Complete Indelible Love Series

by Cee, DW

  “Jane…”

  “Yeah?”

  “I want you to know that I’ll frustrate you many times over. I’m neither eloquent nor romantic. You, having lived with a brother who seems to have cornered that market, will be disappointed with my feeble attempts. But, I want us to work. I love your spitfire personality, I love your tender heart, and I love all that is you. I can’t promise you anything just yet, but my hope is that you, too, would not wish any companion in the world…but me.”

  A poem, a sketch, a heartfelt confession…this was the best Christmas of my life!

  Dec. 27, 2012 Getting to know you, getting to know all about you...

  I jumped my new boyfriend the moment he came out of JFK Terminal 5.

  “Whoa!” Max hadn’t quite braced himself before I lunged at him. We almost fell to the ground. “You are quite the welcoming wagon.”

  “Uh-huh…wait till you see what’s waiting for you back at the apartment,” I answered between sucking on his lips.

  “What lascivious thoughts are going through that pretty head of yours?”

  “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

  “I…would…love…to…find…out…” Each ellipsis represented the make-out intervals between the inside of Terminal 5 and curbside.

  “Where’d the car and driver come from, and what are you doing here? Of course, with that kind of welcome, I’m not complaining.”

  “My brother lent us his car and driver, and I’m here because after your Christmas surprise, I realized I wasn’t nice enough to you.”

  “And how will you be nice to me?” He had that mischievous, bad-boy grin I loved. Because Max was the quintessential boy-next-door, I found the whole Harley Davidson rebel image he was portraying, hawt! Next thing you know, he’ll come bearing a tattoo. That image was seriously doing things for me.

  “I have a super fun few days planned. But tonight, there’s a dinner at my brother’s new place.”

  “Who’s sleeping where?”

  “Bold question, Mr. Davis. You, Nick, and Doug are on the twin beds and pull-out sofas, and Laney and I are in the master bedroom. Not what you had in mind?”

  He had that grin again. “Now that you and I are seriously pursuing this relationship, we need to further every aspect of this relationship.”

  I leaned over and whispered, “There are ears other than ours in the car. Why don’t you sweet talk me later?”

  Max and I met Nick, Doug and Laney at Fish Restaurant, and after rounds of beer and oysters, we decided to get our hands dirty and have the all-you-can-eat Maryland blue crabs.

  “This is so much work for so little payback. I want to find a man who will shell an entire crab for me and hand it to me on a silver platter,” Laney dreamed.

  “Good luck. You’ll be fortunate to find a man who can afford to buy you crabs, let alone feed you crabs.” Her brother, the party pooper, burst her bubble.

  “I want someone like Jake who will adore me and lay down his world for me. You guys didn’t see him when he came to find Emily in Japan. He believed his life was over because she wasn’t with him anymore. It was so sad and romantic at the same time.”

  “Jake’s a wuss. He’d stay home and stare at his wife and kids all day if Emily would let him. He’s such a goner. None of his buddies see him anymore unless they come visit him at home. I, for one, don’t want to be so enamored with a woman. I’d like a life.” Nick stated while shoving a mound of crab into his mouth.

  “Jake won’t care what you say about him, but don’t bring down Emily. He won’t be happy,” I warned.

  “Nothing wrong with Emily. I love my new sister. It’s Jake that’s the problem.”

  “I don’t care what you say, Nick. I want someone just like Jake!”

  “Your family is wonderful,” Max mused as we walked the High Line after a filling lunch, while the rest of our lunch mates went home for a nap. “You’re very fortunate to get along with all your cousins.”

  This was finally my chance to ask Max about his family.

  “Is your family not that close? I thought most families got along.”

  Max took a nervous pause and just kept walking for a while.

  “You asked me once why I still had such strong feelings for Em.”

  Jackpot! I hit the motherload with this question.

  “My feelings for Em are not what you’re thinking.”

  “Ok…what am I thinking and how is it not…?”

  “You believe that I never stopped loving Em – that I still want her in my fantasy world, since in reality, your brother would kick my ass if I came anywhere near his wife.”

  We both gave in to a light chuckle.

  “It’s nothing like that. I still do love Em and will always love her, but it’s a familial kind of love. My family is not the lovey-dovey, touchy-feely type of people. I didn’t grow up with hugs and kisses and high praises for what I’d accomplished. My parents were militant about our upbringing. I think they reproduced only because it was the right thing to do. Though, they were disappointed that they didn’t have the perfect family consisting of a mom, dad, son and daughter.”

  I pulled Max down onto one of the reclining wood benches and we sat with our coffees in our hands.

  “My parents never told me they loved me, and my brothers and I pretty much raised ourselves.”

  “That’s rough to have parents who are only physically there.”

  “So imagine my surprise when I met Em. She, too, was starved for love – for a whole different reason than mine – but whatever the case, she was the first person I openly loved. And boy, did she love me back in return. Do you understand now what Em means to me?”

