Kate
“I’m ready Max-Dad.” Finn licks the chocolate ice cream from his lips.
“Yeah?” Max zips up Finn’s jacket then adjusts his backpack. “I’ll talk to Harriet and the others, and we will set the date.”
“Thanks, Max-Dad, for giving me time.” Finn waves to both of us as he jogs over to Harriet.
Even after the day I’ve had, I can’t help but smile at the name Finn came up with. Max follows Finn over to the car and hugs him before buckling him in. I relax on the exposed beam on the porch. I’ve always heard life can take a sharp turn and all you can do is hang on for the ride. Lord knows I’ve read about it in books, seen it happen on the big screen, and even heard stories from friends I went to college with. I never in my wildest dreams thought mine would veer off course, and even more so how wonderful it would be.
I close my eyes, relaxing for the first time today. I’m exhausted, and it just hits me like a damn typhoon. I could fall asleep leaning against this pole. His scent lets me know he’s here, mere feet in front of me. I open my eyes to see Max nearing me. His hands go to my hips, and I wince. He lets go, then pulls me closer by my shoulders and kisses my forehead. Damn, those kisses are my undoing. I want more. I want all of him, especially after today. I need his warmth and his genuine, raw love.
He doesn’t ask questions. Instead, Max unbuttons my pants, tugging them down just enough to expose the glowing bruises forming on my skin.
“Talk,” he growls.
He’s pissed. I’m not scared in the least, unlike earlier today with Steven. Max’s anger comes from a place of friendship and possibly love.
“Max, it’s nothing.”
He places a finger over my lips. “It’s not nothing. Now talk, or I’ll rip up this fucking town until I find out what’s happening.”
I drop my head, center myself, and look back up to him. “You’re right. It’s something. Can we go inside?”
He answers by pulling me into his house. It’s a place of perfection. Small, homey, and clean. Everything from the simple dining room table to the black and white family photos screams the heart of Max.
He leads us to his couch. We settle down with me wrapped up in his arms. I’m thankful he doesn’t make me face him. I know deep down what happened today shouldn’t be embarrassing. None of it was my fault. But I’m a strong, independent woman, and the events that took place earlier are humiliating to the foundation of my soul.
“It was my principal. He cornered me in the copy room.” I decide between sugar coating the story or letting it all out. Max’s strong arms around me coax me into spilling it all. “He trapped me between the copier and pressed his body into mine. I told him to let go of me, but I was ignored.”
Max’s grip around me tightens. He remains silent. The vibes he’s putting off tell me he’s entirely pissed off.
“He was livid that he saw me talking to you and told me he was going to write me up for taking my class out to the buses a few minutes early. I fought back. I really did, Max.” Emotion clogs my throat. Pathetic tears stream down my face when I remember the sheer terror of the whole scenario. “I slammed down the lid of the copier on his hand, and I was able to escape, but he caught me, tearing the back of my shirt. He threatened me. Told me I’d lose everything if I filed a complaint. Told me he’d make damn sure of that because he holds power in this small town.”
The silence is deafening. My body falls limp getting everything out. And the exhaustion before has tripled now.
“Did he hurt you?” Max asks.
“Yes, but nothing really bad.”
“Did he put his hands on you?” he seethes.
I nod.
“What’s his name?”
This question gets my attention. I turn in his arms and point a finger at him. “No way, Max. You are so close to getting Finn back. You can’t go off your hinges in my honor and get thrown in jail. I know exactly what’s going on in that mind of yours.”
“What’s his name?” Max grits out one more time.
“Do you promise?” I ask.
Max sits up, grabbing the sides of my face. “The only thing I promise is that fucker will never touch you again. And before you go on about me screwing up my chances with Finn, remember I served this country. I know how to fight, and I know for a fact there are other men who will defend a woman’s honor in a damn heartbeat, whether they know them or not. It’s called doing what’s right.”
I duck my head. “Steven Gilly.”
Max explodes from the couch and paces back and forth, alternating between clenching his fists and running them through his hair.
“How old is he?” he asks, not stopping.
“I don-don’t know,” I stutter. “Around our age, I guess.”
“That motherfucker.” Max pulls back his fist as if he is going to attack the wall but thinks better of it. “I can’t believe this shit.”
“Max.”
He doesn’t stop.
“Max! You are scaring me,” I scream, and it’s the truth. He’s unhinged like I’ve never seen in my life. It’s like a burning inferno of pain from the past has been ignited inside him. The smoke of that torrid fire escapes from the actions of his pacing and jerking.
This gets his attention. He freezes and looks over at me. The anger fades right before sadness takes over. “This is all my fault.”
He collapses on the edge of the couch opposite me, burying his face in his hands. His knee bobs up and down in a steady rhythm.
“Talk to me,” I whisper. “This can’t be your fault. Steven is a righteous asshole.”
Max doesn’t look at me, keeping his face buried in his palms. “I went to school with him. He was a bastard then, too. Made my life a living hell along with his buddies. Cole was the ring leader, but Steven was always there, throwing taunts and rocks and, as we got older, swinging locker doors in my face.”
