Turn It On

Chapter Twelve

Maxine watched Ryan storm down the deck, thankful to see him head that direction instead of back to his car and away from her. His words cut deep, causing an aching hurt in her soul, but she didn’t want him leaving before they got a chance to deal with this mess. She slipped into the house with a heavy heart.

He’d been in her life for only a short time, but everything else in their relationship pointed to his depth of character. There was no one he expected more of than himself. She constantly found him taking care of more than she expected simply because he thought it was the right thing to do.

He’d retired from the service for Carl’s sake.

Now she kicked herself for overreacting. Oh, she was still mad as hell he hadn’t told her about Carl, but her responses over the past weeks to her family issues made his reaction far more understandable.

While he made sure she felt comfortable and cared for, he hadn’t asked for anything in return. She wiped away her tears and paced the hallway with nervous energy. Why couldn’t he understand this meant she finally had something she could provide, something she could help with? After all the things he’d taught her, about standing up for herself, about moving forward with her life, now there was something she could teach him. It didn’t mean they were committed for life, just that Carl would have another person to rely on. She was more than capable of being a big-sister figure. With the size of her extended family she was always on call. Yeah, she complained about it, but caring for family was what she had always done, what she’d been taught to do. It was a part of what made her who she was.

Fighting for balance was a good thing, but she didn’t want to be rid of her family.

She wasn’t sure how long she walked, trying to figure out the correct response when movement on the porch caught her attention. Ryan stood outside her living room window, his forehead resting against the glass. He lifted a hand and splayed it against the pane, a pleading expression in his eyes. Her breath caught in her throat and she moved toward him.

He mouthed the words “I’m sorry”.

Maxine refused to let the tears come. Lifting her own hand, she matched fingers to his on the opposite side of the glass. They stood for a long time, staring into each other’s eyes, before he smiled wryly. “Can I come in?”

She licked her lips and nodded. When he joined her there was no hesitation. He scooped her up and hugged her tightly, squeezing away the hurt clinging to her soul. He smelled like a fall breeze, fresh and sensually masculine. She shifted in his arms, slightly embarrassed at the scent of her own perspiration. She’d been in such a hurry to reach Carl she still wore her sweaty running clothes.

He leaned back and brushed her cheek with the back of his knuckles. “I really am sorry. I was wrong. I should have told you. We’ll figure out some way to keep Carl happy and not lock you into any commitments.”

She laid a hand over his mouth. “Stop it. Just stop, don’t try to solve the whole problem right now. I know about your brother. I’m glad. We’ll deal with the rest one day at a time. But there’s one thing—you told me before not to keep secrets that hurt. Feeling like you’re all alone with no one to help you hurts. You need to trust me more. I don’t know where this relationship between us is going, but we’ve got to be friends first. You don’t always have to be in control. Okay?”

Ryan kissed her fingers and she trembled. His arms were still wrapped around her and the warmth of his body melted into hers. She laid her head on his chest and listened to the beat of his heart. When he reached up to caress her back she closed her eyes.

“Do you still feel like going out tonight?” he asked quietly.

She shook her head. “Not really. I don’t think I’d be great company.”

He loosened the clip holding her hair and pulled the curls over her shoulder. As he stroked and petted her, tension drained away and a new sensation start to rise, one of longing and desire. Ryan turned her on faster than anyone she’d ever met.

“Hop in the bathtub with some bubbles. I’ll make a quiet dinner for the two of us.” He lifted her chin until their eyes met. “If I’m welcome to stay.”

Maxine stood on tiptoes to brush her lips against his. His flavor lit a fire inside and another shaky breath released, bringing her closer to being at peace. “Please stay.”

She stepped back slowly, watching him carefully. His dark eyes sparkled at her but tension still crinkled the corners. He appeared tired and much older than usual. She brushed a hand down the side of his face and leaned closer to kiss him again, wanting to wipe the worry away. He cupped her face in both hands and kissed back, lingering, brushing his lips and tongue gently with hers. Light and sweet and reassuring. They pulled apart at the same time and finally a small smile hovered on his lips.

“Go, take your time. Dinner will be ready when you are.”

