“Max.” I moan as his fingers explore around deep inside of me, but it’s not enough. I need to feel Max inside of me, his hard solidness penetrating me and taking my body to the edge. I need to feel his body above me as he completely takes control and possesses every ounce of my being. I want him to show me what I do to him. I want him to show me just how much I mean to him.
“Angel, what are you doing to me?” He growls, just as he slams himself deep inside of me. The feel of him sends my body into overdrive. Every hard inch of him is pulsating deep within me and it’s driving me wild. “You have no fucking idea, do you?”
His hand reaches around under my thigh, and lifts it up pulling me closer to him as he increases his movements. He’s choosing this moment to ask me questions like that? Fucking hell, I can’t even think straight, let alone answer him. My back arches and my whole body stiffens and I feel myself tighten around him. I’ve been waiting for this all day, and my body won’t allow me to hold back anymore. With just a few more thrusts, my nails dig in to Max’s skin as my orgasm ripples through my body, which in turn causes Max to follow suit.
“You okay?” Max asks me once his breathing begins to settle down.
“Am I okay? I’m more than okay.” I say and I mean it. Being like this, lay in his arms as he delicately plays with my hair always makes me feel okay. He makes me feel safe and he is fast becoming my personal comfort blanket. I honestly don’t know how I coped without him in my life before now. I feel a little bit silly now about my outburst earlier, but what am I supposed to think when he holds out on me. Max never, ever holds out on me. “Come on Mr. Wild.” I laugh at him. “I thought you had your heart set on taking me out?”
Max
Fucking Jess. I can't believe she actually thought that I was here with her out of fucking pity. Shit, does she not realise what she does to me? Does she not see how much of a better person I am, because of her? I honestly don't think I’ll ever have her figured out fully. The woman's a fucking mystery. One thing is for sure, she certainly keeps me on my toes.
As I wait for her to finish up getting ready, I quickly check my emails to see if I have received an update from Heath, or better still; to see if Stella has been in touch. It shouldn't come as any surprise when I don't see anything. What's fucking going on over there? Surely she’s gotta know something is up by now. She can't be stupid enough to think that this would go by unnoticed? Maybe she's cottoned on and this is why she's avoiding me. Well, she isn't going to get away with avoiding me forever. I’ll give her until the end of next week and if I don’t hear anything, then she’ll be getting very fucking colourful call from me. At least I know that there’s no real threat to any of the businesses. This was all done out of spite and jealousy. Plus, if she were to leak any of the information, I’d know exactly who to fucking hunt down.
"You okay?"
I look up and see my perfect angel stood right in front of me. Gone is the sad, worried expression that she wore earlier. Now, she looks full of life, vibrant and royally fucked. Just the way I like her.
"Yeah, I'm good. Jess, you look..." I'm cut off mid-sentence and silenced, when her lips come crashing down against mine. My body automatically responds as my tongue dives out to meet hers. She's like a fucking dream come true and one of these days I'm sure I'm going to wake up and she'll be gone. Just a distant haze in my memory.
"So where are we going?" She asks, bringing me back to the present. Shit, with her looking like that, she won't be going anywhere, but over this counter. As she stands before me, her hair down loose in waves, she wears a small, and that's putting it finely, purple dress with a deep slit up the side, exposing her perfect golden flesh. "What is that?"
"What? You don't like it?" She pouts at me, while looking up at me through her lashes.
"It's just..."
"If you don't like it, you could always take it off me." She purrs seductively down my ear, her fingers lightly tracing the nape of my neck. She’s trying to distract me, goddamit.
"Oh, I see where this is going. The dress is fine. It stays, for now. We're going out angel, whether you like it or not."
"Oh well, it was worth a shot, I guess." She says, with a naughty smirk plastered over her perfectly, beautiful face.
"That doesn't mean it won't be coming off when we get back, and that's a promise." Shit, it's going to kill me all night knowing that she’s in that dress, most likely with nothing fucking on underneath it and there's not a fucking thing that I can do about it. But, I'm a man of my word and I said I was going to take her out and I will. There's no way I'm going to back down now, no matter how much she tries to seduce me.
"What's the occasion?" Jess asks, while I pull a chair out for her.
"Does there have to be a special occasion for me to spoil you?"
"Erm, no I guess not. I always thought you weren't the romantic type is all."
"Let's not get carried away with ourselves shall we? Everyone's got to eat, right?" Nothing escapes her. Yes, I've wanted to take her out for a while, but I just didn't know if she'd be feeling up to it, but then when I spoke to Mal; I knew what I had to do. The waiter walks over to us just as I'm about to talk to Jess, but I stop and nod in the waiter’s direction.
"Good evening, I'll be your waiter for the evening. Can I get you any drinks?" He asks, his eyes fixed firmly on Jess.
"I'll have a beer and a mojito for the lady." I say as politely as possible, but if this dude keeps eyeing Jess up, I'll fucking rip his balls from his body.
"What's with the face?" Jess asks, utter amusement in her voice.
"You shittin' me? That dude was practically fucking you with his eyes” Don’t tell me she didn’t fucking see it. I’ll bite my lip over a number of things, but when it comes to my woman, it’s non fucking negotiable.
