Eighteen
Amber
I was sitting on my bed wondering where the hell Max was. Had he stood me up after what he had said on the phone?
I reminded myself he’d been drunk. Maybe he’d forgotten that he was due to come over? I hated that I felt so needy.
Checking my reflection in the mirror, I straighten the strap on my top. I was wearing cute pink shortie PJs. There wasn’t much of the bottoms, you could see my arse cheeks without even bending over. The camisole section was also fairly brief.
I was looking forward to feeling Max’s hands on me and maybe this time, I’d take him in my mouth. I had been told by a past partner that I gave great head.
My decision to tell him how I felt was all over the place. The fact that he was late pissed on that agenda. I tried not to overthink it, once I saw him, I’d know.
SMASH!
What the hell, I flinched at the sound of breaking pottery. It had come from outside my balcony doors and I moved over and hid behind one curtain. What if it was Zander coming for me?
My heart thumped painfully against my chest. I’m going to have a heart attack.
CRASH!
“For fucks sake!” a man cursed violently. It was Max’s voice and relief pooled in my stomach.
Pushing open the doors, I switched on the lamp highlighting Max’s crumpled body. He was sat on his arse with his legs out before him, one foot resting in one of my planters.
A giggle spilt out of my mouth as he shot me an unimpressed glower .
“What are you doing?” I laughed, folding my arms against the chill of the night.
“I was climbing up your balcony,” he said crossly, dusting off his jeans as he pulled his foot out of the pot. Two others were broken, the peat pouring out onto the balcony.
“We have a front door you know,” I pointed out with a twist to my lips.
Max pushed ungracefully to his feet. His face was slightly pink from embarrassment. He looked well fit though in black jeans and a dark grey jumper.
“I was aware, I came this way to surprise you,” he explained, brushing dirt off his top. I lowered my arms and raised my eyebrows.
“Well, it worked.”
He grimaced, “It was supposed to be romantic.”
This caused another burst of laughter. It was so comical. Max was so angry that his balcony scaling plan had clearly backfired.
“I see. Well, tell that to my plant pots,” I replied with a grin.
“Cute comeback. I didn’t realise it would be boobytrapped up here. I think I’ve put my back out,” he stated, planting one hand on his hip, and stretching his back.
“Come here,” I chuckled with outstretched arms. As he moved towards me, I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Well, if you haven’t put your back out. You’re about to.” My voice was husky and I pushed up on my tiptoes and ran my tongue along his bottom lip. His hands flexed around my waist and then moved to cup my bottom, tugging me against his hard-on.
“Promises, promises. But first I think I should punish you for laughing at me,” Max said with a sexy grin.
“Yes, please.”
Our mouths crashed together as he squeezed my arse cheeks hard with both hands, causing me to gasp into his mouth .
“Let’s take this inside,” he whispered against my lips, walking me backwards.
He was all about control now, his funny entrance forgotten. Light from the lamp bathed our bodies and I hadn’t had the chance to shut the curtains but I didn’t care. There wasn’t time. I needed Max inside me.
As we entered the bedroom, I closed the door with my free hand whilst our mouths remained fused.
As he lifted his head, I saw the reflection of our bodies in the glass of the balcony doors. He was so much larger than me, I felt tiny and special.
Max lifted his jumper over his head, his rock-hard chest and inked shoulders causing my mouth to water. In response, I moved to take my top off but he stopped me, shaking his head.
“No, I want to undress you,” he growled deeply, his eyes full of sexual promise.
Heat seeped into my core at the thought of what was to come. “Yes, sir.”
His expression flared with delight at my words.
Breathing hard, I watched as Max undid the thick leather belt her wore and slid the zip of his jeans down, his large engorged penis, already pushing to be free. I ran my hand along his length as he peeled his jeans down his legs. He wore no underwear.
Max’s thighs were so large and muscled with a dusting of fine dark hair which made him look extra masculine.
Before he could move, I lowered myself onto my knees, my face level with his cock.
“Amber,” Max panted, slightly shocked. “You don’t have to…” he started but I ignored him. I needed to taste him.
He was huge , his large penis rock hard, the head slightly glistening with pre-cum and I licked the tip.
“Fucking hell,” he said, inhaling the words. His dick leapt at the sensation. His scent was manly; musky with a hint of soap .