Ryan waited until he heard the water stop running before raiding the fridge and concocting a simple supper of soup and sandwiches. It gave him plenty of time to consider the rashness of his earlier actions, and way too much time to think about what Maxine would look like in the tub, nipples playing peek-a-boo through a layer of scented bubbles.

He’d suspected keeping Carl’s existence a secret would hurt. He’d tried to bring up the topic but there never seemed to be an appropriate time. And now this was the result. He was thankful Max was so forgiving. He’d acted like an ass.

She still didn’t understand. She couldn’t have, or there was no way she would have agreed so quickly to getting involved with Carl.

Hell, he still wasn’t sure what he really felt for the boy. Responsible—that emotion was more than clear. He hated to see Carl’s pain-filled eyes, hated to see the confusion and the emotional upset that came from what would be a simple misunderstanding for another child. Carl’s existence had come as a shocking surprise and was a constant reminder of their joint father’s undisciplined lifestyle. Exactly the behavior Ryan strived to avoid.

An hour passed as he sipped the wine he’d found in the pantry and waited for Maxine to join him. Finally, curiosity got the better of him, and he ascended the stairs and went to find her.

Twilight shone in the windows of the master bedroom, shades of silver and grey falling across the bed where Maxine lay, tangled in the duvet. He approached slowly to make sure he didn’t frighten her, but she was fast asleep. He sat on the edge of the bed and watched her for a long time, her breasts rising and falling peacefully, bare skin open to his gaze where the quilt had slipped from her grasp.

She was beautiful. Everything about her made him hard and needy, but her compassion and caring touched him in places he had never imagined. Maybe it was possible to dream of forever with this woman. Right now she deserved to be cherished for the heart of gold she shared at every turn.

Reaching out carefully, Ryan tugged back the covers an inch at a time, his cock rising in anticipation as more of her warm flesh became exposed to his hungry eyes. Gentle as a whisper, he smoothed a hand up her thigh, the feel of satiny skin making his mouth water and his heart rate increase. He sat back and stripped off his clothing before joining Maxine on the bed.

She rolled toward him, all sleepy and warm, nestling into his arms like she belonged there. Their mouths met briefly before he brushed a line of kisses across her cheek. A low hum of arousal rose from deep in her throat to stoke his already primed nerves. Slow down. He needed to move slow and easy, but the urge to consume her grew with every moment.

Maxine lifted her hands and caressed his torso, her eyes still shut and a mischievous hint of a smile teasing the corners of her mouth. “What a wonderful dream. There’s a Greek god in my bed.”

“Goddess. You’re a goddess.”

“Hmmm, we’re both crazy, you know that?” She stretched lazily, her body arching against his fleetingly, and he sucked in a quick breath.

Slow. Keep it slow.

Ryan kissed a path down her throat, murmuring encouragement as she writhed under his caresses. “Goddess,” he repeated. “I’m going to worship you.”

Then there were no more words, just sensation. Just touch. The dimming light of the sky cast lengthening shadows over their bodies, the wind rattling the windowpane. Their lips joined, tongues entwined. Ryan stroked his fingers over her breasts, priming the tips to taut peaks, cupping the tender flesh in his palms and circling again and again until she thrust her chest up, asking for more. His mouth followed the path of his fingers, covering the tender mounds with licks and nips and gentle sucking that had Maxine panting for breath.

He slipped between her legs, the need to taste her impossible to ignore any longer. One hand opened her curls, the other soothed her hip and held her in place as he kissed her intimately, his tongue sliding over her labia and circling the sensitive swell of her clit. Teasing, licking, he savored the unique scent and flavor of her cream as her body responded to his caress. Taking the time to slowly lap the entire length of her slit, he dropped his hand and dipped a finger into her depths. Scooping the moisture he found there, he slid it lower to carefully brush the tight rosette hidden between her cheeks.

Maxine protested, gently wiggling her hips away from his seeking hand. He answered by slipping his tongue deep into her core again, alternating between thrusting through the sensitive tissue and then sucking the nub of sensitive flesh at the apex of her mound. Again he circled her anus, and this time she accepted his touch and he smiled. She readily explored new territory with him.

