by Gina Gordon
He was always taking care of me. Making me feel safe. I had no doubt he’d watch over me if things got hairy. My only question was, just what kind of hairy? “What does it do?”
“It heightens your senses,” Bobbi explained from the front of the room. She was obviously listening to our conversation. “Everything will look brighter, sound prettier, taste more delicious.” Her eyes lit up when she explained the effects. She was a good saleswoman. Although I didn’t need much coaxing. Who the hell wouldn’t want to experience that?
Although I had let Max into my panties, he was still a stranger. He kept a wall between us. I didn’t blame him, I had one of my own. But there were times, like right now, when I wanted them both to crumble and let us step over the rubble and walk off into the distance, no obligations, no expectations, just experiencing pleasure.
Which was exactly what I was going to do right now. I was going to indulge. I trusted Max. I knew he’d never let anything bad happen to me.
Bobbi motioned for everyone to gather around the coffee table. She’d come prepared with all the fancy Absinthe accessories and prepared two shots at a time.
When it was my turn, I held up my shot glass and clinked it with my partner, Ryan. Without hesitation, we tilted our heads back and I let the green liquid slide down my throat.
I didn’t do drugs and I barely drank. It was no surprise that I felt the effects course through my virgin blood immediately. The night had suddenly become an adventure.
Everything became a blur of color and light. Sounds were muffled, but never more clear. People were funnier. Words were more meaningful. Colors were brighter and meshed together in a weird haze like a kaleidoscope. One moment I was standing on the edge of the pool minding my own business, the next I was roasting a hot dog in the fire, talking ’80s movies with Ryan. Food was more satisfying and delicious than it ever had been, but I was pretty sure I’d burned the roof of my mouth because I didn’t wait long enough to let the chicken cool from the barbecue. And I barely registered Ben pulling me aside and murmuring something about being the only girl Max had brought around since high school.
I was gathering my thoughts in the kitchen with a glass of water when I noticed Max sitting quietly in the corner of the TV room. He wore a wicked smirk when he noticed me approach, but he was blurry. A blur of sexy hotness that I wanted to jump. I didn’t care about the crowd. I didn’t care about anything. I guess that’s what the Absinthe did. Lowered my guard and my inhibitions, because if he bent me over the coffee table, I’d let him enter me right here, in front of his friends, and I’d do whatever else he wanted in the process.
I jumped onto Max’s lap and kissed his cheeks, his nose, then his lips. His strong arms wrapped around me and he pressed his mouth harder against mine.
“Get a room,” someone yelled from the couch and I felt something soft bounce off my legs.
When I looked down; someone had thrown a pillow.
Bobbi walked over and offered her hand. I looked up at the pretty woman who had raven-colored hair and black eyeliner that lined each entire eye. She looked sweet, but there was something accusatory in her stare. Something I wasn’t sure I wanted to engage, but I wasn’t going to hide from her. I took her hand, kissed Max one more time, then walked away with her.
She led me to the bathroom on the first floor and locked the door behind us.
“Having a good time?” She unbuttoned her jeans and pulled them down, along with her black thong.
“So much fun.” I sighed and let my ass rest against the counter. “I don’t think I’ve ever had this much fun.”
“Could have fooled me.” I heard the soft stream hitting the toilet water. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were a party girl.”
The toilet flushed and when I looked over, Bobbi was pulling up her pants. She edged me away from the sink so she could wash her hands. “What’s going on with you and Max?”
I hadn’t turned around to face the mirror, but I didn’t have to to know that she was looking at my profile.
“We’re just hanging out. He’s helping me train.” I slid my finger across the edge of the marble counter. The speckled surface ebbed and flowed, like the markings were alive. Wicked.
She placed her hand on my shoulder. “Just don’t break his heart, or next time it won’t be Absinthe in your shot glass.” Bobbi’s voice was soft, as if she were speaking to me from the other side of the door.
Wait, what? Did she just…
“Everything okay in there.” There was that muffled sound again.
Whoo. This shit was heavy. Now I was even hearing things.
“We’re great,” Bobbi responded to the voice.
I guess the voice was real.
She opened the door and squeezed herself between Max and the doorway. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him. Without a word, he backed me into the counter and I moaned when his body pressed against mine.
He nuzzled my neck and his scent surrounded me. His musky, spicy aftershave overpowered the vanilla scent of the bathroom.
“You’re cute when you’re wasted.”
“Cute?” I sagged against him. “I don’t want to be cute.”
The story of my life. I was never the sexy girl. Never like Grace. And I never would be.
“Why not? I like you cute.”
I sighed.
I didn’t want to be cute, damn it! I wanted to be sexy. I wanted to be exactly the type of woman he was looking for.
My head was spinning. Not in a bad way. I didn’t feel sick. My stomach wasn’t queasy and I didn’t have a headache. I was spinning with lust. With overwhelming sexual tension I’d been harboring all night. And now that we were alone, I couldn’t contain it. I shot up, attacking his mouth. He moaned into mine and I smiled, as best I could with my lips busy working his. His hands found the small of my back and he squeezed me tighter. He was so hard, so strong. I loved the way I felt fragile and vulnerable in his arms. I was always controlled. Intact. This man turned me into a puddle of goo with just one wink.
