Crazy With You

by E. H. Lyon

It drives me bananas.

  I go deep into her and thrust in and out. Grunting in pleasure. I have a point to prove with her. She is breaking all my professional boundaries, and all I can think about is bottoming out inside her.

  “So good, oh,” she exclaims, and for the first time in the last ten minutes, she isn’t teasing anymore.

  “Fuck, Harper, why do you have to feel so good? I want you in every room of this house now,” I admit as my eyes close and I enjoy riding in and out of her. Feeling her clench around my cock.

  Moving forward, I hold her tighter in front of me. Closer to my body. I want to smell her hair and feel her breathing. Most of all, I want to hold her.

  “I feel good only for you,” she croons, and that sentence could have so many meanings. Does she mean her body or what she feels for me? It drives me wild.

  Our pace picking up, I warn her, “Almost there.”

  “Please, Max,” she moans.

  “Come for me, Harper. Be a good girl,” I whisper into her ear. It does something to her, because 1.5 seconds later she is moaning as her body trembles. My hand finds her mouth to keep her quiet. It sends me to oblivion, and I let a long O syllable escape me as I unload into the condom.

  We both are panting due to our escalation.

  After a few seconds, we pull away and look at each other with lazy smiles and red faces. My hands cup her cheeks to kiss her.

  “Harper, I pray this is the house you want, because I am scared to do any more viewings with you.” I’m half joking and half deadly serious.

  A wide smile grows on her face. “I don’t not like it. But I think the house from the other day is the winner. The one where you saw me nearly naked.”

  I begin to buckle my pants. “The pool house?” Strange, I thought she hated it.

  “No, silly, the house with the little bench outside the front door.”

  I’m puzzled. “You behaved at that house.”

  That sinful soft laugh of hers rumbles in the back of her throat as she pats my cheek. “I did behave. But I am 99.9% sure you undressed me in your mind.” Her eyes flash at me before she does that strutting-away move as she walks out of the closet.

  Fuck, she knows me. Absolutely true too.

  “Right. Well, that house you shall get then,” I say softly as my eyes follow her steps.

  I’m pacing my office as I throw a piece of candy down my throat.

  “You look positively radiant today, Max.” Jess watches me, dangling a pen between her fingers as she sits behind her desk. “Something to do with our new local kindergarten teacher who is a little quirky?”

  I stop in my tracks and give her a knowing look with a hand on my hip. Not amused as she knows damn well it’s true.

  “Really, where has she been all my life?” I am not going to even try to hide the fact I am in elevated bliss.

  “Ooh, someone is in insta-love,” Jess grins. “I’ve never seen you like this, Max. It’s almost too cute. Are you showing her your Max charm and romancing the hell out of her?”

  “I don’t know. I’m trying. But anyways, I am still her realtor, and I think we found a house for her. I want to make sure that she gets that house too, if it’s what she wants. Need to make some calls to see how we can make that work.” I begin to ramble into action mode.

  Jess holds a hand up. “I would say you’re on a mission because of your rule, but something tells me after brunch that you had quite a workout.” She gives me a knowing look.

  “I may have broken some rules, yes,” I admit with a cheeky grin.

  Her sharp laugh fills the office. “Classic. Max is banging his client. It’ll be such a good story if you end up marrying her.”

  I shake my head. “Whoa, slow it down there. It hasn’t even been a week.”

  There’s a pause and Jess looks at me.

  “Sometimes all it takes is a night, Max,” Jess says softly. And when I look at her, I can see she is serious and that maybe she has her own connection with that statement, which would make sense as she has a son. The sentence hangs in the air and we both seem to reflect on it.

  “You’re right,” I tell her to reassure both her and myself.

  Because who said falling in love required a time frame.