"Oh give over Max. He was just being friendly and polite."
"Fucking friendly and polite? Tell me this, how would you react if was looking at that blonde over there the way he was just looking at you?"
Jess looks at me for a moment before narrowing her eyes and says, "I'd politely walk over to her and remind her that it's my body that you'll be pleasuring, not hers, before returning to torture your manliness. I’d make sure the last thing on your mind, was fucking anyone else."
"Is that so?"
"Uh huh. You'll do well to remember that, Mr Wild." Oh yes I will and vice fucking versa. She’s goddamn crazy. Since Jess entered my life, I’ve not even looked, never mind thought about another woman that way. Jess is it for me. She’s exactly what I have been waiting for.
The waiter soon comes back with our drinks and Jess deliberately smiles her most seductive smile at him. What the fuck is she playing at? Does she really want to watch me lose my shit in a public place, because that’s exactly what’s about to happen. These feelings that I’m having around her are completely foreign to me, so how the hell am I supposed to control them? At the moment, I feel like a loose cannon that’s about to explode.
"What was that?"
"What was what?"
"You fucking know what. You're mine Jessica Townsend, and don't think for a second that I won't defend what's rightfully mine. You want me to prove that to you? Carry on egging that prick on and he’ll be picking his teeth up off the floor."
"I love it when you get all feisty Max. It reminds me of when we first met. The sure, cocky, yet sexy as hell guy who didn’t like hearing the word no. Sound familiar?"
"If this is one of your plans to get me worked up so that I take you home, it's fucking working angel." I say as her foot slowly works its way up my leg under the table and all she does is smile at me. Fuck, she loves winding me up and she sure as hell knows how to press my buttons.
"Anyway, on a different note, I've been thinking about my mum."
"You have?" Talk about a sudden change of events. This is good, though. I've been waiting for her to bring her mum up for a while. After I mentioned it last time, I thought it was best to leave it until she was read
y to talk about it again.
"Yeah, I might give her Doctor a call to see if he could try and persuade her to see me. It's killing me knowing that she's there all alone. Fighting this alone. I know we haven't seen eye to eye over the years, but at the end of the day, she's still my mum. What kind of person would I be if I just walked away when I know, deep down, she needs me now more than ever? I'm all she's got left Max."
"You know I'm here for you whatever you decide. But personally, I think you should keep pushing. Grudges and stubbornness are powerful things, but you can't take them back when it's too late." I know that from fucking experience. I'd give anything to have my mother back. Shit, Melissa needed a mother growing up and she was deprived of that. Instead, all she got was an over protective big brother. I guess she could have ended up with worse and I suppose she's turned out all right so far. Speaking of Melissa, I haven't heard from her since I arrived back here. Maybe she’s a little bit too occupied with Heath.
"I'll give him a call tomorrow."
“You know if you want me to come with you, all you need to do is ask.” I hate that she’s going through this. It seems like every time something good happens to her, something bad is always waiting in the shadows to set her back again and there’s nothing that I can do about it.
By the time desert has arrived, I'm ready to get Jess back home and out of that fucking dress. Note to self, she won't be wearing that out in public again unless she fancies some outdoor fun. It's busting my balls just looking at her, and the way that she's devouring those strawberries with her tongue, is enough to make me combust in my fucking pants. I need something to distract me, and fast.
"I spoke to Mal earlier." I say and she instantly looks up at me, still sucking on that fucking strawberry.
"You did? Is he okay? He's mad at me isn't he?" She looks absolutely petrified as she says this, and she looks so fucking cute.
"No, not at all. He's good, living the dream by the sounds of things. I just thought I'd check in on him, you know. It feels weird being away from him after finally getting him settled."
"I'm sorry, Max. You don't have to stay because of me. Don’t get me wrong, I love you being here but I know you’ve got a business to run and other responsibilities."
What the fuck? I realise as soon as I've said it how that must have sounded to her. "Jess, I didn't mean it like that. I'm here for as long as you need me and you know that. No fucking way am I going back until you are ready.”
No matter what I do, I always put my foot in it somehow. Do I continue with what I was going to say to her or should I leave it? Fuck that, Mal's right. This is exactly what she needs to hear.
"We were talking about you, actually."
"You were? Why?" She eyes me wearily, while stirring her spoon around the glass of her strawberry sundae. "Is it because I haven't been working at Stanton's?"
"It's about Stanton's, but not that. I guess Mal's been thinking on it for some time, and I know he would have preferred to ask you face to face, but due to the circumstances, he's asked me to do the honours."
"Max, I haven't got a clue what you're going on about and you're waffling, so spill it."
"He wants to pass Stanton's over to you." I watch her reaction as I take a sip of my water.
"He what?" I continue to watch Jess closely as she registers what I have just said. First her mouth opens a little and a gasp escapes her, and then her eyes grow huge as it finally all falls in to place. "Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why would he pass Stanton's over to me? It doesn't make sense, Max."
"I guess his health scare kind of put things into perspective for him." I guess being on deaths door will do that to someone. I’ve witnessed how Jess works and I know he’s made the perfect decision.
