With the First Goodbye (Thirty-Eight Book 5)

by Len Webster

  She recognised each chord and each unsung lyric.

  “La Vie En Rose,” she breathed as tears consumed her eyes.

  Her eyes fell closed as she listened to the way her heart beat to the gentle music. She swayed as she took in her mother’s favourite song. Slowly, she opened her eyes to see Dominic gently caress the ballerina’s cheek as the song came to a slow end. And when it did, he hugged her tightly.

  The two dancers parted and turned to face Josie and Max. They curtsied and bowed then walked off the stage, leaving them alone in the empty theatre.

  Her heart pounded in her chest. It was anxious. It demanded the freedom the dancers had on the stage.

  Josie slowly turned and faced Max. He was so beautiful. No Dominic Gomez with his dancer’s body and talent could ever reach the beauty of Maxwell Sheridan.

  And the way Max looked at her as if he truly did see her as remarkably beautiful had her breathing out, “I love you.”

  His eyes widened, and lips parted slightly.

  Suddenly, she couldn’t breathe.

  His silence made it hard for her heart to make another beat.

  Her eyes stung as tears threatened. Josie had exposed herself to heartbreak. To another one of life’s rejections. But it was the truth. She was so in love with Max. And maybe she had crossed a line, but she couldn’t hold it in anymore.

  To her relief, Max’s lips slowly spread into a smile as he uttered, “I love you, too, Josephine.”

  He loved her.

  Max loved her.

  He bent his knees and wrapped his arms around her back, and she looped her arms around his neck, and he lifted her.

  “I love you, I love you, I love you,” she whispered in his ear.

  “I love you, Josephine,” he said the moment he set her down, and his palms cupped the nape of her neck.

  And she believed him.

  His thumb pressed against her jaw as he said in a soft voice, “I love you. I love you. I love you, Josephine Faulkner.”

  And his lips found hers and continued to whisper his love between small moments of their passionate kiss.

  On the drive back to her apartment, Max kept his fingers entwined with hers. She would sneak peeks to find the contented smile on his face and would breathe out a sigh of relief that her love wasn’t unrequited.

  He loved her.

  She loved him.

  And after that earth-shattering kiss, he held her tightly and said he had to get her home so she could finish her assignment. He also made promises about taking her to the ballet on opening night to see the full show. Max had told her that the La Vie En Rose dance was just for her and wouldn’t be featured in the actual performance. That Dominic and the other dancers had made small tweaks from a previous routine to fit La Vie En Rose specially for Josie. For a second, she was sad she wouldn’t see it again, but she knew it was a performance made just for her.

  Josie unlocked her apartment door and pushed it open. Then she spun around and faced Max who was holding her bouquet of red roses and the marshmallows he’d bought her but hadn’t had the chance to eat. The ballet performance they had watched was so intoxicating she couldn’t take her eyes off it. The way the two danced and symbolised each love song was spectacular.

  “Do you want to come inside?” she asked, hoping he’d say yes.

  Max’s eyes shimmered as a small smile tugged at his lips. “Sure. I’ll stay for a bit, and then I’ll go.”

  She nodded as she spun around and made her way farther into her apartment. Max stepped inside, closed the door behind her, and followed her down the hall and into the kitchen. Josie watched as he set her roses and marshmallows down with a smile. He was so careful not to bend or destroy the bouquet. As she took him in, she couldn’t help how moved his “I love you” was. She replayed it over and over again in her head.

  Josie set her clutch down next to her flowers and set her hand on his arm.

  “Josephine …”

  She shook her head.

  His love made her want more.

  His love made her heart desperately plead for more.

  His love made her want him in every possible way.

  Pulling him away from the counter, she set her hands on his strong arms and looked into his eyes. The love was there. Bright and breathtaking. The gleam was one she’d never forget.

  “I love you, Max,” she whispered as she walked them back and in the direction of her bedroom.

  His eyelids hooded. “Your assignment …?”

  She shook her head. “Almost done. And right now, it is the last thing I want to do.”

  Max’s large hands found her hips. “And what’s more important than your law degree?”

  “You,” she breathed. “You’re more important.”

  “God, I love you,” he uttered as he pulled her body to his.

  Josie gasped at the contact, and he quickly pressed his lips to hers, taking her by surprise. She smiled against his mouth as he dug his fingers into her hips.

  He kissed her with sheer abandonment as if this was the last time he’d ever kiss her.

  Each flutter of his lips made her heart ache and soar.

  And when she playfully bit his bottom lip, he groaned and broke their contact.

  “Are you sure?” he asked, panting.

  She nodded, and her hands left his jaw, and she reached out and held his hand. Taking a deep breath, she decided that tonight she would give herself to him. All the parts. The raw. The needy. The selfish. And most importantly, the entirety of her heart. She was Max’s, and she intended to be his in every intimate way. Josie led him to her bedroom and opened the door. She stepped inside and let go of Max’s hand. The moment he closed the door, she spun around to find his fingers against the sticky note she had stuck on her door.

  The same sticky note he had written for her.

  S M & F J

  Max turned and faced her. “Why is it on the back of your door?”

