New Forever (17 page)

Okay, so maybe letting Dee and Adam think that Max and I are doing fine was a bad idea. As if living under the same roof with someone who rarely touches you, and when he does he balks as if you just lashed out at him, wasn’t bad enough. Now we’re stuck in a tiny hotel room together. There’s no couch for him to sleep on and no bedroom for me to escape to when our emotions run too high.

Ever since our barbecue at Dee and Adam’s place, he’s been different. Not good or bad different, just different. He’s talking to me more and will touch me for no particular reason, but then it’s like he remembers he’s not supposed to touch me or look at me so he backs off even further than before. Because I have zero desire to placate whatever internal feud he is fighting, I go out of my way to touch him. Nothing big, just small non consequential touches that leave him running away from me and often into things.

I stick to my side of the room while I unpack, careful not to brush up against Max. The tension between us has grown substantially since we walked into this room and I’m afraid he’ll jump on the first flight back to Ft. Lauderdale if I do anything.

Then again, I could use the space to my advantage. Aside from going to the bar or casino, he really can’t get away from me. If I play it right, we could go back to being us before we leave for Nassau.

I contemplate going into our bathroom to change into my bikini, but I think playing a little dirty might work in my favor. So without saying a word, I lift my dress over my head and then strip off my bra and panties, making a show of bending over. I see him gawk at me through the corner of my eye and smile even though my heart is racing in my chest. When he lets out a strange sound that seems to be coming from his throat, I do an imaginary fist pump in my head.

Still naked, and rather pleased with myself, I go through my clothes until I find Max’s favorite bikini—a white Brazilian cut with blue polka dots. Even though I am more than capable of tying the top of my bikini, I ask Max to tie it for me and am delighted when his fingers linger over my skin. When he finishes, I turn around on weak knees and stand on my tiptoes so that I can kiss the side of his mouth.

“Thanks,” I say and he grabs my shoulders and pulls me to him again.

I look at him through hooded eyes and that’s all it takes. Just one look.

Our lips crash into one another with a ferocious entanglement of tongues. I move away enough to get his attention, and slow the rhythm of our kiss so that it is less of a battle that I am waging, and more of a dance. I link my hands together behind his neck while he trails his tongue over my lips. Forgetting that I’m the one doing the seducing, I lose myself in him and his kiss, while he grips my hips in place and runs circles over my thighs with his thumbs.

Too soon, our kiss is over and reality washes over Max’s face. He tries to move away from me, but I stop him when I touch his shoulder.

“This is us, Max,” I tell him gently. “Tell me we’re not right together, that we’re not a perfect fit for each other.”

Understanding washes over his face before it is replaced with regret. He kisses my cheek and hugs me to him.

“I want that to be true, Hay.”

He takes my hand in his and we link our fingers together as we go downstairs to meet Dee and Adam. The blood seems to rush to my head with the small contact and my heart continues to pound ferociously in my chest. Giddiness overtakes me and I’m tempted to go back to the hotel room to solidify whatever’s come over him, but I’ve never been on a glass bottom boat before and it took me almost the whole two weeks of getting ready for our trip to convince Dee we should go, so I don’t want to be late.

The waters in The Bahamas are clear enough that you can see right down to the bottom from the surface, but a boat with a glass bottom still sounds exciting. I know Max loves the ocean while I appreciate it from dry land, but I wanted to do something he’d like. This way, we can both see the world underneath without actually having to endanger our lives.

I kind of wish Max had been with me when Dee and I went whale watching in Seattle a few years ago. It was easily one of the most soul finding experiences I’ve ever encountered. Maybe a pod of dolphins will grace us with their presence while we’re on this little adventure.

As soon as we get on the boat, I make my way to the center and sit next to Max. He hasn’t let go of my hand since we left the hotel room and the small gesture fills me with more joy than I’ve experienced in the last few weeks. I lean my head on his shoulder and sigh when he kisses the top of my head lightly. I close my eyes as our tour guide give us directions and only open them to make sure I know where the life jackets are. You know, just in case.

Max lets me go when Josie toddles to him and demands to be picked up. Never one to turn her down, he picks her up and together they look over the side of the boat and into the water as the boat moves away from the dock and toward the open ocean. I watch with them, keeping track of all the beaches and lighthouses we pass that I want to visit.

I listen to Max tell Josie about the different sea life that lives under the water and am annoyed when our tour guide interrupts him with random jokes that aren’t even funny. I’m not all that interested in sea life either, but I like listening to Max’s voice and it seems like forever since I heard him sound so at ease. Josie is as entranced as I am and barely speaks throughout our ride.

When our tour guide announces that we have reached our destination, we turn around and watch as the floor in front of us opens up to reveal the glass bottom we had been promised. Adam takes Josie from us while I squeeze Max’s arm in delight. Seeing the different colors the sea has to offer makes me want to go under there and experience it for myself. Max points out the different types of fish that swim under us as well as the different reef systems below us and I lean forward to get the best view, soaking in the information like a starving child.

