Scandal (Dirty Laundry Book 2)

by Jackie Paxson

  She winced at her daughter’s lack of filter. “That’s not nice to say, Mariah.” Chrissy pointed over to James’ table. “March lil’ miss or you won’t be fishing tomorrow.”

  Huffing again she walked as if Chrissy had told her to walk the plank. She shook her head watching the little drama queen. Mariah flung herself into the seat.

  Chrissy turned toward the silent table. They were all smirking.

  “Didn’t expect dinner and a show, did you?”

  The older woman laughed. “She’s a sweet wee one. It’s good for me to be around the young. I will easily die without great grandbabies while these too act like I will live forever waiting to hold one of their bairns.”

  Chrissy smiled. “I will be right back.” Rushing over to fill a breadbasket, she rushed back almost spilling the water.

  As she placed the basket on the table the woman said, “Patty, won’t you introduce us? I ken I raised you better.”

  “Sorry, Gran. This is Chrissy Benson. You already met her daughter, Mariah.” Max looked at Chrissy. “Chrissy, this is my supposedly sick Granny Isla.”

  His grandmother smacked the back of his head. Chrissy tried not to laugh and only made herself snort.

  “Are you the lass my Patty is in love with?” She held Chrissy’s hand tighter by the second.

  She looked over at Max who stared down at the table as if it had the answers to the universe. “Uhm…I’m sorry, I don’t know what you mean.” Chrissy fidgeted.

  “Yes, it is.” Alyssa practically yelled it.

  The woman took Chrissy in. She nodded then said, “I’d like some of that lovely smelling stew you are bringing out.”

  Chrissy nodded. “Will everyone be getting the stew?”

  Alyssa and Max nodded.

  “I will be right back.” Chrissy forced herself to walk slowly.

  Entering the kitchen, she saw her mother was flushed while cleaning up. She really didn’t want to know what was going on there.

  “How’s everything going out there?” her mama asked.

  Spooning stew into three dishes she placed them on a tray. “It’s good.”

  “Have you talked to Max?” her mama asked hopefully.

  “No, Mama.”

  Her mama sighed. She knew that was her sign to get out of the kitchen before her mama started in on her. Pushing through the door, she carried the stew over to the table. She stopped when she re-entered the dining room. The separate tables were now all pushed together with Mr. Sutter sitting next to Max’s grandmother, Mariah sat next to Max with James across from her next to Alyssa.

  “I hope you don’t mind, dear. There was no reason for us to sit separately,” Granny Isla said.

  “That’s fine, ma’am. Here is your stew. Please let me know if you need anything else.”

  “Thank you, dear,” she said.

  Chrissy could feel Max’s eyes on her. He softly said thank you when she placed the bowl in front of him. The table got quiet as she placed the last bowl in front of Alyssa. Chrissy looked around and everyone was looking at her and Max. She smiled at the table then walked away.

  “You should have talked to the girl, Patty,” Chrissy heard his grandmother say.

  “I will, Gran,” Max said.

  “Yeah, he will, Gran. The minute he grows a pair.” Alyssa added her two cents.

  “Don’t wait too long. A lass like that doesn’t stay single forever.”

  “I know, Gran.”

  Chrissy fled into the kitchen away from the confusion in the dining room.

  “You can’t hide in here forever,” her mama said, unhelpfully.

  “I’m not hiding.”

  “Uh-huh. Maybe Max isn’t the only one that needs to grow a pair.” Her mama left the kitchen to offer sweet tea to their guests.

  Chrissy peered out the crack in the door. Her eyes gravitated to Max. He was still sexy as sin but there was more. His shoulders looked like he carried the weight of the world on them. And why did that make her want to go over and ease his burden? With a sigh she stepped away from the door, grabbed a ready-made banana pudding cup and sat on the counter. Banana pudding always made things better.

