He and Erin followed the two of them into the building. Chloe turned and shrugged off her leather jacket to reveal a black dress with green dots over it, tight enough that it showed just how in shape she kept her body—and tight enough to make him want to wince, given the appreciative look Liam was now giving her. Max decided to ignore the way Liam’s gaze dropped to her legs, which she was showing off in a pair of heeled boots. She handed the jacket to him and gave him a slightly smug smile. “You sort the coats, Liam and I will get the drinks.” Erin raised her eyebrows at Max, but as Chloe was already walking away, Max reckoned it was easier just to go along with it. He saw Liam looking down at Chloe, all starry-eyed as they pushed into the “gallery” part of the building, apparently finding her bossiness and entitlement incredibly endearing, and wanted to roll his eyes. At least he and Erin had always—for the most part—had their heads level around each other, even if they did find each other attractive.
They handed in the coats and followed Liam and Chloe into the gallery, which was dimly lit, with individual little lights to highlight each of the paintings, making them look, Max was sure, much better than they would do at home. Erin slipped her hand into his. It was warm and comforting, and he smiled down at her without even thinking about it. She smiled back in a way that made him a little glad when a waiter came up with a tray of some kind of red cocktail, because he had to ask which was the non-alcoholic version and it gave him an out from the moment. Yes, he definitely felt affection for Erin, but it was hard to figure out how much of that was friendship, and the lingering feelings of a long relationship, and how much of it was genuine for the here and now. And sure, she said she wanted to get back together, but she hadn’t been so certain of that a year ago, so who knew how long that resolution would last?
She did look incredible that evening though, in a black dress, white stripes on the top half, with red painted toes pointing through her open-toed stilettos and a pendant hanging at her neck, just above her breasts. Her arms were bare and tanned in a way that, even if the color was out of a bottle, made her look somehow more alluring, and she’d done her eyes in that way that made them look even more blue.
They shifted out of the way of another few people coming in, and Max took a sip of his drink, wishing it were alcoholic so that it would take the edge off, as he scanned the room for Chloe and Liam.
“I’m glad I’m here,” Erin said, and Max glanced down at her again to see that she’d put her drink on the ledge that ran along the wall behind them.
“I’m glad you’re here too,” Max said. Because whatever else may be the case, that much was true.
Then she stepped into him, tilted her face up and kissed him. Her lips were firm, and sure, and tasted of lip gloss, like she always did. He didn’t resist it—they’d been dancing round it the whole weekend, so why the hell not? It was just a friendly kiss. And yes, there was a familiar stirring there, signs that the chemistry hadn’t gone away. Maybe it was impossible for it not to be there, given their history, the fact that they knew exactly which buttons to press.
She pulled away, smiled in that sure way of hers, then picked up her drink and set off into the fray. He closed his eyes briefly, then followed. It would be so damn easy just to slide into it all. To go with the flow this evening, have a couple of drinks, and end up in bed. It was her last night here, and she clearly wanted to. And, God, it had been four months now. Maybe it would even be easy to carry it on, to move in with her, settle back into each other. She knew everything about him—or pretty much—meaning he had a hell of a lot less capacity to upset her.
They did an obligatory circle of the artwork—they were all a bit too obscure for Max—then climbed the stairs to the next level, where they found Liam and Chloe by the bar. They ordered another drink each—all on the house this evening apparently—and Max tried not to think about the heat of Erin’s arm pressed next to his.
Liam took a swig of his beer. “Well, look at us all, standing around in the new place to be in the up-and-coming part of town.”
“Think Brooklyn’s been ‘up’ for quite a while, mate.” Max accepted the fake gin and tonic that Erin handed him. “And don’t you live just around the corner?”
Liam made a face. “Around the corner’s a bit of a stretch. But either way, I have no shame—not all of us can afford to sponge off our parents.”
“Think that’s a bit of an oxymoron?” Max cocked one eyebrow at Erin in question, who allowed herself a little smile.