"Please do," he said, coming closer to her.
Her breasts heaved magnificently, he knew how much she wanted him to kiss her. Instead he reached around her for the bottle, filling both their glasses. She licked her lips, and his resistance slipped, she was too damn adorable. He leaned into her and kissed her gently, tasting the wine on her breath, she draped her arms around his neck, and sighed contentedly. "I know it's early days, but I do know we'll both have to make some kind of compromises if we want this to work. Give me some time to get used to all this. Please."
"All the time you need, Max. But kids are not something I can compromise on." He pulled back from her. "Tell you what, why not come and meet my sister tomorrow evening? You can say hello and meet my nieces, they're the best."
"I have zero experience with children. Maybe leave it for a few weeks."
"You'll be fine. I'd like you to meet them. Helen already knows I’m seeing someone, she helped me choose the flowers. They'll give me hell once I tell them we’ve been dating for months. Which I’ll have to. We need to keep our story straight, or it will be confusing. I’m going to have to tell them I’ve been keeping you a secret. They'll badger me incessantly until they meet you."
"So we are dating?"
"Of course. Oh, shall I ask you?" He held her hand and looked straight into her eyes, no smile on his face. "Maxine, will you go out with me?"
"Yes, Dan. I'd like that." Her giggle got swallowed up in the way he looked at her, and her expression turned solemn.
For a second he held her gaze, before putting on a quirky smile and asking, "Great. Now can we go to bed before Robin comes home?"
"Wow, we lasted all of about an hour before sex came up again."
"Oh, I've been up for at least half an hour."
She giggled nervously. "You remind me of Robin, she has the same kind of humour."
"Great, because otherwise I take some getting used to. Now, do you still have that condom?"
With that they headed for the bedroom. As they went inside Max said, "You know you're the first person to ever ask me out."
"Really." He kissed her, and ran his hands over her body. "I hope I'm also the last Max. I don't intend to ever make the mistake of losing you."
"I have a boyfriend," she kept repeating to herself like some kind of mantra as she walked out of her office. It helped to stem the rising panic of having to meet his sister tonight. She thought it was rushing things, but she didn't want to give him any more reason to be put off her. The whole conversation about children had spooked her. There was no way she was ready to settle down, get married and have a family, especially with a man she had only met a few days ago.
However, the alternative was unbearable, she wanted him in her life, and in her bed. She had never felt so alive, so much a woman.
"Goodnight, Shirley," she said, dropping some files off to her secretary.
"Night. Have a good evening."
"I will thank you, Shirley."
"Dan not picking you up tonight?" Shirley asked.
Max tried to act naturally, was there any kind of rumour going around about Dan's visit last night? "No, we're going over to his sister's tonight, so he's picking me up at home later." Not that it's any of your business she wanted to add.
"Lovely flowers he brought you yesterday. We all hoped you hadn't had a fallout or anything. You left the dinner so early." Phil’s voice, behind her, made her jump. He was the last person she wanted to see.
She took a breath, deciding to play the vamp card. "You know how it is. We wanted to be alone." She made sure he understood the insinuation in her voice.
“There’s certainly that new love spark between you two. That's why I was wondering if I misunderstood how, long you had been together with Dan."
"No. We work at keeping that spark alive." Damn, she had forgotten how long she had told Phil they had been together, so she would have to bluff her way through this awkward conversation. "We're both so busy, there's plenty of times we don't get to see each other. So when we do, we like to make up for it."
"Oh, yes. Because he works in construction, doesn't he?" Phil asked, innocently, but she knew him well enough, he was fishing for information.
"Yes, that's right." Max had a feeling she was being pushed in a direction she didn’t want to go. What was Phil’s problem?
"You must let me have his business card. I have some work that needs doing, and I like to make sure I can trust people that work for me. So I thought, why not use Max's boyfriend."
"That's very kind of you, Phil. I'll certainly pass it on, but I think he's very busy right now."
