Max got out the taxi and went around to Zoe's side to open the door for her.
"Come on you" he said as her opened her door and pulled her out of the car gently.
He thrush some notes at the driver and mumbled a 'thanks' before shutting the door with Zoe in his arms.
When they had got a taxi outside of the pub Zoe had slurred her address to the taxi driver and ordered him to take her home; Max being the perfect gentleman jumped in the back of the cab with her before shooting a quick text of to his sister saying he saw an old friend and they were going into town.
"Zo, have you got your keys?" Max asked as he struggled slightly, walking up her driveway supporting her weight "You are so out of it" he muttered as he looking at her, she stumbled slightly but his arms around her stopped her from falling.
"Max" Zoe mumbled "What are you doing here?" she asked him like she had only just noticed him.
"I'm helping you home" he told her causing her to look up at him.
"I could have managed" she said as she looked away from him, still in his arms as he practically carried her up her driveway.
"Of course you could" he told her with a gentle smile as he touched her cheek, pushing her hair behind her ear lovingly.
She really was beautiful he thought as they approached the front door.
"Keys?" he asked and she put her hand in her handbag, pulling out a pair of keys.
She seemed to try every single key she had before finally settling on the right one.
Stepping into her dark hallway, Max followed close behind, watching her carefully.
Turning to face him she grinned at him before speaking "You know, you shouldn't be here"
"And why is that?" he asked.
"Because it's a secret" she whispered.
"Nobody will ever find out" he assured her "Robyn and Lofty will be too drunk to even notice"
Zoe unsteadily took her heels off and kicked them to the side before putting her head in her hands and leaning against the wall.
Max watched her "Come on, I think you need to go to bed, sleep it off"
"Max, you will stay won't?" Zoe mumbled.
"Of course, plus I haven't got any money to get home and I'm not walking, I mean look at this" he pointed to his face and grinned cheekily.
"Hmmm" Zoe agreed as she walked off upstairs.
30 minutes later Zoe was laid under her covers, waiting for Max as she could hear him somewhere upstairs banging about but she was too tired to care and she was starting to get a throbbing headache from all the alcohol she had drank.
As she was about to drop off she heard her bedroom door squeak, looking up she saw Max who was now shirtless.
She looked at his bare chest for a moment before looking away.
Max sat on the bed with her "You're going to have such a hangover in the morning" he stated with a grin.
"Good job it's my day off then" she mumbled.
Max moved down the bed and got himself comfortable as he put one arm behind his head.
Zoe instinctively moved closer to him, enjoying the warmth he provided.
She mumbled something inaudible causing Max to smile to himself she's so cute he thought to himself "Babe, why don't you go to sleep?" he said to her and before he had finished his sentence she was already asleep.
Max lay watching her as she slept; hair all over the place, mascara tracks down her face but to him she still looking beautiful.
Without thinking he reached out and stroked her soft cheek with the back of his hand as the reality of his feelings hit him.
I'm in love with Zoe Hanna.
The idea scared him to deaf; it was only meant to be a bit of fun wasn't it? It was fun, VERY fun and he really liked her, he did, but love? That scared him.
Zoe mumbled something suddenly which distracted Max from his thoughts.
Looking at her he saw that she was still asleep, somehow her hand had moved and was reaching out, her fingertips lightly touching his toned stomach.
Max sighed as he looked over a sleeping Zoe before getting under the covers and settling down to go to sleep, as he did Zoe rolled into him, her head landing on his chest and her arm draped over his lower stomach.