Page 65 of Summer Ever After
Max’s cell phone rang, but he handed it to me. “It’s Olivia Stinson.”
I took the call. Max had been in discussions with a local Windswan lawyer the entire time I was in the hospital. It turns out that Christina had been lying to me all those years. My inheritance was going to be deposited into my bank account in the next few days. Christina was in prison, awaiting trial, and Chloe had disappeared.
I thanked the lawyer and hung up the call. The lock screen picture on Max’s phone was a photo of us he’d snapped when I was in the hospital – I still had the bandage on my head.
“Here.” I handed him the phone. “Can we take a better photo for your screen saver?” I asked.
“Sure.” He shrugged. “But that’s your phone. You can use whatever photo you’d like.”
It was a small gesture, but Max seemed to be the king of those. “This is my first cell phone – at twenty-three years old.”
“I know. It’s crazy,” Max said. “I think that I have a contender for your new lock screen. He held up a giant orange ginger cat. “This is Fanta. I think he’s better looking than me.”
Trading the phone for the cat, I buried my face in his fur. Fanta’s purrs vibrated against my chest. Max snapped a photo and showed it to me. “You’re right. That is my new lock screen picture.” I set down the very heavy cat and he proceeded to wind himself in figure eights around my legs.
Jessica had been living in Max’s cottage, but when she heard that I was moving in for the rest of the summer, she’d returned to the main estate – along with Ginger, her fat orange cat.
Max took me in his arms. “I have an elaborate date planned for our first morning together.”
“Tell me more.” I kissed his neck.
“Well, I’m going to give you a choice. We can take the paddleboards around the island and then come back for a swim. I’ll make you breakfast and then we can make plans for all the fun things we’re going to do before you go away to school.
It sounded like the perfect morning. “What’s the other option?”
His eyes glinted and he whispered in my ear. “We starve and I show you my fancy shower.”
“Is there more than one showerhead?” I tapped my chin like I was actually considering the options. Making love with Max had been all that I could think about since I woke up in the hospital.
He picked me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist. “There’s twenty.”
“Fuck food.” I nipped at his earlobe.
With the steam shower activated, Max started by washing my back. My hair had started to grow in, and he scrubbed at the scruff on my head. He bent and bit my neck as I washed his hair, and then he turned me around and spread my legs. I pressed my hands against the black marble tile and arched my back as I received the sensation I’d been fantasizing about for over a year – Max big and hard and thrusting into me. He wrapped his arm around my body and squeezed my breast while we moved together. I leaned my head against his shoulder and moaned as his other hand slipped between my legs. He shifted us so that one of the shower heads was helping out with his hand, and my legs were soon shaking. “Oh, Max,” I moaned, my voice echoing in the bathroom. “I’m going to come.”
“Me too, baby.” His voice was strained. We had prepared for this. I was on the pill and we both had a clean bill of health. Feeling his skin against mine was even better than I’d imagined. He held me up as my legs gave out when my orgasm surged through my body. He grunted and squeezed his arm around my waist as he shuddered, his body twitching inside mine.
I turned to face him. The water from the rain shower head cascaded over our heads as our mouths found each other’s, frantically. He was already hard again, his cock rested warm between my legs. “It’s going to be a good August,” he growled.
We made love, this time slowly on his bed, and then we got dressed. We were invited to the main house for breakfast. The paddleboards were the quickest way to get there, and as we landed on the main island, Mrs. Graham was there waiting for me.
“Welcome home, dear.” She spread her arms wide and I fell into her embrace. “Max is like a son to me. I’m so happy that it’s you that he chose.”
I winked at her. “With your help.” She turned her palms upward. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”
Mrs. Graham’s radio squawked. “Ah, business calls. Head on up. I believe that breakfast is ready.”
We walked hand in hand up the pathway to the main cottage. Laird was standing on the deck wearing golf clothes, a cup of steaming coffee in his hand. “There she is.” He held open his arms. “I can’t wait to steal you from Jessica for the regatta next year.” Laird reminded me so much of my father, he even smelled like him. It should’ve been weird, but every time he hugged me, it brought me comfort.
Jessica slid open the balcony door. “Actually, Dad. I was thinking that the four of us might make a good team. We just need one more.”
Laird looked a little sad, but it passed quickly. “I’ll see what I can do. Maybe you can round up another person to join the family team.”
“Maybe Rosie will meet someone at school and set me up.” Jessica smiled. “Until then I’ll stick with the landscapers.” She leaned on the balcony and as if on cue, one of the workers started up the lawnmower.
“You are going to be the death of me.” Laird shook his head. “For the longest time, I thought it was Max that was going to kill me, but I think it might be you. Come on. Breakfast is on the table.” He jerked his head toward the cottage.
We all took seats at the one end of the huge dining table. “Did you hear the cottage keeper gossip?” Jessica whispered to me.
