Crazy With You

by E. H. Lyon

  “I know, Max. It’s a feeling that is new to me too. But that is a little scary. I didn’t realize I had a wall around my heart until we were diving deep into a relationship together.”

  He gives me that innocent and comforting grin. “Then what do we need to do to break down the wall? Let me help.”

  I smile vaguely at him. “Give me some breathing space.”

  “Okay, Harper, but I will be waiting at the end, I promise.”

  I stand to leave, and I know he means it, but my stomach still swirls from nervousness.

  My fork dives into the piece of carrot cake as I sit at Smokey Java’s.

  “Harper?” I met her only once, yet her voice is recognizable.

  Good lord, do I not get a break today?

  “Melissa.” I look up at her.

  She has a to-go cup of coffee in her hands. “Thought that was you. Felt a little strange to ignore you.”

  “Right,” is all I manage to say. We stare at one another.

  “I saw Max yesterday.”

  I think I may throw up again. I don’t like the sound of this.

  “Is that so?” My words lack energy.

  Melissa sits in the chair across from me.

  She nods. “Yeah. He actually apologized for his less-than-stellar behavior way back. Not many guys do that.”

  Now I look at her with interest as she’s right, and I love that Max can take the high road.

  “Do I have you to thank?”

  My mouth slants. “Definitely not.”

  “Anyhow. I am moving to Portland and just busy packing the house. Saw you and thought I would wish you and Max well. I can see you and him together. Actually, more than I could see him with me, but truthfully, Max was always right. We wouldn’t have worked. Two people together need to both put the same energy in.” She hops up from her chair.

  I look at her bewildered. “Thanks… I guess. And good luck.”

  She smiles before heading off. I return to my carrot cake and attack it like I depend on it for my survival.

  Avery looks at me concerned. “Uhm, okay there?”

  I look up at her as she finds a seat across from me at the small table in her bakery.

  “I’ve had better days. Why do emotions have to be complicated?” I ask her like she may be the voice of reason, but I have no clue if she is.

  She warmly smiles at me. “Oh, that’s very complicated and it is for everyone.”

  “Have you ever been in love?” I ask her bluntly.

  Her face goes blank, but then she forms a smile. “Are you sure you just need carrot cake? I’m sure Matchbox is open this time of day,” she jokes. Then her hand touches mine. “And yes, I have.”

  “Why aren’t you with him now?”

  Her face looks slightly pained. “I got scared. Which something tells me is what is going through your head.”

  Half of the cake finds its way into my mouth and I speak with a full mouth. “It is. I just can’t get hurt again, I barely survived my last round of what I thought was love.”

  Avery crosses her arms and leans back in her chair. “But was that really love? The same feeling you have with Max now?”

  Good point. Solid point.

  “Completely different. Uncharted territory.”

  “I have one regret, Harper. That is that I didn’t take a chance on love. It’s a cheesy line, but it’s true.” Avery stands and rubs my arm before she walks away.

  I stare at my plate with a few morsels of carrot cake, thinking about her words.

  I walk inside my classroom with the rumbunctious children returning from playing outside in a line behind me.

  “Okay, everyone. Let’s grab our drinks and snacks then sit at your desks,” I instruct. But it falls on deaf ears as the children run to the wall near the books and rug.

  I hear the kids saying whoa, wow, and cool.

  I’m clueless about what has their attention. Quickly, I follow them and see that there is a tank with water. In the tank are rocks, a castle, a few fish, and a turtle. It makes me smile to myself.

  “Well, this is a surprise,” I admit, the little eyes of the kids looking at the new attraction.

  “What do we name them?” Cooper asks in awe.

  “Are they ours?” Milly with the pigtails asks.

  “I-I… I guess the creatures are ours.”

  In my mind, I’m a little confused about how this turtle found his way to my classroom. We were only outside for twenty minutes. First, I think it could be my brother trying to cheer me up, but I know he is too busy to think like that. No, I know it’s Max. No hesitation.

