True Beginnings (13 page)

I head down the stairs, but don't hear anyone. Max must be running.

I know Max'll be proud of me if I make coffee and get breakfast ready, so I head into the kitchen. A small light is on above the nearly full coffee pot. The aroma of fresh brew is heaven to my growling stomach. I beeline for it.

"I just made some."

I jump and yell, "Holy Shit!" with my hand to my chest.

Jake is laughing at me from the terrace doors. "Better not let Max hear you talk like that."

"You...you scared me!" My heart is only just calming, my hand still on my chest. His words make my heart race a little again though. I look around guiltily to see if Max was near.

"He's not here." He continues laughing a little at me, a strange smile on his face. "He was on his way out for a run when I got here."

"Oh..." I just turn to get a cup out of the cabinet.

"Do you mind...?" I turn and he's standing with his cup out, the same strange crooked smile on his face. He hasn't moved from the door.

"Oh...um...of course..." I walk the pot over to him and pour some in his half-full cup. I look up at him just as he takes a sip. The same height, same waves, same crooked grin. This close I can see that his eyes have the same flecks of gold too, and his smell is soapy-musk...so like Max's.

I step backwards before turning around with the pot. I take my time pouring myself some. "I didn't know you were coming up this weekend, Jake..."

"I decided last minute. Nobody knew. I know Dad has his final day of summer planned out, so I came early to avoid the traffic and be here for the fun." He lifts his coffee cup to me.

I stand with my back against the cabinet, holding my mug under my nose, a shield from him.

He continues smiling at me for a while, until I lower my eyes. "You look very pretty this morning, Lucy." I jolt at this. I'm not sure how I should respond...it's another man giving me a compliment, but it's Max's brother, so...

"Thank you," I say it quietly, shyly.

He just smiles the same and turns to the terrace again. "I love watching the sun come up over the lake."

"Me too." I follow him outside and stand next to him against the rail. The water is already fading from golden, the sun above it. But the sky is a collage of pinks and blues still. We stand silently sipping and watching for a while.

Finally he turns and pulls out a chair. He waits for me to take the seat. I do, still unsure how to react to him. Jake sits next to me at the end of the cedar table.

"How've you been?" I ask first, so he doesn't.

He laughs. "Well...I've been shitty, thanks for asking." He rubs his jaw, stubble visible from here. "No...Really, I'm ok. It was rough at first...getting my stuff out of the apartment was easy at least. Julia threw most of it into the hall in a drunken rage that night."

"I'm so sorry...that's awful."

"She has quite a temper." He shakes his head. "The breakup...it was a long time coming." He looks directly at me.

"Max has been trying to reach you...he wanted to help." I keep looking at my cup, keeping my hands on it, like I'm cold. Really, I just don't know what to do with them. I keep wanting to touch Jake's arm, to comfort him.

"I know. I talked to him a little before you came down. I just couldn't talk to anyone...I needed to sort everything out for myself." He leans back in his chair, sipping his coffee, so relaxed.

"And did you...sort things out?" I wish I could relax. I feel tightly wound, waiting for him to say something to me about Max.

"Ha...that's gonna take a while I think." His laugh is rich and deep, like Max's. "But I have a sublease for the next five months and I have all my stuff. And I know that it was for the best.” He stops to give me an appraising look. “She wasn't the right girl for me...too ambitious, too assertive...I tried, but...well, we tried. She'll be happier too."

I only nod.

"How bout you? How are you and Max doing?" He's still staring at me.

"We're great." I don't want to talk anymore with Jake about Max. Our last talk was stressful enough.

"Great!" I shoot my eyes up at him, then quickly back to my cup. "Ya know...if you ever need to talk...I'll listen..."

"I don't think Max would like that." I say this quietly though. His kindness always throws me off.

He leans in, "Would
you
like it?"

I shoot him another look. Damn him and his kindness! "I don't need to talk, Jake. I'm
fine
." He says nothing only looks at me with that same concerned kindness, so I feel I have to say more to stop any further discussions. "Max and I are fine.”

"Good. I'm happy for you then...both of you." And he actually sounds like he means it. He sits back and smiles at me. “I’ve been thinking a lot about you…”

I gulp and blink at this, but say nothing.

“I’ve been thinking that…well, you may have the wrong impression of me.”

“What impression is that?” I can finally speak, but I keep the cup up to my face, my shield again.

“That I’m so different from Max…” He nods at my startled look. “I never liked how driven Julia was. I always thought that…well, that she’d come around. That we’d get married and have a life together.” He shakes his head, looking over mine for a moment before continuing. “I fooled myself into thinking that it would work out just because I wanted it to.”

