She sighed. "You want to discuss this already?"
The corner of his mouth ticked up, and she wanted to kiss it. "I would think after all these months of trying to outdo each other that you'd know I lay out the facts, form a plan, and go after it."
She shook her head. "This isn't the same as researching and setting up a dig site, Max, and you know it. It's way more fucking complicated."
He shrugged. "Maybe it's different, but if you think I'm just going to jump out of bed, thank you for some great shagging, and then go back to the way it was before, then you're bloody mad."
She narrowed her eyes. "You're so charming."
He rolled his eyes. "Pretty words aren't my thing. I'm analytical, and I'm all about solutions. I don't even like to complain about something for the sake of it. No, instead, I look at it and pivot." He searched her gaze. "I'm also devoted to family since I have so little of it—just my older brother. Which means I'm not going to abandon any child of mine, no matter what happens between us, pet."
He'd called her that name a few times during the frenzy, and it'd grown on her.
But unlike when he'd said it in the throes of ecstasy, it was softer, gentler, almost like a true endearment.
Which was fucking ridiculous. Until she'd kissed him, they'd basically been trying to render each other unconscious. Shemoved to get out of bed, but Max grabbed her wrist. She tugged. "I want to take a shower."
"Not until we talk a little more."
She growled. "Right before I kissed you, you chained me up, fully intending to keep me prisoner for weeks. If you think we're going to have a heart-to-heart conversation now and forget all that, you're in for some massive disappointment."
The bastard grinned. "Yes, that had been my plan. But you were about to inject who the fuck knows what into me to do the same. I think that makes us a good match."
He said that now, in the post-frenzy glow. But Lavinia's whole life had been one person abandoning her after another. First, her father left her mother, then her mum died, and even her original clan rejected her for having a human father.
Not to mention any sort of dating or relationship had always ended in disaster.
All she could do was protect her heart and keep it from hurting. Especially with her lifelong dream of finding Dragon's Court just on the horizon.
She tugged, and Max released her this time. "I'm tired, Max. Just let me clean up and get some sleep."
He raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to bolt? If so, I need to set my booby traps to keep you from fleeing."
She stood and tossed her tangled mess of black hair over her shoulder. "Until I get the key, I'm not going anywhere."
He smiled. "Well, then you'll be sticking around because I've hidden it somewhere you'll never find it."
"That sounds like a challenge."
He tilted his head. "Maybe it is."
Glad to be back on familiar territory, Lavinia snorted. "Well, then you've just provoked me to try harder. Because not even sharing a child with you will change my dream of besting you and being the first to unearth Dragon's Court."
"Then may the best person win, pet. Although you should know it'll be me."
She stuck out her tongue, turned, and walked away with her head held high. She knew he was staring at her arse, so she swayed it a bit more on purpose. A soft male groan made her smile.
Max Holbrook had few weaknesses, and if using her naked body and pussy was one of them, she'd do it.
Because it didn't matter if fate thought he was supposed to be some sort of happy ending for her or not. Dragon's Court was the only thing that mattered. After all, that would set her up for decades and give her child the stable life she'd never had.
So no, she wouldn't allow a male to get close to her and eventually leave, like how her mother had suffered. Lavinia had herself and her child to think about, and that was enough.
It had to be.
Chapter Six
Max had known sex with Lavinia would be good. But he hadn't expected the irritation at her dismissing him, or her acting as if they hadn't just spent more than a week giving each other orgasms.