As Adam reached out to take Maxine’s hand, Drew slugged him in the shoulder. “Paws off. She’s mine.”
“Nice to meet you—um, Adam...” Maxine said. Now was clearly not the time to laugh.
“Pleasure’s mine, Maxine,” Adam said, grinning at Drew. “Dude, you didn’t tell me you were bringing a date...”
“Oh, come on, Adam, I know mom told you all about Maxine.”
“She said that you were very extremely interested in someone—like very extremely—but she didn’t say that you were inviting her to the big par-tay tomorrow...”
Drew turned to Maxine but nodded toward his brother. “You can take the boy out of the frat house, but you can’t ever remove the frat house from the boy,” he explained. “Adam, don’t you have anything better to do, like surfing or something?”
“Nah, I’m just chilling here—maybe even taking a nap—and then heading up to Mumsy and Daddy’s so that they can feed me.”
“No-hohohoho,” Drew shook his head. “We’re staying here for the weekend...”
Head whipping back and forth, to and fro, Maxine felt like she was watching a tennis match trying to keep up with the McKenzie brothers. However, she wasn’t sure how much longer she could hold it before she peed herself from giggling too hard.
“I was here first, Drew,” Adam said. “Clearly, I get dibs.”
“There are nine bedrooms in that big house on the hill,” Drew countered. “Go pick one. Now.”
“What if I need to entertain some lady friends this weekend? How well do you think that’s going to go over with Mumsy and Daddy?”
“Do you really have to be so crude in front of Maxine here?” Drew spat.
“She’s dating you, big bro,” Adam quipped. “How much cruder can it get?”
“Okay—name your price,” Drew said at last. “What the fuck do you want? Front row seats? Use of my penthouse for a weekend—as long as you pay for a cleaning service to come in afterward. Dinner at—”
“I am on the Forbes list of gazillionaires and that’s all you have to offer your sweet and precious little baby brother who loves you almost as much as he loves beer?”
That was, in part, true. Adam had made the “Forty Under Forty” lists in every major financial publication for his dealings in the tech startup biz. A serial entrepreneur, he’d manned the ship for a number of companies already at the tender age of thirty-one. At present, however, he was on a bit of a “break,” as he’d announced to the family over the summer, and was just enjoying life at the beach…and a few expensive cigars. He had the money to take such luxuries, and Drew never faulted him for the wealth he’d accumulated on his own. In truth, Adam would likely take over McKenzie’s one day, which Drew had no desire to ever do. For now, though, he’d worked hard and just wanted to take some time to have some fun before getting down to some serious family business.
“Dude, I have my own jet…” Adam reminded his brother. “You have nothing to give me that I can’t get on my own—except for maybe that pumpkin there. I do love to carve pumpkins.”
With an almost violent shrug of his shoulders, Drew shoved his hands in his pockets. At that point, it was all about the poker face. “Well, how about…if you can’t stay the fuck out of this cottage for the weekend, I get use of your private jet for the next year whenever the hell I choose?”
Adam swallowed the lump in his throat and staggered a bit in his stance. “You drive a hard bargain, bro.”
His last shred of patience unraveling, Drew rolled his eyes. “You stay away, or you owe me—big time.”
“I shall weigh this offer and give you my answer after dinner.”
“It’s no offer—it’s a bet,” Drew said, his exasperation ready to burst. “Make it or break it. But I shall win this game…”
“Well, don’t go planning any sweet trips courtesy of Air Adam with this little lady any time in the near future...” Adam warned. “And I shall return to carve that fucking pumpkin with you.”
“Get the hell out?” Drew asked. “Please?”
Again, Maxine almost lost it. She couldn’t possibly get a single word in edgewise. And Drew so rarely used the word please.
Kicking his sandaled feet against the hardwood floor, Adam reached out to take Maxine’s hand once more. “Lovely, again, to meet you, Maxine,” he said, doling out the charm. “You have a sister?”
Maxine was sure that both McKenzie brothers could sense her unease, yet she had to laugh at his absolutely bawdy attempt at flirtation. “Sorry, Adam—I’m an only child.”
