True Nature (9 page)

Chapter 11 HIM

I look at the time on my computer again. 10:17. She said she would be home early tonight.  Looks like I need to define early for her.

My cell is buzzing, the photo I took of her laughing in the park last weekend on the screen.

"Hey. Are you finally home?"

"Yes. I just walked in and wanted to call you right away." She sounds tipsy.

"It's later than I expected you to be home." I'm trying to keep my voice even. We'd been out together the last two nights. Tonight though she said she had a weekly dinner with her girlfriends planned. I didn't like it, but I know that I can't push her on everything at once. This next part could go badly and mess everything up.

"Nooo...it's only...10:30 silly." She is definitely tipsy, her slurring more pronounced.

"I expect you home by 9:30 if you're not with me." I hold my breath waiting for her response. I may be making a mistake doing this while she's drunk. I've made this mistake before.

"Is that a curfew?" She's laughing and sounding very cutesy, a hiccup interrupting her last word.

"Yes." I wait again.

"Well...I'm a big girl...and I can decide...for myself...what...time..." Her hiccups cut off the rest.

"You are
my
girl." I stress the word and pause. "And you'll behave yourself...even when I'm not with you to take care of you."

"Max...are you mad at me?" Her little girl voice is driving me crazy. My cock insistently stiff.

"Get some sleep, Lucy. Call me at 12:00 tomorrow and we'll talk more." I hang up before she says anything else.

That went better than I'd hoped. But I'm going to have a hard time falling asleep now with this hard-on. I'm smiling though.

Chapter 12 HER

My fuzzy head isn't the only thing making my stomach flip-flop today. I left the office early to avoid seeing Tracy and Laura before I could call Max. I feel guilty about last night.

Billy had been there and it was like a triple date. Tad and Laura ended up hooking up at the end of the night and Billy ended up sharing a cab with me.  He kept trying to kiss me and I finally had to push him away and say I have a boyfriend to get him to stop. I don't think he believed me, but he didn't try anything more, just said "You're a real tease," when I got out. 

On the bright side, I know he didn't get the job...he'll get that happy news tomorrow.

Max finally answers, "Hi, Lucy. How are you feeling this morning?"

At least he can't see me blush over the phone. "I'm fine....sorry I was so tipsy last night...Chianti just goes right to my head."

"You shouldn't have stayed out so late." I can hear traffic in the background. He's probably in the car, with Jeff overhearing everything. I blush more, embarassed.

"Yeah...our Wednesday night thing always goes a little later than we plan..." I trail off, I don't want to talk more about last night. I don't want him to ask who was there. I realize that I wouldn't be able to lie to him if he did, because I care about him too much. But the calm anger in his voice is already making me a little nervous. I'd be too afraid of how he'd react to answer him. This revelation makes me swallow harder.

"I need to know you're safe. That means home, in bed, at a decent hour....and not out drunk with your friends."

I can't believe he's chastising me like this. But the guilt I feel about Billy being there last night makes me not say anything back. I didn't do anything to encourage Billy, but I think I could've discouraged him more too. I don't want to say anything that will make Max ask me any questions. I finally say in a small voice, "OK."

"I have a work dinner tonight. Call me when you're home...and it
better
be before 9:30."

I just say a small, "Ok," again and he hangs up. I stare at my phone, sitting at a corner table for a little longer. I debate calling him back and telling him he can't talk to me like that...but he is just doing it because he was worried about my drunk ass.

And the lingering feeling of being chastised...the guilt of disappointing him stays with me. That and the stomach flip. I can feel that I'm wet again.

I hold my forehead. I really don't know what's come over me. I know that I like Max, but I'm still shocked at how much I let him push me around. I smile...he literally pushes me around in the bedroom alot...But when I think about how controlling he is...I know I should be angry with him...but I'm not.