  Chapter 48

  Yummy Cookies

  Chrissy cleaned up the dining room from dinner. Her mama hummed while following her to wipe down the tables that were pushed together. She could hear Mariah running around outside squealing. Wandering over to the window she watched Mariah run from James, Max and Alyssa. She saw Granny Isla and Mr. Sutter sitting on the rocking chairs chatting and laughing as Mariah ducked away from her chasers.

  “Give those to me, sweetheart.” Her mama reached for the dishes in her hand.

  “I’ve got them, Mama.”

  “Go. I know you want to go out there. Scoot. I can handle a few dishes.” Chrissy hesitated. “I could always tell you what your father and I did in the pantry.”

  “See ya.” Chrissy shoved the dishes at her and rushed out of the room. Her mother’s laughter echoed through the dining room.

  Chrissy opened the screen door that led to the porch. She walked to the railing and watched as Mariah caught fireflies. It was surprising there were still some around, but it was Georgia in October. When she caught one, she ran over to Alyssa to show her. As she gently opened her hands they looked at the bug. It quickly flew from her grasp. Mariah stomped her foot then went in search for another. Max caught one and brought it to Mariah gently transferring the bug to her. She clasped it in her hands and ran over to James. The bug flew out of her hands and right in his face making him squeal and fall on his butt. Mariah doubled over laughing.

  “Come sit with us, dear,” Granny Isla said patting the rocker next to her.

  “Ok.”

  “Chrissy, Isla and I have been talking.”

  “Ok,” Chrissy said reluctantly.

  “We can’t figure out why my grandson and you are not an item anymore.”

  “That’s right. You have been so sad since you came back from California. At first I thought it was because of your daddy but he seems to be doing well so the only thing I can think is that you’re heart sick,” Mr. Sutter said.

  “Heart sick?” Chrissy asked.

  “That is what is wrong with my Patty. His heart is heavy from your loss. From what I hear from Charles, you feel the same. So, it should be an easy problem to solve.”

  “It’s a bit more complicated than that.”

  Granny Isla looked at Chrissy. “Did you love my grandson?”

  Chrissy just stared at her. She never told Max that she loved him. Her only excuse was because she was a scared coward. He bared his soul to her, but she couldn’t do the same for him. She looked out on the scene before them. Her heart pounded hard each time she looked at him.

  “Don’t worry, dear. I have my answer.” She rose from the rocker. “I am going to go to my room. Could you tell Alyssa where I went?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “I will escort you.” Mr. Sutter stood then gave her his arm escorting her from the porch.

  Sitting back in the rocking chair she enjoyed the quiet. The moon was full, and a soft breeze rustled the trees around them. A huffing came up the steps breaking her reverie.

  “Where did Gran go?” Alyssa asked.

  “Mr. Sutter escorted her up to her room.”

  Alyssa grinned. “Good.” She turned toward James. “James, get your keys. You’re taking me to a bar. I need a drink.” Turning back to Chrissy she said, “Wanna come with?”

  “I need to get Mariah bathed and in bed.” Chrissy stood from the rocker. “Come on, Mariah. Time for a shower then bed.”

  “Ok, Mama.” Mariah ran past them and into the house.

  “You coming with big brother?” Alyssa said.

  Max looked at Chrissy then to Alyssa. “Nah. You two go have fun.”

  An ornery grin crossed her lips. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” She ran down the steps to James’ rental car.

  Max and Chrissy watched the c
ar pull away. He turned toward her and looked as if he was going to say something. She didn’t know if she was ready for his words yet.

  “I need to go get Mariah to bed. Have a good night.”

  Max gave her a sad smile. “Goodnight, Chrissy.”

  She escaped through the doors and up the stairs.

  “…then Princess Penelope rode her dragon down to the cheers of the townspeople they had saved. The evil wizard was now kind and loving. Princess Penelope, King Jared and Queen Constance celebrated their new peace with a feast and dance in her honor. The kingdom was now a safe and happy place.”

  Chrissy closed the book. Mariah was curled around her stuffed sloth. Standing from the bed she tucked the blankets around her then crept out of the room. A bone deep tired overcame her. Wandering into her room she changed into a comfortable night gown and sat on her bed. Though her body was tired her mind wouldn’t let her rest. The full moon beckoned streaming through her window.