  “It’s not geeky at all,” Harper assures me as she pushes me aside and gets in front of me to look out of the telescope in my living room. We just finished eating take-away Italian where we talked about the upcoming school year and the kids she’ll have in her class. She speaks about them like they’re each individual specks of spectacular, and there are 22 of them. I admire her commitment to them already. Harper asked about my mother since she knows we speak almost every day, and we spoke about that too. After dinner, she walked to the telescope in my living room and curiously asked about it.

  My arms wrap around her to adjust the telescope as our bodies hold tightly together. “Okay, squint one eye and look through the lens and you should easily see the line of three stars that make up Orion’s belt, see it?” I speak softly next to her ear and my chin rests on her shoulder.

  “Uh, yep, see it.”

  “Okay, to the right, you will see a big bright shining star,” I explain.

  She nods.

  “That’s Rigel. The bright star down below the three stars is Sirius, and on a good night, way to the left is Venus.”

  “Wow, do you know all the names of the stars?”

  I laugh. “No. Actually if you ask me more than this, I couldn’t even tell you. The telescope is for show,” I admit honestly, and it makes her laugh before pulling back and sinking into my arms.

  “Ah, so you are all pretend with those glasses and telescope,” she teases, and I spin her around so I can look at her face.

  “Is that a fantasy we need to play out?” I ask curiously.

  She shakes her head no as her arms loop around my neck and my hands find her hips. “Nah. I’d much rather have you the way you are tonight.” She genuinely means that, and I like the way she says it in earnest. It makes me kiss her softly on her forehead and cheek before our lips meet.

  “I could be interested in making your glasses get steamy, though,” she flashes her eyes at me with a funny look and it makes me chuckle.

  “Come on, Harper,” I step back and grab her hand to walk us upstairs.

  “Wait!”

  I turn to look at her behind me on the stairs.

  “I feel like before we can go any further that I really should know your name.”

  I look at her puzzled. “You know my name.”

  She smiles. “Max, what is it short for? Maximillian? Maximus? Maxwell? Maxim? I’ve been trying to guess.”

  I laugh. “Or it could just be Max.” I try to guide us back up the stairs, but she seems to be stubborn.

  “It could be, but then you have a middle name. But no, Max is short for something.”

  I look at her with a closed-mouth smile. She makes a fair point. “Geez, we are heading into serious territory if I tell you my real name,” I joke, but her face remains defiant. “Okay. You’re right. Maxwell.”

  “I knew it!” She smiles before walking up the steps again. Now I’m the one following her.

  The moment we get to my room, I lay her on my bed and strip her bare. She watches me as I dispose of my clothes, and when I meet her on the bed, we forgo foreplay for good old-fashioned missionary. Simple and effective.

  The rest of the night I hold her as we sleep, taking a few moments to watch her. She is the opposite of me. I imagine when I sleep that I steal the covers and maybe even snore. Harper cuddles closer to me and barely takes any covers. She doesn’t snore, instead she softly coos when she dreams with a little smile forming on her face. Even when her eyes are closed, she holds me tightly.

  Instinctively, when she is near, I suddenly share the covers and cautiously make sure she is in a perfect cocoon when she’s sleeping in my arms. I wouldn’t want anything less for her.

  In the morning, we wake at seven, and the moment she
looks at her phone after finishing in the shower she laughs. And not the ‘oh, funny GIF sent’ laugh. No, it’s the we’re in trouble laugh.

  “Sooo, Max. I know you said I could see the house with the porch once more before putting in an offer,” she begins.

  “Yeah, no problem. What is it?” I speak as I throw a shirt on.

  “Uh, so it seems my brother is making an unexpected visit and he arrives later today. Do you think he can tag along?” She looks at me with a cartoonish face.

  “Sure. No problem.” It doesn’t bother me.

  …until she shows me the text from her brother.

  Josh: Swinging through town on my way back from a meeting in California. Filling in for Dad. Make sure I meet this realtor and tell him big brother is in town!

  Great. Let’s add a crazed brother to this story of Harper and me that is taking shape. Awesome day ahead.

  Ugh.