And it was new. The thought of taking her virgin ass thrilled him, but he’d save that adventure for another day. Now was about Maxine, and her pleasure, although the moans and panting emitting from her lovely throat made his day as well.

He turned his full attention on her, rubbing and suckling, pumping two fingers into her sheath and curving against the front wall of her passage to stroke the delicate tissue there.

“Ryan! Oh my word.” Maxine opened her legs wider, pressing her crotch against his face, her fingers buried in his hair to clutch him close. There was no way he planned on stopping, not with the rush of liquid from her body easing his fingers, mixing her sweet flavor into an aphrodisiac of the finest caliber. Under his continued ministrations she climaxed, her body squeezing his hand, a throaty cry leaving her lips and urging him to rise up and capture one rosy nipple in his teeth. He gave just the briefest bite, a slip of pain, before soothing it, but she leapt under him, her whole body jerking in response.

“Please, I need you now.” Maxine pulled at his shoulders, urging him over her body, reaching to guide his rigid cock.

As he pressed in for the first time without any barrier between them, the sensation was enough to make him groan aloud with pleasure. “So fucking good. You feel like heaven.” He dropped his head on her shoulder for a moment, savoring the sweet, tight heat squeezing his cock. She lifted her legs and he settled deeper and they both responded with moans.

“You feel amazing inside me,” Maxine whispered. “It feels so right.” He stared into her face as he withdrew slowly, until the tip of his erection clung to her heat. Then he thrust his hips forward and watched her eyes close and a satisfied smile cross her face. “Yes! Again,” she demanded.

He chuckled. “Yes, ma’am.”

Long stroke followed long stroke, the slow withdrawal teasing his nerve endings as he dragged out of her tight passage. Each forward thrust tapped the end of his cock into her cervix, and it was enough to start his ears ringing. It felt so overwhelmingly fabulous he fought to maintain tempo. He wasn’t going to last much longer in this position.

So he swung them around, placing Maxine in the driver’s seat. She sat up and he slid even deeper and she gasped.

“Oh, my.”

“Set the pace, sweetheart.” He clasped her hips, lifting and lowering her, showing the range of motion. She took over, strong thighs flexing as she set a smooth pace designed to torment him. Slow enough she controlled the movement, fast enough his cock felt gripped in a hot hand, stroking and massaging him to the breaking point.

He cupped her breasts, tweaking the pouting nipples to hard points, twisting gently until Maxine’s breathing deteriorated to ragged panting. Then he dropped his hand and found her clit, priming her for combustion.

“More, oh please, a little more,” she begged, and he thrust with his hips, increasing their speed, pressing hard on her clit. With a cry she threw back her head, and the forceful squeeze of her climax exploding ripped a response from him, tore his seed from his cock to spurt into her pulsing depths. Maxine collapsed onto him, heart pounding, body shaking with tremors. He held her close, still buried in her heat, his shaft jerking in response to her convulsing channel.

She sucked in a deep breath and let it out in a slow exhale. Pressing her hands to his chest, she leaned back to sit on his cock, wiggled her hips and smiled. “I like this position.”

He brushed her cheek with his palm, sliding intimately down the length of her torso to finish cradling her hips in his hands. “I could tell. I like it too.” She flushed red and he chuckled. “What are you thinking to make you blush?”

“Not going to tell you.” He tickled her gently and she squirmed away with a smile. “No fair, no torturing answers from your victim.”

“Hmm, victim. I could have some fun with that idea.” She swatted him on the arm and he tackled her to the mattress, rolling together until they were both laughing and giggling like children. Then he kissed her soundly, nestled her in his arms and held her close.

She sighed contently. “You’re a marvelous lover.” Her stomach growled and they both laughed.

“It’s not my fault we didn’t have supper. Really, this time it’s yours,” Ryan explained seriously, as they rolled off the bed to find their clothes.

Maxine smiled at him from across the room. “I believe you, but I do need food. Have to keep my strength up.”

“Hmmm, any reason why?” he teased, raking her body with his gaze.

She raised her brows at him. “Insatiable, that’s what you are.”

Ryan shot his hand in the air. “Guilty.” He paced over to hold her close and drop a kiss on her uplifted lips. “As far as you’re concerned, I can never get enough.”