Swap Meet (12 page)

the look on your face when the nurse asked us to leave.” Her voice softened. “You need

this, Max. It’s a way for you to be close to him.”

Max didn’t know what to say. The idea of sleeping where Chris slept was

incredibly comforting but it struck him as vey intrusive. “I’m not sure.”

“I insist.” McKenzie slipped her arm through his and walked him out of the

elevator. “If you think Chris is stubborn, you have no idea how hardheaded I can be.”

Max decided he didn’t want to find out and allowed her to take him out to her

luxury sports car. He stowed his bag in the trunk and slid into the passenger seat. She

drove a bit too wild for his taste but he held the urge to stomp his imaginary brake at

bay. As she navigated through the thick traffic, McKenzie talked shop. He could tell it

was her attempt to keep his mind off Chris and played along. Soon, she’d drawn him in

completely with her extensive knowledge of the financial markets. He found himself

wondering if he should have her investigated by one of his headhunters.

“Almost there,” McKenzie said as she turned into a modest subdivision.

The scent of barbecue hung heavy in the early-evening air. He jumped at the

unexpected sound of fireworks.

McKenzie laughed. “Fourth of July.”

79

Lolita Lopez

“Ah.” He’d completely forgotten. The date had barely registered as he’d rushed to

leave Paris. The sight of a bottle rocket bursting against the purpling sky caught his

attention. “How was Chris hurt?”

“Some stupid bastard stored his inventory of fireworks in his apartment.”

Annoyance and disbelief colored her voice. “Who the hell does that?”

Max shrugged. “Perhaps storage is expensive.”

She grunted. “I guess.”

“The fire at the apartment was bad?”

“Very bad,” she said, turning into a driveway near the end of a cul-de-sac. “Chris

was looking for trapped people when the ceiling caved in on top of him. Another

firefighter broke both of his legs in the fall. They were pulled out of the crumbling

apartment just minutes before the roof collapsed.” She shuddered and killed the engine.

“Scary stuff.”

Max couldn’t find the words. He just nodded. Thinking of how easily Chris could

have been killed made bile rise in his throat.

“This is it.” She took her keys from the ignition and dropped them in her purse.

“Doesn’t really compare to your grand chateau.”

He chuckled at her playful wink. “It’s cozy.”

She laughed and climbed out of the car. He walked around to the trunk and

grabbed his bag then followed her into the brick ranch-style house. The moment he

crossed the threshold, the scent that was so perfectly Chris filled his nose. The smell

recalled a host of memories. Like a sucker punch to the gut, Max remembered the last

time he’d tucked his nose against Chris’ neck and inhaled that delicious scent.

“You okay?” McKenzie studied him.

“Fine.” His voice was rough so he cleared his throat. He cast a glance around the

living room filled with comfy furniture and electronic gadgets. One wall was covered

with pictures. Max drew closer out of curiosity. His eyes danced over the snapshots of

80

Swap Meet

Chris as a kid playing baseball and a teen in a football uniform. There were photos

taken during his time at the fire academy and plenty of Chris with McKenzie and the

two people he assumed to be their parents.

McKenzie moved to stand next to him. She tapped a picture of Chris making a

funny face behind their father’s head. “Chris was such a goof.” She pointed to another

series of photos. “He loves being the center of attention.”

She gave him a quick tour of the house before writing down her cell number and

the address of Chris’ house just in case he wanted to call a cab. McKenzie handed over

the keys to the place. “I’m heading back to the hotel where my parents are staying. I

have a room there. I think they need me right now. If you need anything, don’t hesitate

to call, okay?”

He pocketed the keys. “I won’t.”

McKenzie surprised him by throwing her arms around him and hugging him tight.

“I’m so glad you came, Max. Chris really needs you.”

He returned her embrace. “I’m grateful you called.”

She patted his cheek before heading toward the front door. “I’ll pick you up in the

morning for breakfast. It’s time you met my parents.”