  On a whim, Chrissy left her rooms. She crept down the stairs and out onto the porch. Knowing where each creak and squeak was on the porch allowed her to avoid any detection as she walked out into the yard. The cool grass on her feet sent a chill through her. Chrissy wandered over to her favorite tree. Standing underneath, she looked up to the brilliantly lit moon. It brought back one of her favorite memories of Costa Rica. Her night with Max under the stars. That moon was just like the one above her.

  “Are you ok?”

  “What the hell?” Chrissy jumped at the sound of Max’s voice.

  “Sorry. I was downstairs getting a snack when I saw you creep out of the house.” He held up two cookies. “I’ll share if you tell me why you’re crying.”

  “I’m not crying.” She rubbed her face feeling the tracks where tears had fallen.

  “Ok.” He took a bite of a cookie.

  “Aren’t you going to give me the other cookie?” she said with her hand held out.

  “Nope. You didn’t tell me why you were crying.”

  She sighed. “I didn’t even realize I was crying, so that isn’t fair.”

  He shrugged. “So, tell me what you were thinking about.” He bit off another piece of cookie.

  Chrissy bit her lip. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to tell him. She really wanted the cookie, though. Damn her sweet tooth. “I was remembering our night under the stars.”

  The cookie stopped right in front of his mouth. He stared down at her. A fire she’d seen before shown in his eyes.

  “Can I have the cookie now?”

  He handed her the cookie and watched as she took a bite. While chewing, she finally took the sight of him in. He was only in sweatpants and nothing else. He really was what female wet dreams were about. Her eye caught on what looked like a new design. She couldn’t see it clearly but after their time together she knew every tattoo on his body and the one on his chest above his heart was new.

  “Did you get a new tattoo?” She reached out to touch it.

  “Uh, yeah.” He covered it with his hand.

  “What is it? I can’t really see it.”

  “It’s a hibiscus.”

  She squinted trying to analyze it under the moonlight. “What does it say?”

  “Mo Ghaol, mo chridhe, m ’anam, my Chrissy.” He whispered.

  Her heart pounded in her ears. “What does that mean?”

  He took her hand in his. With her fingers he traced the words as he said them. “My heart, my love, my soul, my Chrissy.”

  She felt tears pool in her eyes. “When did you get this?”

  “A bunch of us got tattoos right after you left. I had every intention of showing you sooner.” Sadness tinged his words as he kept her hand on his chest. She felt his heart beating under her hand. “I’m so sorry, Chrissy. I’m so very sorry. I fucked us up so badly. I kept making one stupid decision after another. I should have just called you.”

  Chrissy nodded. “Yeah, you should have done that. I never would have thought any of those pictures were true, Max. I was already well aware how the paparazzi work.”

  He leaned his forehead against hers. She’d missed being this close to him. The wall she’d built back up the past few months fell around them. With each brick that fell she realized how much she wanted this man in her life. It was in that moment she finally understood everything her mama had been telling her. Pulling away from Max she decided to take that leap of faith. Sliding her hand from his chest to his neck she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. For a second, he stood shocked then wrapped his arms around her pulling her flush against him. They shivered together as their kiss deepened.

  Chrissy pulled away and whispered. “Let’s go up to your room.”

  The confident cocky actor smirked. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”

  Max swung her up into his arms and ran with her up to his room. Her cookie lost she held on to him giggling as he picked up his pace making enough noise to wake the house.

  “Shh…we don’t want to wake the whole inn up.”

  When they approached his room, he swung her around so she could wrap her legs around his hips. He held her against the door and kissed her deeply. Breaking the kiss, he dragged his lips down the column of her neck.

  “Make sure you stay quiet, love.”

  A giggle escaped as he sucked on her collarbone. Just as Chrissy was about to moan, they heard the creaking of a door. They froze and waited to see who was leaving their room. Max and Chrissy watched as Mr. Sutter exited his grandmother’s room holding his pants in his hand. He had a happy bounce in his step. When he saw Max and Chrissy, he grinned like a teenager then tipped an imaginary cap and sauntered over to his room.