His directness makes me feel safer with him than I've felt with any other guy. Like I can trust him to take care of me...to be honest with me. I don't have to second guess what he's thinking or feeling for me. He's only too happy to tell me. And I really want to please him.

This simple statement hangs in my head. Please him. That's what it's come down to...is what I'm doing pleasing Max or not. I swallow hard. He pushes me to please him...and that's all I want to do. I move my hand away and laugh at myself. If Tracy could hear my thoughts, she'd kill me!

Laura is standing in line at the counter as I get my to-go order. "Hey! I wanted to ask you...are you ok with skipping movie night tonight? Tad is coming over!" She is so excited that she is actually jumping up and down a little.

I smile at her, "No...that's cool. I thought maybe you'd invite him...I do not want to be a third wheel." And I can stop at the grocery store, do some laundry...be home early to talk to Max.  My stomach flip-flops more thinking about how pleased he'll be with me. I'm startled again by the reality of how much I care about him...and what he thinks of me.

Chapter 13 HER

He opens the door and I immediately jump into his arms. "Happy Fourth of July! Or as I like to call it...who cares as long as it's a long weekend to celebrate!"

"Our Founding Fathers would be proud of their contribution to your happiness." He's laughing as I twirl out of his arms and walk in.

I bounce back to him, putting my arms around his waist. "I look forward to the Taste and fireworks every year....and now I have a great boyfriend to share them with...I wanna celebrate!"

"All right." He's still laughing, pressing our bodies tighter. "Let's go then!"

"I told Tracy and Laura to meet us here, since you're so close to the Taste. And they wanted to see this place since I've been raving about it for a week."

"OK...I'll call down to the lobby, so they will be let right up."

He takes his phone over to the sofa, and pats his lap for me to sit on while he makes the call. I snuggle into what I now think of as my spot, his arms automatically wrapping me in linen-musky warmth. When he sets the phone back down, his hand goes up the back of my shirt. "You're wearing a bikini?"

"Yeah...but I brought some clothes to change into for later too."

"But we won't be on the beach." His look is flat, eyes sharp and dark.

"No...but Tracy's boyfriend's roommates are doing this whole luau theme this year...tiki and grass skirts...You'll see when we get to the park. She said Josh has been driving her nuts all week."

He doesn't say anything else, so I keep talking. "Every year, Josh's roommates put together this Taste and fireworks blow out. They arrive extra early at the park and literally stake out a large area. Last year, we had enough room for a volleyball net. Tracy said this year, they are bringing a hottub and generator." I laugh at this, but Max just smiles slightly.

The door buzzes and I get up quickly. Max stays on the sofa.

"Hey!" I yell, opening the door.

"Wow." Laura is open mouthed walking in, giving me a hug.

"Holy shit! Look at this place!" Is Tracy's first words, but she's already walked past me. "Oh...hey, Max. Great condo!" He stands up as we enter the living room, a deep frown pulling his brow down.

"Thanks." Tracy is already walking towards the terrace doors, so Max follows her out.

"What a great view!" Tracy and Laura are looking down and over the low wall.

"Thanks." Max stands with his legs apart and hands in his pockets. I walk over to him and put my arms around his waist again; he puts one arm around me, but remains stiff.

"Are we ready to par-tay?"! Tracy is rubbing her hands together.

"Hell ya!" Laura is uncharacteristically boisterous today...she's happy to have a guy to celebrate with this year too.

I feel Max tense a little more, but he just turns and walks towards the hallway.  There are several bags that Tracy, Laura, and I dropped on the floor. "Let me get these." He reaches for their bags, but leaves mine. "Baby, do you need anything out of your bag for now?"

"No. I'm good...thank you." Tracy is mouthing 'baby' behind his back. I ignore her.

                                                                                    .....

It's early afternoon, but there are already over a million people here. Laura spots the flags, so we work our way through the crowd towards a large corded off area in the grass.

Even though Tracy said Billy wouldn't be here, I take a quick look around to make sure. Good. I don't want anything to spoil our nice day together.

