by M Dauphin
“Great,” I mutter, taking the bowl to the table.
Dinner goes over without any big events. Max and my father walk back into the house, both smiling, neither of them full of nerves or anger or hatred. I want terribly to know what they talked about out there, but I know I’ll get it out of Max later tonight. We make small talk about the town, and then my grandma speaks up.
“So what’s your deal, Maxwell? Tell me about your childhood… your family.”
Well shit. Here we go. My dad’s not going to be too fond of a foster kid. He’s never had a good run-in with any of them.
“Well, I’m the proud child of the Oklahoma City foster system,” he says it proudly, but I can tell he really doesn’t want to talk about it.
“Wow. Looks like you’ve done well for yourself,” my grandma says.
“I do my best, Ma’am,” he says. “It was hard for a while, but I have a foster dad that I consider family as well as a best friend that keeps me on track.”
“That’s amazing,” Peggy says from next to my dad. I see my father’s eyes flick to the tattoos on Max’s arms.
“Ever had any run-ins with the law?” he asks finally.
“Oh Dad,” I blurt, but Max stops me.
“It’s fine,” Max says, smiling at me. “Once, Sir. I was caught tagging an old overpass just south of the city.” He shrugs. “I was young and learned a lesson that year. My foster parents at the time weren’t going to put up with me getting arrested. It was either clean up my act or get out. I was tired of changing homes, I was seventeen so I would have been thrown into a group boys’ home, and honestly I really liked the people that I was living with.”
“So you fixed yourself and got into design,” my grandma says, smiling. “That’s a beautiful story, Maxwell.”
He smiles at her, jaw suddenly tight, and nods.
Dinner ends without any dramatics which I couldn’t be happier for. I can tell my dad and Peggy are going to be happy together and that makes me thrilled. I’m happy he’ll have someone in Chicago to keep him in line.
As the night ends and Max and I are about to say our goodbyes, Peggy speaks up.
“Nora, your dad and I were wondering if you’d like to stand in the wedding party for us. We’ve both been through the whole wedding thing before and I only have a son that I’d want to be in it. We’re doing it small… family only.”
I smile at her then look over to my dad who’s beaming at his soon-to-be wife.
“Absolutely, I’d love to.”
“Oh good!” she exclaims. “Next month! We’re getting married next month!” She claps her hands and my eyebrows shoot up.
“Wow,” is all I can say.
“A month?!” My grandma yells from the kitchen, running in to the living room where we were just about to say our goodbyes for the evening.
Max is standing next to me and I feel his hand come to rest on my lower back, immediately calming me.
“Yea. We don’t want this long and drawn out,” my dad says, looking at Peggy with so much love in his eyes. “I hope you’ll be joining us?” He directs the question towards Max, and I watch as he shifts under my dad’s gaze.
“I’d love to. As long as she’ll have me,” he answers smoothly, grinning.
“Of course,” I scoff awkwardly. “Max and I were about to head out for the evening, but you be sure to give me details. We’ll absolutely be there.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” my dad says, walking over to hug me goodbye.
Max walks me out to the car, his hand firmly on my back the entire walk. He doesn’t say anything as we climb into the truck and I don’t know what to say. He was a different person tonight. He wasn’t just the cocky man I’ve grown so fond of lately… He was that, but so much more. He showed me a side of him tonight that I didn’t know existed. It confused me and turned me on incredibly.
“So, your dad’s a cop,” he states, starting the truck and grinning at me.
“Is that a deal breaker?”
“Nah. I’ll just have to do a good job at hiding all the shit I own that could put me in jail.” He smirks at me and raises an eyebrow.
I stare at him, not laughing from his joke, and take in how damn sexy he is.
“So, what now?”
“I have plans for you, Miss Nora,” he hums, pulling out to the street. His hand reaches over to my leg and rests on my thigh, practically burning a hole through my skin. His long fingers so close to my core I just wish he’d move them a few inches up.