  Chapter Eleven

  Harper

  “Seriously, please don’t be an asshole,” I beg my brother for the third time as I drive to the house viewing and he sits in the front seat.

  In the corner of my eye, I can see that Josh is throwing on his cunning grin. “C’mon, sis, I would never do that to you.” His hands find his heart over his dress shirt, matched with his fitted jeans and shiny shoes.

  I huff as I make a turn on the road. “So, what are you doing here?”

  “Well, I had a meeting in California and this little town is on my way back to Chicago,” he begins, and it does make sense, it’s not like I’m out of the way. “Good old Dad mentioned that you found a house and that if I like it then he likes it. Since I am the golden boy, they trust my opinion.” He sounds cocky to most, but I know he doesn’t mean it.

  “You’ve been sent to check up on me?” I lay out the truth.

  “Sure, let’s call it that. Plus, I want to see my favorite sister in the world.”

  “I’m your only sister.” I give him a scowl as I turn the wheel.

  There’s a thick pause in the car, which means he is contemplating something to ask.

  “You sounded happy the last few calls. It’s refreshing, to be honest. You haven’t been this happy with a guy since, well… you haven’t shared that history yet with Max, have you?” Josh pries.

  “Nope. Didn’t think that was needed only six days in.” I’m equal parts sarcastic and serious.

  “Fair. But don’t let it hold you back, Harper. You deserve to be happy. Just like you always have but never thought you deserved to be.”

  I don’t answer. Instead, I decide to change topics.

  “Anyhow. Why are you dishing out romance advice? I don’t exactly hear you having a lady in your life. You could use one. It would take you off my hands.”

  “Been a little busy with work.” My brother is sometimes vague on details.

  I pull up to the house and park the car.

  We look at each other. “Okay, so on a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you like the guy?”

  I turn the engine off and unbuckle my seatbelt. “Definitely an 8. Can’t commit to anything higher just in case he surprises me and is a serial killer.” It makes my brother laugh.

  We get out of the car and walk to the front door of the grey house with a little porch where Max is waiting.

  He looks at me with eyes that melt me, before turning to my brother and offering him a hand.

  My brother brings his hand out with a grin. “Max, nice to meet you. I’ve heard some things.” Josh turns his head to me, giving me a wink, and I shake my head in annoyance.

  “Alright, let’s keep this moving,” I encourage and wave my hands forward to scooch them into the house.

  Josh heads in with Max following in tow.

  I quickly grab Max’s hand. “It’s not you, he wants to mess with me today.”

  Max gives me a reassuring smile. “It’s okay. I got this.”

  And he does.

  Twenty minutes later, I stand admiring the kitchen while Max shows my brother the house. They come down the stairs laughing and immediately it has my attention.

  “As you can see, the house is ready to move in. Would just re-paint the bedrooms for a bit of freshness and probably change the boiler next year. But everything else has been updated,” Max explains as he knocks on the wall in the living room to show my brother where the load-bearing walls are.

  “I like it. There are even enough rooms for my sister to have her brother visit. Also, one for a turtle. Did she tell you about the turtles she wants to save yet, Max?” My brother grins.

  Max scratches his neck as he smiles. “She did. Didn’t realize she needed a room for one.”

  I huff, annoyed. “I don’t. My brother is being a douche and teasing me like I am ten even though I’m pushing thirty.”

  My brother holds his hands up. “Okay, you’re right. You like the house, Harper, I think the house is charming. Gets my stamp of approval. Happy?”

  I lean against my future kitchen counter. “I am.”

  Josh looks at me. “Okay, Max, make it happen for Harper. Sure you’re already halfway there, going the extra mile and all.”

  I shake my head to warn him and Max clears his throat.

  “Okay. Well, let’s maybe get lunch, my treat,” Max offers with his charming grin and trying to move us on.

  “Great idea. We can finish talking about my sister and you can show me this picturesque little town,” my brother’s not joking, and it scares me all the more.

  Max just tilts his head to the side and rubs the back of his neck.

