by Vivian Arend
“I hear the turkeys calling us,” Ryan interrupted, tugging Maxine toward the kitchen. “You boys look big enough to get yourself a drink if you want one. We’ll see you at the table when everything is ready.” He wove through the crowd of bodies, clutching her hand tightly until they were back in the kitchen amidst the bustle of serving spoons and heaping full bowls of mashed potatoes and stuffing.
“What’s come over you?” Maxine asked quietly as they slipped past Auntie Maxence, who stirred the gravy with a vengeance. “Ryan!”
He pulled her into the pantry and firmly closed the door after them. Then she couldn’t speak anymore, couldn’t breathe. He consumed her, his tongue demanding access to her mouth, plunging her into a maelstrom of passion with barely an effort. As he trapped her against the back of the door, his rising erection pressed into her belly and heat spread throughout her body.
This was insane. There were close to sixty family members ranging throughout her house, including her sweet Gramma, and she was allowing herself to be ravished in the kitchen pantry. She put her hands on his chest and gave a firm push, reluctant to have his mouth depart from hers, but frantic to stop before they were discovered necking like horny teenagers.
“Stop. What is your problem?”
He stepped back and crossed his arms casually across his chest. “You neglected to warn me your ex-lover was a dead ringer for Orlando Bloom.”
She snorted in disbelief. “This is because you’ve got a case of elf envy? Trust me, he’s nothing compared to you. He’s got the looks, but you’ve got the moves.” Ryan’s grin lit up the small room. “Now can we please go make nice with the family without you killing anyone?”
He wrinkled his face, like he was considering hard, and she hit him in the gut.
Laughing like conspirators, they snuck out to join the throng.
Ryan behaved himself throughout the dinner. In fact, he relaxed enough to enjoy the zany camaraderie of Maxine’s uncles as they tried to out do each other storytelling. Afterward Junior gave him the third degree as they passed in the hallway, but overall the afternoon was an enjoyable diversion.
He loved watching Maxine. She floated in and out of conversations, rescued children from precarious positions on the furniture and railings without a qualm and doted on her Gramma. Laughter rang loud and long throughout the house, and suddenly something inside Ryan pinched tight and he found it hard to breathe.
He’d never attended this kind of function before. He’d never experienced the swell of confusion and love racing through the old building like a tornado. The only family he remembered were grim-faced, judgmental people. And now he had Carl, who couldn’t have sat in this chaos without working himself into an emotional frenzy at the noise and chaos.
Perhaps they had more in common as brothers than he first realized.
He slipped away to calm his jangling nerves and stepped into the master bedroom to use the can before turning down the hall. Slow footsteps descending the small stairwell from the servant’s level caught his attention. It was the dark-haired cousin who’d brought Max’s ex with him.
Ryan’s fingers twitched with the urge to pound the man’s face.
Maximilian jerked to a stop, his momentary expression of panic quickly exchanged for a smirk. “So, enjoying your day with the clan?” He skittered to the side, tucking his hand into his pocket surreptitiously.
“It’s been fine so far. Great place for a gathering this size.”
“I’m sure.” Maximilian rolled his eyes and snorted.
Ryan eyed the man with derision. “You’ve got something to say to me? I don’t think we’re the type for small talk, Mill.”
The cousin held out his empty hands and shrugged. “Plain talk? Fine. I don’t know what a nice girl like Maxine is doing with someone like you.”
“Someone like me? You claiming to know all about me and you’ve found something lacking?”
“Not sure you’re the right guy for her, that’s all. Just out of the service, new company. Gotta wonder if part of the reason you’re with her is for the nice digs. Since I understand you’re now an item.”
Maximilian had the balls to sneer at him and Ryan counted to ten. Maxine would understand if he broke her cousin’s nose, wouldn’t she? He counted to ten again, to be sure his mouth would work faster than his fists.
