Read Online Maxie (Triple X) by Kimberly Dean - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kimberly Dean
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flummoxed. This morning, she hadn’t been able to bring herself to say hello to the man sitting next to her. Now, she was rubbing his leg underneath the dinner table, giving everyone the impression they were a couple.
What had she gotten herself into?
Lexie frowned at Roxie. “Don’t pressure her.”
“What? We’re like that Firestorm arrangement. Three flowers, all the same, but a little different.”
“Flashpoint,” Maxie and Lexie said over one another.
They held each other’s gaze in shock. They’d done it again.
“It’s okay.” Roxie actually sounded sympathetic. “It freaked me out at first too. We might not have grown up together, but we tend to think and act the same way.” She pushed her hair over her shoulder, but froze. So did Maxie when she found herself doing the same thing.
An excited expression came over Roxie’s face. Lifting the tablecloth, she looked underneath the table. Maxie tried to pull her hand away from Zac’s thigh, but that wasn’t what had captured Roxie’s attention.
“Look.” Her voice was barely louder than a whisper as she pointed towards the floor.
Lexie seemed confused, but she bent over too. Maxie raised her eyebrows at Zac. He shrugged but slid his hand beneath hers and entwined their fingers. Palm to palm, he gave her hand a squeeze.
Together, they searched under the table with the others. At first, Maxie didn’t see what had Roxie so keyed up.
“Our feet,” Lexie said in amazement.
Maxie looked from one to the other, trying to see if they’d worn the same shoes or the same nail polish. When she saw the similarity, though, it had nothing to do with style and everything to do with behavior. All three of them had their right foot cocked back onto its heel. It was a habit she had whenever she got nervous or angry or excited. She did it without thinking.
Apparently, so did they.
Slowly, she sat upright. Her head was spinning and her heart was beating hard. For a brief moment, she wondered if she was about to faint again. Only this time, she squeezed Zac’s hand for support.
“This calls for a celebration!” Roxie waved at the bartender. “We need bourbon.”
“Oh no.” Lexie’s face turned green. “Anything but that.”
“It’s tradition.” Roxie was brimming with joy as she smiled across the table. “We always have shots when we find a new sister.”
Chapter Five
She liked them. It was the thought spinning in Maxie’s head when they left the restaurant. She liked them a lot.
Of course, the bourbon helped.
Her brain felt uncluttered for the first time all day, and her heart was light as they stepped out into the parking lot. They’d drunk more than she’d expected and had stayed longer than she’d planned. Still, it had been a good time. They’d stayed away from the more delicate matters and had just gotten to know each other. She and the sisters—and she and Zac. Roxie was wild, funny and fearless. Lexie was smart, cultured and friendly. And Zac? He was observant and clever. Sexy and devious . There were times over the course of dinner where even she’d forgotten they weren’t really a couple.
Which was dangerous in and of itself.
Twilight was settling in as they headed to their cars. Unfortunately, it wasn’t bringing any relief in the weather. Heat billowed around them. In the dimming light, Maxie could have sworn she saw waves of heat spiraling upwards from the cement. Either that or the alcohol was making her vision waver.
“Whew.” Roxie wiped a hand over her brow. “It’s nasty hot out here.”
“And humid,” Lexie agreed, plucking at her close-fitting dress.
Humid was a mild word for the way the air felt. It was like walking through an invisible sponge. “ Nasty ,” Maxie agreed.
Zac smiled down at her and touched the tip of her nose. “You’re tipsy.”
She scrunched her nose at the tickle. “Maybe a little.”
She wasn’t a big drinker. When she did imbibe, she preferred mai tais and daiquiris to the
What had she gotten herself into?
Lexie frowned at Roxie. “Don’t pressure her.”
“What? We’re like that Firestorm arrangement. Three flowers, all the same, but a little different.”
“Flashpoint,” Maxie and Lexie said over one another.
They held each other’s gaze in shock. They’d done it again.
“It’s okay.” Roxie actually sounded sympathetic. “It freaked me out at first too. We might not have grown up together, but we tend to think and act the same way.” She pushed her hair over her shoulder, but froze. So did Maxie when she found herself doing the same thing.
An excited expression came over Roxie’s face. Lifting the tablecloth, she looked underneath the table. Maxie tried to pull her hand away from Zac’s thigh, but that wasn’t what had captured Roxie’s attention.
“Look.” Her voice was barely louder than a whisper as she pointed towards the floor.
Lexie seemed confused, but she bent over too. Maxie raised her eyebrows at Zac. He shrugged but slid his hand beneath hers and entwined their fingers. Palm to palm, he gave her hand a squeeze.
Together, they searched under the table with the others. At first, Maxie didn’t see what had Roxie so keyed up.
“Our feet,” Lexie said in amazement.
Maxie looked from one to the other, trying to see if they’d worn the same shoes or the same nail polish. When she saw the similarity, though, it had nothing to do with style and everything to do with behavior. All three of them had their right foot cocked back onto its heel. It was a habit she had whenever she got nervous or angry or excited. She did it without thinking.
Apparently, so did they.
Slowly, she sat upright. Her head was spinning and her heart was beating hard. For a brief moment, she wondered if she was about to faint again. Only this time, she squeezed Zac’s hand for support.
“This calls for a celebration!” Roxie waved at the bartender. “We need bourbon.”
“Oh no.” Lexie’s face turned green. “Anything but that.”
“It’s tradition.” Roxie was brimming with joy as she smiled across the table. “We always have shots when we find a new sister.”
Chapter Five
She liked them. It was the thought spinning in Maxie’s head when they left the restaurant. She liked them a lot.
Of course, the bourbon helped.
Her brain felt uncluttered for the first time all day, and her heart was light as they stepped out into the parking lot. They’d drunk more than she’d expected and had stayed longer than she’d planned. Still, it had been a good time. They’d stayed away from the more delicate matters and had just gotten to know each other. She and the sisters—and she and Zac. Roxie was wild, funny and fearless. Lexie was smart, cultured and friendly. And Zac? He was observant and clever. Sexy and devious . There were times over the course of dinner where even she’d forgotten they weren’t really a couple.
Which was dangerous in and of itself.
Twilight was settling in as they headed to their cars. Unfortunately, it wasn’t bringing any relief in the weather. Heat billowed around them. In the dimming light, Maxie could have sworn she saw waves of heat spiraling upwards from the cement. Either that or the alcohol was making her vision waver.
“Whew.” Roxie wiped a hand over her brow. “It’s nasty hot out here.”
“And humid,” Lexie agreed, plucking at her close-fitting dress.
Humid was a mild word for the way the air felt. It was like walking through an invisible sponge. “ Nasty ,” Maxie agreed.
Zac smiled down at her and touched the tip of her nose. “You’re tipsy.”
She scrunched her nose at the tickle. “Maybe a little.”
She wasn’t a big drinker. When she did imbibe, she preferred mai tais and daiquiris to the
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