The Gamble by Kristen Ashley
It was Max sharing his beautiful bluff and having his picture taken with me, a picture where he did, indeed, look happy. And so did I.
It was Max teaching Damon a lesson after Damon hit me.
It was him taking care of Mindy, talking to Bitsy for the police, on his back under his Mom’s sink because she needed it fixed.
It was Max hearing me tell Sarah I liked her earrings and going to buy them for me and, after finding out I’d already bought them, bringing home the ring.
It was his voice when he spoke of Charlie, as if he respected him and he’d never even met him.
It was because he had my back with my Dad, found my Mom amusing and got along with Steve.
It was because we fought all the time and he was right, I enjoyed it. It was challenging, he made me think, kept me on my toes. He wasn’t boring, staid and predictable. He didn’t let me walk all over him. He was honest and if something was on his mind he shared it even if it would anger me or he was calling me out on one of my many neuroses.
It was also because Max seemed not only to have patience with my many neuroses but most of the time he thought they were cute.
It was because he knew how I took my coffee, he held my hand, he kissed my forehead and he draped his arm along the back of the booth when we were sitting together.
It was Max telling Mindy she was loved; she just didn’t get how much.
It was because he was a good kisser and better in bed.
It was because he held me when we slept, like right then, his arm under my body, wrapped around me, holding me to his side as if, even in sleep, he had no intention of ever letting me go.
Even with all that, I knew I would never be the love of Max’s life. I knew someplace deep he’d already had that and in that deep place it also hurt knowing I’d never be that for him. If it worked out with us, I wouldn’t ever be the love of anyone’s life. But that wasn’t what bothered me. It was that I wouldn’t be that person for Max. Especially Max.
But I also knew it had taken him ten years to find someone he’d like to explore sharing his life with again. And he’d made it clear that someone was me.
So I would never be what Mom was to Steve.
But being Max’s second chance at something good was better than anything else I’d ever experienced. Nothing else even came close.
If I gave it a chance it would be settling, definitely.
But I decided, pressed to Max’s side, in his bed, in his A-Frame in the Colorado Mountains, after living the craziest week of my life and going through what we went through yesterday and still waking feeling rested and safe, I could settle for that.
Sweetheart, you’re selling yourself short, Charlie warned in my head.
Go away, I replied and shifted up, my decision made which might be stupid, insane and irrational, but I no longer had it in me to care. I put my mouth to Max’s amazing chest and I trailed it down to his nipple. Once there, I flicked it with my tongue.
Max’s fingers slid in my hair and I heard a drowsy-husky-gravelly, “Honey.”
I’d forgotten about that so I added it to my list. It was also the fact that Max called me “honey”, “baby”, “darlin’” and “babe”.
Not to mention his gravelly voice.
I didn’t lift my head when I heard him speak, just moved over him, straddling his body and adding my hands to my discovery.
I took my time and Max let me. Over to his other nipple where I played then down where I ran the tip of my tongue along the ridges of his belly. All the while my fingers moved along the contours of his chest, his sides then down to his hips.
I moved down too, my body and my mouth. He opened his legs for me and I positioned myself between them, curling small, I wrapped my hand around his hard shaft and swirled the silky tip with my tongue.
“Fuck, baby,” Max groaned, his fingers sliding back into my hair and fisting.
Encouraged, I swirled and swirled and swirled then opened my mouth over him and sucked him inside, as much as I could take and I liked every inch I could get.
Max’s fist twisted in my hair and he growled, “Fuck.”
I was guessing he liked it too.
Taking him deep, I decided I liked more than the taste of him, the feel of him in my mouth. I liked knowing how much he liked it so I slid him out and sucked him back in again and again and again.
Max’s other hand went into my hair and suddenly, when I slid him out, his hips surged up, filling my mouth so full, I nearly took all of him. Then he pulled out and surged back in again and again and again.
It was Max taking over, as usual, Max being domineering and it was delicious.