“You’re pretty cocky for a cousin. I’ve already been cleared by her dad and her brother, so fuck off, your opinion means very little to me. In fact, the only person’s opinion I give a shit about is Maxine’s and she’s pretty damn happy as far as I can tell.” A door creaked behind him and Ryan spun to watch Jamie exit the master bedroom. “What the hell were you doing in there? How did you get in?” he demanded. Less than a minute had passed since Ryan had exited the empty room.
Jamie retreated. “I was looking for Maxi. I…poked my head in. She’s not there.”
Ryan narrowed his eyes. What the fuck was going on? “If you need to speak to her I’d appreciate it if you’d look in more public places than her bedroom.” He stalked closer to the blond and grabbed the front of his shirt in a fist for a second before smoothing it carefully. He straightened Jamie’s shoulders and tapped him casually on the cheek. “You don’t want me to get the wrong idea about your intentions, do you?”
Jamie shook his head rapidly before nearly leaping down the stairs to get away.
“Wow, that was a manly display of uber-arrogance. Maxine must love you for your gentle, debonair ways, right?” Maximilian taunted.
Ryan leaned back casually on the wall, his arms crossed in front of him. “I really don’t like you, dickhead, so if you’re done, I suggest you rejoin the rest of the clan before I give in to the urge to maximize my pleasure and rearrange your teeth for you.”
The slimy little weasel snuck past him. Once he stood at the top of the stairs with a clear path to safety, Maximilian paused. “I always assumed one of the things a real man did was provide the home. You’re too modern and sophisticated for that. Besides, leeching is more productive with a girl like Maxine and a place like this one. Have a nice day.” He turned tail and ran.
Ryan stared after him in confusion. The asshole had run off at the mouth for a reason, but what the hell was it? There was no way he believed the jerk was actually concerned about Maxine or brave enough to issue a serious challenge.
He slipped into the master bedroom and took a long, hard study of his surroundings. Nothing appeared to be disturbed but it had bothered him greatly to see Jamie exit the room. Screw the man’s excuse, he hadn’t “poked his head in”. Jamie had walked out.
When had he walked in?
Ryan carefully paced the walls, examining them closely, but spotted nothing out of the ordinary. Perplexed, he made his way upstairs to check out Maximilian’s mischief. Maxine had locked the doors along the top hall as a precaution to keep the younger family members from hiding and getting lost, but now Ryan hit a brick wall. If Maximilian had a key, which Ryan had to conclude was a possibility, there was no way to know which room the ass had entered. No way to figure out what he’d been doing wandering around away from the rest of the party.
Giving up in frustration, he returned to the second floor, stopping to stare down into the life-filled main-floor room from his high vantage point. The house was filled with loud voices and enthusiastic noises, and he wasn’t sure where he fit into the picture. The past week he’d been trying his damnedest to simply let go and trust his relationship with Maxine had a future. They came from vastly different backgrounds. Fuck, hers was something from a Waltons rerun, but most of the time they fit together well.
The chemistry between them was undeniable.
While they were happy together as a twosome, she was obviously a more social creature than him. Would she be willing to give up some of the liveliness surrounding her to be a part of his world, with his commitment to include Carl in his life? Was it fair to ask her?
He spotted her crossing the living room. She looked up and
She slipped her hand into his elbow, falling into step with him easily. “You okay?”
He nodded briskly. “Where’s Tweedledee and Tweedledum?”
Maxine guided their steps around a couple of kids playing jacks on the floor and chuckled quietly at his quip. “If you mean Mill and Jamie, I think I saw them leave a few minutes ago. Why?”
“Did either one of them try to talk to you before they left?” he asked, stroking her fingers where they rested on his arm. She shook her head. “Good. I said Jamie was an ass, but Maximilian comes close to beating him for the title.”
She turned and straightened his collar, smoothing her hands down his chest before sliding them around his body to hug him close. “Everything okay? You seem a little quiet.”
