Beautifully Brutal (Southern Boy Mafia #1) by Nicole Edwards Read Free Book Online

eyes. That man wasn’t there tonight. No, this Max was wearing a black button-down shirt, the sleeves rolled up to reveal thick, muscular forearms dusted with dark hair, the top button unhooked, making him appear far more casual, relaxed. Her eyes gravitated to his hands, and a shiver danced along her spine as she remembered the way they’d felt on her body.
    “I’m glad you could make it,” Max said, the deep baritone of his voice breaking through her thoughts.
    “I wasn’t given much of a choice,” she told him as she stepped farther into the kitchen, coming to a stop on the opposite side of the island from him. Even from there, she could feel the electricity spark between them.
    For a moment, the two of them simply stood there, staring back at one another. His eyes never left hers, and for the first time in as long as she could remember, Courtney had the urge to look away. The man was intimidating, and that was saying something because she wasn’t intimidated easily. But the way he looked at her… There was something in his gaze, something that stole her breath and told her to run far and fast.
    This man was dangerous; there was no doubt about that.
    Max held out the bottle for her to see and she smiled. Nineteen ninety-two Screaming Eagle Cabernet.
    Not surprising.
    She smiled. “Difficult to get your hands on that one,” she said, grateful for the ability to look away from him.
    “It helps to know people.” Max tilted the bottle and poured the rich red wine into two glasses. He nodded toward the doorway. “Food’s ready.”
    Courtney retrieved the glass he handed her, taking a sip and doing her best to avoid his heated gaze.
    Well, at this point, she knew she wouldn’t be disappointed with the evening, merely for the fact she was drinking one of the best wines she’d ever tasted.
    Rather than leading her into the next room, Max walked around the island, his hand sliding to her lower back as he urged her forward. A warm, sexy musk permeated from him, sending a tingle of awareness deep into her core. Heat infused her entire body from the brush of his fingers, the warmth seeping through the thin, silk sheath dress she’d opted to wear tonight. Based on Max’s choice for evening wear, she’d made a wise choice to dress up. His expensive black slacks and Italian loafers reflected his wealth.
    But the man himself exuded so much confidence and power he could’ve been naked and she’d still have been slightly intimidated by him.
    They arrived in a dimly lit dining room outfitted with a table that seated at least twenty. A large crystal vase holding lilies, white roses, and an abundance of greenery that overflowed the sides was the centerpiece of the monstrous, dark wood table. Two places on the end closest to the kitchen had been set, the plates filled with food.
    Max pulled her chair out and waited for her to take a seat before helping her closer to the table. He then lowered himself into the chair at the end, putting him dangerously close to her.
    “Did you make this?” she asked, taking stock of the contents on her plate. Not only did the steak look and smell divine, the entire meal—aside from the steak, there was roasted asparagus and mashed potatoes—looked as though it should’ve been on the cover of a culinary magazine.
    “I happen to enjoy cooking,” he informed her, sipping his wine as he watched her.
    Not a quality she would’ve expected from a man like Max, but something that certainly intrigued her.
    “I try to steer clear of the kitchen,” she told him truthfully. “Cooking is not my strong suit.”
    Max set his glass on the table and picked up his fork and knife. “What is your strong suit?”
    Courtney felt more heat infuse her face. The question hadn’t been at all sexual, but her thoughts instantly retreated to the last time she’d seen him, to the way she’d nearly come apart in his arms.
    “I’m fairly good with a gun,” she finally told him, cutting her steak before