Kendall and I definitely have the disadvantage. The boys aren’t about to throw things at our parents, and our parents are more than happy to team up. Mom retreats to the kitchen, returning with the economy sized bag of rolls. The four of them anxiously grab for the fresh ammo and sling them at us. I stand from my chair, turning my back to them, and hear Kendall push her chair back as well. The food suddenly comes to an abrupt stop, and I hesitantly turn to glance over my shoulder to see Max and Jameson stand from the table, looking devious as all hell.
Kendall screams as they begin stalking toward us and I follow her as we begin backing up, trying to gauge their intentions.
“I’d run if I were you two,” Mom teases.
I glance to Kendall and then take off. I hear her clamor up the stairs, shrieking, as I tear around a couple of corners and dash downstairs with Max uncomfortably close behind me. Once I reach the basement, I turn to face him with the pool table between us. Even with my pulse racing and my breath coming in quick spurts, a giant smile is painted across my face.
“Truce!” I laugh, holding out my hands in surrender. “I waive the white flag.”
Max shakes his head and the mischievous grin on his face confirms this is far from over. I slowly edge myself to one side of the table, and Max shadows my every move, crouched like a cougar as his eyes remain fixed on me. We do this dance for a couple minutes before he makes a sudden lunge across the table, catching me completely off guard. He’s nearly able to get my arm as it takes me a second too long to react. I fall to the ground and crawl under the table and then sprint down the dark hallway, ducking into Jenny’s old bedroom. I stoop beside her old armoire and pull my knees to my chest as I try to control my breathing. My heart beats so fast and loud I can hear it in my ears making me nearly miss the quiet padding of Max’s feet. I watch through the tiniest crack between the armoire and the wall as he creeps into the room. I stop breathing in fear that he’ll hear me and watch him stand in the doorway for a long moment before retreating just as quietly.
Slowly, I stand up, straining to hear any sign as to where he might’ve gone. I quietly make my way to the hall and catch sight of him as he walks into Mindi’s old room. For a split second I contemplate trying to scare him, but the knowledge that success in doing so will guarantee me a trip into the swimming pool stops me.
I quietly turn, keeping my eyes on Mindi’s room, and run into a solid object. I whip my head around as Jameson yells, “Boo!” Then I hear Max’s approaching steps.
Jameson releases his hold around my waist as Max heaves me over his shoulder and takes me back into Mindi’s room. I catch sight of Jameson as we cross the threshold, grinning happily over his shoulder as he makes his way back to the stairs.
Max drops me in the middle of Mindi’s old bed and doesn’t hesitate before he begins ruthlessly tickling my sides. I giggle and squirm, pleading for him to stop. Eventually he pauses, hovering above me, his eyes level with mine. “You threw vegetables at me!” He moves his hands to rest on either side of my head. My heart beats so hard it’s difficult for me not to focus on it, until Max leans a little closer, and the scent of him invades my every thought.
I stare at his dark hair that looks so soft my fingers itch to run through it. Slowly my eyes drop to his and I find that he’s looking at me with a promise of something that awakens every nerve ending in my body. It’s so intense I have to look away. My focus drops instantly to his lips as his tongue slowly rolls out, wetting them, and stirs the rush of emotions that are running through me like lava, lighting every inch of my skin on fire. I divert my attention to his jaw, where the hint of a five o’clock shadow dares me to run my fingers across it and feel its sharp contrast. My eyes snap back to his, which are locked on my lips, and for the first time in my life, I don’t weigh the options or overanalyze anything. The tiny voice I hear in the back of my mind when I make decisions, even inebriated, is absent.
I grip Max’s face with both of my hands and eagerly crush my lips to his as my fingers continue around the back of his neck, holding him to me as they lace together. My lips burn with heat as my body automatically arches to feel his as I experience my first taste of Max; it’s consuming and blinding, and more fulfilling than I could have possibly imagined.
A small groan climbs from the back of Max’s throat as I catch his lower lip with my teeth, encouraging me as I gently tug on it before lightly swiping my tongue over the same spot. I feel his arms press down on either side of my head as he begins to pull back from me, and my eyes flash open as the fear that I’ve just crossed a line that he didn’t want me to grips me. Before I can finish processing the thought, Max’s eyes open. They’re warm and heavy with lust as they search mine. The right corner of his lip quirks up in a half smile, and he reaches a hand to the back of my head, pulling my mouth to his, and takes over. There’s a silent demand behind his kiss that I instantly surrender to.
Max stands up, not breaking our kiss, as his hands run down my sides and over my hips. He clutches the bottom of my thighs in his hands, urging me to wrap my legs around his waist which I do without a second thought. He lifts me easily, pressing my body against his. My fingers run through his hair and over his neck, and I wrap my arms around him. I feel the wall at my back as Max’s left hand cradles my face, and his tongue slowly slides across my upper lip, making me feel half crazed. The urge to feel every inch of Max against every inch of my body consumes me. I ball my hands into his shirt, working to pull myself closer. His chin dips and his lips glide along the side of my neck, tracing the same path with the tip of his nose, before tightening his grip on my thighs and fusing his mouth back to mine.
“Ace!” Kendall’s voice carries down the stairs, startling us both and interrupting the most intense kiss of my life. Max lets out a deep breath, gently dropping his forehead to mine. His chest rises against mine in fast bursts. I can still taste his breath lingering on my lips, and I can’t stop my tongue from sliding out to savor it. My lips feel smoother and hyper sensitive, feeling his every breath and storing them each to memory.
Max takes in a deep breath as I reluctantly unwrap my legs from around his waist. His hands slowly lower me to the hardwood floors.
“We’re doing this,” he says, still keeping my body pinned against the wall, his eyes boring into mine. “No more excuses, it’s our turn.” Max dips his face catching my lips once more with his in a desperate kiss that has me wondering if Max is talking about sex here, or something more.
“Ace!” Kendall calls again, causing Max to take a step back as he sucks in a labored breath. The irony is not lost on me that if Kendall knew what we were actually doing down here she’d likely be barricading the stairwell.
“We should go. I don’t want your parents to ban me from your house,” Max says, running a hand over his hair.
I take a breath, still not able to speak after that kiss, and nod.
“I’ll follow you,” he says, taking another step back and gesturing toward the doorway.
“Don’t trust my self-control?” I tease, running a hand through my hair to ensure that it doesn’t reflect what just occurred.
My entire body tingles as his fingers graze the top of my cheekbone. My eyes lock onto his and I watch them shine brightly in the dim glow of the room. His fingers trail down my face, stopping when he reaches my jaw. He gently holds my chin and firmly presses his thumb to the center of my bottom lip, like he knows it’s burning. His eyes blaze with excitement, and rather than feeling relief from the coolness the pad of his thumb offers, the contrast sends an exhilarating current through me. How can one simple touch be so intimate? I try to focus on breathing when I hear Kendall yell my name once again, this time sounding more agitated. I take a deep breath as Max takes another step away from me, his hand slipping from my face as his eyes stay focused on mine.