He laughed. “Sweetheart, I could be shouting and I’d still seem quiet amidst this bedlam. I’m fine. In fact I was just about to go see if your father was serious about challenging me at cards. You don’t mind if I beat him, do you?” He kissed her cheek chastely before heading to join the men at the table. It looked like a bit of research into Maximilian and Jamie was in order when the weekend was over.
Chapter Fifteen
“They’re all a little intense, aren’t they?”
Maxine smiled at her old roommate. “Well, you know guys and their deep inner need to dominate. Playing Risk lets them give in to the urge to be Supreme Commander of the Universe or something.”
Valerie shrugged. “I hope they don’t mind getting their butts kicked by a woman. Natasha is doing her usual ‘poor me, don’t pick on me’ routine. I figure she should have them all beat in another three rounds.”
They laughed together as they grabbed an armload of drinks and chips to deliver to the living room where the game was underway. “You’d think Junior would know by now his wife is a wiz at these games, but he still falls for it.” Maxine held the kitchen door open with her hip to let Valerie enter the living room first.
Contentment filled her as she snuck up behind Ryan. Friends and family lounged around the large coffee table, those remaining in the game intent on the action of the dice. Natasha had a smug little grin starting to appear and Maxine suspected her sister-in-law was up to her usual tricks.
She slid in beside Ryan and he curled an arm around her, tugging her close, without losing concentration on the game. “I think your family should all sign up for a tour of duty. I’ve never played with such cut-throat, sneaky bastards before in my entire life,” he whispered in her ear.
Maxine giggled softly. “Skills honed by years of competition within the family. There’s always someone willing to beat you, at whatever game you want to lose.”
“I don’t like losing.”
A round of groans burst out as Natasha eliminated another opponent and laid down her third set of cards in one hand. “Looks like you have no choice tonight,” Maxine teased.
Ryan grumbled good-naturedly and scooped up the dice to defend himself. She squeezed his arm and rose to let him play. Movement outside the window caught her eye and she wandered over to gaze at the yard.
A large flock of crows was visible in the light from the porch. Maxine wondered what had drawn them, but she was distracted as baby noises rose from the monitor on the side table.
Maxwell leapt up. “And that’s my cue. Tasha, stop playing with your victim and just kill him already. It’s time to head home.” He dropped a kiss on his wife’s cheek and headed to the main-floor bedroom to gather his daughter.
Ryan’s deep laugh filled the room. “I concede.” He held out a hand to Natasha and they shook, the rest of the party heading toward the food and drinks. “You’re a good player.”
Natasha winked at him. “It’s all in getting to know your opponent. Next time I won’t be able to pull the same moves on you.”
It wasn’t until after the party slowed down and the final guest left that Maxine remembered the crows. She walked the porch hand in hand with Ryan.
“Are you staying tonight?” she asked. They’d spent more and more time together but they hadn’t spoken of any formal commitments. There was no way she wanted to leave her house, and she wasn’t sure how Ryan would react if she asked him to move in with her.
“I can’t.” He tugged her to a stop and drew her against him for a kiss. His touch was gentle tonight, teasing and brief, and Maxine melted into him. “I have a couple of installations I need to finish early in the morning and it would be easier to head out from my apartment.” He tapped her on the nose. “I have a beef with you though. You never told me you had another flat tire yesterday.”
The cawing of the birds grew louder and they headed onto the lawn to investigate the racket. “I had a spare, I fixed it. I do know how to change a tire.”
“I assumed you did, but feel free to call me anyway.” He squeezed her hand and she glanced at his smiling face. “I don’t mind coming to your rescue, okay?”
She nodded then groaned in disgust as she spotted the reason for the bird’s presence. “Oh shit.” The contents of the garbage cans from outside her backdoor were spread over the lawn, the cans themselves bobbing in the lake.
“Maxine, get back in the house,” Ryan ordered.
She turned from where she’d squatted to gather the mess into a pile. “Why? I need to clean this up.”
“You need to go inside. I’ll take care of it.” He glanced into the trees and across the property, a stern expression on his face. “Whoever tipped the cans could still be around.”
