“My father still attends to the family business. He’s been doing a lot of traveling; meetings, you know?” He was careful not to go into too much detail on that count. “While my mother rules the roost and terrorizes the housekeeper.”
Sienna smiled, with a warmth rising to her dark eyes. Max discovered that he didn’t mind talking about himself, not when it was with her. But the next question she asked was a hard one. “And your brother?”
He felt the hurt again, like a fresh wound, a dull metal object being shoved in between his ribs. He answered as best he could. “Julien. He and his wife Annie died in a yachting accident off the coast of Cannes six months ago.”
Sienna clapped her hand over her mouth. “Accept my sympathy. I’m sorry I asked.”
He kissed her lightly to reassure her. “You had no way of knowing.”
She returned the kiss and then peered at him. “I’m an only child, so I wouldn’t know how you’re feeling now. Though my best friend Jacyn feels like my actual sister. I would be heartbroken if something were to happen to her. Were you two close?”
You have no idea how close,he thought silently.No way of knowing how that tragedy has affected my life. But instead of going into details, he said simply, “It’s been painful for me and my mother. Losing her firstborn… I’m not sure if she’ll ever be the same.”Especially,Max thought,if Huimin was struggling with the guilty belief that the wrong son had been taken.
Sienna crawled closer to him on her hands and knees and hugged him hard. “I’m sorry about your brother, and I wish you and your parents healing and strength.”
He hugged her back, surprised that his primary feeling right now wasn’t lust but the physical craving to be held. And glad she was there to fulfill it for him.
She touched his cheek gently and broke their embrace, scooting all the way to the top of the huge bed. Sitting with her back to the headboard, she patted the spot beside her. He obediently took his place.
She picked up the remote and pointed it at the TV. “Movie?”
He settled against her body, enjoying her warmth. Delighted that for a change, they would simply be enjoying each other’s company, rather than seeking to erase their deepest longings using the mental anesthesia of good sex. “Sure,” he agreed, “as long as it’s in French.”
She looked horrified. “What? Why?”
Max snatched the remote from her fingers before she could do otherwise and began searching through the menu himself. “Because you really need to work on your verbs.”