“I want to be sexy for you.”
I’d never said that before, not out loud. Definitely not to Max. The insecurity I felt because of his occupation was tough to ignore. Every time he labeled me with one of those words…the words that kept you permanently in the friend zone—cute, sweet, adorable. Those were the adjectives of death, and there was no coming back from them.
I squeaked when he lifted me and sat me on the counter. I balanced myself on the lip of the sink.
“You are sexy.” He kissed me hard then pulled away, his breath heavy against my face. “So fucking sexy. I get a hard-on every time I see you. I can barely keep my dick in check.”
I smiled. Those were the things every girl wanted to hear, and for a girl like me, one who wasn’t used to male attention, it was the entire world.
I let my hand drift down his chest, ripple over his abs to the waistband of his jeans. I traveled lower and cupped his erection. I rubbed up and down his length as he moaned and groaned, harder and longer the stronger my grip.
The effects of the Absinthe had heightened my senses, just like Bobbi had said it would. I didn’t think anything could make Max better than he already was in my eyes. But in this small space, his voice was deeper, his touch was hotter. His face was more beautiful.
I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. Couldn’t do anything but stare, mesmerized, enchanted, by the man who was Max Levin.
On a regular day I was broken open by the beauty and power of him. My brain on Max Levin—scrambled. But right now, everything was in slow motion. A swirl of light and color, like fireworks bursting all around me. My brain on Max Levin on Absinthe—completely explosive.
His hands kneaded my breasts then traveled to my ass, working his way into my jeans. He squeezed the flesh. When I went to make a move, to take things to the next level, he backed away.
He panted, looking at me with fire in his eyes and desire in his pants. “Not here.”
He shook his head and grabbed my wrists, pulling me flush against his body. His erection was hard and throbbing against my stomach. “Not in the bathroom.”
“Then take me upstairs,” I groaned, a desperate plea for him to grant my wish. “This house has to have a million bedrooms.”
“I have a better idea. Grab a blanket in the chest on the patio and meet me at the fire pit.”
Reluctantly, I made my way outside, doing my best to clear my head and mask the raging hormones I had partying inside me. I sat by the fire alone, contemplating my inner thoughts.
I was crazy for wanting Max. Crazy for letting him infiltrate my life. I didn’t spend my entire life with my head in a textbook to flunk out of school, putting myself a year behind when I was already two years ahead.
Tonight was the last night. One more night of slacking off and then it was back to regularly scheduled programming. When he showed up, I would tell him. I had to tell him.
“Hey.” He stepped off the wooden deck onto the patio stones and walked toward me. The water from the pool reflected across his face, the moonlight illuminating his perfect skin. My stomach jumped at his beauty.
Tomorrow. I’ll tell him tomorrow.
“I thought we could have a snack.” He held up a box with a picture of just the thing I’d been craving. S’mores.
He might not be the man I should want, but maybe Max Levin was exactly the man I needed.
Chapter 25
Max
She looked adorable, all cuddled up in a blanket, staring at the fire. The red and orange flames danced across her face.
She gasped when I held up the s’mores kit.
“You did not just bring that out here.”
“I was just thinking this night would be perfect with some chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers.” And to satisfy my sweet tooth. Drinking gave me the munchies, and I always went for something sweet.
“Then the night is perfect.”
I took a seat beside her on the stone bench, not leaving any space between us. I needed to feel her against me, feel her warmth, smell her sweetness, even through the fragrant wood that burned in the pit.
“Are we the only ones left?”
I nodded. “Ry passed out. Ben went to bed. Everyone else called it a night.”
It was late. A little after two in the morning, but I wasn’t tired. Not even a little bit.
“So we’re all alone?”
“Just you, me, and the s’mores, baby.”
I had brought her tonight because I’d wanted her to meet my friends. I’d wanted her to see the real me. The twenty-three-year-old man—although man could be disputed—who goofed off with his friends and wasn’t thinking about porn all the time. I had passed on the Absinthe. I wanted to make sure Everly was safe. If anything happened, I didn’t want to be a cracked mess incapable of offering assistance.
I held out one of the stainless-steel skewers I’d stolen from the garage.
“Wow, this is hardcore. Aren’t you supposed to search for sticks?”
“Ben’s a big camper. He has all the useless gadgets and gear that take the camp out of camping.”
She giggled. “I find the idea of camping fascinating. I love outdoor fires and the smell of wood burning. It reminds me of Christmas when we’d visit my grandma. We used to roast chestnuts and she’d let me make s’mores. Maybe that’s why I love them so much, because they remind me of her.”
I had the same type of fond memories of my family. Of my maternal grandparents, of my mother. Memories I wouldn’t trade for all the money in the world.
“But that’s about as close to camping I’ve ever gotten. I’m not outdoorsy. That’s pretty obvious.” She giggled at making fun of herself. “My parents didn’t encourage any type of sporting teams or outdoor activities. I was a bookworm and stayed indoors a lot.”