After a few minutes, our tour guide offers us all some fish food to toss over the side of the boat, which I happily take. With the food securely grasped in my closed hand, I turn around and feel the sudden urge to vomit. I let go of the fish food so I can hold onto the side of the boat and take long, slow breaths when the world spins around me.

“You okay?” Max whispers into my ear and I shake my head no, only to have my ears start ringing.

Without further warning, I lean over the side of the boat and vomit. I feel the sweat build up on my forehead while Max rubs my back and kisses the back of my head. I lean my head down and continue to breathe slowly, hoping the nausea will dissipate.

When I begin to feel slightly better, I turn around and take a cold bottle of water Dee hands me. I take a small sip and my stomach immediately retaliates. Max takes the bottle away from me when I put my head between my knees and he rests the cold bottle on my neck after pushing my hair to the side.

“Ah,” I sigh. “That feels good.”

I close my eyes and continue to focus on my breathing while Max presses the bottle to my neck. I hear our tour guide continue to ramble but don’t bother trying to make sense of what he says. All I want is to be on land again. Dry, unmoving, land.

“Lets go to the bow of the boat,” Max suggests gently. “That way you get some fresh air on that pretty face of yours.”

Max helps me to my feet and together we move to the front of the boat where Max and I find a couple unoccupied seats. I lean on him and with the warm breeze hitting my face and Max’s arm around my shoulders, I begin to feel better. I lift my head up and enjoy the sea breeze that hits my face and tickles my nose.

“You sure know how to kill a moment,” Max jokes and I nudge his stomach with my elbow.

“I don’t get it,” I tell him. “I’ve been on boats hundreds of times and have never been sea sick.”

“The glass bottom can disorient people and make you sea sick,” he explains and I find little solace in the idea that my stomach hasn’t somehow weakened.

“I still want to go on the booze cruise,” I joke. “Or one of those speed boats. That’d be fun.”

“Okay, but you’re resting the rest of the day.”

I feel better, but I like the idea of Max taking care of me so I willingly agree.

Once the boat is finally docked, I practically launch myself off the boat and onto dry land. I’d kiss the very ground I walk on if Max wasn’t holding me firmly to his side. I lean my head on him, milking my ailment longer than necessary, as we walk back to our hotel room. When I’m tempted to skip forward, I remind myself I’m sick and in need of Max’s attention and suppress the urge.

Under his instruction, I take a shower while he orders me soup and then cuddle on the bed where Max joins me. I curl into him, for the first time in over a month sure that he won’t turn me away, and hug his stomach. Before my soup arrives, I fall asleep while Max runs his fingers through my hair.

I wake up drenched in Hayley’s scent and with her body curled into mine. I put my arm around her and gently pull myself closer to her so that empty space does not exist between us. I kiss her forehead but move to her lips when she tips her face up to meet mine.

The heat radiating from her body makes my own come to life while my pulse quickens under her gaze. I caress her face, and shudder when her eyes grow sultry. I hear her soft moan when I nip her neck and continue down to her collar bone.

“I’m yours,” she tells me, moving her body and straddling me.

My hands go around her waist and I slip them beneath the shirt she is wearing and lift it over her head to remove it. After I throw her shirt to the side, I cup her breasts in my hands and then take my time licking and sucking on her nipples. Her fingers dig into my hair as she parts her lips and sighs my name softly.

Hayley crawls to the edge of the bed so she can take off her panties, I follow suit and remove my boxer briefs. After crawling back to me, she takes my dick in her hand and slowly strokes up and down. I jerk once in her hold and she smiles back at me before she puts my dick in her mouth. She licks the tip and moves her hand along the length again while I caress the sides of her stomach and ribs with my fingertips. My stomach flutters with her firm grasp and movements and I jerk upwards.

Euphoria hits me as her tongue and hand dance along my length me, and while I know she enjoys having control, I flip her over when I feel myself getting close to climaxing. With Hayley lying on her back and her eyes intently on me, I trace kisses over her breasts, down her naval until I am kissing her inner thigh and she is trembling beneath me. She puts her hand in my hair again and pulls my face toward hers and we kiss each other hard and hungry. With our lips connected, I thrust inside of her, desperate to find the release both our bodies yearn for. My thrusts are erratic and I’m barely able to hold on while she pants my name. Seconds after her screams course through my body, I release inside of her and gently bite her chin before I lie down on top of her, careful to not set my whole weight on her.

She strokes my back for a long time while I rest my face against her neck where I kiss her. Before I drift back to sleep, I ease my body off her and lie down beside her. Her body immediately seeks mine, and with my girl back in my arms, I fall back to sleep. Content to simply be touching her.