I sigh and earn a grin from him when he squeezes gently. I realize now that he hasn’t lit up one cigarette tonight. Not once. And his truck doesn’t smell like smoke either.
Strange.
It must be a combination of the shirt sleeves rolled up, the cologne he wore tonight, and the incredibly sexy way he’s smirking at me right now, but I’m certain I’d do anything he asked at this point in the night.
We drive back to an apartment complex across town from me and pull into a spot.
“What’s here?” I ask, knowing the answer already.
“My place. Let’s go. What I want to do to you isn’t legal to do in public,” he growls before getting out of the truck and racing over to help me out before I can get myself down from this death trap.
His hand takes mine and we walk down the parking lot to a door at the end of the complex.
3B.
“My apartment is three, too,” I whisper, smiling at him.
“Strange coincidence, huh?” He gives me another damn smirk and the panties are wet once again.
“Well, this is home,” he sighs, opening the door.
The first thing I notice is the decoration… or lack thereof. It’s clean minus a few dishes in the sink. It smells fresh. It’s not anything like I was expecting. He heads to the kitchen to grab us drinks and I make my way around his place, taking in the décor.
It’s not completely bare; it’s just not cluttered like I assumed it would be. There’s an oversized painting above the couch in the living room. The white, stone walls are a stark contrast to the multitude of colors on this painting. It’s full of emotion, it’s busy, and it’s absolutely stunning.
“You like it?” he asks, handing me a glass of wine.
“Love it. It’s beautiful.” I take a sip of the wine and look at him.
“Thank you, I made it a few years ago.” He smiles at me.
“Nice,” I whisper, admiring the artwork. I take a sip of wine and smile at him. “You drink wine?”
“No,” he says, laughing.
“So how’s this so cold already?”
“I told you on Friday that today would happen. That’s a long time for wine to chill, princess.”
“You’ve been planning on bringing me back here all along?”
“Yep,” he answers, and takes a step closer to me, watching my lips as they wrap around the wide of the glass slowly and take down the sweet white liquid.
“Well, it’s amazing,” I whisper after swallowing. His jaw ticks and he takes a deep breath.
In one more step he’s against me, his hand removing the wine glass from mine and setting it on the table near the couch, right next to his beer. Then he’s on me, our limbs tangled, tongues tasting each other. I can’t hold back and start ripping at his clothes. This shirt is hot as sin, but I need it off of him. He lays me down on the couch and starts working my clothes off as his mouth goes to town on my neck. When his lips hit that spot just below my ear I buck up towards him, immediately feeling the arousal at my core.
“Shit,” I huff when he nips at my skin.
“Off,” he growls, ripping off my shorts and letting his fingers trail the edge of my panties. I sigh and lay back, closing my eyes as he brings his hand to my breast and pinches then flicks my nipple. I’m trying my hardest not to let go and attack him. I’m letting him take control but shit this is hard.
As his hand gently massages my breast, something I never thought would turn me on so much, his oth
er hand slides my panties to the side and he runs a finger down my slick pussy.
“Jesus Christ,” he mutters. I open my eyes and look down at him and almost come right there. His eyes lock on mine, full of lust and need, his hand stroking so damn near to my clit, and smirking at me with the most beautiful smile ever.
Fuck this.
“Fuck me now, Max,” I pant, grinding on his hand. He raises his eyebrow and I feel two fingers slide inside me and I moan. “Holy fuck,” I pant as he fingers me slowly.
“I’m going to slowly devour you tonight, princess. And if you can walk at the end of the night I’ve obviously not done my job right.” The growl that comes out of him is so fucking sexy and he shifts us on the couch, spreading my legs further apart and in one swipe has my panties completely shredded and lying on the floor across the room.