“Damn shame, Maxine,” he said, his feet dragging along the floorboards of the porch. “Damn shame...”
“Are you hitting on her?” Drew accused.
“Sorta, bro,” Adam readily admitted.
“You are not fucking coming back here for pumpkin carving, do you hear me?”
“What’d ya say, Mack?”
“Don't the let door hit you in the ass,” Drew said, pushing past his brother as he made his way to the trunk of the car to retrieve their luggage. “And don't forget...your beer...”
However, Drew's reminder fell upon Adam's deaf ears as his little brother continued on up the hill.
“Let me help,” Maxine said, taking her bag from Drew's hands while he dealt with his tux and her dress.
“So, you finally got to meet that baby brother of mine,” Drew said, heading back up the porch steps. “I hope he didn't frighten you away from the McKenzies forever. He can be quite a pig sometimes...”
“I actually thought it was quite amusing to see the two of you together,” Maxine admitted. “He’s quite a character...”
“Well, little one, now you see how I honed my negotiation skills,” Drew teased and hung their formal wear on the coat rack just inside the door. “Imagine what hoops I had to jump through just to get to play a few games of Nintendo as a kid...”
“Guess I missed out on a lot—without siblings,” Maxine reminisced.
“He’s crazy, but I mostly love him,” Drew admitted. “On the surface, when I first came home as a child, he hated me. I took away his spotlight. But my parents had us share a room for quite a while—so that I wouldn’t have to sleep alone. And when I’d cry at night…”
Drew looked away to hide the tears welling in his eyes from Maxine. However, it was too late. She’d already noticed them, and she reached out to give his shoulder a squeeze.
“Adam crawled into my bed every single night—that little red-headed monster who tormented me all day—and held my hand, telling me not to cry…that it was all going to be alright…and that I was safe at home now,” Drew whispered. “Yeah, we bicker incessantly…but there’s actually a lot of affection behind that stupid boyish posturing.”
“That’s a beautiful story,” Maxine said. “And you just made me like him all the more.”
Drew, however, refused to allow a second of sadness sneak into their weekend, and suddenly sliced his hand through the smoky air. “Damn cigar. Oh, it stinks in here. Where does my mother keep those candles?”
“Crack a window, Mack,” Maxine suggested. “The smell will go away.”
Drew stopped his search for a candle in one of the built-in cabinets surrounding the television, cocked his head, and raised an eyebrow at Maxine.
“Or I could always crack you…”
“Are you teasing?” Maxine asked. “Because that’s not fair.”
“Life is all about the tease, little one,” he told her. “And you know already that it’s certainly not fair. Ah-ha! Candle!”
With dusk quickly fading to darkness outside, what they really needed was a lamp, but Maxine was quite content to linger by candlelight for just a bit. And luckily, Adam had left his hefty cigarette lighter to take care of the job. Once he’d found a plate to catch the wax drippings, Drew turned to her again and placed his hands on her shoulders.
“Thank you for coming with me this weekend, Maxine,” he said. “You have no idea how much this means to me…”
Rising on her toes—and hoping for a kiss—she circled her arms around his waist. “Yeah, I do, Drew,” she said. “Your mother’s foundation is a huge part of who you are, and I wouldn’t have missed this for the world. In fact, I’m a little shocked and thrilled at the same time that you invited me.”
“Why wouldn’t I invite you?” he wondered out loud.
“Well, this is so new…we’ve only just begun dating…and…”
“And sometimes, the best way to shut you up,” he began, his head descending down as his lips moved closer to hers, “is with a kiss…”
Just the mere meeting of their mouths evoked both an air of calm and a spark of electricity between them. The sexual tension bundled with the serenity she could only find in his arms brought forth a flood of possibilities, ranging from tender to tyrannical. There was a sense of protection that she’d discovered in his Dominance. While she was still learning how to embrace pain in her pleasure, she’d never imagined that she could feel as safe with any man as she did with Drew.
Every ounce of energy left her as his lips continued to play her and ply her with his passion. Leaning closer, she awakened to the feel of her breasts pressing against the strength of his chest and the rise of his arousal etching against her tummy. Into his hair, her fingers threaded to pull and tug and hold him closer. Breathless, she refused to tear her mouth away from his and carried on with the kiss.