“I’m sorry…I…didn’t know that she hadn’t told you about the travel…” I feel guilty that I knew about the job and he didn’t.

He smiles at me. “I don’t blame you…I knew…I just fooled myself, like I said.” He appraises me again. “But I won’t make that mistake again.”  His look becomes more piercing, making me squirm a little. So like Max. “I have a better idea of what I want…going forward.”

I tear my eyes away from his, just as Alex and Ron walk out to the terrace together. Jake stands up looking a little sheepish. "Oh my goodness!" Alex runs over to give Jake a hug and kiss. "This is a great surprise!"

"Glad you could make it, Jake." Ron also hugs him. The prodigal son returns.

I hear Max come in the front door. He comes out to the terrace and smiles at me, winking. "One big happy family again." Jake pushes his shoulder.

"I should get breakfast in the oven then." I jump up and circle around the four of them. Max grabs my arm and pulls me into a hug. "Eww...you're all sweaty!" But I'm smiling, snuggling into his wet shirt more. He lets go and I head inside.

"Need any help?" It's Jake asking.

"She's fine." Max answering. I don't turn around, just keep walking. I don't want to see either of their faces.

                                                                                    .....

"This is great, Lucy." Jake is taking a third helping of my egg croissant casserole. Ron and Max both had seconds already. Ron said he loved it. Alex already thanked me and said it was very good. She said this like a judge at the county fair giving me a ribbon for a job well done. And I felt very proud of myself!

Max puts his hand on my knee; he's proud of me too. "You better get going on a shower." He already took one while I was cooking. I start to pout thinking that we won't be able to take one together, but I hide it behind a napkin before anyone can see.

"I should help with dishes." I start to get up with my dish, but see the look on Max's face. I realize that I just contradicted him and almost sit back down. Instead, I stand there frozen for a second until Ron rescues me.

"Jake...you haven't been around for chores much lately...you're on clean up!"

"Great...this is what I get for making the long drive to spend the day with my family!" But he's also getting up with his finished dish. He takes my plate out of my hand and smiles knowingly at me. I feel a knot forming. I avoid looking at Max again and hurry back inside.

                                                                                    .....

After I messed up at the table, I'm quiet. He's been smiling at me and his hand has been on my knee for the whole drive, but I don't want to upset him at all.

I got ready in record time, trying to show in my speediness how sorry I was for not doing what he said right away. I put on his favorite dress and left my hair down.

"Have I told you how pretty you are today, baby?"

"Only a few times!" Despite my uneasiness at displeasing him earlier, his praise always makes me smile. He winks at me and I'm the happiest girl in the world!

I have no idea where we're going. He wouldn't tell me. I know we have to be back for a sunset cruise with Ron. The end of summer ride Jake told me about. But it looks like we have the whole day to ourselves...and I couldn't be happier...I'm still hungry for Max's attention.

We've followed the shoreline of the lake, getting snapshots of watery sunshine. The road isn't busy, despite the holiday, but it's still slow going. Max turns off the main road, heading away from the lake. The road gets more deserted and I relax even more. I close my eyes and ignore the bumps in the road. I'm almost used to the numbed pain of my butt. My what a spanking will do to a girl...I fall into a deep sleep, slumping in the seat with my head leaning towards Max.

"Wake up, sleepy," Max is petting my head, smiling at me. It takes me a second to realize that I'm not in my dream...that we're not back in his apartment.

"Where are we?" I sit up stiffly, my neck crink fighting with my butt soreness for first dibs on my sympathy. I can see a blanket and basket set up in front of the car aways.

"Wow...you were out cold." He laughs. "You only slept for a minute though." He gets out and comes over to my side. I let him lift me out of the car, keeping his arms around my back and kissing me. "We're at our perfect picnic spot."

The sun is bright and I blink away sleep. We walk hand-in-hand over to the blanket. "You did all this?" The basket is open and I can see a full lunch inside...chicken, sides, bread, lemonade. "Thank you!" I squeeze him next to me.

I start to sit down. "Wait." I stop. He runs back to the car and grabs the pillow from my side. He hands me the pillow with his brow raised, a grin, "You've been punished enough." I thank him again, smiling.

I have no idea where we are, but there's no one around. We're covered by trees, but have an amazing view of the lake. I can't even hear any traffic sounds. We're next to each other, close on the blanket, me on my pillow, him on his side, stretched out.

