Eva: Well, that dinner might be put off for a bit, we’ll see.
Hope you have a great 2012 too!
Earth2Mama: Michael has every intention of meeting Maria.
Lol, we like Sara too.
Natalie36: Thanks for reading!
keepsmiling7: Hey, we’re back and RF’s still with us!
Yeah, the guys do have serious reputations.
Lol, yeah, Liz especially, was relieved.
mary mary: There is something to be said for moving beyond that age.
We’re getting very close to the Ben revelation.
Alien_Friend: It so wasn’t our fault that the holidays fell right after that last update, lol! It’s hard to decide which of them will get the truth out there first.
Liz likes Sara a lot better now that she knows she’s not a threat.
Hope your 2012 is going well!
begonia9508: Lol, guess it all depends on the people involved.
sarammlover: Well, we might learn something about Ben and Isabel... not sure how revealing it’ll be though, lol.
secretk: Hm, you don’t need to wonder about this any longer. We start to clear this up today… let’s see how this goes, huh?
Part 21
Liz laughed breathlessly as she landed on the bed and Max pounced on her, his weight carefully balanced on his forearms. She shifted beneath him, groaning slightly when he settled between her thighs. Her fingertips traced over his bare back, drawing random patterns against his warm skin. She tipped her head back when his lips started to trail along her collarbone and she shivered when he used his nose to brush the strap of her bra aside.
She knew where tonight was going and it was what she wanted more than anything else. But she couldn’t let it happen with this big secret between them. She had come up with at least a dozen different ways of telling him about the dare but she suddenly found herself drawing a complete blank. With every kiss, every touch, she was getting closer to letting her need overrule her mind and it took everything she had to stop him.
“Max.”
He made a sound of acknowledgement and reached for the clasp on her bra.
At any other time his single-minded concentration would be appreciated but if she didn’t get the truth out it was going to be worse later. She knew once she told him about the dare that was a good chance that it might end things between them, but not telling him would be worse. She had told Maria things like their dare always came out and she believed it. If she didn’t tell him and he found out some other way it was going to hurt him, and that would be even worse once they became intimate. That thought strengthened her resolve and she placed her hands against his chest.
“Max.”
It was the insistent tone in her voice that caught his attention and he lifted his gaze to hers. It took several moments before her expression sank in and he frowned. “What’s wrong?” He was sure he wasn’t misreading her signals. “Liz?”
“We need to talk.”
“Now?” he asked incredulously.
“We could talk later, but – “
“Later’s good,” he interrupted.
“No,” she said slowly. “Later would be wrong.”
He studied her lips for a moment before lowering his head. “I think later’s okay,” he murmured.
“Yeah,” she whispered, quickly losing herself in the sensation of his skin against hers, his tongue teasing hers and enticing her to play with him and forget about talking. The little voice at the back of her mind became more insistent, demanding that she talk to him before it was too late. She broke the kiss reluctantly. “No, Max…”
He dropped his forehead against her shoulder and groaned. “You’re sure we have to talk about whatever this is now?” he growled.
She ran her fingers through his hair, lightly scratching his scalp before sliding down to massage his neck. “Yeah,” she answered apologetically. “I just really need to tell you this before we go any further tonight.”
“Okay.” He pushed himself up on his forearms. “What’re we talkin’ about?”
“I can’t…” He couldn’t honestly expect her to carry on a conversation with him plastered to her could he? “You’re gonna have to move.”
He rolled his hips and grinned unrepentantly when she moaned. “Should I move some more?” he asked, his voice full of humor.
Liz shoved his shoulder and fought to stay still while her body was demanding that she satisfy its needs. “Max, it’s important.”
He capitulated when he heard the serious note in her voice. “Alright.” He rolled off of her and rested his weight on his right elbow as he gave her his full attention.
“I was with someone before I started seeing you,” she said as she sat up and leaned over to grab his shirt.
Max wrapped his hand around her wrist, stopping her before she could pull the shirt on. “Are you getting ready to dump me?”
“Dump you?” she repeated, shaking her head. “No.”
He tugged on the shirt. “Then the barrier isn’t necessary.”
Liz bit her bottom lip uncertainly. She really didn’t want to be half-naked if he didn’t want her to stay once he knew the truth. “But you might not wanna see me anymore after I tell you what I need to tell you.”
“You’re not leavin’ me to be with the guy you were with before, right?” He continued when she shook her head. “Okay, so there’s nothin’ to worry about.”
“Max, I was with David for a long time.”
He shifted uncomfortably. He didn’t want to hear anything about her ex. The guy was out of the picture so he shouldn’t matter anymore.
“He dumped me not that long before you and I met. He said I wasn’t that adventurous or exciting.” Her gaze shot to his when he snorted.
“I find that hard to believe.” He shrugged. “Look, I’ve spent the last few weeks with you so I know different. Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt, just wanted to clear that up.”
“I told you before that Maria and I dare each other to do stuff.” She took a deep breath when he nodded. “Right, well, I was feeling pretty bad after David dumped me so Maria dared me to spend some time with you because you’ve got plenty of experience and you wouldn’t really get serious about me so you wouldn’t get hurt when I went back to David.”
Max sat up. “But you’re not goin’ back to him.”
“No, I’m not. In the beginning I thought I was but the more time I spent with you the more I realized I didn’t want him back.”
“Okay, so she dared you to spend time with me so you could… get some experience in bed?” He wasn’t exactly clear on the dare.
“No, gosh, we never would’ve dared each other to have sex with you guys.”
“Is that why she’s been seein’ Michael?” That could really hurt his friend. As much as he insisted he could end things at any time and just move on Max knew better.
“No! Maria’s been into Michael for a long time but he’s always ignored her so I dared her to try with him again. She would never do anything to intentionally hurt him. The dare was really more of an excuse than anything else. She figured if he shot her down again she could blame it on the dare.”
Well, that would put Michael’s mind at ease. “And me?”
“I didn’t expect to be so attracted to you, and I had no idea that I’d develop real feelings for you.” She let her fingertips rest against his cheek. “I couldn’t let things go any further without telling you the truth. It would’ve always been between us and if you found out about it you’d be hurt.” She shook her head. “I wouldn’t want you to ever wonder if we were together because of a dare.”
“You’re sure that David’s outta the picture?”
“I’m positive.” She watched him as he considered what she had said and she tried to be patient as she waited for him to speak.
Max wasn’t thinking about the dare the girls had made. It was the dare he and Michael had made that was on his mind. Should he tell her about it? No. Michael had dared him to get her to fall for him, have sex with her, and then dump her. There was just no good way to explain that and it would only hurt her if he tried.
“Max?”
He shook himself. “Huh?”
“Should I… Do you want me to leave?”
Pull it together, Evans! “No! No, sorry, I was just thinkin’.”
“About?” she asked, scared of the answer.
“Just…” He took her hand and pulled her down beside him. “We’re not together because of a dare, Liz. It doesn’t matter what got us here. All that matters is we’re together because I like you an’ you like me.”
Liz searched his features and a slow smile lit up her face at the realization that the dare didn’t matter to him. “I was so scared to tell you about it but I didn’t want it between us.” She moved deeper into his arms and kissed him. “Is there anything you wanna ask me before we…” She laughed at the look of disbelief on his face. “Or we don’t need to talk anymore.”
“No more talkin’,” he agreed, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her over on top of him. His fingers fumbled with the clasp on her bra for a few moments before it released and he sighed happily when her bare skin met his. “I’ll never get tired of lookin’ at you,” he murmured, smiling when she sat up to give him a better look. “Or touchin’.” His hands came up to trace over her flesh. “Or tastin’.” He tugged her down so he could demonstrate.
“You’re not the only one who likes to do those things,” she whispered as she gently rasped her nails over his boxer-clad erection. He hardened even more and she slipped her hand past his waistband to stroke him. She smiled when he shifted, pushing himself into her hand and she kissed him harder as she increased her movements.
Max rolled them over so he could feel around on the nightstand for the condom he had put there earlier. He snatched it up and handed it to her while he worked his boxers down and off. “I don’t think he’s gonna need much more attention,” he growled as he hooked his thumbs in the waistband of her panties and tugged them off. He sat up on his knees when she caught one edge of the packet between her teeth and hooked one foot behind his left knee and tugged him towards her. “I know somebody who needs some attention though.”
“You’d better do something about that then.” Liz ripped the packet open and rolled the condom over his hard length, giving him a couple more strokes before releasing him.
He lowered himself over her and took her mouth in a heated kiss. He willingly followed her guiding hand, slowly sinking into her and groaning when he felt her nails biting into his shoulder. He concentrated on the kiss to give her time to adjust and before long she pushed against him and he withdrew nearly all the way before pushing inside again. He chuckled when she made a sound of frustration and shoved him over so that she was on top. He looked up at her and palmed her breasts as she started to ride him. He dropped his hands to her hips and rolled them over again.
“Don’t play with me, Max,” she panted.
He thrust hard, making her moan. “Never gonna stop playin’ with you, darlin’,” he promised with a wicked grin. The muscles in his upper arms bunched up as he shifted his weight and started to thrust faster.
Liz pulled him down for another kiss as she wrapped her legs around him. She felt herself getting closer and he shifted again, thrusting deeper and pushing her over the edge. She threw her head back and closed her eyes, biting her bottom lip hard as her orgasm washed over her. She felt his rhythm stutter and knew he was almost there. She reached down between them to tease his balls, smiling against his shoulder when he stiffened and came hard.
The air was forced from her lungs when he collapsed on top of her and she pushed him over, following him and settling against his side. “I won’t mind if you decide you wanna play some more later,” she said with a smile.
He chuckled gruffly and kissed her before getting rid of the condom. “Gimme a few minutes and I think we can work somethin’ out.”
She laughed when he yawned and she shoved his shoulder. “Yeah, whatever,” she snorted. “You’re gonna fall asl…” she trailed off as she yawned and she rolled her eyes when he laughed and grabbed the blanket to pull it up over them. “Well, we can always play after a nap.” She yawned again and closed her eyes. Yeah, after a nap sounded like a good idea, she thought when she heard his breathing begin to even out.
*****
“So you’ve got a date tonight, huh?” Tess asked, shifting Nayla to her other hip. “You’re getting heavy, girl.”
Maria smiled at her niece. “Don’t listen to her, you’re not heavy.” She turned to Tess again. “Yeah, if he doesn’t back out.”
“You think he would?” Tess was surprised. Well, okay, after what Maria had told her the last few hours about the new developments with a certain man, she shouldn’t be so shocked.
“I really hope not.”
Nayla started to squirm around as soon as the playground on the beach came into sight and Tess sighed, putting her down. “Patience, girl.”
The little girl made a face, wanting to get there quickly and pulling on her mother’s hand.
Tess held her hand until they were far away from the street. “Kids.”
Maria laughed at the little girl’s attempts to free herself from her mother’s grip. “She’s excited about the playground.”
“Always is. Getting dirty and exhausted is her goal, just like her father.”
Nayla looked around before looking up at her mother. “Daddy?”
“He’s not here, sweetie. Remember, we left him in bed?”
“Dirty and exhausted?” Maria teased, her voice low so it wouldn’t carry to her niece’s ears.
“In a totally literal way,” Tess said. “Whenever she goes out with Kyle, they both come home looking like they took a mud bath and after we get them cleaned up they pass out on the couch.”
Maria chuckled. “Boys.”
Nayla shrieked happily when they finally reached the playground and Tess turned her loose.
“Don’t go too...” her mother said and stopped abruptly when Nayla landed in the sand, face first, “...fast. Great.”
The little girl paused for a moment as she pushed herself up on her little hands and she looked around for a moment as if deciding whether or not the fall was worth crying over.
“Wasn’t that bad, huh?” Maria said, setting her up straight again. “The swing’s free sweetie, whatcha say?”
She looked over toward the swing set and pointed at it as she looked up at her aunt with a smile, the fall already forgotten.
“Yeah, thought you’d like that,” she laughed and took Nayla’s hand again as they walked to the swings.
Nayla was settled in the swing and she squealed happily as she was given a push that set the swing in motion. “More!”
Tess took over and Maria walked around to stay in front of the swing. She smiled at the giggling sounds Nayla made every time she flew through the air.
The sound of someone calling out caught her attention and she turned her head, following the sound. She paused when she saw Michael across the park, a smile on his face as he scooped a little boy up as he came down off of the slide. She took a step back to avoid getting hit by her swinging niece and she focused her hearing on the scene unfolding before her.
Michael put the boy down and she watched as he ran over to a woman as fast as his chubby little legs could take him. She pushed her sunglasses up as she crouched down to catch him, lifting him up in her arms and kissing his cheek.
“Hey, Isabel, you’re runnin’ late,” Michael called as he crossed to her and wrapped his arms around her in a hug.
Maria heard him greet the woman and her face paled as she connected the name to the pendant he wore. And he’d said the inscription on the pendant was for his mother. What was worse was that she’d fallen for it!
The little boy held in Isabel’s arms suddenly leaned back and smiled. “Dada!”
Michael grinned and looked at the woman. “How’s that? We’ve been workin’ on that all mornin’. Actually sounds like a real word now,” he said proudly.
All that she had feared about his secrets was suddenly thrown in her face and she was completely unprepared for it. She held onto the mast of the swing tightly as she tried to understand what was happening. Not only did he have a son, no. He was wearing a pendant with the name of the mother on it. What did that mean for her?
Tess looked at Maria and frowned when she turned to follow her gaze. She moved to stand behind her daughter, keeping the swing in motion. “Maria, what’s wrong?”
The other girl couldn’t say anything. She just stared at the little family in front of her, her throat tight as if she was being strangled.
Tess frowned at the other woman and she reached out to shake her. “Maria, hey!” What was going on?
“I think... I...” she babbled.
She was getting worried about her sister-in-law’s behavior. Her eyes once more turned to the little family across the park that Maria was fixated on.
Maria finally shook herself out of her trance. “It’s Michael, can’t you see it?”
Tess narrowed her eyes as she studied the man in question. Okay, that was definitely Michael Guerin... with a beautiful blonde and a little boy that bore a remarkable resemblance to them. “Okay, well, if he had a kid wouldn’t that be all over school? I mean, he’s popular, so we’d have heard about it, right? Hell, everyone knew about it when your brother knocked me up,” she said with a roll of her eyes.
Maria wasn’t really listening to what Tess was saying. The display right in front of her had knocked out every little bit of sanity at the moment. All she could feel was the hurt in her heart and the shame that she had fallen for him.
“Maria...” Tess gave her daughter another push in the swing before turning her attention back to the other woman. “Hey, let’s just go, okay?” If she didn’t have Nayla with her she’d be suggesting they walk right over to there and speak to him.
Focus, DeLuca, she told herself and looked at Tess. “No, you two stay here and I... I’m just gonna go home.”
Michael lifted Ben up and blew a raspberry on his exposed tummy, making the little boy howl with laughter.
“Michael, look at his shirt,” Isabel said, shaking her head at the two of them. Grass and dirt stains were all over the back of his shirt... and his jeans too, she realized on closer inspection. “Do you have any idea how hard it is to get grass stains out of a white shirt?”
“I told you not to dress him in a white shirt, but do you listen to a word I say?”
She huffed and shook her head when they continued with their antics. “You’re incorrigible.”
He just grinned and whispered something to Ben before they both turned to look at her with matching grins. “We know,” they said at the same time.
“20 more minutes and then we’re gonna have to go.”
“Aww, c’mon, Mom, don’t make us go inside yet,” Michael said with a teasing grin.
Isabel rolled her eyes at him before tapping his watch. “Time’s ticking. We’re taking him to have his picture taken this afternoon, remember?”
“So now he looks like a little boy... give it a rest, Iz. Besides,” he hefted Ben around to show him off, “his front’s not all dirty. No one’ll...” he trailed off when his laughing gaze suddenly fell on the short blonde across the park and he saw the confusion and hurt on her face. Oh, hell, this was not the way he wanted her to find out. “Take him, Iz,” he said when Maria started to turn away.
“Michael what... where are you going?” She asked in confusion and rushed to Ben’s side.
He nodded at the woman turning to leave the park. “Somethin’ I’ve gotta take care of. I’ll be back.”
The view got blurry as she escaped the scene she had witnessed, feeling like she was going to be torn in two. Maria couldn’t hold back her tears anymore when feelings of hurt, anger, and betrayal washed over her.
She stopped at the street to decide where she should go. Home to her parents wasn’t an option right now and her dorm was too far away to just walk. She just wanted to hide somewhere to deal with her pain alone, where no one could watch her.
Her eyes locked on the small park not far away and she ran across the street, ignoring the honking cars and a driver who screamed after her, “Insane bitch!”
There was a small pond in the park and after making sure no one was around she dropped to the ground and pulled her bent legs tightly against her body. As soon as her body relaxed she could feel the sobs shaking her body. She should have known that something was totally wrong with Michael. Why had she trusted him at all? She knew he had big secrets and she knew he was probably bad company, and yet she had let herself fall for him.
What bothered her most though was the fact that she had totally bought his story about his dead mother. How cruel did someone have to be to make such a story up? Isabel, she snorted loudly and pulled some grass out with her hands, his mother, yeah sure. It was his freaking girlfriend, wife, ex... whatever!
Isabel grabbed his arm. “Hey, what’s going on? Michael, who was that girl?”
He shook her hand off. “Not now, Iz. Look, just let Ben enjoy the rest of his time in the park and I’ll meet you guys at the studio.” He leaned in to kiss the little boy’s head. “See ya in a little while, buddy.”
He took the direction Maria had taken, ignoring the scathing look being shot at him by the woman she had been with. Where would she go? he wondered. Her dorm? Maybe her parents’ place? No, he decided, the dorms were too far away and... well, he had no idea where her parents lived. He followed the street he was on for a few minutes before he spotted the park, and deciding it was the most logical place for her to go, he turned into it and started looking around.
He finally located her near the pond, her legs pulled up to her chest as she hugged herself tightly. She was the picture of misery and the sound of the sobs being choked out because she couldn’t hold them in any longer tore at his heart.
No, there was no way her feelings for him were faked. He didn’t know what the deal was behind that damn dare, but this was as real as it got. He took a tentative step towards her. “Maria...”
She had seen him coming and her body was as stiff as a board. “Don’t!” she warned.
He sighed, just knowing she wasn’t going to listen to him right now. This’s what you get for being so damn secretive, Guerin, his conscience screamed at him. Shut the fuck up, he shot back, silencing it. It wasn't just himself he was protecting by keeping his silence about Ben and Isabel. “Just let me explain. Please.” He moved closer to her, unable to stand back while she was in such pain.
“Don’t touch me,” she told him.
“Look, if you’ll just listen to me I can explain everything you just saw.”
“I don’t wanna hear any fuckin’ explanation right now,” she yelled at him and got up on her feet again. “Go back to your child and your… whatever and leave me alone.”
“My...” He tried not to smile, he really did, but the damn thing broke loose at the jealousy in her voice and he couldn’t stop it. “Maria, Ben and Isabel – “
“What is so damn funny?” She couldn’t believe he had dared to smile and she shoved him.
He grabbed her hand to keep her from hitting him again and he shook his head. “No, Maria, I’m not laughin’ at you... I’m just relieved and sometimes I laugh like a jackass when that happens.”
“Relieved? About what? That you don’t have to tell me now? Because you are too much of a wuss to talk about it?”
“Girl, you’re makin’ my head hurt. I’ll be happy to tell you all about it if you’ll just calm down for all of ten seconds.”
“I make your head hurt?” she asked in disbelief. God, she was so mad at him. What was this for him? “What was this for you? A fuckin’ game?”
He drew back and anger blazed in his dark eyes. “You wanna pull that card? A fuckin’ game? Really? What d’you call the dare you and Parker made, huh? Tryin’ to get close to me on a dare? What kinda shit was that?” he yelled.
“What?” She was shocked. “How do you even know about that?”
“What the fuck does it matter how I know about it? The only reason you wanted to get close to me was because of a dare. That’s pretty sick if you ask me! You think I was gonna introduce you to my family when you weren’t even really serious about me? I’m not gonna let them get hurt, not by you or anyone else!”
She snorted and poked a finger at him. “Yeah you know me really well if you think that. Oh, and your mother... Isabel,” she laughed bitterly, “looks pretty young and alive to me.” Her hands sank slowly when a new thought entered her mind. “If you knew about the dare... then why did you even hang out with me?”
His mouth hung open for a second before his brain caught up. “Don’t try to turn this around on me! You’re the one who came after me on a dare!”
“And you played along why exactly?”
“Does it matter?”
“Yeah, because if I seriously thought someone had made a dare about me then I wouldn’t have played along.”
His blood was starting to boil. “Maybe I just wanted to get laid,” he snapped.
She took a step backwards. “Why would you stick with me then? My dare wasn’t to fuck you.”
He snorted and before he could stop it his mouth ran away with him again. “Maybe not, but Max and I had a side bet goin’... and sex was definitely part of our bet.” He felt like an asshole as soon as the words were out.
“You bet on having sex with me?” she asked quietly. If her heart hadn’t been crushed before, it definitely was now.
There was no way to backpedal on that one. “Yeah, but, Maria... it wasn’t like that. I mean, yeah, it was at first, but – “
Her hand shot up quickly as she slapped him across the face. Not as hard as she could, but just to show him how disgusting he was. “Never talk to me again, Guerin,” she said with a shaky voice, while new tears were streaming down her cheeks.
He rubbed his stinging cheek and stared after her. “Why the fuck did you let that cat outta the bag, Guerin?” he muttered. He started to follow her but thought better of it and decided they both needed time to calm down before he tried to talk to her again.
Maria ran through the park while she cried. People were looking at her like she was insane and a couple tried to find out if she needed help, but she just kept running until she found a silent lonely place again to hide.
She sat there for what felt like hours, but it was probably less. It took time to calm down and when she finally felt strong enough again she pulled her cell out, determined to delete all of the messages she’d gotten from him as well as his number. She scanned through her inbox, deleting message by message. She stopped when she read the one from last night again... the one where he had made plans for today’s dinner. He had promised to tell her everything and now she wondered what kind of lie he would have told her this time.
Deleted, she thought in satisfaction and was about to push her cell back in her pocket when she read an older message from her best friend. Liz, she thought. Michael had said he AND Max had made that bet. Oh, God, why hadn’t she thought about it immediately? Max was just a pretender like Michael had been. As hard as it was, she had to warn her best friend. Quickly she dialed her number and lifted the cell to her ear, hoping that her best friend hadn’t spent the night with the devil.
Double Dare - (M/M & M/L, Adult) - COMPLETE - 4/15/12
Moderators: Anniepoo98, Rowedog, ISLANDGIRL5, Itzstacie, truelovepooh, FSU/MSW-94, Erina, Hunter, Forum Moderators
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Double Trouble
- Obsessed Roswellian
- Posts: 925
- Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 9:47 am
Part 21
Fics: A Xmas Story - A Merry Mt. R. Xmas - Cupid's Revenge - Double Trouble - Double Date - Double Dare - Double Empire - Double Xmas Wish - In The Course Of A Lifetime - Mountains So High - Not A Question At All - Surrender - TIC TAC - Two Double Dates at Xmas
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Double Trouble
- Obsessed Roswellian
- Posts: 925
- Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 9:47 am
Part 22
Eva: Things could get better for some and worse for others. Max should’ve given Liz the truth when she shared the information about the dare with him but the fear that she wouldn’t understand and would be hurt held him back. Michael and Maria, well, they do tend to act first and think later. It can be stopped, but it’ll take an effort on all of their parts.
Earth2Mama: They’re all pretty pissed about that right now.
It’s gonna take some work to recover the ground they’ve just lost.
Natalie36: Yeah, definitely not a good move by Max.
mary mary: Yeah, it would’ve been nice for them to keep their traps shut until they cooled down, but we’re talking about Michael and Maria here, lol.
keepsmiling7: Yeah, he should’ve spilled when he had the chance. He definitely missed his opportunity. There’s just no way to go back now.
Alien_Friend: Max should’ve used that opportunity to tell Liz the truth but fear that she would be hurt and walk away held him back. We won’t have long to wait to find out what they’re gonna do.
Lol, we’re very close to revealing Ben’s identity.
Liz really gets points for that.
The holidays were great, thanks!
sarammlover: Oh, he should’ve... he made a big mistake but the upside is that he’ll never forget this lesson. Lol, Michael and Maria, stop and think before reacting? C’mon now... you know better.
angiebrenna: We’ll be finding out soon. He was in a tight spot. Telling her the truth in that moment would’ve hurt her. He didn’t realize that it would’ve been better coming from him than from someone else.
secretk: Max was afraid of hurting Liz because he really didn’t think she’d understand and while the truth would’ve been best coming from him... he just couldn’t say it.
Chances are good that Maria will be putting it out there right away.
Maria might’ve given him the chance to talk... might’ve, if he hadn’t laughed at that rather inopportune moment. Michael actually went after her. When she saw him with Ben she left the park and found someplace where she could be alone. He followed her and even though she asked him to leave her alone he wouldn’t. While he’s kept Ben a secret, she hasn’t kept her niece a secret. She did mention Nayla to him and he even though he’s never met them, he knows both Kyle and Tess from seeing them around on campus. Michael and Maria are both reactive, they just react first and think later. Sometimes this really gets them in trouble.
Part 22
Liz hopped up to sit on the counter, licking the syrup from her fingertips and smiling at Max while he made breakfast. Her hair was mussed and fell over her shoulders and her eyes traced over him hungrily. He was lazily moving around the kitchen in just a pair of jeans since she had confiscated his shirt. She smiled when his distracted gaze wandered to her legs, bare beneath that same shirt, once again.
After spending the night in his bed she was certain they were going to make things work. He was a caring and attentive lover and if she had her way about it she was keeping him forever. She turned her head to the side when she heard a phone ring and she started to hop down when she recognized it.
“I’ve got it,” Max offered, shaking his head at her. “Don’t go anywhere.”
She just smiled when he went to retrieve it, his movements unhurried. The man liked to take his time with everything. She shivered and grinned at the memories of the night before. Everything.
“Better be thoughts of me,” he growled when he came back with her phone.
“Always,” she said and kissed him as he handed her cell over. She flipped it open and held it up to her ear, still smiling at him. “Hello?”
Maria cleared her throat. “Liz? Hey...”
“Maria! Hey, girl, how’s it going?”
Max just smiled and shook his head at her enthusiastic greeting. He’d probably better get used to that because he had a feeling these girls came as package deal.
“Yeah, well... it’s going...” God, Liz was in an awful good mood. She hated to be the reason for that to change. “Where are you?”
“Sitting in Max’s kitchen... watching him make breakfast.” Her heart flipped over when he winked at her and she had to force her attention back to her call. “What about you?”
Of course she had to be with him. Damn it. Should she tell her while she was around him? But the longer she put it off, the longer Liz was living a lie. “I need to tell you something, Liz.” Maria sighed and tried to sound calm. “Think you can go somewhere to be alone for a short while?”
“Sure. Well, that is if I can convince Max to let me go.”
He looked up at that and shot a smile at her. “Only if you’re not gone long. I don’t make Belgian waffles for just anybody.” His gaze was heated as it raked over her. “And then of course... there’s dessert...”
“Max, stop it!” she hissed, swatting his arm and laughing as she slid off of the counter.
He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back for a long kiss before smacking her ass and sending her on her way. “Don’t be gone long.”
Liz was blushing even though Maria couldn’t see her. “Okay,” she said breathlessly once she had stepped out on the patio. “Sorry about that. What’s up, Maria?”
The other girl had heard practically everything over the phone and it made it even harder to tell her friend what she had to tell. “I... wow... I don’t know where to start exactly.”
Liz frowned at the concern and hesitation in Maria’s voice. “Hey, c’mon, girl, tell me what’s wrong. Is it Michael?”
“Yeah, but not just him. Michael isn’t the reason I’m calling.”
“Okay,” she said slowly, drawing the word out. “Then what’s going on, Maria? You’re startin’ to worry me.”
“Alright, I’ll make it quick, details later.” She closed her eyes and breathed in and out once before dropping the news on Liz. “Max and Michael found out about our dare and in response to it they made a dare themselves.” She let it sink in for a moment before continuing. “The dare was to have sex with us, Liz.”
The night before suddenly reared up before her and her breath lodged in her throat as she shook her head in denial. “No, that’s not possible. You must be wrong, Maria. You... you misunderstood something or... heard it wrong... or... I don’t know, but that can’t be true!”
“Sorry,” Maria whispered into the cell, grabbing it with both hands when she started to shake.
“No, but... Why would they even do that?” She just couldn’t reconcile such a thing with the man she had come to know. The man she had spent the night with.
“I don’t know. Probably just to get back at us.” Maria sobbed into the phone. “I really don’t know, Liz.”
The sound of her best friend in such distress finally snapped Liz out of her shock. It was one thing to screw around with her, but no one screwed around with her friends! “Maria, where are you?”
“In the little park not far from my parent’s house. Ya know, where my grandma likes to go when she’s around.”
“Okay, let me get dressed and give Max a piece of my mind and I’ll be there, okay?”
Maria almost smiled at the sudden strength in her friend’s tone. Normally it was the other way around. “Thanks.”
Liz disconnected the call and slipped inside, going down to the bedroom and gathering her clothes up. The Max she had gotten to know just didn’t seem like the kind of guy who would make a bet like that. Was it any worse than the bet she and Maria had made? It was a matter of emotional versus sexual involvement. Not really, she decided. What made the difference was that she had told Max about the dare, she had been honest with him and he hadn’t said one damn word about the dare he and Michael had made.
She refused to look at the tangled sheets barely hanging onto the edge of the bed as she dressed and she snatched his shirt up as she walked back down the hall with purpose. Stay strong, Parker, she ordered herself as she stepped into the kitchen and he turned to smile at her.
Something was wrong, he realized when he saw her fully dressed and wearing a determined look on her face. “What’s up? Something wrong with Maria?”
“You could say that,” she said, her tone frosty.
Yeah, there was definitely something going on, he decided and wiped his hands on a towel. “Something serious?”
“Max, I gave you everything I have last night... everything,” she stressed, “and when I told you about that stupid dare you were very understanding.”
“Yeah, well...” he shrugged. He had a bad feeling he knew what this was about.
“What was last night to you? Did it mean anything at all? Or was it just a matter of fucking me to settle a dare?!” she screamed, flinging his shirt at him.
Damn it. Why couldn’t Guerin shut the fuck up, he thought and ran a hand over his face. “No, Liz, let me explain...”
“Explain? What could you possibly have to explain? You could’ve told me the truth last night! BEFORE you fucked me, you bastard!”
He winced at the words she threw at him. “I just didn’t want to hurt you...” he tried.
“Oh, well, finding out this way is sooo much better!” Sarcasm dripped from every single word.
“It wasn’t important anymore.” He tried to get a hold of her, but she slipped away.
“No, I guess not... you got what you wanted, didn’t you?” Hold it together, do NOT fall apart in front of him.
They were interrupted when his cell on the counter suddenly started to buzz. It was Michael. Oh, he was gonna tell him something, but first he had to convince Liz to stay. “Liz…”
She backed away from him, shaking her head. Did he really think he could convince her last night meant anything more than going through with that dare? “No, I’m leaving, and I don’t want to see you again. Not ever!”
He didn’t know what to say. Was she breaking up with him? Yes, she was, and it was a first for him. In disbelief he watched her run out the front door.
Michael was pacing restlessly, waiting for Max to answer his phone. Damn, he really hoped Evans had kept it in his pants last night. That was the only thing that might keep this thing from blowing up in his face too.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Max barked into the phone. “Oh, wait, bet you didn’t stop to think.”
His temper spiked at the verbal attack. “What the fuck are you yellin’ at me about?” he yelled.
“Oh, you know what I’m talking about, Guerin.”
Michael cursed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “You had sex last night,” he muttered. “Look, I didn’t intend for it to come out, but we got into it when she saw me at the park with Ben and Isabel... she went off on me and I went off on her.”
“Oh, and you thought spilling the truth about our little dare would do any good?”
“Ya know what? That shit was gonna come out one way or the other! It was a stupid dare in the first place.”
Max kicked one of the cupboards in the kitchen. “Fuckin’ great.”
Michael fell silent as the adrenaline started to seep out of his system. “So... what do we do now?”
The other man sighed and leaned against the counter, rubbing his eyes tiredly. “How’d Maria react?”
“She was devastated.” He kicked a rock across the ground. “I have no fuckin’ clue what to do now. Man, she’s never gonna hear me out about this.”
*****
Liz wandered around the park Maria had described and tried to find her friend. She knew she would hide somewhere private and just as she was about to give up and call her, she saw the slim figure of her buddy sitting on the grass a few steps away from her.
She walked over, her steps quicker than before. “Maria... hey,” Liz dropped down to the ground and pulled her friend into a tight hug.
Maria couldn’t get a word out. She just hugged her friend tightly and dragged in deep breaths that sounded harsh even to her own ears.
“It’s okay,” Liz whispered and rocked her friend back and forth, caressing her back, while her other hand held her friend’s body safely against her.
“I know we made the dare first,” she choked out finally, “but... was our dare as bad as theirs?”
Liz shook her head. “The point is you had feelings for Michael without the dare anyway and I told Max the truth last night. In response to that... he said nothing.”
Maria's eyes widened. “Wait... you told him?”
Liz swallowed. “Yeah, I couldn’t spend the night with him with it between us. I mean, I started to date him under false pretenses and I had to make sure that things had changed first.” She made a face. “Now I wish I hadn’t said anything. This way I could’ve thrown it back in his face this morning.”
“I’m sorry, girl.” She rested her chin on her raised knees. “I wish I’d never done this.”
“Yeah,” Liz agreed and rested her chin on Maria’s head while she cried quietly. “Me too.”
“What do we do now? It’s not like it was just sex... God, it was so much more than that.”
“Yeah, for us, but for them...?”
“I want to say it was just sex for Michael, but...” she shook her head. “The man is just not that good an actor, Liz. He seemed to be genuinely affected when we were together.”
“Same with Max, but I don’t know what I can trust now… what’s true and what’s not.”
“I know what you mean.” She rolled her eyes and buried her face against her knees. “At least you held out. God, I gave it up before we even had a real date,” she groaned, her voice muffled.
“Yeah, well, I held out until last night,” Liz smiled sadly and brushed some tears away.
Maria turned her head to look at Liz. “I’m sorry we ever came up with that dare.” She reached out to rest her hand on Liz’s shoulder. “Did you at least have a good time last night?”
“Yeah, sadly, I did. Wish it had sucked now and I’d just stayed with you.” Liz leaned her body against her friend’s and grabbed her hand to link their fingers. “Stupid men.”
“Assholes,” Maria agreed.
“Wanna go home?”
“Yeah, I think so. As long as my freak of a roommate isn’t there. I don’t think I can deal with her today.”
“We can go and hang out at my dorm. My roomy is gone for a week and I’ve got lots of ice cream.”
“Okay, that sounds good.” She bit her lip and glanced at Liz. “Do you think I should’ve let Michael explain?”
Liz thought about it. “You think he would’ve had a good explanation?” Liz frowned. “How’d you find out about it anyway? Did he just tell you? Because if he told you the truth on his own then maybe he really does care.”
“Oh, he told me on his own alright,” she muttered.
“That sounds like a big fat but,” Liz stated.
“We were yelling at each other and I asked him if this thing between us was all just a game for him.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “That’s when he went off on me and it came out about him and Max somehow knowing about our dare.”
“But why were you yelling at each other?” Liz frowned. That didn’t make sense. “Did you have a date this morning?”
“I saw him at the park with this gorgeous blonde and a little boy. I heard him call Michael ‘daddy’, Liz! And then he saw me and he came after me when I left the park. We had made a date for dinner tonight... someplace public, and he said he was gonna explain everything.”
“Wow, so he really has a son, huh?”
“He looks just like Michael too, Liz. And he seemed to be pretty cozy with the mom too.”
“But why would he come after you if he was still with her, Maria?” Liz thought aloud to distract herself from her own hurt. “I mean, he wouldn’t just run after you if the girl with him was his girlfriend, would he?”
“Well, no. No girl would stand for that. But...” the hurt welled up again as she recalled the woman’s name. “You’ve seen that pendant he wears, right?” She continued when Liz nodded. “Well, there’s a woman’s name on it. I asked about it and he gave me this whole story about how it’s his mother’s name and she died...” She recalled that night and the emotion in his eyes and voice as he told her about it. He’s not that good an actor, her conscience reminded her. She shook herself. “That girl at the park? Her name’s the same as the one on the pendant. Don’t you think that’s a little bit suspicious?”
“Well,” Liz made a face, “admittedly it is a bit weird.”
“Why couldn’t he have just told me the truth?”
“I don’t know.” Liz got up and took Maria with her. “Come on, let’s get home.”
“Okay.” Her head hurt from crying and trying to rationalize everything she had learned that afternoon.
When the girls made their way through the park they could see Michael’s truck in a parking lot not too far from them. “Don’t even think of using your nails on the paint,” Liz teased when she saw her friend’s glare.
“Like I’d ruin my nails for that. What I’d like to do is take a handful of rocks and rub them over that perfect paint job.”
Liz chuckled. “Need some help?”
“That would probably make him cry,” Maria said, feeling a little bit better, but not enough to draw a smile from her.
“Maybe we could just write ASSHOLE on the window with lipstick,” Liz teased.
Maria smirked. “We should.”
But they didn’t.
*****
Liz opened the door wearing her favorite pair of grey sweat pants and a dark blue tank top. Her hair was bound up in a ponytail high on her head. “Hey, girlfriend,” she greeted Maria in the hallway.
“Liz, you didn’t have to dress up for me,” the blonde teased and stepped inside, carrying a few boxes of takeout and coke.
“Ha ha,” Liz stuck her tongue out at her. “You don’t look like Miss America either.”
“No?” Maria gasped and glanced down at her black sweatpants and matching black tank top.
It had been a week now since that they had found out about the boys counter dare and while it still hurt, they tried to go on with their heads held high. “I don’t think I’ve eaten so unhealthy for a solid week before,” Liz chuckled when she saw the food Maria carried.
“We’ve never been down and heartbroken together before either, so desperate times call for desperate measures.”
“Yeah, and what’s a few pounds more, huh?”
The blonde glanced at her hips. “Have I gained weight?”
Liz laughed. “Not that can be seen. Don’t worry, you look sexy as usual.”
“Whew... I don’t wanna get fat because of that dick.”
“You won’t,” Liz assured her. “Broken hearts need good food and lots of ice cream to heal. At least that’s what my mother always says.”
“Yeah? My mom says my broken heart’s my own fault and I’m afraid she’s right.”
Liz carried a few glasses and forks with her to sit on the coffee table in the living area. “We’re not really innocent but I refuse to take the main blame on this.”
Maria nodded in agreement. “Right! When we made the dare I already had feelings for Michael and we thought Max wouldn’t even be interested in anything beyond sex anyway, so we didn’t plan to hurt them.”
“Exactly.” Liz opened up one of the takeout cartons and looked inside. “I still can’t believe they’d make a dare like that!”
“And I can’t believe we fell for it.” Maria snorted. “I mean, Guerin was NEVER interested in me and suddenly out of nowhere he was. I should’ve been totally suspicious.”
Liz nodded. “Okay, that’s true. But, really, Max Evans...” she pointed at herself, “me? Granted, I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m worth his attention, but... now I just don’t want it.” Liar!
“Maybe we should just stay alone for the rest of our lives.” Maria leaned forward and tugged on her friend’s hair. “Or we could just become lesbians, whatcha say?” She smirked at her.
Liz giggled. “Yeah, let’s see how long I can go without sex before I take you up on that offer.”
“Yeah,” Maria fell back on the couch. “Wouldn’t be the same.”
She snorted. “Yeah, it would be... lacking.”
“Gosh, I hate feeling down. I wanna have fun again.”
“Me too. Have you heard anything from him?” she asked after a moment.
Maria’s heart sank. How much had she hoped he would fight for her? Make her believe he wanted more, but no... “No, nothing.”
“Sorry.” She poked at her food and sighed loudly. “I have to work to avoid Max.”
“Can I please have your problems?” her friend teased slightly.
“Please, take them,” Liz said with a quiet laugh.
“How does he contact you? Just over the cell? Or in person?”
“Both. I’ve taken to ducking out of classes early to avoid him.” She rolled her eyes. “I swear, pretty soon he’s gonna start following me to the bathroom.”
“Maybe you should hear him out. He’s definitely making an attempt, so maybe he really has feelings for you.”
“And maybe he’s just trying to ease his guilty conscience.”
Maria looked at her friend closely. The dark rings under her eyes said more than words. It wasn’t easy for her to avoid Max and seeing him every day in classes was even worse.
“Would you listen to a word Michael had to say if he tried to talk to you?”
“I don’t know,” she took a bite of her food. “But since he isn’t trying I don’t have to think about it and don’t ya think that just speaks for itself? He doesn’t want me. He never wanted me.”
“Okay, well, he had to want you though, Maria. The guy was all about you. I mean, that day we spent out on the island?”
“I thought so too, but now I believe it was just about sex for him. You remember the next morning? He was totally the opposite.”
“Well, yeah, he was kinda the opposite the next morning, but... I don’t know. I mean, yeah, he’s popular on campus, but what does anyone really know about him?”
“Nothing. And neither do I.” Maria sighed and placed her food on the table. “I miss him so much.”
Liz nodded miserably and dragged her fork through her food. “Yeah, I miss Max too.”
The beeping sound of a cell brought them both back to the present. “Is he trying to say sorry again?” Maria asked with the slightest hint of jealousy when it was her friend’s cell, not hers.
She sat up to reach for her phone and she sighed loudly. “Yeah.”
“What does it say?” the other girl asked and rolled her eyes when Liz just looked at her. “Come on. I don’t get anything, so let me at least be a part of yours.”
“Just that he wants to talk to me,” Liz said, running her thumb over the screen. “He wants me to meet him at the marina.” She shook her head and tossed it on the couch beside her.
Maria fumbled her own cell out and looked at the empty screen sadly.
Liz looked to the side when she heard a buzzing sound and after a moment she realized it wasn’t her phone. She turned to look at Maria and poked her when she just stared at the phone in her hand.
“I’ve got a text message,” she said stupidly.
“From... your mom?”
“I don’t know yet,” she stared at the screen, scared to open it up.
“Maybe it’s Kyle.”
“Yeah,” Maria snorted and hit the button to open it up. It was ridiculous to think it was from Michael.
Liz bit her lip as she watched her friend. “Well?”
“It’s from Michael,” she answered breathlessly and handed her cell over. “Read it for me.”
She nodded and sighed as she clicked on the message and opened it up. “Um... he wants to talk to you. Wants to know if you’ll take a call from him.”
Maria’s heart pounded wildly in her chest. “Should I?”
“It couldn’t hurt, right? One way or the other you need some kinda closure, Maria.”
“Okay, tell him it’s okay to call me.” God, she was so nervous.
Liz thumbed the message and sent it, feeling her own heart pound in anticipation as they both stared at the phone.
Maria looked at her friend. “My heart’s beating a mile a minute now.”
“So’s mine and it’s not even my call.”
“If I start to hyperventilate I can’t talk.”
“Okay,” Liz took both of Maria’s hands in hers. “You’re not gonna do that, got me? You’re gonna talk to him ‘cause he owes you an explanation. You’re in control here, right?”
“Alright,” she straightened up and nodded. “I’m not the one who needs to explain.”
“That’s right. Well, unless you think you need to explain our half of the dare. I don’t know if it’ll help or not.”
“Well, it’ll be explained very fast if he wants to hear it.”
“Just don’t let him out of it without getting his side of things.”
Maria nodded and right at that moment her cell buzzed. “Now or never, huh?” She looked at Liz.
“Want me to leave you alone?”
“No, please stay, Liz.”
Michael was gripping the edge of the counter tightly, hoping she was really gonna answer her phone. After everything he wouldn’t be surprised if she said she’d take his call just to hang up on him.
With a shaky hand she pushed the right button and lifted her cell to her ear. “Hello, Michael,” she said quietly.
He nearly swallowed his tongue when he heard her voice. “Maria,” he said, his voice strangled.
She bit her lip and glanced at Liz. Her friend’s eyes made her calm down a bit while she waited for him to continue.
“I know you’re still pissed at me.” He picked at a nonexistent spot on the counter when silence filled the space between them. “I know you’re still hurt and you don’t owe me a chance to explain, but... I’m askin’ for one.”
“You’re right,” she told him. “I am still pissed and hurt.” Okay, but that was only half the truth. “But I also miss you,” she admitted, her voice cracking, and she looked at Liz for support. Had she already said too much?
His heart started to pound. He hadn’t expected her to feel that way much less admit it. The past week he had felt like he was walking around with a ton of bricks on his chest. “Before all this went down you wanted to know ME, and I’ll never be able to prove it, but that night we were supposed to have dinner I was gonna tell you everything. You still wanna know the truth?”
Her heart sank a bit when he didn’t say he missed her too. “Yeah,” she whispered.
“Can I come pick you up? Or would you rather I just give you the address and you can meet me over here?”
He wants to meet me, she mouthed to her friend.
Liz nodded. Go for it, she mouthed back.
Maria glanced down at herself, wishing she had chosen a pair of jeans. “You can pick me up, I guess.”
Michael swallowed hard. “Your place?” he asked gruffly.
“Liz’s dorm.”
He tugged at his collar and then turned to grab a pen. “Where’s her place at?”
She gave him the address, rubbing her sweaty palm on her pants.
“You, um... you ready now or should I come by later?”
She glanced at the food. “Any time’s okay.”
Michael nodded to himself. “I can be there in half an hour.”
“Okay, I’ll be outside then.”
“Alright, see ya in 30.” He started to end the call and paused. “And Maria?”
“Yeah?”
“I missed you too.”
She smiled and her heart made a flip flop when she ended the call.
Michael shoved his phone in his pocket and looked around as he gnawed on his bottom lip. He could do this. Bring her back here, into his space, and explain himself. Yeah, he could do it.
Earth2Mama: They’re all pretty pissed about that right now.
It’s gonna take some work to recover the ground they’ve just lost.
Natalie36: Yeah, definitely not a good move by Max.
mary mary: Yeah, it would’ve been nice for them to keep their traps shut until they cooled down, but we’re talking about Michael and Maria here, lol.
keepsmiling7: Yeah, he should’ve spilled when he had the chance. He definitely missed his opportunity. There’s just no way to go back now.
Alien_Friend: Max should’ve used that opportunity to tell Liz the truth but fear that she would be hurt and walk away held him back. We won’t have long to wait to find out what they’re gonna do.
Lol, we’re very close to revealing Ben’s identity.
Liz really gets points for that.
The holidays were great, thanks!
sarammlover: Oh, he should’ve... he made a big mistake but the upside is that he’ll never forget this lesson. Lol, Michael and Maria, stop and think before reacting? C’mon now... you know better.
angiebrenna: We’ll be finding out soon. He was in a tight spot. Telling her the truth in that moment would’ve hurt her. He didn’t realize that it would’ve been better coming from him than from someone else.
secretk: Max was afraid of hurting Liz because he really didn’t think she’d understand and while the truth would’ve been best coming from him... he just couldn’t say it.
Chances are good that Maria will be putting it out there right away.
Maria might’ve given him the chance to talk... might’ve, if he hadn’t laughed at that rather inopportune moment. Michael actually went after her. When she saw him with Ben she left the park and found someplace where she could be alone. He followed her and even though she asked him to leave her alone he wouldn’t. While he’s kept Ben a secret, she hasn’t kept her niece a secret. She did mention Nayla to him and he even though he’s never met them, he knows both Kyle and Tess from seeing them around on campus. Michael and Maria are both reactive, they just react first and think later. Sometimes this really gets them in trouble.
Part 22
Liz hopped up to sit on the counter, licking the syrup from her fingertips and smiling at Max while he made breakfast. Her hair was mussed and fell over her shoulders and her eyes traced over him hungrily. He was lazily moving around the kitchen in just a pair of jeans since she had confiscated his shirt. She smiled when his distracted gaze wandered to her legs, bare beneath that same shirt, once again.
After spending the night in his bed she was certain they were going to make things work. He was a caring and attentive lover and if she had her way about it she was keeping him forever. She turned her head to the side when she heard a phone ring and she started to hop down when she recognized it.
“I’ve got it,” Max offered, shaking his head at her. “Don’t go anywhere.”
She just smiled when he went to retrieve it, his movements unhurried. The man liked to take his time with everything. She shivered and grinned at the memories of the night before. Everything.
“Better be thoughts of me,” he growled when he came back with her phone.
“Always,” she said and kissed him as he handed her cell over. She flipped it open and held it up to her ear, still smiling at him. “Hello?”
Maria cleared her throat. “Liz? Hey...”
“Maria! Hey, girl, how’s it going?”
Max just smiled and shook his head at her enthusiastic greeting. He’d probably better get used to that because he had a feeling these girls came as package deal.
