“If she’s so goddamn awful, why do you always defend her?”
“I don’t defend her,” I said defensively. “Why the hell are we even discussing this?” I asked, starting to get angry over his mood swing. “Everything was fine back in the library.”
Max turned off the main road onto a small snow-covered dirt road abruptly making the vehicle bounce around uncomfortably. After a few moments, we were surrounded by trees as the road behind us disappeared from sight.
Max undid his seatbelt and used the automatic switch to move his seat as far back as it would go so he could better face me. “I just don’t want to lose you,” he finally said.
“I’ll come back,” I said quietly.
“What if something comes up? What if you meet someone else, or God forbid, your mom actually kills you on one of her rants.”
“Don’t be silly, I’m not going to meet anyone else, and Lucinda’s rants never go that far.”
“Katelyn, don’t treat me like I’m stupid. She bashed your head in with who knows what a couple months ago.”
“A coffee mug,” I said simply.
He reached over and undid my seatbelt. With one swift movement he had me across the center console and onto his lap. The wide seats of the SUV allowed me to straddle him without much discomfort.
“How can I keep my promise to protect you if you won’t let anyone report her?”
“You just have to trust me,” I said, resting my forehead against his.
“I trust you. It’s her I don’t trust,” he said, running his hands through my hair before dragging my lips to his. “Do you understand how tough this is and how much you mean to me?” He asked raggedly once our lips parted.
I nodded my head. His pain was tangible and my heart ached in my inability to ease it. “What can I do?” I asked, desperate to sooth the pain he was going through.
“Stop her before it’s too late,” he begged.
“Anything but that,” I pleaded.
“Please,” he said before crushing his lips to mine. His searing kiss sparked a fire throughout my entire body. He dug his hands under my multiple layers of clothing until they found the skin they sought. I approved with pleasure as his hands moved at their own accord up over my ribcage. I could feel his need beneath me as I shifted closer, trying to consume as much of him as possible. His hands reached around behind me and fumbled with the clasp on my bra. I knew I should halt things before they could get any further out of control, but I couldn’t remember any of my reasons for waiting. Reaching up behind me, I released the clasp for him and sighed in relief when his hands finally found what they yearned for. Max’s tongue plunged deeper into my mouth as I moved against him, burning with desire. I pulled at his clothing, desperate to touch the skin beneath them. He dragged his lips and hand from me and ripped off his jacket and sweater, leaving his rock-hard chest naked in front of me. I ran my hands up over his stomach and chest, loving the way the muscles rippled beneath my fingertips. I leaned forward, sliding my tongue over his collarbone, making him moan. I smiled at his response, trailing my tongue up over his chin until I reached his lips. He rested his hands on my hips as I devoured his mouth and then slowly moved them to the hem of my clothes and started to peal the multiple layers from me. I shivered as he pulled my hoodie away leaving behind only my thin t-shirt. I pulled back and met his questioning eyes, nodding my approval as he slowly lifted my shirt upward.
The ringing of his phone broke the moment and he fumbled for his iPhone in the center console next to me.
“Yeah?” He said in his usual way of answering his phone. “Oh, hey Mom,” he said, and I instantly came back to my senses as I heard her tell him Kevin was sick. I swung off his lap and into my own seat. “Okay, we were on our way home already, we should be there in fifteen minutes,” he said. His mom talked for several more seconds. “I’ll ask her,” he said, looking at me. “My mom said Kevin is running a fever and she wants to know if she can set you guys up in the gue
st room so you don’t have to drag him back out in the snow.” I nodded my approval. “She says that’s fine, Mom. Okay, we’ll be there in a few minutes,” he said before hanging up.
“Wow, Kevin takes his chaperone duties seriously,” Max joked as he started the vehicle and pulled his sweater back on.
I burst out laughing, fixing the last of my clothing. “True dat,” I said in typical Kevin fashion. “You sure your parents don’t mind us staying over?”
“Are you kidding? She’s worried Kevin has a fever, but I could tell she was thrilled you guys are staying over. My mom loves having company over. As a matter fact, so do I,” he said, raising his eyebrows at me suggestively.
“Hmm, looks like I’ll be locking my door tonight,” I said now that I had come back to my senses. “I don’t think having unprotected sex is something that would improve my current situation,” I said truthfully.
“What makes you think I wasn’t prepared?” he asked.
“Were you?” I asked as my heart skipped several beats.
He nodded. “Does that bother you?”
“I don’t know. I always said I would wait since Lucinda was so promiscuous, but things look a little different now. I do know I don’t want to rush into it though,” I added, trying to express the mixed-up feelings I was having.
“So, we take things slow,” he said, lacing his fingers through mine. “Like maybe alone time in the car should be limited,” he quipped.
“Um yeah, I’d have to agree with you there,” I said giggling. “I think it’s the leather seats, they make us act like love-starved maniacs,” I said, flushing slightly as I recalled how intimately his hands had touched me just moment before.