I clicked on the incoming calls and found the one that had the area code for this town. My finger pulsated on the button, deciding if I should make the call or wait and see if he ever calls me. I could be waiting forever for him since he always seems to be preoccupied. I pressed send and heard the first ring tone from the other side.
Twenty rings later, with no answer or answering machine was picking up—I ended the call. That was like really weird. Who has a cell phone, but doesn’t connect with an answering service? Guess I’ll have to wait until he contacts me. I could always just drive over to the cliffs; he seems to have a liking for just walking around there. I lay down on the bed and stretched out all my soreness from the drive up and the lugging of my boxes and bags up to the second floor. My eyes closed and instantly went to thoughts of Max. I’ll go to the cliffs as soon as I take a quick nap. I promise I will be there.’
* * *
My room looked dark when I woke up from my nap. I guess a ride out to the cliffs was out of the question. I wanted to see Max, but I suppose it would have to wait. I had so many beautiful dreams about him and me while I slept that it felt like he was here with me in real life.
I got up and freshened up a bit. I didn’t want to make a bad first impression with my fellow students by looking horrible and smelling up the whole cafeteria. It was late, maybe too late to get dinner, but they always had snack foods available. The stuff that most people gain their weight from in college.
The cafeteria was actually kind of busy for this time of the evening, not that I’d seen it before at this time but what I imagined it to be and what it was like were two entirely different scenarios. There were lots of people just hanging out talking amongst themselves, several were playing some card game, and I already knew who the other Freshman students were. They were the ones that were seated alone watching everyone else around them.
I picked up a premade hoagie, a pack of potato chips, and a can of cola. My diet was going to wreak havoc on my healthy lifestyle if I kept this late night eating of junk food. I stood at the entrance of the room and scanned all the tables. I didn’t recognize one single person. Guess the ones that I’d gone to orientation with were off doing some other thing.
“Mara, right?” A voice behind me startled me.
I looked to my right.
One of the girls who was also in the psychology program was standing beside me holding a tray with almost the same exact meal as me.
“Yeah. You’re Melissa, right?”
She nodded her head that I was correct. “I guess we’re both here for late dinner. I fell asleep after the big move-in.”
I laughed at her confession. “So did I.” I looked back around the room once again. “I guess we should find a place to sit.” I motioned with my head to a couple of empty seats that were at the table off to the side of the room.
She followed me over, and we both sat down to eat. A few people passed us by and said hello, but we had no clue as to who they were, guess they were just friendly. We talked about where we came from and what we would and wouldn’t miss. I felt like I wouldn't miss anything, well except for my parents, but everybody I’d known had left for school already. Then we discussed our boyfriends; I could consider Max that, right? We had spent quite a few intimate times together for us just to be considered friends.
Melissa’s boyfriend had gone to college in Boston. It had been his life-long dream to go to some art school up there, so who was she to hold him back. They had promised to visit each other on the weekends, but now she wasn’t so sure that was all going to work out. As everyone knows, a lot of long distance relationships never last.
I told her about Max and how he should be attending here next semester, not that I knew for sure—but I hoped.
I went back to my room about an hour later. It was good to talk to someone else that was trying to keep a relationship alive when everything else seemed to be against it. I tried once more to call Max’s number, but there still wasn’t any answer. I hoped that nothing had happened and vowed that I would get in touch with him one way or another this week.
* * *
So much for a big welcoming to this new town, I hadn’t heard from Max the whole first week that I’d been here. He had to have known I called, my number would’ve shown up on the caller ID. Maybe he wasn’t as excited about me coming here as I thought he was; maybe he was playing me like Ashley thought.
She’d called to see how everything was going here at my new place and how things were going with Max. She kept telling me that she wanted to meet him and set him straight on how the whole disappearing act was not a good thing to do every time he needed to leave.
I told her so far that I hadn’t heard from him, but I was going to make sure this weekend that I got in contact with him. How, I don’t know but I would.
She told me she would have her little investigation to see what she could find out. Not sure what she meant about that, but any help in finding out what his issue was would be great.
* * *
Finally, it was Saturday and after a weeklong schedule of new classes kicking my ass, I decided to take a small break. The cliffs were about the only place that I knew around here, so my choices were limited. Melissa had gone to the city of Boston to see her boyfriend. No events were going on at the campus, so it looked like I had one only one option.
Seemed like some others had the same idea as me since the parking lot at the stone quarry entrance was half full. I recognized a few of the ones that I passed on the trails as being students from my college. I didn’t know them, but still acknowledged them with a ‘hi.'
Like always, the biggest cliff there, the one that I claimed as mine and Max’s, was getting the most attention. No one ever stayed too long. The girls wouldn’t get close to the edge and the guys only did dares with no one taking the challenge. After about an hour of watching people come and go, the visitors calmed down to about none.
“So, we meet again.”