“Yeah, well... it’s going...” God, Liz was in an awful good mood. She hated to be the reason for that to change. “Where are you?”
“Sitting in Max’s kitchen... watching him make breakfast.” Her heart flipped over when he winked at her and she had to force her attention back to her call. “What about you?”
Of course she had to be with him. Damn it. Should she tell her while she was around him? But the longer she put it off, the longer Liz was living a lie. “I need to tell you something, Liz.” Maria sighed and tried to sound calm. “Think you can go somewhere to be alone for a short while?”
“Sure. Well, that is if I can convince Max to let me go.”
He looked up at that and shot a smile at her. “Only if you’re not gone long. I don’t make Belgian waffles for just anybody.” His gaze was heated as it raked over her. “And then of course... there’s dessert...”
“Max, stop it!” she hissed, swatting his arm and laughing as she slid off of the counter.
He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back for a long kiss before smacking her ass and sending her on her way. “Don’t be gone long.”
Liz was blushing even though Maria couldn’t see her. “Okay,” she said breathlessly once she had stepped out on the patio. “Sorry about that. What’s up, Maria?”
The other girl had heard practically everything over the phone and it made it even harder to tell her friend what she had to tell. “I... wow... I don’t know where to start exactly.”
Liz frowned at the concern and hesitation in Maria’s voice. “Hey, c’mon, girl, tell me what’s wrong. Is it Michael?”
“Yeah, but not just him. Michael isn’t the reason I’m calling.”
“Okay,” she said slowly, drawing the word out. “Then what’s going on, Maria? You’re startin’ to worry me.”
“Alright, I’ll make it quick, details later.” She closed her eyes and breathed in and out once before dropping the news on Liz. “Max and Michael found out about our dare and in response to it they made a dare themselves.” She let it sink in for a moment before continuing. “The dare was to have sex with us, Liz.”
The night before suddenly reared up before her and her breath lodged in her throat as she shook her head in denial. “No, that’s not possible. You must be wrong, Maria. You... you misunderstood something or... heard it wrong... or... I don’t know, but that can’t be true!”
“Sorry,” Maria whispered into the cell, grabbing it with both hands when she started to shake.
“No, but... Why would they even do that?” She just couldn’t reconcile such a thing with the man she had come to know. The man she had spent the night with.
“I don’t know. Probably just to get back at us.” Maria sobbed into the phone. “I really don’t know, Liz.”
The sound of her best friend in such distress finally snapped Liz out of her shock. It was one thing to screw around with her, but no one screwed around with her friends! “Maria, where are you?”
“In the little park not far from my parent’s house. Ya know, where my grandma likes to go when she’s around.”
“Okay, let me get dressed and give Max a piece of my mind and I’ll be there, okay?”
Maria almost smiled at the sudden strength in her friend’s tone. Normally it was the other way around. “Thanks.”
Liz disconnected the call and slipped inside, going down to the bedroom and gathering her clothes up. The Max she had gotten to know just didn’t seem like the kind of guy who would make a bet like that. Was it any worse than the bet she and Maria had made? It was a matter of emotional versus sexual involvement. Not really, she decided. What made the difference was that she had told Max about the dare, she had been honest with him and he hadn’t said one damn word about the dare he and Michael had made.
She refused to look at the tangled sheets barely hanging onto the edge of the bed as she dressed and she snatched his shirt up as she walked back down the hall with purpose. Stay strong, Parker, she ordered herself as she stepped into the kitchen and he turned to smile at her.
Something was wrong, he realized when he saw her fully dressed and wearing a determined look on her face. “What’s up? Something wrong with Maria?”
“You could say that,” she said, her tone frosty.
Yeah, there was definitely something going on, he decided and wiped his hands on a towel. “Something serious?”
“Max, I gave you everything I have last night... everything,” she stressed, “and when I told you about that stupid dare you were very understanding.”
“Yeah, well...” he shrugged. He had a bad feeling he knew what this was about.
“What was last night to you? Did it mean anything at all? Or was it just a matter of fucking me to settle a dare?!” she screamed, flinging his shirt at him.
Damn it. Why couldn’t Guerin shut the fuck up, he thought and ran a hand over his face. “No, Liz, let me explain...”
“Explain? What could you possibly have to explain? You could’ve told me the truth last night! BEFORE you fucked me, you bastard!”
He winced at the words she threw at him. “I just didn’t want to hurt you...” he tried.
“Oh, well, finding out this way is sooo much better!” Sarcasm dripped from every single word.
“It wasn’t important anymore.” He tried to get a hold of her, but she slipped away.
“No, I guess not... you got what you wanted, didn’t you?” Hold it together, do NOT fall apart in front of him.
They were interrupted when his cell on the counter suddenly started to buzz. It was Michael. Oh, he was gonna tell him something, but first he had to convince Liz to stay. “Liz…”
She backed away from him, shaking her head. Did he really think he could convince her last night meant anything more than going through with that dare? “No, I’m leaving, and I don’t want to see you again. Not ever!”
He didn’t know what to say. Was she breaking up with him? Yes, she was, and it was a first for him. In disbelief he watched her run out the front door.
Michael was pacing restlessly, waiting for Max to answer his phone. Damn, he really hoped Evans had kept it in his pants last night. That was the only thing that might keep this thing from blowing up in his face too.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Max barked into the phone. “Oh, wait, bet you didn’t stop to think.”
His temper spiked at the verbal attack. “What the fuck are you yellin’ at me about?” he yelled.
“Oh, you know what I’m talking about, Guerin.”
Michael cursed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “You had sex last night,” he muttered. “Look, I didn’t intend for it to come out, but we got into it when she saw me at the park with Ben and Isabel... she went off on me and I went off on her.”
“Oh, and you thought spilling the truth about our little dare would do any good?”
“Ya know what? That shit was gonna come out one way or the other! It was a stupid dare in the first place.”
Max kicked one of the cupboards in the kitchen. “Fuckin’ great.”
Michael fell silent as the adrenaline started to seep out of his system. “So... what do we do now?”
The other man sighed and leaned against the counter, rubbing his eyes tiredly. “How’d Maria react?”
“She was devastated.” He kicked a rock across the ground. “I have no fuckin’ clue what to do now. Man, she’s never gonna hear me out about this.”
*****
Liz wandered around the park Maria had described and tried to find her friend. She knew she would hide somewhere private and just as she was about to give up and call her, she saw the slim figure of her buddy sitting on the grass a few steps away from her.
She walked over, her steps quicker than before. “Maria... hey,” Liz dropped down to the ground and pulled her friend into a tight hug.
Maria couldn’t get a word out. She just hugged her friend tightly and dragged in deep breaths that sounded harsh even to her own ears.
“It’s okay,” Liz whispered and rocked her friend back and forth, caressing her back, while her other hand held her friend’s body safely against her.
“I know we made the dare first,” she choked out finally, “but... was our dare as bad as theirs?”
Liz shook her head. “The point is you had feelings for Michael without the dare anyway and I told Max the truth last night. In response to that... he said nothing.”
Maria's eyes widened. “Wait... you told him?”
Liz swallowed. “Yeah, I couldn’t spend the night with him with it between us. I mean, I started to date him under false pretenses and I had to make sure that things had changed first.” She made a face. “Now I wish I hadn’t said anything. This way I could’ve thrown it back in his face this morning.”
“I’m sorry, girl.” She rested her chin on her raised knees. “I wish I’d never done this.”
“Yeah,” Liz agreed and rested her chin on Maria’s head while she cried quietly. “Me too.”
“What do we do now? It’s not like it was just sex... God, it was so much more than that.”
“Yeah, for us, but for them...?”
“I want to say it was just sex for Michael, but...” she shook her head. “The man is just not that good an actor, Liz. He seemed to be genuinely affected when we were together.”
“Same with Max, but I don’t know what I can trust now… what’s true and what’s not.”
“I know what you mean.” She rolled her eyes and buried her face against her knees. “At least you held out. God, I gave it up before we even had a real date,” she groaned, her voice muffled.
“Yeah, well, I held out until last night,” Liz smiled sadly and brushed some tears away.
Maria turned her head to look at Liz. “I’m sorry we ever came up with that dare.” She reached out to rest her hand on Liz’s shoulder. “Did you at least have a good time last night?”
“Yeah, sadly, I did. Wish it had sucked now and I’d just stayed with you.” Liz leaned her body against her friend’s and grabbed her hand to link their fingers. “Stupid men.”
“Assholes,” Maria agreed.
“Wanna go home?”
“Yeah, I think so. As long as my freak of a roommate isn’t there. I don’t think I can deal with her today.”
“We can go and hang out at my dorm. My roomy is gone for a week and I’ve got lots of ice cream.”
“Okay, that sounds good.” She bit her lip and glanced at Liz. “Do you think I should’ve let Michael explain?”
Liz thought about it. “You think he would’ve had a good explanation?” Liz frowned. “How’d you find out about it anyway? Did he just tell you? Because if he told you the truth on his own then maybe he really does care.”
“Oh, he told me on his own alright,” she muttered.
“That sounds like a big fat but,” Liz stated.
“We were yelling at each other and I asked him if this thing between us was all just a game for him.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “That’s when he went off on me and it came out about him and Max somehow knowing about our dare.”
“But why were you yelling at each other?” Liz frowned. That didn’t make sense. “Did you have a date this morning?”
“I saw him at the park with this gorgeous blonde and a little boy. I heard him call Michael ‘daddy’, Liz! And then he saw me and he came after me when I left the park. We had made a date for dinner tonight... someplace public, and he said he was gonna explain everything.”
“Wow, so he really has a son, huh?”
“He looks just like Michael too, Liz. And he seemed to be pretty cozy with the mom too.”
“But why would he come after you if he was still with her, Maria?” Liz thought aloud to distract herself from her own hurt. “I mean, he wouldn’t just run after you if the girl with him was his girlfriend, would he?”
“Well, no. No girl would stand for that. But...” the hurt welled up again as she recalled the woman’s name. “You’ve seen that pendant he wears, right?” She continued when Liz nodded. “Well, there’s a woman’s name on it. I asked about it and he gave me this whole story about how it’s his mother’s name and she died...” She recalled that night and the emotion in his eyes and voice as he told her about it. He’s not that good an actor, her conscience reminded her. She shook herself. “That girl at the park? Her name’s the same as the one on the pendant. Don’t you think that’s a little bit suspicious?”
“Well,” Liz made a face, “admittedly it is a bit weird.”
“Why couldn’t he have just told me the truth?”
“I don’t know.” Liz got up and took Maria with her. “Come on, let’s get home.”
“Okay.” Her head hurt from crying and trying to rationalize everything she had learned that afternoon.
When the girls made their way through the park they could see Michael’s truck in a parking lot not too far from them. “Don’t even think of using your nails on the paint,” Liz teased when she saw her friend’s glare.
“Like I’d ruin my nails for that. What I’d like to do is take a handful of rocks and rub them over that perfect paint job.”
Liz chuckled. “Need some help?”
“That would probably make him cry,” Maria said, feeling a little bit better, but not enough to draw a smile from her.
“Maybe we could just write ASSHOLE on the window with lipstick,” Liz teased.
Maria smirked. “We should.”
But they didn’t.
*****
Liz opened the door wearing her favorite pair of grey sweat pants and a dark blue tank top. Her hair was bound up in a ponytail high on her head. “Hey, girlfriend,” she greeted Maria in the hallway.
“Liz, you didn’t have to dress up for me,” the blonde teased and stepped inside, carrying a few boxes of takeout and coke.
“Ha ha,” Liz stuck her tongue out at her. “You don’t look like Miss America either.”
“No?” Maria gasped and glanced down at her black sweatpants and matching black tank top.
It had been a week now since that they had found out about the boys counter dare and while it still hurt, they tried to go on with their heads held high. “I don’t think I’ve eaten so unhealthy for a solid week before,” Liz chuckled when she saw the food Maria carried.
“We’ve never been down and heartbroken together before either, so desperate times call for desperate measures.”
“Yeah, and what’s a few pounds more, huh?”
The blonde glanced at her hips. “Have I gained weight?”
Liz laughed. “Not that can be seen. Don’t worry, you look sexy as usual.”
“Whew... I don’t wanna get fat because of that dick.”
“You won’t,” Liz assured her. “Broken hearts need good food and lots of ice cream to heal. At least that’s what my mother always says.”
“Yeah? My mom says my broken heart’s my own fault and I’m afraid she’s right.”
Liz carried a few glasses and forks with her to sit on the coffee table in the living area. “We’re not really innocent but I refuse to take the main blame on this.”
Maria nodded in agreement. “Right! When we made the dare I already had feelings for Michael and we thought Max wouldn’t even be interested in anything beyond sex anyway, so we didn’t plan to hurt them.”
“Exactly.” Liz opened up one of the takeout cartons and looked inside. “I still can’t believe they’d make a dare like that!”
“And I can’t believe we fell for it.” Maria snorted. “I mean, Guerin was NEVER interested in me and suddenly out of nowhere he was. I should’ve been totally suspicious.”
Liz nodded. “Okay, that’s true. But, really, Max Evans...” she pointed at herself, “me? Granted, I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m worth his attention, but... now I just don’t want it.” Liar!
“Maybe we should just stay alone for the rest of our lives.” Maria leaned forward and tugged on her friend’s hair. “Or we could just become lesbians, whatcha say?” She smirked at her.
Liz giggled. “Yeah, let’s see how long I can go without sex before I take you up on that offer.”
“Yeah,” Maria fell back on the couch. “Wouldn’t be the same.”
She snorted. “Yeah, it would be... lacking.”
“Gosh, I hate feeling down. I wanna have fun again.”
“Me too. Have you heard anything from him?” she asked after a moment.
Maria’s heart sank. How much had she hoped he would fight for her? Make her believe he wanted more, but no... “No, nothing.”
“Sorry.” She poked at her food and sighed loudly. “I have to work to avoid Max.”
“Can I please have your problems?” her friend teased slightly.
“Please, take them,” Liz said with a quiet laugh.
“How does he contact you? Just over the cell? Or in person?”
“Both. I’ve taken to ducking out of classes early to avoid him.” She rolled her eyes. “I swear, pretty soon he’s gonna start following me to the bathroom.”
“Maybe you should hear him out. He’s definitely making an attempt, so maybe he really has feelings for you.”
“And maybe he’s just trying to ease his guilty conscience.”
Maria looked at her friend closely. The dark rings under her eyes said more than words. It wasn’t easy for her to avoid Max and seeing him every day in classes was even worse.
“Would you listen to a word Michael had to say if he tried to talk to you?”
“I don’t know,” she took a bite of her food. “But since he isn’t trying I don’t have to think about it and don’t ya think that just speaks for itself? He doesn’t want me. He never wanted me.”
“Okay, well, he had to want you though, Maria. The guy was all about you. I mean, that day we spent out on the island?”
“I thought so too, but now I believe it was just about sex for him. You remember the next morning? He was totally the opposite.”
“Well, yeah, he was kinda the opposite the next morning, but... I don’t know. I mean, yeah, he’s popular on campus, but what does anyone really know about him?”
“Nothing. And neither do I.” Maria sighed and placed her food on the table. “I miss him so much.”
Liz nodded miserably and dragged her fork through her food. “Yeah, I miss Max too.”
The beeping sound of a cell brought them both back to the present. “Is he trying to say sorry again?” Maria asked with the slightest hint of jealousy when it was her friend’s cell, not hers.
She sat up to reach for her phone and she sighed loudly. “Yeah.”
“What does it say?” the other girl asked and rolled her eyes when Liz just looked at her. “Come on. I don’t get anything, so let me at least be a part of yours.”
“Just that he wants to talk to me,” Liz said, running her thumb over the screen. “He wants me to meet him at the marina.” She shook her head and tossed it on the couch beside her.
Maria fumbled her own cell out and looked at the empty screen sadly.
Liz looked to the side when she heard a buzzing sound and after a moment she realized it wasn’t her phone. She turned to look at Maria and poked her when she just stared at the phone in her hand.
“I’ve got a text message,” she said stupidly.
“From... your mom?”
“I don’t know yet,” she stared at the screen, scared to open it up.
“Maybe it’s Kyle.”
“Yeah,” Maria snorted and hit the button to open it up. It was ridiculous to think it was from Michael.
Liz bit her lip as she watched her friend. “Well?”
“It’s from Michael,” she answered breathlessly and handed her cell over. “Read it for me.”
She nodded and sighed as she clicked on the message and opened it up. “Um... he wants to talk to you. Wants to know if you’ll take a call from him.”
Maria’s heart pounded wildly in her chest. “Should I?”
“It couldn’t hurt, right? One way or the other you need some kinda closure, Maria.”
“Okay, tell him it’s okay to call me.” God, she was so nervous.
Liz thumbed the message and sent it, feeling her own heart pound in anticipation as they both stared at the phone.
Maria looked at her friend. “My heart’s beating a mile a minute now.”
“So’s mine and it’s not even my call.”
“If I start to hyperventilate I can’t talk.”
“Okay,” Liz took both of Maria’s hands in hers. “You’re not gonna do that, got me? You’re gonna talk to him ‘cause he owes you an explanation. You’re in control here, right?”
“Alright,” she straightened up and nodded. “I’m not the one who needs to explain.”
“That’s right. Well, unless you think you need to explain our half of the dare. I don’t know if it’ll help or not.”
“Well, it’ll be explained very fast if he wants to hear it.”
“Just don’t let him out of it without getting his side of things.”
Maria nodded and right at that moment her cell buzzed. “Now or never, huh?” She looked at Liz.
“Want me to leave you alone?”
“No, please stay, Liz.”
Michael was gripping the edge of the counter tightly, hoping she was really gonna answer her phone. After everything he wouldn’t be surprised if she said she’d take his call just to hang up on him.
With a shaky hand she pushed the right button and lifted her cell to her ear. “Hello, Michael,” she said quietly.
He nearly swallowed his tongue when he heard her voice. “Maria,” he said, his voice strangled.
She bit her lip and glanced at Liz. Her friend’s eyes made her calm down a bit while she waited for him to continue.
“I know you’re still pissed at me.” He picked at a nonexistent spot on the counter when silence filled the space between them. “I know you’re still hurt and you don’t owe me a chance to explain, but... I’m askin’ for one.”
“You’re right,” she told him. “I am still pissed and hurt.” Okay, but that was only half the truth. “But I also miss you,” she admitted, her voice cracking, and she looked at Liz for support. Had she already said too much?
His heart started to pound. He hadn’t expected her to feel that way much less admit it. The past week he had felt like he was walking around with a ton of bricks on his chest. “Before all this went down you wanted to know ME, and I’ll never be able to prove it, but that night we were supposed to have dinner I was gonna tell you everything. You still wanna know the truth?”
Her heart sank a bit when he didn’t say he missed her too. “Yeah,” she whispered.
“Can I come pick you up? Or would you rather I just give you the address and you can meet me over here?”
He wants to meet me, she mouthed to her friend.
Liz nodded. Go for it, she mouthed back.
Maria glanced down at herself, wishing she had chosen a pair of jeans. “You can pick me up, I guess.”
Michael swallowed hard. “Your place?” he asked gruffly.
“Liz’s dorm.”
He tugged at his collar and then turned to grab a pen. “Where’s her place at?”
She gave him the address, rubbing her sweaty palm on her pants.
“You, um... you ready now or should I come by later?”
She glanced at the food. “Any time’s okay.”
Michael nodded to himself. “I can be there in half an hour.”
“Okay, I’ll be outside then.”
“Alright, see ya in 30.” He started to end the call and paused. “And Maria?”
“Yeah?”
“I missed you too.”
She smiled and her heart made a flip flop when she ended the call.
Michael shoved his phone in his pocket and looked around as he gnawed on his bottom lip. He could do this. Bring her back here, into his space, and explain himself. Yeah, he could do it.
Fics: A Xmas Story - A Merry Mt. R. Xmas - Cupid's Revenge - Double Trouble - Double Date - Double Dare - Double Empire - Double Xmas Wish - In The Course Of A Lifetime - Mountains So High - Not A Question At All - Surrender - TIC TAC - Two Double Dates at Xmas
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Double Trouble
- Obsessed Roswellian
- Posts: 925
- Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 9:47 am
Part 23
Earth2Mama: Now let’s see what happens when they come face to face again.
Max and Liz... not just yet.
Natalie36: Wait no more... here it is.
keepsmiling7: We’ll find out soon what Max intends to do.
Max totally shot himself in the foot by not telling her the truth. He genuinely didn’t want to hurt her and was certain once he told Michael that all bets were off she would never need to know about it.
Well... maybe a little more for the dreamer couple.
mary mary: Michael’s mom was killed in a car accident. As for Ben and Isabel, the waiting ends very, very soon.
sarammlover: Lol, no plans for mid-week updates, sorry. We hope you survived the week.
Eva: Finally, right?
Alien_Friend: We’ll see how good Michael does with his explanation in this part. Well, his only excuse there is he knows her well, and he knew he had to give her time to cool off before approaching him again. Plus, he needed time to get everything together himself.
Max won’t stop trying but Liz isn’t going to make it easy for him.
secretk: It’s a safe bet that they’re all aware of their mistakes where the dare is concerned.
We’ll see what happens with Michael and Maria.
Max and Liz, we’ll have to wait a bit for them to get to this point.
Part 23
“So?” Liz asked.
“He said he missed me too,” Maria babbled.
“That's good. He wouldn’t make the effort if it wasn’t true. I mean, what would be the point of lying now?”
“I hope you’re right.”
Liz stuck her tongue out at her. “I’m always right.”
“Maybe you should consider it for Max then.”
She snorted. “Yeah, right.”
“I mean it. You just said it: what’s the point of lying now?”
“The point is he had the opportunity to tell me the truth... and he didn’t.”
“Yeah, but if I can hear Michael out, you can do that with Max as well, girl.”
“Maria, I told him the truth. And then slept with him! He had ample opportunity to get it out there.”
“Okay, maybe you’re right.” She made a face. “Is it really okay if I leave you with the food?”
Liz rolled her eyes. “I have nothing else going on. The least I can do is eat.”
“Could you maybe loan me a pair of jeans?”
“Sure,” she motioned to her closet, “help yourself.”
*****
Michael turned onto the street Liz’s dorm was located on and he slowed down, looking for Maria. She had said she’d be waiting for him outside and he hoped she hadn’t been yanking his chain. Relief washed through him when he spotted her up ahead and his palms started sweating again as he neared her. He pulled to a stop in front of her and popped the lock before leaning over to open the door for her.
Maria tried to swallow her nervousness down as she climbed into the Ram, feeling a bit lost in the room interior. “Hey.”
“Hey.” He let his gaze move over her and he felt like a jerk when he saw the shadows under her eyes.
She looked like shit. She knew it, but no makeup could hide it.
Michael rubbed his palm over his thigh, as much to hide his nervousness as to rid his palm of sweat. “I was gonna take us over to my place unless you don’t think you’d be comfortable there.”
She had never been to his place before. It had to mean something, right? “I think I’m good.”
He nodded and took a turn at the end of the block. He drove to an older part of the city, dotted with sprawling estates belonging to the wealthy. He pulled up in front of a set of ornate wrought-iron gates and leaned forward to press a button on the dashboard. A moment later the gates slowly opened, swinging wide so he could drive through.
Was this HIS place, she wondered, or his parents? Damn, she wasn’t dressed for anything public.
Michael glanced at her when she shifted and he frowned when her gaze darted around uncomfortably. Was she already regretting agreeing to come here? “My parents’ place,” he said, nodding at the monstrous house up ahead. The driveway was paved instead of just covered in gravel and it was silent inside the cab. He turned off onto another paved driveway and pointed at a significantly smaller house, set back a decent distance from the main house. “That’s my place.” As he neared it the private lake that the houses were built around became visible and he glanced at her, trying to gauge her reaction.
“Wow... Well... I don’t know what to say.”
He smiled slightly and pulled around the circular driveway in front of his place, putting the truck in park and getting out. He rounded the hood and pulled her door open just as she freed herself from the seatbelt. He held his hand out to her, not sure if she’d take it or not.
Her eyes traveled to his offered hand. She stared at it so long she started to feel stupid and she quickly placed her hand in his palm.
And there was that feeling again, he thought as soon as her skin slid against his. He helped her down and reluctantly released her so he could lead the way up to the house. He unlocked the door and turned to punch in his code to turn the alarm off before standing back and motioning for her to enter ahead of him.
Did his son live here as well? she wondered when she glanced around.
“Lookin’ for someone?” he asked, trying not to smile.
She wrapped her arms around herself, feeling uncomfortable.
“You’re lookin’ for my son?” He watched her, narrowing his eyes slightly as he waited to see if he was correct in what he believed her thoughts to be.
“Why are you making fun of me?” she snapped defensively when he asked a question instead of answering hers.
“I’m not makin’ fun of you, Maria.” He motioned for her to follow him as he walked down a hall. He leaned back against the doorframe and waved his hand inside. “This’s Ben’s room when he stays with me.”
She looked inside briefly. God, maybe this was all too much to handle.
Michael caught her hand when she started to back away. “Maria, he’s my brother, not my son.”
“Your... brother?” she stuttered, “but he called you...”
“I’ve been working with him, helping him with his pronunciation so he could say Da-Da next time he sees my dad.”
“Is he the reason why you’ve been so MIA often?”
He nodded. “Yeah, my sister does her best to handle things and she has custody of Ben, but... she can’t do it all.”
“The blonde from the beach?” she asked, feeling stupid but at the same time relieved when he nodded.
“Yeah, Isabel’s my older sister. My dad...” he sat on the little boy’s bed. “When my mom died my dad lost it and he couldn’t take care of Ben.”
“That was probably really tough,” she whispered and leaned against the wall.
“Yeah... it’s been pretty rocky at times.” He swallowed hard and looked up at her. “I was datin’ someone when my mom died and she was supportive until she realized that my family needed me and there were times when I had to put them first. She gave me an ultimatum.”
Wow, stupid girl, she thought. Well, at least she made room for me... maybe.
“I’ve avoided getting involved with anyone since then because they need me and that doesn’t stop just because I’ve got a date or there’s a party to go to. If Ben gets attached to a girl I’m with and then she just takes off, he gets hurt, and the little guy’s got enough to deal with.”
“And so do you,” she said gently.
He shook his head. “It’s not about me,” he denied. “Isabel’s got a new business, Ben’s adjusting to life without his mother, and Dad... he’s just absent. He’s depressed and most days just getting him out of bed is next to impossible. And when I can get him up he just sits there, like he’s waitin’ to die.”
She walked over to him slowly and sat down next to him. Now that she knew what was really going on she could understand his motives better. “But you can’t put your own life on hold completely, Michael.”
“No, and I don’t. My sister pushes me to go out and keep things as normal as possible.” He sighed and looked at her. “You know why I blew you off every time you came around?”
“Why?”
“Because from the first time I saw you I knew you were different. That if I got involved with you it’d be harder than hell to walk away, and if you couldn’t deal with my situation I’d have no choice.” He took her hand and threaded his fingers through hers. “Maria, nothin’ that we shared was ever faked.”
She swallowed. “Ditto.”
“Max overheard you an’ Liz talkin’ that mornin’ you guys stayed over at his place... he heard about the dare and that’s when we made a dare of our own.”
“Well, guess there’s also something good that came out of it.”
“Good?”
“Yeah, well, without the stupid dares you would’ve just blown me off again.”
He nodded. “True. I just... the sex, it wasn’t about the dare. That’s how it started out, but, that’s not how it ended up.”
“Okay,” she whispered and believed him.
“Am I leavin’ anything out?”
She looked at their intertwined hands. “How do you feel about us now?”
“My family situation hasn’t changed, Maria,” he hedged. “Ben’s only two and I’ve usually got him a couple nights a week...”
“That’s not an answer to my question,” she said, pulling her hands away.
“No, it’s not.” He reached up to scratch his neck. “I’m not tryin’ to avoid the question even though I know that’s probably what it feels like. I’m in too deep to protect myself from getting hurt if you walk away.” He got up and walked over to the window, chewing on his bottom lip as he looked out over the lake. “When I said that stuff to you at the park the other day and I saw the look on your face...” he shook his head, “it hurt. I wanted to take the words back the second they were out, but the damage was already done. I’ve always known that you were the one who’d get under my skin.” He smiled wryly and turned to face her. “I didn’t know I was gonna fall in love with you. Hell, I didn’t even know it could happen that fast.”
He... fell in love...? She couldn’t believe the words. “Your words hurt,” she admitted. “But you can only get hurt like that if you’ve got certain feelings for someone.”
He was almost afraid to believe what she was implying. Was it possible? “Like?”
“Like falling for someone.”
He smiled slowly. “So... if I tell you I’d like us to be together?”
“I’d be hyperventilating, but very happy,” she joked.
“Should I go get you a paper bag to breathe into before I say it then?” he asked with a smirk.
“Depends on whether you’re planning to kiss me afterwards.”
“That’s a definite yes, but I’ve got one more question first.”
“Okay. Go ahead.”
“What was the dare all about in the first place?”
“Liz’s boyfriend broke up with her, told her she was too boring. She wanted him back so I told her to get more adventurous... I know, stupid. We picked Max for her because she thought he was hot and he was Mr. Womanizer anyway.”
“You figured he was a safe bet ‘cause he doesn’t get involved.” He thought about that for a second. “Okay, I buy that. Why me?”
“Liz knew I was interested in you, so she came up with my dare to get a kiss from you. Well, the actual complete dare was to get a tongue kiss in your parents’ house.”
He snorted. “You wanted a tongue kiss in my parents’ house?” He shook his head and took her hand, pulling her back out into the hall. “Think you could settle for one in my house?”
She snorted. “I never really cared or paid any attention to the dare, Michael.”
He smiled and leaned back against the wall, pulling her to stand between his legs. “I’d like for us to be together... and if there’re anymore dares, let’s just keep ‘em between us.”
She placed a finger against his lips before he could kiss her. “Does that mean the end of your no public displays rule?”
He nipped her finger. “Yeah.”
“Okay,” she whispered, feeling her stomach twist in anticipation of his kiss.
He paused with his lips just a breath away from hers. “Anything else?” he whispered teasingly.
“Not that I can think of right now.”
He chuckled as he pressed his lips to hers, kissing her slowly. He lifted his hands to cradle her face, his thumbs stroking gently over her jaw.
Maria placed her smaller hands on his chest, letting her fingertips wander over his tee shirt to feel the muscles beneath.
Michael looked down at her hands, feeling his muscles jump at her touch. “You have any idea what you do to me?” he growled.
She smiled and rested the side of her head against his shoulder while one hand kept drawing circles on his upper body. “No.”
He chuckled and his left arm slid around her waist, his hand resting on her hip. He couldn’t believe this was happening, not after everything that had been said between them just a week ago.
“I’m glad I accepted that dare. I wouldn’t have tried to hit on you again otherwise.” She looked at him. “I never meant to hurt you with it. I didn’t even think about the possibility it could hurt you.”
He nodded. “I’m glad you did too.” He was quiet for a few minutes. “When Max told me about that dare...” he shook his head. “I’m not gonna lie, it hurt. But, what we did in retaliation wasn’t any better. Hell, maybe it was worse, but I swear to you, Maria, it was never about that for me.”
She nodded. “I’m glad it’s all over now. This secret thing was really getting on my nerves.”
“Mine too. Every time my sister or my dad called while we were together, or when I had to take off ‘cause Iz needed me to pick Ben up or watch him... I hated the look it put on your face. I figured you probably thought it was about another girl, and it was,” he said with a quiet laugh, “just not the way you were thinkin’.”
“I really thought you had a kid,” she admitted with a sigh.
“No kids yet. At least not like that. Little guy needs a male role model around and my dad’s kinda,” he shrugged, “mentally absent, so it falls to me.” He grinned. “If my sister would ever find a guy who could accept the situation then it’d ease things up on me as far as time, but... the girl just has not dated recently.”
“I gotta admit I’m glad he’s your brother instead of your son.”
“Would it make a difference?” he asked curiously.
“I think so.”
“Because the kid’s mom would be part of my life too?”
“Yeah. I know it’s probably stupid, but well, it would always mean dealing with her and stuff.”
“No, it’s not stupid,” he denied. “Exes can make life difficult and when they’re involved in your life to that extent it can put a lot of strain on a relationship. You think you’ll be able to deal with my situation like it is?”
“Yeah,” she answered with certainty.
“Then I’d like to introduce you to my family. Maybe take you out to dinner with Isabel and Ben.”
She was incredibly happy that he trusted her that much. “I’d love to meet them now that I know she’s your sister.”
“Cool, I’ll let Iz know, see if we can set dinner up soon.”
“Sounds good,” she snuggled closer to him again, needing his close presence to make sure this wasn’t just a dream.
He brought his other arm around her, holding her close. “Never expected things to work out like this.”
“Yeah, see, I’m easy to please.”
He snorted. “Kinda like pleasing you,” he murmured against her ear.
She giggled. “Shut up.”
He smiled and nipped her earlobe. “Shuttin’ up,” he said agreeably.
Her hands wandered in the back of his neck while she turned her head to look at him. “Ya gonna show me the rest of your house too?”
“Sure,” he nudged her with his body and took her hand again, pulling her with him.
“Hey, not that fast.”
“No?” He grinned and pulled her into a doorway. “Thought we could start with my room.”
“Uh-huh, somehow I knew that.”
“We could start somewhere else,” he whispered as he leaned down to kiss her neck. “I’m open to suggestion.”
“I think I’m good with your room,” she whispered.
“Sure? Wouldn’t want it to be too fast.”
“Oh, well, maybe you could just show me the kitchen then,” she teased.
“Just for the record,” he growled, “location isn’t all that important.” He ran his tongue around her ear. “Eventually you’re gonna be naked in every room in this house so where we start doesn’t really matter.”
“Remember you’ve got a kid running through the house some days,” she said.
“I’ll try to control myself while he’s runnin’ around.” He laughed and shook his head. “Besides, my sister would beat my ass if I ever acted irresponsibly around him.”
“Somehow I doubt you’d do that anyway,” she replied, sure of it.
“No,” he agreed. “I figure he’ll have his chance to make his own mistakes and learn his own bad habits.”
“Hey,” Maria said when she remembered Liz being alone at home, “can I ask you something about Max?”
“Ask away.”
“Does he care about my friend?”
“Yeah. Evans has been moping around since she left him that day.”
“She’s just really hurt.”
“So’s he. Maybe that sex dare would’ve been different if we were different guys, but while it sounded good at the time, all we were doin’ was tryin’ to make ourselves feel better.”
“I think I need to convince her to talk to him.”
“Don’t tell me Parker’s bein’ more stubborn than you.”
She shrugged. “I think I was so fed up with all the lies and secrets that I just wanted to talk to you again to figure out what the truth was.”
“Ya know, if she doesn’t talk to him soon the guy’s gonna die of a broken heart. He was actually goin’ on about soulmates or some shit like that the other night. Granted, he was drunk off his ass, but still, she’s got him crazy.”
“Soulmates?” Maria laughed. “He must’ve been really drunk.” She couldn’t really imagine Max Evans saying stuff like that.
“I’m serious. I’ve never seen him like this.” He rolled his eyes. “It’s just sad.”
“C’mon,” she took his hand, “show me the garden. I wanna see that lake.”
He nodded to the left and let her lead the way, tugging on her hand when they reached the large living area with the bar between it and the kitchen. Windows lined the entire wall, floor to ceiling, and a pair of French doors opened out onto the wide deck off of the dining room. The lake lay just beyond, deep blue and sparkling in the late afternoon sun.
“Oh, hell,” Maria muttered. “Ya wanna marry me?” She looked at him teasingly when his eyes widened. “Just kidding, Guerin.”
He snorted. “Let’s take it one step at a time, DeLuca.”
“It’s amazing out here. Ya know, it’ll be hard to get rid of me after seeing this view.”
“Damn, guess I should’ve held out on that,” he said with a teasing grin.
“Uh-huh, too late.”
“Means I’m stuck with ya, huh?” He wrapped his arms around her from behind and pulled her up against him. “There’s a path down to the right,” he said, pointing, “and,” he shuffled them further down the deck, “if you look through the trees there, you can see the dock.”
“Can we go down?”
“Yeah, of course.” He motioned to the steps at the end of the deck and then released her hand to lean over and remove the baby gate he’d forgotten to take down after having Ben over the day before.
“I’m getting rid of my shoes,” she said and slipped out of them.
He took her hand again, leading the way down the manicured path to the dock. “We get a view of the sunrise back here,” he said as he let her walk onto the dock ahead of him.
“It’s really cool here. You really have a nice place to live.”
He nodded. “Yeah. I had a place picked out before my mom’s accident but after... this just worked out better.”
“Were you close to you mom?” she asked quietly, leaning against him and playing with the chain around his neck.
“Yeah. She never pushed us to be or do anything that we didn’t feel was right for us. If we found somethin’ we loved she encouraged us to give it everything we had.”
Sounded like an awesome woman, she decided and felt sad that she’d been taken way too early. The little boy would never get to know his mom.
“You know... I told you my dad lost it after my mom died. He hasn’t been the same since and I don’t know if he’ll ever be himself again. We had to have my dad declared unfit so Isabel could have custody of Ben. There were just things that had to be taken care of and I don’t wanna say he didn’t care anymore, but... it was like he’d lost the ability to see past his own pain and Ben’s the one who was payin’ for it.”
“That’s really bad,” she admitted quietly. “Did he see anyone? A doctor or something?”
“Yeah, at first, but he refused to let them help him. Some mornings I have to fight to get him out of bed and when I do he just sits around, staring at nothin’. Then some nights it’s like, mentally he’s there but, he gets pissed if I’m not here to take care of him.”
“I’m gonna help you with it as well as I can...” she started, “...or as much as you want me to.”
He smiled faintly. “Thanks. There’re nights when I crash at Max’s place, usually the nights when I just need a break and I drink too much.” He bit his bottom lip. “I know it’s an excuse... if I’ve had too much to drink I know I can’t drive and Max will keep me there. It gives me an out from coming home and dealin’ with him every once in a while.” He sighed and tapped his temple. “Up here, I know there’s no reason to feel guilty for needin’ time away from the situation, but...”
“Just tell me when you need help.”
He nodded and swallowed hard. He hadn’t dared to let himself hope that things would ever go this well with her.
She smiled at him encouragingly. “It’s okay to accept some help now and then.”
“Just bear with me, Maria, it’s not always easy for me to ask for help. Outside of my sister and Max I’m not used to lettin’ anyone in like that.”
“I can be stubborn,” she said and grabbed a handful of his tee shirt to pull him down for a proper kiss.
“Lucky for me,” he murmured against her lips. He fell silent as he concentrated on her, his hands cupping her neck as his tongue traced over her lips.
She groaned slightly in response to his gentle moves and parted her lips just slightly, making him work for more.
He growled and angled his head, letting her set the pace. She wanted to make him work for it, he’d give her what she wanted.
Her fist tightened on his tee shirt, she was refusing to let him go ever again. Still, it felt unreal. Had she really managed to get into Michael Guerin’s heart?
Her possessiveness turned him on in a way he had never experienced. Normally that was something that had him sending girls packing, but with her he liked it. He nibbled on her bottom lip and then soothed it with his tongue.
“You’re a great kisser,” she whispered against his lips. “I always wondered why you were holding back.”
“I was tryin’ to keep you from getting all the way in here,” he said, taking her hand and placing it over his heart.
“No fair,” she complained slightly.
“Why not?”
“Because you were in mine for a very long time before the dare.”
He lifted his gaze to hers and shook his head. “Why? I mean, I never gave you any reason to think I was ever gonna give you... us... a chance.”
She shrugged. “For no particular reason. I just happened to have a big crush on you right from the start.”
“Well, I’m not gonna say I had a crush on you...” he smirked. “I’m a guy, we don’t have crushes. But, damn, I wanted you the first time I saw you.”
“You hid that pretty well.”
“Yeah, well, the slightest bit of encouragement and I knew where we’d be headed.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Somehow I always knew you were hiding something. And sometimes you looked at me.... differently, ya know? It made me wonder why you would be such a dick all the time.”
He shrugged. “You were the one that could hurt me if we got in too deep and you wanted out.”
“You’re lucky then,” she wrapped her arms around him tightly. “I don’t want out.”
Michael leaned back against the railing and smiled when he heard the sound of a car door slamming followed by his sister’s voice calling out to Ben to slow down. “Last chance to run,” he teased.
“They’re coming by tonight?” Wow, she hadn’t prepared for this.
“Well, they weren’t supposed to, but I’d recognize that voice anywhere.”
“Oh, alright. I can do that... I guess.”
“C’mon, let’s get up to the house before Ben comes runnin’ out here and gives Isabel a heart attack.”
“Okay,” she agreed, taking his hand once more.
Max and Liz... not just yet.
Natalie36: Wait no more... here it is.
keepsmiling7: We’ll find out soon what Max intends to do.
Max totally shot himself in the foot by not telling her the truth. He genuinely didn’t want to hurt her and was certain once he told Michael that all bets were off she would never need to know about it.
Well... maybe a little more for the dreamer couple.
mary mary: Michael’s mom was killed in a car accident. As for Ben and Isabel, the waiting ends very, very soon.
sarammlover: Lol, no plans for mid-week updates, sorry. We hope you survived the week.
Eva: Finally, right?
Alien_Friend: We’ll see how good Michael does with his explanation in this part. Well, his only excuse there is he knows her well, and he knew he had to give her time to cool off before approaching him again. Plus, he needed time to get everything together himself.
Max won’t stop trying but Liz isn’t going to make it easy for him.
secretk: It’s a safe bet that they’re all aware of their mistakes where the dare is concerned.
We’ll see what happens with Michael and Maria.
Max and Liz, we’ll have to wait a bit for them to get to this point.
Part 23
“So?” Liz asked.
“He said he missed me too,” Maria babbled.
“That's good. He wouldn’t make the effort if it wasn’t true. I mean, what would be the point of lying now?”
“I hope you’re right.”
Liz stuck her tongue out at her. “I’m always right.”
“Maybe you should consider it for Max then.”
She snorted. “Yeah, right.”
“I mean it. You just said it: what’s the point of lying now?”
“The point is he had the opportunity to tell me the truth... and he didn’t.”
“Yeah, but if I can hear Michael out, you can do that with Max as well, girl.”
“Maria, I told him the truth. And then slept with him! He had ample opportunity to get it out there.”
“Okay, maybe you’re right.” She made a face. “Is it really okay if I leave you with the food?”
Liz rolled her eyes. “I have nothing else going on. The least I can do is eat.”
“Could you maybe loan me a pair of jeans?”
“Sure,” she motioned to her closet, “help yourself.”
*****
Michael turned onto the street Liz’s dorm was located on and he slowed down, looking for Maria. She had said she’d be waiting for him outside and he hoped she hadn’t been yanking his chain. Relief washed through him when he spotted her up ahead and his palms started sweating again as he neared her. He pulled to a stop in front of her and popped the lock before leaning over to open the door for her.
Maria tried to swallow her nervousness down as she climbed into the Ram, feeling a bit lost in the room interior. “Hey.”
“Hey.” He let his gaze move over her and he felt like a jerk when he saw the shadows under her eyes.
She looked like shit. She knew it, but no makeup could hide it.
Michael rubbed his palm over his thigh, as much to hide his nervousness as to rid his palm of sweat. “I was gonna take us over to my place unless you don’t think you’d be comfortable there.”
She had never been to his place before. It had to mean something, right? “I think I’m good.”
He nodded and took a turn at the end of the block. He drove to an older part of the city, dotted with sprawling estates belonging to the wealthy. He pulled up in front of a set of ornate wrought-iron gates and leaned forward to press a button on the dashboard. A moment later the gates slowly opened, swinging wide so he could drive through.
Was this HIS place, she wondered, or his parents? Damn, she wasn’t dressed for anything public.
Michael glanced at her when she shifted and he frowned when her gaze darted around uncomfortably. Was she already regretting agreeing to come here? “My parents’ place,” he said, nodding at the monstrous house up ahead. The driveway was paved instead of just covered in gravel and it was silent inside the cab. He turned off onto another paved driveway and pointed at a significantly smaller house, set back a decent distance from the main house. “That’s my place.” As he neared it the private lake that the houses were built around became visible and he glanced at her, trying to gauge her reaction.
“Wow... Well... I don’t know what to say.”
He smiled slightly and pulled around the circular driveway in front of his place, putting the truck in park and getting out. He rounded the hood and pulled her door open just as she freed herself from the seatbelt. He held his hand out to her, not sure if she’d take it or not.
Her eyes traveled to his offered hand. She stared at it so long she started to feel stupid and she quickly placed her hand in his palm.
And there was that feeling again, he thought as soon as her skin slid against his. He helped her down and reluctantly released her so he could lead the way up to the house. He unlocked the door and turned to punch in his code to turn the alarm off before standing back and motioning for her to enter ahead of him.
Did his son live here as well? she wondered when she glanced around.
“Lookin’ for someone?” he asked, trying not to smile.
She wrapped her arms around herself, feeling uncomfortable.
“You’re lookin’ for my son?” He watched her, narrowing his eyes slightly as he waited to see if he was correct in what he believed her thoughts to be.
“Why are you making fun of me?” she snapped defensively when he asked a question instead of answering hers.
“I’m not makin’ fun of you, Maria.” He motioned for her to follow him as he walked down a hall. He leaned back against the doorframe and waved his hand inside. “This’s Ben’s room when he stays with me.”
She looked inside briefly. God, maybe this was all too much to handle.
Michael caught her hand when she started to back away. “Maria, he’s my brother, not my son.”
“Your... brother?” she stuttered, “but he called you...”
“I’ve been working with him, helping him with his pronunciation so he could say Da-Da next time he sees my dad.”
“Is he the reason why you’ve been so MIA often?”
He nodded. “Yeah, my sister does her best to handle things and she has custody of Ben, but... she can’t do it all.”
“The blonde from the beach?” she asked, feeling stupid but at the same time relieved when he nodded.
“Yeah, Isabel’s my older sister. My dad...” he sat on the little boy’s bed. “When my mom died my dad lost it and he couldn’t take care of Ben.”
“That was probably really tough,” she whispered and leaned against the wall.
“Yeah... it’s been pretty rocky at times.” He swallowed hard and looked up at her. “I was datin’ someone when my mom died and she was supportive until she realized that my family needed me and there were times when I had to put them first. She gave me an ultimatum.”
Wow, stupid girl, she thought. Well, at least she made room for me... maybe.
“I’ve avoided getting involved with anyone since then because they need me and that doesn’t stop just because I’ve got a date or there’s a party to go to. If Ben gets attached to a girl I’m with and then she just takes off, he gets hurt, and the little guy’s got enough to deal with.”
“And so do you,” she said gently.
He shook his head. “It’s not about me,” he denied. “Isabel’s got a new business, Ben’s adjusting to life without his mother, and Dad... he’s just absent. He’s depressed and most days just getting him out of bed is next to impossible. And when I can get him up he just sits there, like he’s waitin’ to die.”
She walked over to him slowly and sat down next to him. Now that she knew what was really going on she could understand his motives better. “But you can’t put your own life on hold completely, Michael.”
“No, and I don’t. My sister pushes me to go out and keep things as normal as possible.” He sighed and looked at her. “You know why I blew you off every time you came around?”
“Why?”
“Because from the first time I saw you I knew you were different. That if I got involved with you it’d be harder than hell to walk away, and if you couldn’t deal with my situation I’d have no choice.” He took her hand and threaded his fingers through hers. “Maria, nothin’ that we shared was ever faked.”
She swallowed. “Ditto.”
“Max overheard you an’ Liz talkin’ that mornin’ you guys stayed over at his place... he heard about the dare and that’s when we made a dare of our own.”
“Well, guess there’s also something good that came out of it.”
“Good?”
“Yeah, well, without the stupid dares you would’ve just blown me off again.”
He nodded. “True. I just... the sex, it wasn’t about the dare. That’s how it started out, but, that’s not how it ended up.”
“Okay,” she whispered and believed him.
“Am I leavin’ anything out?”
She looked at their intertwined hands. “How do you feel about us now?”
“My family situation hasn’t changed, Maria,” he hedged. “Ben’s only two and I’ve usually got him a couple nights a week...”
“That’s not an answer to my question,” she said, pulling her hands away.
“No, it’s not.” He reached up to scratch his neck. “I’m not tryin’ to avoid the question even though I know that’s probably what it feels like. I’m in too deep to protect myself from getting hurt if you walk away.” He got up and walked over to the window, chewing on his bottom lip as he looked out over the lake. “When I said that stuff to you at the park the other day and I saw the look on your face...” he shook his head, “it hurt. I wanted to take the words back the second they were out, but the damage was already done. I’ve always known that you were the one who’d get under my skin.” He smiled wryly and turned to face her. “I didn’t know I was gonna fall in love with you. Hell, I didn’t even know it could happen that fast.”
He... fell in love...? She couldn’t believe the words. “Your words hurt,” she admitted. “But you can only get hurt like that if you’ve got certain feelings for someone.”