His lips connect with my clit and I almost fly off the fucking couch from the intense pleasure. He chuckles and with one hand pushes me back down and holds me there. Jesus Christ it’s never felt this good; not with anyone. He slides his fingers back inside me and I moan, grabbing on to the couch to have something to ground me.
“Fuck, Max,” I pant harder as he hits my g-spot and knows it. He fucking knows it! I hear him chuckle again, his mouth on my clit. He backs away and grins up at me, his fingers still playing the perfect rhythm inside me.
“Something wrong, princess?” he asks with a smirk.
“Don’t fucking stop now!” I scream and grab his head, shoving him back between my legs. I ride his face all the way to a toe-curling, scream-inducing orgasm. Even after I come, juices dripping out of my pussy, he doesn’t let up on playing me.
“Fuck, stop,” I say, trying to laugh but not having the energy. He pulls away from me, face wet, smiling like a fucking madman.
“I’m sorry but that’s the best fucking pussy I’ve ever tasted. I’m not certain I’ll ever get enough of that.” He looks down at me, bare and glistening wet and growls.
“Fuck,” he growls, watching me as I slide my hands through my wet folds.
“I need your dick,” I moan, my fingers finding my clit. Biting my lip, I slide a finger inside me and moan, watching his jaw tick.
“Jesus Christ, princess,” he groans, removing his pants and rubbing himself. He’s hard as a fucking rock and when he enters me in one swift push I moan, taking a moment to adjust to his size. “This is where I’m meant to be, Nora,” he whispers, his body and mine wrapped around each other on this oversized couch of his. His words ground me. This is the closest to him I’ve felt since we came back together by fate a little over a month ago.
This is it.
He starts to rock into me, slowly at first, building momentum with each thrust but never moving his mouth from mine. I arch up to him, pushing my body against his. We move as one, building up to a climax until I’m coming undone around him. My hands wrap around him, nails scratching down his back as he slams into me. He moans, his lips shaking, as he fucks me straight through my orgasm and into his own.
“Fuck,” he mumbles mid-kiss, lips pressed to mine, beads of sweat running down our bodies. “I don’t remember it being that amazing the first time,” he mutters, his nose nuzzling in my hair.
“Right?” I laugh. “That was… wow,” I sigh.
He wraps an arm around me tighter and I melt into him. He’s sexy. He’s comfortable. He treats me like I’m the best thing he’s ever had in his life and he could very well be the best thing in mine.
We lie here, meshed together and panting, for what feels like ages. He shifts once to the side then chuckles.
“So, you wanna see the rest of my apartment?”
“I mean, this is pretty comfortable,” I say, sighing and snuggling into him. He hums and holds me tight.
“You’re gonna need to tell that Nick guy to fly a kite,” he finally says, breaking the peaceful quiet.
I hum and start rubbing on him again.
“So, then that’s a yes?”
I stop and look at him, his eyebrow cocked and a smirk starting on his face again.
“Seriously?”
“I won’t share something this amazing, Nora. This,” he runs his hand up my body and rests it on my cheek. “I can’t share this,” he whispers.
I blink, probably way more than I need to, but am I really going to do this? Can I be with someone and not feel like I’m losing myself in him?
I can very easily lose myself in Max.
But how bad would that be?
“I know you feel it too, Nora,” he whispers. “I know you fucking feel it and you’re just as scared as I am, but I know you feel it.”
“We take it slow, Max,” I whisper.
“I’m good with slow, Nora. As long as you’re mine.”
I smile and nod, too many emotions rolling through me right now.
I’ve been pushing back feelings for this man for so long now it’s surreal to hear these words coming out of his mouth.
And there it is, already. Two minutes into this and I already see myself falling way too fast for Maxwell Holzer.
The sun peeks in through the blinds and I sigh heavily, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes with my free hand.
The other one? It’s firmly planted under Nora, numb as can be, but I’m not moving it. Last night was incredible. It was more than incredible. I thought I just wanted her for the sex and a fun time, but last night something clicked.