“Need you…” she murmured, mouth-to-mouth.
“Need you, too, little one.” Oh, fuck…what he wouldn’t give for five minutes inside her. But five minutes could easily expand to five hours, and his mother wouldn’t forgive him easily if he skipped bringing Maxine to dinner that night. Maggie was very anxious to meet this young woman who had captivated her oldest son’s attention—and affections. “Shit, Maxine…later…my sweets…later…”
He caught her quickly as she fumbled in his arms and attempted to catch her balance. Kisses. They drained her in the most wonderful way. Fuckballs.
“Later…after dinner…I want to…”
“Shhh…” he pressed his lips against hers again. “After dinner…and after we carve our pumpkin…”
Maxine’s heart flipped suddenly, brimming with fear. He was so perfect. She couldn’t lose him. But she had to make it through dinner first.
“I think…” she said slowly, swallowing each word “…that I should brush my teeth…and my hair…and put some make-up on…”
Although he took a step back, Drew still held on to Maxine to make sure that she could stand on her own. While she left him feeling weak in ways that he’d never imagined possible, he’d never known another woman who clamored for him quite like Maxine. Her enthusiasm and compassion for everything in his life was the greatest turn-on he’d ever known. Now, if they could only keep their hands away from each other for a couple of hours, they’d be back in business soon.
While he waited on Maxine, Drew decided to pop open one of his brother’s beers. Between the driving and Adam—and now the sexual tension pounding in his too-tight jeans—he needed a moment to regroup. Time for that, though, was nil as his phone vibrated with a text from his mother inquiring of their whereabouts.
For days now, Maggie McKenzie had been dying to meet Maxine, and since Declan had a few moments with her the previous Friday, she’d been on pins and needles. Maggie wanted nothing more than see both of her sons married with children. In fact, Drew hoped she wouldn’t start discussing her need for some grandbabies that night in front of Maxine. Perhaps it wasn’t Thomas Kirk that troubled him—it was his own crazy family that could be his doom with that lovely young lady.
“Do I look alright?” Maxine said, smoothing her hands over her blouse and trousers as she stepped out from the small guest bath.
After taking one final swig, Drew placed the bottle on the coffee table, then stood up to hook his arm around her. “Why do you always ask me that?” he pondered. “Do I ever think you look anything less than wonderful?”
“So…” Her lips trembled in a smile. “I guess we’re off to meet Mother McKenzie?”
“It’s all going to be fine, little one,” he said and kissed the top of her head. “You met Adam, and he’s the worst of the lot of us.”
“Are we driving up?”
“Nah, it’s nice out. And you’re wearing flats. Just put your jacket on. I promised Mr. Kirk that I’d make sure you bundled up.”
The party planners had already been working diligently for most of the day, setting up the backyard. As they headed to the house for dinner, there seemed to be hundreds of people scurrying about, rushing in and out of the giant white tent, transporting decor, lighting, tables, and chairs. In fact, there was so much noise, she could barely hear Drew, who walked right beside her.
As they neared the house, the lights from the dining room illuminated the patio, where Adam lounged in his beach gear and sipped a martini. Just as they'd reached the top step, he closed his lips around a tiny skewer of olives.
Maxine knew she was in for round two with the McKenzie brothers.
“You know, you two are completely holding up dinner tonight,” Adam said.
“Uh, no, actually, that would be Jeff and Ben holding up dinner,” Drew was quick to point out. “They’re on their way. And for the record, it’s rude to talk with food in your mouth. Sometimes I really wonder if we were both born to the same parents here…”
Adam stood up and tossed his hands in the air. “I know...it's all different now that you have Miss Max here,” Adam said, then continued to taunt in the most child-like fashion, “Drew has a girlfriend! Drew has a girlfriend!”
Even Maxine could see Drew trying to suppress a laugh as Adam continued to his ribbing.
“Drew…?” A high-pitched, but croaky voice suddenly called out from nowhere. “Is Drew here?”
