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"Just that I’lad you’re here" Bethanne hadn’t intended to adain, hadn’t believed it was even possible The explosion of surprise ave her pause Bethanne had planned to use these weeks away to consider her future with Grant This wasn’t the ti some romantic fantasy about a man on a motorcycle

Max studied her with those intense brown eyes "I’lad I’ers Bethanne’s heart raced like that of a teenage girl on her first date Get a grip, she told herself As they walked out of the casino she kept re with Max was This was a dead-end relationship A dead-end everything

Although it wasn’t nine o’clock yet, it reo?" he asked

Being unfaest "Not really"

"Okay, I’ll choose"

They reached his bike in the parking lot and he removed Rooster’s helmet from the older man’s Harley, which was parked beside his, and handed it to her She climbed on the back of Max’s bike and set her feet where he’d shown her before Max took his seat, started the engine with a roar and turned out of the parking lot

Bethanne slipped her arhtly than the first ti her eyes, she felt the breeze rush past and after a fewIt didn’t matter

When he slowed the bike, Bethanne realized they were completely out of the city, on a hill that overlooked the valley Night had settled in and the casino lights lit up the sky

"It’s beautiful, isn’t it?" he said, after they’d parked and taken off their helmets He looked down at the city, and Bethanne joined him

"I used to sit up here and just stare at the lights," Max continued "It’s so crazy down there and so peaceful up here" He stood beside her in silence for a few minutes "Tell me about your ex-husband," he suddenly said

"Grant?" she asked, uncertain what to say

"You have more than one?"

"No Your question surprised me, that’s all"

"Is it difficult to talk about your divorce?"

She shook her head "Not any apart He found someone else and the sad part is, I was so involved with his career, with our children and friends, that I didn’t notice I ht?"

"I wouldn’t know"

"Did you…did you ever cheat on your wife?"

"Never" His ansas quick and decisive "I wasn’t even tempted"

"At the tirown couess He wanted me to be a stay-at-hoed all his travel… I considered myself a full partner in his life and his career--and yet I didn’t know about Tiffany I honestly didn’t have a clue If someone had told me, I swear I wouldn’t have believedme that way"

"Were you unhappy?"

"No, not in the least But after Grant moved out, I was an emotional mess I felt lost, bewildered, defeated As if I’d suddenly been blinded, with no idea where I was or how to find rips with the situation I’iven me perspective I can understand better what happened and why Grant was attracted to Tiffany"

"Sounds as if you’reexcuses for hiround and moved the dirt around with the toe of her shoe Maybe she wasexcuses for Grant; if so, it was probably because he’d recognized horong he’d been and told her so, over and over "Grant’s sorry about it now… I ether He had roses delivered to the hotel"

"Here in Vegas?"

She nodded "They were in the rooize because we had a sht"

"About me, I suspect"

"If you must know, he was horrified that I’d taken off with you"

"He’s right It was a risky thing to do"

"Are you dangerous, Max?"

He didn’t answer

"Is Max your real name?"

"It is Max Scranton My friends find it ironic--the Mad Max thing But I’ve been Max ainst the bike, stretched out his legs and crossed his arms "Kate used to call me--" He didn’t finish the sentence

"Does it hurt to talk about her?"

He looked away "What you told et easier I didn’t think that was possible"