Elise tried not to smile at his blush, but she couldn’t help it. Really? Embarrassed at a time like this. She almost commented on it but as he spoke again her smile faded. “You can’t know until you give me the chance to prove myself, of course.” She was confused for a moment as he blushed more. This subject was rather serious for that sort of reaction. “You don’t have to go home. You just think it’s safer where you know what to expect.” Max stared searchingly into her gaze and Elise narrowed her eyes, trying to understand what was going through his head. His next words confused her, but just as she got to start thinking about them his lips were against hers. For a second she didn’t move, shocked, and her body tensed. After that moment, though, she smiled slightly and returned the kiss. At the same time, though, she didn’t seem to realize that her pressure against Max softened and her grip on his arms almost loosened completely.