LITMIR.BIZ

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eyes burned as she reached into the cupboard and brought out two water glasses. The only pair of champagne glasses she’d ever owned had been bought for her wedding toast. She’d smashed them not long after her first anniversary.

      Hailey poured the champagne. “I wish you had. It would have made things a lot easier for both of us.”

      “Here’s to honesty between sisters from here on out.” Rachel clinked her glass against Hailey’s.

      “I’ll drink to that,” Hailey said. “Tell me what happened today.”

      “Why don’t you start by telling me what possessed you to go to Max.”

      Hailey shot her an accusing look over the rim of her glass. “You are mad.”

      “I’m not,” she started, but her sister’s impatient huff reminded her of their toast. “Okay, I’m not exactly mad at you. I get why you did it. I just wish you hadn’t.”

      “I had to. Someone slashed your tires. That scared me.”

      Rachel flinched. “I had it under control.”

      “No, you didn’t.” Hailey’s voice was hot as she countered Rachel’s claim. “Just like you didn’t have it under control after Dad died and Aunt Jesse took off on us. I know I wasn’t out of high school, but you should have let me help.”

      “I was trying to protect you.”

      Hailey shook her head. “You always treated me like I was made of glass. Just once I wanted you to lean on me, but you never did.”

      “I didn’t realize it was that important to you,” Rachel said, holding up her hands to fend off her sister’s verbal battery. She’d always been proud of her sister, but never more than now. “Thank you for going to Max.”

      Hailey’s temper evaporated. Her lips formed a half grin. “Wow, how’d that taste?”

      “Bitter.” Rachel finished the rest of her champagne in one swallow and held her glass out for a refill. “If you hadn’t gone to him, Brody would have continued to pester us. He’d have taken more of your money. And I would forever be hopeful that Max might someday forgive me for not telling him I was married five years ago. I don’t need to worry on any of those accounts any more.”

      “You and Max will make it work. That man has it bad for you.”

      “You didn’t see him today. He never wants to see me again. Thanks to me he paid a hundred and five thousand dollars to a lowdown stinking liar.”

      “Why so much? You only owed him twenty-five.”

      “But you told Max that you’d promised to pay Brody for your college education.”

      Hailey gasped. “He wasn’t supposed to do that.”

      “Now do you understand why I kept this from Max?” She slid the cooked fish onto two plates and dished out the broccoli she’d steamed. “He’s not the sort of man to stand on the sidelines when he could save the day.” Another reason why she loved him. Rachel blew out a breath. “He settled both our debts. I told him I’d pay him back the money. The problem is, you and I were both paying Brody off for your schooling. He was double dipping.”

      “I thought you were paying him back for a loan to start your business.”

      “No. Brody was cheating us. We paid him for your schooling twice.”

      “Twice?” Hailey looked horrified.

      “I was paying him as part of our divorce decree. Now paying back Max will make it three times.”

      “That’s insane. You’re not going to do that. I’m not going to let you.”

      Rachel shoved a plate into her sister’s hands. “Yes, I am.”

      “No, you’re not. It was my mistake. I’m going to pay Max back.”

      “It was my fault for not telling you about my arrangement with Brody from the beginning. I’ll pay Max back. You’re getting ready to start your life with Leo. You don’t want this sort of debt hanging over your head.”

      “And you’ve got a business to run. You shouldn’t have to shoulder it, either.”

      Rachel had never seen her sister look so fierce or so determined. New respect bloomed. While she’d struggled with her business and finances, Hailey had become a strong, independent-minded young woman. Rachel was ashamed she hadn’t noticed sooner.

      “Okay.”

      Hailey’s eyebrows shot up. “What do you mean, okay?”

      “You’re absolutely right that I don’t want to be the one to pay Max back.”

      “You’re going to let me do it?” Hailey nodded in satisfaction.

      “Nope. I have a different idea altogether.” Rachel rubbed her hands together and sent an evil grin winging toward her sister.

      Hailey cracked a smile. “Anything you’d care to share?”

      “Grab some silverware. We’ll talk while we eat.”

       Eleven

      Rachel stood on Max’s front porch, her finger hovering over the doorbell. Her enthusiasm for the plan she talked over with Hailey had faded as she’d driven the twenty minutes to his house. What was she doing here? Max wouldn’t want to help her after what had happened earlier today. Even if he answered the door, he’d probably slam it in her face as soon as he spotted her standing here.

      Maybe he wasn’t home. It was a Thursday night. Didn’t he get together with his friends and go clubbing on Thursdays? She should have called. But what if he refused to answer?

      She should have waited until Monday and caught him at his office. Of course, he might refuse to see her there, as well.

      The door opened while lose-lose scenarios played through her mind like an action movie.

      “Are you planning on standing out here all night?” Max asked. He blocked the doorway with his arm and nothing about his hard expression or his tense body language gave her hope. But suddenly Rachel’s spirits rose.

      “I guess I’ll have to if you don’t let me in.”

      His eyebrows rose. “What’s the password?”

      “You were right.”

      “That’s three words.”

      She dug deeper. “I’m sorry.”

      “That’s two words.” A twitch at the corner of his mouth told her she was getting close.

      “Help.”

      He reached out and dragged her inside. “That’s it.”

      Lowering his head, he captured her mouth in a hard, unyielding kiss that melted away her worries. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back, giving full rein to her angst and fear of losing him.

      He stripped off her shirt and dove his fingers beneath the elastic waistband of her skirt, pushing it down her hips until she stood before him in bra, panties and sneakers. Then, he scooped her into his arms and carried her down the hall to his bedroom.

      The long walk gave her time to summon explanations or apologies, but Max’s grim expression tied her tongue into knots. Make love to him now. Fight with him later. At least they would make another incredible memory for her to relive after they parted ways for good.

      When he set her on her feet beside the bed, she grabbed the hem of his T-shirt and raised it past his flat stomach and powerful chest. He helped her by tearing it over his head. A purr-like sound vibrated her throat as she set her palms against his chest and backed him toward

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