  Heat consumed her cheeks as she dropped her eyes to her hands, afraid to tell him the truth. Afraid that he’d think it was childish and stupid.

  Max set his index finger under her chin and lifted her eyes to find his. “Why is my sticky note on the back of your door?”

  He made her so breathless under his curious gaze. Josie licked her lips, took a deep breath, and answered, “So that when I start my day, I always know we’re right for each other. I walk out of my room knowing that you’re right for me and I’m right for you. And I return knowing just the same.”

  “That’s beautiful,” he said in a hoarse voice, and his lips found hers again.

  This kiss was so different from all the others.

  It was soft.

  It was ruthless.

  It tasted like love as her heart clenched at the feel of his hands tugging at her dress zipper. Max’s tongue swept across her lip, and she moaned his name and allowed his tongue to find hers.

  His tongue slid perfectly against hers.

  Over and over.

  Josie felt hot all over as she grasped his shirt and brought him even closer to her. The air between them was thick and heavy with lust and need and want.

  “Max,” she begged, and her fingers found the button of his shirt, urging him.

  Max pulled the zipper of her dress down, and it loosened around her. He took a step back, and her hands fell to her sides. He seemed conflicted and amazed.

  Feeling brave, Josie freed her arms from the straps and shimmied out of the dress, standing before him in her white strapless bra, underwear, and her heels. Max balled his fists as he swallowed hard.

  Josie reached around her and found her bra clasp when Max stepped forward and shook his head. “Turn around, Josephine.”

  And she did.

  She glanced over her shoulder to see him step towards her, and his finger traced a horizontal line above her clasp. She heard him murmur, “Beautiful,” as he unclasped her strapless bra and it landed on the floor. Josie stepped out of her heels and missed the height
it gave her. She turned around and tilted her head back to look into Max’s eyes. His irises had darkened when he took in her naked breasts, and she noticed the flash in his brown eyes when she pressed her thumbs into the elastic band of her lace underwear.

  Josie heard a small inhale as she bent her knees, pulling the lingerie down her legs and to her ankles. When she stood straight, she stepped out of them and tucked her hair behind her ear.

  Before she was even able to say a word, Max’s hot lips were on hers, and he walked her back, kissing her relentlessly until the back of her legs hit the edge of her bed. She let out a gasp, and Max gently pushed her down on the bed, his hard body pressed against her. Josie widened her legs and his erection pressed against her, causing her to moan. The urgency in them built as they continued to kiss and her hands skimmed the sides of his body. Max’s palms cupped her breasts, and his thumb circled her nipple. Josie was losing it. Normally, she controlled the pleasure, but with Max, she fought for it.

  He took the power from her and tortured her with calculated moves. Max’s lips left hers as he pressed open-mouthed kisses on her chin.

  To her neck.

  Lower.

  A kiss pressed against her collarbone.

  Even lower.

  Until his breath caressed the swell of her breasts.

  Her hands left his hips and cupped his head as Max dragged his tongue across her left nipple, causing her fingers to grasp his hair as he licked, nipped, sucked, and kissed each breast.

  “Max,” she begged.

  His hips bucked, and his hardness pressed against her core.

  She let out a moan of frustration when he pulled away.

  She needed so much more.

  She needed him inside her.

  Max got off the bed, kicked off his shoes, peeled off his socks, and his hands found his belt buckle.

  Josie had sat herself up and licked her lips before she asked, “Do you have a condom?”

  He nodded and reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. Josie reached out and took it from him. Max began to undress as she opened his wallet to find a yellow sticky note stuck in front of the card slots.

  Her heart came to a roaring stop as she took in the note she wrote him.

  You’re my La Vie En Rose.

  And how true it was.

  Her love for him written down long before she expressed the words for him to hear. She blinked away the tears that made an appearance, completely touched that he kept it with him.

  “I take you with me,” he said, getting her attention. Josie looked up to see him pull his shirt over his head. “You go where I go, Josephine.”

  God, she loved him.

  The truth in his eyes had her heart throbbing in her chest.

  She needed him.

  Desperately.

  Nothing she could say could truly express what his words meant to her. Josie watched as he unfastened his belt, unsnapped his black dress pants, and pulled them and his underwear down. He stood gloriously naked before her.

  Her eyes fell to his length to find him hard and impressively long and thick.

  She pulled out the condom from the notes slot and let his wallet fall to the floor. Then she handed him the protection and shuffled back to the middle of the bed.

  Max tore the condom packet with his teeth and pulled out the rubber. He had wrapped his fist around himself and pumped twice before he expertly and flawlessly rolled the latex down his hard length until it was properly on. Then Max climbed onto the bed and covered her body with his.

  Josie reached up and wrapped her fingers around his arms as he kissed her. The moment he slid his erection against her core, she gasped, and his tongue thrust into her mouth, mirroring the movements of his hips.

  “Max,” she pleaded.

  Thrust.

  Slide.

  Her fingers dug into his skin as she bucked her hips.

  Wanting.

  Needing more friction between them.

  “Oh, God … Josephine …”

  “Please,” she whispered against his mouth, and she opened her eyes to see him pull back and nod.