  Shaking my head, I remember that I have a class to control.

  “Okay, everyone. Snack time, then we will think of a name for the turtle and fish.” I scoot them into the direction of their coats and snack bags.

  After a few minutes of getting everyone settled, I come to sit at my desk in front of the class. I try never to use my phone when I’m teaching, but I can’t help it and reach into my desk drawer to retrieve my phone. But I don’t need my phone, as there is an envelope with my name on it.

  I smile to myself and look around to make sure my little minions aren’t seeing their teacher blush. Opening the envelope, I pull out the paper.

  * * *

  Harper

  You have me finding saved turtles to give to you. That’s how special you are to me. Hope this was at least one of your dreams come true.

  I love you,

  Max

  * * *

  I remind myself not to cry.

  “Ms. Ives, why do you look like you might cry?” the boy from the front row with glasses asks.

  Crap.

  “Not crying, Peter. Just very happy.”

  I breathe to myself. Nobody has ever done such a sweet gesture for me. Plus, Max knows me, it is a perfect gift.

  What am I doing, Harper? I ask myself.

  This man is special, just like this feeling is special. It’s one of a kind. It’s that way because this is actually love. Every man before Max was a frog, and now with Max, I know why all of my past frogs didn’t work out, because I didn’t have this feeling. It’s not just love. It’s right.

  We are on the same wavelength, the same energy, and I smile so much because of him.

  For a confident woman, I need to not be afraid to take the plunge and be with the man that I love. Because I don’t think he will let me down, he won’t let me get hurt. I know that and I feel that. And I may have needed a few days to think about this, which isn’t great. But the time helped me reach this realization.

  And with this realization, I know. I know what I need to do.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Max

  I’m sitting at the table with Lucas and Leo in Matchbox in the late afternoon. Listening to Leo talk about mergers after Lucas tells me about a patient who cut their thumb with a pre-sliced bagel and a bagel knife. But it doesn’t register to me at all what they’re saying.

  Instead, I peel the label off the beer bottle and think about when I will hear from Harper.

  “You okay, Max?” Lucas asks as he must be able to tell that my mind is somewhere else.

  I nod my head. “Yeah. Just a long day.”

  “It’ll be alright,” Leo encourages as he pats my back with his hand.

  “Do you think I did the right thing?” I ask them.

  “Giving her space?” Lucas asks before downing some beer.

  “No, leaving her a gift.”

  Leo grins. “Women love grand gestures. Don’t let them ever convince you otherwise.”

  “You sent her flowers or something?” Lucas asks with curiosity.

  “No. I left her a present for her class.”

  Leo laughs. “Nice. Charm the kiddies so she has a harder time to ignore you.”

  “You set foot in a kindergarten?” Lucas looks at me skeptically and slightly impressed.

  “Yeah, when they were at recess.” I rub my jaw as I wonder what her face looked lik
e when she discovered the gift.

  “What did you leave?” Leo is also curious.

  I lightly laugh as I look between them. “I left a tur—”

  The sound of the front door of Matchbox swooshing open fills the room. It isn’t that busy today, so it’s easy to hear the abrupt arrival of the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.

  Harper’s eyes scan the room until they lock on me. Her eyes sparkle and her face is bright. But her walk towards me is of a woman on a mission, it’s a strong stride.

  She arrives at our table and her smile forms before her hands scoop up my face.

  “You got me a turtle!” She smiles.

  Lucas and Leo look at each other, and I hear the murmurs of a turtle? What the fuck? but I don’t look at them.

  Instead, I’m occupied by Harper’s mouth slamming down on mine. Her force is so strong that she lands in my lap and I lean back into the booth, hitting Leo in the process.

  “Okay, I am clearly in the flight path of this,” Leo says as he slides around the circular booth towards Lucas. I can’t see it, but I feel it.

