Stoner

“It’s time for dirty bingo!”

Max’s uncle Klaus has announced some kind of game that involves bingo combined with stealing presents.

“I didn’t bring a gift,” I say.

Klaus waves me off and assures me that Aunt Jeanie, whoever that might be, always brings enough random crap from the dollar store just in case something like this happens.

“Sounds fun!” I say.

It takes about 30 minutes for everyone to agree on who is calling the numbers.

In the meantime, Max pulls me down the hall while nobody is paying attention.

“But I want to play dirty bingo,” I say, laughing. I’m only half-joking.

“I have another dirty game for you,” Max says, pulling me into her room and locking the door. She drags me into a small bathroom that connects her room to Sam’s. She locks that connecting door, and then she turns on the shower faucet.

“I want a shower. Right now.”

Max drops her jeans, sweater and underclothes to the floor. Her body is covered in gooseflesh as she waits for the water to heat up.

I love that she’s already so comfortable naked around me.

“I kind of need one too,” I say, covering her in a bear hug to warm her while we wait for the ancient pipes to bring on the hot water.

She steps in backwards under the warm spray. Rivulets of water stream down her hair, neck, chest, over her beautiful perky mounds. Soon her entire body is wet and she finds a big chunk of homemade soap and lathers up a sponge.

She looks at me. “Well, are you coming?”

I grin as I take off my clothes in response. “Probably sooner rather than later.”

I join her in the shower as soon as I’m naked, and I can’t get naked quickly enough.

She hands me the sponge and I bring it to my nose. It smells beachy, just like her.

I gently massage the sponge over her neck, across her shoulders, under her arms.

She smiles and bites her lip as I spread the silky lather around and under her breasts.

When I press the sponge between her legs, her smile disappears. It is replaced with desire, and it sends me through the roof knowing that expression is there all because of me.

“I still can’t believe how lucky I am.”

She says, “Do you think we would still be together if you had asked me out in high school?”

I don’t know how to answer that. “I had to go through what I went through to get to where I am. I’m just fucking elated you're with me now.”

Max runs her hands down my chest and weaves her fingers into the fine hairs on my chest. Her fingers on my wet skin make me feel like a god.

“Did you mean it when you told my sister that you love me?”

I smooth my hand over her ass, covering it with a layer of fragrant lather. “Of course. I say what I mean, you know this.”

“It’s just that you hadn’t said it to me first.”

“I love you, Max.”

“I love you, too, Stoner.”

“Say my real name.”

“I love you, Talbot Spice.”

The words tighten my chest more forcefully than I was prepared for.

“I’m going to spend the rest of my life with you, Max.”

“You better, because if I’m gonna be staying in Chicago, I’m going to need something to do.”

“You’re staying?”

She bites her lip and nods. “I just decided. When you were talking to my sister, I knew that it was right.”

I’m shocked at this revelation. “You love San Diego.”

She shrugs. “I do but…I love you more.”

I don’t know what else to say. I grab her up in my arms and cover her mouth with mine. She’s staying. She’s staying in Chicago with me. For me. This is way more than what I asked for, but I’ll absolutely take it.

I use such force, her feet come off the floor of the shower.

“I thought that might make you happy,” she says.

And then I kiss her again. I want her to know how grateful I am and how much I plan to take care of her. I do my best to tell her all of this in the way I hold her and kiss her and tend to every inch of her.

Eventually, we finish washing each other and she changes into fresh clothes. We are both trembling with renewed desire for each other, but I also know she’s exhausted. I get dressed and briefly stay with her while she rests on the bed.

When Max finally falls asleep, I kiss her damp hair and tell her I’ll be back soon.