“Well, then, Ben and I are going to have to take you camping. It’s something you have to experience at least once.”
Maybe I could add it to the list. Just another excuse to spend time with her.
She cocked her head and looked out into the fire as if trying to remember something.
“I think Ben told me something tonight.”
“Oh, yeah.” My stomach tightened. If Ben had opened his big mouth, it couldn’t be good.
“He tried to recruit me for one of his movies.”
Like fuck I was going to let him anywhere near this girl.
Rage took hold of me, my mind cleared, and the only thing I saw was Ben’s face colliding with my first.
“Whoa, there.” She pulled at my arm and knocked me out of my rage. “I was totally joking.” She placed her palm on my cheek and turned me to face her. “Just a joke, but I’m flattered.”
I grunted my response. “No one else gets to see you naked.”
I had no right to demand that. She wasn’t my girlfriend. She wasn’t going to be my girlfriend, but I had the overwhelming urge to protect what was mine. Ever since the day I’d first laid eyes on her, it felt like she was mine.
My curiosity got the better of me, and finally, I asked, “What did he tell you?”
“He told me I’m the first girl you’ve brought around your friends since high school.”
Fucking Ben. Running his mouth off. It would have been better if he had tried to recruit her to do porn.
“Is that true?”
I shrugged.
“Why?”
So many questions. So many reasons why I didn’t want to answer.
“Maybe I just think you’re the type of person who would fit in.”
She snorted. I fucking loved that snort. It did something to my heart every time I heard it.
“I’m not really the social type, so I don’t know if I believe that.”
“I…” Why was she pushing this?
“Remember that night on the boat?” She leaned against me, tilting her head up so she was looking right at me. “When you asked if I liked my men with a little mystery?” I had no choice but to look down, the usual cobalt blue was hidden behind her oversized pupil. That would fade with the Absinthe, but her eyes were no less mesmerizing.
“You’re not such a mystery.” One of her hands came up and brushed my hair across my forehead. “I know exactly who you are.”
And that’s what scared the shit out of me.
I’d been searching for the woman who saw beyond the porn. Just when I thought it was all lost, Everly walked into my life. Grateful wasn’t even the word to describe the debt I owed this woman. And there was only one way I knew how to repay it.
I swooped down and smashed my lips against hers. Our mouths fused together, fitting perfectly, like they were made for each other.
I reached out and cupped her breast, squeezing ever so gently until she moaned into my mouth.
Her arms came up and wrapped around my neck, pulling me down until her back was against the rock. I moved over her as best I could, maintaining my lip-lock. I couldn’t touch her. I had to keep both hands on the rock in order to hold myself up. So I rocked my pelvis against her, letting her know I was ready. That I needed her just as much as she needed me.
But it wasn’t enough.
I pulled her up and walked us down to the dock. The moonlight glistened on the water. I guided her to a lounger. I sat and she straddled my hips, our mouths catching up exactly where they’d left off.
She devoured me, kissing me so intensely, I was positive the Absinthe had affected her more than I’d thought.
With one sweeping movement, her hands found the hem of my shirt and whipped it off my body. Leaning down, she sucked one of my already hard nipples into her warm, wet mouth. The temperature had dropped, but that didn’t stop her actions zinging through my body, delivering an ache to my cock.
She paid my other nipple the same attention, and all I could do was let my head fall back as she kissed and nipped my torso. When her hands found my
belt, I snapped my head up.
My belt clinked when she pulled the two strips of leather away from each other and attacked the button of my jeans. Next, my zipper was down and she was reaching inside my boxer briefs.
She stroked me, looking at me with those eyes. In the moonlight, they looked purple.
I reached into my back pocket and pulled out a condom.
She smiled. “You came prepared.”
“Actually, I raided Ben’s bathroom.”
“Good thinking.” In a surprising move, she bit my bottom lip and pulled it between her teeth.
It was sexy as hell, and the urgency in which she needed me made my cock swell. Even more than she did on a normal day.
I tugged at the waist of her jeans. “Take these off.”
She stood, the blanket still wrapped around her as she pulled them down along with her underwear then returned to her position straddling my hips.
I positioned the blanket so it covered all of her body. Just in case someone across the lake was playing late-night voyeur. She sank down on my cock, and it was the hottest thing I’d ever seen. I might be invading her body, but she was invading my soul.
She rode me in a steady rhythm, building everything inside me to the breaking point. I knew I would break, and I wasn’t talking about an orgasm. It would only be a matter of time before the walls I’d erected crumbled to the ground.
Right now, this moment, was perfection. My mouth on her tits. Her hands in my hair. My cock inside her pussy. It was magic and romance, and all of the things you read about. Only it was real. As real as anything I’d ever felt before.
With a few more gyrations, she shuddered in my arms, her pussy contracting around me. The tightening of her walls set me off, but I held it. I watched as she came, her head thrown back in abandon, her breath heavy against my face. When she slowly opened her eyes, she looked down, hugging me closer to her body.
Her mouth found my ear and she whispered, “Your turn.”
She rode me faster, and it didn’t take long. I erupted within seconds.