For a long moment, none of us spoke. I grasped the edge of the bar for support, trying to figure out how to go about his questions while he sat back, his eyes fixed on me, intense.
Damn you, Alessandro.
“Elaine?” he breathed. “I’m waiting. We agreed not to keep secrets from each other,” his voice was raised slightly now. “Were you married once to Alessandro?
Do you have a baby for him? Do you have a baby at all? Is that why you asked me about single moms -”
“Oh, Goodness me, Max!” I exploded. The bar wasn’t crowded yet, but the few people around turned to stare at us. Ugh. “What are you even saying? You heard him alright. We were almost married. Almost. Why read meanings into this sort of thing?”
He held my gaze. “I’ve never doubted you before. Talk to me. Who the hell is Finn?”
Shit. Here it was. Here was the chance to get this over with once and for all. To tell him the truth and unburden my heart. To be free from the pain of keeping things away from him. The only problem I had was… I wasn’t ready. Not now. Not after Alessandro.
“He’s Cora’s son,” I lied, managing to look at him straight in the eyes so he wouldn’t doubt me. “Cora had him five years ago. She’s also staying with us, and Alessandro knows her. There. Happy now?”
He kept his eyes trained on me a minute longer before sighing and picking his glass back up. I wrapped my arms around myself so I wouldn’t fall apart. I’d just denied my own son. No, I’d just denied our son. Because of a man. A man that was… a man that was his father.
“I’m so sorry, Elaine,” he rubbed his temples, and I tuned him out, half-listening. “You know I can never doubt you. I was just curious and that’s why… you know what? Fuck that asshole ex of yours. I didn’t even take whatever he was saying seriously until you concurred about Finn… how come you never told me about him before? And Cora is in New York? Your house?”
“Yes,” I sounded so far away. So shaken and sad. “Yes, she’s with us.”
He stood up from his seat and leaned in, hugging me. I blinked, the tears rolling off my cheeks onto my lap. I couldn’t stop them. I couldn’t forgive myself. Max patted me softly. “I’m sorry if I sounded a bit harsh earlier. I never meant to upset you. It’s wrong of me to doubt you. Come on, now. Cheer up. You made the right decision by dumping that fucker’s arse.”
I nodded meekly. “Yeah. Yeah, I did.”
In truth, I was too drained to keep up with the conversation. Even if I told him the truth, later on, a part of me suspected that he’d doubt me, thanks to what happened tonight. He’d hate me. Worse, even if he agreed, he might want to have a DNA test done to ascertain that Finn was truly his son.
I had no problem with that. As long as he accepted Finn as his. But I wasn’t going to kid myself that the acceptance I craved would be granted immediately. He might want nothing to do with me and take Finn away. As a willing father, the law would be his stronghold. I couldn’t let that happen. I’d die if I don’t have my little boy beside me.
I gasped when I felt a familiar hand parting my thighs underneath the table. I flickered my eyes up to meet Max’s lustful ones and almost went insane when he sank not one, not two, but three fingers in between the thick folds of my flesh. “W-What are you doing?”
“Getting you to stop crying,” he said casually, running his tongue over his bottom lip, his eyes dark. I tried to suppress a moan when he drew his fingers out and slipped them back in again, finger-fucking me with a faster rhythm until I felt myself levitate from my seat. God. My drowsy eyes scanned the horde of unsuspecting people around us. No one would believe we were doing something dirty under our table.
When my orgasm started to build and I couldn’t keep shut any longer, he retrieved his fingers abruptly. I whined, disappointed when he rose from his seat and held out his hand for me to take. “Come on now, young lady. We’ve got unfinished business to get to in our room.”
I’d never seen a man wink so sexily.
–
The next morning, I woke up to soft lips trailing light, feathery kisses down my shoulder blade from behind. Smiling, I turned my face to meet his and he planted a heated kiss on my lips. “Good morning, Cherry,” his bed voice is raspy but huskier. My toes curled at the effect they had on my insides.
I reached out to cup his head from behind, pecking him softly on the left cheek. “Good morning, baby. Sleep well?”
“Mm,” he drew me closer, wrapping his solid arms around my waist and burying his face in my neck. I inhaled, struggling to contain my happiness. I wished I could wake up like this every new day, encased in Max’s loving arms. Drawing circles on his toned biceps.
Last night was chaos. Max didn’t hold back at all as he fucked me everywhere you could possibly think of. The shower. The cold room floor. Against the wall. Against the desk.
I had multiple orgasms from multiple sex positions.
I didn’t think any other man could measure up to his sexual prowess. Not only was he good in bed but in many other areas as well. He was beyond intelligence, beyond compassionate, beyond romantic. Every fucking thing about his was perfect, and I knew that was absurd, but it was true. I couldn’t emphasize his perfection enough.
After our ninth orgasm for the night, we lay worn out, talking till three. He was the funniest man I’d ever come across, and I was thrilled to discover this part of him. Witty, yet intelligent, and undeniably sexy. I didn’t know so many men like him, and I doubted if there were many in this city. Plus, I never imagined him to be this way five years ago.
“What would you like us to do today after you’re back from seeing Sam?”
“To be honest…” I swallowed hard; my mouth dry like the Sahara. “I wish we can stay in bed this way. All day. I feel groggy from taking too many shots last night.”
“Let me get you some water then.”
I was so glad that the hotel management thought it helpful to keep a small mini fridge in each room, filled with soft drinks and water. He sauntered back, handing a bottle to me, then headed for the bathroom.
I popped the can open and gulp it down hungrily in one go. As expected, it still wasn’t enough. I was so dehydrated.
“I have an idea,” he returned to the room, brimming with excitement. “Why don’t I follow you to visit Alessandro so we can see Sam together? I heard there’s a book sale downtown, hosted by a local library. We could pop in and get some books.”
“Huh?”
He shrugged, obviously so happy with the schedule he’d made up for us. I couldn’t understand any of it. How could he be so chirpy and energized while I felt like I’d been run over by a car?
“Are you a vampire?” I asked dryly.
He furrowed his brows, coming to sit beside me. “No. Why do you ask?”
“Because…” I trailed off with a belch, a wave of nausea washing over me. Oh, fuck, “… you’re so jumpy while I’m here feeling so sore from all the sex and alcohol. You’re sure you weren’t tipping those drinks of yours into pot plants last night?”
He chuckled, drawing my head so I could rest it on his chest. “Aw. Not feeling so good? Maybe you could shift visiting Sam till tomorrow?”
I turned my eyes to peer up at him. “But tomorrow’s Saturday. We’re meant to leave for New York.”
“Well, as it’s come to this, why don’t we leave on Tuesday then? We’re having so much fun… there are lots of places I’d like you to see.”
I took a deep breath. “Max… we’ve talked about this.”
“I know. You don’t feel so good, and you owe your ex-boyfriend’s dog some last honors. Please, love. Let’s leave for New York on Tuesday.”
I sighed. Well, Cora was due to be back on Sunday so she could look after Finn instead of Ma. I deserved a nice week with Max. Yes, I knew it was going to end any way but hey? All good things came to an end, and that was okay. This could be the last time I’d get to be in his arms. I knew his stance on single mothers and children, and I respected it.
I deserved these few days with him since I was going to tell him all about Finn once we got back on Tuesday.
I heaved a sigh. “Fine. Tuesday it is.”