"I had a chat with him yesterday, and I thought he might do it as a favour for a friend."
“You did?” He hadn’t mentioned it, and now Max had no idea how to get out of this, the more she objected, the more it would seem as though she had something to hide. Bluffing was the only thing she could do, later she would come up with an excuse, or send Dan around to apologise. If he'd go. Dating Max would soon become a headache if Phil kept bothering him. If only she had met Dan under different circumstances. But she couldn't change what had happened.
Instead she replied, "Sure, Phil. I'll talk to him about it."
"Thanks Max." Phil smirked, she was sure of it. Did he know something she didn't? There was no way he had the full story, but maybe someone had recognised Dan, and told Phil they had lied about his job. Why couldn't things go smoothly, just for once?
As Max walked down to her car, she hoped it wasn't an omen for the rest of the evening. Meeting his sister, and her kids. This might end up being a day she would rather forget.
***
"Are you ready?" Dan asked, he had called her on her cell. "I'm running a bit late but will be there in about ten minutes. That OK?"
"Sure. Don’t worry." She didn't like to tell him how much she wasn't looking forward to this.
"Be there soon." He hung up.
"Take your time," she said quietly to herself. But not quietly enough.
"Don’t tell me there's trouble in paradise already?" Robin walked in and set her bags down, flopping into a chair.
"You look terrible."
"Thank you, it's been a busy day, and last night turned out to be exhausting." Robin did not look her usual bright self.
"Oh. Going to share the details?" Max asked.
"Don't get your hopes up. Not your kind of exhausting."
"Did you find out who your mystery guy was?"
"No. It turned out he had invited a group of people out for the evening, so I got to mingle, not a word in private. But I'm hoping to fix that tomorrow, I've invited him over for dinner. So if you could be somewhere else, like Dan's place, that would be brilliant." She frowned. "Or if there really is trouble in paradise, I can change my plans."
"No. I'm going to meet his sister, and her kids tonight, and I’m worried they won’t like me."
"Oh, so that's why you're dressed for a visit to a farm."
"Excuse me?" Max looked down at her jeans and t-shirt, she didn't do casual clothes, and this was the best she could muster.
"Go and put on that soft blue wool sweater, and your black pants, you can look casually smart, first impressions, you know. How old are the kids?" she asked, following a petulant Max in to her bedroom.
"I have no idea."
"Have you bought them a gift?"
"No. Am I supposed to?"
"First impressions,” Robin repeated. “Adults look at the outside, kids look at the inside... of a gift."
"I never knew you were so world wise."
"That's because you've never taken notice of the outside world before. On the way over to their house, ask Dan if he can suggest anything, and stop at a store."
Max sighed, having changed out of her jeans and into the outfit Robin had suggested, she decided she really was not prepared for any of this. Her boring old life seemed much more comfortable. Then Dan knocked on the door, and her heart skipped happily along, telling her there was no way her old life was preferable.
"I will see you later," she told Robin. "Thank you for the advice."
"You're welcome. And have fun.” She fixed Max with a firm look. “Families can be fun you know."
"But what do I know about families Robin?"
Robin pushed her towards the front door. "You are about to have a crash course."
Max opened the front door. "Hi Dan."
"Hi. You look great."
"Doesn't she?" Robin called from down the hallway. "Hi Dan."
"Hi Robin. Good day?"
"Yes thank you." She poked her head back around the door. "By the way, in case Max forgets to say, she's having a sleepover at your house tomorrow night."
Dan looked at Max, who shook her head and said, "I'll explain on the way."
She put a jacket on, and followed Dan out. They got to her car when he grabbed her hand and pulled her round into his arms. "I don't think we've said hello properly yet."
His lips met hers, and she relaxed into him, the strain of the day melting away. His lips moved against hers, and she longed to ask him to take her to bed, instead of his sisters house. Since when had she become such a coward.
"Let's go get this over with." She reluctantly parted from him.