"I guess, but that's a pretty big decision. Is he still on his meds? Shit Max, he can't just hand over his baby."
"Come on Jess. You know Mal. He doesn't make decisions lightly and for him to do this; he would have been planning it for a long time."
"But I don't know the first thing about running a business Max. I can't accept it. It's too much, and he's risking a hell of a lot by putting that much trust and faith in me. I'll only screw it up."
"How are you going to screw it up, angel? You and I both know that Mal wouldn't have made this decision if he didn't think you were up for the job. Plus you'll have heaps of help and support from both me and Mal."
"I know, it's just a lot to take in. I'm going to have to have a really big think about it before I make any hasty decisions."
"You might want to hear the best bit before you make any decisions." If this doesn’t sell it to her, I don’t know what will.
"What, you're saying taking over an amazing business isn't the best bit?"
"It's pretty decent. However, the best bit means that we will never have to be apart again, angel."
"Come again?" If I thought she looked confused before, then it’s got shit on what she looks like now.
"Oh, I'll be doing that later."
"You know what I mean Max. How does that mean we will never be apart? I'll be running Stanton's from here, in England and you have your own business in Australia. To me that doesn’t sound too good. What are we going to do, continue our relationship over skype?"
"Mal made it very clear to me that you'll be expected to work here for six months of the year and then the other six down under." I've obviously caught her by surprise as she doesn't say anything straight away; she just looks at me wide eyed. "You've got Tim right?"
"Yeah..."
"Well, I've been thinking it over since Mal mentioned it. I've been thinking of hiring Heath for some time. He’s a decent guy and he’s known the business for a long time too. So both Tim and Heath can help us out. When we're here, Heath will fill in for me and vice versa for Tim. What do you think?"
"Wow. You've really thought about this haven't you?" Watching her mulling this over is priceless. I know I’ve sucked her in with my proposition. The thought of never having to be away from her again is enough for me.
"You fucking bet I have. I told you before, I won't be without you again and I fucking meant every goddamn word of it."
Jess
I'm rendered completely speechless. How am I even supposed to absorb all of this new and exciting information. So Mal has decided to pass the business over to me. To little old me, of all people. Why I'm not sure, but to say I'm shocked is an understatement. If that wasn't enough, I'll be expected to work here for six months, as well as six months in Australia. Bloody hell, this means that I can finally have the best of both worlds. I don't have to leave my friends, and I also don't have to lose Max either. It sounds like things could actually work out all right for me and Max after all.
"Earth to Jess." I smile over at Max as his hand rests perfectly on my thigh, the contact instantly burning my skin and sending ripples of electricity through my body. To think that I could ever last without his touch and constant presence would be crazy. "You okay?"
"It's still sinking in you know. Earlier today I didn't have a clue where we would end up. It’s one thing I have tried to avoid thinking about, but now it feels that we actually have a chance at this. We can actually make something of this, of us."
"Too fucking right we can. Did you really think I would have had it any other way? There's not a fucking chance in hell that I'd ever give you up without a fight, angel."
My chest instantly feels warm at his words. No matter what he says to me, and no matter how many times he says stuff like that to me, I feel like I need to pinch myself. My, how I've come a long way from Josh.
"I'm going to try and make things right with my mum. That way, I can start a fresh with everything. Work , family and you."
"Me?"
"Yes, you. Don't think I don't appreciate everything that you have done for me Max. It's only fair that I can be your rock too. I know something is eating at you and it has been for weeks now. But I've not said anything because I know that you'
ll tell me when you're ready, and I wouldn't want to come across as the nagging type."
"Aren't all girlfriends supposed to be the nagging type?" Woah. Okay, so we've been getting down and dirty for some time now, but did Max Wild, my self-confessed commitment-phobe just refer to me as his girlfriend? Holy fucking balls, he did. Now I feel like a school girl, but do you know what? I couldn't care less, it's the happiest I've felt in a bloody long time.
"Are you okay?"
"Uh huh." I'm aware that I probably look like a right dork, but that's okay. Max is with me and by the sounds of it he wants to keep it that way too, dorky or not.
"I found out what happened with the file." Max calls out from behind me.
"You did? When?" I pull myself away from the kitchen counter so that I can face him. Is this what has been bothering him all this time? Why didn't he tell me?
"I had my suspicions, but I had it confirmed when you were with your mum at the hospital."
"What happened? Was it an inside job?" I silently pray to myself that it wasn't and it was all a hoax, but judging from Max's expression, I don't think I'm going to like what he's about to say to me.
"It was an inside job all right. I'm not one hundred per cent certain of the whole ins and outs just yet, but I know enough and I know who was behind it." I definitely know that I’m not going to like it as I see a pained expression flutter across his handsome face.
"Who was it? One of the tech guys?"
Max is quiet for a moment as he fiddles with a piece of paper on the side. "If only it was, it would be much simpler, much easier to understand. It was Stella."
Holy fucking shit. Wow. I knew that she was a bitch, but why would she do this to Max?
"Are you sure? This isn’t just a hunch?"
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