Crashing into an Old Flame
Chapter 276: Stay?

Chapter 276: Stay?

Diana smiled, ’’You are the best,’’ she kissed his neck.

As her gaze landed on the bookshelves in the distant corner of the living room, she could not help but ask, ’’While decorating, I found a few diaries in the place. Do you write journals, Maxim?"

’’Did you not check them?" Maxim asked, tilting his head to the side.

Diana shook her head.

’’They are all work stuff so no, I don’t write journals,’’ he said.

Diana nodded thoughtfully.

’’What about you?" Maxim asked.

’’Mm, what about me?"

’’Do you write them, Ana? Journals?"

Diana stiffened, ’’O-Of course not, that’s childish. I am not a teenage girl anymore.’’

’’A pity. I would have loved to read it if you had one,’’ Maxim sighed.

’’You like reading a girl’s diary, Mr. Warner?"

’’Yours. I prefer reading yours, Miss Chen,’’ he whispered in her ear, holding her from the back.

"I-I told you that I don’t have one...’’ Diana tapped his nose, never once meeting his gaze, ’’And if you so desperately try to read a girl’s diary, you will creep people out. They will call you obsessive.’’

’’Oh?" Maxim nodded slowly, a reckless hand gliding down Diana’s back, feeling the texture of the dress that she was wearing, ’’Then why have I not creeped you out, sweetheart?"

’’Huh?"

’’Your breathing is quickened, your body is warm and you are inching closer to me. You are not creeped out,’’ Maxim held her hand, kissing the tattoo on the corner of her wrist, ’’My obsession is a turn-on for you, is it not?"

Diana closed her eyes when the tip of his tongue darted out to lick her tattoo, her heart unapologetically picking up the beats, ’’No?"

’’You are asking me?" Maxim chuckled, his warm breath grazed her wrist and a moist sensation spread on her skin when he licked her again before biting the spot gently.

Diana threw her head back, arching her neck. A moan almost slipped from her mouth when his movements stopped.

Her brows twitched as she opened her eyes in confusion only to find Maxim looking back at her innocently with a straight face.

’’I won’t want to ’creep’ you out,’’ he shook his head, almost like he stopped himself from committing a crime, ’’Don’t mind me, hmm?"

Diana looked at him in a daze until it dawned on her how she had been teased so effortlessly.

She pushed his hand away and stood up from his lap, ’’I think I need some wine.’’

Maxim’s gaze did a slow once over of her whole body, his eyes lingering over every curve before he looked right back into her eyes, ’’Sure. If that helps you sleep at night.’’

Diana gaped at him in disbelief, ’’Fine, I will just leave then.’’

Just as she turned around to leave, strong arms wrapped around her waist, holding her in place. Maxim kissed her shoulder, ’’You said you’d wish me till midnight.’’

’’I changed my mind. You are getting on my nerves,’’ Diana tilted her chin.

’’You are getting on my heart, baby. I am not complaining.’’

’Thump’

Diana froze.

You are getting on my heart, baby.

’Stop. Stop-’

He said you were getting on his heart.

Diana could hear the sound of her racing heart loud and clear in her ears.

It misbehaved in his presence.

It always did.

The silence lingered between them and she could feel her palms turning sweaty due to the tension in the air.

’’We have wine here,’’ Maxim continued as if his words earlier held no special meaning, ’’Stay?"

The confidence that Diana had gathered to ask what he meant by those words deflated with his normal tone.

He sounded like he did usually. Nothing different. Nothing unusual.

Maybe he felt what she was growing to feel. But maybe he didn’t.

But could she place her bets on the maybe and maybe not? What if he didn’t?

Where would that take them if she told him that her feelings for him had shifted long ago? That she had grown past her friends-with-benefits phase and moved past their casual dating... that she felt so much for him to keep it stuffed in her heart.

If those feelings of hers were not reciprocated, where would they leave them? Back to square one, being friends?

But, how in the hell does someone become friends with a person who knows their body better than themselves?

Then what, become strangers?

How do you estrange a person who is becoming a part of you, a part of your habits, your life, and your dreams? A person for whom you would want to occupy a significant part of your present and future.

Diana saw the three question marks hanging above her head with the angel and devil bickering on either side.

She let him hug her from the back, feeling the warmth of his touch seeping into her body, and getting straight to her.

She let out a soft sigh as she opened her mouth to speak, ’’The last time you drank, you made me run after you throughout LA. I believed you would not drink again. But surprisingly, you have wine here.’’

’’I don’t drink,’’ Maxim nuzzled his nose in her neck, inhaling her scent, ’’They were gifts.’’

’’From?"

Maxim paused, contemplating whether there was a dip in her tone or if he imagined it, ’’From Ryle. There were some from mom but she usually takes back her gifts in a few days.’’

Diana laughed, ’’Good for her. It’d be a waste to leave them here with you.’’

Maxim blinked, almost bewildered at the rate her tone shifted from indifferent to cheerful. Perhaps the period’s mood swings. He thought to himself.

He shrugged and turned her around, ’’If you want something else, we can get it arranged for you.’’

He led her to the wine cellar but once she saw the collection of wine, Diana scrunched her nose, ’’Ryle’s taste is worse than his actions. I have something great at my place. Let me get it from you.’’