He was almost afraid to believe what she was implying. Was it possible? “Like?”
“Like falling for someone.”
He smiled slowly. “So... if I tell you I’d like us to be together?”
“I’d be hyperventilating, but very happy,” she joked.
“Should I go get you a paper bag to breathe into before I say it then?” he asked with a smirk.
“Depends on whether you’re planning to kiss me afterwards.”
“That’s a definite yes, but I’ve got one more question first.”
“Okay. Go ahead.”
“What was the dare all about in the first place?”
“Liz’s boyfriend broke up with her, told her she was too boring. She wanted him back so I told her to get more adventurous... I know, stupid. We picked Max for her because she thought he was hot and he was Mr. Womanizer anyway.”
“You figured he was a safe bet ‘cause he doesn’t get involved.” He thought about that for a second. “Okay, I buy that. Why me?”
“Liz knew I was interested in you, so she came up with my dare to get a kiss from you. Well, the actual complete dare was to get a tongue kiss in your parents’ house.”
He snorted. “You wanted a tongue kiss in my parents’ house?” He shook his head and took her hand, pulling her back out into the hall. “Think you could settle for one in my house?”
She snorted. “I never really cared or paid any attention to the dare, Michael.”
He smiled and leaned back against the wall, pulling her to stand between his legs. “I’d like for us to be together... and if there’re anymore dares, let’s just keep ‘em between us.”
She placed a finger against his lips before he could kiss her. “Does that mean the end of your no public displays rule?”
He nipped her finger. “Yeah.”
“Okay,” she whispered, feeling her stomach twist in anticipation of his kiss.
He paused with his lips just a breath away from hers. “Anything else?” he whispered teasingly.
“Not that I can think of right now.”
He chuckled as he pressed his lips to hers, kissing her slowly. He lifted his hands to cradle her face, his thumbs stroking gently over her jaw.
Maria placed her smaller hands on his chest, letting her fingertips wander over his tee shirt to feel the muscles beneath.
Michael looked down at her hands, feeling his muscles jump at her touch. “You have any idea what you do to me?” he growled.
She smiled and rested the side of her head against his shoulder while one hand kept drawing circles on his upper body. “No.”
He chuckled and his left arm slid around her waist, his hand resting on her hip. He couldn’t believe this was happening, not after everything that had been said between them just a week ago.
“I’m glad I accepted that dare. I wouldn’t have tried to hit on you again otherwise.” She looked at him. “I never meant to hurt you with it. I didn’t even think about the possibility it could hurt you.”
He nodded. “I’m glad you did too.” He was quiet for a few minutes. “When Max told me about that dare...” he shook his head. “I’m not gonna lie, it hurt. But, what we did in retaliation wasn’t any better. Hell, maybe it was worse, but I swear to you, Maria, it was never about that for me.”
She nodded. “I’m glad it’s all over now. This secret thing was really getting on my nerves.”
“Mine too. Every time my sister or my dad called while we were together, or when I had to take off ‘cause Iz needed me to pick Ben up or watch him... I hated the look it put on your face. I figured you probably thought it was about another girl, and it was,” he said with a quiet laugh, “just not the way you were thinkin’.”
“I really thought you had a kid,” she admitted with a sigh.
“No kids yet. At least not like that. Little guy needs a male role model around and my dad’s kinda,” he shrugged, “mentally absent, so it falls to me.” He grinned. “If my sister would ever find a guy who could accept the situation then it’d ease things up on me as far as time, but... the girl just has not dated recently.”
“I gotta admit I’m glad he’s your brother instead of your son.”
“Would it make a difference?” he asked curiously.
“I think so.”
“Because the kid’s mom would be part of my life too?”
“Yeah. I know it’s probably stupid, but well, it would always mean dealing with her and stuff.”
“No, it’s not stupid,” he denied. “Exes can make life difficult and when they’re involved in your life to that extent it can put a lot of strain on a relationship. You think you’ll be able to deal with my situation like it is?”
“Yeah,” she answered with certainty.
“Then I’d like to introduce you to my family. Maybe take you out to dinner with Isabel and Ben.”
She was incredibly happy that he trusted her that much. “I’d love to meet them now that I know she’s your sister.”
“Cool, I’ll let Iz know, see if we can set dinner up soon.”
“Sounds good,” she snuggled closer to him again, needing his close presence to make sure this wasn’t just a dream.
He brought his other arm around her, holding her close. “Never expected things to work out like this.”
“Yeah, see, I’m easy to please.”
He snorted. “Kinda like pleasing you,” he murmured against her ear.
She giggled. “Shut up.”
He smiled and nipped her earlobe. “Shuttin’ up,” he said agreeably.
Her hands wandered in the back of his neck while she turned her head to look at him. “Ya gonna show me the rest of your house too?”
“Sure,” he nudged her with his body and took her hand again, pulling her with him.
“Hey, not that fast.”
“No?” He grinned and pulled her into a doorway. “Thought we could start with my room.”
“Uh-huh, somehow I knew that.”
“We could start somewhere else,” he whispered as he leaned down to kiss her neck. “I’m open to suggestion.”
“I think I’m good with your room,” she whispered.
“Sure? Wouldn’t want it to be too fast.”
“Oh, well, maybe you could just show me the kitchen then,” she teased.
“Just for the record,” he growled, “location isn’t all that important.” He ran his tongue around her ear. “Eventually you’re gonna be naked in every room in this house so where we start doesn’t really matter.”
“Remember you’ve got a kid running through the house some days,” she said.
“I’ll try to control myself while he’s runnin’ around.” He laughed and shook his head. “Besides, my sister would beat my ass if I ever acted irresponsibly around him.”
“Somehow I doubt you’d do that anyway,” she replied, sure of it.
“No,” he agreed. “I figure he’ll have his chance to make his own mistakes and learn his own bad habits.”
“Hey,” Maria said when she remembered Liz being alone at home, “can I ask you something about Max?”
“Ask away.”
“Does he care about my friend?”
“Yeah. Evans has been moping around since she left him that day.”
“She’s just really hurt.”
“So’s he. Maybe that sex dare would’ve been different if we were different guys, but while it sounded good at the time, all we were doin’ was tryin’ to make ourselves feel better.”
“I think I need to convince her to talk to him.”
“Don’t tell me Parker’s bein’ more stubborn than you.”
She shrugged. “I think I was so fed up with all the lies and secrets that I just wanted to talk to you again to figure out what the truth was.”
“Ya know, if she doesn’t talk to him soon the guy’s gonna die of a broken heart. He was actually goin’ on about soulmates or some shit like that the other night. Granted, he was drunk off his ass, but still, she’s got him crazy.”
“Soulmates?” Maria laughed. “He must’ve been really drunk.” She couldn’t really imagine Max Evans saying stuff like that.
“I’m serious. I’ve never seen him like this.” He rolled his eyes. “It’s just sad.”
“C’mon,” she took his hand, “show me the garden. I wanna see that lake.”
He nodded to the left and let her lead the way, tugging on her hand when they reached the large living area with the bar between it and the kitchen. Windows lined the entire wall, floor to ceiling, and a pair of French doors opened out onto the wide deck off of the dining room. The lake lay just beyond, deep blue and sparkling in the late afternoon sun.
“Oh, hell,” Maria muttered. “Ya wanna marry me?” She looked at him teasingly when his eyes widened. “Just kidding, Guerin.”
He snorted. “Let’s take it one step at a time, DeLuca.”
“It’s amazing out here. Ya know, it’ll be hard to get rid of me after seeing this view.”
“Damn, guess I should’ve held out on that,” he said with a teasing grin.
“Uh-huh, too late.”
“Means I’m stuck with ya, huh?” He wrapped his arms around her from behind and pulled her up against him. “There’s a path down to the right,” he said, pointing, “and,” he shuffled them further down the deck, “if you look through the trees there, you can see the dock.”
“Can we go down?”
“Yeah, of course.” He motioned to the steps at the end of the deck and then released her hand to lean over and remove the baby gate he’d forgotten to take down after having Ben over the day before.
“I’m getting rid of my shoes,” she said and slipped out of them.
He took her hand again, leading the way down the manicured path to the dock. “We get a view of the sunrise back here,” he said as he let her walk onto the dock ahead of him.
“It’s really cool here. You really have a nice place to live.”
He nodded. “Yeah. I had a place picked out before my mom’s accident but after... this just worked out better.”
“Were you close to you mom?” she asked quietly, leaning against him and playing with the chain around his neck.
“Yeah. She never pushed us to be or do anything that we didn’t feel was right for us. If we found somethin’ we loved she encouraged us to give it everything we had.”
Sounded like an awesome woman, she decided and felt sad that she’d been taken way too early. The little boy would never get to know his mom.
“You know... I told you my dad lost it after my mom died. He hasn’t been the same since and I don’t know if he’ll ever be himself again. We had to have my dad declared unfit so Isabel could have custody of Ben. There were just things that had to be taken care of and I don’t wanna say he didn’t care anymore, but... it was like he’d lost the ability to see past his own pain and Ben’s the one who was payin’ for it.”
“That’s really bad,” she admitted quietly. “Did he see anyone? A doctor or something?”
“Yeah, at first, but he refused to let them help him. Some mornings I have to fight to get him out of bed and when I do he just sits around, staring at nothin’. Then some nights it’s like, mentally he’s there but, he gets pissed if I’m not here to take care of him.”
“I’m gonna help you with it as well as I can...” she started, “...or as much as you want me to.”
He smiled faintly. “Thanks. There’re nights when I crash at Max’s place, usually the nights when I just need a break and I drink too much.” He bit his bottom lip. “I know it’s an excuse... if I’ve had too much to drink I know I can’t drive and Max will keep me there. It gives me an out from coming home and dealin’ with him every once in a while.” He sighed and tapped his temple. “Up here, I know there’s no reason to feel guilty for needin’ time away from the situation, but...”
“Just tell me when you need help.”
He nodded and swallowed hard. He hadn’t dared to let himself hope that things would ever go this well with her.
She smiled at him encouragingly. “It’s okay to accept some help now and then.”
“Just bear with me, Maria, it’s not always easy for me to ask for help. Outside of my sister and Max I’m not used to lettin’ anyone in like that.”
“I can be stubborn,” she said and grabbed a handful of his tee shirt to pull him down for a proper kiss.
“Lucky for me,” he murmured against her lips. He fell silent as he concentrated on her, his hands cupping her neck as his tongue traced over her lips.
She groaned slightly in response to his gentle moves and parted her lips just slightly, making him work for more.
He growled and angled his head, letting her set the pace. She wanted to make him work for it, he’d give her what she wanted.
Her fist tightened on his tee shirt, she was refusing to let him go ever again. Still, it felt unreal. Had she really managed to get into Michael Guerin’s heart?
Her possessiveness turned him on in a way he had never experienced. Normally that was something that had him sending girls packing, but with her he liked it. He nibbled on her bottom lip and then soothed it with his tongue.
“You’re a great kisser,” she whispered against his lips. “I always wondered why you were holding back.”
“I was tryin’ to keep you from getting all the way in here,” he said, taking her hand and placing it over his heart.
“No fair,” she complained slightly.
“Why not?”
“Because you were in mine for a very long time before the dare.”
He lifted his gaze to hers and shook his head. “Why? I mean, I never gave you any reason to think I was ever gonna give you... us... a chance.”
She shrugged. “For no particular reason. I just happened to have a big crush on you right from the start.”
“Well, I’m not gonna say I had a crush on you...” he smirked. “I’m a guy, we don’t have crushes. But, damn, I wanted you the first time I saw you.”
“You hid that pretty well.”
“Yeah, well, the slightest bit of encouragement and I knew where we’d be headed.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Somehow I always knew you were hiding something. And sometimes you looked at me.... differently, ya know? It made me wonder why you would be such a dick all the time.”
He shrugged. “You were the one that could hurt me if we got in too deep and you wanted out.”
“You’re lucky then,” she wrapped her arms around him tightly. “I don’t want out.”
Michael leaned back against the railing and smiled when he heard the sound of a car door slamming followed by his sister’s voice calling out to Ben to slow down. “Last chance to run,” he teased.
“They’re coming by tonight?” Wow, she hadn’t prepared for this.
“Well, they weren’t supposed to, but I’d recognize that voice anywhere.”
“Oh, alright. I can do that... I guess.”
“C’mon, let’s get up to the house before Ben comes runnin’ out here and gives Isabel a heart attack.”
“Okay,” she agreed, taking his hand once more.
Fics: A Xmas Story - A Merry Mt. R. Xmas - Cupid's Revenge - Double Trouble - Double Date - Double Dare - Double Empire - Double Xmas Wish - In The Course Of A Lifetime - Mountains So High - Not A Question At All - Surrender - TIC TAC - Two Double Dates at Xmas
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Double Trouble
- Obsessed Roswellian
- Posts: 925
- Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 9:47 am
Part 24
Earth2Mama: Michael does have a lot on his plate with his family situation. His dad does still have time to be a parent to them if he can find his way out of the dark place he’s in.
Lol, prepared or not, here they come!
Max and Liz’s confrontation is coming but not just yet.
Natalie36: Lol, we’ll see how Isabel reacts to her brother’s new girlfriend. Max and Liz will get their shot at fixing things before too long.
Ilonka.Green: Welcome to DT world! It is wrong, agreed. More is coming right up but we’ll have to wait a bit for Max and Liz to have their moment.
sarammlover: Gotta love adorable Candy! It was well past time for these two to get the truth out between them and talk honestly. Max and Liz, their moment is coming soon.
keepsmiling7: Michael and Maria’s future does look pretty good.
Max and Liz, we’ve got a little bit before we get back to them.
mary mary: We’ve got the meet and greet with Ben in this part. As for Liz, we’ll get to work on her and Max soon.
Alien_Friend: Michael does have a lot on his plate but he wouldn’t do it differently given the same circumstances. Unfortunately their father hasn’t been able to handle his grief and focus on his children so Michael and Isabel stepped in to make sure Ben was taken care of.
Max and Liz will deal with their situation soon.
Janetfl: Glad you’re all caught up! That honest conversation was long overdue but now they can move forward without all the secrets between them.
Max and Liz will have their moment but it’s still a little ways away. He should’ve been honest with her when she told him the truth about the dare and now he has some major damage control to do.
Eva: Finally!
It is a difficult position but it looks like Michael and Isabel have things worked out in a way that’s working out for them and the little guy. Having this responsibility so young does put some roadblocks in their way but Isabel does her best to push Michael to live his life.
Having someone there to share his problems with will lighten his burden and Michael took a big step opening up and sharing that with Maria.
secretk: As much fun as making out is, Michael and Maria knew that if they were going to get anywhere they had to deal with the issues up front and in a constructive manner.
Building trust is the most important thing and they’ve taken a huge step in that direction.
Part 24
He held onto her hand as he led her back up to the house. He was just stepping up on the deck when Ben squeezed out of the back door and ran to him. He caught him in his arms and lifted him up against his chest. “Hey, little man, you know you’re not supposed to run through the house.” He patted the little boy’s back. “Got someone I want you to meet.”
Ben’s eyes grew wide when he saw the blonde woman he didn’t know. He smiled shyly and ducked his head to rest against Michael’s neck.
“Someone’s a bit shy,” Maria said and smiled at the boy. “Hey, Ben.”
His eyes lifted to hers and he gave her a shy smile before he buried his face against his brother’s chest again.
Michael laughed and rubbed his palm over Ben’s back. “That won’t last for long, believe me.” He looked up when his sister stepped out on the deck. “Hey, Iz, somethin’ come up at the club?”
She sighed. “I’ve got two sick waitresses and a half-sick bartender…” she stopped when she saw Maria. “Oh my God, I didn’t know you had company, sorry.”
“No, no,” he laughed and motioned for her to come closer, “c’mere, Iz, wanna introduce you to someone. Isabel, this’s Maria Deluca,” he turned to search Maria's eyes for a moment, “my girlfriend. Maria, my sister, Isabel.”
His words made her shiver and she smiled happily. “Hey, Isabel.”
Isabel’s right eyebrow arched as she extended her hand but after a moment her expression eased into a friendly smile. “Girlfriend, huh? If this blockhead had told me he had plans tonight – or that he was dating someone,” she said, shooting a glance at him, “I would’ve tried to make other arrangements.”
“Oh, well, our meeting was pretty spontaneous, so no need to feel bad about it.”
“Are you sure? I can try to get hold of his sitter if you guys...” she trailed off when Maria shook her head. “I approve, Michael.” She smiled. “His things are on the couch. I just had enough time to drop them before he got away from me.”
Michael laughed and shrugged as he looked down at Ben. “Givin’ Isabel a run for her money again, aren’t ya?”
Isabel sighed. “I need to go. Tonight’s already gonna be chaotic enough as it is.” She turned to Maria. “It was nice to meet you.”
“He’s already had dinner, right?” Michael asked as they followed her through the house.
“Yeah. You’re just gonna have to bathe him,” she said with a teasing smile.
Michael held Ben out at arm’s length, shaking him gently and making him laugh. “Bath time for Ben, huh?”
“You might wanna stay clear, he’s used to getting everything and everyone wet,” Isabel warned Maria before she left with a wave and a kiss on Ben’s head.
Shyness overtook the little boy once more and he latched onto his brother’s neck as he babbled quietly to himself. “He does tend to soak everything in sight.”
“Perfect match for Nayla then. Nothing stays dry with her in the tub.”
Michael checked the time. “Looks like we’ve got time for a bath and maybe a little bit of hangout time before we need to get you into bed, little man.”
Maria opened the door for them when they stepped inside. She was still amazed by his house. The furniture was really nice and she wondered who had chosen it.
Ben leaned back in his brother’s arms and Michael caught his hand when the little boy tried to stick his finger up his nose. “Stop that,” he chastised gently. “Trust me on this. Girls do not think guys who pick their noses are cute no matter how old they are.”
She snorted at that. “He’s right, little man.”
The little boy chose that moment to shriek his displeasure as he tried to pull his hand free and Michael rolled his eyes. “So it’s gonna be one of those nights, huh?”
“You know what a girl would do?” Maria asked gently and pulled out a tissue from a nearby dispenser to hold it gently at the boy’s nose. “Uh-huh you know this, don’t you?” Ben looked at her for a moment before he pushed the air out of his nose a few times. He made funny sounds and Maria had to giggle. “Very well done.”
Michael patted Ben’s back again. “Good job.” He leaned over to put the boy down, shaking his head when he ran to his room. “Would you keep an eye on him while I get his bath water ready?”
“Sure.”
He stood there for a moment, realizing just how much easier things were when there was someone there willing to help. “Thanks,” he said with a smile. He hooked his thumb over his shoulder and smirked. “There’s a trash can over there.”
“Alright,” she threw the tissue away and walked over to the boy’s room, leaning in the doorway as she watched him playing with a toy car that was nearly half as big as him. She smiled when the boy looked up at her curiously. “You like cars?” She neared him and sat down on the carpet. “Me too. I really like Michael’s but he’s mean and won’t let me drive it.”
Ben smiled and nodded as he crawled around the floor on his hands and knees, pushing the car and making noises.
“What is with you and my truck?” Michael asked, pausing in the doorway as he came back with the towels that Isabel had brought with her.
She shrugged. “I’ve got a weak spot for big cars.”
He shook his head and pushed away, walking down the hall to the bathroom so he could get the bath water started.
Ben left the car on the floor and pushed himself up onto his feet to go over to his toy box and dig around for something else. He pulled out several things, dropping them on the floor before deciding they weren’t what he wanted. He turned in a small circle before walking over to a shelf under the window and putting the fingers of his right hand in his mouth as he looked at Maria and pointed at the box of building blocks sitting on the second shelf.
“Alright,” Maria crawled over to them and stood on her knees to get the box down so the boy could get inside it.
He smiled widely as he pulled differently-shaped blocks out and put them on the floor. He leaned over, one hand gripped tightly on the edge of the box as he used his other hand to grip a rectangular block. He started talking, his words nonsense to everyone but him, and he handed her the block.
“Hmm, so what’re we gonna build, buddy?”
He pointed at the blocks on the floor and crouched down to pick up a couple of them, holding them against his chest and moving closer to her. He placed one of the blocks on the floor and patted her arm before pointing at the one he had just put down. He made a questioning sound as he crouched down again.
“Oh, alright, we’ll make a tower,” she sat her block on top of his.
He made a happy sound and placed his block on top of hers, clapping his hands happily when it stayed in place after teetering to one side for a moment. He pointed to the box and jogged back over to pull more blocks out, cradling them to his chest as he went back to her and offered her another one.
“I have to put the next one on, huh?” she asked, smiling as she took one from him, placing it on the tower slowly. “Uh-oh,” she said when it started to sway.
His eyes widened and he squealed sharply in surprise when the blocks crashed to the floor.
“Uh-oh,” Michael said, smiling at the scene before him. He had been watching them for the past couple of minutes and the weight on his shoulders felt a lot lighter with Maria there.
Ben ran over to him and grabbed his hand, dragging him over to the collapsed tower of blocks and babbling incessantly.
“I guess I’m not the greatest builder ever,” Maria shrugged.
“Does he look like he cares?” he asked with a gentle smile. “He can spend hours doin’ that.”
“Just like your brother, huh?” Maria tickled the little boy. “Loving big cars and gonna build big houses one day.”
Michael lifted an eyebrow at her knowledge of his career choice. “How’d you know that?”
“Stalking you,” she teased.
He smirked at her response. “Obviously.” He turned his attention to his brother. “Alright, little man, time for your bath.”
Maria stood up again and stretched. “Think I can give you a hand with your bath?”
“She’s gonna get soaked, ain’t she, Ben?” Michael asked as he scooped the little boy up.
Maria’s stomach suddenly grumbled. She hadn’t eaten much at Liz’s and to be honest, it was the first time she had actually felt really hungry again. “Oops.”
Michael and Ben looked at each other and the little boy started to giggle. “Think somebody must be hungry.” He turned to Maria. “Wanna order pizza or somethin’?”
“Well, if you got something in the refrigerator I could cook something while you guys are getting your bathing ritual done?”
“I’m not gonna turn that down. Yeah, fridge is fully stocked and I’m good with anything.”
“Alright,” she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him gently. “Guess I’ll just look around to find everything.”
“Cool, we’ll see ya soon.” He made a face at Ben that made the boy laugh. “Well, maybe not too soon ‘cause he likes to make a mess.”
*****
“Stupid,” Liz muttered and searched around for the remote while she was lying on the couch lazily. How could anyone believe in this fairytale shit they tried to tell in movies? Nothing like this would ever happen in the real world, so why would people want to watch things that they knew would be unreal? She sighed because before she had met Max Evans she had been one of those people as well. She had believed in happy endings and relationships that would last forever, but now…
Jealousy crept up her spine when she thought about her best friend and how she was meeting Michael. It was wrong to be jealous, she knew that. Maria had agreed to talk to him and somehow that was probably the right decision. Though, she wasn’t willing to give Max that much time of day. He HAD the chance to tell her the truth at the time she had opened up to him. Why hadn’t he said anything then? It would’ve been the perfect timing and to be honest… If she had been him she wouldn’t have been able to keep the secret up after her revelation.
But he did hold back and what kind of person did that make him? How could she trust him again if he said something? Or worse, what was he hiding if he didn’t say anything at all?
She frowned when she heard a knock on her door. It couldn’t be her roommate and it couldn’t be Maria either. Maybe it was just someone from another dorm room who needed help with something, she decided. It had happened now and then that someone had showed up at her door to ask for tutoring or cooking utensils or something, but she was really not in the mood to face anyone tonight, so instead of answering the door she stayed where she was.
Much to her annoyance the knock was heard again and she groaned into the pillow. “Miss?” It was a male voice. “We’ve got some complaints from downstairs about extreme noise up here…”
“Extreme noise?” she muttered, sitting up. “Are you kidding me?” With a determined pace, she walked to the door and ripped it open. “How the hell do you think I’m making fucking….” The last word died in her throat when she recognized the person in front of her. “David… What’re you doin’ here?”
He smiled at her brightly. “I wanted to see you and since you weren’t opening the door I had to come up with something.”
She almost smirked at that. “And why are you here?”
“To talk.”
“About what?”
“Well, you… us. Can I come in?”
She glanced into the apartment and the mess there. To be honest, she didn’t want to be locked up in a room with him anyway. “Uh,” she stepped out in the hallway and left the door slightly open. “Guess whatever you have to say, you’re gonna have to say it out here.”
“Alright,” he glanced into the hallway behind her and behind him to make sure no one was listening. “Look, Liz, I made a mistake. I broke up with you because I thought I hadn’t really experienced life yet. You know, with other women an’ stuff.”
She snorted. “Yeah.”
“The problem is I didn’t know I would miss you so much. I tried to date a few other girls and it was fun but…” he looked at her and cupped her cheek. “They weren’t you. I even miss the small things you always do.”
“What would that be?” she asked curiously. Not that she was really considering taking him back, but it couldn’t hurt to hear what was so loveable about her.
He smiled. “Well, like how you kick with your leg when you sneeze. How you look even sexier in the mornings when you get up while any other woman seems to lose her face with their makeup in the bathroom the night before. I like the way your coffee tastes, even if I still think the way you make it is strange.”
She couldn’t help but smile a bit when he told her the details that were probably totally unimportant, but you only knew them when you had spent a lot of time together. “It really broke my heart when you broke up with me,” Liz admitted.
“I know, and I’m really sorry about it, Pooh Bear.”
Ungh, and that was something she didn’t miss, she thought.
“I know now that no other girl, even if she is maybe more experimental or adventurous in bed, can give me what you give me…”
“David,” Liz interrupted him. “It’s very nice of you to say all that, but… We can’t get back together.”
“So it’s true, huh?”
She frowned. “What?”
“You’ve got someone new. A few of my friends told me.”
“No, I don’t.”
“So you’re not dating Evans? The baseball player?” He looked at her gauging her response.
Where would he know Max from? Liz wondered. David wasn’t a fan of baseball and he wasn’t a student at this college either. “It was just a random thing, nothing serious,” she answered shortly.
“Random,” David muttered. “He’s not worth your time.”
“Agreed,” she nodded and looked at him. “Neither are you, David. We’re over. I don’t want you back.”
His face turned hard for a moment as out of the corner of his eyes he could see someone walking up behind her. It didn’t take long before he realized who it was. Of course, he thought bitterly, his face revealing nothing though. “Well, alright… I had to try,” he said and in a split second he leaned forward and pressed a kiss against her lips before he turned and left.
Liz looked after him, startled. He had surprised her so much with that unexpected kiss that she hadn’t been able to say anything until he was already around the corner at the end of the hallway. Asshole.
“And you’re trying to make me feel guilty while you’re meeting Peterson so soon after us?” someone growled from behind her.
She whirled around quickly and came face to face with Max. This night was really getting better and better. Had David seen him coming and kissed her for that reason? she wondered. “What do you want?” she snapped. “This’s none of your business.”
“None of my…” he muttered and took another step closer to her. “What the fuck are you doin’ with this asshole? Don’t you think it’s ridiculous to be mad at me for the reason you are, but then start seein’ someone like HIM right after?” His hand slammed against the doorframe next to her while he tried to control the jealousy in him. He hadn’t expected to find her kissing another man. Had he really been so wrong about her?
“I didn’t start seeing HIM, okay? He’s my ex. YES, you heard right, the ex I wanted to get back when I made that dare about you.” She glared at him, hand on her hips. “Seems like it worked because he was just here to tell me he wants me back.”
Max snorted loudly and laughed. “He’s your ex, Liz?” He laughed again. “That guy,” he pointed in the direction David had taken, “hangs out at my older brother’s house almost every weekend for the last two years and he brings a different chick every time.”
From the way she looked and how pale her face turned as her mouth opened and closed a few times he knew that she had no clue who her ex really was and he felt sorry for being the one who had told her the truth about him. “Liz…” he started with a softer tone this time and reached out to touch her arm, but she flinched away from him. “The guy just wants you back because his pride’s hurt or something.”
She looked at him, her emotions locked up behind her face. “Well, maybe he’s not so different from you then, huh?”
With that she stepped into her apartment and slammed the door shut right in his face before she sank down against it and started to cry.
*****
“Hey, you gonna be okay?” Maria asked gently, clamping her cell between ear and shoulder while she looked into the oven where the lasagna was turning a nice color. She had called her friend, intending to convince her to talk to Max and had found out about the mess happening at Liz’s door about an hour ago.
“I’m okay,” Liz said.
“You are not,” Maria said matter-of-factly. “I can hear it in your voice. You’ve been crying. I’m coming to see you in a while.”
“NO! Don’t you dare! Stay with Michael, Maria. I’m serious. I’m fine. I’ll just go to bed and sleep so there’s no need to ruin your night too.”
“Liz...”
“Maria! I’m serious. I won’t let you in if you come over.”
“Alright, fine. I’m staying. But I’ll see you first thing in the morning.”
“Okay,” Liz smiled into the cell sadly.
“Don’t cry anymore, girl.”
“I won’t.”
Maria knew she was lying but there was nothing she could do. “Talk to you soon, okay?”
“Have fun,” Liz encouraged her. She didn’t want her friend to feel bad for her.
Maria sighed when she disconnected the call and placed her phone on the counter. If only she could help Liz to talk to Max. Talk instead of yelling. And damn David. She would kick his ass next time she saw him.
“Everything okay?” Michael asked as he leaned against the doorframe. He had left Ben sleeping after reading the same story three times.
“Seems like Max showed up at her door as well as her ex, but instead of talking it was just more yelling.”
“Oh. You think she’s ever gonna give him a chance to talk things out?”
“I’ll make her if necessary. She’s just too hurt to think straight.” She looked at him. “Liz is normally not the type who goes after men like Max. She’s used to having a long-time boyfriend – who seems to be a cheating asshat – and the fact that she finally got a bit more adventurous and the guy made a sex bet about her just makes her totally mad and unsure.”
He nodded and scratched his neck. “Is there anything he can do?”
“I don’t know yet.” She shook her head. “Oh, well, a question. Do you know a guy named David Peterson?”
He frowned. “Is that the guy who hangs out with Max’s brother and a few other friends?”
She nodded. “Seems like. He’s Liz ex.”
“That guy?” Michael lifted an eyebrow.
“So what Max says about him is true, huh? That he’s been with a lot of different girls?”
“Definitely,” Michael agreed.
“Damn,” Maria sighed. She wished Max had lied about him.
“And Max knows now that this guy’s her ex?”
“Apparently.”
“Could get ugly.”
“You think so? Max won’t do anything stupid, will he?”
“He couldn’t stand that guy before he even knew Liz, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he has a talk with him now.”
“A talk,” Maria snorted.
“I’m gonna talk to him, okay?” Michael offered.
Maria nodded and sighed. “So, how do you feel about lasagna?”
His eyebrows shot up. “You made lasagna?” His stomach growled in response. “Smells good.”
“Yeah. Not the traditional lasagna. It’s a recipe of Kyle and Jim’s. It’s yummy.”
“So how’s it different?” he asked as he came up behind her.
“Huh-uh, I can’t tell you. Family secret.”
“Secret, huh?” He moved closer, his hands coming up to slide over her arms, his touch barely there.
“Yeah,” her eyes followed his movements. “You can’t know it until you’ve been officially accepted into the family.”
“What’re you guys, the mafia?” he asked, his tone teasing. His hands shifted to cup her breasts as he pressed against her, his lips teasing the skin below her ear.
She groaned and put her hands on the counter in front of her to steady herself. “Michael...”
“Um-hmm...” His thumbs grazed over her nipples, teasing them into stiff peaks. He used his teeth to pull the tank top away from her shoulder, leaving it hanging off of her arm as he nibbled her skin.
“You’re not right for that, Guerin,” she groaned. “We need to eat first.”
He chuckled and turned head to let his lips graze her cheek. “Feels pretty right,” he whispered. “I can wait till after dinner though. I mean you did cook so the least I can do is sit down and enjoy it.”
“You’d better,” she teased.
He huffed dramatically and slowly eased his hands to more neutral territory as he slid his arms around her fully. “How long till dinner?” he asked, hoping it wouldn’t be long.
“Just a few more minutes,” she smiled. Wow, how could this day turn out so good? Would he ask her to stay the night?
“I could set the table,” he offered to distract himself.
“Sure,” she nodded.
He reluctantly released her and went to gather the plates and utensils to set the table. Finished with that he went to the cabinet to grab a couple of glasses. He paused, right index finger tapping out a rhythm against the cabinet door. “Whatcha want to drink?”
“Depends on what you’ve got,” she replied and bent down to take a look at the lasagne again. Yeah, she nodded to herself, seemed to be done.
“Beer, of course, sweet tea... Uh, Snapple... and...” he crouched down to move the milk and juice he kept for Ben aside so he could look behind it. “Oh, got a couple cans of Coke too.”
“Hell, I haven’t had a Coke in a lifetime,” she laughed. “I’ll take that.”
“What’re you, from another planet or something?” He shook his head and pulled the cans out. “On the rocks?”
She walked over and placed her hands on her hips, glaring at him when he closed the refrigerator and turned around.
“What...?”
“Another planet?” She poked a finger into his chest.
He was probably supposed to be intimidated by her expression, but she was so damn cute he couldn’t help but smile. Time to switch tactics. His arms came around her and he lowered his lips to hers. “Really sexy,” he kissed her lightly, “incredibly hot,” he added more pressure, “and all mine,” he murmured as he kissed her once more.
His words set her heart on fire. She leaned her head against him and closed her eyed. “You have no clue how much I wanted you to say that the last couple of weeks.”
“At least we’re past all that now.”
Soft cries could be heard from the hallway and a moment later a door opened with a snapping sound and the crying got louder. “Sounds like someone’s unhappy,” Maria whispered.
“I’ll be right back.” He hurried down the hall and into Ben’s room, feeling his heart lodge in his throat when he saw the boy on the floor. He carefully picked him up and checked him over, relieved once he knew he was okay. He wasn’t next to his bed, which meant he’d been up, getting into things. After trying to get him back down for 15 minutes with no luck he sighed. “You know I have plans tonight, right? Plans that do not include you.”
Ben just grinned at him and pointed at the door.
“Alright, but just for a little while, got it?” He carried Ben into the kitchen and grinned at Maria. “Slight change of plans.”
Lol, prepared or not, here they come!
Max and Liz’s confrontation is coming but not just yet.
Natalie36: Lol, we’ll see how Isabel reacts to her brother’s new girlfriend. Max and Liz will get their shot at fixing things before too long.
Ilonka.Green: Welcome to DT world! It is wrong, agreed. More is coming right up but we’ll have to wait a bit for Max and Liz to have their moment.
sarammlover: Gotta love adorable Candy! It was well past time for these two to get the truth out between them and talk honestly. Max and Liz, their moment is coming soon.
keepsmiling7: Michael and Maria’s future does look pretty good.
Max and Liz, we’ve got a little bit before we get back to them.
mary mary: We’ve got the meet and greet with Ben in this part. As for Liz, we’ll get to work on her and Max soon.
Alien_Friend: Michael does have a lot on his plate but he wouldn’t do it differently given the same circumstances. Unfortunately their father hasn’t been able to handle his grief and focus on his children so Michael and Isabel stepped in to make sure Ben was taken care of.
Max and Liz will deal with their situation soon.
Janetfl: Glad you’re all caught up! That honest conversation was long overdue but now they can move forward without all the secrets between them.
Max and Liz will have their moment but it’s still a little ways away. He should’ve been honest with her when she told him the truth about the dare and now he has some major damage control to do.
Eva: Finally!
It is a difficult position but it looks like Michael and Isabel have things worked out in a way that’s working out for them and the little guy. Having this responsibility so young does put some roadblocks in their way but Isabel does her best to push Michael to live his life.
Having someone there to share his problems with will lighten his burden and Michael took a big step opening up and sharing that with Maria.
secretk: As much fun as making out is, Michael and Maria knew that if they were going to get anywhere they had to deal with the issues up front and in a constructive manner.
Building trust is the most important thing and they’ve taken a huge step in that direction.
Part 24
He held onto her hand as he led her back up to the house. He was just stepping up on the deck when Ben squeezed out of the back door and ran to him. He caught him in his arms and lifted him up against his chest. “Hey, little man, you know you’re not supposed to run through the house.” He patted the little boy’s back. “Got someone I want you to meet.”
Ben’s eyes grew wide when he saw the blonde woman he didn’t know. He smiled shyly and ducked his head to rest against Michael’s neck.
“Someone’s a bit shy,” Maria said and smiled at the boy. “Hey, Ben.”
His eyes lifted to hers and he gave her a shy smile before he buried his face against his brother’s chest again.
Michael laughed and rubbed his palm over Ben’s back. “That won’t last for long, believe me.” He looked up when his sister stepped out on the deck. “Hey, Iz, somethin’ come up at the club?”
She sighed. “I’ve got two sick waitresses and a half-sick bartender…” she stopped when she saw Maria. “Oh my God, I didn’t know you had company, sorry.”
“No, no,” he laughed and motioned for her to come closer, “c’mere, Iz, wanna introduce you to someone. Isabel, this’s Maria Deluca,” he turned to search Maria's eyes for a moment, “my girlfriend. Maria, my sister, Isabel.”
His words made her shiver and she smiled happily. “Hey, Isabel.”
Isabel’s right eyebrow arched as she extended her hand but after a moment her expression eased into a friendly smile. “Girlfriend, huh? If this blockhead had told me he had plans tonight – or that he was dating someone,” she said, shooting a glance at him, “I would’ve tried to make other arrangements.”
“Oh, well, our meeting was pretty spontaneous, so no need to feel bad about it.”
“Are you sure? I can try to get hold of his sitter if you guys...” she trailed off when Maria shook her head. “I approve, Michael.” She smiled. “His things are on the couch. I just had enough time to drop them before he got away from me.”
Michael laughed and shrugged as he looked down at Ben. “Givin’ Isabel a run for her money again, aren’t ya?”
Isabel sighed. “I need to go. Tonight’s already gonna be chaotic enough as it is.” She turned to Maria. “It was nice to meet you.”
“He’s already had dinner, right?” Michael asked as they followed her through the house.
“Yeah. You’re just gonna have to bathe him,” she said with a teasing smile.
Michael held Ben out at arm’s length, shaking him gently and making him laugh. “Bath time for Ben, huh?”
“You might wanna stay clear, he’s used to getting everything and everyone wet,” Isabel warned Maria before she left with a wave and a kiss on Ben’s head.
Shyness overtook the little boy once more and he latched onto his brother’s neck as he babbled quietly to himself. “He does tend to soak everything in sight.”
“Perfect match for Nayla then. Nothing stays dry with her in the tub.”
Michael checked the time. “Looks like we’ve got time for a bath and maybe a little bit of hangout time before we need to get you into bed, little man.”
Maria opened the door for them when they stepped inside. She was still amazed by his house. The furniture was really nice and she wondered who had chosen it.
Ben leaned back in his brother’s arms and Michael caught his hand when the little boy tried to stick his finger up his nose. “Stop that,” he chastised gently. “Trust me on this. Girls do not think guys who pick their noses are cute no matter how old they are.”
She snorted at that. “He’s right, little man.”
The little boy chose that moment to shriek his displeasure as he tried to pull his hand free and Michael rolled his eyes. “So it’s gonna be one of those nights, huh?”
“You know what a girl would do?” Maria asked gently and pulled out a tissue from a nearby dispenser to hold it gently at the boy’s nose. “Uh-huh you know this, don’t you?” Ben looked at her for a moment before he pushed the air out of his nose a few times. He made funny sounds and Maria had to giggle. “Very well done.”
Michael patted Ben’s back again. “Good job.” He leaned over to put the boy down, shaking his head when he ran to his room. “Would you keep an eye on him while I get his bath water ready?”
“Sure.”
He stood there for a moment, realizing just how much easier things were when there was someone there willing to help. “Thanks,” he said with a smile. He hooked his thumb over his shoulder and smirked. “There’s a trash can over there.”
“Alright,” she threw the tissue away and walked over to the boy’s room, leaning in the doorway as she watched him playing with a toy car that was nearly half as big as him. She smiled when the boy looked up at her curiously. “You like cars?” She neared him and sat down on the carpet. “Me too. I really like Michael’s but he’s mean and won’t let me drive it.”
Ben smiled and nodded as he crawled around the floor on his hands and knees, pushing the car and making noises.
“What is with you and my truck?” Michael asked, pausing in the doorway as he came back with the towels that Isabel had brought with her.
She shrugged. “I’ve got a weak spot for big cars.”
He shook his head and pushed away, walking down the hall to the bathroom so he could get the bath water started.
Ben left the car on the floor and pushed himself up onto his feet to go over to his toy box and dig around for something else. He pulled out several things, dropping them on the floor before deciding they weren’t what he wanted. He turned in a small circle before walking over to a shelf under the window and putting the fingers of his right hand in his mouth as he looked at Maria and pointed at the box of building blocks sitting on the second shelf.
“Alright,” Maria crawled over to them and stood on her knees to get the box down so the boy could get inside it.
He smiled widely as he pulled differently-shaped blocks out and put them on the floor. He leaned over, one hand gripped tightly on the edge of the box as he used his other hand to grip a rectangular block. He started talking, his words nonsense to everyone but him, and he handed her the block.
“Hmm, so what’re we gonna build, buddy?”
He pointed at the blocks on the floor and crouched down to pick up a couple of them, holding them against his chest and moving closer to her. He placed one of the blocks on the floor and patted her arm before pointing at the one he had just put down. He made a questioning sound as he crouched down again.
“Oh, alright, we’ll make a tower,” she sat her block on top of his.
He made a happy sound and placed his block on top of hers, clapping his hands happily when it stayed in place after teetering to one side for a moment. He pointed to the box and jogged back over to pull more blocks out, cradling them to his chest as he went back to her and offered her another one.
“I have to put the next one on, huh?” she asked, smiling as she took one from him, placing it on the tower slowly. “Uh-oh,” she said when it started to sway.
His eyes widened and he squealed sharply in surprise when the blocks crashed to the floor.
“Uh-oh,” Michael said, smiling at the scene before him. He had been watching them for the past couple of minutes and the weight on his shoulders felt a lot lighter with Maria there.
Ben ran over to him and grabbed his hand, dragging him over to the collapsed tower of blocks and babbling incessantly.
“I guess I’m not the greatest builder ever,” Maria shrugged.
“Does he look like he cares?” he asked with a gentle smile. “He can spend hours doin’ that.”
“Just like your brother, huh?” Maria tickled the little boy. “Loving big cars and gonna build big houses one day.”
Michael lifted an eyebrow at her knowledge of his career choice. “How’d you know that?”
“Stalking you,” she teased.
He smirked at her response. “Obviously.” He turned his attention to his brother. “Alright, little man, time for your bath.”
Maria stood up again and stretched. “Think I can give you a hand with your bath?”
“She’s gonna get soaked, ain’t she, Ben?” Michael asked as he scooped the little boy up.
Maria’s stomach suddenly grumbled. She hadn’t eaten much at Liz’s and to be honest, it was the first time she had actually felt really hungry again. “Oops.”
Michael and Ben looked at each other and the little boy started to giggle. “Think somebody must be hungry.” He turned to Maria. “Wanna order pizza or somethin’?”
“Well, if you got something in the refrigerator I could cook something while you guys are getting your bathing ritual done?”
“I’m not gonna turn that down. Yeah, fridge is fully stocked and I’m good with anything.”
“Alright,” she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him gently. “Guess I’ll just look around to find everything.”
“Cool, we’ll see ya soon.” He made a face at Ben that made the boy laugh. “Well, maybe not too soon ‘cause he likes to make a mess.”
*****
“Stupid,” Liz muttered and searched around for the remote while she was lying on the couch lazily. How could anyone believe in this fairytale shit they tried to tell in movies? Nothing like this would ever happen in the real world, so why would people want to watch things that they knew would be unreal? She sighed because before she had met Max Evans she had been one of those people as well. She had believed in happy endings and relationships that would last forever, but now…
Jealousy crept up her spine when she thought about her best friend and how she was meeting Michael. It was wrong to be jealous, she knew that. Maria had agreed to talk to him and somehow that was probably the right decision. Though, she wasn’t willing to give Max that much time of day. He HAD the chance to tell her the truth at the time she had opened up to him. Why hadn’t he said anything then? It would’ve been the perfect timing and to be honest… If she had been him she wouldn’t have been able to keep the secret up after her revelation.
But he did hold back and what kind of person did that make him? How could she trust him again if he said something? Or worse, what was he hiding if he didn’t say anything at all?
She frowned when she heard a knock on her door. It couldn’t be her roommate and it couldn’t be Maria either. Maybe it was just someone from another dorm room who needed help with something, she decided. It had happened now and then that someone had showed up at her door to ask for tutoring or cooking utensils or something, but she was really not in the mood to face anyone tonight, so instead of answering the door she stayed where she was.
Much to her annoyance the knock was heard again and she groaned into the pillow. “Miss?” It was a male voice. “We’ve got some complaints from downstairs about extreme noise up here…”
“Extreme noise?” she muttered, sitting up. “Are you kidding me?” With a determined pace, she walked to the door and ripped it open. “How the hell do you think I’m making fucking….” The last word died in her throat when she recognized the person in front of her. “David… What’re you doin’ here?”
He smiled at her brightly. “I wanted to see you and since you weren’t opening the door I had to come up with something.”
She almost smirked at that. “And why are you here?”
“To talk.”
“About what?”
“Well, you… us. Can I come in?”
She glanced into the apartment and the mess there. To be honest, she didn’t want to be locked up in a room with him anyway. “Uh,” she stepped out in the hallway and left the door slightly open. “Guess whatever you have to say, you’re gonna have to say it out here.”
“Alright,” he glanced into the hallway behind her and behind him to make sure no one was listening. “Look, Liz, I made a mistake. I broke up with you because I thought I hadn’t really experienced life yet. You know, with other women an’ stuff.”
She snorted. “Yeah.”
“The problem is I didn’t know I would miss you so much. I tried to date a few other girls and it was fun but…” he looked at her and cupped her cheek. “They weren’t you. I even miss the small things you always do.”
“What would that be?” she asked curiously. Not that she was really considering taking him back, but it couldn’t hurt to hear what was so loveable about her.
He smiled. “Well, like how you kick with your leg when you sneeze. How you look even sexier in the mornings when you get up while any other woman seems to lose her face with their makeup in the bathroom the night before. I like the way your coffee tastes, even if I still think the way you make it is strange.”
She couldn’t help but smile a bit when he told her the details that were probably totally unimportant, but you only knew them when you had spent a lot of time together. “It really broke my heart when you broke up with me,” Liz admitted.
“I know, and I’m really sorry about it, Pooh Bear.”
Ungh, and that was something she didn’t miss, she thought.
“I know now that no other girl, even if she is maybe more experimental or adventurous in bed, can give me what you give me…”
“David,” Liz interrupted him. “It’s very nice of you to say all that, but… We can’t get back together.”
“So it’s true, huh?”
She frowned. “What?”
“You’ve got someone new. A few of my friends told me.”
“No, I don’t.”
“So you’re not dating Evans? The baseball player?” He looked at her gauging her response.
Where would he know Max from? Liz wondered. David wasn’t a fan of baseball and he wasn’t a student at this college either. “It was just a random thing, nothing serious,” she answered shortly.
“Random,” David muttered. “He’s not worth your time.”
“Agreed,” she nodded and looked at him. “Neither are you, David. We’re over. I don’t want you back.”
His face turned hard for a moment as out of the corner of his eyes he could see someone walking up behind her. It didn’t take long before he realized who it was. Of course, he thought bitterly, his face revealing nothing though. “Well, alright… I had to try,” he said and in a split second he leaned forward and pressed a kiss against her lips before he turned and left.
Liz looked after him, startled. He had surprised her so much with that unexpected kiss that she hadn’t been able to say anything until he was already around the corner at the end of the hallway. Asshole.
“And you’re trying to make me feel guilty while you’re meeting Peterson so soon after us?” someone growled from behind her.
She whirled around quickly and came face to face with Max. This night was really getting better and better. Had David seen him coming and kissed her for that reason? she wondered. “What do you want?” she snapped. “This’s none of your business.”
“None of my…” he muttered and took another step closer to her. “What the fuck are you doin’ with this asshole? Don’t you think it’s ridiculous to be mad at me for the reason you are, but then start seein’ someone like HIM right after?” His hand slammed against the doorframe next to her while he tried to control the jealousy in him. He hadn’t expected to find her kissing another man. Had he really been so wrong about her?
“I didn’t start seeing HIM, okay? He’s my ex. YES, you heard right, the ex I wanted to get back when I made that dare about you.” She glared at him, hand on her hips. “Seems like it worked because he was just here to tell me he wants me back.”
Max snorted loudly and laughed. “He’s your ex, Liz?” He laughed again. “That guy,” he pointed in the direction David had taken, “hangs out at my older brother’s house almost every weekend for the last two years and he brings a different chick every time.”
