Page 74 of Maxwell

Behind the swagger and charm was a kind person with a big heart. She had fallen hard and fast for him.

“I need to feel close to you. Right now.” Jasmine spoke in an urgent whisper against his lips.

“Do you want this?” He pumped his pelvis so she could feel his hardening erection.

“Yes.”

“I guess I could accommodate you,” he murmured.

“If you don’t mind,” she said, rotating her pelvis on top of his. “You need to hurry, or I’ll make your boxers all wet and sticky.”

Biting his lip, he groaned and then plunged his tongue into her mouth.

Then he stood with her wrapped around him.

“I can walk,” she said, as he carried her toward the bedroom.

“I know.”

Maxwell placed her gently in the center of the bed and then climbed in beside her. They made slow, sensual love, their bodies rocking together in a climax that had her clinging to him. As he came, his hips thrusting hard between her legs, he said, “I love you,” in a choppy, broken whisper.

Later, he pulled her back against his chest, one heavy arm draped across her waist, his knees tucked behind hers. Nestled in the curve of his body, she felt his slow breath blowing against the back of her head, rustling her messy curls.

Jasmine sighed. Content.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

“How many people will be there?” Jasmine asked as they rolled down the highway toward his parents’ house.

She was checking her makeup in the sun visor mirror in his vehicle.

“Everybody’s in town, which means all of my siblings will be there—except Ignacio, of course—and their partners. Plus my parents and all the kids, including the babies, because my brothers aren’t allowed to show up at the house without the grandbabies.”

“No leaving the baby at home with a babysitter then?”

“Not if they want to be allowed to enter the house. Adding you and me, that’s... let’s see... twenty-one people, I think. Bruno lives the farthest away. If Liam is sleeping, he and Marissa will probably spend the night so they don’t have to disturb him. If Angel is sleeping, Ethan and Skye will probably do the same thing since it’s convenient.”

“I bet your parents love that.” Jasmine flipped the sun visor to the ceiling.

“I’m sure they’re secretly praying for that to happen.”

“That’s a lot of people to have in the house at once,” Jasmine remarked.

“Twenty-one people is nothing. We’ve thrown all kinds of parties at my parents’ house. My dad loves to entertain, and when he built our house, he made sure there was a special room for parties. With all of us grown and out of the house, my parents love having their grandchildren come over more than anything else. A couple of weeks ago I went over there, and they had my nieces and nephews for the weekend. My dad was running around with them and wrestling on the floor.”

“Didn’t you tell me that he has a bad back?”

“He does! But he does what he wants, and then if his back goes out, Mom has to help him get back into shape. She’s constantly having to monitor him about his back or remind him to wear his glasses when he’s driving. He doesn’t listen.”

Jasmine shook her head. “Sounds like my father. He’s always sneaking food he knows he shouldn’t, and he’s a doctor!”

“Hey, you only live once.”

“Uh, yeah, and I want him to live as long as possible.”

They had arrived at his parents’ house, the sprawling mansion coming into view as they approached the circular driveway.

“Whoa,” Jasmine said.