  Her hand had fallen away from his right arm before he shoved a hand between them and fisted himself. Then she felt him nudge at her entrance, and her chest heaved in anticipation.

  His eyes met hers. “Are you sure?”

  She smiled. If she wasn’t so desperate to have him inside her, she’d laugh. Instead, she nodded and breathed, “Yes.”

  Max slowly pushed inside her, and Josie gasped.

  It had been so long.

  So long since she’d felt the touch of another.

  But never had she felt the touch of a man who loved her.

  She had never been this intimate.

  This slow.

  This loving.

  She had never had this connection before.

  The sweet burn from him stretching her had her clutching his hips, urging him for more. Max took the hint, and with a hard thrust, he completely filled her to the hilt.

  She was full.

  So incredibly full.

  Max’s body fell on hers, and she felt his heart beat against hers as his lips found her neck. He stayed still, allowing her the time to adjust to his size.

  Josie needed him to move.

  She needed to feel more.

  She grasped the side of his head and pulled his lips from her neck to return to hers. She kissed him with urgency.

  With crazy desperation.

  It was as if Max had snapped. He pulled out of her and slammed into her, causing her to gasp so loudly.

  Then he inched out and entered her slowly.

  Hard.

  Slow.

  In.

  And out.

  Again.

  And again.

  He discovered his rhythm, finding that sweet spot as he slid inside and out of her.

  Her hips met each thrust as she moaned into his mouth.

  He gave her pleasure.

  He tortured her when he slowed his pace and then sped up.

  “God, Max!” she cried as his hips flexed, and she felt him throb inside her.

  “You, Josie,” he groaned and pulled back to look at her. “I love you.” Then he shoved a hand between them and rubbed circles above where they joined. She clenched around him and began to writhe.

  He entered her and whispered, “I love you.”

  He pulled out of her and groaned, “You …”

  She exploded to a thousand songs playing in her head when he had breathed, “Are my La Vie En Rose.”

  And Max finally came with the words, “Are the love of my life,” leaving his lips and pressing against hers.

  “Max!” Josie moaned as his fingers dug into her hips and moved her up and down his hard length. “Oh, God … right … there …”

  Last night, after their first time together, he had reached for his wallet and noticed that he had run out of condoms. Josie had told him that she had an unopened box in her drawer. After checking the expiry date and seeing they were still good to use, he had made love to her twice more before she led them to the shower and he brought her to orgasm with his tongue. When she had come down from her high, they took turns slowly washing each other until the water had turned cold and the steam had dissipated. It was crazy just how insatiable they were.

  They couldn’t get enough.

  Max couldn’t get enough.

  “Christ, fuck!” he cursed as she rode him harder. Max wrapped an arm around her and sat up. Josie’s hands found his jaw as she rode him, eyes never leaving his.

  God, she was beautiful.

  Sweat glistened her breasts.

  Her blue eyes had that love to them.

  And her cheeks flushed.

  This was the second time this morning that they were making loving.

  He had woken her up with the kisses he peppered on her lips, cheek, jaw, neck, and chest.

  “Max, I’m … close … oh, God. Oh, God!”

  His hi
ps snapped up, taking over and thrusting into her again and again until he felt her tighten around him, and she came, moaning his name.

  He flipped them over so she was on her back, satisfied with that slack smile on her face. Max grasped her waist and flexed his hips, pumping into her until he felt the familiar tingling at the bottom of his spine.

  Josie grasped the back of his neck, whispered, “Come for me, Max,” and bucked her hips to meet his thrusts.

  It had taken two lazy thrusts before he came, shooting his release into the condom. Max collapsed on top of her, squashing his chest against her breasts. He was short of breath and needed a minute. Josie reached up and stroked the back of his head.

  “What time is it?” she asked in a soft voice.

  Max pressed his hands into the mattress and lifted himself off her, realising he was probably too heavy for her.

  “I’m not sure.” He reached out and picked up his phone from her bedside table. He pressed the home button to see he had missed calls from Rob and Noel. He ignored them and took in the time. “It’s just after six.”

  She sighed and pulled her hand away from the back of his head. “I have to go open the store. Nadia already prepped all the batter for this morning.”

  “So we can’t stay in bed?”

  “I really wish we could,” she said, and Max rolled off her. “Do you want to shower first?”

  “You don’t mind?”

  Josie reached out and brought the blanket up to cover her naked body. “I’m sure. While you’re in there, I’ll grab you a towel.”

  Max leant over and kissed her on the lips. Then he got out of bed and made his way into her en suite bathroom, closing the door behind him. Max went to the toilet, pulled off the condom, and threw it into the bowl. He had ripped off some toilet paper, cleaned himself up, and dropped it in the toilet before he flushed it and made his way to Josie’s shower.

  Josie handed him his belt as he dropped the towel she had given him onto her bed. He grasped it in his hand and ducked down and kissed her full on the mouth.

  She whimpered the moment he pulled away.

  “You sore?”

  She opened her eyes and bit back a grin. “A little.”

  Max reached out and grasped the sash of her silk dressing gown she’d put on while he was in the shower. “Really hate that you have to go to work.”