  No. I am too occupied by the fierce kiss of Harper Ives. It’s fervent and hard. She takes all my oxygen and my blood rushes up to my heart.

  The sound of our mouths parting brings me back to her beautiful eyes.

  “You love turtles.” I downplay my gesture and shrug a shoulder as her arms loop around my neck and she stays sitting in my lap.

  “I love you, Max. I love you so much,” she declares before placing little kisses like sprinkles of rain around my face.

  “Harper. I love you.” I find her mouth and kiss her with all my energy.

  The sounds of two men clearing their throats interrupt us.

  Harper and I both look at Lucas and Leo who give us a knowing grin.

  “Uhm maybe you two lovebirds want to take this show somewhere else?” Lucas suggests before he gently coughs into his fist.

  “I don’t know. We could charge admission, Lucas,” Leo jokes.

  But they’re right. And the things I want to do to Harper—well, we would need to charge a high admission.

  Harper hops off me and she grabs my hand. I follow Harper to the bar where we sit alone on two stools.

  My hands cradle her face. “Talk to me, Harper. What’s going on in your mind? What changed?”

  “I don’t want to be scared, not when what I feel for you is different to anything else. You are the real thing, Max. I know I appear confident, but I really do not want this to go wrong. I wouldn’t be able to cope if you and I aren’t together.”

  “Harper, I can’t imagine a life without you now that I’ve met you.”

  She smiles. “And I am sorry for my freak-out days. I just got scared that you would realize that I’m a little quirky and maybe we rushed into it.”

  I hush her with my finger. “Don’t apologize. And don’t change anything about yourself. I love the way you are. It’s like you dropped from the sky and were exactly what I didn’t know I was looking for.”

  Harper kisses me quickly. “You are amazing, Max. Even if you are slightly acting like a puppy in love. I freaking love it.” Her face beams.

  I pull her close as she stands between my legs while I stay seated on the barstool. “You and me, Harper. This is a long-run thing, a forever thing.”

  “That sounds really good.”

  We smile at each other before kissing a sensual kiss that warns me that we need to exit as soon as possible.

  Harper places her palm against my chest to push me away. “But Max, you have to promise me something.”

  I look at her, concerned that we have a dealbreaker coming. “Anything.”

  “No more surprise turtles. It was great, but you actually got the wrong fish for the turtle. They quickly became a meal. I can’t explain that to a room of five- and six-year-olds that the turtle ate the fish. So we need to buy some new fish before school tomorrow, and I’ll tell the kids the other fish went Finding Nemo on us.” She grins as she grabs my shirt with her fists.

  “Oh crap. I thought I researched that right,” I explain, and we both laugh.

  “Let’s go,” she grins as she holds out a hand. I follow her as I look back at the guys who give me approving nods.

  We get to Harper’s and she asks me to wait a minute while she disappears into her bedroom. Finally, she calls my name and I walk to her room. I smile and begin to disrobe my clothes when I see her lying on her bed in her blue lacy bra and panties, the glow from the candles in the room setting the mood for the night.

  Slow and sensual.

  “Come hither, Maxwell.” She gives me the seductive look as her finger curls and invites me to join her on the bed. Her tone playful.

  My shirt has already found a way to the floor and now I quickly work on my belt and jeans. In record time, they too are scattered across her bedroom floor.

  I crawl to her on all fours, still in my briefs. Caging her in under me.

  “Hi,” she softly says almost innocently and shy.

  “Hi,” I respond in the same tone.

  We both know that this isn’t our usual routine. No kinkiness tonight, no, this is making love. Cementing us for a future.

  Our lips meet and we start slow and soft with our mouths exploring one another like it’s all new. My hand slides up the side of her body to her bra strap. I gently brush my lips along her shoulder before peeling the strap down. She shudders purely from the act.

  My mouth moves to the flesh spilling out of her cup as her body arches up to me. Her hands meanwhile roam down my stomach, and it tickles me as I know she is about to reach for my boxer edges.

