The cold tiles on her back contrasted with the warmth of Max's body. Tiny rivers of water etched their way along the grooves of his shoulder muscles, his torso protecting her from the pelting spray of the shower.

"Sophie." Part groan, part benediction, her name from his lips reverberated in his chest and her ears.

His pace slowed, and she dug her nails into his forearms. "Don't stop."

"Never."

Sophie tried not to think about time. Never and always. Minutes of feeling whole in Max's arms after years of having part of herself cut off, segregated to a forgotten chamber.

For a week she'd been sneaking into Max's bedroom at night, their daytime trysts simply not enough. Like a woman with a death sentence looming, she devoured Max like he was her last meal. Only hours ago she'd pried herself from Max's embrace, crept across his bedroom, through their adjoining bathroom to her own room and slipped into the cold sheets she hadn't used that night. Not staying until morning with Max was the only thin veil of resistance she had left to defend her against falling for this man. If she left, this thing between them stayed purely physical.

Max shifted Sophie further up the wall and stars formed behind her closed eyes. "Yes. There." She wanted him to rush, to push her over the edge, but that wasn't Max's nature. Unlike that first day in the kitchen, he rarely took the initiative, grabbed what he wanted with both hands and rocked her world with the animalistic hunger she knew he was capable of. Instead, he waited for her to kiss him, to give him permission to touch her. He tortured her with heavenly strokes until she could take no more. Until her body erupted, making sure, like now, that she found pleasure first.

Sophie squeezed her legs around Max's waist, pulling him closer. As close as two people could get. Her heart threatened to burst through her ribcage, spasms of ecstasy wracking through her. Max continued to move, like he could keep her in this state by sheer will and the pump of hips. He inhaled her moans, affixing kisses on her lips, breathing life back into her. Inhibitions gone and knowing praise was something Max needed, she babbled encouragements.

"I love—" she swallowed the word you. She was delirious, couldn't possibly mean that. "I love this."

"Me too." He pressed his forehead against hers and she felt him twitch deep inside her.

Max held them against the wall, stroking her ribs with his thumb, pressing heavy kisses against her sternum. Eventually he released her, helping her feet find the floor. He traced the curve of her cheek, pressed a slow kiss there, and brushed wet strands from her face. "Let's get you cleaned up."

With a tender touch, he massaged shampoo into her hair. He soaped her body with feather-light caresses, stroking every inch of her like she was something precious and revered. Once finished, Sophie mapped out each of his muscles with bodywash, cleaning him as he had her. She elongated the process, luxuriating in the ability to touch him unconditionally and to delay the inevitable; exiting the shower.

He wrapped a towel around Sophie, pulling her close. "I don't want to leave."

Did he mean today, or was there more to his words? She laid her head against his shoulder, avoiding searching his eyes for the answer. "It's only a weekend."

His hand stamped onto the small of her back. "Who camps in winter?"

"Finn and his brother, apparently." Sophie shifted to look at him. "You'll have fun. Get to chop wood, burn stuff, and do other manly things."

"Finn and Simon will have fun." His gaze dropped. "I'm the pity invite."

Her throat constricted. She wanted to find the person or persons who'd drilled this concept into Max, that he somehow wasn't good enough to be chosen, first and always, and give them a piece of her mind. Sophie's hands cupped his face. "Don't you ever think that. You are Finn's best friend." She angled his head up, trying to catch his gaze. "He very much wants you there."

"Maybe out on the combat field." Max's eyes flashed to hers, then looked away. "But here, in this small town, he's different. I...I can see he wants to repair his relationship with Simon. Brothers should." Max leaned into her hand. "Finn's slipping away from me. I don't fit in."

She kissed the tip of his nose. "It's not one or the other. Finn can hold two people in his heart at the same time."

Her words hung in the air between them. The shower dripped and somewhere on the lower level, a door slammed shut.

A light sparked in Max's eyes. "Do you really believe that?"

In trying to console Max, she'd spoken a truth her mind wouldn't let her consider. Perhaps it was possible to love Thomas, reserve a spot of her heart for him, and make room to love someone else. Someone kind and brave and who wanted to be loved. Who showed her with every word, every gesture that she was a man worth loving. Like water rushing over stone, Max was slowly, patiently eroding the stone wall she'd build around her heart.

Sophie brushed her lips over his. "I do."

Max's chest rose and fell, loosening the towel separating their naked bodies. His arms tugged her closer, his mouth taking over the kiss, deepening it and robbing Sophie of all conscious thoughts. What started off as gentle, exploring, devolved into something more desperate, more visceral, like he could burrow into her heart with each stroke of his tongue. Smooth wall hit her back and every inch of space between them evaporated. Her pulse quickened in sync with the pounding of his heart, which pressed against her chest.

This.

This was more than a moment.

This was more.

His hands moved to her hips, tilting them to him, but didn't wander further. She arched into him, shocked by her savage need to have him again so soon. Would there ever be enough to satisfy her desire for him? Her nails scraped down his back, following the ridges of muscle, and settled on the apples of his butt. Warmth pooled in her abdomen strengthened and blood surged through her body.