  “No. What you just said makes me even more insecure. How could you ever stop loving Emily if she was the first person you really loved?”

  “Jane!” He was frustrated now. He always pushed his fingers through the front of his head when he was frustrated. “Emily was my first love, yes, but she was also family to me, and I to her. That’s our bond – a familial one. I consider her my one true family member along with my brothers. Even though Em had a loving family in the past, and has a loving one now in the present, we love each other like…brother and sister. Em does nothing for me as a woman. At this moment, you, and only you, fill that position.”

  He moved over to my bench and put his face really close to mine. “You get it, now?”

  “I get it. I don’t know if I fully believe it, but I’ll work on believing what you just told me. But for now, we need to pick up some tres leche donuts for Emily at Doughnut Plant and get over to their new home.”

  “So, why the home in New York? Are they planning on moving here?”

  “Oh no. The entire Reid family would die if the twins moved. Since Emily likes this city so much, Jake thought it’d be nice for them to have a home here to visit, often. With the two kids, it’s hard to go in and out of hotels.”

  “Maybe I should’ve gone into heart surgery. You’re brother isn’t hurting for money, is he?”

  “You, who wants to go give free medical care to the poor in Africa, thinking about riches?” I kidded with him. “No, Jake and Emily aren’t hurting, but they also don’t have much to spend their money on. Their house was gifted to Jake by my grandfather, and outside of the new minivan Emily got, she never spends money. She’s beautiful, and with that perfect frame, no matter what she wears – Stella McCartney couture or Stella McCartney H&M – she looks fantastic.”

  “She is that.”

  “She’s what? Beautiful?”

  “Yep, beautiful.” Grinning, he knew I was jealous. “As Em is beautiful, you, my green-eyed monster, are stunning! Nobody can pull off this dark-hair sparkling blue-eye combo like you can. And for now, and maybe even for a lifetime, I prefer stunning.”

  Did he just say that??? Crap. That was hot!

  Dec 31, 2012 New Year'e Eve+Once+Masa+Alex Forrest+Sick Babies=Sex? Part 1

  My
morning got off to a titillating start. Since Max got here, we’ve been engaged in foreplay with absolutely no release (all puns intended). I walked into my bedroom as Max walked out with a skimpy towel wrapped around his well-toned body.

  “Nice outfit.”

  “Yeah? You wanna see what I have on under?”

  “Maybe…” I teased, giggling.

  As he sauntered over to me, I wondered how we were going to pull this off with four other people in the house when I heard, “Hello everyone!” Geez Louise! Will anyone give us a little privacy?

  Quickly closing the door, I greeted my parents, Uncle Henry, Aunt Barbara and the twins! We all flocked to the darling babies. “Hello cuties. What brings you here?” I asked, while grabbing Ellie. James got a similar greeting from Laney.

  Ellie gunned straight for the diamond pendant on my neck – like father, like daughter. She tugged on it and wouldn’t let go until I gave it to her and put it around her neck. She put the diamond in her mouth, which freaked us all out. Though it was on a long chain, I was keeping an eye on this troublemaker and making sure she didn’t swallow the jewel.

  “How’d the babies find emancipation from their parents?” Nick asked.

  “Jake has a full day of surprises planned for Emily, so he asked that we babysit the twins today. We picked them up bright and early and went out to breakfast; and then we took them to the park. It’s time for their nap and we weren’t far from the apartment, so we thought we’d have them nap here.”

  “Well hello, beautiful girl and boy!” Max looked so natural taking James from Laney. Of course Ellie, the attention-monger, threw away my pendant and practically jumped into Max’s arms. We had to do a baby swap. “You’re so beautiful, Elizabeth,” Max cooed. “You are an exact replica of your mother.” She threw her head back and gave a dazzling laugh. “What’s all this in your nose, young lady? You’re a mess,” he said, while looking into her nose.

  “We’ve all tried to clean the snot out of both their noses but they won’t let us get anywhere near them. They both seem to have a cold.” Mom tried again to get near Ellie’s nose, but she turned her face into Max’s chest.

  “Babe, can you get my toiletry kit?” Babe…I liked that.

  By the time I got out some Q-tips, he had Ellie calmly cradled in his left arm. He then started explaining to her that he was cleaning out all the gook in her nose, so she could breathe. It looked like he was performing surgery up her nostril. Shockingly, this hyperactive girl just laid there listening to his soothing voice. Actually, we were all a bit mesmerized with Max’s baby-whisperer techniques. James, who was worse off than Ellie, got the same care, but he opted to go lay in Mom’s arms when Ellie threw herself back into Max’s arms.

  “Good work, Doctor.” I tried to place my arms around Max’s waist as Ellie stayed cradled in his arm, but this brat kicked my face not once, but several times, till I backed away. I swear she did this on purpose.

  “You obviously have your mom’s looks but your auntie’s temperament.” I was about to get upset and a bit jealous (of a woman who wasn’t even in this room, and a baby who wasn’t even nine months old yet. I know…I’m pathetic!) except, Max pulled me in for a semi-luscious kiss.

