“No argument here,” I said. “Where’s little Jeremy?”
“He’s asleep. It’s been a very long morning.”
“I have a feeling it’s going to be a very long stay,” I sighed.
“Well, I can’t just sit around here. I’ll go nuts. Angel, do you feel like joining me in the kitchen? I was thinking of doing a bit of baking.”
“I’m with you, girl.”
“I’ll read that book I brought,” Charlie said.
* * *
The first few days of confinement were bearable. But, a week into our stretch saw Inessa and me a tad snippy. It was to be expected. She was tired because Jeremy wasn’t happy in his new space, and I was all hyped up on pregnancy juices. Poor Charlie steered clear of potentially explosive situations, but I heard a few rumbles at night when they retired to their bedroom.
I felt sorry for them. I felt sorry for myself too. I missed my family and Josie. I missed Max most of all. Stevens kept me posted, but it wasn’t the same as seeing and talking to Max.
I cornered him one afternoon when he’d popped in to check on us.
“Brent, I need a favor. Please.”
“What can I do for you, Angelica?”
“I need to see Max.”
“I’m sorry, but that’s impossible.”
“Please, Brent! I’m going stark raving mad in here. Inessa has her husband and child with her. It doesn’t have to be long. What if something happens to him?”
I was losing my composure. Agent Stevens looked at me for a long while before he spoke again.
“Okay. Let me see what I can do. I’m only considering your request because I know that I’d want to reassure my wife if she were pregnant, and we were in your situation.”
“Oh, thank you, Brent.”
“Don’t thank me yet. I can’t make you any promises.”
“I understand.”
Stevens came by the next morning and told me that he’d arranged it so that Max and I could meet for an hour. I was elated.
It was all cloak and dagger. I got into the backseat of an SUV with tinted windows. Stevens covered me with a blanket before he drove me to a motel and hurried me into a room via the back entrance.
Max was waiting in the room when I opened the door. I didn’t care anymore about how mad I’d been at him for fucking up so horribly. All I wanted was to be in my lover’s arms. I held onto him for the longest time. Then Max kissed me. It was the most emotionally charged kiss I’d ever shared with a man.
I loved Max more than I could say. Nothing he could do would extinguish the flame that burned for him inside my soul. Nothing.
36
MAX
Iwas trembling. Holding Angel in my arms was more emotionally charged than I’d anticipated. I buried my nose in her hair and took in lungful of her intoxicating scent.
Angel looked up at me with her magical green eyes and in them, I saw what I’d been praying for since we were separated. I saw love–unmistakable, deep, true love.
“Max, I’ve been so worried about you.”
“I’m alright. Come, sit down, my love.”