So delicious, I felt the tightness and wet of excitement gathering between my legs and I moaned against his shaft.
When I did, he pulled out of my mouth, his hands left my hair, they went under my arms and I was yanked up and over him. I didn’t get the chance to process this quick change of circumstances, he knifed to sitting and then before I knew it my t-shirt was gone. Then he rolled me to my back on the bed and my underwear was gone. Then he somehow maneuvered me so I was straddling his face but was facing his hips.
“Wrap your mouth back around me, Duchess,” he growled from between my legs before I had time to come to terms with my position which under normal circumstances this early in a sexual relationship might be a little daunting. But I felt the vibration of his words between my legs and I liked it a lot, enough to forget to feel daunted.
I leaned down and did what I was told. The instant I did, Max’s hands went to my bottom, he pulled me down to his mouth, my knees slid out to the sides and he returned the favor and the very idea of daunted was history.
It was spectacular, so spectacular it took every bit of concentration to keep giving him what I knew he liked when he was giving me what I absolutely adored. He groaned against my sweet spot, I moaned against his cock. It was taking and it was giving and it was sublime.
I was close to climax, I knew it, I wanted it and I worked him faster because of it.
He lifted me up and half-rolled, half-tossed me to the side. Then he opened the nightstand drawer and grabbed a condom. Once he turned back to me, he wrapped a hand around my ankle and I gasped with surprise and excitement as he dragged me, spread-eagled between his knees in the bed.
I sat up as he pulled the condom out of its wrapper and tossed the packet aside.
“Hurry,” I whispered, my hands moving on his body as he began to roll it on.
“You’ll get my cock, baby, lie back,” Max’s voice was hoarse and his eyes were not on his task, they were on me.
I waited and dropped my head to watch his hand at work. He really was beautiful everywhere.
It had only been a second but I decided he was taking too long.
“Max, hurry.”
“Lie back, Duchess,” Max growled. “I wanna see you naked, spread on my bed.”
My gaze went from what his hand was doing to his face. I caught his beautiful but hungry gray eyes and I sucked in breath.
Normally I was uncertain how I felt about my body and didn’t give it much thought. Though I was certain I didn’t like flaunting it naked.
At that hungry look in Max’s eyes, I forgot I didn’t like flaunting.
So I whispered, “Okay,” and laid back.
He leaned into me, one hand in the bed, one hand wrapped around his shaft. Then he slid the tip though the wetness between my legs, all the while his eyes roamed my face and down my body.
“Come closer,” I urged.
“In a second.”
He kept sliding his cock against me, rolling it over my sweet spot and all around, making me tremble and shift with impatience, my hands going anywhere on his body I could reach.
“Come inside,” I begged, bending my knees and putting my feet in the bed to get closer to him while capturing his hips and giving them a tug.
“In a second, baby.”
“Now, Max.”
“I like that,”
He was right, so very right. I still wanted him inside.
The tip of his shaft rolled over my ultra-sensitized sweet spot again, the feel of it shot straight through me, it felt great but it wasn’t near enough and I lost patience.
“Max!”
I watched as he grinned slow and slid inside slower. My neck arched back.
Max’s body covered mine and his hips moved in a slow, sweet rhythm while he wrapped my good leg around his back and I wrapped my bad leg around his thigh.
His mouth came to mine but he didn’t kiss me, instead he murmured, “So sweet, Nina, Christ, you feel so fuckin’ sweet.”
One of my hands trailed his back, my fingernails grazing as the fingers of my other hand slid into his hair.
“I need you to go faster, darling,” I whispered against his mouth but he shook his head and pulled out, stilling with only the tip inside. “Max,” I breathed, wanting him back.
“You like my cock,” he stated somewhat arrogantly and after he did his teeth nipped my lower lip which felt wicked and sexy so I decided to forgive him for being arrogant.