From the way she looked and how pale her face turned as her mouth opened and closed a few times he knew that she had no clue who her ex really was and he felt sorry for being the one who had told her the truth about him. “Liz…” he started with a softer tone this time and reached out to touch her arm, but she flinched away from him. “The guy just wants you back because his pride’s hurt or something.”
She looked at him, her emotions locked up behind her face. “Well, maybe he’s not so different from you then, huh?”
With that she stepped into her apartment and slammed the door shut right in his face before she sank down against it and started to cry.
*****
“Hey, you gonna be okay?” Maria asked gently, clamping her cell between ear and shoulder while she looked into the oven where the lasagna was turning a nice color. She had called her friend, intending to convince her to talk to Max and had found out about the mess happening at Liz’s door about an hour ago.
“I’m okay,” Liz said.
“You are not,” Maria said matter-of-factly. “I can hear it in your voice. You’ve been crying. I’m coming to see you in a while.”
“NO! Don’t you dare! Stay with Michael, Maria. I’m serious. I’m fine. I’ll just go to bed and sleep so there’s no need to ruin your night too.”
“Liz...”
“Maria! I’m serious. I won’t let you in if you come over.”
“Alright, fine. I’m staying. But I’ll see you first thing in the morning.”
“Okay,” Liz smiled into the cell sadly.
“Don’t cry anymore, girl.”
“I won’t.”
Maria knew she was lying but there was nothing she could do. “Talk to you soon, okay?”
“Have fun,” Liz encouraged her. She didn’t want her friend to feel bad for her.
Maria sighed when she disconnected the call and placed her phone on the counter. If only she could help Liz to talk to Max. Talk instead of yelling. And damn David. She would kick his ass next time she saw him.
“Everything okay?” Michael asked as he leaned against the doorframe. He had left Ben sleeping after reading the same story three times.
“Seems like Max showed up at her door as well as her ex, but instead of talking it was just more yelling.”
“Oh. You think she’s ever gonna give him a chance to talk things out?”
“I’ll make her if necessary. She’s just too hurt to think straight.” She looked at him. “Liz is normally not the type who goes after men like Max. She’s used to having a long-time boyfriend – who seems to be a cheating asshat – and the fact that she finally got a bit more adventurous and the guy made a sex bet about her just makes her totally mad and unsure.”
He nodded and scratched his neck. “Is there anything he can do?”
“I don’t know yet.” She shook her head. “Oh, well, a question. Do you know a guy named David Peterson?”
He frowned. “Is that the guy who hangs out with Max’s brother and a few other friends?”
She nodded. “Seems like. He’s Liz ex.”
“That guy?” Michael lifted an eyebrow.
“So what Max says about him is true, huh? That he’s been with a lot of different girls?”
“Definitely,” Michael agreed.
“Damn,” Maria sighed. She wished Max had lied about him.
“And Max knows now that this guy’s her ex?”
“Apparently.”
“Could get ugly.”
“You think so? Max won’t do anything stupid, will he?”
“He couldn’t stand that guy before he even knew Liz, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he has a talk with him now.”
“A talk,” Maria snorted.
“I’m gonna talk to him, okay?” Michael offered.
Maria nodded and sighed. “So, how do you feel about lasagna?”
His eyebrows shot up. “You made lasagna?” His stomach growled in response. “Smells good.”
“Yeah. Not the traditional lasagna. It’s a recipe of Kyle and Jim’s. It’s yummy.”
“So how’s it different?” he asked as he came up behind her.
“Huh-uh, I can’t tell you. Family secret.”
“Secret, huh?” He moved closer, his hands coming up to slide over her arms, his touch barely there.
“Yeah,” her eyes followed his movements. “You can’t know it until you’ve been officially accepted into the family.”
“What’re you guys, the mafia?” he asked, his tone teasing. His hands shifted to cup her breasts as he pressed against her, his lips teasing the skin below her ear.
She groaned and put her hands on the counter in front of her to steady herself. “Michael...”
“Um-hmm...” His thumbs grazed over her nipples, teasing them into stiff peaks. He used his teeth to pull the tank top away from her shoulder, leaving it hanging off of her arm as he nibbled her skin.
“You’re not right for that, Guerin,” she groaned. “We need to eat first.”
He chuckled and turned head to let his lips graze her cheek. “Feels pretty right,” he whispered. “I can wait till after dinner though. I mean you did cook so the least I can do is sit down and enjoy it.”
“You’d better,” she teased.
He huffed dramatically and slowly eased his hands to more neutral territory as he slid his arms around her fully. “How long till dinner?” he asked, hoping it wouldn’t be long.
“Just a few more minutes,” she smiled. Wow, how could this day turn out so good? Would he ask her to stay the night?
“I could set the table,” he offered to distract himself.
“Sure,” she nodded.
He reluctantly released her and went to gather the plates and utensils to set the table. Finished with that he went to the cabinet to grab a couple of glasses. He paused, right index finger tapping out a rhythm against the cabinet door. “Whatcha want to drink?”
“Depends on what you’ve got,” she replied and bent down to take a look at the lasagne again. Yeah, she nodded to herself, seemed to be done.
“Beer, of course, sweet tea... Uh, Snapple... and...” he crouched down to move the milk and juice he kept for Ben aside so he could look behind it. “Oh, got a couple cans of Coke too.”
“Hell, I haven’t had a Coke in a lifetime,” she laughed. “I’ll take that.”
“What’re you, from another planet or something?” He shook his head and pulled the cans out. “On the rocks?”
She walked over and placed her hands on her hips, glaring at him when he closed the refrigerator and turned around.
“What...?”
“Another planet?” She poked a finger into his chest.
He was probably supposed to be intimidated by her expression, but she was so damn cute he couldn’t help but smile. Time to switch tactics. His arms came around her and he lowered his lips to hers. “Really sexy,” he kissed her lightly, “incredibly hot,” he added more pressure, “and all mine,” he murmured as he kissed her once more.
His words set her heart on fire. She leaned her head against him and closed her eyed. “You have no clue how much I wanted you to say that the last couple of weeks.”
“At least we’re past all that now.”
Soft cries could be heard from the hallway and a moment later a door opened with a snapping sound and the crying got louder. “Sounds like someone’s unhappy,” Maria whispered.
“I’ll be right back.” He hurried down the hall and into Ben’s room, feeling his heart lodge in his throat when he saw the boy on the floor. He carefully picked him up and checked him over, relieved once he knew he was okay. He wasn’t next to his bed, which meant he’d been up, getting into things. After trying to get him back down for 15 minutes with no luck he sighed. “You know I have plans tonight, right? Plans that do not include you.”
Ben just grinned at him and pointed at the door.
“Alright, but just for a little while, got it?” He carried Ben into the kitchen and grinned at Maria. “Slight change of plans.”
Fics: A Xmas Story - A Merry Mt. R. Xmas - Cupid's Revenge - Double Trouble - Double Date - Double Dare - Double Empire - Double Xmas Wish - In The Course Of A Lifetime - Mountains So High - Not A Question At All - Surrender - TIC TAC - Two Double Dates at Xmas
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Double Trouble
- Obsessed Roswellian
- Posts: 925
- Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 9:47 am
Part 25
Earth2Mama: David is a major douche... but we haven’t seen the last of him.
Lol, Max does have David in his sights.
Things could’ve gone better, but they’ll get there.
We’ll see more of M&M and Ben in this next part.
secretk: Max does have a rep as a player, but there’s a big difference between the two guys... prior to Liz, Max didn’t date anyone seriously and he wasn’t cheating on any of the girls he was with. She’ll get a chance to figure things out... with a little help.
Having the secrets out of the equation does make life simpler. We’ll be hanging out a little more with Michael, Maria, and Ben in this part.
Max did go to Liz to apologize and he overreacted to what he saw. The smartest thing for him to do at that point would’ve been to think about what he had seen and be rational about it, but rationality rarely takes over in a moment like that.
Ilonka.Green: Getting everything out in the open really benefitted those two. We’ll see more of them in this part. Max... do something stupid? Well... we’ll know soon.
sarammlover: So many ‘d‘ names for David. No way Liz is interested in him. Don’t worry, we’ll eventually get Max and Liz to a place where they’ll talk... before too awful long. Cool, then you should enjoy the next part!
mary mary: David doesn’t know when to walk away. Lol, well, Ben has the occasional ‘off‘ night but for the most part he sleeps through most nights.
keepsmiling7: If anyone deserved to be sent packing, it was David.
Yeah, Max is going to need some help.
Natalie36: Liz is going to need a little help because right now she isn’t interested in giving Max a second chance or the opportunity to explain and apologize.
begonia9508: Yeah, Max should’ve told Liz as soon as the truth came out.
Things are going very well for Michael and Maria and we’ll check in with them again in this part.
Yeah, David really had no other reason to come around, did he?
Max did make another bad move... we’ll have to wait to see what he can do to get her to listen to him.
Alien_Friend: We’ll get a chance to see more of Michael and Maria with Ben in this part.
There’s a good chance Max will have a run-in with David. And Max and Liz will get a chance to really talk... with a little help from their friends.
Part 25
Michael carried Ben into the kitchen and grinned at Maria. “Slight change of plans.”
“Not tired, huh, little man?” Maria asked. The boy was really cute, she could never be mad at him. “Alright. So what now? You gonna let your big bro eat?”
Ben ducked his head bashfully but he was smiling. He latched onto Michael’s shoulder so he could lean forward and check things out. His eyebrows lifted in interest as he pointed at the lasagna. He looked at Maria and started to babble excitedly.
“Are you sure he ate?” she teased and filled their plates with the food since she was really starving now.
“Yeah, I’m sure he ate. But a little bit more won’t hurt him. Can you take him while I get him somethin’ to drink?”
“Sure,” she took the boy safely in her arms. At first he looked at her skeptically, his lips trembling slightly. “Oh no, you’re not gonna cry, right? I’m nice, you know,” she said and sat down with him. It only took a second before the boy forgot he was upset and stared at the food. “Alright,” Maria leaned forward and cut a tiny bit off of her plate, blowing on it until she was absolutely sure it wasn’t too hot for him. “You’re gonna have to open your mouth, buddy,” she said when Ben just looked at the fork. With a curious glance at her he leaned in slightly and nipped the lasagna off.
Michael watched them as he filled the cup with juice and snapped the lid on. “He’s a lot of fun to take out to dinner,” he said, running his hand over the boy’s head as he took his seat and put the cup where Ben could reach it.
Maria looked at the tiny wristband the boy was wearing. “His full name is Bentley?” She brushed her thumb over the letters gently.
“I know, sounds like a car, right? It was her grandfather’s name and Mom just loved the name. He passed away right after she found out she was pregnant with him,” he said with a nod at Ben. “This is really good.”
“It sounds like a car, but I like it.” She really did. Ben put his hand over hers, trying to move the fork. “More?” She cut into the lasagne again and repeated her earlier move before letting him eat it.
“Looks like we’ve got a winner,” Michael said as he watched Ben slowly chew his food.
“Told you boys it’s good,” she said in satisfaction and took a bite of her own.
Michael shifted closer so he could wipe his brother’s chin, rolling his eyes when Ben squirmed further into Maria and made a face at him.
“Don’t like that, huh?” She laughed and presented Ben with the fork and a new bite of lasagna.
He settled against her and chewed as his gaze bounced around the room. He pointed at his cup as he tipped his head back to look up at the woman holding him.
Maria leaned forward slightly and put the fork aside to grab the cup. “Here, cutie,” she said and ran her hand over the boy’s head.
“Isabel swears he’s gonna be a heartbreaker when he gets older.” He shook his head and grinned.
“Just like his big brother,” she winked at him.
He reached out to straighten Ben’s shirt. “I just hope he’s happy.”
“Aw, come on, Michael. He IS happy.” Maria looked at the boy in her arms and smiled when he glanced up to grin at her.
“Isabel and me, we do the best we know how to do, but... I don’t know, we’ve both wondered if he’ll suffer from not having a traditional family setting, ya know?”
“Well, do you celebrate Christmas with him? Play with him instead of handing over to a nanny all the time?”
He nodded.
“Do you give him birthday parties and feed him around the same time?”
He nodded again.
“Then it’s a hell of a lot more traditional than a lot of other kids will ever experience, Michael.”
“Yeah, you’re right about that. He’s just gonna miss out on knowing Mom. I don’t know about Dad yet.”
Ben looked up from his attempt to pull the top off of his cup. “Da-Da?”
“Not yet, little man. Most days Dad doesn’t want anything to do with Ben.” He smiled and took the cup when the boy held it out to him. “We’re not sure how to handle that but Isabel’s thinking about filing for permanent custody if he continues to refuse to get help.”
Maria looked at the boy in her arms. His eyes were finally getting heavy again. She leaned back and rocked him in her arms just slightly, smiling when he had trouble keeping his eyes open.
Michael chuckled. “Now let’s see if he goes down for the night this time.”
“Want me to carry him to his room?” she asked, her voice hushed.
He nodded and watched her as she got up, Ben cradled against her body. “I’ll grab a clean shirt for him,” he said as he pushed his chair back and stood up.
“Okay,” she carried him over to his room slowly, trying to not make any sudden or harsh movements that might wake him. Once she arrived at her destination she placed him down on the bed carefully and lifted his upper body just a bit to pull his shirt over his head.
Michael watched her closely, amazed at how she handled his brother so naturally and without any fear or reservations.
Maria felt him staring at her and turned slightly to take the fresh shirt out of his hands. “I have a lot of practice with Nayla. They’re just about the same age,” she explained and put the clothes on him. “Here we go.”
He nodded and leaned over to pick up the stuffed animal that had ended up on the floor at some point. “If he wakes up and it’s not with him he’ll pitch a fit,” he said with a quiet laugh.
She placed it in the boy’s arms before getting up again slowly, letting Michael handle the rest.
He took her place and reached for the light blanket, pulling it up over Ben and tucking it in around the little boy’s body. He brushed his hair back, snorting softly when it flopped right back into its former position. He pressed a kiss to Ben’s forehead and got to his feet. “Sleep well, little man,” he whispered as he turned the lamp off. He crossed the room to switch the small nightlight on before taking Maria’s hand and stepping out into the hall.
“Guess we have to warm our food up again,” she said when he pulled her into his arms and leaned against the wall.
“Yeah,” he whispered against her lips, “we could do that...”
Her fingertips rasped over his shirt-covered chest, making both of them groan at the same time. “I’ve missed this,” she admitted quietly.
He nodded and his breath felt like it was stuck in his throat as he brought his right hand up to stroke her cheek. “This past week has been... lonely,” he said finally.
“Yeah,” she laughed. “I got used to you pretty quickly.”
He grinned. “I know what you mean even though I didn’t really give us much of a chance.” He met her gaze and his tone and expression were serious when he spoke. “A lot of that was me bein’ a dick, Maria. I was scared of what was gonna happen once the dare came out.”
“You should’ve told me earlier,” she sighed. “But yeah, I know you thought it was just about the dare for me.”
“Well, yeah, but there were times when I was sure it was more than that.”
“You were?”
He shrugged. “You put so much of yourself out there... Part of me was hoping it wasn’t just about the dare for you.”
“As if I’d be satisfied with just a kiss from you,” she teased.
“Sure as hell hope not,” he said as he nuzzled her neck.
Her stomach growled loudly, making her giggle. “Sorry, I just haven’t eaten anything practically all day.”
“Guess we’d better finish dinner then ‘cause you’re gonna need your strength.”
“Yeah? For what exactly?” she asked as she pulled him from the wall back into the kitchen.
He chuckled and shook his head. “If you have to ask it’s been too long.” He smirked. “But I’ll be reminding you soon enough.”
She still wondered if he would ask her to stay the night. Would he trust her that much yet? “I can’t wait,” she grinned and grabbed their plates to take them to the microwave.
He watched her as she moved around the kitchen. He could easily get used to this, he thought. “Ben really liked that lasagna. You’ll have to make it again.”
“No problem, it’s easy to do.”
“Yeah?” He scratched his neck as he looked at her. “How are you at breakfast?”
“Good at pancakes,” she said as she pulled one heated meal out and set it on the table. “Omelettes, well, they tend to taste a lot better than they look.”
“Think you might wanna make breakfast tomorrow?”
She turned around and looked at him. “If you want me to.”
“Well, yeah.” He grinned. “I’ve kinda got you trapped here.”
“Unless I steal your truck when you’re asleep,” she teased, happy that he’d asked her to stay.
“You’d have to find the keys first.”
“They’re in your right front pocket,” she told him with a wink. “You always put them there.”
He glanced down at himself. “You sure about that?”
“Uh-huh,” she walked up behind him where he was sitting at the table and placed her hands on his shoulders, letting them slowly sink down over his chest and deeper.
His breathing slowed as he followed her hands with his eyes.
“Oh yeah, still there,” she said as her hands brushed over his jeans, feeling the keys underneath the fabric. Her head bent down slightly to kiss his jaw while her hands travelled back up, brushing against his length that was hardening in response to her touch.
“If we didn’t have a kid in the house you’d be spread out on this table and I’d be having you for dinner.”
“Is that a warning or a promise?” she whispered in his ear and let go of him again to get the second plate.
He smirked. “A promise, definitely. Just wait until we have the house to ourselves again.”
She came back to the table with her plate. “That’s gonna be something to look forward to.”
“Yeah, it’ll be somethin’ to look forward to,” he said with a wink.
They ate in silence for a while. Maria watched him closely and smiled when he dropped some food on his pants and tried to hide it.
Michael glanced up and caught her watching him. “I’m a slob, sue me.”
“Uh-huh.” She giggled.
He shrugged and shot a grin at her. “I don’t mind getting dirty if you don’t.”
“Maybe you wanna shower while I wash the dishes?”
He made a show of checking his armpits. “You sayin’ I smell bad?”
“I’m just saying I can cover the rest if you need to...” she tried.
He laughed and leaned back, pushing his empty plate away. “Thanks, I think I’ll do that.” He’d showered earlier but he could use it as an excuse to make sure everything was straight. “You’ll keep an ear out for Ben?”
“Sure.”
“Alright, I won’t be long.” He got up and leaned over for a kiss. “Miss me.”
She chuckled. “Maybe i will.”
“Maybe?” His lips brushed against hers again, tongue sneaking out to trace along the seam of her lips. “Just maybe?”
“Yep, maybe.”
“Hmm... must be doin’ it wrong,” he murmured thoughtfully before taking her mouth in a heated kiss that didn’t leave an inch of her mouth unexplored.
“Michael,” she groaned and pushed him away slightly. “Go now,” she waved him off before she could change her mind.
“Gonna miss me now?” he asked smugly as he backed out of the room.
“Maybe,” she called after him.
He rolled his eyes and waved over his shoulder. “Maybe,” he muttered under his breath.
Maria smiled and leaned against the kitchen counter, taking in the situation. Wow, she was really here. In his house... And with his little brother. Gosh, his brother, why hadn’t she even considered it?
Michael poked his head into Ben’s room, checking in on him before heading to his own room and quietly closing the door behind him. He glanced around, taking everything in. The room wasn’t a complete mess, but maybe he could straighten it up a little bit before she came wandering in.
Maria paused as she washed the dishes, glancing into the hallway and trying to figure out if she had heard right.
Yeah, there was a sound coming from Ben’s room. Wiping her hands on a towel she walked over to check in on him.
Ben was sitting up in bed, his hair standing up in every possible direction as he looked around frantically. His eyes were shining brightly and filled with tears that seemed to spill over as soon as he saw Maria. “Boo-Boo?”
“Hey, sweetie, what’s wrong, hm?” She walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge, wiping the tears from his face gently.
He breathed deeply, the sound stuttering in and out wetly. He brought his right hand up to his mouth and started sucking on his fingers as he reached for a handful of her shirt with his other hand.
“Did you have a bad dream, huh?” She leaned towards him on the bed when he grabbed her and she handed him the stuffed animal that he had knocked to the ground.
“Boo-Boo,” he gasped loudly and threw his arms around the bear, hugging it tightly. He rested the side of his face against the soft fur and slowly rocked himself.
Maria chuckled at his gesture and caressed his back. “Feel better now?”
He murmured quietly, the babbled words comforting him. He turned his head and smiled shyly at her. “Mi-co?” he asked, his eyes darting to the doorway.
“Mi-co?” Maria smiled at his call for Michael. “He’s making himself clean, you know?”
Ben sucked on his bottom lip as he studied her, trying to decipher her words. After a moment he wiggled free of his blanket and crawled over to her. “Mo?” he asked uncertainly as he patted her arm.
Mo? Maria tried to make sense of the word. She lifted the arm up he had touched and waited to see if he would give her another hint.
He crawled into her lap and shifted around until he was comfortable, teddy bear clutched against his chest as he snuggled against her. “Mo,” he whispered contentedly.
Mo, okay, she thought and wrapped her arms around him gently, caressing his little arms.
Ben started to hum to himself as he played with his fingers but before long the sound began to fade, the humming becoming intermittent as his eyes began to slide closed. He would jerk lightly every once in a while as he tried to fight sleep.
Maria rested her back against the wall as she held him. “Don’t fight sleep, little man,” she said gently and ran one finger over the side of his face, knowing Nayla liked it a lot.
He snuggled closer, getting heavier as sleep began to pull him under again.
She watched him for a while. Was he suffering from not having a real mom and a dad that could take care of him? No, she decided. He had other people who cared about him just like parents would do.
Michael found himself in Ben’s doorway once more, his eyes riveted on Maria as she held the little boy. Her touch was gentle as she soothed him and there was patience in her actions. “You’re really good with him,” he said quietly.
“Little kids aren’t that much of a mystery,” she said quietly. “Well, it took a few moments until I figured out what ‘mo’ is.”
He chuckled. “He has his own vocabulary. I guess all little kids do, it’s just a matter of figurin’ it out.”
“I like Mi-co,” she teased.
“Let’s just wait an’ see what he comes up with for you.”
“Could you help me out here? This position’s just getting a bit uncomfortable.”
“Yeah, here...” He crossed the room and bent over to lift Ben up in his arms. “Can you pull his blanket back?”
She did as he requested and tucked the boy back in when Michael placed him down on the mattress. “How good are the chances that we have him down for the night?” she asked, smiling.
He cleared his throat. “I’d like to say it’s for sure, but... nights like this he might be up and down several times.”
“Hey, it’s okay,” she took his hand.
“Well, this’ll give you a crash course in Michael’s Life 101,” he said with a smile.
“So far it looks pretty interesting,” she stopped in the hallway. “Wanna show me your room now?”
He leaned over to pick up the baby monitor that sat on a shelf nearby, placing it on the table by the bed and turning it on. “Better safe than sorry.” He followed her out of the room and motioned to the right. “Sure, c’mon.”
“It is messy?” she teased.
He stopped in front of the door, hand braced on the doorknob as he turned to look at her. “What? No.” Not now anyway, he thought. He pushed the door in and stood back to let her get a look. He had opened the double doors that led out onto the private deck and looked out over the moonlit lake.
“Impressive,” she smiled and walked in, taking in the king size bed, the large TV, and the view over the lake.
He turned on the receiver for the baby monitor next to the lamp on his nightstand before turning to watch her roam around in his space. He had never allowed anyone else to come here but it felt right with her.
“Is that your mom?” she asked, pointing at a picture next to the TV.
He followed her finger to the picture and he nodded.
“You look a lot like her,” she said quietly.
His right eyebrow quirked. “You think so?”
“Yeah. They eyes and the mouth.”
He smiled at that. “Most people think I look like Dad.”
“Well, I don’t know him yet,” Maria moved closer to the picture, “but the lips are definitely hers.”
“My dad’s difficult, Maria. And no, I’m not tryin’ to scare you off, just statin’ a fact. Before we lost her he was the kinda guy who could make the crappiest day seem better. We blew a championship game in junior high school and my dad took the whole team out for pizza and bowling. That’s just the way he was, but now...”
She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Let’s forget that for tonight.”
“Thanks.” He wrapped his arms around her waist and walked her back towards his bed, leaning into her and sending them both onto the mattress. He grinned down at her when the thing rolled beneath them and her eyes widened in surprise.
“A waterbed?” She wiggled her eyebrows. “Sexy.”
He laughed at her response. “Like that?”
“Uh-huh,” she moved her body under him, making the bed roll. “Dirty.”
Michael shifted his weight, causing another wave that brought their lower bodies into full contact. “We’re gonna have a LOT of fun.” He lowered his head and brushed his lips against hers teasingly.
“No doubt,” she shivered.
He trailed a line of kisses along her jaw and up to her ear. He chuckled roughly and she shivered when his right hand settled on her side where her shirt had ridden up.
Her lower body moved against him without her even realizing it. “Don’t stop.”
“No intention of stoppin’,” he assured her. He held her against him as he rolled them over, letting her rest on top of him as he slid his hands against her sides, taking her shirt with him.
She laughed slightly. “I’m just a bit ticklish.”
“I remember,” he said, drawing his touch out. “Hasn’t been that long, girl.” He nudged her and she pushed up so that he could rid her of the shirt. “So much better,” he growled when she straddled his lower body and looked down at him.
She moved over him, making the bed squirm again. “Really, really nice.”
“I can see all the talk I’ve heard’s right,” he said, his hands settling on her hips and pulling her tighter against him.
She bit her lip when she could feel him even though they both still had their jeans on.
He reached for the clasp on her bra, releasing it without any teasing and brushing it out of his way. “You’re beautiful,” he breathed as he touched her.
She smiled and took both of his wrists in her hands, taking them down to the bed over his head when she leaned down. “And so are you.”
“Men aren’t beautiful, Maria,” he grumbled, feeling himself blushing lightly.
“Alright, then maybe sexy? Hot?”
“Okay, either of those works.” He shrugged and grinned. “Or both if you like.”
She glanced down at him. “Overdressed much?’
“So’re you,” he said, tugging on one of her belt loops.
“Uh-huh, you first, mister,” she pulled on his tee shirt.
He moved to sit up and the mattress rolled, upsetting his position and sending him back over on his back. “Okay, this could prove to be interesting,” he said with a laugh.
She wiggled down on his legs and pulled him up again, helping him out of his clothes.
Michael’s gaze moved over her as she pulled his tee shirt off of him. He wondered if she would always turn him on like this. He glanced down when her hands settled over his belt and he looked back up at her.
“I want that gone as well.”
“Might be hard to get rid of much more with you on top of me,” he said with a wink.
“Yeah,” she crawled from the bed, leaving kisses on his upper body.
He leaned back on his elbows, watching her as she eased off of him to stand at the foot of the bed. “Think you should go first,” he said, waving a finger over her.
“Yeah?” She glanced down at herself, feeling confident in his presence since she knew from his words and the look in his eyes that she was special for him. Her hands wandered to the snap of her jeans, open them before turning down the zipper.
His eyes darkened further with the sound of the zipper rasping open. “Don’t tease,” he growled when she slowed down.
“No?” She grinned and pushed the tight jeans down her slim legs.
“Huh-uh, I already know what you’re hidin’ under there... and I want it.” His gaze lifted to lock with hers. “I want you.”
She swallowed at his words, the way they sounded in her ears.
His eyes moved over her slowly before he stretched his legs out and hooked his feet around her thighs, pulling her closer.
“Your turn,” she pointed at his jeans.
“Mine, huh?” He hauled himself off of the bed to stand before her. “Be gentle with me.”
“Always,” she winked and unbuckled his belt, keeping eye contact while she did so.
Lol, Max does have David in his sights.
Things could’ve gone better, but they’ll get there.
We’ll see more of M&M and Ben in this next part.
secretk: Max does have a rep as a player, but there’s a big difference between the two guys... prior to Liz, Max didn’t date anyone seriously and he wasn’t cheating on any of the girls he was with. She’ll get a chance to figure things out... with a little help.
Having the secrets out of the equation does make life simpler. We’ll be hanging out a little more with Michael, Maria, and Ben in this part.
Max did go to Liz to apologize and he overreacted to what he saw. The smartest thing for him to do at that point would’ve been to think about what he had seen and be rational about it, but rationality rarely takes over in a moment like that.
Ilonka.Green: Getting everything out in the open really benefitted those two. We’ll see more of them in this part. Max... do something stupid? Well... we’ll know soon.
sarammlover: So many ‘d‘ names for David. No way Liz is interested in him. Don’t worry, we’ll eventually get Max and Liz to a place where they’ll talk... before too awful long. Cool, then you should enjoy the next part!
mary mary: David doesn’t know when to walk away. Lol, well, Ben has the occasional ‘off‘ night but for the most part he sleeps through most nights.
keepsmiling7: If anyone deserved to be sent packing, it was David.
Yeah, Max is going to need some help.
Natalie36: Liz is going to need a little help because right now she isn’t interested in giving Max a second chance or the opportunity to explain and apologize.
begonia9508: Yeah, Max should’ve told Liz as soon as the truth came out.
Things are going very well for Michael and Maria and we’ll check in with them again in this part.
Yeah, David really had no other reason to come around, did he?
Max did make another bad move... we’ll have to wait to see what he can do to get her to listen to him.
Alien_Friend: We’ll get a chance to see more of Michael and Maria with Ben in this part.
There’s a good chance Max will have a run-in with David. And Max and Liz will get a chance to really talk... with a little help from their friends.
Part 25
Michael carried Ben into the kitchen and grinned at Maria. “Slight change of plans.”
“Not tired, huh, little man?” Maria asked. The boy was really cute, she could never be mad at him. “Alright. So what now? You gonna let your big bro eat?”
Ben ducked his head bashfully but he was smiling. He latched onto Michael’s shoulder so he could lean forward and check things out. His eyebrows lifted in interest as he pointed at the lasagna. He looked at Maria and started to babble excitedly.
“Are you sure he ate?” she teased and filled their plates with the food since she was really starving now.
“Yeah, I’m sure he ate. But a little bit more won’t hurt him. Can you take him while I get him somethin’ to drink?”
“Sure,” she took the boy safely in her arms. At first he looked at her skeptically, his lips trembling slightly. “Oh no, you’re not gonna cry, right? I’m nice, you know,” she said and sat down with him. It only took a second before the boy forgot he was upset and stared at the food. “Alright,” Maria leaned forward and cut a tiny bit off of her plate, blowing on it until she was absolutely sure it wasn’t too hot for him. “You’re gonna have to open your mouth, buddy,” she said when Ben just looked at the fork. With a curious glance at her he leaned in slightly and nipped the lasagna off.
Michael watched them as he filled the cup with juice and snapped the lid on. “He’s a lot of fun to take out to dinner,” he said, running his hand over the boy’s head as he took his seat and put the cup where Ben could reach it.
Maria looked at the tiny wristband the boy was wearing. “His full name is Bentley?” She brushed her thumb over the letters gently.
“I know, sounds like a car, right? It was her grandfather’s name and Mom just loved the name. He passed away right after she found out she was pregnant with him,” he said with a nod at Ben. “This is really good.”
“It sounds like a car, but I like it.” She really did. Ben put his hand over hers, trying to move the fork. “More?” She cut into the lasagne again and repeated her earlier move before letting him eat it.
“Looks like we’ve got a winner,” Michael said as he watched Ben slowly chew his food.
“Told you boys it’s good,” she said in satisfaction and took a bite of her own.
Michael shifted closer so he could wipe his brother’s chin, rolling his eyes when Ben squirmed further into Maria and made a face at him.
“Don’t like that, huh?” She laughed and presented Ben with the fork and a new bite of lasagna.
He settled against her and chewed as his gaze bounced around the room. He pointed at his cup as he tipped his head back to look up at the woman holding him.
Maria leaned forward slightly and put the fork aside to grab the cup. “Here, cutie,” she said and ran her hand over the boy’s head.
“Isabel swears he’s gonna be a heartbreaker when he gets older.” He shook his head and grinned.
“Just like his big brother,” she winked at him.
He reached out to straighten Ben’s shirt. “I just hope he’s happy.”
“Aw, come on, Michael. He IS happy.” Maria looked at the boy in her arms and smiled when he glanced up to grin at her.
“Isabel and me, we do the best we know how to do, but... I don’t know, we’ve both wondered if he’ll suffer from not having a traditional family setting, ya know?”
“Well, do you celebrate Christmas with him? Play with him instead of handing over to a nanny all the time?”
He nodded.
“Do you give him birthday parties and feed him around the same time?”
He nodded again.
“Then it’s a hell of a lot more traditional than a lot of other kids will ever experience, Michael.”
“Yeah, you’re right about that. He’s just gonna miss out on knowing Mom. I don’t know about Dad yet.”
Ben looked up from his attempt to pull the top off of his cup. “Da-Da?”
“Not yet, little man. Most days Dad doesn’t want anything to do with Ben.” He smiled and took the cup when the boy held it out to him. “We’re not sure how to handle that but Isabel’s thinking about filing for permanent custody if he continues to refuse to get help.”
Maria looked at the boy in her arms. His eyes were finally getting heavy again. She leaned back and rocked him in her arms just slightly, smiling when he had trouble keeping his eyes open.
Michael chuckled. “Now let’s see if he goes down for the night this time.”
“Want me to carry him to his room?” she asked, her voice hushed.
He nodded and watched her as she got up, Ben cradled against her body. “I’ll grab a clean shirt for him,” he said as he pushed his chair back and stood up.
“Okay,” she carried him over to his room slowly, trying to not make any sudden or harsh movements that might wake him. Once she arrived at her destination she placed him down on the bed carefully and lifted his upper body just a bit to pull his shirt over his head.
Michael watched her closely, amazed at how she handled his brother so naturally and without any fear or reservations.
Maria felt him staring at her and turned slightly to take the fresh shirt out of his hands. “I have a lot of practice with Nayla. They’re just about the same age,” she explained and put the clothes on him. “Here we go.”
He nodded and leaned over to pick up the stuffed animal that had ended up on the floor at some point. “If he wakes up and it’s not with him he’ll pitch a fit,” he said with a quiet laugh.
She placed it in the boy’s arms before getting up again slowly, letting Michael handle the rest.
He took her place and reached for the light blanket, pulling it up over Ben and tucking it in around the little boy’s body. He brushed his hair back, snorting softly when it flopped right back into its former position. He pressed a kiss to Ben’s forehead and got to his feet. “Sleep well, little man,” he whispered as he turned the lamp off. He crossed the room to switch the small nightlight on before taking Maria’s hand and stepping out into the hall.
“Guess we have to warm our food up again,” she said when he pulled her into his arms and leaned against the wall.
“Yeah,” he whispered against her lips, “we could do that...”
Her fingertips rasped over his shirt-covered chest, making both of them groan at the same time. “I’ve missed this,” she admitted quietly.
He nodded and his breath felt like it was stuck in his throat as he brought his right hand up to stroke her cheek. “This past week has been... lonely,” he said finally.
“Yeah,” she laughed. “I got used to you pretty quickly.”
He grinned. “I know what you mean even though I didn’t really give us much of a chance.” He met her gaze and his tone and expression were serious when he spoke. “A lot of that was me bein’ a dick, Maria. I was scared of what was gonna happen once the dare came out.”
“You should’ve told me earlier,” she sighed. “But yeah, I know you thought it was just about the dare for me.”
“Well, yeah, but there were times when I was sure it was more than that.”
“You were?”
He shrugged. “You put so much of yourself out there... Part of me was hoping it wasn’t just about the dare for you.”
“As if I’d be satisfied with just a kiss from you,” she teased.
“Sure as hell hope not,” he said as he nuzzled her neck.
Her stomach growled loudly, making her giggle. “Sorry, I just haven’t eaten anything practically all day.”
“Guess we’d better finish dinner then ‘cause you’re gonna need your strength.”
“Yeah? For what exactly?” she asked as she pulled him from the wall back into the kitchen.
He chuckled and shook his head. “If you have to ask it’s been too long.” He smirked. “But I’ll be reminding you soon enough.”
She still wondered if he would ask her to stay the night. Would he trust her that much yet? “I can’t wait,” she grinned and grabbed their plates to take them to the microwave.
He watched her as she moved around the kitchen. He could easily get used to this, he thought. “Ben really liked that lasagna. You’ll have to make it again.”
“No problem, it’s easy to do.”
“Yeah?” He scratched his neck as he looked at her. “How are you at breakfast?”
“Good at pancakes,” she said as she pulled one heated meal out and set it on the table. “Omelettes, well, they tend to taste a lot better than they look.”
“Think you might wanna make breakfast tomorrow?”
She turned around and looked at him. “If you want me to.”
“Well, yeah.” He grinned. “I’ve kinda got you trapped here.”
“Unless I steal your truck when you’re asleep,” she teased, happy that he’d asked her to stay.
“You’d have to find the keys first.”
“They’re in your right front pocket,” she told him with a wink. “You always put them there.”
He glanced down at himself. “You sure about that?”
“Uh-huh,” she walked up behind him where he was sitting at the table and placed her hands on his shoulders, letting them slowly sink down over his chest and deeper.
His breathing slowed as he followed her hands with his eyes.
“Oh yeah, still there,” she said as her hands brushed over his jeans, feeling the keys underneath the fabric. Her head bent down slightly to kiss his jaw while her hands travelled back up, brushing against his length that was hardening in response to her touch.
“If we didn’t have a kid in the house you’d be spread out on this table and I’d be having you for dinner.”
“Is that a warning or a promise?” she whispered in his ear and let go of him again to get the second plate.
He smirked. “A promise, definitely. Just wait until we have the house to ourselves again.”
She came back to the table with her plate. “That’s gonna be something to look forward to.”
“Yeah, it’ll be somethin’ to look forward to,” he said with a wink.
They ate in silence for a while. Maria watched him closely and smiled when he dropped some food on his pants and tried to hide it.
Michael glanced up and caught her watching him. “I’m a slob, sue me.”
“Uh-huh.” She giggled.
He shrugged and shot a grin at her. “I don’t mind getting dirty if you don’t.”
“Maybe you wanna shower while I wash the dishes?”
He made a show of checking his armpits. “You sayin’ I smell bad?”
“I’m just saying I can cover the rest if you need to...” she tried.
He laughed and leaned back, pushing his empty plate away. “Thanks, I think I’ll do that.” He’d showered earlier but he could use it as an excuse to make sure everything was straight. “You’ll keep an ear out for Ben?”
“Sure.”
“Alright, I won’t be long.” He got up and leaned over for a kiss. “Miss me.”
She chuckled. “Maybe i will.”
“Maybe?” His lips brushed against hers again, tongue sneaking out to trace along the seam of her lips. “Just maybe?”
“Yep, maybe.”
“Hmm... must be doin’ it wrong,” he murmured thoughtfully before taking her mouth in a heated kiss that didn’t leave an inch of her mouth unexplored.
“Michael,” she groaned and pushed him away slightly. “Go now,” she waved him off before she could change her mind.
“Gonna miss me now?” he asked smugly as he backed out of the room.
“Maybe,” she called after him.
He rolled his eyes and waved over his shoulder. “Maybe,” he muttered under his breath.
Maria smiled and leaned against the kitchen counter, taking in the situation. Wow, she was really here. In his house... And with his little brother. Gosh, his brother, why hadn’t she even considered it?
Michael poked his head into Ben’s room, checking in on him before heading to his own room and quietly closing the door behind him. He glanced around, taking everything in. The room wasn’t a complete mess, but maybe he could straighten it up a little bit before she came wandering in.
Maria paused as she washed the dishes, glancing into the hallway and trying to figure out if she had heard right.
Yeah, there was a sound coming from Ben’s room. Wiping her hands on a towel she walked over to check in on him.
Ben was sitting up in bed, his hair standing up in every possible direction as he looked around frantically. His eyes were shining brightly and filled with tears that seemed to spill over as soon as he saw Maria. “Boo-Boo?”
“Hey, sweetie, what’s wrong, hm?” She walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge, wiping the tears from his face gently.
He breathed deeply, the sound stuttering in and out wetly. He brought his right hand up to his mouth and started sucking on his fingers as he reached for a handful of her shirt with his other hand.
“Did you have a bad dream, huh?” She leaned towards him on the bed when he grabbed her and she handed him the stuffed animal that he had knocked to the ground.
“Boo-Boo,” he gasped loudly and threw his arms around the bear, hugging it tightly. He rested the side of his face against the soft fur and slowly rocked himself.
Maria chuckled at his gesture and caressed his back. “Feel better now?”
He murmured quietly, the babbled words comforting him. He turned his head and smiled shyly at her. “Mi-co?” he asked, his eyes darting to the doorway.
“Mi-co?” Maria smiled at his call for Michael. “He’s making himself clean, you know?”
Ben sucked on his bottom lip as he studied her, trying to decipher her words. After a moment he wiggled free of his blanket and crawled over to her. “Mo?” he asked uncertainly as he patted her arm.
Mo? Maria tried to make sense of the word. She lifted the arm up he had touched and waited to see if he would give her another hint.
He crawled into her lap and shifted around until he was comfortable, teddy bear clutched against his chest as he snuggled against her. “Mo,” he whispered contentedly.
Mo, okay, she thought and wrapped her arms around him gently, caressing his little arms.
Ben started to hum to himself as he played with his fingers but before long the sound began to fade, the humming becoming intermittent as his eyes began to slide closed. He would jerk lightly every once in a while as he tried to fight sleep.
Maria rested her back against the wall as she held him. “Don’t fight sleep, little man,” she said gently and ran one finger over the side of his face, knowing Nayla liked it a lot.
He snuggled closer, getting heavier as sleep began to pull him under again.
She watched him for a while. Was he suffering from not having a real mom and a dad that could take care of him? No, she decided. He had other people who cared about him just like parents would do.
Michael found himself in Ben’s doorway once more, his eyes riveted on Maria as she held the little boy. Her touch was gentle as she soothed him and there was patience in her actions. “You’re really good with him,” he said quietly.
“Little kids aren’t that much of a mystery,” she said quietly. “Well, it took a few moments until I figured out what ‘mo’ is.”
He chuckled. “He has his own vocabulary. I guess all little kids do, it’s just a matter of figurin’ it out.”
“I like Mi-co,” she teased.
“Let’s just wait an’ see what he comes up with for you.”
“Could you help me out here? This position’s just getting a bit uncomfortable.”
“Yeah, here...” He crossed the room and bent over to lift Ben up in his arms. “Can you pull his blanket back?”
She did as he requested and tucked the boy back in when Michael placed him down on the mattress. “How good are the chances that we have him down for the night?” she asked, smiling.
He cleared his throat. “I’d like to say it’s for sure, but... nights like this he might be up and down several times.”
“Hey, it’s okay,” she took his hand.
“Well, this’ll give you a crash course in Michael’s Life 101,” he said with a smile.
“So far it looks pretty interesting,” she stopped in the hallway. “Wanna show me your room now?”
He leaned over to pick up the baby monitor that sat on a shelf nearby, placing it on the table by the bed and turning it on. “Better safe than sorry.” He followed her out of the room and motioned to the right. “Sure, c’mon.”
“It is messy?” she teased.
He stopped in front of the door, hand braced on the doorknob as he turned to look at her. “What? No.” Not now anyway, he thought. He pushed the door in and stood back to let her get a look. He had opened the double doors that led out onto the private deck and looked out over the moonlit lake.
“Impressive,” she smiled and walked in, taking in the king size bed, the large TV, and the view over the lake.
He turned on the receiver for the baby monitor next to the lamp on his nightstand before turning to watch her roam around in his space. He had never allowed anyone else to come here but it felt right with her.
“Is that your mom?” she asked, pointing at a picture next to the TV.
He followed her finger to the picture and he nodded.
“You look a lot like her,” she said quietly.
His right eyebrow quirked. “You think so?”
“Yeah. They eyes and the mouth.”
He smiled at that. “Most people think I look like Dad.”
“Well, I don’t know him yet,” Maria moved closer to the picture, “but the lips are definitely hers.”
“My dad’s difficult, Maria. And no, I’m not tryin’ to scare you off, just statin’ a fact. Before we lost her he was the kinda guy who could make the crappiest day seem better. We blew a championship game in junior high school and my dad took the whole team out for pizza and bowling. That’s just the way he was, but now...”
She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Let’s forget that for tonight.”
“Thanks.” He wrapped his arms around her waist and walked her back towards his bed, leaning into her and sending them both onto the mattress. He grinned down at her when the thing rolled beneath them and her eyes widened in surprise.
“A waterbed?” She wiggled her eyebrows. “Sexy.”
He laughed at her response. “Like that?”
“Uh-huh,” she moved her body under him, making the bed roll. “Dirty.”
Michael shifted his weight, causing another wave that brought their lower bodies into full contact. “We’re gonna have a LOT of fun.” He lowered his head and brushed his lips against hers teasingly.
“No doubt,” she shivered.
He trailed a line of kisses along her jaw and up to her ear. He chuckled roughly and she shivered when his right hand settled on her side where her shirt had ridden up.
Her lower body moved against him without her even realizing it. “Don’t stop.”
“No intention of stoppin’,” he assured her. He held her against him as he rolled them over, letting her rest on top of him as he slid his hands against her sides, taking her shirt with him.
She laughed slightly. “I’m just a bit ticklish.”
“I remember,” he said, drawing his touch out. “Hasn’t been that long, girl.” He nudged her and she pushed up so that he could rid her of the shirt. “So much better,” he growled when she straddled his lower body and looked down at him.
She moved over him, making the bed squirm again. “Really, really nice.”
“I can see all the talk I’ve heard’s right,” he said, his hands settling on her hips and pulling her tighter against him.
She bit her lip when she could feel him even though they both still had their jeans on.
He reached for the clasp on her bra, releasing it without any teasing and brushing it out of his way. “You’re beautiful,” he breathed as he touched her.
She smiled and took both of his wrists in her hands, taking them down to the bed over his head when she leaned down. “And so are you.”
“Men aren’t beautiful, Maria,” he grumbled, feeling himself blushing lightly.
“Alright, then maybe sexy? Hot?”
“Okay, either of those works.” He shrugged and grinned. “Or both if you like.”
She glanced down at him. “Overdressed much?’
“So’re you,” he said, tugging on one of her belt loops.
“Uh-huh, you first, mister,” she pulled on his tee shirt.
He moved to sit up and the mattress rolled, upsetting his position and sending him back over on his back. “Okay, this could prove to be interesting,” he said with a laugh.
She wiggled down on his legs and pulled him up again, helping him out of his clothes.
Michael’s gaze moved over her as she pulled his tee shirt off of him. He wondered if she would always turn him on like this. He glanced down when her hands settled over his belt and he looked back up at her.
“I want that gone as well.”
“Might be hard to get rid of much more with you on top of me,” he said with a wink.
“Yeah,” she crawled from the bed, leaving kisses on his upper body.
He leaned back on his elbows, watching her as she eased off of him to stand at the foot of the bed. “Think you should go first,” he said, waving a finger over her.
“Yeah?” She glanced down at herself, feeling confident in his presence since she knew from his words and the look in his eyes that she was special for him. Her hands wandered to the snap of her jeans, open them before turning down the zipper.
His eyes darkened further with the sound of the zipper rasping open. “Don’t tease,” he growled when she slowed down.
“No?” She grinned and pushed the tight jeans down her slim legs.
“Huh-uh, I already know what you’re hidin’ under there... and I want it.” His gaze lifted to lock with hers. “I want you.”
She swallowed at his words, the way they sounded in her ears.
His eyes moved over her slowly before he stretched his legs out and hooked his feet around her thighs, pulling her closer.
“Your turn,” she pointed at his jeans.
“Mine, huh?” He hauled himself off of the bed to stand before her. “Be gentle with me.”
“Always,” she winked and unbuckled his belt, keeping eye contact while she did so.
Fics: A Xmas Story - A Merry Mt. R. Xmas - Cupid's Revenge - Double Trouble - Double Date - Double Dare - Double Empire - Double Xmas Wish - In The Course Of A Lifetime - Mountains So High - Not A Question At All - Surrender - TIC TAC - Two Double Dates at Xmas
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Double Trouble
- Obsessed Roswellian
- Posts: 925
- Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 9:47 am
Part 26
Natalie36: Thanks for reading!
begonia9508: Ben does have many advantages that a lot of kids don’t have but it’s easy to worry that you can’t provide what real parents would. You’re right though, he doesn’t really have any reason to worry about his little brother. Michael and Isabel are doing their best and that little boy knows he’s loved.
mary mary: It’s definitely not a perfect arrangement and the little guy would do well to be stationary for a while. But for now they’re doing the best they can with what they’ve got to work with.
Earth2Mama: Lol, not sure if Ben will name Maria or not.
sarammlover: Ben may not have a perfect situation but he is being raised by people who love him. Michael and Maria... they’re about to get hotter.
Healerfan: Thanks!
Michael and Maria are great together and Ben will benefit from his older brother having a solid, loving relationship.
Max and Liz will get a chance to work things out.
secretk: Michael and Isabel are doing their best to raise Ben and provide him with a good life. Maria has a lot of experience with her little niece.
keepsmiling7: He’s a sweetheart!