Tracy sees Josh and jumps on his back. He grabs her ass from behind and bucks a little before she slides down. She pouts and points towards a large blowup pool, "I thought there was going to be a hottub!"

"Yeah...we decided that the police would probably shut a generator down from the noise and smoke. But the pool is deep!"

Tracy rips off her shirt and shorts and heads towards the pool, dragging Josh with her. "Come on!" She yells at us over her shoulder. Laura heads after them. 

Max pulls my upper arm, "You're not parading around here in your bathing suit." He keeps his voice low so only I can hear him, despite the crowd. His eyes have that same steely glint.

"Um...I wasn't going to get in...I have a phobia about unclean water." I try to laugh, but it catches in my throat. He releases a little pressure, but doesn't let go of my arm.

"Good. It's not decent to run around nearly naked in public like that." He nods towards Tracy and Laura. I follow his eyes and see a group of parents and little kids next to our area. They are picking up and moving their stuff.

Suddenly I feel ashamed of our loud music, not-so-hidden drinks, bright grass-skirt covered tiki bar, and the smell of pot from a group of guys sitting on a blanket next to the pool.

"Let's get some food." Max pulls me out of the area and towards the food stalls nearby, taking my hand now.

He hasn't said anything for a while and I just keep looking up at him to see if he's no longer frowning. So far, all frown. As we turn onto another blocked-off street of stalls, I pull at his hand. "Hey...are we going to get some food or what?" I'm smiling up at him, trying to get him to smile back. But his look remains hard.

"Lucy..." He starts but then looks over my head, breathes out deeply. He starts over, "Lucy...I don't like that this is your idea of a fun time."

"I'm just hanging out with friends...that is fun to me." I'm hurt with his directness. His eyes narrow even more. I feel a knot in my stomach forming.

"No...you're hanging out with a bunch of stoned guys, half naked." He lifts my chin up to him. "And I don't like it."

I yank my chin away from his hand. "Can't we just have a nice day...we can walk around...and we don't have to stay here that long." I can hear the whine in my voice.

"We're not staying, Lucy. We're going to go back to your friends and you're going to tell them we're leaving. Now."

I look up into his face again and want to cry. His eyes and mouth are set so hard. My stomach is doing back-flips now in response, but my head is trying to make sense of everything. I want to please him...but I've looked forward to this day for awhile.

I suddenly feel a hand on my shoulder and jump with a small squeak. A homeless guy is touching my back. Max reacts quickly and pushes himself between the guy and me. "Something I can help you with?!"  The guy waves his hands in front of Max like an umpire calling safe. "Then move along...Sir." Max waits until he's walked away before turning around to me again.

"Are you ok?" His look is soft and concerned now. I put my arms around him and press my face against his shirt. He rubs my head and kisses the top. "Come on. Let's go." I feel safe in his powerful arms and know that he's just looking out for me.

Returning to the corded area, I feel pretty good about leaving early. Josh's roommates are loudly judging a hula contest between two drunk girls in one corner, the stoners haven't moved, and Tracy and Josh are making out in the pool. I don't see Laura anywhere.  Max doesn't cross the cord, just stands with his hands in his pockets again. I squeeze his arm, saying, "I'll be right back."

I head over to Tracy. "Hey...we're going to take off."

"What?!" Tracy splashes water towards me.

"Yeah...Max isn't into the pot smoking crowd," I point a thumb over my shoulder towards the blanket. "Where's Laura?"

"She went for food with Tad. I'll tell her you bailed on us for Gramps over there." She splashes again, just missing me.

"Not funny!" I reach in and splash her back, jumping away before she can try again. "I'll call you tomorrow. Have fun!"

Walking back to Max, the knot in my stomach tightens. He smiles and drapes his arm around my shoulders, putting me at ease. "How bout we eat our way back to my place?"

"Sounds good to me!" And I put my arm around his waist again.