  Once he was in his room Chrissy burst out laughing. She hid her face in his neck.

  Max said, “Did we just catch Mr. Sutter doing a walk of shame from my Granny Isla’s room?”

  Chrissy just nodded.

  “Well, there goes my hard on,” Max said.

  Chrissy pulled back and looked at him. “Let me see if I can get your motor running again.”

  She licked at his lips. A kiss that was meant to be tender quickly escalated. All thoughts of elderly debauchery soon passed, and he was grinding his hard cock against her wet panties. She needed him and not in the hallway.

  “Where is your key?” she breathed out between kisses.

  “Pocket. Pull it out and let’s go into the room.”

  Chrissy reached down but missed his pocket and ended up rubbing his hardness instead. He shivered. “Oops. Sorry.”

  “Wrong key, baby.” He held her with one arm and retrieved the key to the room.

  Their lips crashed back together as they entered the room. Max shut the door and pushed her against it. Reaching between them he slid her wet panties aside then plunged two fingers inside her.

  “Oh, God!” Chrissy moaned throwing her head back against the door.

  “Damn. You are so fucking wet. I need to be inside you.” He panted as he pumped his fingers.

  “I need you inside me.”

  Max paused for a moment. “Fuck! I don’t have any protection.”

  “I’m on birth control and I trust you are clean.” Chrissy pushed his sweatpants down as he continued to pump his fingers.

  He slid the tip inside her. “Are you sure, sweetheart?”

  She looked at him puzzled. “Sure your clean? I was but now you’re making me think twice.”

  He smacked her ass. “No. Are you sure you don’t want to use protection?”

  Chrissy leaned to his neck and licked up the bulging muscle to his ear. She bit down on the lobe a little harder than necessary. “Just fuck me already, Max.”

  Max didn’t need her to say anything else. He slammed into her. Chrissy let out a gasp. She’d forgotten how large he was. Her battery-operated friends had nothing on Max’s cock. Pounding into her faster and faster she knew it wasn’t going to take very long for her to come. It had been too long, and Max felt too good.

  “I’m going to come, Max
,” Chrissy squeaked out.

  “Oh, thank god because I can’t hold back much longer. Your pussy feels too good.”

  He pounded her pussy a bit longer then with one hand reached between them and pinched her clit. Stars burst in her vision. An orgasmic tidal wave crashed around her. She vaguely heard him grunt her name as he came inside her. She was so lost to her own pleasure she only felt him coming as her pussy milked him. Max leaned his head against her shoulder kissing a freckle there.

  “Dear god, I’ve missed you,” she whispered.

  “I’ve missed you too, Chrissy,” Max said.

  Chrissy drowsily said, “I wasn’t talking to you. I was talking to your cock.”

  Max jerked back, looking at her. The look on his face was priceless. She burst into a giggling fit. Her pussy contracted on his cock with every laugh. He was growing inside her again.

  “Keep that up and we will be having round two in a few minutes.”

  Swiveling her hips, she gave him a crooked smile. “Ready when you are, stud.”

  With a smack to her ass, Max carried her over to the bed. Their clothes disappeared between one moment and the next. Chrissy stared at the naked Max as he scanned her body. He looked like he was an animal prowling for his next meal. She was more than ready to be his breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and snack as long as he could be hers.

  When they finally joined again, they stayed like that until the moon set and the sun rose.

  Chapter 49

  A Real Life Book Boyfriend

  Halloween

  Chrissy stood at the bar at The Wailing Walrus. She was getting drinks for James and Alyssa. The two had built a new friendship since their lone trip to the bar the evening she and Max had made up. That was only five days ago.

  The Wailing Walrus was the local country bar. Halloween, they always threw a huge party. It always took place well after the kids went trick or treating. So, while kids went on benders filled with candy, their parents could get dressed up, get tipsy and dance the night away.