"OK. But I thought I'd drive this evening."
"Oh, OK. Which is your car?"
"It's the truck, over there." He pointed to a big old truck, and she had to smile, anything else would have been too small. He was not the family hatch back type, at least not yet.
"I like it. Not exactly what you see in the city though."
"I spend a lot of my weekends away from the city. I share a cabin with a couple of the guys from the station. I'm hoping to show it to you soon."
"You are one surprise after another. First a family man, then a hill billy."
"I like to be interesting." He opened the truck door and helped her in. "And I also like the idea of getting away from everything and getting to know you. I'm sorry I railroaded you into meeting my family. It's stupid, but I want to show you what I have to offer above money and career."
"You know for a hunky fireman, you aren't very sure of yourself are you?"
He stood back, lifting his head quickly. "That obvious? Look if you'd rather not do this, I can just take you back to my place."
She stroked his cheek, drawing her finger along the worry lines that had appeared. "We all have our demons, Dan. Mine is not knowing how to behave around families, it makes me feel awkward. But with you there, I can do it. In return, you have to stop trying to convince me of what you can offer above the material. I can see what kind of man you are. And I like what I see. They say opposites attract, and maybe there's something in you that I need, and vice versa."
"Now I can see why you are so smart."
"You didn't see it before? I'm offended."
"I could really fall hard for you, Max."
"Fall away," she said, her hand resting on the back of his neck, drawing him to her.
He kissed her again, for a very long time, her body turned in the seat to face him. He slid between her thighs, and she wanted nothing more than to go back to his place, but her mind was made up, she needed to grow as a person. This was important to Dan, and his family would become important to her, there was no way she would make him choose between his girlfriend and his family.
Eventually they rumbled along the street in his truck, his radio not quite able to drown out the sound of the big engine.
"You're a country man?"
"Sometimes. Don't say that's something else we're opposites on."
"No. I like all kinds of music, so we're safe there. Unless it's heavy metal, that I don’t get."
"I went to school there," he said, leaning forward and looking out of the window.
"I can't imagine what it would be like growing up in the same place, you must have friends that you've known all your life."
"Yes. A couple of my mates are in the fire service too. We count on each other a lot. Help each other out. Most of my friends have settled down, hell one's already on his second marriage."
"Second marriage. So how old are you?"
"How old do you think?"
"I don't know. Twenty five?"
"Close. Twenty seven."
"And your sister?"
"She's a baby. Only twenty two."
"With two children and no husband, That has to be tough."
"It has been. She's strong, but I've watched her been worn down by it all. I'm going to take on some extra shifts to help her. I want her to keep the house at all costs, it's their home."
"You should have taken my money."
"I'm glad I didn't," he said, looking over at her and smiling. "I'm happy with the way things are. I'll help her out another way."
"Why don't I give it to you anyway?"
"I'm not taking your money, Max."
"Call it a loan."
"No. I can’t."
"Too proud?"
"No... It's just not right."
"Why not? If it was the other way round you'd give me anything you could. So why not let me help your family? Robin and I have always lived easily within our means, so I won't miss it."
"Max. I can’t."
"Yes, you can, but you won't."
He pulled the truck into a side road, drawing up in front of a small house. Stopping the engine he looked at her, pain in his face. "I wish I could, for my sister's sake. But I can't. Thank you for the offer, but I can't take it."
"OK. But will you promise me if there's nothing else you can do, that you'll let me lend you the money rather than let them lose their house."
"I promise."
"OK. So what are their names? Oh, that reminds me I was suppose to ask you to stop and help me choose them a gift."
"Don't worry, I have candy, they'll be happy. The youngest is Laura and the eldest is Jessica. And relax, they'll love you."
"I'll settle for them liking me," she said nervously. Whilst in her head she repeated, Laura younger, Jessica older. She could do this.
“Are you shaking?” he asked. She held his hand so tightly it might cut off the circulation.