Maxine's eyes dashed to spot a feather-adorned hat poking out around the open French doors.
“Oh, fuck…”
“Son of a bitch…”
“You’re on fucking duty tonight, Asshole,” Drew said and pulled Maxine so close that she nearly felt smothered. “I’m here with Maxine.”
“You fucking wouldn’t even dare to—”
And just as suddenly as he had grabbed her, Drew let Maxine go and opened his long arms wide. Looking up to him for some direction—some indication—she caught that pseudo smile that she knew so well. It was the same one that he flashed in the shot right after he’d lost the Tony Award three years ago. And Maxine would know because she watched the clip repeatedly, insisting to Judy that he was robbed—just robbed!
“Aunt Frannie!” Drew called out as if he were summoning a small child.
Nothing could cause Adam's face to drain of all color quicker than those two dreaded words: Aunt. Frannie.
Frances Ruth McKenzie Barringer was Declan’s aunt, who was quite eccentric long before the onset of dementia had begun to surface. She'd married very wealthy, very young, but never had children. And when her husband died rather suddenly when the McKenzie children were still in their youth, Drew and Adam often joked that she had some nefarious role in his passing. In fact, for the longest time, Drew actually believed Adam’s story that their uncle’s body was locked in the spare bedroom of her townhouse.
Aunt Frannie was always known for the glass of sherry that never seemed to leave her hand but for a refill. And she so loved to knit for all of the children in the family. In fact, it wasn't that long ago that Maggie finally donated the vast collection of scarves, mittens, hats, and socks that her sons refused to wear over the years.
“Here she is,” Drew whispered to Adam. “And you will—personally—keep her entertained this weekend.”
“She has a nurse!” Adam insisted.
“Oh, Aunt Frannie!” Drew exclaimed. Maxine had been privy to all of the stories about this iconic woman in the McKenzie clan, but she had no idea what to really expect. “So happy you made it. Meet my girlfriend, Maxine...”
“Your girlfriend?”
That sweet, endearing little lady with too much rouge and very red lips straightened the pillbox hat, accentuated with a few stocks of peacock feathers, that covered her salt and pepper bob. “Well, good for you, but I really hope that wife of yours doesn’t find out. Pleasure to meet you, Minnie…”
“Lovely to meet you, too…Aunt Frannie...” Maxine managed.
“Wrong ear, little one...” Drew muttered.
Maxine shot him a quizzical glance with a smile chiseled on her happy face all the while.
“She's deaf in that one.”
“Where's those kids of yours?” Frannie questioned Drew suddenly.
“You have a secret life you’re keeping from Minnie here?” Adam asked as he belted his brother in the arm. “Wife…kids…what a schmuck you are, Drew!”
“Oh, they’re at home with the sitter,” Drew was quick to respond, then turned to Maxine for coaching. “Just play along. It’s easier than arguing.”
“Such a shame we're all here today for Calvin's funeral.”
“Who's Calvin?” Maxine whispered.
“Her basset hound,” Adam chimed in. “Died when we were teenagers. Son of a bitch bit me once!”
“Because you were fucking drunk and tripped over him!” Drew retorted.
Then, without warning, Aunt Frannie asked, “Adam, did you bring your boyfriend with you tonight?” Her eyes grew as wide as her grin. “Oh, I just love you Gays! Make me laugh. And he’s such a nice boy.”
At that moment, Drew really wasn’t sure who was going to piss their pants first—Maxine...Adam…or himself.
“Adam…Drew…?” another voice called out from the doors. “Are you here, Drew?”
“Yeah, Ma!” Adam shouted. “He’s got Minnie Mouse here, too!”
“Adam Christopher Michael McKenzie!” Margaret McKenzie stepped out onto the patio, her soft smile fading as she caught site of her two dear boys.
Maggie was quite taller than Maxine had expected, yet slender and so very youthful looking for her sixty-two years. With soft features and a warm smile, she could spot immediately that Drew inherited his mother’s looks, right down to the ever-changing blue eyes and the light brown ringlets that framed her face.
WRAPPED: The Manhattan Bound Series, Book Two Page 18