Did I want to turn around? I already knew who was behind me. How could I not know that sweet English sounding accent, the smell of his cologne? Or…was it just his natural smell, and the tingling feeling that only he brought to my body? Then I felt Max move closer to me
“I kind of thought—well no, I do know that you’re mad at me.” He was standing right behind me but still hadn’t touched me yet.
“Why would I be mad?” I kept my focus on the cliff edge and didn’t give him the satisfaction of being able to see the hurt on my face.
“Because I haven’t been able to see you in a while.”
“Oh, you think?” I couldn’t stop myself from turning around and giving him the evilest look that I could come up with right now. Once again, the sight of him took my breath away. For the life of me, I couldn’t stay mad. “I tried calling.”
Max tilted his head as if to question my how or why.
“I called the number on my cell phone. The number that showed up when I used yours at mom’s house that day.”
“I haven’t seen that phone since you used it. I must have lost it somewhere.”
“Uh-huh, sure.” I was getting tired of this game. He expected me to believe every whimsical story that he threw my way. Somehow, I just couldn’t walk away.
“Mara.” Max laid his hand on my shoulder. “I’m telling the truth. I don’t have that phone anymore.”
I still can’t figure it out, but I knew he was telling me the truth. I could feel it in his touch and sense it in his tone that he wasn’t lying. “I just called to say that I was in town. I started school this week at the college.”
“Does that mean I can visit whenever I want?” His fingertips were lightly rubbing the length of my arms.
I noticed wherever he touched me, a line of goosebumps followed. “I guess. I don’t have a roommate yet, so I’m usually all alone.”
“I promise that you will never be all alone.”
“You can come over tonight if you want.”
Max’s finger l
ightly trailed down the side of my cheek and then rested on my lips. “I don’t want you to think I’m using you.” His lips ever so softly kissed mine.
“I don’t.” I kissed him back but wanted to take this to the next base right here and now. I needed to rein in my hormones and focus that I was in public. “I should get back soon.” I took a step back away from him so that neither one of us would get further wrapped up into the moment.
Max chuckled. “I wouldn’t let that happen.”
“What?” I had no idea what he was referencing.
He brushed his hair back with his fingers and tilted his head to one side. “I wouldn’t seduce you here in public. I’m not that type of guy.”
I stood there with my mouth falling to the ground. “How did you know what I was thinking?”
Another soft chuckle. “I can always tell what you think and feel. I guess it had to do with the in-between. I’ll try not to invade your privacy anymore.” Max made a pouty face like I was going to reprimand him for picking into my thoughts.
I focused on seeing if I could do the same thing. I was getting a lot of mixed emotions and feelings coming through. It felt like he was trying to block me from being able to read thoroughly into him. What the hell was he trying to hide? “I can tell you’re hiding something.”
Max looked all surprised when I confronted him about his deceit. “I have nothing to hide, Mara. Just trust me, okay?”
I nodded my head that I did, but something just seemed way off with him today. I took my keys out of my pocket and juggled them to and fro with my hands. I had a habit of doing that when I was frustrated with the situation. “Do you remember the dorm name and room number?”
Max looked surprised that I still wanted him to come over.
I couldn’t let a small doubt in his commitment to me come between us.
“I do. I will be there shortly.”
“Okay. I’ll be waiting.” I gave him a soft kiss before I started back on the trail. Why did I always feel the need to have him near me? As soon as I walked away, I felt alone. I turned back to give one last final wave, but he was gone. I shook my head at his ability to appear suddenly and then just disappear; I continued to my car.
* * *
It was almost seven-thirty, I was about to give up hope about Max coming over. I hadn’t eaten since breakfast and heard my stomach grumble for the hundredth time. I turned down the volume on the TV and yanked open the door.
I smacked him on the chest. “Damn it, Max. You’re going to scare me to death with your surprise pop-up appearances.” I mean I had all the classic signs of him being around, tingling all over, but just the mere presence of someone standing right outside my door when I opened it just about scared the shit out of me.
“You invited me over.” He took my hand that was still on his chest and kissed the top of it. “We’re you going somewhere?”
I rubbed my hand over my shirt as my stomach growled once again.
“Ah, someone’s hungry. Why don’t you grab something to eat and I’ll wait here?” He brushed past me, kissing my cheek on the way, then sat down on the computer chair.
“You can come with me.” I motioned for him to get back up.
“Go ahead. I promise to be here when you get back.” Max crossed his heart as a pledge of his promise.
I held up both hands. “I’ll be back in ten minutes.” He nodded okay then I shut the door and rushed down to the cafeteria.
I grabbed the quickest thing they had available. My famous hoagie, chips, and soda. I felt the great freshman ten already adding up. I would have to blame all these snack foods that I’d been eating this late at night.
I opened the door to my room and found Max already lying in my bed, clothed, of course, watching whatever I had left on the television.
“I grabbed some extra if you want some.” I placed the extra chips and soda on the desk. “I can even share my hoagie if you want some.”