  I slap my brother’s arm. “Unbelievable,” I mutter under my breath.

  Thankfully, we came in separate cars to Max which gives me a solid ten minutes to regroup my thoughts. Which begins the moment that Max drives off.

  Turning to my brother, my smile turns to a pointed look.

  “Can you stop it? Like, please? I barely know the guy and you’re acting like you need to approve him as my lifetime mate.” I angerly turn the wheel on the next turn.

  “Relax. It’s just my big-brother job. Anyhow, he seems like he can take it.” Josh leans back in the front seat.

  “I swear to repay you in full when the time comes and you actually have a steady woman in your life,” I snipe.

  Josh just laughs and my words do little to deter him.

  “How is this possible? Forty-five minutes in and you two seem like you’re thick as thieves. I have never heard so much deep low laughing over lunch in my life,” I comment.

  “It’s my charm, Harper,” Max gives me his cheeky look, and I shake my head.

  “So, what do you two get up to when not looking at houses?” Josh grins, and I hit his leg under the table, which makes him yelp.

  I put my hand on Max’s. “Don’t answer.”

  “But seriously, I like this town and the house. I’m happy for you, Harper.” Josh looks at me and I know his words are sincere, it makes my heart warm.

  “I never realized you two were so close,” Max comments.

  “We are for sure. She is the apple in my eye, Max, and if she gets hurt, then well, you should know that I did a few boxing lessons back in my day.” Josh rolls his head in Max’s direction.

  Max just smiles to himself. “Message received.”

  “She may run away when she has a freak-out, but just be persistent with her,” Josh continues as if he has forgotten that I am sitting at the same table as him.

  I’m slightly taken aback with his words. Is that what he thinks I did? Run away? I had reasons.

  “Geez, you make it sound like there’s something I should know about.” Max smiles to himself, oblivious and taking humor in this situation.

  I give Josh a warning glare.

  “We do all realize that I’m still sitting here, right?” I look between them.

  “All the more reason to be completely open and honest.” My brother narrows his eyes in on me.

  Max looks between us. “Right, I am going to take this as my cue to excus
e myself for a minute to return a call.” He slides out of his seat and leaves the table.

  As soon as he’s away and not within ear range, I turn my fumes toward my brother.

  “Stop it!” I request firmly through clenched teeth.

  Josh holds his hands up. “Harper, I am just trying to help.”

  “You’re not.”

  “You should talk to him about why—”

  My palm flies up towards him. “Again. Too early for that.”

  “Yeah, but I know you, it will come back to bite you,” he counters.

  “Not true. This is different.”

  “Fine. But trust me, Harper, don’t let it mess with your emotions. Max seems like real potential. No joke. He is getting my seal of approval whenever you tell Mom and Dad that you’re sleeping with your realtor. I’ve got your back.”

  I look at him and smile then shrug a shoulder. “That’s kind of sweet.”

  He shows me his pearly whites with that grin that must break many hearts. “Anything for you.”

  Max returns and he’s putting his phone back in his front inner pocket.

  “All good here?” Max asks as he slides into the chair next to me.

  I breathe as I think about what my brother said. I should be honest with Max, but I don’t even know where to begin.

  I touch Max’s hand. “Everything is great.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Max

  I sit comfortably at my desk, noshing on some caramels, when my phone rings. I see it’s the selling agent on the property that Harper wants as her own. I put in the offer yesterday after lunch with Harper’s brother.

  Picking up the phone, I answer.

  “Everything good, Murphy? We agreed on our offer, all cash, sent over the paperwork, and we should be signing by end of day tomorrow,” I remind my fellow real estate agent in my sharp tone.

  “I know, Max, and if it were me then everything would be said and done. But there is one problem that came up. I spoke with the seller. As you know, she’s the granddaughter of the sellers and didn’t want to be involved, just wanted me to sell. She was only made aware of who is buying at the very end as she just wanted me to get a good deal. It seems she has issue with the buyer—”