  “You’re so beautiful,” I remind her before I swirl my tongue around a nipple that has come free.

  She pants, “Max.”

  “I love that it’s only my name you will ever moan again.”

  Harper giggles softly as her hands weave through my hair.

  “Make love to me,” she requests as her fingers roam down to the band of my briefs to pull them down.

  “It’s the only thing I plan on doing,” I confirm as I adjust my weight on my arms.

  We both move to our sides so we’re lying facing one another. Her hand finding my cock to stroke as my finger dips into her and discovers she is ready. Her leg drapes over my hip.

  “I can’t wait, can you?” Her eyes look at me with desire.

  I shake my head no as I grab my cock and bring it to her opening. She wiggles around me to hurry up the swift movement of me entering her.

  Her murmur into my neck encourages me to slide in deeper.

  Our hands find one another’s faces as our eyes stare into each other with intent, lust, and love. We find our rhythm together as our mouths meet in between pumps.

  It’s intense, deep, and warm. We are on the verge of something soul-changing, but something tells me that she and I will only get better.

  When we climax together, we hold each other close with mouths fusing as I release into her and she pulsates around me.

  We come down from our high and stare at each other with drowsy smiles. It’s a few minutes of holding and lying there staring at one another. I stay inside of her as her legs wrap around my hips to pull me tighter to her as if she doesn’t want me to ever leave my place inside of her.

  “Should we try and sleep like this all night?” she mumbles into my neck.

  “Sounds like heaven, but something tells me that physics may be against us.”

  She rolls to straddling me but keeps me inside her. “Challenge accepted,” she grins before her head rests on my chest and my arms wrap around her and my fingers brush the skin of her back.

  “I’m so lucky to wake up with you.” She breathes out an exhale as she sounds relaxed.

  “Wake up with me every day,” I suggest. Wasn’t part of my plan, but it feels right. “Move in with me?” I ask her.

  I feel her still in my arms, then her head tilts slightly up to catch my eyes. Her smile is amused.

&n
bsp; “That sounds amazing, but actually, I am kind of traditional. I don’t want to live with you unless we’re married. I have always had that rule.”

  I look at her taken aback. “Really?” I’m surprised.

  She nods yes, and I realize that she’s serious. I guess these curveballs happen when you fall in love at first sight and are still in the getting-to-know-you phase.

  “Wild, I know, considering what I get up to with you. But yeah, I think I want to go down the traditional route with a big wedding, white dress, then live together, then maybe in a few years we make little Maxwells with dark hair.”

  I let out an audible breath.

  Huh, didn’t see this coming.

  “I like the sound of that. Just means that I have to ask you to marry me sooner than later. Because I don’t want to wait on having you and I share a house,” I’m honest and make a note to talk to her father when he comes to look at houses in a few weeks.

  She gently slaps my chest. “We will do it right. Figure out our own pace. Okay?”

  I nod and kiss her forehead. Something tells me that our pace will go as fast as a Formula One racecar. There is no way I am waiting to have her become Mrs. Maxwell Katz.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Max

  Henry Ives, Harper’s father, stares at me as he leans against the floor-to-ceiling window of the second building I’ve shown him. He’s studying me—no, investigating me is more like it. At last, I meet the infamous father of Harper and he is… not Harper. He reminds me a bit of my own old man. Business-minded, well-dressed, peppered grey hair. His striking features perhaps he passed on to Harper. The personality of Harper—caring and sweet—is all her mother Geraldine who is shopping with Harper.

  “The company that was in here merged with another company and moved to their headquarters in Utah,” Jess explains. “As you can see, this building is ready to go, just needs to have an interior designer decorate it to your company’s style. Owners are open to leasing then selling in a few years. Could probably be persuaded to sell earlier. But I have to say that there are already two other interested parties in the property,” Jess continues as she points her hand around the room, standing in her fitted turquoise dress.