Eva: Lol, there’s no denying that! Definitely an adorable handful! That’s so true, Ben will never doubt that he’s loved. The arrangement may not be perfect but they do their best to take care of him and raise him right.
Michael and Maria have made some amazing progress recently.
Alien_Friend: Michael and Maria are definitely working towards a solid future.
Looks like Maria will have lots of practice between Ben and her niece Nayla.
L-J-L 76: Oh, that’s up to Max and Liz... and Liz is intent on not cooperating right at the moment. But, we can promise that they’ll get their chance to work things out.
Part 26
He forced his hands to stay at his sides, his eyes locked on hers. He was glad they had been able to work their way through things because he wouldn’t want to miss out on being with her for anything in the world. His breathing became shallow when she slid her hand behind his jeans so she could work the zipper down and her knuckles grazed him.
“Someone’s excited,” she teased when she felt him hardening in response to her slight touch. He wasn’t the only one though, she thought and pressed her legs together. Oh yeah, she wanted him just as much as he wanted her.
“Bet I’m not by myself there,” he said gruffly, his eyes taking in every restless move she made.
Once the zipper was completely down, she took the jeans in her hand and pulled on them until the slid down his muscled legs. She watched him step out of the pants before her gaze moved up over his body again.
A light shudder raced down his spine at the look in her eyes. It was a mix of want, need, and possessiveness, and he knew he’d never get tired of seeing it. As much as he wanted to rush things along he waited for her to satisfy her need to take in every inch of his tall frame.
“I think I got the hottest man on campus,” she said after a while.
He chuckled. “I know I got the hottest girl.” His hands traced over her waistband of her panties. “Think it’s your turn to lose somethin’ now.”
“Maybe this time you’ll help me with it,” she whispered, her index finger moving over his chest teasingly.
“Don’t have to ask me twice,” he said with a teasing smirk. He nudged her forward and knelt before her, his hands sliding up over her thighs to grasp the waistband and tug it down.
Goosebumps erupted where his hands touched her while he pulled her panties off. It was hard to stay upright when she stepped out of them.
Michael tipped his head back to look up at her as his hands retraced their path. The look in her eyes fascinated him. It amazed him that his touch could bring out so many different emotions in her. He leaned forward to press a kiss to the top of her mound before leaning back to look up at her again. He wrapped his arms around her hips and pulled her to him, just holding her for a moment before he stood and switched their positions. He nudged her back onto the bed and followed her down, crawling up over her when she scooted back. He grinned when the mattress rolled violently with all of their movements and she squeaked in surprise. “Think it’s rockin’ now? Just wait.”
“Uh-huh,” she grinned and let her hand slide in between them, grabbing his length through is boxers and stroking it a few times to tease.
“Just had to go there, didn’t you?” he growled.
“Complaints?” She nipped his bottom lip.
“Me? No, not me.” He rolled his hips and grinned. “He’s another story though... demanding bastard.”
“I can handle him,” she ensured.
“Yeah, I can tell.” He slid one of his hands down to her hot center, grinning when he realized her legs were tightly pressed together. “Need a little somethin’?” he asked.
“Is that a real question?”
He chuckled gruffly. “Not really.”
“You gonna do something?” she asked when he didn’t touch her right away.
“Thinkin’,” he said thoughtfully.
“Thinking?” she asked impatiently.
“Um-hmm.” He bit back the smile that wanted to surface at her tone. His girl lacked patience, especially in bed when she was waiting for him to touch her.
“What’s to think? You did it before, Michael,” she whined.
“Did I say I was tryin’ to remember how to touch you?” He brushed his lips against hers and his knuckles grazed against her. “Or that I forgot how to get you off?”
Her hips bucked up at his slight touch, pressing against his hand in hope of more satisfying friction.
“Think my girl’s tryin’ to tell me somethin’,” he teased before intensifying his touch to satisfy her need.
Maria groaned when he finally gave in and her legs parted slightly to give him better access.
He drew his fingers through her slick folds, not taking things too slowly because she was already at the point where she needed more.
“Michael,” she panted and closed her eyes.
He had no words to describe it when she said his name like that, but damn it felt good. He rubbed her clit, following her cues and adding more pressure when she needed it.
It didn’t take long before her breath came in pants. Her left hand grabbed the sheets under them, while the other moved downwards to guide Michael’s moves.
He smiled to himself when she started directing him, taking mental notes as he memorized every touch that made her hotter.
Maria licked her lips. She could feel that she was close, only a few more touches would be necessary. She opened her eyes to look at Michael, shocked when she found him studying her face closely.
She was on the edge and he wasted no time pushing her over. He was held captive by every single expression that crossed her features and as he gave the final stroke he caught the one he had been waiting for.
Her body trembled under him while she tried to muffle her sounds. The last thing she wanted was to wake up the little man a few rooms down the hall from them.
Michael rested his weight on his left elbow as his gaze moved over her. “Sexy,” he murmured with a lazy smile.
“I’d say amazing.”
“Okay, you’re that too,” he said agreeably.
She smiled. “That’s not what I meant, but I won’t complain.”
“I know what you meant.” His right hand was busy slowly rubbing up and down her thigh as he watched her.
“Kiss me?” she asked gently.
His eyes traced over her as he shifted to bring them closer, his lips hovering over hers for a moment before they connected.
He can be so gentle, she thought and brought one hand up and around to the back of his neck.
His tongue tangled with hers and he took his time drawing the kiss out. He ignored his body’s insistent reminder that it was waiting to be satisfied, but he knew he couldn’t put it off for much longer.
Maria felt him rubbing against her slightly. He hadn’t gotten much of anything yet and she could only imagine how badly he wanted her to do something about it. With a slight sway she pushed him over onto his back, her body resting over his with one side.
Michael’s eyebrows shot up at the unexpected move. “So, now you’ve got me... what’re you gonna do with me?”
“Hmm, I don’t know.” She drew small circles on his chest. “Requests?”
He grinned. “Well...”
“Yeah, why do I even ask?” she said, her tone amused.
“Maria,” he grumbled. “I’m a guy. Besides, you know you like doin’ it.”
“Makes me the best girlfriend ever,” she said and struggled to sit up on the mattress.
“Well, that’s one of the things,” he agreed with a wide grin.
“You’re still overdressed,” she said, letting her fingers wander over his length.
“We can fix that... work around it... whatever,” he said carelessly.
“Yeah,” she said thoughtfully and let her hand wander in his boxers.
He growled when she kept her touch light. “Guess turnabout’s fair play,” he huffed.
“Uh-huh,” she took him firmly in hand and stroked him a few times while she leaned in to kiss a path over his upper body.
Michael couldn’t concentrate on anything but her hand on his dick and her lips on his skin.
Maria smiled against his skin when she felt his breath catch in his throat. Her lips wandered south slowly, as she backed down over his body. She blew some air over a spot right over the skin above the waistband of his boxers after licking it.
She was gonna kill him... slowly... intentionally... mercilessly... He growled and hitched his hips impatiently.
“Be good, big boy,” she teased and hooked her fingers into the waistband, pulling the last bit of clothes that was left down and throwing them to the ground.
“I’m gonna show you how good if you keep it up,” he warned with a breathless laugh.
She crawled over his naked body slowly, making sure that her breasts and stomach made contact with his hard length when she did. “Promise?” Her lips brushed against his.
He groaned long and low at every teasing brush of her skin against his. “Promise.” Hell, he’d promise her any-damn-thing she wanted right now.
“Very good.” The smile in her voice was obvious. Slowly she made her way back down, kissing each inch of his upper body and letting her tongue run along the lines of the tight muscles there. When she reached the lover half of his stomach she felt him holding his breath and she glanced up at him. His eyes were closed, his features tortured with emotions and struggling for control. He had no clue how sexy he was this way, she thought and brushed her hair against his dick.
He was beyond thought as she continued to tease him, mindless to everything but his own pleasure at the moment. He was doing everything he could to maintain control and she was doing everything she could to break it. There was no doubt that she would succeed.
She repeated the move when she heard him hiss and decided to end the torture for him… just a bit though. Leaning down, she placed a kiss on his tip before running her tongue over his full length.
His fingers clenched in the sheets beneath him as he denied himself the pleasure of tangling them in her hair. She was still taking her own sweet time, dragging it out and keeping him on the edge.
One of her hands came up over his and she squeezed it lightly, waiting for him to relax it enough so she could intertwine their hands. Her lips wrapped around his tip again, licking and sucking on it gently.
He could feel his eyes rolling back in his head and she was just getting started. The pleasure was so intense. His breath sawed in and out of his lungs, catching every time she hit the most sensitive spot.
That was enough torture, she decided and took him in fully, using her free hand to hold him down on the mattress when his hips bucked.
His right hand released the sheet, reaching blindly for her and finding her arm. He followed it up, his eyelids too heavy to open, searching for his destination. Moments later his fingers slid into her hair, gently tangling them into it as he guided her movements.
The way he directed her without any pressure made her realize how turned on she was again. While she stroked him with her lips faster now, she rubbed her lower body against his leg for some release.
His impatience was tempered slightly when he felt her moving against him and he fisted his hand in her hair, giving it a gentle tug. He loved a good blowjob, and damn, she was good at it, but he loved being buried deep inside her when he came even more.
She glanced up at his gesture and searched his eyes.
“I need you,” he whispered thickly, revealing a vulnerability he had never before shown to anyone else.
Her heart clenched at his words and she released the hand she was still holding to crawl up over him. “I’m here, Michael,” she said softly and kissed him.
Michael met her eyes and felt a contentment that only heightened his awareness of her. He felt her lower body brush against his, her wet heat making him impossibly harder. “Don’t ever go anywhere,” he whispered.
“I won’t,” she promised. “It was me who was after you first, remember?” she added and smiled.
He cupped her cheeks in his hands. He studied her for a moment before letting them wander down over her shoulders, her back, giving her ass a squeeze before gripping her thighs and giving them an insistent tug.
“Condom,” she remembered, “we need a condom.”
“Condom,” he repeated stupidly. “Bathroom... No, wait, jeans, they’re closer.”
She glanced behind her on the floor where his jeans had been thrown and nodded before crawling down to get out of the bed.
He watched her dig his wallet out and then locate the condom, groaning when she waved it teasingly before holding one corner of the packet between her teeth as she crawled up over him once again.
She sat down on his thighs and used one hand to rip the package open while she held it between her teeth.
“This might not be my best performance to date,” he said with a gruff laugh.
“Don’t worry about that,” she told him while she slid the condom over him gently, looking at it in satisfaction afterwards.
He wasn’t gonna last long but as long as they both got off he didn’t really care. He knew there would be plenty more times for them to make it last.
“You ready?” she asked, placing herself directly over him and rubbing herself against him a few times.
“Hell yeah...”
“Okay,” her forehead rested against his when she used one hand to guide him to her wet entrance. Her eyes locked with his when she sank down on him slowly.
He felt the sensation of his heart flipping over again and his arms came around her to hold her close for a moment, savoring the feeling of being surrounded by her in the most elemental way possible.
“You good?” she asked gently after a while.
“Couldn’t be any better, baby,” he assured her.
“Okay,” she placed a slight kiss on the tip of his nose. It was weird to see so many emotions on his face at one time. Though they had been intense with each other quite a few times now, he had never allowed her to see what he really felt.
Michael wondered what she was thinking as she watched him but after a moment his dick reminded him that while he was content for the moment it still had business to take care of. The pendant he wore rasped against its chain when he rolled them over and sank into her fully.
“Like to be in control, huh?”
“Normally I’d say yes. With you giving up control doesn’t really seem to be a big issue.” He kissed her and rolled his hips. “However, that right there’s a big issue that needs to be addressed, and the sooner the better.”
She groaned in response and wrapped her arms around him tightly. “Sounds right.”
“Just for the record though, I have no objection to you takin’ control. Feel free to take it back if you think you can,” he challenged with a grin.
“Pretty hard with this bed,” she smirked.
“Admitting defeat? So early in the game?”
“Well, if you call this,” she gestured between them, “a defeat, then I can live with it.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “Don’t think I’d ever call it that.” He held onto her and rolled once more so that she was on top. “It’s all about leverage.” He slapped her ass playfully. “Take control, woman.”
“No problem,” she grinned and moved her hips in a circle above him.
“That’s it,” he murmured encouragingly as his hands settled on her hips.
Her small hands steadied her body against his chest while she kept moving her hips against him in a steady rhythm.
His hands moved over her, skimming over her ribs before dipping back down to brush against her where they were joined.
She breathed in deeply when he touched her, intensifying the feeling of her arousal. Her upper body bent forward so she could take his mouth in a hot kiss.
He could feel the warning signs and knew his orgasm wasn’t far off. He deepened the kiss and increased the pressure of his touch as he rubbed her clit.
When her inner walls started to tremble she broke the kiss to gasp for air and bent her head to rest against his neck to muffle her sounds.
He came hard, thrusting up against her a couple more times before he fell back on the bed, holding her to him. He muttered something indistinguishable against her temple, his heart thumping madly in the aftermath of his orgasm.
She felt her exhaustion as soon as they calmed down. Her fingers played with some of the soft hair at the back of his neck while she closed her eyes.
He dealt with the condom and settled back with her in his arms. His right hand moved around in search of the covers that they had managed to work over to the edge of the bed, tugging them closer and pulling them up over them.
“How’s your brother in the mornings? Does he like to come in to snuggle in the big bed?”
Michael yawned widely and ran one hand through his hair. “Good point. Yeah, little man’s a snuggler.”
“Then I should probably put a shirt on or something.”
He shifted slightly. “Probably oughta get up an’ grab my boxers. Crack the door too. He won’t understand me havin’ the door shut.” He smiled tiredly. “He’ll learn, but for now getting used to me havin’ someone over will be enough to start with.”
She smiled and sat up, trying to get her messy hair in order. “Can I get something to wear from you?”
“Hate to cover up all that gorgeous skin,” he said, leering at her playfully. “But, yeah, shirts are in the closet.”
“You’re gonna make me get up?” she whined.
He smirked and rolled out of bed, pulling his boxers on before going over to the closet. He pulled a shirt out and tossed it to her. “Be right back.”
Maria pulled the tee shirt over her head, wondering what he was up to.
Michael poked his head into Ben’s room to check on him. The little boy was sleeping peacefully, his teddy bear resting against his side and his blankets kicked off again. He covered him up and brushed one hand over his head. “Sleep tight, little man,” he whispered as he backed out of the room and moved back down the hall. He left his own door open a bit before going back to bed and crawling in beside Maria.
“What were you doing?” she asked, snuggling up against him.
“Just checkin’ on Ben one last time.”
“How’s he doing?” Her head rested against his chest and she searched around until she found his hand to hold it in hers.
“Sleepin’ like a baby,” he said with a small smile. He brought their linked hands up to rest on his stomach and his lips brushed against her forehead.
“Something I’m gonna do in the next few minutes,” she mumbled. “Good night, Michael.”
“Right behind ya, Sexy.” He fell asleep contentedly with her weight resting comfortably against him.
****
“What ya wanna eat?” Maria asked Liz when they both sat in a small café near the marina the next day. She had convinced Michael to drive her back home after breakfast. She hadn’t wanted to leave already, but she knew her best friend needed her and from the look on her face she could tell how true it was.
“I’m not really hungry,” Liz answered, not feeling able to get excited about anything.
“We’ll take the chocolate cake. One big piece, two spoons,” Maria told the waitress and handed the menu back to her. It was hard to see Liz like this and she had held back with her excitement about her and Michael being officially together now since she knew it would hurt her even more.
“You really should’ve stayed with Michael. I’m not good company today.”
“Bullshit, Liz. I can see you feel miserable and we’re best friends. I won’t leave you hanging, and Michael and I are meeting for dinner, so we’re good.”
“You’re not gonna do yourself any favors hanging out with me,” Liz muttered. Yes, it was self-pitying and right now she didn’t really care.
“Tell me about last night again. How did Max react when he saw David?”
“Does it matter? He’s territorial and he felt like someone was pissing on his territory.” She shrugged.
“Uh-huh,” Maria lifted one eyebrow. “But why would he be territorial if he’s not interested in you?”
“Why do dogs get pissed when someone takes a toy they’re not even playing with? It’s instinctual, I don’t know.” She shook her head at Maria. “He blew it, Maria. All he had to do was tell me about it when I told him the truth. I told him before we...” she glanced around and lowered her voice. “I told him the truth before we made... had sex. Why didn’t he tell me then if it meant more to him?”
“I don’t know and I won’t say I like that kind of behaviour. But maybe he just didn’t want to hurt you with it, since it was more for him as well.”
Liz just snorted and took a drink of her water. “Max Evans can kiss my ass for all I care.” Maybe if she said it enough she’d start to believe it.
“Liz,” Maria tried. “I can see it’s not that easy for you.”
“I just wanna forget about the past month.”
“Why don’t you hear him out at least once?”
“What’s the point? It was a dare, and okay, I made a dare too, so I’m not innocent in this thing, but his dare included sex... what does it say that he waited until after we’d had sex? He’s not even the one who told me! I’m glad things worked out for you and Michael, I am, Maria, but it’s not gonna happen for me and Max.”
Maria tried not to sigh too loudly at her friend’s stubbornness. Why was it so hard to hear him out? “I still think you should at least let him explain once before you make this decision.”
“And in a perfect world maybe I’d be more forgiving.” She picked up one of the spoons when the waitress brought the cake to their table. She didn’t want it, wasn’t hungry in the least, but maybe Maria would drop it if she acted like she was.
“He’s miserable, Liz. Michael told me he’s really acting out of character.”
Liz lifted her spoon in acknowledgement. “Good.”
Maria stuck her spoon into the pie frustrated. What else could she do?
“Look, he’ll get over it, I’ll get over it, and we’ll move on. No big deal.” Yeah, no big deal other than a crushed heart, she thought morosely.
“It is a big deal when you heart is in it.”
“Yeah, well,” she mumbled around a mouthful of cake, hoping it would disguise the thickness in her voice, “I knew going into this that fallin’ for him was a mistake. Trust me, it’s one mistake I’ll learn from.”
“How do you feel about David? You know… now that you know the truth about him?” Maria asked. Though he was her ex, she’d bet it hurt Liz to find out that he had never really cared about her at all. Asshole!
“I don’t know. How does the victim of a train wreck feel? I feel like I wasted all of that time on him, gave him everything including my virginity, and that I obviously can’t trust my own judgment about guys. I fell for him and I was just someone he kept around... for whatever reason, and then I fell for Max, who slept with me on a dare. So, all in all, not feelin’ that great right now.”
She could see the tears in her friend’s eyes and reached over the table to squeeze her hands. “I’m sorry.”
Liz swallowed hard and shook her head. “I’m fine, Maria. I just wanna get past this and forget that Max even exists.”
Maria didn’t want to accept that. Max and Liz were perfect together and they needed to realize it. She decided not to mention it again now though, first she needed a plan.
She relaxed when Maria seemed to drop the subject of Max Evans. Her heart felt like it’d been put through a blender and just thinking about him hurt. She might want to believe that it was more than just a dare for him, but if that was true, why hadn’t he just been honest with her? She shoved the thoughts away. “You know what would be nice?”
“What?”
“Blow off classes and get out of the city for a couple of days.” Yeah, that’s right people, Liz Parker just suggested cutting classes. She mentally rolled her eyes at the sarcastic voice in her head.
“Where do ya wanna go?”
“Can you get away for a couple of days?”
The thought of spending a couple of days without Michael was not that tempting now that they were finally together, she admitted, but Liz was her best friend. “I think so.”
“I don’t even care where we go.” She sighed and leaned back in her seat. “No, that’s not fair to you,” she said, suddenly remembering that Maria had plenty of reasons to not go anywhere right now. “You and Michael are still in the ‘can’t keep your hands off each other’ phase.”
“I’ll survive it,” Maria assured her. Besides, maybe this could be a possible way to get Max and her talking, she mused.
“Don’t know if your boy will,” Liz said with a quiet giggle. Her life sucked right now but that was no reason to bring Maria down with her.
“Well, we can make a deal. We could go to my parent’s cabin. Ya know, the one up in the mountains near the lake. We could leave early, stay two nights and then come back early that last day.”
“Okay, but only if you’re sure, Maria.”
begonia9508: Ben does have many advantages that a lot of kids don’t have but it’s easy to worry that you can’t provide what real parents would. You’re right though, he doesn’t really have any reason to worry about his little brother. Michael and Isabel are doing their best and that little boy knows he’s loved.
mary mary: It’s definitely not a perfect arrangement and the little guy would do well to be stationary for a while. But for now they’re doing the best they can with what they’ve got to work with.
Earth2Mama: Lol, not sure if Ben will name Maria or not.
sarammlover: Ben may not have a perfect situation but he is being raised by people who love him. Michael and Maria... they’re about to get hotter.
Healerfan: Thanks!
Michael and Maria are great together and Ben will benefit from his older brother having a solid, loving relationship.
Max and Liz will get a chance to work things out.
secretk: Michael and Isabel are doing their best to raise Ben and provide him with a good life. Maria has a lot of experience with her little niece.
keepsmiling7: He’s a sweetheart!
Eva: Lol, there’s no denying that! Definitely an adorable handful! That’s so true, Ben will never doubt that he’s loved. The arrangement may not be perfect but they do their best to take care of him and raise him right.
Michael and Maria have made some amazing progress recently.
Alien_Friend: Michael and Maria are definitely working towards a solid future.
Looks like Maria will have lots of practice between Ben and her niece Nayla.
L-J-L 76: Oh, that’s up to Max and Liz... and Liz is intent on not cooperating right at the moment. But, we can promise that they’ll get their chance to work things out.
Part 26
He forced his hands to stay at his sides, his eyes locked on hers. He was glad they had been able to work their way through things because he wouldn’t want to miss out on being with her for anything in the world. His breathing became shallow when she slid her hand behind his jeans so she could work the zipper down and her knuckles grazed him.
“Someone’s excited,” she teased when she felt him hardening in response to her slight touch. He wasn’t the only one though, she thought and pressed her legs together. Oh yeah, she wanted him just as much as he wanted her.
“Bet I’m not by myself there,” he said gruffly, his eyes taking in every restless move she made.
Once the zipper was completely down, she took the jeans in her hand and pulled on them until the slid down his muscled legs. She watched him step out of the pants before her gaze moved up over his body again.
A light shudder raced down his spine at the look in her eyes. It was a mix of want, need, and possessiveness, and he knew he’d never get tired of seeing it. As much as he wanted to rush things along he waited for her to satisfy her need to take in every inch of his tall frame.
“I think I got the hottest man on campus,” she said after a while.
He chuckled. “I know I got the hottest girl.” His hands traced over her waistband of her panties. “Think it’s your turn to lose somethin’ now.”
“Maybe this time you’ll help me with it,” she whispered, her index finger moving over his chest teasingly.
“Don’t have to ask me twice,” he said with a teasing smirk. He nudged her forward and knelt before her, his hands sliding up over her thighs to grasp the waistband and tug it down.
Goosebumps erupted where his hands touched her while he pulled her panties off. It was hard to stay upright when she stepped out of them.
Michael tipped his head back to look up at her as his hands retraced their path. The look in her eyes fascinated him. It amazed him that his touch could bring out so many different emotions in her. He leaned forward to press a kiss to the top of her mound before leaning back to look up at her again. He wrapped his arms around her hips and pulled her to him, just holding her for a moment before he stood and switched their positions. He nudged her back onto the bed and followed her down, crawling up over her when she scooted back. He grinned when the mattress rolled violently with all of their movements and she squeaked in surprise. “Think it’s rockin’ now? Just wait.”
“Uh-huh,” she grinned and let her hand slide in between them, grabbing his length through is boxers and stroking it a few times to tease.
“Just had to go there, didn’t you?” he growled.
“Complaints?” She nipped his bottom lip.
“Me? No, not me.” He rolled his hips and grinned. “He’s another story though... demanding bastard.”
“I can handle him,” she ensured.
“Yeah, I can tell.” He slid one of his hands down to her hot center, grinning when he realized her legs were tightly pressed together. “Need a little somethin’?” he asked.
“Is that a real question?”
He chuckled gruffly. “Not really.”
“You gonna do something?” she asked when he didn’t touch her right away.
“Thinkin’,” he said thoughtfully.
“Thinking?” she asked impatiently.
“Um-hmm.” He bit back the smile that wanted to surface at her tone. His girl lacked patience, especially in bed when she was waiting for him to touch her.
“What’s to think? You did it before, Michael,” she whined.
“Did I say I was tryin’ to remember how to touch you?” He brushed his lips against hers and his knuckles grazed against her. “Or that I forgot how to get you off?”
Her hips bucked up at his slight touch, pressing against his hand in hope of more satisfying friction.
“Think my girl’s tryin’ to tell me somethin’,” he teased before intensifying his touch to satisfy her need.
Maria groaned when he finally gave in and her legs parted slightly to give him better access.
He drew his fingers through her slick folds, not taking things too slowly because she was already at the point where she needed more.
“Michael,” she panted and closed her eyes.
He had no words to describe it when she said his name like that, but damn it felt good. He rubbed her clit, following her cues and adding more pressure when she needed it.
It didn’t take long before her breath came in pants. Her left hand grabbed the sheets under them, while the other moved downwards to guide Michael’s moves.
He smiled to himself when she started directing him, taking mental notes as he memorized every touch that made her hotter.
Maria licked her lips. She could feel that she was close, only a few more touches would be necessary. She opened her eyes to look at Michael, shocked when she found him studying her face closely.
She was on the edge and he wasted no time pushing her over. He was held captive by every single expression that crossed her features and as he gave the final stroke he caught the one he had been waiting for.
Her body trembled under him while she tried to muffle her sounds. The last thing she wanted was to wake up the little man a few rooms down the hall from them.
Michael rested his weight on his left elbow as his gaze moved over her. “Sexy,” he murmured with a lazy smile.
“I’d say amazing.”
“Okay, you’re that too,” he said agreeably.
She smiled. “That’s not what I meant, but I won’t complain.”
“I know what you meant.” His right hand was busy slowly rubbing up and down her thigh as he watched her.
“Kiss me?” she asked gently.
His eyes traced over her as he shifted to bring them closer, his lips hovering over hers for a moment before they connected.
He can be so gentle, she thought and brought one hand up and around to the back of his neck.
His tongue tangled with hers and he took his time drawing the kiss out. He ignored his body’s insistent reminder that it was waiting to be satisfied, but he knew he couldn’t put it off for much longer.
Maria felt him rubbing against her slightly. He hadn’t gotten much of anything yet and she could only imagine how badly he wanted her to do something about it. With a slight sway she pushed him over onto his back, her body resting over his with one side.
Michael’s eyebrows shot up at the unexpected move. “So, now you’ve got me... what’re you gonna do with me?”
“Hmm, I don’t know.” She drew small circles on his chest. “Requests?”
He grinned. “Well...”
“Yeah, why do I even ask?” she said, her tone amused.
“Maria,” he grumbled. “I’m a guy. Besides, you know you like doin’ it.”
“Makes me the best girlfriend ever,” she said and struggled to sit up on the mattress.
“Well, that’s one of the things,” he agreed with a wide grin.
“You’re still overdressed,” she said, letting her fingers wander over his length.
“We can fix that... work around it... whatever,” he said carelessly.
“Yeah,” she said thoughtfully and let her hand wander in his boxers.
He growled when she kept her touch light. “Guess turnabout’s fair play,” he huffed.
“Uh-huh,” she took him firmly in hand and stroked him a few times while she leaned in to kiss a path over his upper body.
Michael couldn’t concentrate on anything but her hand on his dick and her lips on his skin.
Maria smiled against his skin when she felt his breath catch in his throat. Her lips wandered south slowly, as she backed down over his body. She blew some air over a spot right over the skin above the waistband of his boxers after licking it.
She was gonna kill him... slowly... intentionally... mercilessly... He growled and hitched his hips impatiently.
“Be good, big boy,” she teased and hooked her fingers into the waistband, pulling the last bit of clothes that was left down and throwing them to the ground.
“I’m gonna show you how good if you keep it up,” he warned with a breathless laugh.
She crawled over his naked body slowly, making sure that her breasts and stomach made contact with his hard length when she did. “Promise?” Her lips brushed against his.
He groaned long and low at every teasing brush of her skin against his. “Promise.” Hell, he’d promise her any-damn-thing she wanted right now.
“Very good.” The smile in her voice was obvious. Slowly she made her way back down, kissing each inch of his upper body and letting her tongue run along the lines of the tight muscles there. When she reached the lover half of his stomach she felt him holding his breath and she glanced up at him. His eyes were closed, his features tortured with emotions and struggling for control. He had no clue how sexy he was this way, she thought and brushed her hair against his dick.
He was beyond thought as she continued to tease him, mindless to everything but his own pleasure at the moment. He was doing everything he could to maintain control and she was doing everything she could to break it. There was no doubt that she would succeed.
She repeated the move when she heard him hiss and decided to end the torture for him… just a bit though. Leaning down, she placed a kiss on his tip before running her tongue over his full length.
His fingers clenched in the sheets beneath him as he denied himself the pleasure of tangling them in her hair. She was still taking her own sweet time, dragging it out and keeping him on the edge.
One of her hands came up over his and she squeezed it lightly, waiting for him to relax it enough so she could intertwine their hands. Her lips wrapped around his tip again, licking and sucking on it gently.
He could feel his eyes rolling back in his head and she was just getting started. The pleasure was so intense. His breath sawed in and out of his lungs, catching every time she hit the most sensitive spot.
That was enough torture, she decided and took him in fully, using her free hand to hold him down on the mattress when his hips bucked.
His right hand released the sheet, reaching blindly for her and finding her arm. He followed it up, his eyelids too heavy to open, searching for his destination. Moments later his fingers slid into her hair, gently tangling them into it as he guided her movements.
The way he directed her without any pressure made her realize how turned on she was again. While she stroked him with her lips faster now, she rubbed her lower body against his leg for some release.
His impatience was tempered slightly when he felt her moving against him and he fisted his hand in her hair, giving it a gentle tug. He loved a good blowjob, and damn, she was good at it, but he loved being buried deep inside her when he came even more.
She glanced up at his gesture and searched his eyes.
“I need you,” he whispered thickly, revealing a vulnerability he had never before shown to anyone else.
Her heart clenched at his words and she released the hand she was still holding to crawl up over him. “I’m here, Michael,” she said softly and kissed him.
Michael met her eyes and felt a contentment that only heightened his awareness of her. He felt her lower body brush against his, her wet heat making him impossibly harder. “Don’t ever go anywhere,” he whispered.
“I won’t,” she promised. “It was me who was after you first, remember?” she added and smiled.
He cupped her cheeks in his hands. He studied her for a moment before letting them wander down over her shoulders, her back, giving her ass a squeeze before gripping her thighs and giving them an insistent tug.
“Condom,” she remembered, “we need a condom.”
“Condom,” he repeated stupidly. “Bathroom... No, wait, jeans, they’re closer.”
She glanced behind her on the floor where his jeans had been thrown and nodded before crawling down to get out of the bed.
He watched her dig his wallet out and then locate the condom, groaning when she waved it teasingly before holding one corner of the packet between her teeth as she crawled up over him once again.
She sat down on his thighs and used one hand to rip the package open while she held it between her teeth.
“This might not be my best performance to date,” he said with a gruff laugh.
“Don’t worry about that,” she told him while she slid the condom over him gently, looking at it in satisfaction afterwards.
He wasn’t gonna last long but as long as they both got off he didn’t really care. He knew there would be plenty more times for them to make it last.
“You ready?” she asked, placing herself directly over him and rubbing herself against him a few times.
“Hell yeah...”
“Okay,” her forehead rested against his when she used one hand to guide him to her wet entrance. Her eyes locked with his when she sank down on him slowly.
He felt the sensation of his heart flipping over again and his arms came around her to hold her close for a moment, savoring the feeling of being surrounded by her in the most elemental way possible.
“You good?” she asked gently after a while.
“Couldn’t be any better, baby,” he assured her.
“Okay,” she placed a slight kiss on the tip of his nose. It was weird to see so many emotions on his face at one time. Though they had been intense with each other quite a few times now, he had never allowed her to see what he really felt.
Michael wondered what she was thinking as she watched him but after a moment his dick reminded him that while he was content for the moment it still had business to take care of. The pendant he wore rasped against its chain when he rolled them over and sank into her fully.
“Like to be in control, huh?”
“Normally I’d say yes. With you giving up control doesn’t really seem to be a big issue.” He kissed her and rolled his hips. “However, that right there’s a big issue that needs to be addressed, and the sooner the better.”
She groaned in response and wrapped her arms around him tightly. “Sounds right.”
“Just for the record though, I have no objection to you takin’ control. Feel free to take it back if you think you can,” he challenged with a grin.
“Pretty hard with this bed,” she smirked.
“Admitting defeat? So early in the game?”
“Well, if you call this,” she gestured between them, “a defeat, then I can live with it.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “Don’t think I’d ever call it that.” He held onto her and rolled once more so that she was on top. “It’s all about leverage.” He slapped her ass playfully. “Take control, woman.”
“No problem,” she grinned and moved her hips in a circle above him.
“That’s it,” he murmured encouragingly as his hands settled on her hips.
Her small hands steadied her body against his chest while she kept moving her hips against him in a steady rhythm.
His hands moved over her, skimming over her ribs before dipping back down to brush against her where they were joined.
She breathed in deeply when he touched her, intensifying the feeling of her arousal. Her upper body bent forward so she could take his mouth in a hot kiss.
He could feel the warning signs and knew his orgasm wasn’t far off. He deepened the kiss and increased the pressure of his touch as he rubbed her clit.
When her inner walls started to tremble she broke the kiss to gasp for air and bent her head to rest against his neck to muffle her sounds.
He came hard, thrusting up against her a couple more times before he fell back on the bed, holding her to him. He muttered something indistinguishable against her temple, his heart thumping madly in the aftermath of his orgasm.
She felt her exhaustion as soon as they calmed down. Her fingers played with some of the soft hair at the back of his neck while she closed her eyes.
He dealt with the condom and settled back with her in his arms. His right hand moved around in search of the covers that they had managed to work over to the edge of the bed, tugging them closer and pulling them up over them.
“How’s your brother in the mornings? Does he like to come in to snuggle in the big bed?”
Michael yawned widely and ran one hand through his hair. “Good point. Yeah, little man’s a snuggler.”
“Then I should probably put a shirt on or something.”
He shifted slightly. “Probably oughta get up an’ grab my boxers. Crack the door too. He won’t understand me havin’ the door shut.” He smiled tiredly. “He’ll learn, but for now getting used to me havin’ someone over will be enough to start with.”
She smiled and sat up, trying to get her messy hair in order. “Can I get something to wear from you?”
“Hate to cover up all that gorgeous skin,” he said, leering at her playfully. “But, yeah, shirts are in the closet.”
“You’re gonna make me get up?” she whined.
He smirked and rolled out of bed, pulling his boxers on before going over to the closet. He pulled a shirt out and tossed it to her. “Be right back.”
Maria pulled the tee shirt over her head, wondering what he was up to.
Michael poked his head into Ben’s room to check on him. The little boy was sleeping peacefully, his teddy bear resting against his side and his blankets kicked off again. He covered him up and brushed one hand over his head. “Sleep tight, little man,” he whispered as he backed out of the room and moved back down the hall. He left his own door open a bit before going back to bed and crawling in beside Maria.
“What were you doing?” she asked, snuggling up against him.
“Just checkin’ on Ben one last time.”
“How’s he doing?” Her head rested against his chest and she searched around until she found his hand to hold it in hers.
“Sleepin’ like a baby,” he said with a small smile. He brought their linked hands up to rest on his stomach and his lips brushed against her forehead.
“Something I’m gonna do in the next few minutes,” she mumbled. “Good night, Michael.”
“Right behind ya, Sexy.” He fell asleep contentedly with her weight resting comfortably against him.
****
“What ya wanna eat?” Maria asked Liz when they both sat in a small café near the marina the next day. She had convinced Michael to drive her back home after breakfast. She hadn’t wanted to leave already, but she knew her best friend needed her and from the look on her face she could tell how true it was.
“I’m not really hungry,” Liz answered, not feeling able to get excited about anything.
“We’ll take the chocolate cake. One big piece, two spoons,” Maria told the waitress and handed the menu back to her. It was hard to see Liz like this and she had held back with her excitement about her and Michael being officially together now since she knew it would hurt her even more.
“You really should’ve stayed with Michael. I’m not good company today.”
“Bullshit, Liz. I can see you feel miserable and we’re best friends. I won’t leave you hanging, and Michael and I are meeting for dinner, so we’re good.”
“You’re not gonna do yourself any favors hanging out with me,” Liz muttered. Yes, it was self-pitying and right now she didn’t really care.
“Tell me about last night again. How did Max react when he saw David?”
“Does it matter? He’s territorial and he felt like someone was pissing on his territory.” She shrugged.
“Uh-huh,” Maria lifted one eyebrow. “But why would he be territorial if he’s not interested in you?”
“Why do dogs get pissed when someone takes a toy they’re not even playing with? It’s instinctual, I don’t know.” She shook her head at Maria. “He blew it, Maria. All he had to do was tell me about it when I told him the truth. I told him before we...” she glanced around and lowered her voice. “I told him the truth before we made... had sex. Why didn’t he tell me then if it meant more to him?”
“I don’t know and I won’t say I like that kind of behaviour. But maybe he just didn’t want to hurt you with it, since it was more for him as well.”
Liz just snorted and took a drink of her water. “Max Evans can kiss my ass for all I care.” Maybe if she said it enough she’d start to believe it.
“Liz,” Maria tried. “I can see it’s not that easy for you.”
“I just wanna forget about the past month.”
“Why don’t you hear him out at least once?”
“What’s the point? It was a dare, and okay, I made a dare too, so I’m not innocent in this thing, but his dare included sex... what does it say that he waited until after we’d had sex? He’s not even the one who told me! I’m glad things worked out for you and Michael, I am, Maria, but it’s not gonna happen for me and Max.”
Maria tried not to sigh too loudly at her friend’s stubbornness. Why was it so hard to hear him out? “I still think you should at least let him explain once before you make this decision.”
“And in a perfect world maybe I’d be more forgiving.” She picked up one of the spoons when the waitress brought the cake to their table. She didn’t want it, wasn’t hungry in the least, but maybe Maria would drop it if she acted like she was.
“He’s miserable, Liz. Michael told me he’s really acting out of character.”
Liz lifted her spoon in acknowledgement. “Good.”
Maria stuck her spoon into the pie frustrated. What else could she do?
“Look, he’ll get over it, I’ll get over it, and we’ll move on. No big deal.” Yeah, no big deal other than a crushed heart, she thought morosely.
“It is a big deal when you heart is in it.”
“Yeah, well,” she mumbled around a mouthful of cake, hoping it would disguise the thickness in her voice, “I knew going into this that fallin’ for him was a mistake. Trust me, it’s one mistake I’ll learn from.”
“How do you feel about David? You know… now that you know the truth about him?” Maria asked. Though he was her ex, she’d bet it hurt Liz to find out that he had never really cared about her at all. Asshole!
“I don’t know. How does the victim of a train wreck feel? I feel like I wasted all of that time on him, gave him everything including my virginity, and that I obviously can’t trust my own judgment about guys. I fell for him and I was just someone he kept around... for whatever reason, and then I fell for Max, who slept with me on a dare. So, all in all, not feelin’ that great right now.”
She could see the tears in her friend’s eyes and reached over the table to squeeze her hands. “I’m sorry.”
Liz swallowed hard and shook her head. “I’m fine, Maria. I just wanna get past this and forget that Max even exists.”
Maria didn’t want to accept that. Max and Liz were perfect together and they needed to realize it. She decided not to mention it again now though, first she needed a plan.
She relaxed when Maria seemed to drop the subject of Max Evans. Her heart felt like it’d been put through a blender and just thinking about him hurt. She might want to believe that it was more than just a dare for him, but if that was true, why hadn’t he just been honest with her? She shoved the thoughts away. “You know what would be nice?”
“What?”
“Blow off classes and get out of the city for a couple of days.” Yeah, that’s right people, Liz Parker just suggested cutting classes. She mentally rolled her eyes at the sarcastic voice in her head.
“Where do ya wanna go?”
“Can you get away for a couple of days?”
The thought of spending a couple of days without Michael was not that tempting now that they were finally together, she admitted, but Liz was her best friend. “I think so.”
“I don’t even care where we go.” She sighed and leaned back in her seat. “No, that’s not fair to you,” she said, suddenly remembering that Maria had plenty of reasons to not go anywhere right now. “You and Michael are still in the ‘can’t keep your hands off each other’ phase.”
“I’ll survive it,” Maria assured her. Besides, maybe this could be a possible way to get Max and her talking, she mused.
“Don’t know if your boy will,” Liz said with a quiet giggle. Her life sucked right now but that was no reason to bring Maria down with her.
“Well, we can make a deal. We could go to my parent’s cabin. Ya know, the one up in the mountains near the lake. We could leave early, stay two nights and then come back early that last day.”
“Okay, but only if you’re sure, Maria.”
Fics: A Xmas Story - A Merry Mt. R. Xmas - Cupid's Revenge - Double Trouble - Double Date - Double Dare - Double Empire - Double Xmas Wish - In The Course Of A Lifetime - Mountains So High - Not A Question At All - Surrender - TIC TAC - Two Double Dates at Xmas
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Double Trouble
- Obsessed Roswellian
- Posts: 925
- Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 9:47 am
Part 27
begonia9508: Getting away for a few days does seem like a good idea!
Earth2Mama: You’ll get no arguments from us!
Well, lol, Maria’s definitely planning on interfering.
L-J-L 76: Every Sunday! Things are looking good for Michael and Maria. They’ve gotten to a place where they’ve really been honest with each other and that’s a good place to build from. You can count on some interference from the two of them as they try to help their friends. Max and Liz still have to talk, but they’ll get there.
sarammlover: Lol, well... they’re Michael and Maria! Hmm, we do think that Maria’s up to something along those lines.
Ilonka.Green: Thanks for reading!
secretk: Liz is in a tough place and she has to sort some things out in her head. You’re right, Maria does have different plans..
Natalie36: Oh, Max and Liz will get there with a little help from their meddling friends.
Alien_Friend: Their friends are gonna do their best to make sure the trip helps.
Michael and Maria are very happy.
Healerfan: Thanks!
Liz is having a rough time but she’ll get through it.
Yes, Maria is definitely up to something.
You won’t have to wait long!
keepsmiling7: Oh, Maria’s gonna do her best to ensure that they have company on their trip.
mary mary: LOL!! The girls might disagree.
Eva: Thanks, we’re glad you enjoyed it!!
Part 27
Liz would hate her for it, she thought, but it was necessary. “I’ll check with my parents.”
She nodded. “It’ll be nice to get away from everything for a couple of days.”
“Yeah, why not?” Yep, she would definitely pull her hair out when Max showed up at the cabin, but this way Liz couldn’t just leave, and neither could Max.
Liz chewed on a bite of the cake, taking comfort in the idea of getting away from her life for 48 hours. David no longer mattered. Yes, it hurt, but it was minimal compared to the pain she felt every time she thought about Max. The cabin was isolated so maybe she could forget him for a couple of days.
“It’ll be fun,” Maria squeezed her friend’s hand. Before you hate me, she added silently. Maybe they could spend one day alone first and then she had Michael and Max join them.
She nodded and glanced at her watch. “I’ve gotta catch a lecture, Maria, so call me and let me know what your mom says.”
Maria pulled the cake towards her. “Alright Lizzie. I’ll stop by your place later in the afternoon okay?”
“Cool. I’ll be home after 3pm. If I appear to be in a waking coma, it’s because the lecture bored me half to death.” She rolled her eyes and grabbed her bag as she got up.
“Okay,” her friend said in amusement. She waited until Liz was gone before she grabbed her cell to call home.
Amy was just finishing up with early preparations for dinner when her phone rang, the ringtone letting her know it was her daughter on the other end. She wiped her hands on a towel and leaned over to pick it up. “Hello, Maria,” she greeted her with a smile.
“Hey, Mom, how’s it going?”
“Good, what about you?” She smacked her husband’s hand when he reached around her to take a peek at what she was making. She covered the mouthpiece as she turned to glance at him. “You’re supposed to be cleaning the grill for tonight, now go,” she hissed at him.
“Oh, I’m great, thanks,” Maria grinned into the phone. “I’m calling to ask if I could get the keys to our cabin.”
“The cabin?” she asked, her eyebrows lifting in interest. “Going up there with some friends?”
“Uh-huh, yeah. Liz has a broken heart and I’m gonna have to do something about it.”
“You think some time in the mountains will help?”
“She needs to get away from everything for a bit and, well, I’m planning to lock her up there with this guy until they talk.”
She probably should’ve been shocked by her daughter’s words, but she wasn’t. “Um-hmm, I take it that means Liz is unaware of the plan.”
“She wouldn’t go if I told her the truth, Mom. She’s stubborn as hell over it.”
“And knowing your intense dislike of David can I safely assume that the boy you intend to strand her with is someone other than him?”
Maria snorted. “David is an ass. I would NEVER try to get her back with him, Mom. No, it’s a different guy.”
Um-hmm, Maria wasn’t giving much away about that situation just yet. “And what about you?” Amy asked. “Are you seeing anyone?”
Of course her mother would ask that, she thought with a slight eye roll. She had planned to hide Michael’s existence for just a few more days, but nope… “Yeah, I am.”
Her eyes widened at the unexpected answer. “Well, tell me about him,” she insisted when Maria didn’t offer more than that.
“It’s Michael Guerin,” she said, pretty sure her mother knew the name. She had drooled over him every time her family had gone to one of the baseball games together.
That was one name she had become familiar with. “How’d that happen?”
“It took a while, but somehow I finally got his attention,” she said. Oh no, she wasn’t telling her mother a word about the dare.
“Well, I’m sure he’s kicking himself for wasting all that time. You’ll invite him over for dinner soon?” she asked, her tone indicating that it wasn’t a question at all.
“Only if you promise to make Jim and Kyle back off. You know them…”
“It never hurts for a boy to know that a girl has a father and brother looking out for her.” She smiled when she looked out into the backyard and saw Jim in a tug-of-war battle with their Golden Retriever over the old towel he had taken out to use on the grill. “I think they can be convinced to behave though.”
“I hope so, Mom.” She smiled. “I really like him.”
“Then the boys will behave, I’ll make sure of it, honey.”
“Okay, now what about the cabin?”
“Oh, right, of course you can have the keys. When would you like to go up there?”
“Not sure yet, but pretty soon.”
“Alright, well, just let me know and I’ll call up and have the caretaker open it up and air it out.”
“Thanks, Mom,” Maria said happily and swallowed down a piece of cake. “I’ll stop by later I think.”
“Think you’ll be able to stay for dinner? We’ll be grilling tonight. I talked to Kyle a while ago and he might be coming by with Tess and Nayla.”
“Uh, well, I wanted to meet Michael for dinner…”
“Well, I suppose I can understand that,” she said with a smile. “I’ll have the keys ready for you when you stop by.”
“Okay, thanks. Later, Mom. Tell Jim I said hi.”
“Will do. Take care, Maria, and we’ll see you later.”
Maria hung up and dialled Michael’s number right after to set the plan.
Michael had just come in from taking a run along one of the lake trails when his phone rang. He kicked his shoes off and stripped his tank top off, glancing at the caller ID as he flipped it open and brought it up to his ear. “Hey, baby,” he greeted with a smile.
“Miss you,” she greeted him. It was cheesy and she didn’t care.
He grinned and used his shirt to wipe the sweat from his chest and sides. “So come over here an’ you won’t miss me anymore.”
She sighed. “I think I need a car.” So far she had never felt the need, but Michael’s place wasn’t close to campus and that just made things complicated.
“Well, until that situation’s rectified I’d be more than happy to come an’ get ya.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Anything,” he answered as he unscrewed the cap off of a bottle of water and downed half of it.
“How would you feel about meeting my family?”
He leaned over the sink and dumped the remaining water over his head. She wanted him to meet her family. He smiled slowly and shook the excess water from his hair. “I think I’d like that.”
“Uh…. Seriously?”
He paused. “You were seriously askin’, right?”
“Sure, I’m just a bit shocked that you’re not… well, shocked.”
“Well, your family’s important to you, and I can be civilized and pleasant when I wanna be. My parents raised me well and I know meetin’ a girl’s family is pretty serious business... and since I want us to have a real relationship...” he bit his bottom lip as he waited for her to say something.
“Wow, I… Well, I’m kinda surprised because whenever I’ve asked a boyfriend to meet my parents in the past he’d get all nervous and difficult.” She bit her lip. “Not that there have been a lot.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “Well, I guess I can be nervous and difficult if ya want,” he teased.
“Uh, no, no, that’s fine.” She smiled. “How do you feel about tonight? You don’t have Ben, right?”
“Yeah, tonight’s good. Isabel’s thrilled that I’ve got a girlfriend and she ordered me to take a few days off.”