I need her. I need her more than I need my next breath.
She stayed here last night after we finally got off the couch and moved to the bedroom. She’s comfortable here already and I can’t imagine this place without her in it. It hasn’t even been twelve hours and I don’t want her to leave.
I need to rein this in before it becomes a problem and she’s kicking my lovesick ass to the curb. She said take it slow. I can do slow. I can do anything, as long as she’s involved.
I hear my phone buzzing from the nightstand and try to reach to pick it up, but fail miserably. Accepting defeat, I curl into her, pressing my body against hers and breathe in her scent.
Then my phone goes off again.
What the hell?
A glance to the clock tells me it’s only seven in the morning. Who the hell would need me this early? No one important. That’s who.
I close my eyes and try to go back to sleep, enjoying having Nora’s warm, sleeping frame to snuggle into when the phone starts buzzing again.
Jesus Christ!
“You should probably get that,” she mumbles.
“I’d rather stay right here,” I whisper, kissing her ear.
“They aren’t going to stop,” she says, sighing and rolling over, allowing me to take my arm back. “Go on, I’m not going anywhere.” She grins and pulls the covers up to her chin.
“I’ll be right back,” I say, smiling before leaning down and kissing her nose. I stand and stretch, flexing and working out the sore muscles before grabbing my phone. On my way outside I look back to the bed and see her staring at my ass.
“You like?” I ask, grinning and wiggling it a bit for her, earning a bark of laughter.
“Always, Max. Always.”
“Good. Because when I’m old it’ll still be saggy,” I say, watching her face morph into something other than amusement. It takes me a second to realize what I just hinted at, but I’m not taking it back.
I mean it.
“I’ll be back, princess,” I say, winking and heading out to the living room, closing the door behind me.
The phone starts buzzing in my hand before I can even check to see what all the missed calls were all about.
“Yes?” I answer quietly, not knowing the number.
“It’s all gone, Max,” a voice whispers into the phone.
“Who is this?”
“Bryce!” he squeaks and my stomach immediately drops.
“Excuse me?” I growl, walking towards the front door, then cussing when I realize I can’t walk outside stark naked like this.
“Stop,” I bark. “Stop saying my fucking name!” I cuss and pace the living room. I want to punch something. I want to hit something that can take my wrath and if I were home alone I would, but I can’t do that with Nora here.
Shit!
“Two hours. I’ll be at your place. We’ll get this figured out.”
“Shit,” he huffs. “Fine.”
I end the call with shaky hands and cuss, checking to see that all the missed calls were from him.
I gave him a bag of goods with hopes that he could distribute for me, making us both a little money without me having to do the legwork. I’ve been so busy lately I thought it would work out fine, Bryce has never let me down in the past. It obviously didn’t work out and now I have to make sure this isn’t going to come back badly on me.
Fuck!
I need to vent. This kid just had all our fucking money stolen! All I needed him to do was sell the shit and we were splitting the cost. Now there’s nothing! Who doesn’t lock that shit up!? I need Nora, but I can’t have her right now because if she ever found out about this I’d be a goner.
Creeping back into the bedroom, I see her lying in bed playing on her phone.
“Everything okay?” She looks worried, probably because she heard my outburst out there.
“Uh… yea. Work shit. Listen something’s come up and I’m going to have to head out soon. Can we continue this another time? Say tonight?” I break out a smile for her and crawl next to her, wrapping my arms around her and kissing her softly.
“Of course. I need to get to the store anyway. I’ve never been late like this before,” she says, giggling.
“I’m a fantastic influence, Ms. Avondale.” I wink and climb off the bed to start getting ready. It’s not that far of a drive to campus so I’m not worried about being late.
She leaves with a cup of coffee and a promise to text later. I’m not going to be making it into the boutique today. There’s too much shit I have to clean up now.
Banging on Deig’s door a little after eight, I hear him start to move around and a light flicks on outside his door.