“Max,” I gasp. I move without thinking. It doesn’t dawn on me how he might react to my touch. I drape my arms around his back, linking my hands in front of him. “This isn’t your fault. Steven was pissy when I started turning down his advances.”
“Then he went full dickhead when he saw me with you. That’s my fault, Kate, no matter which way you slice it.”
“Okay, play it that way.” I kiss the back of his neck, my knees sinking in the couch cushions. “You may have ignited his power trip, so what? He doesn’t own me, and there’s no way in hell he gets to choose who I love.”
The last two words shock me, but they are the truth. I’ve fallen in love with Max. He’s brought life back into mine with his determination and strength. He’s taken care of me and let me into his life, and now it’s a place I never want to leave.
“Say it again,” he whispers.
I go out on a limb, saying what I think he wants to hear. “He doesn’t get to choose who I love. And I love you, Max.”
His knee quits jerking. Moments later, he raises his head and has me pressed back on the couch. He runs his nose up and down my jawline. Then he moves lower, roaming over my body until he’s above my hips. This time, he strips off my pants along with my boots. Each piece of clothing flies to the floor. Delicate kisses cover the bruising then roam down each leg until he’s kissing my feet and moving back up to my stomach. He peels my blouse up and over my head. The small tear on the backside rips more, highlighting our situation.
I ignore the noise and focus on us. Max does the same thing as he continues to kiss every square inch of my body. I run my hands through his thick, dark hair. It’s my favorite part of him. It’s always messy yet styled. He keeps threatening to clean it up, and I refuse to hear such nonsense.
His hands sneak around my back, then I feel his fingers fumbling with the clasp of my bra. We’ve kissed, slept together, and cuddled but have never gone further than that. This is a pivotal point. I don’t want to waste one minute and sear each moment to memory forever. This is love.
He slides the straps down once the back is undone and frees my breasts. His lips seal to a nipple as he rolls the other one with his hand. He has my body searing with desire.
“Max, let me touch you,” I beg, writhing underneath him.
He answers by grabbing both of my hands with one of his and pinning them above my head, being careful of the cast on my wrist. I don’t even know how he makes the action possible. He takes turns between each greedy, pebbled-up nipple. I’m not shy about the way he makes me feel. I squirm and moan out each pleasure he bestows upon me. He doesn’t relent until I’m on the verge of tumbling over a cliff of desire.
“Max, please,” I beg again.
He releases my hands, and I don’t waste a moment tugging his worn t-shirt over his head. The perfect round burn scars on his chest come into view. Without thinking, I lean in, placing a tender kiss on each one. This man is everything to me. I reach down, fumbling with the button on his jeans and managing to get his zipper down.
“Kate,” he hisses in my ear, darting out his tongue and lapping it on the shell of my ear. “I don’t have any condoms.”
“I’m on the pill, and I trust you. Now shut up.”
There’s no way in hell a piece of rubber is going to come between us. I had no idea how much I needed him. Max lets out a loud groan as I grab his base and stroke him. I line him up.
“Please,” I beg again, shamelessly.
“Kate, give me a second.” He drops his head to mine. “I want you so damn bad that I need to slow down.”
“No.” I guide him toward me and push up.
He hisses and pushes in inch by inch until he fills me. Max keeps his forehead on mine while intertwining our hands and placing them above us. He doesn’t move once he’s inside me. One gentle kiss, then two before he speaks.
His gravelly voice pierces my heart with a scar I never want to heal. “I love you, too, Kate.”
“Show me.” I catch his bottom lip between my teeth.
And he does. It’s slow and seductive, letting me feel each sensation. I wrap my legs around him, making him go deeper. He catches my writhing moans in his mouth as his tongue dances around mine. My nipples grow harder, pressing into his solid chest. I’ve never felt safer than I do now. My skin glows with pleasure, love, and everything right in the world…because of Max.
Something snaps between us. An invisible barrier bursts, causing Max to pick up speed. He slams into me over and over until I’m clenching around him and my nails are digging into his back. I’m blinded by the release that rakes over my being and shatters inside me.
“Max! Oh my God. Max!” I scream out shamelessly.
I feel him swell inside me, and moments later Max grunts and growls, picking up his pace. Another swell of emotion builds up in me, consuming my thoughts of joining Max.
“Kate,” he growls out. “Jesus, Kate.”
The same way the world brought us together, in one miraculous action, we fall together in a pool of genuine and rare love.
Max collapses on me. I absorb all of him, never wanting to move. He turns his head, kissing up and down my neck.
“Do you trust me, Kate?” His lips graze against the tender skin on my neck.
“Yes, without a shadow of a doubt, Max. I gave you my heart.”
He leans on his elbows and peers down at me. “I vow to protect you. You have to trust me, okay? I won’t jeopardize our future, but I will take care of this.”
I nod, knowing damn well he will. I reach down and run my nails and one palm up and down his back while drumming my nails with my casted side up and down his sculpted sides, relishing the promised silence between us.
We spend the rest of the night doing things usually done before making love. We explore each other’s bodies in every possible way. The last thing I remember is giving in to sleep, wrapped up in Max’s arms.