“Cool. My parents are getting the grill ready and you can also meet my brother as well as Tess and my little niece.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“Speaking of plans… Do you think you can convince Max to go out of town with you?”
“Where would Max and I be goin’?” he asked, sensing she was up to something.
“To a cabin up in the mountains. My parents own it and I’m going with Liz. Thought you two could join us after a day.”
“Uh-huh, and would I be correct in guessing she doesn’t know you intend to invite me and Mopey along?”
“Well, yes,” she chewed on the last bite of cake. Ungh now she had a chocolate overdose.
“Hell, things couldn’t be any worse than they are now with the two of them. I’m in. Should I keep it a secret that you guys are gonna be there?”
“You think Max would still come if he knew?”
He snorted. “Max would do just about anything to get her to listen to him, so I doubt he’d have any objections.”
“Well, then you can tell him I guess. We can discuss the rest later and set the date.”
“I can keep it under my hat if you’d rather.” He shrugged. “Doesn’t matter either way to me.”
“I’m good with either way as well,” she chuckled and looked at her watch. “Sorry, but I need to go now. I’ve got a class soon.”
“Okay. Hey, dinner, what time?”
“Maybe we could meet at my place 6 pm?”
“Cool, I’ll see ya then.”
She smiled, making a mental note to call her mom after class to tell her she would be meeting Michael tonight. “Okay. I can’t wait.”
“Oh, hey... when should I tell Max we’re headin’ out for the mountains? Just ballpark.”
“You got time in the next few days? I’d say maybe the day after tomorrow.”
“Yeah, that’s good for me. We’ve gotta game tomorrow afternoon and then we’re free until next Wednesday. And I already know Mopey doesn’t have any other plans.”
“Alright,” she placed a bill on the table and picked her bag up from the ground. “See you later, big boy.”
He grinned. “See ya soon, sexy girl.”
*****
Max was slouched down on the couch, his body in a careless sprawl as he stared at the television droning on in front of him. He didn’t even look up when the patio doors slid open, knowing it was Michael. He had called earlier and told him he was coming by to pick him up so they could hit the gym and he intended to drag his ass out of the house whether he wanted to go or not.
“C’mon, Evans, up an’ at ‘em, boy.” He rolled his eyes at the grunt he got in response. “Let’s go. I told you to be ready when I got here.” He walked up behind the couch and thumped the back of Max’ head. “Let’s go, I’ve got a date tonight.”
“Then why don’t you go bother Maria and leave me alone? I’m fine here by myself.”
“Yeah, I can see that.” He gestured to the TV. “You’re watchin’ chick talk shows, dumbass. Now get your depressed ass up off of that couch, grab your gear, and let’s roll.”
Max finally did what Michael wanted, but only to shut him up.
The ride to the gym was made without conversation, the music blaring through the speakers and keeping Michael occupied and out of his business. He was slouched down against the door, arms crossed over his chest as he mentally went over what he was sure was the biggest mistake of his life. Why hadn’t he just told her? Because you were trying to keep from hurting her, he rationalized. He had been so sure he was going to be able to talk to Michael and put an end to things before she ever needed to know about it.
Michael pulled into the parking lot at the gym, shoving Evans to get him moving. After stopping by the locker room to change they went through their pre-workout warm-up before hitting the weights.
“So, I was thinkin’ we should get outta the city for a couple days.”
“Yeah, because hanging out with you an’ Maria’s what I wanna do,” he snorted and hit a button on the treadmill to find his usual program.
“Man, you need to get outta this slump you’re in.” Michael settled into a comfortable pace next to him. “Maybe it’d give you a chance to straighten things out with Liz.”
“She’s not listening to me, remember?”
“So maybe a secluded cabin in the mountains is the answer... she’ll have nowhere to go.” He grinned when Max just looked at him. “What?”
“She’s gonna kill me.”
“Then I promise I’ll bring you back to the city for a proper burial.”
Max made a face. “What kinda cabin is it? Where is it?”
Michael shrugged. “Hell, I don’t know. Belongs to Maria’s family and it’s up in the mountains, don’t know much more than that.”
“I guess she’s not planning to tell Liz about it?” Max asked, increasing the speed.
He smirked. “Hell, no. That’s one pissed off girl, Evans. The plan is to get the two of you somewhere you can talk this shit out.”
The other man snorted. “Yeah, and then we’re gonna be stuck out there with you two lovebirds while Liz is either not talking to me or tryin’ to kill me at night.”
“Evans, you care about her, right?”
Max didn’t answer the question. He just stared at the display in front of him, pretending to study the program options.
Michael reached over and slapped the emergency stop button, nearly making his friend take a nosedive. “Would you talk to me?”
“What the…” Max glared at him and started over. “Maybe you can talk a bit louder so the rest of the gym can hear you.”
“Would it make you talk to me?”
“She’s okay,” Max said. Somehow it was still hard to admit, especially to others, that the girl had managed to get into his heart so easily.
“Uh-huh, so you’re not gonna admit it. If she’s just,” he made air quotes, “okay, then why is her not talkin’ you affecting you like this?”
Max looked at his friend. “Suddenly you’re a man of words?”
“Look, I don’t really give a shit about talkin’ about this kinda stuff with you, but you’re mopin’ around like someone backed over your damn dog and she’s the reason for it. So, if there’s somethin’ I can do to get you outta that mood, then I’m a good enough friend that I’m gonna try to do it.”
His friend sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Fine, let’s go to the damn cabin. What could it hurt to get turned down one more time?”
“Get used to it, Evans.”
Their heads snapped around when they heard the cutting comment and Michael rolled his eyes when he saw the ex at the entrance to the area they were working out in.
“Just one more reason to keep a girl or two on the side,” David said with a smirk. “Stick with her and you’ll learn.”
Max hit the stop button again and turned around to face the other man. “Since when do we give a shit about what you have to say, Peterson?”
“You don’t have to give a shit one way or the other, Evans. I’m just warnin’ you now... things won’t get any better with her. You think it’s frosty now?” He snorted and hung his towel over the rail as he stepped up on the treadmill and started it.
“That’s why you went to her last night to beg her to take you back, I guess,” Max snarled.
“Lapse in judgment,” he said, waving it off.
“Let’s go,” Michael said, grabbing his and Max’ towel. He could sense trouble and it couldn’t lead to anything good.
“Lapse in judgment?” Max repeated as he stepped down and moved closer to David.
“Yeah, blame it on the alcohol.” He grinned carelessly. “I know I do.” He shook his head. “Look, man, you’ll save yourself a heap of trouble if you let that one get away. Girl’s got some hangups between the sheets, you know what I’m sayin’?”
Max hit the stop button on David’s treadmill abruptly, making David stumble a bit, but he managed to catch himself again. “Say that again,” he taunted.
David straightened up and turned around slowly. “You don’t strike me as hard of hearing, Evans, but, okay. The girl will bore you stupid with all that talk about bio-whatever, and when it comes to sex... well, a guy gets bored with the same thing all the time, ya know what I’m sayin’?”
Max smirked. “Just admitting you’re the loser between the sheets if you can’t get a girl excited to do more.”
“I was with her long enough to know what she will and will not do when it comes to sex, so if you’re expecting her to do more than lay there an’ take it, you’re gonna be severely disappointed.”
Max wasn’t planning to share anything of what Liz and he had shared, he just knew it wasn’t true. He smirked and hit the start button on the treadmill, making David losing balance and fall on his ass.
“You wanna start somethin’ with me, Evans?” he snapped as he shot to his feet and faced off with the other man.
“Do you?” he countered.
He narrowed his eyes, considering his options. “I s’pose I’ll give you a pass since I hang with your brother.”
Michael relaxed a bit. Maybe they’d get out of this without a physical fight.
“Don’t let my brother stop you. I’ve told him plenty of times what I think about you.”
David just shook his head, wanting to throw the first punch, but he’d heard that Evans could put a hurt on an opponent in a fight. “I’m not worried about your brother.” He gave a careless shrug. “Hey, I warned you, so do whatever you wanna do.”
Max’s blood boiled at the arrogance of his antagonist and what he was saying about Liz. His fists clenched at his sides.
“Evans,” Michael warned.
“Yep,” David snatched his towel off of the rail and stepped down, pausing in front of Evans, “you can forget about getting a blowjob from Parker, man. Girl wouldn’t know what to do if she was ever eye to eye with a dick.”
And with that something in Max snapped and before anyone could take in what Peterson had said, he shoved him backwards hard.
David threw his towel on the floor and shoved him back. “That the best ya got, Evans?”
“That was just the warning.”
He snorted. “Well, you and Parker should get along great then. Your brother likes to brag about you. Always thought he was proud of his little brother... guess he’s just gotta talk big since you’re happy bangin’ fridgid chicks.”
Max fisted his hand and was ready to swing, but Michael caught him at the last second. “Max.”
Michael just moved his eyes to one side, letting Max know they were already being watched by the owner.
“I’m not gonna let him say shit like that about her.” His blood was boiling in his veins and even though he knew getting into a fight was pointless he wanted to wipe the floor with Peterson.
“Boo-hoo,” David said, amused as he grabbed his towel again.
Max’s fingers curled tighter and he swung hard, not caring at that moment if he lost his membership at the gym. There were other gyms and whether Liz was his girl or not, she didn’t deserve to have anyone talking about her like this asshole was.
David flew back a few feet, struggling to stay upright. “That all you got?” he snarled and went after Max, fisting his hand and throwing a punch himself.
Max ducked, missing the worst of the hit as it glanced off of his jaw. He didn’t bother with words, putting his weight behind his next punch and landing a hard hit to David’s ribs.
The other man held his hands to his chest and coughed a few times before he slightly recovered. Before he could prepare his next move though, they were interrupted by two men, each one holding them off. Max blinked a few times before he realized Michael was the one behind him. “Guerin, get off.”
“That’s enough, Max,” he said firmly, keeping his grip tight and shoving his friend towards the door.
“This’s bullshit!” Max yelled as he stomped around the locker room, opening and slamming his locker every time he passed it. “What the hell could she have ever seen in that dickhead?”
Michael threw his towel at Max and guided him to the shower. Working out just wasn’t an option today. “I don’t know, man.”
“I should’ve knocked his teeth down his throat. And I would’ve if you hadn’t pulled me off of him.” He turned around and shoved Michael. “Why’d you stop me?”
“Because the owner was calling security and as much as I’d like to have your back, Max, I’m meeting Maria’s parents tonight and I can’t show up with a bruised face.”
Max pulled up short and stared at Michael. “You’re meeting her parents?”
“Yeah,” Michael scratched his eyebrow. Okay, yeah, he was a bit nervous about it.
“That’s... that’s serious. And fast.”
“Well, she met Ben and Isabel, so…”
“What about your dad?” he asked, watching his friend closely. That he had introduced Maria to Ben and Isabel spoke volumes.
Michael rested his head against the wall while the water from the shower poured over him. “Not yet. She knows about him, though.”
“I’m glad things are workin’ out for you, man.”
He nodded. “Thanks. I hope I don’t mess things up tonight.” Yeah, he had told Maria he would like to meet her family, and it was true, but what if they didn’t accept him? He was pretty sure her brother at least had heard some of the rumors about him.
Max shook his head. “I don’t think you’re gonna have any problems. You’re not gonna screw things up, Guerin. Just go after what you want the same way you always do.”
Michael looked at his friend. “You better put some ice on your jaw.”
“Yeah, that’s gonna be fuckin’ attractive.” He made a face. “Liz will be real impressed with this.” He glanced at Michael. “Did I ask you when you wanted us to go to this cabin?”
“Probably the day after tomorrow.”
“She’s not gonna be happy about this,” he warned as he turned the water off and reached for a towel.
“Or she’ll think it’s sexy,” Michael teased and shoved his friend lightly.
“Yeah, I’m sure that’s what she’ll think. We’re gonna ambush her... she’s gonna be pissed.”
“You can count on that, but Maria wouldn’t have suggested if she didn’t think it could work.”
“Uh-huh, I think your girl’s an optimist.”
“Nothing wrong with that.”
Max just chuckled and walked over to his locker. “No, I s’pose not. And, hell, if this works out I’ll owe her one.”
Earth2Mama: You’ll get no arguments from us!
Well, lol, Maria’s definitely planning on interfering.
L-J-L 76: Every Sunday! Things are looking good for Michael and Maria. They’ve gotten to a place where they’ve really been honest with each other and that’s a good place to build from. You can count on some interference from the two of them as they try to help their friends. Max and Liz still have to talk, but they’ll get there.
sarammlover: Lol, well... they’re Michael and Maria! Hmm, we do think that Maria’s up to something along those lines.
Ilonka.Green: Thanks for reading!
secretk: Liz is in a tough place and she has to sort some things out in her head. You’re right, Maria does have different plans..
Natalie36: Oh, Max and Liz will get there with a little help from their meddling friends.
Alien_Friend: Their friends are gonna do their best to make sure the trip helps.
Michael and Maria are very happy.
Healerfan: Thanks!
Liz is having a rough time but she’ll get through it.
Yes, Maria is definitely up to something.
You won’t have to wait long!
keepsmiling7: Oh, Maria’s gonna do her best to ensure that they have company on their trip.
mary mary: LOL!! The girls might disagree.
Eva: Thanks, we’re glad you enjoyed it!!
Part 27
Liz would hate her for it, she thought, but it was necessary. “I’ll check with my parents.”
She nodded. “It’ll be nice to get away from everything for a couple of days.”
“Yeah, why not?” Yep, she would definitely pull her hair out when Max showed up at the cabin, but this way Liz couldn’t just leave, and neither could Max.
Liz chewed on a bite of the cake, taking comfort in the idea of getting away from her life for 48 hours. David no longer mattered. Yes, it hurt, but it was minimal compared to the pain she felt every time she thought about Max. The cabin was isolated so maybe she could forget him for a couple of days.
“It’ll be fun,” Maria squeezed her friend’s hand. Before you hate me, she added silently. Maybe they could spend one day alone first and then she had Michael and Max join them.
She nodded and glanced at her watch. “I’ve gotta catch a lecture, Maria, so call me and let me know what your mom says.”
Maria pulled the cake towards her. “Alright Lizzie. I’ll stop by your place later in the afternoon okay?”
“Cool. I’ll be home after 3pm. If I appear to be in a waking coma, it’s because the lecture bored me half to death.” She rolled her eyes and grabbed her bag as she got up.
“Okay,” her friend said in amusement. She waited until Liz was gone before she grabbed her cell to call home.
Amy was just finishing up with early preparations for dinner when her phone rang, the ringtone letting her know it was her daughter on the other end. She wiped her hands on a towel and leaned over to pick it up. “Hello, Maria,” she greeted her with a smile.
“Hey, Mom, how’s it going?”
“Good, what about you?” She smacked her husband’s hand when he reached around her to take a peek at what she was making. She covered the mouthpiece as she turned to glance at him. “You’re supposed to be cleaning the grill for tonight, now go,” she hissed at him.
“Oh, I’m great, thanks,” Maria grinned into the phone. “I’m calling to ask if I could get the keys to our cabin.”
“The cabin?” she asked, her eyebrows lifting in interest. “Going up there with some friends?”
“Uh-huh, yeah. Liz has a broken heart and I’m gonna have to do something about it.”
“You think some time in the mountains will help?”
“She needs to get away from everything for a bit and, well, I’m planning to lock her up there with this guy until they talk.”
She probably should’ve been shocked by her daughter’s words, but she wasn’t. “Um-hmm, I take it that means Liz is unaware of the plan.”
“She wouldn’t go if I told her the truth, Mom. She’s stubborn as hell over it.”
“And knowing your intense dislike of David can I safely assume that the boy you intend to strand her with is someone other than him?”
Maria snorted. “David is an ass. I would NEVER try to get her back with him, Mom. No, it’s a different guy.”
Um-hmm, Maria wasn’t giving much away about that situation just yet. “And what about you?” Amy asked. “Are you seeing anyone?”
Of course her mother would ask that, she thought with a slight eye roll. She had planned to hide Michael’s existence for just a few more days, but nope… “Yeah, I am.”
Her eyes widened at the unexpected answer. “Well, tell me about him,” she insisted when Maria didn’t offer more than that.
“It’s Michael Guerin,” she said, pretty sure her mother knew the name. She had drooled over him every time her family had gone to one of the baseball games together.
That was one name she had become familiar with. “How’d that happen?”
“It took a while, but somehow I finally got his attention,” she said. Oh no, she wasn’t telling her mother a word about the dare.
“Well, I’m sure he’s kicking himself for wasting all that time. You’ll invite him over for dinner soon?” she asked, her tone indicating that it wasn’t a question at all.
“Only if you promise to make Jim and Kyle back off. You know them…”
“It never hurts for a boy to know that a girl has a father and brother looking out for her.” She smiled when she looked out into the backyard and saw Jim in a tug-of-war battle with their Golden Retriever over the old towel he had taken out to use on the grill. “I think they can be convinced to behave though.”
“I hope so, Mom.” She smiled. “I really like him.”
“Then the boys will behave, I’ll make sure of it, honey.”
“Okay, now what about the cabin?”
“Oh, right, of course you can have the keys. When would you like to go up there?”
“Not sure yet, but pretty soon.”
“Alright, well, just let me know and I’ll call up and have the caretaker open it up and air it out.”
“Thanks, Mom,” Maria said happily and swallowed down a piece of cake. “I’ll stop by later I think.”
“Think you’ll be able to stay for dinner? We’ll be grilling tonight. I talked to Kyle a while ago and he might be coming by with Tess and Nayla.”
“Uh, well, I wanted to meet Michael for dinner…”
“Well, I suppose I can understand that,” she said with a smile. “I’ll have the keys ready for you when you stop by.”
“Okay, thanks. Later, Mom. Tell Jim I said hi.”
“Will do. Take care, Maria, and we’ll see you later.”
Maria hung up and dialled Michael’s number right after to set the plan.
Michael had just come in from taking a run along one of the lake trails when his phone rang. He kicked his shoes off and stripped his tank top off, glancing at the caller ID as he flipped it open and brought it up to his ear. “Hey, baby,” he greeted with a smile.
“Miss you,” she greeted him. It was cheesy and she didn’t care.
He grinned and used his shirt to wipe the sweat from his chest and sides. “So come over here an’ you won’t miss me anymore.”
She sighed. “I think I need a car.” So far she had never felt the need, but Michael’s place wasn’t close to campus and that just made things complicated.
“Well, until that situation’s rectified I’d be more than happy to come an’ get ya.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Anything,” he answered as he unscrewed the cap off of a bottle of water and downed half of it.
“How would you feel about meeting my family?”
He leaned over the sink and dumped the remaining water over his head. She wanted him to meet her family. He smiled slowly and shook the excess water from his hair. “I think I’d like that.”
“Uh…. Seriously?”
He paused. “You were seriously askin’, right?”
“Sure, I’m just a bit shocked that you’re not… well, shocked.”
“Well, your family’s important to you, and I can be civilized and pleasant when I wanna be. My parents raised me well and I know meetin’ a girl’s family is pretty serious business... and since I want us to have a real relationship...” he bit his bottom lip as he waited for her to say something.
“Wow, I… Well, I’m kinda surprised because whenever I’ve asked a boyfriend to meet my parents in the past he’d get all nervous and difficult.” She bit her lip. “Not that there have been a lot.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “Well, I guess I can be nervous and difficult if ya want,” he teased.
“Uh, no, no, that’s fine.” She smiled. “How do you feel about tonight? You don’t have Ben, right?”
“Yeah, tonight’s good. Isabel’s thrilled that I’ve got a girlfriend and she ordered me to take a few days off.”
“Cool. My parents are getting the grill ready and you can also meet my brother as well as Tess and my little niece.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“Speaking of plans… Do you think you can convince Max to go out of town with you?”
“Where would Max and I be goin’?” he asked, sensing she was up to something.
“To a cabin up in the mountains. My parents own it and I’m going with Liz. Thought you two could join us after a day.”
“Uh-huh, and would I be correct in guessing she doesn’t know you intend to invite me and Mopey along?”
“Well, yes,” she chewed on the last bite of cake. Ungh now she had a chocolate overdose.
“Hell, things couldn’t be any worse than they are now with the two of them. I’m in. Should I keep it a secret that you guys are gonna be there?”
“You think Max would still come if he knew?”
He snorted. “Max would do just about anything to get her to listen to him, so I doubt he’d have any objections.”
“Well, then you can tell him I guess. We can discuss the rest later and set the date.”
“I can keep it under my hat if you’d rather.” He shrugged. “Doesn’t matter either way to me.”
“I’m good with either way as well,” she chuckled and looked at her watch. “Sorry, but I need to go now. I’ve got a class soon.”
“Okay. Hey, dinner, what time?”
“Maybe we could meet at my place 6 pm?”
“Cool, I’ll see ya then.”
She smiled, making a mental note to call her mom after class to tell her she would be meeting Michael tonight. “Okay. I can’t wait.”
“Oh, hey... when should I tell Max we’re headin’ out for the mountains? Just ballpark.”
“You got time in the next few days? I’d say maybe the day after tomorrow.”
“Yeah, that’s good for me. We’ve gotta game tomorrow afternoon and then we’re free until next Wednesday. And I already know Mopey doesn’t have any other plans.”
“Alright,” she placed a bill on the table and picked her bag up from the ground. “See you later, big boy.”
He grinned. “See ya soon, sexy girl.”
*****
Max was slouched down on the couch, his body in a careless sprawl as he stared at the television droning on in front of him. He didn’t even look up when the patio doors slid open, knowing it was Michael. He had called earlier and told him he was coming by to pick him up so they could hit the gym and he intended to drag his ass out of the house whether he wanted to go or not.
“C’mon, Evans, up an’ at ‘em, boy.” He rolled his eyes at the grunt he got in response. “Let’s go. I told you to be ready when I got here.” He walked up behind the couch and thumped the back of Max’ head. “Let’s go, I’ve got a date tonight.”
“Then why don’t you go bother Maria and leave me alone? I’m fine here by myself.”
“Yeah, I can see that.” He gestured to the TV. “You’re watchin’ chick talk shows, dumbass. Now get your depressed ass up off of that couch, grab your gear, and let’s roll.”
Max finally did what Michael wanted, but only to shut him up.
The ride to the gym was made without conversation, the music blaring through the speakers and keeping Michael occupied and out of his business. He was slouched down against the door, arms crossed over his chest as he mentally went over what he was sure was the biggest mistake of his life. Why hadn’t he just told her? Because you were trying to keep from hurting her, he rationalized. He had been so sure he was going to be able to talk to Michael and put an end to things before she ever needed to know about it.
Michael pulled into the parking lot at the gym, shoving Evans to get him moving. After stopping by the locker room to change they went through their pre-workout warm-up before hitting the weights.
“So, I was thinkin’ we should get outta the city for a couple days.”
“Yeah, because hanging out with you an’ Maria’s what I wanna do,” he snorted and hit a button on the treadmill to find his usual program.
“Man, you need to get outta this slump you’re in.” Michael settled into a comfortable pace next to him. “Maybe it’d give you a chance to straighten things out with Liz.”
“She’s not listening to me, remember?”
“So maybe a secluded cabin in the mountains is the answer... she’ll have nowhere to go.” He grinned when Max just looked at him. “What?”
“She’s gonna kill me.”
“Then I promise I’ll bring you back to the city for a proper burial.”
Max made a face. “What kinda cabin is it? Where is it?”
Michael shrugged. “Hell, I don’t know. Belongs to Maria’s family and it’s up in the mountains, don’t know much more than that.”
“I guess she’s not planning to tell Liz about it?” Max asked, increasing the speed.
He smirked. “Hell, no. That’s one pissed off girl, Evans. The plan is to get the two of you somewhere you can talk this shit out.”
The other man snorted. “Yeah, and then we’re gonna be stuck out there with you two lovebirds while Liz is either not talking to me or tryin’ to kill me at night.”
“Evans, you care about her, right?”
Max didn’t answer the question. He just stared at the display in front of him, pretending to study the program options.
Michael reached over and slapped the emergency stop button, nearly making his friend take a nosedive. “Would you talk to me?”
“What the…” Max glared at him and started over. “Maybe you can talk a bit louder so the rest of the gym can hear you.”
“Would it make you talk to me?”
“She’s okay,” Max said. Somehow it was still hard to admit, especially to others, that the girl had managed to get into his heart so easily.
“Uh-huh, so you’re not gonna admit it. If she’s just,” he made air quotes, “okay, then why is her not talkin’ you affecting you like this?”
Max looked at his friend. “Suddenly you’re a man of words?”
“Look, I don’t really give a shit about talkin’ about this kinda stuff with you, but you’re mopin’ around like someone backed over your damn dog and she’s the reason for it. So, if there’s somethin’ I can do to get you outta that mood, then I’m a good enough friend that I’m gonna try to do it.”
His friend sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Fine, let’s go to the damn cabin. What could it hurt to get turned down one more time?”
“Get used to it, Evans.”
Their heads snapped around when they heard the cutting comment and Michael rolled his eyes when he saw the ex at the entrance to the area they were working out in.
“Just one more reason to keep a girl or two on the side,” David said with a smirk. “Stick with her and you’ll learn.”
Max hit the stop button again and turned around to face the other man. “Since when do we give a shit about what you have to say, Peterson?”
“You don’t have to give a shit one way or the other, Evans. I’m just warnin’ you now... things won’t get any better with her. You think it’s frosty now?” He snorted and hung his towel over the rail as he stepped up on the treadmill and started it.
“That’s why you went to her last night to beg her to take you back, I guess,” Max snarled.
“Lapse in judgment,” he said, waving it off.
“Let’s go,” Michael said, grabbing his and Max’ towel. He could sense trouble and it couldn’t lead to anything good.
“Lapse in judgment?” Max repeated as he stepped down and moved closer to David.
“Yeah, blame it on the alcohol.” He grinned carelessly. “I know I do.” He shook his head. “Look, man, you’ll save yourself a heap of trouble if you let that one get away. Girl’s got some hangups between the sheets, you know what I’m sayin’?”
Max hit the stop button on David’s treadmill abruptly, making David stumble a bit, but he managed to catch himself again. “Say that again,” he taunted.
David straightened up and turned around slowly. “You don’t strike me as hard of hearing, Evans, but, okay. The girl will bore you stupid with all that talk about bio-whatever, and when it comes to sex... well, a guy gets bored with the same thing all the time, ya know what I’m sayin’?”
Max smirked. “Just admitting you’re the loser between the sheets if you can’t get a girl excited to do more.”
“I was with her long enough to know what she will and will not do when it comes to sex, so if you’re expecting her to do more than lay there an’ take it, you’re gonna be severely disappointed.”
Max wasn’t planning to share anything of what Liz and he had shared, he just knew it wasn’t true. He smirked and hit the start button on the treadmill, making David losing balance and fall on his ass.
“You wanna start somethin’ with me, Evans?” he snapped as he shot to his feet and faced off with the other man.
“Do you?” he countered.
He narrowed his eyes, considering his options. “I s’pose I’ll give you a pass since I hang with your brother.”
Michael relaxed a bit. Maybe they’d get out of this without a physical fight.
“Don’t let my brother stop you. I’ve told him plenty of times what I think about you.”
David just shook his head, wanting to throw the first punch, but he’d heard that Evans could put a hurt on an opponent in a fight. “I’m not worried about your brother.” He gave a careless shrug. “Hey, I warned you, so do whatever you wanna do.”
Max’s blood boiled at the arrogance of his antagonist and what he was saying about Liz. His fists clenched at his sides.
“Evans,” Michael warned.
“Yep,” David snatched his towel off of the rail and stepped down, pausing in front of Evans, “you can forget about getting a blowjob from Parker, man. Girl wouldn’t know what to do if she was ever eye to eye with a dick.”
And with that something in Max snapped and before anyone could take in what Peterson had said, he shoved him backwards hard.
David threw his towel on the floor and shoved him back. “That the best ya got, Evans?”
“That was just the warning.”
He snorted. “Well, you and Parker should get along great then. Your brother likes to brag about you. Always thought he was proud of his little brother... guess he’s just gotta talk big since you’re happy bangin’ fridgid chicks.”
Max fisted his hand and was ready to swing, but Michael caught him at the last second. “Max.”
Michael just moved his eyes to one side, letting Max know they were already being watched by the owner.
“I’m not gonna let him say shit like that about her.” His blood was boiling in his veins and even though he knew getting into a fight was pointless he wanted to wipe the floor with Peterson.
“Boo-hoo,” David said, amused as he grabbed his towel again.
Max’s fingers curled tighter and he swung hard, not caring at that moment if he lost his membership at the gym. There were other gyms and whether Liz was his girl or not, she didn’t deserve to have anyone talking about her like this asshole was.
David flew back a few feet, struggling to stay upright. “That all you got?” he snarled and went after Max, fisting his hand and throwing a punch himself.
Max ducked, missing the worst of the hit as it glanced off of his jaw. He didn’t bother with words, putting his weight behind his next punch and landing a hard hit to David’s ribs.
The other man held his hands to his chest and coughed a few times before he slightly recovered. Before he could prepare his next move though, they were interrupted by two men, each one holding them off. Max blinked a few times before he realized Michael was the one behind him. “Guerin, get off.”
“That’s enough, Max,” he said firmly, keeping his grip tight and shoving his friend towards the door.
“This’s bullshit!” Max yelled as he stomped around the locker room, opening and slamming his locker every time he passed it. “What the hell could she have ever seen in that dickhead?”
Michael threw his towel at Max and guided him to the shower. Working out just wasn’t an option today. “I don’t know, man.”
“I should’ve knocked his teeth down his throat. And I would’ve if you hadn’t pulled me off of him.” He turned around and shoved Michael. “Why’d you stop me?”
“Because the owner was calling security and as much as I’d like to have your back, Max, I’m meeting Maria’s parents tonight and I can’t show up with a bruised face.”
Max pulled up short and stared at Michael. “You’re meeting her parents?”
“Yeah,” Michael scratched his eyebrow. Okay, yeah, he was a bit nervous about it.
“That’s... that’s serious. And fast.”
“Well, she met Ben and Isabel, so…”
“What about your dad?” he asked, watching his friend closely. That he had introduced Maria to Ben and Isabel spoke volumes.
Michael rested his head against the wall while the water from the shower poured over him. “Not yet. She knows about him, though.”
“I’m glad things are workin’ out for you, man.”
He nodded. “Thanks. I hope I don’t mess things up tonight.” Yeah, he had told Maria he would like to meet her family, and it was true, but what if they didn’t accept him? He was pretty sure her brother at least had heard some of the rumors about him.
Max shook his head. “I don’t think you’re gonna have any problems. You’re not gonna screw things up, Guerin. Just go after what you want the same way you always do.”
Michael looked at his friend. “You better put some ice on your jaw.”
“Yeah, that’s gonna be fuckin’ attractive.” He made a face. “Liz will be real impressed with this.” He glanced at Michael. “Did I ask you when you wanted us to go to this cabin?”
“Probably the day after tomorrow.”
“She’s not gonna be happy about this,” he warned as he turned the water off and reached for a towel.
“Or she’ll think it’s sexy,” Michael teased and shoved his friend lightly.
“Yeah, I’m sure that’s what she’ll think. We’re gonna ambush her... she’s gonna be pissed.”
“You can count on that, but Maria wouldn’t have suggested if she didn’t think it could work.”
“Uh-huh, I think your girl’s an optimist.”
“Nothing wrong with that.”
Max just chuckled and walked over to his locker. “No, I s’pose not. And, hell, if this works out I’ll owe her one.”
Fics: A Xmas Story - A Merry Mt. R. Xmas - Cupid's Revenge - Double Trouble - Double Date - Double Dare - Double Empire - Double Xmas Wish - In The Course Of A Lifetime - Mountains So High - Not A Question At All - Surrender - TIC TAC - Two Double Dates at Xmas
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Double Trouble
- Obsessed Roswellian
- Posts: 925
- Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 9:47 am
Part 28
mary mary: Glad the sixth time finally got thru!
Natalie36: David might’ve benefitted from a better ass kicking... definitely a possibility.
Ilonka.Green: Max wasn’t about to just stand there and let David get away with what he was saying. He and Liz will get their shot soon.
Earth2Mama: We’ll find out soon if it’s going to work.
sarammlover: David was very good about keeping his behavior under control and only letting Liz see what he wanted her to see. Cabin lockup is coming soon. Michael meeting Maria’s family, sooner.
begonia9508: Oh, Liz most likely won’t be happy when she discovers what’s been planned for her weekend getaway.
Alien_Friend: Hopefully Liz will be able to see past the anger once she realizes what’s going on.
Michael’s a little bit nervous about that, contrary to his claims, but we think he’ll do fine.
keepsmiling7: Yes, he has.
Maria’s pretty sure the cabin thing will work.
David’s a jerk and he deserved a good beating... more than what he got even.
Yeah, that’s not the way to meet the parents, especially the first time!
Part 28
Michael looked at himself in the mirror over his dresser, taking in his appearance: a brand new pair of blue jeans and a crisp green button-down shirt that was tucked in with the sleeves rolled up past his forearms. Great, he looked like he’d just stepped off the pages of a catalog for a men’s clothing store. He turned his head to look at the pair of comfortably broken-in blue jeans and black tee shirt lying on his bed. Maria had told him that dinner at her parents’ place was completely casual, but maybe what he normally wore was too casual.
Ungh, God, he was really over-thinking this. He had tried on both sets of clothes and while the others were more comfortable he finally decided to stick with what he had on. He was not going to try on a bunch of clothes or obsess over what he was wearing like girls did, he decided. He reached for his belt and threaded it through the belt loops, tugging it into place and buckling it. He frowned at how starched he looked and he pulled on his shirt, not untucking it, but loosening it a little bit.
“Okay, that’s better,” he muttered. He grabbed his comb and ran it through his hair once more before tossing it on the dresser and reaching for his wallet. He braced his hands on his dresser and leaned in to stare at his reflection. “You have no reason to be nervous. They’re just people like anyone else.” He nodded at himself and straightened up, running his hands over his shirt and leaving his room.
A few minutes later he climbed in behind the steering wheel and started the engine, smiling at the familiar growl. He shifted into gear and left his family’s property, turning onto the street as the iron gates slowly closed behind him. He had assured Maria that he was ready to meet her family, but the closer the moment came the more nervous he was getting. Damn, what if they didn’t like him? “Shut up,” he muttered to that annoying inner voice. “You’re a good guy, they’re gonna like you.” For him it was more important that Maria liked him, but he knew how important it would be to her that he and her family got along. He couldn’t fault her for that, family was important to him too. Besides, it would make things so much easier if they all got along.
He pulled up in front of her building and parked, taking a deep breath before getting out and taking the walk up to the entry. He stepped inside and took the stairs to the second floor, exchanging greetings with a few people he recognized on his way. He ran his fingers through his hair one last time and knocked on her door, leaning against the frame and sighing when he heard her moving around on the other side.
Maria smiled when she heard the knock and went to open the door. “Hey, big boy.”
Michael grinned at her. “Hey, sexy girl,” he said and leaned in for a kiss.
“Come in,” she pulled him by his collar.
“In a hurry to get me alone?”
“Uh-huh, we’re not really alone,” she mumbled against his lips.
“Huh?”
“My roomie’s here too.”
“Great,” he mumbled. He lifted his head and glanced around, locating the other girl after just a moment. “Hey.”
“Hey,” Courtney replied. Since when was Maria dating Michael Guerin???
“So,” he said, immediately turning his attention back to Maria. “You about ready?”
“Yeah, almost,” she glanced down at him when she noticed the shirt tucked in and grinned. “Since when do you do that?”
He rolled his eyes. “What? I just wanted to look presentable when I meet your family.”
She snorted and pulled it out. “Michael, my family knows me well enough that they know what kinda guys I date. And it’s a barbecue... Totally, totally informal. Be your usual self.”
“I’m bein’ myself, just...” he shrugged. “Now your mom’s gonna think I’m a sloppy dresser.”
“She won’t. Kyle dresses a lot of worse,” she kissed him.
“Well, yeah, but she already knows him.” He made a face at her. “I’ve got a tee shirt in my truck. I could always change the shirt.”
“The shirt’s fine. Wear whatever you’re comfortable with.”
“I’m good like this then.”
“We can leave in just a few minutes. I’ve just gotta call the renal service to book a car for tomorrow.”
“Neither of you has a car?”
“No, isn’t that a shame?”
He looked down at the keys in his hand. “Yeah, that’s a damn shame.”
She looked around for her cell. “Jim works at a car shop. They also rent cars and they know me there, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”
“You could always try to persuade me to let you borrow the Ram,” he said with a teasing grin.
“Ha ha, you’re funny”
“I’m serious... the right persuasion and I might just be convinced.” He waggled his eyebrows playfully.
She looked up at him, trying to figure out if he was serious. “What would that be?”
“I don’t know... I said you’d have to persuade me.” He leaned in close to her and nipped her earlobe. “C’mon, you know you wanna try.”
“That’s not fair,” she complained.
“Why not? You’d enjoy it too.” He nuzzled her neck and held his hand up, jingling the keys. “Here’s your chance to get in the driver’s seat.”
Maria smirked and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him passionately, both of her hands gripping the collar of his shirt.
His arms came around her and his hands settled on her hips as he held her against him as she let her tongue ran over his soft lips, demanding for them to separate. He chuckled and continued to kiss her, not giving in to her demand just yet.
She squeezed his hands lightly in a gentle warning and he let her have what she wanted, what they both wanted, giving her access and groaning quietly when she deepened the kiss.
“You know, we still have company,” she whispered when the kiss gentled again. “So that’s all I can give you now.”
He shot a glance at her roommate, smirking when he caught her staring. “I’ll let you by on that one. We can pick up later.”
“So what about your truck? You were just kidding, huh? Yeah, I know you were.”
“Gonna stay over at my place tonight? Maybe convince me some more?”
“As if dangling your truck’s necessary to convince me to have sex with you. I don’t know about your place though because my family tends to serve a lot of beer with a barbecue.”
“Alright, you can get creative next time we spend the night together.” He hooked his key ring around his right forefinger and held it out to her. “I’ll need to get my house keys off of there before you leave though.”
She glanced at his hand. “You’re really gonna give me your truck?”
“Yeah. Why rent when you’ve got the luxury of a Ram?”
She hadn’t counted on it since he had never even seen her drive before. “Thanks.”
He smiled. “Now... let’s get goin’.”
“Okay,” she grabbed her bag and placed the keys on the wardrobe for later.
He shot a glance between her roommate and his keys. “Yeah, um... lemme just carry those ‘cause I’ve gotta get my house keys off the ring,” he said as he snatched them up.
Maria laughed. “Alright. If you say so.”
“Yeah.” Hell, for all he knew her roommate might snatch the keys and take a joyride in his truck and then he’d have to hunt her down. He pocketed the keys and pulled back when her roommate stuck her tongue out at him. He could always give Maria the keys later.
“Well, goodbye, Courtney,” Maria said and didn’t wait for a reply. She walked a few steps into the hallway and looked at Michael. Several other students were sprawled against the walls, talking and just hanging out. It was pretty loud like it usually was at this time of day.
“How do you live with her?” Michael asked as the door closed behind them.
“It’s not easy.”
He shook his head and stepped over a guy who was stretched out right in the middle of the walkway. “This is somethin’ I don’t miss about livin’ in a dorm.”
“Why? It’s a dream,” she teased.
“Yeah,” he snorted, “if you enjoy constant noise and a lack of privacy.”
They made it out on the street and Maria sucked in the fresh air. “Nice.” She turned to look at him. “You okay with walking? It’s not even a whole mile.”
“Yeah, sure.” He shrugged. “Kinda missed most of my workout this afternoon anyway.”
“Do you drink whisky?” she asked after they had started to walk across the campus.
He shrugged. “On occasion. Most of the time I’m just a beer guy.” He shot a glance at her. “Why?”
“Jim likes whiskey. He’s one of those guys that keeps the really expensive stuff around, ya know?” She rolled her eyes. “Whenever he accepts someone as a friend he takes it out, so if he offers you one you can count yourself very lucky.”
“Good to know. He’d get along with my dad.” He shook his head. “With Dad it’s expensive whisky and imported cigars. Yeah, I know, disgusting habit and my mom made him leave the house whenever he wanted to light one of those things up,” he said with a laugh.
“Yeah, they really stink,” she laughed along with him. “It’s whisky and sports for Jim. He likes baseball, so that’ll give you a foot in the door.”
“Funny, it’s the opposite with my dad. Football’s his game.”
“Oh, he likes football too since Kyle plays.”
“Your brother’s good. I’ve seen him play.”
“Don’t tell him that or he’ll get another ego boost and I can tell you that he doesn’t need that.” Maria sighed and fumbled to get her cell when it started to ring. She flipped it open and greeted her best friend. “Hey, Liz, what’s up?” She listened for a moment. “Yeah, everything’s set.” She nodded. “I’ll pick you up at 9am, okay?” She glanced at Michael and wiggled her eyebrows. “Oh, yeah, I got a car.” She listened and nodded again. “Alright, bye-bye,” she hung up and shoved the cell in the back pocket of her jeans.
“What time do you want us to show up?”
“I’m still not sure if we should go with tomorrow night or the next morning. On the one hand if it works they’d have more time to spend together up there, but if not we’d have to deal with them longer.”
“Hell, might as well get them together soon as possible ‘cause I’m not willing to spend the night apart ‘cause your friend’s stubborn.”
She smiled and bumped his shoulder. “Okay, come in the evening then.”
“How far out is the cabin?”
“A couple hours out of the city.”
“So, you guys are gonna leave out tomorrow morning?”
“Yeah, so we can’t sleep too late in the morning”
“Tomorrow night should be interesting,” he said with a laugh. “I hope this cabin of yours is big.”
“Well, not as big as the one Max’s parents own, I’m afraid.”
He snorted. “I’m not sure his parents’ place qualifies as a cabin.”
“Yeah well…” She glanced up when she heard noise and saw some of his teammates up ahead. They were probably on their way to a beach party or whatever. It wasn’t like they looked like a couple, they weren’t even holding hands, but she wondered if he was comfortable enough to be seen with her officially.
Michael lifted his hand to acknowledge the guys when one of them yelled to get his attention.
“Yo, Guerin, heard you’re tied down now. That true?”
He just grinned and glanced at Maria. “I don’t know about tied down, Roberts, but I’m off the market.”
Hopefully my grin isn’t as goofy as it feels, Maria thought when Michael officially announced her as his girlfriend in front of his friends.
He rolled his eyes and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “For real,” he said when the guys joined them. “Maria, the guys: Roberts, Dominic, Rico, Paulie, and the little guy in the back is Vince. Guys,” he nodded at the girl at his side, “Maria. Get used to seeing her with me.”
The others stared at her for a moment before Dominic shoved his elbow in Rico’s ribs. “Well, hey, Maria.”
She nodded. “Hey. Good luck with the game tomorrow.”
“Thanks, we’re gonna need it if Evans doesn’t get outta the slump he’s been in the last few days,” Rico said.
“I’m telling you guys it’s that girl he was seeing,” Paulie spoke up.
“Didn’t I see her... What’s her name... Liz, right? I saw her with you at the beach like a week ago, right?” Dominic asked, looking at Maria.
“She’s your friend?” Roberts asked. “Oh, girl, you gotta talk to her. She’s got Evans off his game.”
“Right on the mission here,” Maria assured them.
The guys nodded and slapped Michael on the back. “We’re heading over to hang at Vince’s place so we’ll catch you guys later,” Rico said.
“Later,” Maria said and looked at Michael with a smile.
“See? Evans is bad shape.”
“We’ll make it better soon. Now I’m gonna introduce you to the DeLuca-Valenti insanity.”
“Insanity, huh?” He resisted the urge to tug at his collar. “You said your niece is close to Ben’s age?”
“Yeah, a little over two years now. She’s really adorable, you’ll like her.”
“Anything I need to know? Like avoid certain topics or anything like that?”
“No,” she thought about it again. “No, not that I can think of.” She shook her head. “What about you? I know my mom; she’s curious and nosy and will ask about your family. You want me to tell her not to ask?”
“Nah, it’s okay. She just wants to make sure her baby girl’s dating a good guy. If she hits a sensitive subject I’ll let ya know.”
“Okay. You ready then?” she asked when her parents’ house came into view.
“Ready as I’m ever gonna be,” he said with a smile.
“Okay. No reason to be nervous.” She smiled encouragingly when she could see his discomfort. “They’re cool. The boys might be a bit overprotective of me at first, but that’s just their normal behaviour,” she rolled her eyes. “Mom will probably ask thousands of questions, but I’ll try to distract her and Tess is really open and cool. That just leaves Nayla and I’ll bet you ten bucks you’ll have that little girl’s heart in no time.” Somehow she had a feeling Michael would be great with her niece.
“Okay, I’m ready,” he assured her again.
Maria walked ahead of him, leading the way to her parent’s house. It wasn’t nearly as big as his family’s property, but it was nice, with a large backyard that included a big patio and a nice swimming pool. She could hear noise from the back of the house when she walked through the front door, followed by Michael. “Sounds like they’re in the backyard already.”
“Must be the place to be,” he commented as they got closer to the noise.
They heard a big splash followed by some yelping and happy screaming in a child’s voice. Maria smiled when they reached the back door and saw Kyle in the pool with his daughter. Amy stood next to the table on the patio, setting some empty glasses on it while Tess set one more chair around the table.
Michael couldn’t help but smile at the family scene. “Guess the guy at the grill would be your dad,” he said. Before she could answer the man in question threw a ball to distract the Golden Retriever bouncing around him. The big dog took off like a shot, launching himself into the pool when the ball landed in the water. Nayla laughed when the dog swam past her to grab the ball.
“Yeah,” she looked up at him. “Last chance to flee.”
He chuckled. “I think you're stuck with me now.”
Maria pushed the glass door open and walked out on the patio, taking his hand to pull him after her. Amy was the first to notice them and she smiled. “Maria.”
Michael felt like the spotlight was right on top of him when her mom’s greeting drew everyone’s attention to them.
The older woman smiled brightly and hugged her daughter before glancing up at the young men. “Mom, this’s Michael. Michael, this’s my mom.”
He held his hand out to the woman and nodded. “Mrs. Valenti. Or is it Deluca-Valenti?”
Amy chuckled. “It’s Valenti, I went with the traditional here.” She was tempted to tell him to call her Amy, but maybe she would just wait a bit to get to know the boy better.
He nodded and smiled.
“Say, Guerin, what made ya finally get a clue?” Kyle asked as he swam to the edge of the pool with his daughter. “Hey, Tess, would you grab her, babe?”
Tess walked over to the pool and crouched down. “I thought we discussed you keeping your big foot out of your mouth?”
“What’d I say? It’s a valid question,” he argued. “Is it my fault if – “
“First and last warning, Valenti.”
“You’d better listen to her, goofball,” Maria told her brother and shook her head.
Tess wrapped Nayla up in a towel and carried her over to where they were standing. “Hi, I’m Tess and this’s Nayla.” She nodded at her daughter as she set her down on the deck.
Michael shook her hand, not missing the way she was studying him without being obvious about it. He dropped down on his right knee to take the little girl’s hand. “Hey there, Nayla.”
She smiled shyly and wrapped an arm around her mother’s leg, leaning against it slightly while she studied the new man in front of her.
He chuckled. “I’ll bet she’d get along great with Ben,” he said with a glance at Maria.
“Ben?” Amy asked.
“Ben’s my two-year-old brother. He spends a lot of time with me.”
“He’s really adorable,” Maria said, rubbing her niece’s head. “Just like you, little girl.” She looked up when Jim approached them slowly, checking Michael out without trying to hide it.
Michael cleared his throat as quietly as possible and stood to shake the man’s hand. “Mr. Valenti.”
Jim took the offered hand and squeezed it tightly, holding eye contact with the boy. “Hello, Michael.”
Was this something all fathers did? he wondered, maintaining eye contact with the man. He could remember his dad acting the same way when Isabel’s first date came to the house to pick her up. This was just the first time he had ever been on the receiving end of it. It wasn’t as funny when you were the guy being sized up.
Maria rolled her eyes. “Dad, you can stop staring him down now,” she told him sweetly.
Jim smiled and released the boy’s hand. “Whatcha know about grilling, Michael?”
“Dad, you’re not making him grill tonight, alright?” Maria complained.
“He doesn’t have to grill... I’m simply asking whether he knows anything about it.”
Kyle smirked. Dad loved to grill and any guy who didn’t know how to grill wasn’t a real man in his book.
“I’m good with spare ribs and steaks,” Michael said. “And my mom taught me to grill veggies for the ladies.”
Jim slapped him on the shoulder and laughed. “I think we’ll get along just fine.”
“Jim, the burgers are on fire, honey,” Amy said with a smile.
The man turned around in horror and hurried to the grill to save what was still edible. Kyle hauled himself out of the pool and dried himself off as well as he could before going over to the rest of them to give Michael one of those ‘guy’ handshakes Maria would never understand. “I’ll kill you if you hurt her,” he said with a grin.