Maxine sighed. “Good grief. It’s annoying as hell, but it’s just garbage cans. It’s kids, a stupid prank. They’re probably home in bed laughing at the joke they pulled. I’m going to get some new bags. If you grab the cans we can get it cleaned up faster than if you stand there arguing with me.” She stomped indoors.
Frustration rocked her again, mixed with a bit of fear. The vandalism around the house continued, but nothing more dangerous than these childish pranks. Was it a group of teens in the community with too much time on their hands? A couple of days after Thanksgiving she’d discovered all her deck chairs in the lake. She hadn’t mentioned it to Ryan, but her flat tire the previous day was the third that week. Contacting the neighbors to ask them to keep a better eye on their kids hadn’t worked. She was getting tired of dealing with the uncertainty of the mischief. Her imagination continued to suggest something more ominous was at the bottom of it. So many incidents couldn’t be a fluke, but damn if she wanted to run with her tail between her legs just when she was starting to spread her wings.
***
Ryan shook his head. He hauled the second tire off and popped it into his trunk to take into the repair shop. He’d offered to help her but didn’t think Maxine would have to call the very next day to inform him she had two flat tires. It was past noon before he got away from his commitments. “Did you drive over broken glass?”
“No, I don’t think so. It’s too much of a coincidence I keep getting flats. Is there a way someone is making them go flat? Damn, I need to visit my neighbors again and get them to rein in their kids at night.” Maxine stood and brushed the dirt from her knees. “You want lunch before you head out?”
He laughed. “Nice attempt at changing the topic. No, I don’t need lunch. Yes, someone could be messing with your tires. I’ll visit the neighbors.”
She paused, a frown creasing her face. “Why would you do that? I’ll speak to them.”
“Sometimes having a guy show up will intimidate the kids more. If it is kids, and I’m still not convinced.” Maxine had had more troubles since moving into the house than any one person should experience. Something didn’t feel right and Ryan wanted to get to the bottom of it. He worried about her safety when he wasn’t with her. Worried something serious would occur.
The whole concept of what it meant to care for someone was driving him crazy. Carl needed his time and energy, and now Ryan found he constantly wanted to be around Maxine. She was on his mind most of the day. Not only because they were dynamite in bed, but because he wanted to make sure the strange occurrences were only pranks and not something darker.
By the time the tires were fixed it was after six, so he sweet-talked Maxine into going out for dinner. Sitting by the ocean, some of his concerns receded as they chatted about Christmas plans. He held her hand as they enjoyed each other’s company.
It was becoming clearer someone like Maxine was what he needed in his life. What he’d done before wasn’t living, not like he experienced now. Her attitude encouraged him to look around with new eyes, to appreciate the vibrancy of the moment. She gave so willingly, not even noticing how often she changed her own plans to accommodate others. She joined him when he dropped in on Carl, babysat cousins at the drop of a hat and worshipped her Gramma. Her generous heart floored him, and shamed him. Slowly he began to open up to his brother in an attempt to find a deeper place in his heart for the boy. The concept of family was evolving from an evil memory to a hopeful place—a place where he might be able to see a future beyond being alone.
All because of Maxine.
They returned to the house and even as they drove up he saw the damage.
“Oh my God, Ryan, someone’s torn up the lawn. How could they do that?” Maxine leapt from the car the instant he stopped, and he fought the urge to pick her up and carry her into her house. Deep ridges cut into the turf, the soil laid bare in semicircular tracks.
“It’s not the neighbor’s kids. Your pranksters were pulling doughnuts on the lawn with a half-ton truck or something. Call the police. They can check the tire tracks.” Ryan glanced at Maxine’s car. “Fuck.”
He’d put the repaired tires back on and yet the car now sat impossibly low, the rims resting on the ground. There was glass on the ground in front of the shattered window and when he peeked inside the stereo was missing, cords dangling from the dash.
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