“I’m good. Thanks for offering.” Max just continued to stare at me, as if he hadn’t seen me in like forever.
“What?” I wiped the bread crumbs off my mouth and took a drink of the cola.
“Nothing. I was just watching you.”
“You’re making me paranoid.” I sat the sandwich down and pushed away the remaining chips.
“Okay…okay…I won’t look at you.” Max looked away from me and pretended that the ceiling was the most interesting thing that he’d seen all day.
“I’m done anyhow.” I got up and stretched out next to him on the bed. “Are you staying the night?”
“Hmm, do you want me to stay the night?” He snuggled down closer to me and lay his head on the pillow next to mine.
“As long as you don’t try and seduce me.” I ran my hand up down his chest and rested it just above the waist of his jeans. “I think I want that privilege.” I pulled his hips closer.
He gave me a big grin for my boldness. “If you keep this up, I might have to stay the night, and tomorrow, and the next day.”
My lips on his shut him up of how long he was going to stay. I rolled over on top of him and had my way with him as I promised him I would.
* * *
“Max.”
“Hmm?”
I was curled up next to him on the bed. My comforter was pulled tightly around our bodies to save them from the coldness of the room. Not that it was freezing, but when you have no clothes on it tends to get a bit chilly.
“My friend Ashley, she was at the party that we both were at, you know the one at the college.”
Max nodded his head that he remembered.
“Well, she wants to meet you.”
“Really. Why?” His hand dipped below the cover and traced down the side of my body.
“I guess so—ah…” I couldn’t even remember why she wanted to meet him when his fingers found that magic spot.
“Do you know what I want?” Max’s fingers were magically exploring every inch of my body.
“Uh—uh, ooh.” I couldn’t form any coherent responses of what I wanted to say when every time I wanted to talk, his fingers would find a way to my pleasure zone.
“I want to...” Now, Max’s head dipped down under the comforter. “I want to hear you scream my name all night long.” His lips replaced his fingers.
My pleasure point instantly heated up to a boiling factor. I screamed his name as he made me feel things that I’d never felt before in my life.
Chapter Sixteen
I woke up the next morning and was amazed that Max was still with me. I tried to crawl carefully out from under his tight hold but was pulled back snug against his body. “I guess I’m not getting up yet.” I didn’t resist the drawback to him. It was like a magnetic pull that I couldn’t fight.
Max kissed the top of my head. “It’s the weekend, right?”
I nodded my head that it was.
“That means no classes, right?”
Once again, I agreed with him.
“That means we have two more days to lay here and do nothing, right?”
My eyes shifted upwards as my hand under the covers moved down his body. “Nothing?” I questioned what he meant by doing ‘nothing.'
“Mara, Mara, Mara…I don’t know if I’m going to be able to walk out of here on Monday.”
Our morning picked back up where our late night had ended. Once again, we pleased each other more times that I could count. It was as if we couldn’t tire each other out with our constant needing of each other’s touch. I knew that this weekend was going to kick my ass, and the soreness would be tremendous once my body got off its pleasure ride, but it would be so worth it to have all this time alone with him.
* * *
I smacked my cell phone when I heard the alarm go off, signaling my time to get up for school. I didn’t want to get up and have this weekend over, plus I was too sore to move. I spread my arms out wide and felt a space beside me, one that had been filled all weekend with Max’s body. I quickly sat up and looked a
ll around the room—he was gone.
I got up and checked outside, in the bathroom and even looked for a note, but there wasn't any Max or letter. Once again, he just up and disappeared. I decided to forego my first class this morning and crawled back into bed for just another itsy bitsy nap.
* * *
“Hello?” I had heard my cell phone going off while I was sleeping, hoping that it would be Max a quickly answered before checking the caller ID. The clock on my wall read it was well past my quick ten-minute nap that I wanted to take. In fact, it was about six hours past that time.
“Mara, did I wake you up?”
“Hey, Ash. I had a long weekend and must’ve fallen back to sleep today. What’s up?” I rubbed my eyes and tried to wake myself up fully, but the comfort of my pillows and the fact that they still had a Max smell on them made me want to stay right here for a bit longer.
“Why are you so tired?”
I had to giggle on that one. Oh, the reasons that I could think of why I was so tired. “Max spent the weekend, and we were kind of busy.” I knew Ashley would get my reference of the word busy.
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.” Her tone sounded serious.
“What?” Why would she want to talk to me about having sex with Max? She was always the one telling me that I needed to loosen up and forget about all the shit that happened to what’s his name…oh yeah, Van.
“I need to talk to you about, Max. I’m leaving school in the morning, and I should be up at your campus by the afternoon.”
Okay, now she had my attention. Her coming this far to talk to me about Max must mean it’s something paramount. “Why can’t you tell me over the phone?” I didn’t know if I wanted to hear what she had to say. What if it had to do with him and Katie? What if she found out he was married? What if—?
Somewhere In-Between (Breathless #1) Page 12