“Guess we’ll never have to worry about that then,” Michael said with a smile at Maria. No, there was no way to avoid hurting each other once in a while, but he was sure they’d survive it.
“Let’s take a seat,” Amy offered, gesturing to the table. She looked at the new boyfriend while he was distracted with her daughter. Oh yeah, he was definitely a man Maria would go after, she thought in amusement and hoped that he was worthy of her.
Kyle watched his sister and her boyfriend until Tess poked him. “Go get a juice box for Nayla.”
Michael chuckled when Tess sent Kyle in the house. “I’ll bet she keeps you busy,” he said with a nod at the little girl.
“More that you might think,” the other man agreed. “Both of them.” He winked at Tess and ducked into the house.
“Which one of us is it that’s constantly making a mess and getting filthy and then conveniently having something to do or somewhere to be so he can avoid anything resembling work?” she asked with a roll of her eyes.
“Ignore them,” Maria told Michael. “They’re always like that.”
He shrugged. “They’re entertaining,” he said when the couple continued to banter back and forth.
“What do you guys want to drink?” Amy asked when they moved to the set table.
Kyle shook his head and sat down with a juice box. “Beer for me.”
Maria glanced at Michael and nodded. “For us too.”
Jim brushed the dog off when he joined them, hopping around in a bid for attention. “Team’s looking pretty good this season.”
“What happened in that last game?” Kyle asked as he shoved a handful of chips in his mouth.
Tess rolled her eyes when her daughter followed her daddy’s example. “Nice one, babe.”
“Evans isn’t exactly in his best form right now,” Michael said.
“No sh– “ he jerked when he got kicked by several different feet and Nayla laughed at the face he made as he leaned over to rub his shin. “Like I was saying, Evans threw that game away. My kid could’ve pitched a better game. I hope the team’s gonna give him a hand getting outta that slump.”
“He’ll be out of his misery soon,” Maria told them, grinning at Michael.
Kyle groaned. “Don’t tell me Parker’s involved.” He just knew she was though. Maria and Liz were a package deal... Kinda like Evans and Guerin.
“Shut up, Kyle,” Maria said.
“Uh-huh, that right there?” he looked at Michael. “That’s a yes.”
“You two sound like me and my sister.”
Maria glanced down when someone pulled on her hand. She smiled when she saw Nayla and bent down. “M’ia, who’s him?” she asked, looking at their intertwined hands.
“This’s Michael, sweetie.”
The little girl reached out to push his hand away from Maria’s.
“Looks like you’ve got some convincing to do, Guerin,” Kyle said with a smirk.
“Why don’t you and Daddy go inside to get dry clothes first, huh?” Maria said smiling when she heard Kyle’s groan. Now that she had suggested it he really had no choice but to do it.
“Thanks, Sis,” he muttered as he got up. “C’mon, baby girl, dry clothes first and then dinner, ‘cause Daddy’s hungry.” He scooped her up, tickling her and making her laugh. “I think you’re gonna have to get used to sharing Aunt Maria.”
“I doubt that’ll be a problem for long,” Maria glanced at Michael with a wink.
“Nah, not for long,” he agreed.
“Why don’t we take a seat,” Amy said when everyone seemed to be standing around the table.
Michael took a seat next to Maria and reached for the beer by his plate. “Great beer,” he said when he saw the label.
“The best,” Jim said agreeably.
“My buddy Max, he’s a beer snob. The guy won’t drink a beer unless it’s on his personal list of acceptable brands.”
“There’s a lot of crap on the market.”
Maria and Tess looked at each other and rolled their eyes. “So, Michael, what’re you going to school for?” Amy asked.
“Architecture’s my major,” he replied.
“What a fascinating career choice. What made you choose that field?”
“My parents I guess,” he shrugged. “My father’s an architect while my Mom was an interior decorator.”
“They must be very proud that you’ve followed in their footsteps.” She paused to answer her husband when he asked if she wanted a hot dog or a hamburger. “You said you have a sister?”
“Yeah, an older one.”
“The two of you are close?” She looked up when her son and granddaughter came back out to join them at the table.
“I’ll bet you want a hot dog,” he said as he reached for one to put on her plate. He cut it up into bite-sized pieces so she could manage them on her own.
“We get along pretty well,” Michael nodded.
“That’s good.”
Jim watched the younger man when he shifted. Either he didn’t like talking about his family or he was preparing for the questions to go in a direction he wasn’t ready for. “Your family from the area?” he asked.
Natalie36: David might’ve benefitted from a better ass kicking... definitely a possibility.
Ilonka.Green: Max wasn’t about to just stand there and let David get away with what he was saying. He and Liz will get their shot soon.
Earth2Mama: We’ll find out soon if it’s going to work.
sarammlover: David was very good about keeping his behavior under control and only letting Liz see what he wanted her to see. Cabin lockup is coming soon. Michael meeting Maria’s family, sooner.
begonia9508: Oh, Liz most likely won’t be happy when she discovers what’s been planned for her weekend getaway.
Alien_Friend: Hopefully Liz will be able to see past the anger once she realizes what’s going on.
Michael’s a little bit nervous about that, contrary to his claims, but we think he’ll do fine.
keepsmiling7: Yes, he has.
Maria’s pretty sure the cabin thing will work.
David’s a jerk and he deserved a good beating... more than what he got even.
Yeah, that’s not the way to meet the parents, especially the first time!
Part 28
Michael looked at himself in the mirror over his dresser, taking in his appearance: a brand new pair of blue jeans and a crisp green button-down shirt that was tucked in with the sleeves rolled up past his forearms. Great, he looked like he’d just stepped off the pages of a catalog for a men’s clothing store. He turned his head to look at the pair of comfortably broken-in blue jeans and black tee shirt lying on his bed. Maria had told him that dinner at her parents’ place was completely casual, but maybe what he normally wore was too casual.
Ungh, God, he was really over-thinking this. He had tried on both sets of clothes and while the others were more comfortable he finally decided to stick with what he had on. He was not going to try on a bunch of clothes or obsess over what he was wearing like girls did, he decided. He reached for his belt and threaded it through the belt loops, tugging it into place and buckling it. He frowned at how starched he looked and he pulled on his shirt, not untucking it, but loosening it a little bit.
“Okay, that’s better,” he muttered. He grabbed his comb and ran it through his hair once more before tossing it on the dresser and reaching for his wallet. He braced his hands on his dresser and leaned in to stare at his reflection. “You have no reason to be nervous. They’re just people like anyone else.” He nodded at himself and straightened up, running his hands over his shirt and leaving his room.
A few minutes later he climbed in behind the steering wheel and started the engine, smiling at the familiar growl. He shifted into gear and left his family’s property, turning onto the street as the iron gates slowly closed behind him. He had assured Maria that he was ready to meet her family, but the closer the moment came the more nervous he was getting. Damn, what if they didn’t like him? “Shut up,” he muttered to that annoying inner voice. “You’re a good guy, they’re gonna like you.” For him it was more important that Maria liked him, but he knew how important it would be to her that he and her family got along. He couldn’t fault her for that, family was important to him too. Besides, it would make things so much easier if they all got along.
He pulled up in front of her building and parked, taking a deep breath before getting out and taking the walk up to the entry. He stepped inside and took the stairs to the second floor, exchanging greetings with a few people he recognized on his way. He ran his fingers through his hair one last time and knocked on her door, leaning against the frame and sighing when he heard her moving around on the other side.
Maria smiled when she heard the knock and went to open the door. “Hey, big boy.”
Michael grinned at her. “Hey, sexy girl,” he said and leaned in for a kiss.
“Come in,” she pulled him by his collar.
“In a hurry to get me alone?”
“Uh-huh, we’re not really alone,” she mumbled against his lips.
“Huh?”
“My roomie’s here too.”
“Great,” he mumbled. He lifted his head and glanced around, locating the other girl after just a moment. “Hey.”
“Hey,” Courtney replied. Since when was Maria dating Michael Guerin???
“So,” he said, immediately turning his attention back to Maria. “You about ready?”
“Yeah, almost,” she glanced down at him when she noticed the shirt tucked in and grinned. “Since when do you do that?”
He rolled his eyes. “What? I just wanted to look presentable when I meet your family.”
She snorted and pulled it out. “Michael, my family knows me well enough that they know what kinda guys I date. And it’s a barbecue... Totally, totally informal. Be your usual self.”
“I’m bein’ myself, just...” he shrugged. “Now your mom’s gonna think I’m a sloppy dresser.”
“She won’t. Kyle dresses a lot of worse,” she kissed him.
“Well, yeah, but she already knows him.” He made a face at her. “I’ve got a tee shirt in my truck. I could always change the shirt.”
“The shirt’s fine. Wear whatever you’re comfortable with.”
“I’m good like this then.”
“We can leave in just a few minutes. I’ve just gotta call the renal service to book a car for tomorrow.”
“Neither of you has a car?”
“No, isn’t that a shame?”
He looked down at the keys in his hand. “Yeah, that’s a damn shame.”
She looked around for her cell. “Jim works at a car shop. They also rent cars and they know me there, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”
“You could always try to persuade me to let you borrow the Ram,” he said with a teasing grin.
“Ha ha, you’re funny”
“I’m serious... the right persuasion and I might just be convinced.” He waggled his eyebrows playfully.
She looked up at him, trying to figure out if he was serious. “What would that be?”
“I don’t know... I said you’d have to persuade me.” He leaned in close to her and nipped her earlobe. “C’mon, you know you wanna try.”
“That’s not fair,” she complained.
“Why not? You’d enjoy it too.” He nuzzled her neck and held his hand up, jingling the keys. “Here’s your chance to get in the driver’s seat.”
Maria smirked and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him passionately, both of her hands gripping the collar of his shirt.
His arms came around her and his hands settled on her hips as he held her against him as she let her tongue ran over his soft lips, demanding for them to separate. He chuckled and continued to kiss her, not giving in to her demand just yet.
She squeezed his hands lightly in a gentle warning and he let her have what she wanted, what they both wanted, giving her access and groaning quietly when she deepened the kiss.
“You know, we still have company,” she whispered when the kiss gentled again. “So that’s all I can give you now.”
He shot a glance at her roommate, smirking when he caught her staring. “I’ll let you by on that one. We can pick up later.”
“So what about your truck? You were just kidding, huh? Yeah, I know you were.”
“Gonna stay over at my place tonight? Maybe convince me some more?”
“As if dangling your truck’s necessary to convince me to have sex with you. I don’t know about your place though because my family tends to serve a lot of beer with a barbecue.”
“Alright, you can get creative next time we spend the night together.” He hooked his key ring around his right forefinger and held it out to her. “I’ll need to get my house keys off of there before you leave though.”
She glanced at his hand. “You’re really gonna give me your truck?”
“Yeah. Why rent when you’ve got the luxury of a Ram?”
She hadn’t counted on it since he had never even seen her drive before. “Thanks.”
He smiled. “Now... let’s get goin’.”
“Okay,” she grabbed her bag and placed the keys on the wardrobe for later.
He shot a glance between her roommate and his keys. “Yeah, um... lemme just carry those ‘cause I’ve gotta get my house keys off the ring,” he said as he snatched them up.
Maria laughed. “Alright. If you say so.”
“Yeah.” Hell, for all he knew her roommate might snatch the keys and take a joyride in his truck and then he’d have to hunt her down. He pocketed the keys and pulled back when her roommate stuck her tongue out at him. He could always give Maria the keys later.
“Well, goodbye, Courtney,” Maria said and didn’t wait for a reply. She walked a few steps into the hallway and looked at Michael. Several other students were sprawled against the walls, talking and just hanging out. It was pretty loud like it usually was at this time of day.
“How do you live with her?” Michael asked as the door closed behind them.
“It’s not easy.”
He shook his head and stepped over a guy who was stretched out right in the middle of the walkway. “This is somethin’ I don’t miss about livin’ in a dorm.”
“Why? It’s a dream,” she teased.
“Yeah,” he snorted, “if you enjoy constant noise and a lack of privacy.”
They made it out on the street and Maria sucked in the fresh air. “Nice.” She turned to look at him. “You okay with walking? It’s not even a whole mile.”
“Yeah, sure.” He shrugged. “Kinda missed most of my workout this afternoon anyway.”
“Do you drink whisky?” she asked after they had started to walk across the campus.
He shrugged. “On occasion. Most of the time I’m just a beer guy.” He shot a glance at her. “Why?”
“Jim likes whiskey. He’s one of those guys that keeps the really expensive stuff around, ya know?” She rolled her eyes. “Whenever he accepts someone as a friend he takes it out, so if he offers you one you can count yourself very lucky.”
“Good to know. He’d get along with my dad.” He shook his head. “With Dad it’s expensive whisky and imported cigars. Yeah, I know, disgusting habit and my mom made him leave the house whenever he wanted to light one of those things up,” he said with a laugh.
“Yeah, they really stink,” she laughed along with him. “It’s whisky and sports for Jim. He likes baseball, so that’ll give you a foot in the door.”
“Funny, it’s the opposite with my dad. Football’s his game.”
“Oh, he likes football too since Kyle plays.”
“Your brother’s good. I’ve seen him play.”
“Don’t tell him that or he’ll get another ego boost and I can tell you that he doesn’t need that.” Maria sighed and fumbled to get her cell when it started to ring. She flipped it open and greeted her best friend. “Hey, Liz, what’s up?” She listened for a moment. “Yeah, everything’s set.” She nodded. “I’ll pick you up at 9am, okay?” She glanced at Michael and wiggled her eyebrows. “Oh, yeah, I got a car.” She listened and nodded again. “Alright, bye-bye,” she hung up and shoved the cell in the back pocket of her jeans.
“What time do you want us to show up?”
“I’m still not sure if we should go with tomorrow night or the next morning. On the one hand if it works they’d have more time to spend together up there, but if not we’d have to deal with them longer.”
“Hell, might as well get them together soon as possible ‘cause I’m not willing to spend the night apart ‘cause your friend’s stubborn.”
She smiled and bumped his shoulder. “Okay, come in the evening then.”
“How far out is the cabin?”
“A couple hours out of the city.”
“So, you guys are gonna leave out tomorrow morning?”
“Yeah, so we can’t sleep too late in the morning”
“Tomorrow night should be interesting,” he said with a laugh. “I hope this cabin of yours is big.”
“Well, not as big as the one Max’s parents own, I’m afraid.”
He snorted. “I’m not sure his parents’ place qualifies as a cabin.”
“Yeah well…” She glanced up when she heard noise and saw some of his teammates up ahead. They were probably on their way to a beach party or whatever. It wasn’t like they looked like a couple, they weren’t even holding hands, but she wondered if he was comfortable enough to be seen with her officially.
Michael lifted his hand to acknowledge the guys when one of them yelled to get his attention.
“Yo, Guerin, heard you’re tied down now. That true?”
He just grinned and glanced at Maria. “I don’t know about tied down, Roberts, but I’m off the market.”
Hopefully my grin isn’t as goofy as it feels, Maria thought when Michael officially announced her as his girlfriend in front of his friends.
He rolled his eyes and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “For real,” he said when the guys joined them. “Maria, the guys: Roberts, Dominic, Rico, Paulie, and the little guy in the back is Vince. Guys,” he nodded at the girl at his side, “Maria. Get used to seeing her with me.”
The others stared at her for a moment before Dominic shoved his elbow in Rico’s ribs. “Well, hey, Maria.”
She nodded. “Hey. Good luck with the game tomorrow.”
“Thanks, we’re gonna need it if Evans doesn’t get outta the slump he’s been in the last few days,” Rico said.
“I’m telling you guys it’s that girl he was seeing,” Paulie spoke up.
“Didn’t I see her... What’s her name... Liz, right? I saw her with you at the beach like a week ago, right?” Dominic asked, looking at Maria.
“She’s your friend?” Roberts asked. “Oh, girl, you gotta talk to her. She’s got Evans off his game.”
“Right on the mission here,” Maria assured them.
The guys nodded and slapped Michael on the back. “We’re heading over to hang at Vince’s place so we’ll catch you guys later,” Rico said.
“Later,” Maria said and looked at Michael with a smile.
“See? Evans is bad shape.”
“We’ll make it better soon. Now I’m gonna introduce you to the DeLuca-Valenti insanity.”
“Insanity, huh?” He resisted the urge to tug at his collar. “You said your niece is close to Ben’s age?”
“Yeah, a little over two years now. She’s really adorable, you’ll like her.”
“Anything I need to know? Like avoid certain topics or anything like that?”
“No,” she thought about it again. “No, not that I can think of.” She shook her head. “What about you? I know my mom; she’s curious and nosy and will ask about your family. You want me to tell her not to ask?”
“Nah, it’s okay. She just wants to make sure her baby girl’s dating a good guy. If she hits a sensitive subject I’ll let ya know.”
“Okay. You ready then?” she asked when her parents’ house came into view.
“Ready as I’m ever gonna be,” he said with a smile.
“Okay. No reason to be nervous.” She smiled encouragingly when she could see his discomfort. “They’re cool. The boys might be a bit overprotective of me at first, but that’s just their normal behaviour,” she rolled her eyes. “Mom will probably ask thousands of questions, but I’ll try to distract her and Tess is really open and cool. That just leaves Nayla and I’ll bet you ten bucks you’ll have that little girl’s heart in no time.” Somehow she had a feeling Michael would be great with her niece.
“Okay, I’m ready,” he assured her again.
Maria walked ahead of him, leading the way to her parent’s house. It wasn’t nearly as big as his family’s property, but it was nice, with a large backyard that included a big patio and a nice swimming pool. She could hear noise from the back of the house when she walked through the front door, followed by Michael. “Sounds like they’re in the backyard already.”
“Must be the place to be,” he commented as they got closer to the noise.
They heard a big splash followed by some yelping and happy screaming in a child’s voice. Maria smiled when they reached the back door and saw Kyle in the pool with his daughter. Amy stood next to the table on the patio, setting some empty glasses on it while Tess set one more chair around the table.
Michael couldn’t help but smile at the family scene. “Guess the guy at the grill would be your dad,” he said. Before she could answer the man in question threw a ball to distract the Golden Retriever bouncing around him. The big dog took off like a shot, launching himself into the pool when the ball landed in the water. Nayla laughed when the dog swam past her to grab the ball.
“Yeah,” she looked up at him. “Last chance to flee.”
He chuckled. “I think you're stuck with me now.”
Maria pushed the glass door open and walked out on the patio, taking his hand to pull him after her. Amy was the first to notice them and she smiled. “Maria.”
Michael felt like the spotlight was right on top of him when her mom’s greeting drew everyone’s attention to them.
The older woman smiled brightly and hugged her daughter before glancing up at the young men. “Mom, this’s Michael. Michael, this’s my mom.”
He held his hand out to the woman and nodded. “Mrs. Valenti. Or is it Deluca-Valenti?”
Amy chuckled. “It’s Valenti, I went with the traditional here.” She was tempted to tell him to call her Amy, but maybe she would just wait a bit to get to know the boy better.
He nodded and smiled.
“Say, Guerin, what made ya finally get a clue?” Kyle asked as he swam to the edge of the pool with his daughter. “Hey, Tess, would you grab her, babe?”
Tess walked over to the pool and crouched down. “I thought we discussed you keeping your big foot out of your mouth?”
“What’d I say? It’s a valid question,” he argued. “Is it my fault if – “
“First and last warning, Valenti.”
“You’d better listen to her, goofball,” Maria told her brother and shook her head.
Tess wrapped Nayla up in a towel and carried her over to where they were standing. “Hi, I’m Tess and this’s Nayla.” She nodded at her daughter as she set her down on the deck.
Michael shook her hand, not missing the way she was studying him without being obvious about it. He dropped down on his right knee to take the little girl’s hand. “Hey there, Nayla.”
She smiled shyly and wrapped an arm around her mother’s leg, leaning against it slightly while she studied the new man in front of her.
He chuckled. “I’ll bet she’d get along great with Ben,” he said with a glance at Maria.
“Ben?” Amy asked.
“Ben’s my two-year-old brother. He spends a lot of time with me.”
“He’s really adorable,” Maria said, rubbing her niece’s head. “Just like you, little girl.” She looked up when Jim approached them slowly, checking Michael out without trying to hide it.
Michael cleared his throat as quietly as possible and stood to shake the man’s hand. “Mr. Valenti.”
Jim took the offered hand and squeezed it tightly, holding eye contact with the boy. “Hello, Michael.”
Was this something all fathers did? he wondered, maintaining eye contact with the man. He could remember his dad acting the same way when Isabel’s first date came to the house to pick her up. This was just the first time he had ever been on the receiving end of it. It wasn’t as funny when you were the guy being sized up.
Maria rolled her eyes. “Dad, you can stop staring him down now,” she told him sweetly.
Jim smiled and released the boy’s hand. “Whatcha know about grilling, Michael?”
“Dad, you’re not making him grill tonight, alright?” Maria complained.
“He doesn’t have to grill... I’m simply asking whether he knows anything about it.”
Kyle smirked. Dad loved to grill and any guy who didn’t know how to grill wasn’t a real man in his book.
“I’m good with spare ribs and steaks,” Michael said. “And my mom taught me to grill veggies for the ladies.”
Jim slapped him on the shoulder and laughed. “I think we’ll get along just fine.”
“Jim, the burgers are on fire, honey,” Amy said with a smile.
The man turned around in horror and hurried to the grill to save what was still edible. Kyle hauled himself out of the pool and dried himself off as well as he could before going over to the rest of them to give Michael one of those ‘guy’ handshakes Maria would never understand. “I’ll kill you if you hurt her,” he said with a grin.
“Guess we’ll never have to worry about that then,” Michael said with a smile at Maria. No, there was no way to avoid hurting each other once in a while, but he was sure they’d survive it.
“Let’s take a seat,” Amy offered, gesturing to the table. She looked at the new boyfriend while he was distracted with her daughter. Oh yeah, he was definitely a man Maria would go after, she thought in amusement and hoped that he was worthy of her.
Kyle watched his sister and her boyfriend until Tess poked him. “Go get a juice box for Nayla.”
Michael chuckled when Tess sent Kyle in the house. “I’ll bet she keeps you busy,” he said with a nod at the little girl.
“More that you might think,” the other man agreed. “Both of them.” He winked at Tess and ducked into the house.
“Which one of us is it that’s constantly making a mess and getting filthy and then conveniently having something to do or somewhere to be so he can avoid anything resembling work?” she asked with a roll of her eyes.
“Ignore them,” Maria told Michael. “They’re always like that.”
He shrugged. “They’re entertaining,” he said when the couple continued to banter back and forth.
“What do you guys want to drink?” Amy asked when they moved to the set table.
Kyle shook his head and sat down with a juice box. “Beer for me.”
Maria glanced at Michael and nodded. “For us too.”
Jim brushed the dog off when he joined them, hopping around in a bid for attention. “Team’s looking pretty good this season.”
“What happened in that last game?” Kyle asked as he shoved a handful of chips in his mouth.
Tess rolled her eyes when her daughter followed her daddy’s example. “Nice one, babe.”
“Evans isn’t exactly in his best form right now,” Michael said.
“No sh– “ he jerked when he got kicked by several different feet and Nayla laughed at the face he made as he leaned over to rub his shin. “Like I was saying, Evans threw that game away. My kid could’ve pitched a better game. I hope the team’s gonna give him a hand getting outta that slump.”
“He’ll be out of his misery soon,” Maria told them, grinning at Michael.
Kyle groaned. “Don’t tell me Parker’s involved.” He just knew she was though. Maria and Liz were a package deal... Kinda like Evans and Guerin.
“Shut up, Kyle,” Maria said.
“Uh-huh, that right there?” he looked at Michael. “That’s a yes.”
“You two sound like me and my sister.”
Maria glanced down when someone pulled on her hand. She smiled when she saw Nayla and bent down. “M’ia, who’s him?” she asked, looking at their intertwined hands.
“This’s Michael, sweetie.”
The little girl reached out to push his hand away from Maria’s.
“Looks like you’ve got some convincing to do, Guerin,” Kyle said with a smirk.
“Why don’t you and Daddy go inside to get dry clothes first, huh?” Maria said smiling when she heard Kyle’s groan. Now that she had suggested it he really had no choice but to do it.
“Thanks, Sis,” he muttered as he got up. “C’mon, baby girl, dry clothes first and then dinner, ‘cause Daddy’s hungry.” He scooped her up, tickling her and making her laugh. “I think you’re gonna have to get used to sharing Aunt Maria.”
“I doubt that’ll be a problem for long,” Maria glanced at Michael with a wink.
“Nah, not for long,” he agreed.
“Why don’t we take a seat,” Amy said when everyone seemed to be standing around the table.
Michael took a seat next to Maria and reached for the beer by his plate. “Great beer,” he said when he saw the label.
“The best,” Jim said agreeably.
“My buddy Max, he’s a beer snob. The guy won’t drink a beer unless it’s on his personal list of acceptable brands.”
“There’s a lot of crap on the market.”
Maria and Tess looked at each other and rolled their eyes. “So, Michael, what’re you going to school for?” Amy asked.
“Architecture’s my major,” he replied.
“What a fascinating career choice. What made you choose that field?”
“My parents I guess,” he shrugged. “My father’s an architect while my Mom was an interior decorator.”
“They must be very proud that you’ve followed in their footsteps.” She paused to answer her husband when he asked if she wanted a hot dog or a hamburger. “You said you have a sister?”
“Yeah, an older one.”
“The two of you are close?” She looked up when her son and granddaughter came back out to join them at the table.
“I’ll bet you want a hot dog,” he said as he reached for one to put on her plate. He cut it up into bite-sized pieces so she could manage them on her own.
“We get along pretty well,” Michael nodded.
“That’s good.”
Jim watched the younger man when he shifted. Either he didn’t like talking about his family or he was preparing for the questions to go in a direction he wasn’t ready for. “Your family from the area?” he asked.
Fics: A Xmas Story - A Merry Mt. R. Xmas - Cupid's Revenge - Double Trouble - Double Date - Double Dare - Double Empire - Double Xmas Wish - In The Course Of A Lifetime - Mountains So High - Not A Question At All - Surrender - TIC TAC - Two Double Dates at Xmas
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Double Trouble
- Obsessed Roswellian
- Posts: 925
- Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 9:47 am
Part 29
Earth2Mama: Well, lol, he’s gonna try.
begonia9508: Looks like Michael’s doing well for his first time with the meet the parents ritual.
Lol, he might just deserve a tiny bit of sympathy.
Eva: Yes, they are! But Michael’s holding his own with them.
Natalie36: Yep, Jim will discover that Michael’s a good guy.
It won’t be too much longer before we get to Max and Liz.
mary mary: She never gives up! Michael’s doing his best.
sarammlover: Nah, he’s doing very well with his first foray into this territory. Cabin time is coming up very soon and then we’ll find out what happens with Max and Liz. Yep, he’s gonna hand over those keys, lol.
keepsmiling7: Thank goodness Michael knows how to grill... otherwise, who knows what might’ve happened, lol.
Alien_Friend: He’s holding his own with the DeLuca-Valenti family. They’re a crazy bunch, but a lot of fun.
Lyrallya: Thanks, we are glad you like Double Dare!
Part 29
Michael nodded in response to the question.
“You got any interest in a pro ball career?” Kyle asked, changing the subject without even thinking about it.
He had thought about it a while back, but with his current family situation, it didn’t seem possible. “Probably not. It’s just a game for me, not really a job.”
“Really? You play like you love it. Man, if I got the chance to play in the NFL I’d go.” He looked at Tess and their daughter and he smiled. “I don’t know. It’d be hard to be away from my family so much.”
Maria looked at Michael. She knew that it wasn’t probably that he didn’t want it, more that it wasn’t possible if he wanted to take care of his family. “How’s your shop going, Mom?” she asked to lead the conversation away from her boyfriend.
Jim smirked when his daughter effectively led the conversation away from her boyfriend. “Michael, I don’t know about you but I can think of at least a dozen things I’d rather talk about.”
“Dad,” Maria groaned. “Can’t we stop the Q&A for a while?”
“And what would you like for me to talk about? Because unless shopping means looking for new fishing gear or a new boat I have nothing to add to the current conversation.”
“I didn’t say anything about shopping. I asked Mom how her shop is running.”
“Oh, right.” He waved his right hand dismissively. “Carry on then. I’ll just eat my dinner.”
Maria leaned into Michael. “Sorry, normally they’re not so weird,” she said loud enough for her family to hear.
Kyle snorted at that. “Yeah, tell that lie again.”
Nayla got up on her knees and leaned on her elbows to study Michael.
“Don’t stare like that, sweetie,” Tess said and smiled at Michael. “She’s a bit curious once she gets over her shy act.”
The little girl looked down at her plate and snatched up a chip, her mouth pursed as she contemplated it. After a moment she looked at Michael and held it out to him.
“Uh-oh, she’s sharing her food already,” Maria teased.
“Is this a test?” he asked, holding his hand out, palm-side up. “Ben will do this but he doesn’t want you to really take it.”
The kid dropped the chip into Michael’s hand and grinned at him, making sounds only she would know the meaning of.
Michael smiled back at her. “Thanks,” he said, ignoring the ketchup coating his palm now.
“Ungh,” Maria made a face. “Ya know she likes to mess with food.”
Amy laughed. “She really does. The shop’s going just fine by the way,” she answered the earlier question and took the salad to serve it to everyone.
“Did you get the car you wanted for tomorrow?” Jim asked, chewing on his burger.
“Oh I don’t need one,” Maria glanced up and smiled at her boyfriend, “Michael said I could take his truck.”
Kyle made a choking sound. “I’m guessing you’ve never seen her drive.”
“There’s nothing wrong with the way I drive,” Maria protested.
“What kinda car do you drive, Michael?” Amy asked.
“He drives a Ram, Mom,” Kyle answered before his sister could speak up.
“Do I need to add extra insurance before you get behind the wheel?” Michael teased.
“Noooooo,” she looked at him. “I’m a good driver.”
“If I can trust her with everything else, the truck’s the least of my worries,” he said sincerely.
Amy smiled at Michael’s words while Kyle just groaned.
Tess kicked him under the table and smiled sweetly at him. “Did you say something, babe?”
Nayla giggled when her Daddy winced in reaction to the kick. “You think it’s funny when I get hurt, huh?” he teased and tickled the little girl.
She laughed loudly and slipped from her seat, running around the table to hide.
Michael grinned at the exasperated look on Tess’ face. “I can see why Isabel looks like she’s ready to strangle me when I play around with Ben at mealtime.”
“Ah, c’mon, babe,” Kyle tried. “She ate half of the hot dog and we both know she’s just gonna play with the rest of the food anyway.”
“I give up. When she’s 16 and she goes out on a date and has no table manners she can thank her daddy.” She tried not to laugh at her boyfriend’s expression but it was a wasted effort.
Maria turned when her niece hid behind her. “Hey, hey, kiddo, don’t touch me with your ketchup fingers,” she teased.
Nayla shifted to the side and looked up at Michael when she bumped into him. “Hey there,” he said with a smile.
She stared up at him with big eyes for several seconds before holding her messy hands out to him.
“You gonna let me pick you up?” he asked. He chuckled and lifted her up, settling her in his lap and using his napkin to wipe her hands.
Maria watched him with her niece and smiled at the impressed look’s passing around the table. He was really good with kids, something most people wouldn’t think if they hadn’t seen him.
Nayla made herself right at home in his lap, taking a chip from his plate and munching on it as she leaned back against his chest. “You guys have a great kid,” he said with a glance at the couple.
“Seems like she likes you,” Tess stated with a grin.
“I would say she doesn’t know any better but I’d probably get smacked by this one over here,” he said with a nod at Maria.
*****
They sat there for almost an hour and talked while they ate, drank and laughed over a few jokes from Jim and Kyle. Nayla was still sitting in Michael’s lap, being unusually calm in his arms.
“Ya know, I think I just found the perfect babysitting couple for us, Kyle,” Tess said, pointing at Maria and Michael.
“Jeez, I don’t know,” Michael said with a grin. “That means doing things that’re just no fun, like going to the park. And who wants to do something like that?” he asked the little girl.
Nayla stared up at him, confused. “I?” She pointed at herself.
He laughed and nodded. “You, sweetheart.” He glanced at her parents. “We installed a swing set over at my sister’s place.” He shook his head. “You would not believe what a nightmare that was to put together.”
Amy watched the man closely. Somehow he seemed pretty involved with kids. Was that just because of his little brother?
“Did Isabel help you put it together?” Maria asked, trying to picture it.
He snorted. “Yeah, she helped alright. She read the instructions and handed me tools.”
“Probably the wrong ones,” Kyle said, amused.
“Hey,” Tess gave him a slight slap on the back of his head before she stood up. “Alright, Miss Snuggle, it’s time for your bath and then we’re gonna say nighty-night.”
“Nooo,” the little girl whined and clung tightly to Michael.
“And this is the part of the evening when she’s gonna show her little butt,” Kyle said as he set his beer down. “Miss Nayla, I’d suggest you go with Mommy.”
“Nooo.”
“Would you rather have a spanking?”
She shook her head and stared down at her hands. “No nigh-nigh, Da-da,” she said quietly.
“Michael, you should prepare for one mad little girl,” Tess said, amused. She knew her daughter could throw a real fit when she didn’t want to go to bed yet.
“Funny how quick they can go from sweet and innocent to little bears, isn’t it?” He picked Nayla up so she was standing on his thighs. “You’re not gonna be a little bear, are you?” He tickled her, making her laugh before he met her gaze and smiled at her.
“I’m gonna take the food inside.” Amy stood up while Tess took her distracted daughter out of Michael’s arms.
“Think you’ll survive a few minutes without me so I can help Mom?” Maria asked quietly.
“Sure, go ahead.” He paused. “Unless you want me to give you a hand?”
“No, it’s okay, you can stay here.” She leaned in to brush a kiss against his lips.
“Okay.” He gave her thigh a gentle squeeze before she stood. “I’ll stay here and talk sports or something.”
Maria snorted and took a few plates before she walked after Amy and Tess into the house. She heard Nayla crying and smiled to herself. Definitely not happy about bedtime.
Michael leaned forward, his weight braced on his forearms. “How long have you and Tess been together?”
“About three years now.”
He nodded. “You guys have a great family.” He smiled. “I’ll bet that little girl of yours keeps you busy though.”
“You get used to it in time.”
“Yeah, you do,” he agreed.
“You seem to know a lot about the topic,” Jim said, trying to figure out what this boy of Maria’s was hiding.
“About kids?”
The older man nodded and took a sip of his drink.
“My two-year-old brother stays with me pretty regularly.”
“Are your parents busy a lot?” he asked further.
And the inquisition begins. “Busy? No sir, not busy. My mom died year before last and my dad’s been having trouble dealing with it. My older sister has custody of Ben and I help out as much as I can.”
Jim and Kyle’s faces dropped at Michael’s confession. “I’m sorry to hear that, boy. Must be tough.” Damn, Jim thought, he knew the name Guerin was familiar and now he knew why. After Nayla was born they’d decided to add onto the house to have more space whenever Kyle and his family stayed over. Henry Guerin had been the architect, but he had suddenly disappeared and he remembered being told that his family had been involved in a bad accident.
“Some days are harder than others, but we just get through it a day at a time.”
“Hey, if your brother’s same age as Nayla then you should bring him next time,” Kyle said.
“He’s two,” he said with a smile. “And he’s a handful when he wants to be. He’d like coming with me next time, thanks.”
Meanwhile Maria was putting the plates in the dishwasher and humming to herself.
Amy smiled at her daughter’s behavior. She really seemed to be happy. “Michael seems to be very nice.”
“He is,” Maria said with a smile.
“He also seems very adult for his age I have to say. He’s about your age right?"
“Yeah. He has a lot of responsibility for his family.”
Amy walked over to the counter and took something from it, returning to Maria and placing the keys for the cabin in her hand. “If a boy lends you his car, it’s gotta mean something,” she winked.
“Darling,” Jim leaned back to glance thought the kitchen window. “Dear, can you please bring the whiskey with you next time you step outside?”
Amy rolled her eyes. “The male bonding ritual begins.” She smiled at her husband. “I’ll be right there.” She looked at her daughter and winked. “Looks like your guy passed the test.”
Maria smiled, relieved. “Thank God.”
“Were you worried that we wouldn’t like him?”
“Well, Michael can be a bit difficult now and then,” she looked out the window and smiled, “you just have to know him a bit and it makes sense though.”
“That’s true of any man worth knowing.”
*****
Michael followed Maria outside the next morning, squinting against the sunlight breaking through the trees that lined the street. She was remarkably alert considering how little sleep they’d gotten the night before. “You’re sure you can handle it? The Ram’s a big truck.”
She rolled her eyes and made a grab for the keys he was dangling in front of her nose, grinning triumphantly when his sleep-deprived reflexes were slow enough for her to take possession of them. “Thank you,” she said and stretched up on her tiptoes to kiss him. “And don’t worry I won’t let anything happen to your truck.”
He snorted and wrapped his arms around her. “Not worried about the truck, crazy girl. Just be careful and gimme a call when you guys get to the cabin so I know you got there safely.”
“Okay.” She tipped her head back to look at him. “You’ve got the directions someplace safe, right?”
“On the fridge door, right next to a map. We’ll see you guys around dinnertime tonight.”
She snorted. “Want me to drive you home first?”
“Nah, I’m gonna walk over to the coffee shop and call Evans, drag his ass outta bed.”
“Okay,” she leaned against him. “Guess I’ll see you tonight then.”
“Count on it. And don’t worry about Evans... he wants this to work out, so he’ll be presentable.”
“I’d better hurry. We’re already late and Liz is probably waiting for me.”
“Yeah,” he laughed, “Evans might be all depressed and moody, but she’s pissy, so you might not wanna keep her waitin’.”
“Gonna kiss me goodbye?”
“No.” He grinned at her confused look. “I’ll kiss you and tell you I’ll see ya later. Don’t think I’m ever gonna tell you goodbye.”
“Persnickety much?” she laughed.
“Maybe...” He reminded himself to look that one up later. He leaned in for a kiss, lingering over it since it would be hours before they saw each other again.
She wrapped her arms around his upper body and snuggled against him for a moment. “See you tonight, Michael, and you two drive safe.”
“We will.” He held onto the door as she stepped up and waited for her to secure the seatbelt before he closed the door and stepped back. Good grief she looked tiny up there!
Maria turned the engine on, wiggling her eyebrows at him when it growled low.
“God help us,” he muttered under his breath.
She laughed at his expression when she slowly drove down the street. One last time she looked back and waved at him before adding pressure to the gas pedal and leaving with squealing tires.
He shook his head and smiled. Hell on wheels, that one, he thought as he grabbed his phone and punched in Max’ number. Maria had to deal with a pissy friend but at least his friend was in a better frame of mind now that he had a chance to get his girl back.
Maria drove the short way to Liz’s dorm, smiling when she saw her friend already in front of the building with her bag. She grinned at her friend’s stunned face when she recognized the car.
“How on earth did you get the keys from him?” she asked, familiar with Michael’s rant that no one, much less a girl, would ever drive his truck. She had heard it enough over the past few weeks. “What’d you do, drug him?”
“Nope, he gave it up willingly,” she said, helping her friend put her bag into the backseat.
“Uh-huh... what’d you have to do to get your hands on his keys?” She waggled her eyebrows playfully.
Maria laughed. “Nothing I wouldn’t have done without the keys anyway.”
She laughed. “Enough said.”
“He deserved some special treatment. He was brave with my family last night.”
“You took him to meet your parents?”
“Yeah, it was kinda spontaneous.” Maria drove along the streets, enjoying the looks they got just because of the truck.
“So things must’ve gone well.”
“Yeah, Jim brought the whiskey out. It’s like a bonding ritual in our family so he’s been officially accepted.”
“And Nayla? How was she with him?”
“Like they knew each other for her whole life,” Maria chuckled. “He’s very good with kids for obvious reasons.”
“How’re you gonna survive without Mr. Perfect for the next couple of days?”
Maria bit her lip. If only she knew... “The things I do for you.”
Liz snorted. “I’m sure when you see him you’ll make up for every minute you’re apart.”
“I really can’t imagine my life without him now anymore. It’s weird.”
“I’m glad that it worked out for you, Maria.”
She noted the sad tone in her friend’s voice. “It could still work out for you too, Liz.”
“I think I’ll just get a dog.”
Maria had to giggle at her friend’s dry answer. “Shut up.”
“I’m just saying... a dog would never disappoint me. Or lie to my face.”
“Well, yeah, but he could pee in your dorm room.”
Liz giggled. “Okay, I suppose that’s one thing Max wouldn’t have done.”
“See?” Maria reached the highway quickly and grinned when she was finally able to drive faster.
“I have a feeling we’re gonna make it to the cabin in record time.”
“Ya think?”
“What I think is you’re power trippin’ over there, speed demon.”
“Can’t help it. I love big and fast cars. Blame Kyle.”
“There are many things we can blame on your brother.” Too bad Max wasn’t one of them.
“Yeah, this scar for example,” Maria pointed at her temple.
“Remind me again?” She was sure it had to do with something that moved fast... dirtbike, skateboard, jetski, water skiing, snowboarding, skiing, skydiving... if it was adventurous her brother was into it.
"Jetski.”
“Uh-huh, and he doesn’t even have to talk you into these things. Like, not ever.”
“Well...” Maria grinned.
“Yeah, deep subject.”
“What can I say? I love adventures.”
“Obviously. You like speed too,” she said with a roll of her eyes.
“Sue me.”
Liz snorted. She couldn’t really talk about anyone’s driving. She couldn’t parallel park to save her life, which didn’t make any sense to her and she tended to have a heavy foot, which was why she didn’t currently drive anywhere. Having your drivers’ license suspended kinda took all the fun out of it.
“So whatcha wanna do up there today?”
“Mope around and feel sorry for myself?”
“Ah, c’mon, Liz.”
“Got any other suggestions?”
“We could go down to the lake or something.”
“Yeah, we could do that.” She turned as much as the seatbelt would allow. “Yeah, let’s do that. For the next 48 hours I’m not gonna let Max Evans take up a single moment of my time.”
Or not, Maria thought, really hoping Liz would forgive her.
“What about dinner? Should we go to that little restaurant or maybe just grill something?”
“Mom already made arrangements for the refrigerator to be filled with stuff for dinner, so I guess we can have a mini barbecue.”
“Cool.” She shifted around, running one hand over the soft leather seat. “Your boyfriend has great taste in vehicles.”
“Definitely.” It was still new to her that people were calling him YOUR boyfriend... And it was Michael Guerin.
“This thing probably has all those fancy dual controls so one side can have cool air and the other hot. Oh, I’ll bet it’s got those heated seats too!”
“Not that we’d ever need them.”
“That is not the point, Maria. You don’t need to be going almost 20 miles over the speed limit either, but you are.”
“You can’t compare the two things,” Maria denied.
Liz laughed and kicked her shoes off, lifting her legs up to rest her feet on the dashboard. “No, maybe not.”
“Good that Michael can’t see that.”
“My feet are clean and I’m not gonna leave little footprints all over his windshield.”
“Thank you, because he won’t give me his truck a second time otherwise.”
Liz snorted and grinned impishly as she pressed her big toe against the windshield.
“Hey,” Maria smacked her leg.
“Good grief, Maria... I have 48 hours before this thing has to be turned back over to him.” She pressed a few more toe prints to the windshield and smiled. “Look, it’s a happy face.”
The other girl burst out with laughter. “You’re crazy.”
“I know, but who cares?” It felt good to laugh.
“You should add some hair.”
Liz brought her other foot up and brushed her toes against the windshield around the top of the happy face. “Whatcha think?”
“Looks like a punk.”
“I can do art with my toes... who knew?”
“You should rethink your major.”
“Hmm... that’s a possibility. Can you picture my parents’ faces? Dad, Mom, after careful consideration I’ve decided to drop my major because I’ve found my true calling. I’m gonna be the world’s first toe artist.”
“You sure you’re gonna be the first?” Maria giggled.
Liz rolled her head along the seat to look at her. “Well, I can’t be positive, but I’ve never heard of a toe artist... have you?”
She thought about that for a minute. “No, not really.”
begonia9508: Looks like Michael’s doing well for his first time with the meet the parents ritual.
Lol, he might just deserve a tiny bit of sympathy.
Eva: Yes, they are! But Michael’s holding his own with them.
Natalie36: Yep, Jim will discover that Michael’s a good guy.
It won’t be too much longer before we get to Max and Liz.
mary mary: She never gives up! Michael’s doing his best.
sarammlover: Nah, he’s doing very well with his first foray into this territory. Cabin time is coming up very soon and then we’ll find out what happens with Max and Liz. Yep, he’s gonna hand over those keys, lol.
keepsmiling7: Thank goodness Michael knows how to grill... otherwise, who knows what might’ve happened, lol.
Alien_Friend: He’s holding his own with the DeLuca-Valenti family. They’re a crazy bunch, but a lot of fun.
Lyrallya: Thanks, we are glad you like Double Dare!
Part 29
Michael nodded in response to the question.
“You got any interest in a pro ball career?” Kyle asked, changing the subject without even thinking about it.
He had thought about it a while back, but with his current family situation, it didn’t seem possible. “Probably not. It’s just a game for me, not really a job.”
“Really? You play like you love it. Man, if I got the chance to play in the NFL I’d go.” He looked at Tess and their daughter and he smiled. “I don’t know. It’d be hard to be away from my family so much.”
Maria looked at Michael. She knew that it wasn’t probably that he didn’t want it, more that it wasn’t possible if he wanted to take care of his family. “How’s your shop going, Mom?” she asked to lead the conversation away from her boyfriend.
Jim smirked when his daughter effectively led the conversation away from her boyfriend. “Michael, I don’t know about you but I can think of at least a dozen things I’d rather talk about.”
“Dad,” Maria groaned. “Can’t we stop the Q&A for a while?”
“And what would you like for me to talk about? Because unless shopping means looking for new fishing gear or a new boat I have nothing to add to the current conversation.”
“I didn’t say anything about shopping. I asked Mom how her shop is running.”
“Oh, right.” He waved his right hand dismissively. “Carry on then. I’ll just eat my dinner.”
Maria leaned into Michael. “Sorry, normally they’re not so weird,” she said loud enough for her family to hear.
Kyle snorted at that. “Yeah, tell that lie again.”
Nayla got up on her knees and leaned on her elbows to study Michael.
“Don’t stare like that, sweetie,” Tess said and smiled at Michael. “She’s a bit curious once she gets over her shy act.”
The little girl looked down at her plate and snatched up a chip, her mouth pursed as she contemplated it. After a moment she looked at Michael and held it out to him.
“Uh-oh, she’s sharing her food already,” Maria teased.
“Is this a test?” he asked, holding his hand out, palm-side up. “Ben will do this but he doesn’t want you to really take it.”
The kid dropped the chip into Michael’s hand and grinned at him, making sounds only she would know the meaning of.
Michael smiled back at her. “Thanks,” he said, ignoring the ketchup coating his palm now.
“Ungh,” Maria made a face. “Ya know she likes to mess with food.”
Amy laughed. “She really does. The shop’s going just fine by the way,” she answered the earlier question and took the salad to serve it to everyone.
“Did you get the car you wanted for tomorrow?” Jim asked, chewing on his burger.
“Oh I don’t need one,” Maria glanced up and smiled at her boyfriend, “Michael said I could take his truck.”
Kyle made a choking sound. “I’m guessing you’ve never seen her drive.”
“There’s nothing wrong with the way I drive,” Maria protested.
“What kinda car do you drive, Michael?” Amy asked.
“He drives a Ram, Mom,” Kyle answered before his sister could speak up.
“Do I need to add extra insurance before you get behind the wheel?” Michael teased.
“Noooooo,” she looked at him. “I’m a good driver.”
“If I can trust her with everything else, the truck’s the least of my worries,” he said sincerely.
Amy smiled at Michael’s words while Kyle just groaned.
Tess kicked him under the table and smiled sweetly at him. “Did you say something, babe?”
Nayla giggled when her Daddy winced in reaction to the kick. “You think it’s funny when I get hurt, huh?” he teased and tickled the little girl.
She laughed loudly and slipped from her seat, running around the table to hide.
Michael grinned at the exasperated look on Tess’ face. “I can see why Isabel looks like she’s ready to strangle me when I play around with Ben at mealtime.”
“Ah, c’mon, babe,” Kyle tried. “She ate half of the hot dog and we both know she’s just gonna play with the rest of the food anyway.”
“I give up. When she’s 16 and she goes out on a date and has no table manners she can thank her daddy.” She tried not to laugh at her boyfriend’s expression but it was a wasted effort.
Maria turned when her niece hid behind her. “Hey, hey, kiddo, don’t touch me with your ketchup fingers,” she teased.
Nayla shifted to the side and looked up at Michael when she bumped into him. “Hey there,” he said with a smile.
She stared up at him with big eyes for several seconds before holding her messy hands out to him.