“Yes,” I replied, “I like all of you but right now that’s my favorite part and I want it back.”
I was concentrating on what was happening between my legs so I missed Max’s body going tense.
Then he asked, “You like all of me?”
I was in such a state, I didn’t think before I replied, “Yes.”
He slid inside, my eyes slowly closed then he slid back out so I only felt the tip and my eyes slowly opened.
“Max.”
“What do you like best?”
My attention was elsewhere so I had to ask, “What?”
“What do you like best? About me.”
“Max.”
“You want it, Nina, you gotta –”
“You know how I take my coffee,” I said swiftly and when his body didn’t move, indeed, when he stared at me like I’d grown a second head, I desperately went on. “And you bought me buffalo burgers, you call me ‘honey’, you kiss my forehead, you took me to your bluff and the ring is beautiful and thoughtful and may be the best gift anyone’s ever given me, now, please –”
He didn’t let me finish, he drove inside and he kept doing it, not a slow, sweet rhythm this time, but fast, hard, rough with his mouth locked to mine and our tongues clashing.
My legs tightened and my fingernails stopped grazing and started digging as it built back up and then, without warning, overwhelmed me.
“You’re there, baby,” he muttered against my mouth and he was right, I was there, my lips parted in a silent moan and I heard him go on. “Christ, Nina, your pussy feels so fuckin’ beautiful when you come.”
“Max,” I whispered as the climax he gave me continued to engulf me.
“Right here, honey.” He kept driving deep, hard and fast but his breath was ragged.
My arms and legs locked around him because he was right there, as close as he could get and I wanted him there forever.
I came down, holding him close, kissing him deep as he kept thrusting until he planted himself to the root, stayed there and growled in my mouth.
Yes, I wanted this forever.
I kept Max locked in my limbs as he started drifting in and out of me, he kissed my mouth, my jaw, my neck then rolled to his back, taking me with him and keeping us connected.
His hands glided along the skin of my back, over my bottom, aimless and soothing and I lay on top of him, my face pressed into his neck. I gave him all my weight not because my recent decision weighed on me. No, that made me feel weirdly free. I gave it to him because I couldn’t hold it and I knew he was strong enough to take it.
I liked that about him too.
“Duchess?” he called.
“Mm…” I answered and his fingers tensed into my skin then they started gliding again.
“When you were sick, saw birth control pills in your bag.”
“Yes?”
“You on the pill?”
“Yes.”
His hands stopped gliding and his arms wrapped around me. “Next time, baby, don’t want anything between us. Yeah?”
I had missed two pills while I was sick so I doubled up for two days after. I had no idea if this strategy would work and I didn’t care. Max didn’t want anything between us, I didn’t either.
“Yes.”
His arms gave me a squeeze.
I raised my head and looked down at his content, amazingly handsome face that, if this worked between us, could be mine.
This thought washed over me in a way that was so gorgeous, so warm, I automatically lifted up further and put a hand to his face, using my fingertips to memorize the contours of one side, his cheekbone, his temple, his hairline, his lips. It didn’t feel as good as it looked but it was close.
I was sliding the backs of my fingers along his stubbled jaw when he spoke.
“You okay?”
My eyes went to his and I saw his were searching.
“Mm hmm,” I answered.
His mouth twitched and he muttered, “I got morning but naked Nina Zombie sittin’ on my cock.”
I shoved my face in his neck again.
“Mm,” was my response.
I felt his body move with silent laughter then he said, “I’m gonna shift you off me, darlin’. While I’m gone, you move from this bed, I’ll –”
“I won’t move,” I murmured my assurance.
He was silent a moment before his arms gave me a squeeze and he called my name. “Nina?”
“Yes?”
“You sure you’re okay?”
I nodded. “I’m good,” I cuddled closer, “very good.”
I felt his body grow still under mine then his arms got tighter.
“How good are you?”
I snuggled even closer and answered, “Max, I’m very, very good.”
