Max and the Prince by R. J. Scott Page B

even more chicken, and slowly the people around him and Max were
getting drunk. Max had used the excuse that he was on antibiotics, which earned
him even more hero points with the team—as well as the usual teasing about what
he would be on antibiotics for. The music was loud, and Lucien was actually
having a good time.
    “Dance!” Kev demanded and dragged him up to the small dance
floor made from the space left after they’d cleared some of the central tables.
All of the girls and half the boys had taken to the floor and were doing some
kind of complicated dance routine to the song. Lucien had heard the song before
but never seen the coordinated dance that everyone else seemed to know. He
muddled his way through, and somehow, halfway through, he not only got the hang
of the dance, but he found he was enjoying himself. Every so often he would
meet Max’s gaze, and he realized Max was staring at him.
    Guarding him.
    It’s okay to dance. No one will hurt me if Max is here.
    The music spiraled, the beat a bass that shook the floor and
sent vibrations through his body, and for a while he just stood still and
allowed himself to feel. The team danced around him, everyone in their own
worlds, and still Max stared.
    “It’s hot in here,” Mickey said as he pulled off his shirt.
He tucked it in his jeans and laughed as Kev grabbed him and whirled him away.
What it must be like to be here in public while taking off his shirt and dancing?
Before he even thought about it, Lucien yanked at the red tee and pulled it up
and off, his long layers falling this way and that as he shook his head free.
He copied Mickey and tucked it into the belt of his worn jeans, then closed his
eyes and let the music take him away from life. From exhaustion and wariness
and grief. Just everything.
    When hands grasped his hips, he didn’t have to open his eyes
to know it was Max. He could smell him, the citrus and whatever it was that
uniquely defined the man. He was solid and strong and determined as he stepped
closer, and finally Lucien opened his eyes. Max was there, bright blue eyes
intent, hands gripping Lucien’s hips tight.
    “They made me come over,” Max apologized by shouting over
the music in his ear. A quick glance at the table saw the entire women’s side
of the team giggling and gesturing. Two of them were making kiss faces.
    “Let’s make their night,” Lucien decided. He didn’t know
what was wrong with him, but being close to Max on this crazy chaotic dance floor
was the closest to sex he been in a while and hell, he wanted to have sex. With
Max, with anyone.
    No, just with Max.
    Max laughed, and Lucien stole the laugh by pressing an openmouthed
kiss to Max’s lips. Messy and uncoordinated when it began, Max grasped control
and suddenly they were kissing in the middle of others on a dance floor with
the bass of the song matching the rhythm of Lucien’s heart. And the kiss was
hot. It was hard and passionate, and Lucien wanted to climb inside Max right there
in front of everyone.
    “Let’s go,” Max shouted as he broke their kiss. They picked
up their bags from under the seats and wound through the crowd saying their goodbyes,
gripping tightly to each other’s hand.
    The cold air outside hit them, and Max dropped Lucien’s
hand. Lucien was disappointed and relieved. He didn’t want to stop holding
hands, but to actually be touching Max meant more to him than he had realized.
He liked the spiky bodyguard with all his growly protectiveness. Max must have
caught his expression because he seemed to feel Lucien was owed an explanation.
    “I need to keep a hand free just in case.”
    That made sense, and as they walked back to the house,
Lucien decided he would try to focus on the tone of apology in Max’s voice and
not let doubts creep in. Doubts made him wary and he didn’t want wary tonight.
He didn’t know how far he wanted to take it, but he certainly wanted more
kisses.
    Max did his usual checks when they got in the