“You gonna let me pick you up?” he asked. He chuckled and lifted her up, settling her in his lap and using his napkin to wipe her hands.
Maria watched him with her niece and smiled at the impressed look’s passing around the table. He was really good with kids, something most people wouldn’t think if they hadn’t seen him.
Nayla made herself right at home in his lap, taking a chip from his plate and munching on it as she leaned back against his chest. “You guys have a great kid,” he said with a glance at the couple.
“Seems like she likes you,” Tess stated with a grin.
“I would say she doesn’t know any better but I’d probably get smacked by this one over here,” he said with a nod at Maria.
*****
They sat there for almost an hour and talked while they ate, drank and laughed over a few jokes from Jim and Kyle. Nayla was still sitting in Michael’s lap, being unusually calm in his arms.
“Ya know, I think I just found the perfect babysitting couple for us, Kyle,” Tess said, pointing at Maria and Michael.
“Jeez, I don’t know,” Michael said with a grin. “That means doing things that’re just no fun, like going to the park. And who wants to do something like that?” he asked the little girl.
Nayla stared up at him, confused. “I?” She pointed at herself.
He laughed and nodded. “You, sweetheart.” He glanced at her parents. “We installed a swing set over at my sister’s place.” He shook his head. “You would not believe what a nightmare that was to put together.”
Amy watched the man closely. Somehow he seemed pretty involved with kids. Was that just because of his little brother?
“Did Isabel help you put it together?” Maria asked, trying to picture it.
He snorted. “Yeah, she helped alright. She read the instructions and handed me tools.”
“Probably the wrong ones,” Kyle said, amused.
“Hey,” Tess gave him a slight slap on the back of his head before she stood up. “Alright, Miss Snuggle, it’s time for your bath and then we’re gonna say nighty-night.”
“Nooo,” the little girl whined and clung tightly to Michael.
“And this is the part of the evening when she’s gonna show her little butt,” Kyle said as he set his beer down. “Miss Nayla, I’d suggest you go with Mommy.”
“Nooo.”
“Would you rather have a spanking?”
She shook her head and stared down at her hands. “No nigh-nigh, Da-da,” she said quietly.
“Michael, you should prepare for one mad little girl,” Tess said, amused. She knew her daughter could throw a real fit when she didn’t want to go to bed yet.
“Funny how quick they can go from sweet and innocent to little bears, isn’t it?” He picked Nayla up so she was standing on his thighs. “You’re not gonna be a little bear, are you?” He tickled her, making her laugh before he met her gaze and smiled at her.
“I’m gonna take the food inside.” Amy stood up while Tess took her distracted daughter out of Michael’s arms.
“Think you’ll survive a few minutes without me so I can help Mom?” Maria asked quietly.
“Sure, go ahead.” He paused. “Unless you want me to give you a hand?”
“No, it’s okay, you can stay here.” She leaned in to brush a kiss against his lips.
“Okay.” He gave her thigh a gentle squeeze before she stood. “I’ll stay here and talk sports or something.”
Maria snorted and took a few plates before she walked after Amy and Tess into the house. She heard Nayla crying and smiled to herself. Definitely not happy about bedtime.
Michael leaned forward, his weight braced on his forearms. “How long have you and Tess been together?”
“About three years now.”
He nodded. “You guys have a great family.” He smiled. “I’ll bet that little girl of yours keeps you busy though.”
“You get used to it in time.”
“Yeah, you do,” he agreed.
“You seem to know a lot about the topic,” Jim said, trying to figure out what this boy of Maria’s was hiding.
“About kids?”
The older man nodded and took a sip of his drink.
“My two-year-old brother stays with me pretty regularly.”
“Are your parents busy a lot?” he asked further.
And the inquisition begins. “Busy? No sir, not busy. My mom died year before last and my dad’s been having trouble dealing with it. My older sister has custody of Ben and I help out as much as I can.”
Jim and Kyle’s faces dropped at Michael’s confession. “I’m sorry to hear that, boy. Must be tough.” Damn, Jim thought, he knew the name Guerin was familiar and now he knew why. After Nayla was born they’d decided to add onto the house to have more space whenever Kyle and his family stayed over. Henry Guerin had been the architect, but he had suddenly disappeared and he remembered being told that his family had been involved in a bad accident.
“Some days are harder than others, but we just get through it a day at a time.”
“Hey, if your brother’s same age as Nayla then you should bring him next time,” Kyle said.
“He’s two,” he said with a smile. “And he’s a handful when he wants to be. He’d like coming with me next time, thanks.”
Meanwhile Maria was putting the plates in the dishwasher and humming to herself.
Amy smiled at her daughter’s behavior. She really seemed to be happy. “Michael seems to be very nice.”
“He is,” Maria said with a smile.
“He also seems very adult for his age I have to say. He’s about your age right?"
“Yeah. He has a lot of responsibility for his family.”
Amy walked over to the counter and took something from it, returning to Maria and placing the keys for the cabin in her hand. “If a boy lends you his car, it’s gotta mean something,” she winked.
“Darling,” Jim leaned back to glance thought the kitchen window. “Dear, can you please bring the whiskey with you next time you step outside?”
Amy rolled her eyes. “The male bonding ritual begins.” She smiled at her husband. “I’ll be right there.” She looked at her daughter and winked. “Looks like your guy passed the test.”
Maria smiled, relieved. “Thank God.”
“Were you worried that we wouldn’t like him?”
“Well, Michael can be a bit difficult now and then,” she looked out the window and smiled, “you just have to know him a bit and it makes sense though.”
“That’s true of any man worth knowing.”
*****
Michael followed Maria outside the next morning, squinting against the sunlight breaking through the trees that lined the street. She was remarkably alert considering how little sleep they’d gotten the night before. “You’re sure you can handle it? The Ram’s a big truck.”
She rolled her eyes and made a grab for the keys he was dangling in front of her nose, grinning triumphantly when his sleep-deprived reflexes were slow enough for her to take possession of them. “Thank you,” she said and stretched up on her tiptoes to kiss him. “And don’t worry I won’t let anything happen to your truck.”
He snorted and wrapped his arms around her. “Not worried about the truck, crazy girl. Just be careful and gimme a call when you guys get to the cabin so I know you got there safely.”
“Okay.” She tipped her head back to look at him. “You’ve got the directions someplace safe, right?”
“On the fridge door, right next to a map. We’ll see you guys around dinnertime tonight.”
She snorted. “Want me to drive you home first?”
“Nah, I’m gonna walk over to the coffee shop and call Evans, drag his ass outta bed.”
“Okay,” she leaned against him. “Guess I’ll see you tonight then.”
“Count on it. And don’t worry about Evans... he wants this to work out, so he’ll be presentable.”
“I’d better hurry. We’re already late and Liz is probably waiting for me.”
“Yeah,” he laughed, “Evans might be all depressed and moody, but she’s pissy, so you might not wanna keep her waitin’.”
“Gonna kiss me goodbye?”
“No.” He grinned at her confused look. “I’ll kiss you and tell you I’ll see ya later. Don’t think I’m ever gonna tell you goodbye.”
“Persnickety much?” she laughed.
“Maybe...” He reminded himself to look that one up later. He leaned in for a kiss, lingering over it since it would be hours before they saw each other again.
She wrapped her arms around his upper body and snuggled against him for a moment. “See you tonight, Michael, and you two drive safe.”
“We will.” He held onto the door as she stepped up and waited for her to secure the seatbelt before he closed the door and stepped back. Good grief she looked tiny up there!
Maria turned the engine on, wiggling her eyebrows at him when it growled low.
“God help us,” he muttered under his breath.
She laughed at his expression when she slowly drove down the street. One last time she looked back and waved at him before adding pressure to the gas pedal and leaving with squealing tires.
He shook his head and smiled. Hell on wheels, that one, he thought as he grabbed his phone and punched in Max’ number. Maria had to deal with a pissy friend but at least his friend was in a better frame of mind now that he had a chance to get his girl back.
Maria drove the short way to Liz’s dorm, smiling when she saw her friend already in front of the building with her bag. She grinned at her friend’s stunned face when she recognized the car.
“How on earth did you get the keys from him?” she asked, familiar with Michael’s rant that no one, much less a girl, would ever drive his truck. She had heard it enough over the past few weeks. “What’d you do, drug him?”
“Nope, he gave it up willingly,” she said, helping her friend put her bag into the backseat.
“Uh-huh... what’d you have to do to get your hands on his keys?” She waggled her eyebrows playfully.
Maria laughed. “Nothing I wouldn’t have done without the keys anyway.”
She laughed. “Enough said.”
“He deserved some special treatment. He was brave with my family last night.”
“You took him to meet your parents?”
“Yeah, it was kinda spontaneous.” Maria drove along the streets, enjoying the looks they got just because of the truck.
“So things must’ve gone well.”
“Yeah, Jim brought the whiskey out. It’s like a bonding ritual in our family so he’s been officially accepted.”
“And Nayla? How was she with him?”
“Like they knew each other for her whole life,” Maria chuckled. “He’s very good with kids for obvious reasons.”
“How’re you gonna survive without Mr. Perfect for the next couple of days?”
Maria bit her lip. If only she knew... “The things I do for you.”
Liz snorted. “I’m sure when you see him you’ll make up for every minute you’re apart.”
“I really can’t imagine my life without him now anymore. It’s weird.”
“I’m glad that it worked out for you, Maria.”
She noted the sad tone in her friend’s voice. “It could still work out for you too, Liz.”
“I think I’ll just get a dog.”
Maria had to giggle at her friend’s dry answer. “Shut up.”
“I’m just saying... a dog would never disappoint me. Or lie to my face.”
“Well, yeah, but he could pee in your dorm room.”
Liz giggled. “Okay, I suppose that’s one thing Max wouldn’t have done.”
“See?” Maria reached the highway quickly and grinned when she was finally able to drive faster.
“I have a feeling we’re gonna make it to the cabin in record time.”
“Ya think?”
“What I think is you’re power trippin’ over there, speed demon.”
“Can’t help it. I love big and fast cars. Blame Kyle.”
“There are many things we can blame on your brother.” Too bad Max wasn’t one of them.
“Yeah, this scar for example,” Maria pointed at her temple.
“Remind me again?” She was sure it had to do with something that moved fast... dirtbike, skateboard, jetski, water skiing, snowboarding, skiing, skydiving... if it was adventurous her brother was into it.
"Jetski.”
“Uh-huh, and he doesn’t even have to talk you into these things. Like, not ever.”
“Well...” Maria grinned.
“Yeah, deep subject.”
“What can I say? I love adventures.”
“Obviously. You like speed too,” she said with a roll of her eyes.
“Sue me.”
Liz snorted. She couldn’t really talk about anyone’s driving. She couldn’t parallel park to save her life, which didn’t make any sense to her and she tended to have a heavy foot, which was why she didn’t currently drive anywhere. Having your drivers’ license suspended kinda took all the fun out of it.
“So whatcha wanna do up there today?”
“Mope around and feel sorry for myself?”
“Ah, c’mon, Liz.”
“Got any other suggestions?”
“We could go down to the lake or something.”
“Yeah, we could do that.” She turned as much as the seatbelt would allow. “Yeah, let’s do that. For the next 48 hours I’m not gonna let Max Evans take up a single moment of my time.”
Or not, Maria thought, really hoping Liz would forgive her.
“What about dinner? Should we go to that little restaurant or maybe just grill something?”
“Mom already made arrangements for the refrigerator to be filled with stuff for dinner, so I guess we can have a mini barbecue.”
“Cool.” She shifted around, running one hand over the soft leather seat. “Your boyfriend has great taste in vehicles.”
“Definitely.” It was still new to her that people were calling him YOUR boyfriend... And it was Michael Guerin.
“This thing probably has all those fancy dual controls so one side can have cool air and the other hot. Oh, I’ll bet it’s got those heated seats too!”
“Not that we’d ever need them.”
“That is not the point, Maria. You don’t need to be going almost 20 miles over the speed limit either, but you are.”
“You can’t compare the two things,” Maria denied.
Liz laughed and kicked her shoes off, lifting her legs up to rest her feet on the dashboard. “No, maybe not.”
“Good that Michael can’t see that.”
“My feet are clean and I’m not gonna leave little footprints all over his windshield.”
“Thank you, because he won’t give me his truck a second time otherwise.”
Liz snorted and grinned impishly as she pressed her big toe against the windshield.
“Hey,” Maria smacked her leg.
“Good grief, Maria... I have 48 hours before this thing has to be turned back over to him.” She pressed a few more toe prints to the windshield and smiled. “Look, it’s a happy face.”
The other girl burst out with laughter. “You’re crazy.”
“I know, but who cares?” It felt good to laugh.
“You should add some hair.”
Liz brought her other foot up and brushed her toes against the windshield around the top of the happy face. “Whatcha think?”
“Looks like a punk.”
“I can do art with my toes... who knew?”
“You should rethink your major.”
“Hmm... that’s a possibility. Can you picture my parents’ faces? Dad, Mom, after careful consideration I’ve decided to drop my major because I’ve found my true calling. I’m gonna be the world’s first toe artist.”
“You sure you’re gonna be the first?” Maria giggled.
Liz rolled her head along the seat to look at her. “Well, I can’t be positive, but I’ve never heard of a toe artist... have you?”
She thought about that for a minute. “No, not really.”
Fics: A Xmas Story - A Merry Mt. R. Xmas - Cupid's Revenge - Double Trouble - Double Date - Double Dare - Double Empire - Double Xmas Wish - In The Course Of A Lifetime - Mountains So High - Not A Question At All - Surrender - TIC TAC - Two Double Dates at Xmas
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Double Trouble
- Obsessed Roswellian
- Posts: 925
- Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 9:47 am
Part 30
Natalie36: They’re bound to start with a bang, lol.
begonia9508: Thanks!
Michael handled the meet-and-greet with the family very well.
Kids just instinctively know how great he is.
Earth2Mama: We’ll see... the guys will be arriving at the cabin in this part.
Eva: Look out!
Alien_Friend: As long as she can keep her mind off of a certain guy she can enjoy herself.
Thanks for the compliment! We love Michael with kids... he just has a natural talent with them.
sarammlover: The Candy couple is doing so well together! Cabin scene coming right up!
keepsmiling7: Thanks for reading!
mary mary: So much closer! Michael did great and Nayla was the perfect icebreaker, lol.
Part 30
Max jumped lanes on the busy freeway, cutting around other vehicles to get to the lane he wanted. Honking horns, people flipping him off, none of it seemed to register as he zipped in and out of traffic. Sitting in the passengers’ seat, Michael paid little attention to his buddy’s driving as he messed around with the stereo. Max was one of the few people he trusted implicitly and that extended to his abilities behind the wheel.
“She’s gonna be pissed at the two of you for setting her up like this,” Max said as he finally settled into one lane.
Michael snorted. “Uh, no, she’s gonna be pissed at you. Once she sees you’re there she’ll forget all about us. Which works well since the two of you need to fix things between you.” He located an obnoxious radio station and leaned back against his seat as they carried on a conversation, voices raised to be heard over the music.
“I hope the cabin’s roomy ‘cause otherwise you’re gonna spend the next couple of days listenin’ to Liz scream every obscenity she can come up with.” He shook his head. “You might not believe it but that girl’s got a set of lungs on her and when she’s got somethin’ to say she has no problem lettin’ loose. At least where I’m concerned.”
He shrugged, unconcerned. “Hell, she’ll be yellin’ at you, not me.”
“There’s no way I can fix what I fucked up.”
“So stop tryin’ to fix it.” He pulled his baseball cap lower over his sunglass-covered eyes. “Maria says she’s sure Liz can get past this if you can just get her to listen and give you a chance.”
“You know, I love how you make it sound so simple.” He reached for his drink in the console and unscrewed the cap.
“It is simple. At least in theory.”
“Theory,” Max scoffed. “That’s helpful, Michael, thank you.”
“Hell, what do you want me to say?”
“I don’t know.” He took a drink before putting the top back on and putting the bottle back in the holder. “I should’ve just put it out there the night she told me about their dare. Idiot,” he muttered, mentally kicking himself.
“Well, you were planning to say sayonara to our dare the next day, so make her believe it.”
“Hell, I’d already tossed that thing out the window. Talkin’ to you was just a formality.” He ran a hand over his face as he jumped lanes again.
“Maybe we just need to lock the two of you in a room together.”
Max chuckled. “Might not be a bad idea. I’m tellin’ you, that girl’s got a temper and I seem to be able to unleash it.”
“Doesn’t have to be a bad thing,” Michael turned his head to grin at his friend,
“So says the voice of experience.” He shook his head and laughed as he pushed his sunglasses up higher.
“We should take the next exit,” Michael pointed at a traffic sign.
Max threw his signal on out of habit more than anything else and zipped across the lanes, hitting the exit and pulling his foot back off of the accelerator.
“Guess we need to go left,” Michael leaned forward to read the next sign at the intersection.
“How much longer before we get there?” he asked when he saw a McDonalds on the other side of the exit.
“Probably only about 15 minutes.”
He shot another glance over at the fast food restaurant again. “What’re the chances I’ll get to eat dinner before she lays into me?”
“Uh... Zero?”
“That’s what I thought.” He looped under the overpass and pulled into the drive-thru to order a Double Cheeseburger. “You want anything?”
“Big Mac, extra sauce,” Michael said and shrugged when Max gave him a look. “What?”
“Don’t get the sauce all over the seat again,” he said before turning and placing the order.
“This from the guy who puked on my interior last summer.”
“At least I hadn’t just eaten a Big Mac with extra special sauce.” He pulled around to the window and handed his card over, shoving it in his wallet when the cashier handed it back to him.
“Right, the pizza was so much better.”
“Okay, I guess projectile pepperoni was worse than special sauce on my interior.” He reached for the sack the woman was holding out to him. “Uh, can I get extra napkins please? Like a lot.”
“Yeah, he drools a lot,” Michael said, leaning to the side to smirk at the woman.
“Thanks,” Max said with a smile, ignoring the woman’s disgusted look. “And thank you too, Michael. You’re lucky I wasn’t plannin’ to hit on her.”
The other man laughed and slouched back down in his seat.
He grinned and pulled his cheeseburger out of the bag, unwrapping it as he pulled out to the exit and made the turn to head in their original direction. “Okay, lead the way, navigator.”
“Right,” Michael mumbled with his mouth full at he pointed at another sign.
“You know, the only reason I didn’t tell her was because I didn’t wanna hurt her.” He made the turn and took another bite, feeling his stomach rumble gratefully. “I mean, I thought sure I’d talk to you and it’d never come out. There was no reason for her to know about it ‘cause hell, it never meant anything.”
“I wasn’t planning to tell Maria either... It just... happened.”
“Yeah.” He shrugged. “Well, if we can get past this we should be able to handle anything else that comes our way.” He polished off the cheeseburger and the washed it down with a drink of his soda.
“Right,” Michael told him at the last second.
“Hold on.” He made the turn, swinging wide and cutting into the other lane that was thankfully unoccupied.
“Sorry, full mouth,” Michael swallowed the last bite down.
Max shrugged and cursed under his breath when he hit a pothole the size of a small country. “Hell, let’s blow out a tire while we’re at it.”
“Hope my truck’s still in one piece,” Michael mused.
“I still can’t believe you handed your keys over,” he chuckled. “Whipped much?”
“Shut up,” he shoved his friend.
“Handed over the keys,” he snorted. “Hell, I doubt you had much of a chance to say no.”
“It’s just a car after all...”
“I’m glad I didn’t have anything in my mouth ‘cause I’m sure I would’ve just choked on it.”
Michael smiled while he looked out of the window. “Left,” he told his friend.
“Jeez, it’s a good thing we left early. We’d never find this place in the dark.”
“We’re almost there.”
“That’s good, I’m already lost.”
“Because you have no sense of navigation, Evans.”
“Don’t give me grief just ‘cause you’re like a human compass.” He rolled his eyes. He knew they could leave in two days without a map and without Maria offering a single direction and Michael would find his way back to the highway with no problem.
Michael snorted and pulled his sunglasses down when he noticed a few cabins. “Should be the one in the middle.”
“Oh, great... neighbors we can keep up all night.”
“Fun,” he nodded when they neared the driveway and he saw the Ram parked next to it.
Max rolled his eyes when he saw the way Michael was looking over his precious truck. “Looks like it’s in one piece.”
“Uh-huh,” he sighed, relieved.
He pulled up behind the Ram and parked, pulling his keys out of the ignition and swallowing hard as he looked at the front of the cabin. “I feel like I’m about to face a firing squad.”
“Let me check on Maria first,” Michael said and pulled his cell out.
“Okay.” Max drummed his fingertips on the steering wheel as he waited impatiently.
Michael dialed his girlfriend’s number, waiting for her to pick up.
Liz rolled her eyes and motioned for Maria to answer when her phone started to ring. “Go on, you’re gonna be miserable if you miss his call.” She started to get up. “I can – “
“No!” Maria said and jumped up. “No, Liz, don’t let me run you off. Stay out here on the deck and enjoy the view... I’ll take the call inside and be right back.”
“Yeah, right,” Liz said with a snort. She reached for her drink and took another sip, enjoying the bite of the margarita.
Maria hurried inside, flipping her phone open and bringing it up to her ear. “Hey, sexy man, what took you so long?”
“Long? I think we made pretty good time.”
“Feels like it’s been days.” She walked through the cabin, skirting around the large fireplace built at the center of the large living room.
“We’re right out front. Glad to see my truck’s still alive.”
She snorted. “There’s just that one scratch on the other side, but that totally wasn’t my fault.”
“What???”
“Michael, I promise it’s not that big.” She bit her tongue to keep from laughing as she looked out through the window in the door to watch him nearly fall out of the jeep in his hurry to check on his truck.
“You’re kidding, right?” he asked when he didn’t see anything.
“It’s really small. Practically non-existent.” She opened the door and stepped out on the porch, waving at Max when he looked away from Michael to shake his head at her.
He bent down to wipe his finger over the black paint. Just dirt...
“Ya really think I’d put a scratch, dent, or even a ding in your truck?” Maria teased as she leaned on the hood to look down at him.
He looked up at her and shook his head, pushing his cell back into his jeans. “Begging for a spanking, Miss Deluca?”
“Think you’re man enough?” she teased, her eyebrows lifting playfully.
“If that’s a real question I think I should just go back home now.”
She grinned and shook her head. “How about I answer that one differently?” She furrowed her brow thoughtfully. “Let’s see... you wanted to know if I was just begging for a spanking, right?”
“Uh-huh.”
She leaned over a little more, presenting him with a view of her breasts. She grinned at him. Guys were sooo easy! She shifted slightly, working her lower body around the truck and striking a pose that brought her ass into view. “Spank me, big boy,” she said, her voice intentionally breathless.
He immediately hardened at that. Hell, she was gonna be his end. “Sure as hell not in front of Evans.”
“Yeah, please not in front of Evans,” Max said from the other side of the truck.
Maria laughed and walked over to her boyfriend, wrapping het arms around his upper body.
He groaned. “You have any idea how unfair that was?”
“Noooo,” she said innocently.
“You know.” He kissed her. “Oughta spank you for that anyway,” he growled against her lips.
Max coughed to get their attention and rolled his eyes when they kept kissing. “Sick.”
Liz walked through the cabin when several minutes passed and Maria hadn’t returned. She pushed the front door open and rolled her eyes when she saw the couple. “Should’ve known,” she muttered under her breath. She was just about to go back inside when she saw the Jeep and she started grinding her back teeth together. She looked around for the asshole owner even as she thought that Maria wouldn’t do that to her. Not only would she do that, she realized when her searching gaze landed on him, but that’s exactly what she had done.
Max ran up to the porch when she grabbed the door, her intention to go inside and ignore him obvious. “Damn it,” he muttered as he wrapped his hand around the edge of the as she slammed it. “Hey, that fucking hurt!” He jerked the door open and followed her inside. “You might as well talk to me.”
“No,” she yelled and whirled around. “What made you think I would talk to you? Just because you come up here doesn’t mean anything. Take your stupid car and leave.”
“God, you can be infuriating when you wanna be!” he yelled as he followed her. “Why can’t you get it through your thick head that I never meant to hurt you?!”
“I don’t care,” she said stubbornly, walking behind the counter in the kitchen to put space between them.
“If you didn’t care you wouldn’t be this pissed at me.”
“Please keep your oh-so-wise speeches to yourself Evans,” she turned when the other couple went through the kitchen quietly to make their way to the backyard. She glared at her best friend when she looked at her a bit worried.
“Let’s just get this out so we can – “
“Tempting,” she admitted. “But I think I need to talk to Maria first.”
Damn, she had a sharp tongue when she was mad. He tried to rein his own temper in because he knew a lot of her anger was coming from being hurt. “Why don’t you just say what you’ve gotta say. Just get it out so we can talk about this mess.”
“Are you dumb or what? There is NOTHING I wanna tell you, okay? Other than maybe fuck you and get the hell outta here.”
“At least I wasn’t using you to get an ex back,” he snapped.
“At least I told you all the truth when it became more for me,” she yelled back at him, tempted to throw something at him.
He winced. “If I’d told you it would’ve hurt you and I was trying to avoid that. Maybe it was stupid, maybe I should’ve told you, so sue me!”
“I just want to be left alone,” she spit out, walking around the counter when he got closer.
“You’re willing to throw what we could have out the window just so you can stay pissed at me?”
“We had nothing but a lie, Max,” she said coldly.
“Bullshit!” he snapped. “What would you have done if I’d told you about the dare that night?”
“We’ll never know.” She crossed her arms over her chest when he came close again, but her way was blocked by the counter, which ended at the wall.
“C’mon, Liz, we can get past this,” he said as he edged even closer. “I swear to you, the dare wasn’t even on my mind that night.”
“Yeah, I don’t doubt that,” she snorted. He hadn’t had anything but sex on his mind that night, she’d bet money on it. Her whole body winced when he touched her crossed arms.
“How can you say that? Liz, that night meant everything to me.”
She wanted to believe him, but her inner voice was telling her no. “Max…”
He sighed and shook his head. “Believe what you want. I’m not gonna beg.”
“No?” She lifted her eyebrows. “Well, it looks a lot like begging to me.”
“You act like you’re the only injured party here. I may not have spilled my guts about that stupid dare but you knew exactly what you were getting when you came after me. It wasn’t just sex that night. I earned the reputation I’ve got and I’m not proud of all of it but I’d never use any girl to brush up on my skills so I could get an ex back.”
“Oh, come on, as if anyone would believe you’re hurt from being used for sex.”
“Under normal circumstances, no, but this wasn’t normal circumstances. You know that!”
“I don’t,” she said stubbornly and took a step to the side, determined to get away from him.
“Bullshit!” he yelled. “If this had just been about sex you can bet your sweet little ass we would’ve had sex that night on the island because we both know you wouldn’t have said no!”
“You’re so sure of yourself,” she laughed bitterly and poked a finger into his chest. “Suffering from hubris, Evans?”
He grabbed her hand to stop the incessant poking. “Tell me you would’ve said no,” he challenged as he moved closer, crowding her.
“Of course I would’ve said no,” she told him, but it didn’t sound very convincing.
He shook his head at the obvious lie. “Say no now,” he growled, his lips less than a breath away.
Her gaze locked on his lips. Gosh, he was so close, it was killing her. “Back off, Max,” she whispered, knowing this couldn’t be taken serious in any way.
He smirked. “Your mouth says no but your body says hell yes.”
“That’s just in your imagination,” she told him quietly.
“You are so full of shit,” he whispered as his hands gripped her hips and hauled her even closer.
Liz shot a glance through the large glass doors that led to the back of the house. The other couple was gone, probably down on the water. “What’re you doing?”
He stared into her eyes for a moment, searching for just a hint of understanding and not finding it. “Make me believe this means nothing to you,” he rasped as he kissed her roughly.
It took all of her strength to not moan into his mouth. This was wrong, she knew it! Her mind was screaming it, but her body wasn’t listening.
Max knew this wouldn’t solve anything but at that moment he didn’t care. All that mattered was being with her, they could sort the rest out later. Maybe she’d be in a more receptive frame of mind afterwards.
She didn’t move while they kissed. Her body was stiff as a board and she feared if she moved she would just lose all of her strength.
Max could feel her resistance, she was broadcasting it loud and clear. He was desperate to make her see what they would be losing if they didn’t fight for this though. He gentled the kiss as his arms slid around her waist.
Damn him! she thought. Why couldn’t he just be an ass? It would be so much easier to send him away if he was. She felt his hand touching the bare skin at her side when the top she wore rode up from his movement.
C’mon, he thought, just give in. His hand ghosted over her skin, his touch light but insistent.
Maybe I could give in just this one time, she thought. What would it hurt anyway? She had already slept with him and made a fool of herself. It wasn’t possible that she could get any more hurt than she already was. His hands were just too good to resist.
He felt her soften against him, just enough to let him know she was as into this as he was. Unfortunately he had never been to the cabin so he had no idea where her room was and he was afraid that she’d change her mind if he asked. Instead, he focused on her, hoping she’d drag him off in the right direction before long. The fingers of his right hand toyed with the clasp of her bra, running his thumb over the skin beneath.
Okay, fuck it, she thought and threw the last bit of doubt overboard. One of her arms came around his neck while she leaned against the counter. She lifted one of her legs, raising her foot to rest on the drawer handle in the cupboard to bring him closer to her body.
He made a growling sound low in his throat and the hand that wasn’t occupied dropped down to wrap around her thigh. He wanted to be as close to her as possible, needed it in a way he had never needed anything else.
The smile that escaped her lips was dedicated to his reaction to her. Damn, she didn’t want to show him that much of her but somehow she couldn’t control it.
He felt her smile and he lifted his head so that he could look at her. His eyes traced over her features for a moment before he repeated the action with his fingers. He swallowed hard as he met her gaze, almost afraid of what he would see there.
She stared right back at him, unable to form a sentence or create a thought in her mind that made sense.
“Wanna take this someplace more private?” he asked quietly, afraid to speak too loudly and shatter the momentary truce.
Tell him to go to hell, her mind screamed at her. “My room’s on the second floor.”
He took her hand and tugged her away from the counter. “Show me.”
She walked through the kitchen, leading them to the stairs and climbed them without looking back at him. God, what was she doing? Was the need in her body really THAT big?
Max followed her, his eyes taking in everything and seeing nothing but her. It was crazy how badly he needed her and how empty he felt when she wasn’t around.
“Not as impressive as the beach house your parents own but pretty nice,” she said, leaning in the doorframe to her room.
“Really couldn’t care less about which cabin’s nicer.” He moved closer to her, closing the distance between them. “The only thing that matters is you.”
For now she let herself believe that his words were true. It was just easier to not think about it anymore.
Max placed his hands on her hips and nudged her into the room so he could kick the door closed behind them. He could see the battle being waged inside of her. She wanted to trust her feelings, to believe what he was saying but she had been hurt once and she didn’t want to go through that again. “I never faked what I feel for you,” he said as he maneuvered her back towards the bed.
“Stop talking now,” she told him, placing a hand over his mouth.
He nodded, letting it go and hoping he could prove to her that what they could have was more important than that damn dare. He gave her a gentle push onto the bed, jerking his shirt off before lowering himself over her.
begonia9508: Thanks!
Michael handled the meet-and-greet with the family very well.
Kids just instinctively know how great he is.
Earth2Mama: We’ll see... the guys will be arriving at the cabin in this part.
Eva: Look out!
Alien_Friend: As long as she can keep her mind off of a certain guy she can enjoy herself.
Thanks for the compliment! We love Michael with kids... he just has a natural talent with them.
sarammlover: The Candy couple is doing so well together! Cabin scene coming right up!
keepsmiling7: Thanks for reading!
mary mary: So much closer! Michael did great and Nayla was the perfect icebreaker, lol.
Part 30
Max jumped lanes on the busy freeway, cutting around other vehicles to get to the lane he wanted. Honking horns, people flipping him off, none of it seemed to register as he zipped in and out of traffic. Sitting in the passengers’ seat, Michael paid little attention to his buddy’s driving as he messed around with the stereo. Max was one of the few people he trusted implicitly and that extended to his abilities behind the wheel.
“She’s gonna be pissed at the two of you for setting her up like this,” Max said as he finally settled into one lane.
Michael snorted. “Uh, no, she’s gonna be pissed at you. Once she sees you’re there she’ll forget all about us. Which works well since the two of you need to fix things between you.” He located an obnoxious radio station and leaned back against his seat as they carried on a conversation, voices raised to be heard over the music.
“I hope the cabin’s roomy ‘cause otherwise you’re gonna spend the next couple of days listenin’ to Liz scream every obscenity she can come up with.” He shook his head. “You might not believe it but that girl’s got a set of lungs on her and when she’s got somethin’ to say she has no problem lettin’ loose. At least where I’m concerned.”
He shrugged, unconcerned. “Hell, she’ll be yellin’ at you, not me.”
“There’s no way I can fix what I fucked up.”
“So stop tryin’ to fix it.” He pulled his baseball cap lower over his sunglass-covered eyes. “Maria says she’s sure Liz can get past this if you can just get her to listen and give you a chance.”
“You know, I love how you make it sound so simple.” He reached for his drink in the console and unscrewed the cap.
“It is simple. At least in theory.”
“Theory,” Max scoffed. “That’s helpful, Michael, thank you.”
“Hell, what do you want me to say?”
“I don’t know.” He took a drink before putting the top back on and putting the bottle back in the holder. “I should’ve just put it out there the night she told me about their dare. Idiot,” he muttered, mentally kicking himself.
“Well, you were planning to say sayonara to our dare the next day, so make her believe it.”
“Hell, I’d already tossed that thing out the window. Talkin’ to you was just a formality.” He ran a hand over his face as he jumped lanes again.
“Maybe we just need to lock the two of you in a room together.”
Max chuckled. “Might not be a bad idea. I’m tellin’ you, that girl’s got a temper and I seem to be able to unleash it.”
“Doesn’t have to be a bad thing,” Michael turned his head to grin at his friend,
“So says the voice of experience.” He shook his head and laughed as he pushed his sunglasses up higher.
“We should take the next exit,” Michael pointed at a traffic sign.
Max threw his signal on out of habit more than anything else and zipped across the lanes, hitting the exit and pulling his foot back off of the accelerator.
“Guess we need to go left,” Michael leaned forward to read the next sign at the intersection.
“How much longer before we get there?” he asked when he saw a McDonalds on the other side of the exit.
“Probably only about 15 minutes.”
He shot another glance over at the fast food restaurant again. “What’re the chances I’ll get to eat dinner before she lays into me?”
“Uh... Zero?”
“That’s what I thought.” He looped under the overpass and pulled into the drive-thru to order a Double Cheeseburger. “You want anything?”
“Big Mac, extra sauce,” Michael said and shrugged when Max gave him a look. “What?”
“Don’t get the sauce all over the seat again,” he said before turning and placing the order.
“This from the guy who puked on my interior last summer.”
“At least I hadn’t just eaten a Big Mac with extra special sauce.” He pulled around to the window and handed his card over, shoving it in his wallet when the cashier handed it back to him.
“Right, the pizza was so much better.”
“Okay, I guess projectile pepperoni was worse than special sauce on my interior.” He reached for the sack the woman was holding out to him. “Uh, can I get extra napkins please? Like a lot.”
“Yeah, he drools a lot,” Michael said, leaning to the side to smirk at the woman.
“Thanks,” Max said with a smile, ignoring the woman’s disgusted look. “And thank you too, Michael. You’re lucky I wasn’t plannin’ to hit on her.”
The other man laughed and slouched back down in his seat.
He grinned and pulled his cheeseburger out of the bag, unwrapping it as he pulled out to the exit and made the turn to head in their original direction. “Okay, lead the way, navigator.”
“Right,” Michael mumbled with his mouth full at he pointed at another sign.
“You know, the only reason I didn’t tell her was because I didn’t wanna hurt her.” He made the turn and took another bite, feeling his stomach rumble gratefully. “I mean, I thought sure I’d talk to you and it’d never come out. There was no reason for her to know about it ‘cause hell, it never meant anything.”
“I wasn’t planning to tell Maria either... It just... happened.”
“Yeah.” He shrugged. “Well, if we can get past this we should be able to handle anything else that comes our way.” He polished off the cheeseburger and the washed it down with a drink of his soda.
“Right,” Michael told him at the last second.
“Hold on.” He made the turn, swinging wide and cutting into the other lane that was thankfully unoccupied.
“Sorry, full mouth,” Michael swallowed the last bite down.
Max shrugged and cursed under his breath when he hit a pothole the size of a small country. “Hell, let’s blow out a tire while we’re at it.”
“Hope my truck’s still in one piece,” Michael mused.
“I still can’t believe you handed your keys over,” he chuckled. “Whipped much?”
“Shut up,” he shoved his friend.
“Handed over the keys,” he snorted. “Hell, I doubt you had much of a chance to say no.”
“It’s just a car after all...”
“I’m glad I didn’t have anything in my mouth ‘cause I’m sure I would’ve just choked on it.”
Michael smiled while he looked out of the window. “Left,” he told his friend.
“Jeez, it’s a good thing we left early. We’d never find this place in the dark.”
“We’re almost there.”
“That’s good, I’m already lost.”
“Because you have no sense of navigation, Evans.”
“Don’t give me grief just ‘cause you’re like a human compass.” He rolled his eyes. He knew they could leave in two days without a map and without Maria offering a single direction and Michael would find his way back to the highway with no problem.
Michael snorted and pulled his sunglasses down when he noticed a few cabins. “Should be the one in the middle.”
“Oh, great... neighbors we can keep up all night.”
“Fun,” he nodded when they neared the driveway and he saw the Ram parked next to it.
Max rolled his eyes when he saw the way Michael was looking over his precious truck. “Looks like it’s in one piece.”
“Uh-huh,” he sighed, relieved.
He pulled up behind the Ram and parked, pulling his keys out of the ignition and swallowing hard as he looked at the front of the cabin. “I feel like I’m about to face a firing squad.”
“Let me check on Maria first,” Michael said and pulled his cell out.
“Okay.” Max drummed his fingertips on the steering wheel as he waited impatiently.
Michael dialed his girlfriend’s number, waiting for her to pick up.
Liz rolled her eyes and motioned for Maria to answer when her phone started to ring. “Go on, you’re gonna be miserable if you miss his call.” She started to get up. “I can – “
“No!” Maria said and jumped up. “No, Liz, don’t let me run you off. Stay out here on the deck and enjoy the view... I’ll take the call inside and be right back.”
“Yeah, right,” Liz said with a snort. She reached for her drink and took another sip, enjoying the bite of the margarita.
Maria hurried inside, flipping her phone open and bringing it up to her ear. “Hey, sexy man, what took you so long?”
“Long? I think we made pretty good time.”
“Feels like it’s been days.” She walked through the cabin, skirting around the large fireplace built at the center of the large living room.
“We’re right out front. Glad to see my truck’s still alive.”
She snorted. “There’s just that one scratch on the other side, but that totally wasn’t my fault.”
“What???”
“Michael, I promise it’s not that big.” She bit her tongue to keep from laughing as she looked out through the window in the door to watch him nearly fall out of the jeep in his hurry to check on his truck.
“You’re kidding, right?” he asked when he didn’t see anything.
“It’s really small. Practically non-existent.” She opened the door and stepped out on the porch, waving at Max when he looked away from Michael to shake his head at her.
He bent down to wipe his finger over the black paint. Just dirt...
“Ya really think I’d put a scratch, dent, or even a ding in your truck?” Maria teased as she leaned on the hood to look down at him.
He looked up at her and shook his head, pushing his cell back into his jeans. “Begging for a spanking, Miss Deluca?”
“Think you’re man enough?” she teased, her eyebrows lifting playfully.
“If that’s a real question I think I should just go back home now.”
She grinned and shook her head. “How about I answer that one differently?” She furrowed her brow thoughtfully. “Let’s see... you wanted to know if I was just begging for a spanking, right?”
“Uh-huh.”
She leaned over a little more, presenting him with a view of her breasts. She grinned at him. Guys were sooo easy! She shifted slightly, working her lower body around the truck and striking a pose that brought her ass into view. “Spank me, big boy,” she said, her voice intentionally breathless.
He immediately hardened at that. Hell, she was gonna be his end. “Sure as hell not in front of Evans.”
“Yeah, please not in front of Evans,” Max said from the other side of the truck.
Maria laughed and walked over to her boyfriend, wrapping het arms around his upper body.
He groaned. “You have any idea how unfair that was?”
“Noooo,” she said innocently.
“You know.” He kissed her. “Oughta spank you for that anyway,” he growled against her lips.
Max coughed to get their attention and rolled his eyes when they kept kissing. “Sick.”
Liz walked through the cabin when several minutes passed and Maria hadn’t returned. She pushed the front door open and rolled her eyes when she saw the couple. “Should’ve known,” she muttered under her breath. She was just about to go back inside when she saw the Jeep and she started grinding her back teeth together. She looked around for the asshole owner even as she thought that Maria wouldn’t do that to her. Not only would she do that, she realized when her searching gaze landed on him, but that’s exactly what she had done.
Max ran up to the porch when she grabbed the door, her intention to go inside and ignore him obvious. “Damn it,” he muttered as he wrapped his hand around the edge of the as she slammed it. “Hey, that fucking hurt!” He jerked the door open and followed her inside. “You might as well talk to me.”
“No,” she yelled and whirled around. “What made you think I would talk to you? Just because you come up here doesn’t mean anything. Take your stupid car and leave.”
“God, you can be infuriating when you wanna be!” he yelled as he followed her. “Why can’t you get it through your thick head that I never meant to hurt you?!”
“I don’t care,” she said stubbornly, walking behind the counter in the kitchen to put space between them.
“If you didn’t care you wouldn’t be this pissed at me.”
“Please keep your oh-so-wise speeches to yourself Evans,” she turned when the other couple went through the kitchen quietly to make their way to the backyard. She glared at her best friend when she looked at her a bit worried.
“Let’s just get this out so we can – “
“Tempting,” she admitted. “But I think I need to talk to Maria first.”
Damn, she had a sharp tongue when she was mad. He tried to rein his own temper in because he knew a lot of her anger was coming from being hurt. “Why don’t you just say what you’ve gotta say. Just get it out so we can talk about this mess.”
“Are you dumb or what? There is NOTHING I wanna tell you, okay? Other than maybe fuck you and get the hell outta here.”
“At least I wasn’t using you to get an ex back,” he snapped.
“At least I told you all the truth when it became more for me,” she yelled back at him, tempted to throw something at him.
He winced. “If I’d told you it would’ve hurt you and I was trying to avoid that. Maybe it was stupid, maybe I should’ve told you, so sue me!”
“I just want to be left alone,” she spit out, walking around the counter when he got closer.
“You’re willing to throw what we could have out the window just so you can stay pissed at me?”
“We had nothing but a lie, Max,” she said coldly.
“Bullshit!” he snapped. “What would you have done if I’d told you about the dare that night?”
“We’ll never know.” She crossed her arms over her chest when he came close again, but her way was blocked by the counter, which ended at the wall.
“C’mon, Liz, we can get past this,” he said as he edged even closer. “I swear to you, the dare wasn’t even on my mind that night.”
“Yeah, I don’t doubt that,” she snorted. He hadn’t had anything but sex on his mind that night, she’d bet money on it. Her whole body winced when he touched her crossed arms.
“How can you say that? Liz, that night meant everything to me.”
She wanted to believe him, but her inner voice was telling her no. “Max…”
He sighed and shook his head. “Believe what you want. I’m not gonna beg.”
“No?” She lifted her eyebrows. “Well, it looks a lot like begging to me.”
“You act like you’re the only injured party here. I may not have spilled my guts about that stupid dare but you knew exactly what you were getting when you came after me. It wasn’t just sex that night. I earned the reputation I’ve got and I’m not proud of all of it but I’d never use any girl to brush up on my skills so I could get an ex back.”
“Oh, come on, as if anyone would believe you’re hurt from being used for sex.”
“Under normal circumstances, no, but this wasn’t normal circumstances. You know that!”
“I don’t,” she said stubbornly and took a step to the side, determined to get away from him.
“Bullshit!” he yelled. “If this had just been about sex you can bet your sweet little ass we would’ve had sex that night on the island because we both know you wouldn’t have said no!”
“You’re so sure of yourself,” she laughed bitterly and poked a finger into his chest. “Suffering from hubris, Evans?”
He grabbed her hand to stop the incessant poking. “Tell me you would’ve said no,” he challenged as he moved closer, crowding her.
“Of course I would’ve said no,” she told him, but it didn’t sound very convincing.
He shook his head at the obvious lie. “Say no now,” he growled, his lips less than a breath away.
Her gaze locked on his lips. Gosh, he was so close, it was killing her. “Back off, Max,” she whispered, knowing this couldn’t be taken serious in any way.
He smirked. “Your mouth says no but your body says hell yes.”
“That’s just in your imagination,” she told him quietly.
“You are so full of shit,” he whispered as his hands gripped her hips and hauled her even closer.
Liz shot a glance through the large glass doors that led to the back of the house. The other couple was gone, probably down on the water. “What’re you doing?”
He stared into her eyes for a moment, searching for just a hint of understanding and not finding it. “Make me believe this means nothing to you,” he rasped as he kissed her roughly.
It took all of her strength to not moan into his mouth. This was wrong, she knew it! Her mind was screaming it, but her body wasn’t listening.
Max knew this wouldn’t solve anything but at that moment he didn’t care. All that mattered was being with her, they could sort the rest out later. Maybe she’d be in a more receptive frame of mind afterwards.
She didn’t move while they kissed. Her body was stiff as a board and she feared if she moved she would just lose all of her strength.
Max could feel her resistance, she was broadcasting it loud and clear. He was desperate to make her see what they would be losing if they didn’t fight for this though. He gentled the kiss as his arms slid around her waist.
Damn him! she thought. Why couldn’t he just be an ass? It would be so much easier to send him away if he was. She felt his hand touching the bare skin at her side when the top she wore rode up from his movement.
C’mon, he thought, just give in. His hand ghosted over her skin, his touch light but insistent.
Maybe I could give in just this one time, she thought. What would it hurt anyway? She had already slept with him and made a fool of herself. It wasn’t possible that she could get any more hurt than she already was. His hands were just too good to resist.
He felt her soften against him, just enough to let him know she was as into this as he was. Unfortunately he had never been to the cabin so he had no idea where her room was and he was afraid that she’d change her mind if he asked. Instead, he focused on her, hoping she’d drag him off in the right direction before long. The fingers of his right hand toyed with the clasp of her bra, running his thumb over the skin beneath.
Okay, fuck it, she thought and threw the last bit of doubt overboard. One of her arms came around his neck while she leaned against the counter. She lifted one of her legs, raising her foot to rest on the drawer handle in the cupboard to bring him closer to her body.
He made a growling sound low in his throat and the hand that wasn’t occupied dropped down to wrap around her thigh. He wanted to be as close to her as possible, needed it in a way he had never needed anything else.
The smile that escaped her lips was dedicated to his reaction to her. Damn, she didn’t want to show him that much of her but somehow she couldn’t control it.
He felt her smile and he lifted his head so that he could look at her. His eyes traced over her features for a moment before he repeated the action with his fingers. He swallowed hard as he met her gaze, almost afraid of what he would see there.
She stared right back at him, unable to form a sentence or create a thought in her mind that made sense.
“Wanna take this someplace more private?” he asked quietly, afraid to speak too loudly and shatter the momentary truce.
Tell him to go to hell, her mind screamed at her. “My room’s on the second floor.”
He took her hand and tugged her away from the counter. “Show me.”
She walked through the kitchen, leading them to the stairs and climbed them without looking back at him. God, what was she doing? Was the need in her body really THAT big?
Max followed her, his eyes taking in everything and seeing nothing but her. It was crazy how badly he needed her and how empty he felt when she wasn’t around.
“Not as impressive as the beach house your parents own but pretty nice,” she said, leaning in the doorframe to her room.
“Really couldn’t care less about which cabin’s nicer.” He moved closer to her, closing the distance between them. “The only thing that matters is you.”
For now she let herself believe that his words were true. It was just easier to not think about it anymore.
Max placed his hands on her hips and nudged her into the room so he could kick the door closed behind them. He could see the battle being waged inside of her. She wanted to trust her feelings, to believe what he was saying but she had been hurt once and she didn’t want to go through that again. “I never faked what I feel for you,” he said as he maneuvered her back towards the bed.
“Stop talking now,” she told him, placing a hand over his mouth.
He nodded, letting it go and hoping he could prove to her that what they could have was more important than that damn dare. He gave her a gentle push onto the bed, jerking his shirt off before lowering himself over her.
Fics: A Xmas Story - A Merry Mt. R. Xmas - Cupid's Revenge - Double Trouble - Double Date - Double Dare - Double Empire - Double Xmas Wish - In The Course Of A Lifetime - Mountains So High - Not A Question At All - Surrender - TIC TAC - Two Double Dates at Xmas