He was silent again then his hand slid up my spine and sifted into my hair, cupping the back of my head and holding my face close.
“Thank, fuckin, Christ,” he muttered, keeping me close for awhile before he rolled me to my good side, pulling out at the same time. He got up on an elbow but leaned down, kissed my temple and then he left the bed.
I was curled on my side, parallel to the pillows and I crawled back under the sheets and curled again with a pillow held to me.
I watched Max walk out of the bathroom naked and I decided I liked that too.
He pulled the covers up a bit, yanked the pillow out of my arms, tossed it to the head then replaced it with his body.
This was much better.
He gathered me in his arms, sliding a thigh between my legs so I hooked one on his hip and pressed close, my hands at his chest.
“What happened?” he asked.
“What?” I asked back.
“You’re different,” he observed.
I was. And maybe he wouldn’t like me different. Maybe, when the thrill went out of the chase because there was no chase, he’d lose interest.
All my contentment vanished and I felt my body get stiff.
“Shit, there she goes,” he muttered.
I stuffed my face in his throat and lied in order to cover my sudden fear. “I just remembered what’s on this morning’s agenda.”
He was quiet a moment then his arms gave me a squeeze. “Fuck. Yeah. Jesus, I forgot all about that.”
I tipped my head back to look at him and he dipped his chin down to catch my eyes.
“Maybe we can go on the lam, head to Mexico,” I suggested.
He grinned at me but replied, “Nothin’s chasin’ me off my mountain, Duchess, not even your dick of a Dad.”
I sighed and then pressed my face in his throat again. “It was just an idea.”
Has fingers slid through my hair before he told me, “You say what you gotta say and then we’ll get the fuck outta there.”
I nodded. “Okay.” Then tipped my head back and noted, “Since what I have to say will take approximately five seconds, we should eat breakfast here. Do you know what time we’re supposed to be there?”
He rolled, taking me with him and twisting his head to look at the clock then he rolled us back into place and said, “Eight o’clock.”
I didn’t catch a glimpse at the time so I asked, “What time is it now?”
“Six thirty.”
I felt my eyes get wide and my body jerked. “Oh no! I have to start getting ready!”
I tried to pull out of his arms but this not only didn’t work, he rolled again, this time into me so he was mostly on me.
Then he shoved his face in my neck and announced, “They don’t get fancy Nina.”
Then I felt his tongue where his gravel-voiced words just sounded and goose bumps came up on my skin.
“Max, everyone gets fancy Nina,” I informed him, ignoring the goose bumps. “I am fancy Nina.”
His hands started moving on my body and his lips slid up to my ear. “They can get wet-haired, makeup free Nina.”
I gasped, not in shock at his words, in something else when his fingers curled around my breast.
“Max –”
His mouth came to mine. “Shut up, baby, and kiss me.”
“Max –”
His thumb swiped my nipple and he repeated his demand, “Kiss me.”
His thumb swiped back and I did what I was told.
* * * * *
“Nina, Jesus, babe, get a move on!” Max shouted from downstairs.
“Be right down!” I shouted back and I looked at myself in the mirror above the bathroom basin.
Getting ready, I noticed that bruises had risen around the scrapes on my leg and it ached in a dull way. That was the bad news.
But the good news was, no one could see that with my jeans on and the bruise on my cheekbone was mostly faded and light makeup covered it completely. This was good because I didn’t want Niles to see the bruise and jump to the same conclusions Dad did.
I grabbed my empty coffee mug which had been filled and brought up to me by Max. This was after Max had made love to me (again), slower this time and with nothing between us which, even for me, felt better. Then Max went downstairs, made coffee, came back, we had a shower (together again), he’d gone back downstairs, brought up two full mugs and shaved, wearing nothing but a pair of jeans while I stood at his side putting on my makeup. I found, although it was single basin sink, the counter was wide as was the mirror so dual occupancy was quite comfortable. Not to mention nice.