  Family audience, be damned. Foreplay, begin.

  Irritation gone, I happily called out, “Time to go nigh-nigh, Ellie. James is already in the room. You go join him, you flirt.”

  She dug her face into Max’s body and put her chubby arms around his neck understanding that her time with my boyfriend was over. She kept shaking her head no and digging herself even deeper – if that was possible.

  “You want me to put you down, beautiful girl? Come on, let’s tell you a bedtime story and have you nap on Auntie Jane’s bed.”

  “He’s pretty dreamy, Jane,” Laney said as we both watched Max carry Ellie into my room. “And he likes you so much!” Laney seriously needed a man. When I got back to work, I’d have to look around for a nice young lawyer who’d make her every dream come true. Though, she needed to lose most of those collegian ideals.

  Because Ellie did everything in her power to keep Max away from me, we had to rush through brunch to make it in time for the New Year’s Eve matinee showing of New York’s hottest musical, Once. Thanks to a generous Emily, we sat in a very cozy left box, perched adjacent to orchestra seats.

  “My sister got us superb seats, huh?”

  Max laughed.

  “What’s with the cynical laugh, Dr. Davis?”

  “You call Em your sister when you’re happy with her or if she does something that pleases you, but you call her your sister-in-law when the g.e.m. in you comes out.”

  “What’s a ‘g.e.m.?'”

  “It’s short for green-eyed monster.”

  “Not funny.”

  “But you are my gem – in every way .Speaking of, I have one more Christmas gift for you.”

  “You do?”

  He nodded and pulled out a slim, elongated box from the inside pocket of his jacket. “Here. Open it.”

  A sparkling gold chain bracelet winked at me as I opened the box.

  I turned to Max.

  “I wanted to give this to you after I got here and created some memories with you. When I saw this charm bracelet, I thought of each link as a bond we will form; and each charm I add, will be a memory that strengthens this bond,” he said while pulling out a Statue of Liberty charm. This is our first memory together, my stunning gem, New York City.”

  OMG! I was actually speechless. Even if I wanted to say something, it was shortcut by Max’s kiss. It was the most electrifying, heart-stopping, toe-curling kiss, ever. He gave me one of those, two handed, thumbs by my ear, fingers woven through my hair while curled around the back of my head and parts of my neck, type of kiss. He literally devoured my lips over and over again. If someone had taken a picture of us, we’d look like a poster for a Nicholas Sparks’ movie. The kiss was fanfreakin’tastic.

  What was even more fanfreakin’tastic was that every time the actors started singing a romantic song, (which was about 95% of their songs since this was coined ‘the most romantic musical of the year’) Max turned and kissed me. He kissed me as if we were the hero and heroine of a Harlequin romance novel, like we were the only two in the theater, like we were just about to make love. He was as hot and bothered by these songs as I was. By the end of the show, both of us were ready to get a hotel room.

  “Hold on, my phone just buzzed,” I said, as we exited the theater. “…very cool! My brother says New Year’s Eve dinner at Masa tonight.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yep! Let’s go.”

  “You’re late,” my brother chided when we stepped into Masa.

  “Sorry. We were watching Once and I had my phone turned off.”

  “Did you enjoy it?” My sister was beaming. I didn’t know if it was because she and Jake had had such a good day, or because she was happy for me. It was probably a bit of both.

  “We enjoyed it very much,” Max answered while kissing her cheek. “Thank you, Em…ily.”

  Emily looked surprised by her new moniker and I was shocked, but thrilled, that he called her Emily.

  “About time you stopped calling my wife by a term of endearment, Davis.”

  “Yeah…it is about time. And I don’t think I’ve had a chance to thank you for this trip, Jake .It’s opened my eyes to what a gem your sister is in my life. I don’t think I’ve had a better time with anyone as I’ve had with Jane. No offense, Em…ily. Boy, all those years of calling you Em is hard to erase overnight.”

  “No offense taken.” Emily, who was already seated when Max was talking to her, grabbed Max’s hand and pulled his ear to her lips. She proceeded to whisper something only they could hear, then tenderly kissed him on the cheek. He smiled, took my hand, and led me to our comfortable high-backed stools.

  I was in such orgasmic bliss (you get the teasing theme of this story?) with all that’d happe
ned today, that the loving exchange between my sister and my boyfriend bothered me, none at all! Nothing could ruin my evening.

  “Max!” A voice, no different than nails screeching on a blackboard, called out again, “Max.”

  “Joyce…” Max bit out.

  Joyce? What the hell??? What was she doing here?

  Jan. 1, 2013 New Year's Eve+Once+Masa+Alex Forrest+Sick Babies=Sex? Part 2

  Seriously, Woman?!? What the hell are you doing here?

  “Hi! What a pleasant surprise. I didn’t know you were coming to New York.” She said while touching my man’s arm. I was this close to slapping her hand away.