Before Max could protest, she’d disappeared. He had a feeling she wouldn’t have

listened anyway.

Left alone in Chris’ house, the reality of the situation finally sank in, and hard. Max

couldn’t get the image of Chris in that hospital bed out of his mind. He could smell the

fire and feel the flames licking at his own skin. Just thinking of Chris crushed beneath

burning debris made him weak with fear.

Max needed to ground himself somehow. He wandered into Chris’ bedroom.

Standing in the doorway, he eyed the bed with its rumpled covers. Tees and jeans and

socks littered the room. An amused smile tugged at his mouth. During the few times

they’d spent time together, Chris’ sloppiness had exasperated Max. He liked his spaces

clean and neat. Chris seemed to thrive on chaos.

81

Lolita Lopez

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Max wondered how in the world they were going to

mesh their lives. How quickly would he tire of picking up Chris’ dirty socks?

Max stopped himself. What was he thinking? Just because he’d come all this way,

there was no guarantee Chris would have him back. Despite McKenzie’s assertions

Chris had been preparing to apologize and beg forgiveness, it hadn’t happened yet. For

all Max knew, this accident might have changed Chris. Perhaps he would wake up and

decide life was too short for commitments. Maybe he would decide he didn’t want to

settle for Max.

And what if Chris was angry with him for coming? Chris guarded his privacy so

carefully and Max’s presence in Houston, at the hospital and now at his house,

threatened all of that.

But he couldn’t think of that now. He was here. There was no turning back. Once

Chris woke up—and he hoped that was soon—Max would get his answers.

Max reached for the nearest piece of discarded clothing, a t-shirt, and held it up to

his nose. He lay back onto the bed and curled up on his side. Breathing in the scent of

Chris clinging to the cotton, he fell into a much-needed sleep.

* * * * *

The next morning, as he waited for McKenzie, Max sank down onto the soft, brown

leather couch and reached for the remote to catch up on the news. As he did, a stack of

books and an iPod on the end table caught his eye. He lifted the books onto his lap and

stared at them.

French language courses.

Max slipped the earbuds in place and pressed play. French phrases met his ears. He

thumbed through the workbooks, noting Chris’ scribbles in the margins. He was

learning French.
For me.

82

Swap Meet

He couldn’t explain it, but the knowledge Chris had undertaken to learn his native

tongue moved Max so deeply. It gave him such hope that maybe, just maybe, things

were going to be all right between them.

* * * * *

Chris was on fire. Smoke filled his lungs and choked the breath right out of him.

Heavy weight pressed down on his chest. He was suffocating and burning. He thrashed

in panic.

And then he was swimming in the warm, salty waters of the Mediterranean. His

body glided through the water. He rolled onto his back and took long, lazy strokes

toward a floating yacht. The outline of a man,
his
man, standing on the deck caught his

eye. Lust burned low in his belly.

Chris was in bed now, his arms tied overhead, his legs bound below. Lips skimmed

his abdomen. A hand caressed the length of his rigid cock. Enraptured, Chris groaned

and lifted his hips, desperate for the velvet rasp of his lover’s tongue on his penis. He

tugged at his bonds and begged for release but his lover only laughed and continued to

torment him with slow swipes of his tongue and gentle suckling on his sac. The

pleasure was intense.

“Max.” Chris breathed his lover’s name. “Max.”

“I’m here. I’m right here.”

Drawn from the depths of his delicious dream, Chris blinked until his vision

focused. A beeping noise filled his ears. Confused, he darted a quick gaze at his surroundings. A hospital room. Electronic monitors recorded his vital signs. IV tubes

fed fluids and medications into his veins.

It all came rushing back. The heat, the flames, the fear.

“Chris?”

83

Lolita Lopez

He turned his head and there he was, sitting on the edge of the bed. Max, the one

person he’d feared never seeing again. A shimmer of tears rode the surface of Max’s

eyes. His soft fingers clasped Chris’ wrist. A hopeful smile played on his face.