Somewhere in the distance, a pounding broke through the haze of lust.

"Max." Finn pounded three more times. "Simon's here. Get your ass out here."

Max tore his lips from Sophie's, his panting breath fanning her neck as he laid his forehead against the wall behind her. The fire racing across her chest screamed not to let go of him. She closed her eyes and focussed on sucking in air and calming her heart rate. A string of swear words dribbled from him, his fingers easing off her. As his grip lessened, Sophie slid out of his grasp. "I'll see you downstairs."

Alone in her room, she dressed quickly, clipping her short bob of wet hair up and off her face. By the time she descended the stairs, Finn was pushing Max out the front door.

Out on the driveway, Sophie stood to the side as Max piled his duffle bag into the back of Simon's Range Rover. She pulled her sweater around her front to ward off the chilly wind whipping at the send off party.

Finn embraced his wife, his tall frame bending around her like a sheltering tree. "I can stay."

"I'll be fine." She patted his chest. "Both Mary and Sophie are here. I won't be alone."

Mary, encased in a backwards hug by Simon, snickered. "We'll take over the watch, Finn. Go have some guy time."

Finn ignored his sister-in-law and pulled Emily to his chest. "Promise you'll text if anything happens. If you don't feel well."

"Promise me you'll relax." Emily demanded.

Finn nodded, lips pressed into a thin line.

The men kissed their wives while Sophie stared at the gravel, avoiding Max, hovering by the car, his hand stuffed into the pockets of his puffy jacket. Her cheeks flamed with the want to run to him, wrap him in her arms and eradicate the pained expression on his face. Instead, she stood her ground, waving at Finn as he finally relinquished his hold on Emily and, with a sigh, like a man sent to the gallows, turned and climbed into the driver's seat. Max slumped into the backseat and stared out the opposite window, only the back of his shaved head visible as Simon started the engine.

Sophie longed for him to turn, meet her gaze. She wanted to offer him an encouraging smile in lieu of the goodbye kiss the other men had received. But he never looked back, his features hidden from her as the vehicle turned into the driveway.

With a round of goodbyes, the three women leaned on each other, Emily in the middle, and waved until the SUV was no longer in sight. Emily let out a breath. "Finally."

"Thanks, Sis." Mary looped her arm through Emily's. "This means a lot to Simon."

Emily rubbed her sister's hand. "Our plan is working."

"One of our plans." Mary looked over her shoulder at Sophie. "Now if we could just get this one to kiss that soldier boy friend of Finn's, we'd be two for two."

Sophie crossed her arms, covering the swirl in her stomach. "Why are you so insistent on forcing us together? Max leaves for his parent's place next week and then back to the Navy in January. Nothing can come of us."

Mary's haute face softened, and she stretched her free hand out to Sophie. "Because I've seen the way you look at him." Sophie stepped forward, her fingers meeting Mary's. "And I want my dear friend to be as blissfully happy as I am."

"I was." Sophie whispered. She glanced at Emily's bowed head. "I had Thomas."

Mary tugged her closer. "He was one in a million, I agree. A billion even." Her blue eyes bored into Sophie and she let herself be drawn into Mary's embrace. "You had a rare love, one I never thought I'd get close to. But you did not die with Thomas."

Sophie's muscles contracted and her brain screamed 'but it feels that way'.

Like Mary could read her mind, she squeezed her arm. "You deserve happiness. Thomas would want you to be happy. And despite my abhorrence of all things military, that boy adores you. He lights up like sunshine when you enter a room." Sophie bit the inside of her cheek to suppress the grin at the use of Max's nickname for her.

Mary took Sophie by both shoulders. "The thing is, so do you. When he's around, you come alive. In a way, I haven't seen in far too long. I want more of that. For you."

"It's true, Soph." Emily leaned her head on Mary's shoulder. "We only want to see you happy."

The back of Sophie's throat tingled, and Emily's face blurred. "You letting me stay here instead of having to go back to New York makes me happy. Spending time with you makes me happy." She turned to Mary. "You convincing Simon to hire me to create the menu for his restaurant is a dream come true."

Mary's mouth turned down. "Your career is important, but it isn't everything." She shook Sophie's shoulders. "Let that boy in. Let him love you."

Sophie stood mute, her usual excuses of the age gap between them, stuck on her tongue.

"Give her space." Emily pulled Sophie from Mary's grip. "Besides, it's too cold to have this discussion out here." She headed for the front door. "Sophie, can you make me some of your tea?"

All concerns over Max drained from Sophie. "Are you okay?"

Emily nodded. "A little tired."

Mary and Sophie book-ended Emily. "Let's get you inside."

Hey, DL here! Happy Friday!

Sophie seems to making up for lost time with Max. At least in the bedroom. 

Do you think her resistance to out their relationship is justified?

Is Sophie smart to keep a sliver of distance, given Max has to return for a tour of duty soon?

As always, thank you for reading. I appreciate the support, the likes and the comments.