Page 44 of Where the Dark Knelt
As we sat drinking wine, feeling mellow, Max’s questions became more personal. “Are you seeing anyone, Lily?”
Alfie doesn’t count. “No.”
Smirking, he raised an eyebrow. “Are you kidding me, why not?” he asked, surprised.
There was no way I could tell him about Alfie.
“There was someone briefly, but it didn’t come to anything.” I wanted to shift the spotlight from me. “What about you, Max, I bet the ladies are falling over you.”
“Well! Yeah, they are.” He chuckled truthfully. “But I’m too picky, I guess, and I got bored of one-night stands.”
His openness surprised me. “Tell me about your ‘didn’t-come-to-anything’ guy.” He smiled.
“There’s nothing to tell really, other than he doesn’t do serious relationships.
Max bunched his brows.“Is that guy nuts?”
I shrugged not wanting to get into that again. “Anyway, he moved on, and I got my shit together with Will. We’ve had no real time for socializing since, until tonight.”
Westarted talking about our common love of music, and it was as if the previous four years melted away. We had a long history as friends. While he was talking, I drew my fingers up my wine glass. Dipping my middle finger briefly in my wine, I circled it around the rim of the glass, making a tune.
Max reached over and tookmy hand in his, lacing his fingers through mine. “Sorry, honey, you can’t do that with your finger, it’s turning me on.” I giggled at him, thinking that he was just being funny. When I met his gaze, his eyes were darker in color, and his sensual stare made me see he was completely serious.
He gestured at our hands by holding them up. “Remember when we used to do this when we talked at night in the camper van?”
Smiling, I had. “Yeah, I do, Max.”
He smiled and continued, “I can tell you now, I thought I’d never felt hands so soft and delicate, and that you were my little angel.”
Smiling, I wrinkled my nose at him. “Aww.”
When he unexpectedly lifted my hand and kissed it gently,I felt a small thrill run throughout my body.
I looked at Max and sighed. “We should head home. I need my bed.”
Max muttered what I thought was, “Me too.”
However,when I looked closer at him, he smiled like he hadn’t said anything out of place, and I thought I’d misheard him. Max looked gorgeous in his red shirt and easy fit jeans. The red color suited his skin tone, his dark tan and blond hair made him look striking.
Catching me looking at him, he smiled slowly, signaling to our waiter for the check. He glanced at itand threw some folded bills into the wallet. Walking along the dark road on the way home, toward the lights of the condo building, Maxleaned in and automatically threw his arm around me. Tensing initially, because it felt weird, Max smiled and startedrubbing my arm as he chatted, and I felt myself relax. Lifting my hand to meet his, we clasped our fingers together again. “We used to do this too.” He grinned gesturing at our hands again. Still smiling, he tilted his head toward the sky and inhaled deeply.
Neither Max, nor I, changed our position as we entered the building and walked over to the elevator.I definitely felt safe with Max, but I had butterflies at the same time because this was very different. This was everything I’d ever dreamed of as a young teenager with him. When the elevator car arrived, I was nervous of what might happen between us.
On the way up,I began to talk about the beach, but Max had put a finger up to my mouth. “Shush.” I stared at him. “I want to kiss you.” He smiled affectionately, bringing his hand up. He took my chin between his index finger and thumb, tilting my face up to him. Our eyes met and I smiled back.
“You used to kiss me all the time, Max.”
Gazing into my eyes, his voice became huskier. “Hell, I used to kiss you like a brother. This kiss will definitely not be like that.” I swallowed audibly, and wet my lips subconsciously, but became conscious I was doing it and felt myself blush.
At that point I wanted that too. I had always wanted Max to kiss me properly not just a peck on the cheek. My mind was in conflict though, because of my slutty behavior with Sam and Alfie. The timing sucked, but I knew I may never get the chance to experience a kiss with Max again if I rejected him.
My eyes searched his.“Okay, if it feels weird we could stop… no awkwardness… deal?” I wrinkled my nose, and he smiled broadly.
Licking his lips, he motioned toward me. He moved his closed lips back and forth on mine before pressing them to my mouth with more pressure.
Max’s hands slidaround the small of my back, and moved up to my ribs, before he stroked downwards, toward my belly, then he suddenly pushed me against the elevator wall. I kissed him back, and he murmured, “Oh God.” An intense heat grew between us, and I was drenched between my legs.
His hands traveled up to the sides of my face, caressing my chin on both sides. He put his hand on the back of my head, pulling me into him as his tongue probed deeper into my mouth. Our breathing was ragged and hurried now. It left me breathless.