“Max.” His voice croaked. He grimaced as his lips cracked from dryness but the

slight sting didn’t matter. He was alive and Max was here. “I’m sorry.”

Max shook his head. “Shh,” he whispered. “None of that matters now.”

And it didn’t. Chris could see forgiveness clearly reflected in Max’s eyes. He

swallowed and nodded. “Thank you.”

Max touched his cheek. A playful grin curved those beautiful lips. “You need a

shave. Desperately,” he added.

“And a shower,” Chris said as he slowly became aware of his griminess.

“Not for a while,” Max replied. “Not until those burns on your legs heal.”

Chris frowned. Burns? He started to lift his head to glance at his feet but a sharp

pain stabbed his collarbone and arm. He cursed in surprise.

“Easy,” Max whispered. He pointed out the brace supporting Chris’ collarbone and

the cast and sling on his lower arm. “These will take a while to heal too.”

Chris studied his injuries. The realization of how lucky he was struck hard. “Could

have been worse.”

Max snorted at his cavalier reply. “Yes.”

Chris started to laugh but yawned instead. He glanced at his IV. “Looks like I’m on

the good stuff.”

“I’ll take your word for it.” Max reached out and caressed Chris’ jaw. “I should go

get your parents and sister. They’re out in the waiting room. I want them to see you

before you fall back asleep.”

That tidbit broke through his drowsiness. “You’ve met my parents?”

Max looked suddenly nervous. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t—”

84

Swap Meet

Chris lifted his hand and pressed his fingers to Max’s lips. “It’s all right.” He smiled

knowingly. “McKenzie?”

Max smiled and nodded. “She’s very forceful.”

“That’s one word for it.” Chris took a good, long look at Max. There were deep lines

of exhaustion etching his mouth and dark circles beneath his eyes. Worry was written

all over his face. Seeing the depth of his concern was incredibly moving.

Chris grasped Max’s hand and slowly brought it to his mouth. “I’m glad you

came.”

“Nothing would have kept me away.”

The intensity of Max’s declaration rocked Chris. “Kiss me.”

Max shot a glance at the doorway. “Someone could see us.”

Where Chris expected a quiver of panic at the idea of being discovered, he felt only

the strongest sense of calm. “I don’t care.”

Max fixed him with the most tender of gazes. He leaned forward and teasingly

brushed his lips across Chris’ mouth. He melted into the kiss, taking hold of Max’s shirt

with his good hand and pulling him close. Max sucked on his lower lip and rubbed

their noses together. Chris pressed his forehead to Max’s. “
Je t’aime
.”

Max pulled back and looked into his eyes. “
Je t’aime aussi
.”

Happiness bubbled in Chris’ chest. Max placed one last kiss on Chris’ temple and

backed away from the bed. “I’m going to find your family. I’ll come in and see you

again once they’ve had their turns.”

“Two family visitors at a time?” Chris guessed at the ICU visiting policy and Max

nodded in affirmation. He thought of something else. “So how did you get around the

family-only policy?”

Max laughed as he hesitated in the doorway. “Apparently I married your sister.”

“What?”

85

Lolita Lopez

Max stepped back inside the room and lowered his voice. “McKenzie told the staff

I’m her husband.”

Chris shook his head. “Leave it to Mac.”

“Yes, and let’s hope no one saw us just now.” Max smiled mischievously. “Can you

imagine how that kiss will set tongues wagging around here? The husband having an

affair with the brother-in-law!”

Grinning, Chris leaned back against his pillow and listened to Max’s fading

chuckle. It was a sound so comforting to his ears. Seeing Max’s face as he woke was a

healing salve in and of itself. He couldn’t wait to get better, to be able to hold Max

again…and more.

86

Swap Meet

Max was giddy with relief. Suddenly light and carefree, he sunk into one of the

waiting room chairs and dragged a hand down his face. Chris was awake. He was