“Why?” She grabbed my hand as we walked toward the edge of the cliff and up to the last peak.

“Easy.” I helped her up the rock, placing my hands on her hips. “I’d be a badass vampire. Super fast, sexy, able to lure women into my den of iniquity.”

“Do you even know what iniquity means? Just curious.” Becca’s foot slipped; I caught her, allowing her to gain her footing again, then helped her the last part of the way.

“We think alike.” I nodded. “Just in case you were on the fence about the whole us thing.”

“I’m not on the fence.” Becca smiled. “I’m jumping over the fence, then jumping right back onto my own lawn.”

“I guarantee my lawn’s nicer than yours . . . I keep it freakishly green. It’s one of my things, and if the reason for your hesitation is that my lawn is new and scary . . . well, just know I wouldn’t be worth it, we wouldn’t be worth anything, if we weren’t a little bit terrified.”

Becca put her hands on her hips and peeked at me from beneath heavy lashes. “It amazes me how you can go from talking about vampires to speaking philosophy.”

I nodded. “I’m a strong personality so I try to mix it up a bit as to not overwhelm people into having seizures.”

“How kind.”

“I think so.” I grinned. “Now close your eyes.”

She closed her eyes as I led her to the edge. The moon was just starting to rise above the water, giving everything a silvery glow.

“I give you,” I whispered in her ear, my tongue sliding along the outside curve, “the moon.”

Becca opened her eyes and gasped. “It’s huge.”

“Not me, silly.” I rolled my eyes. “The moon.”

Becca elbowed me in the stomach and continued to stare. “So, you bring all the girls here?”

“First, I can’t.” I sighed. “We’re halfway across the world and for a first date that’s kind of spendy, feel me? Second, the timing has to be perfect. And third . . . well . . .” I moved behind her, wrapping my arms around her middle and leaning my chin on her head. “The moon is for lovers.”

“W-what?”

“For lovers.” I moved my hands down her arms, interlocking our fingers. “It’s for lovers. I would never bring someone the moon unless I was planning on giving them the sun and stars as well. It’s kind of a package deal; therefore, the moon is for lovers. The stars are for partners. The sun . . . for best friends. Package deal . . . you get one, you get all, just like a real relationship.”

“Are you asking—?” Her body trembled. “Are you asking what I think you’re asking?”

“For your firstborn? Yes, yes I am,” I joked.

Becca laughed, the tension easing from her body.

“I’m asking for something much more scary,” I whispered in her ear, “Your trust . . . and that giant muscle between those perfect breasts.”

“Classy.”

“You wouldn’t want me any other way.” My lips found her neck. “I want it all . . . past this week, past two weeks from now. The only question . . . the one I won’t make you answer, not yet . . . is how much are you willing to give?”

I stepped away briefly, then turned her around to face me, tilting her chin toward my mouth. “I’ll wait for your answer . . . praying to the moon, the sun, the stars, that it’s the one I want to hear, because you’ve managed to lay your soul next to my heart, and I’ve discovered it doesn’t want to let go.”

CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

BECCA

We didn’t talk much as we hiked back down. My mind was whirling with possibilities. He’d said everything I’d wanted to hear and yet . . . it didn’t feel real. Maybe it was the atmosphere? Or possibly the circumstances. I needed him to say those things to me in the grocery store, or after work when I smelled like coffee beans and was having trouble paying my electric bill because my textbooks cost so much.

But I wanted to give him that chance.

Which meant, in the end, I wouldn’t take just the money. I’d take Max too . . . I knew the choice I’d make and it was him. It would be him every time, because the thing about Maxes in the wild? Once you catch one.

They stick forever.

Like a disease.

Like Hades.

And what woman in her right mind wouldn’t want one all to herself? Max chose that moment to flash me a grin straight out of the movies. And not a B horror flick that goes straight to DVD. No, his grin was something out of a Channing Tatum movie. Just. Beautiful. Dark hair fell across his face, he brushed it away, licking his full, sculpted lips, and leaned his head against mine.

“You ready for the next surprise?”

“There’s more?” I asked, elated. Never had a guy done anything as extravagant as claiming to bring me the moon and the stars. Heck, most guys thought they were doing an awesome job when they opened my door.

“With me”—Max pulled me into his arms—“there will always be more.”

Grinning, I gripped his hand, my heart jumping up and down as we made our way back to the hut.

The excitement, however, was short-lived, as Max cursed under his breath and released my hand. “Show yourselves and live. Hide and die.”

“What?”

Reid stepped out from behind the hut. “I’m here to supervise.”

“Your own beheading?” Max nodded. “Very well, proceed. Just get down on your hands and knees and—”