “Okay, but I swear if you kiss me again I will bite off your tongue.”
Max smiles down at me with a smile that would be worthy of dental advertisements, his dimple out for the world to see, and I wonder what the hell I’m doing.
Chapter Twenty-One
Helena
The redhead saunters over to us, saucily swaying her hips from side to side. And my mind rolls its eyes. I already know what type of woman this is. I hate these types of women. This is the type of woman I assumed Felicity was when we first met. I’m suddenly reminded I was wrong about Felicity. I should probably give this woman a chance before I judge her.
Max keeps his arm around me as he turns, smiling coolly at the woman. “Hey, Portia, how you doin’?”
Without even looking at him, she looks me up and down. “Fine, Max. I didn’t know you have a girlfriend.”
Oh, yeah. I was not wrong this time. She’s a flaming bitch.
Not stooping to her level, I introduce myself. “Hi, I’m Helena.” She looks over to Max with her brows raised and mouth set in a firm line before holding out a hand to me. I normally would not have an issue with this. The fact is, she’s holding out her hand as if I’m going to kiss the back of it. The asshole. Bitchiness not being one to stop me, I take hold of her awkwardly presented fingertips and shake ‘em like a man. Portia almost loses her balance and I stifle my laugh. “Nice to meet you.”
She doesn’t bother making nice. “I haven’t seen you at the club before.”
I eye her good. “I was there last weekend. And I’ll be there this weekend too.” Wanting to play the part, I snuggle deeper into Max, wrapping an arm around his stomach. I look up at him. “But I don’t need to be there every weekend. We see each other all the time.” Standing on my tiptoes, I kiss the side of his jaw in a very real display of affection.
Portia suddenly looks behind me, eyes wide. “Hello,” she bristles, “little one.”
Ceecee stops by my side. My heart races.
Shit. We’re so totally busted.
My arm falls from Max’s stomach and I expect him to come clean, but he doesn’t. I move to back away, but he holds me tight. “Portia, this is my daughter, Ceecee.”
Her eyes widen. “Really? I had no idea.” No shit, Sherlock. My mind scoffs and laughs humorlessly. If she had spent a single moment getting to know Max, it would have been the first thing he’d have told her. I don’t like this woman. Portia bends at the waist, into Ceecee’s face. “Oh my.” She lifts a hand and touches her hair as if she has the right. “You are a pretty one.”
My jaw set, my stomach coils violently. Did I mention I don’t like this woman?
It’s not your place. It’s not your place. It’s not your place.
Fuck it. “I’m sorry, Portia, but we need to get going. It was nice meeting you. We might see you this weekend.” Her eyes flash. She knows what I’m doing. I’m dismissing her.
And she doesn’t like it. “Nice meeting you too, Helen.”
My mouth opens to correct her when Max and Ceecee both utter icily, “It’s Helena.”
My heart smiles while my mind pokes its tongue out at her. The arm I have around Max tightens, and I lower my other hand by the free side, palm open. I feel Ceecee place her hand in mine. I like that. I like it so much that I stupidly feel like this is where I’m meant to be. So I want to slap a bitch when she leans into Max and kisses his cheek with her red-glossed lips.
As she pulls away, she utters quietly, almost as if she’s telling him a secret, “See you Saturday night.” Then she laughs softly, lifting a hand to his cheek, wiping at it. “Oops. These lips of mine.” Her eyes focus on me. “They leave a mark.” A challenge.
Bring it, bitch.
We linger a moment. Max clears his throat. “I’m hungry. You guys hungry?”
Ceecee nods, but keeps her eyes firmly on Portia’s retreating back. “Yeah.”
“Me too,” I add in a much-too-chipper way. “I’m just going to grab a couple of things. Why don’t you guys head over to the checkout? I’ll just be a minute.” Ignoring Portia’s presence in the fruit and veggie section, I move around the store in record time, grabbing the last of what we need before meeting Max and Ceecee at the checkout. Max buys the groceries in silence.
We exit the store and drive home with only the radio providing a break from the thick silence in the car. Finally, when we reach the house, Max parks the car. As I unbuckle my belt, he speaks up. “Ceecee, you know Helena isn’t really my girlfriend, right?”
She looks over at me and it almost looks as if her eyes turn sad. “I know.”
He looks across to me and smiles. “But we are friends. So Helena will be here a lot more, if that’s okay with you.”
She answers immediately without a trace of uncertainty in her voice. “That’s okay with me.”
I quell my sudden need to smile. Ceecee likes me.
Yay, me!
We exit the car and head inside. As soon as we’re in, I start barking orders, “Ceecee, I need you to take two carrots out of the bag and grate them. Max, I need you to find a pan and colander. I’ll start chopping the onion,” I look over to Ceecee and smile, but then it’s all on you, young grasshopper.”