I reach into the basket and start pulling everything out. The fried chicken smells great, leftovers from dinner yesterday. There's even a piece of apple pie to share. My mouth is watering already. I get the napkins, plates and silverware off the bottom. "This is the most perfect picnic I've ever seen! And the most perfect spot! Thank you again," I lean over and kiss him.

He pulls me into a deeper kiss, his hand behind my neck. "I want to make everything perfect for you, Lucy." His eyes are intense, his voice soft. I forget about the lunch and slide down to be stretched next to him, looking up into his eyes. He moves closer, pressing against my side, his right arm moving under my neck to prop my head up. His left hand goes to my hip, pressing on my bone. I breathe in his scent as he leans in for a kiss. I hold my breath while his tongue explores what he knows so well. He lifts his head slightly and smiles at me. "You are perfect for me, Lucy...and you're all mine."

"I am all yours, Max." I put my arms around his neck and pull him down for another kiss.

Chapter 13 HIM

I can feel her hunger...her need for my attention. She's as needy as she was yesterday. Her body presses into me, her hands pulling my hair. I know what she wants...but she'll have to wait. I pull my face back. "We better eat..." Her look of disappointment almost makes me laugh. I kiss her nose. "Be a good girl and finish getting lunch ready."

She immediately sits up, repositions the pillow and starts putting everything on plates for us. When she has everything ready, she smiles at me. "How's this?"

"Almost perfect." She frowns and I have to rub her cheek, so expressive, my Lucy. I move to sit in front of her, knees bent, sitting back on my heels. "Here." I hand her one of the napkin-wrapped silverware sets. She relaxes and smiles.

I watch her unroll the napkin in her lap slowly. Still on the middle of the fork handle, the ring sparkles in the sunshine. She looks up surprised, slowly smiling. "What...what's this, Max?" She leaves the set open on her lap, only looking at me.

Grinning, I pick up the silverware and drop the ring into my hand, leaving the rest by my side, my eyes on hers the whole time. I take her hand and hold the ring ready to put on her, "I want you to be my wife, Lucy." I smile. "Say yes."

"Yes!" She shakes, tears already forming, her right hand going to her mouth, while she watches as I put the ring on her finger.

I put both my hands on the sides of her face and pull her up to me, both of us on our knees facing each other, kissing. Her arms circle my waist and she clings to me. "You've made me so happy, Max!"

"I'll make you happy for the rest of our lives, baby!" I kiss her head.

She suddenly pulls away and puts her left hand out. "It's so beautiful!" The diamond is bigger than her knuckle, shining brightly in the sun. A single solitairy beauty, like my Lucy, an emerald cut diamond sitting across her finger, a large stamp of my possessiveness. "Thank you." Her eyes are wet as she looks from me to the ring.

"I want to give you the world, Lucy!" I sit back with my legs stretched out. I pull her onto my lap, her legs stretching behind me and kiss her again. She rubs against my cock, already hard. I know we're in a deserted area, no one around for miles. 

Pushing her back slightly, I pull her thong down to her upper thighs and I undo my shorts. Her hands grab my hair, pulling. I smile and pick her up, positioning her over my cock and slowly lowering her onto me. She moans a deep cry.

With my arm supporting her back, picking her up again and pushing us both onto the blanket, I'm on top of her, her legs wrapped firmly around my legs. She meets my thrusts with her hips, squeezing just the way I like each time.  It doesn't take long before we're fucking full speed, full force, both heads back, yelling as we finish.

I hold her head against mine. "I love you."

"I love you.... fiancé!" She smiles and her laugh pushes me out of her.

I sit up and back. Lucy stays laying down stretching her left arm straight up, moving it in the sun, staring at the ring on her finger. "You like it?" I smile watching her. My soon-to-be-wife.

She sits up, her eyes jumping to mine. "Oh, yes, very much, Max...I love that I'm going to be your wife and get to wear this for the rest of my life!" She smiles wickedly for a second, "I love that I get to be Mrs. Lucy Shannon-Traeger!" She laughs at my frown and puts her left hand on my cheek. "I'm just kidding!"

"Not funny!" I grab her and pull her onto my lap. She keeps smiling at her left hand on my chest. "You will be Mrs. Max Traeger."

"I like the sound of that..." She hasn't stopped playing with her ring in the sun.

I smile looking down on her...she'll make a good wife...with a few more lessons.

She tilts her head up to me, smiling too. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking what a wonderful wife you’ll make me.” Her head stays tilted her smile bigger. “My dutiful, submissive, and obedient Mrs. Traeger.”