Wrapping my fingers around his cock, I then took him into my mouth, working his shaft. I’d given head many times and knew what I was doing. There was a slight salty taste and I enjoyed every inch of him.
I kept my eyes open, staring up at him as Max watched me suck his cock. As I moved my lips back and forth, I clenched one of his butt cheeks with my hand, digging my nails into the flesh there.
“That’s it, baby, take it all,” Max whispered as he wrapped his hand around my ponytail. He ground himself against me and I deep-throated him.
The noise he made from his throat could only be described as animalistic.
“That’s so good baby,” he panted.
I used the tip of my tongue to lick him before I took him deep again, past my gag reflex and he groaned like he was in pain.
“Enough,” he suddenly commanded, placing his hand gently on my chin and removing himself from my mouth.
“I want my cum in your pussy,” he husked. Max’s hands went under my armpits and he lifted me to my feet before removing my nightwear. He was fast and focused and it wasn’t long before I stood before him naked.
“Get on the bed, Amber. It’s time.”
I walked towards my bed, loving the fact that he was eyeing up my naked arse. I wanted to feel his hands there.
As I turned to face him and sat on the edge of the bed, I watched Max bend down and retrieve his belt from the loops in his discarded jeans.
As he straightened with the thick leather strap in his hand, a bubble of angst rumbled in my belly. Memories of what Zander had done raced forward.
I pushed back, suddenly as fear scared away my desire.
Max walked toward me, the belt in his hand. He must have seen from my expression that something was wrong.
“Are you OK?” he questioned, looking confused.
“No, I can’t let you. I’m sorry,” I panted, shaking my head .
Realisation crossed his face and he stopped just before the bed. “I’m not going to hit you with it, Amber,” he said, clearly horrified at the thought.
Shit.
“Baby, come here. I would never do that,” Max whispered with a reassuring smile and I felt foolish.
He touched my face, “I have something much more pleasant in mind.”
His soft words and kind expression restoked my calm and I shuffled closer, feeling intrigued.
“Do you like to be restrained during sex, Amber? Tied up?” he asked in a low voice.
This man knew me. I loved being tied up during sex.
“Yes,” I panted my reply and shuffled towards him.
“Put your wrists together and hold out your hands,” he commanded. The softness he had shown me seconds ago when I became frightened had gone but I wasn’t afraid.
Max wrapped his leather belt around my wrists and tightened it. Not so much that it bit into my skin but I couldn’t move my hands. And I loved it.
“Move further up the bed and lift your arms over your head.”
I was so turned on that I was dripping wet as I lay there on the bed splayed before him like a sexual banquet. Max climbed onto the bed, pushing open my thighs and raining kisses on the skin there as he moved over me.
I was helpless with my hands tied above my head and he reached up and pinched one of my nipples. My body arched towards his and I felt his slick length against the top of my thigh.
“Say you need me to fuck you,” he said as his fingers started to stoke me between my legs.
I ground myself against his hands, “I need you to fuck me, Max,” I panted.
And he did .
The bed dipped more with his weight as Max lined himself up at my entrance and drove his cock into my drenched pussy; burying himself deep inside me.
Breathing heavily, he said, “You feel so tight.” Pulling back, he then shoved inside me and started to fuck me fast and deep. The motion sent shock waves of pleasure through my body starting between my legs and then pulsating everywhere else.
My breathing was short and my gasps echoed around the room mingling with Max’s sexual grunts as he buried himself inside me over and over again.
“Oh, yes, I’m so close, Max,” I screamed.
My pussy convulsed around his cock as he continued to push me through a mind-blowing orgasm. My hands had reached up to hold the rungs of the headboard of my bed, my wrists still captured together. That thought that I was helpless and he could do anything he wanted to me, fuelled my pleasure.
“That’s it, baby girl, cum on my cock.”
My entire body exploded with pleasure and I could feel him coming too as his cock throbbed inside me. One strong hand became tangled in my hair and the other propped his body up over mine. Our public bones thrashed together and my breasts jiggled, the sensation out of this world.
Max roared out my name as hot cum flooded my womb as he came inside me.
Our joining was hot and hard and most of all beautiful. I felt so close to him, as our bodies remained locked together.
We stayed that way for a few minutes, both riding the wave of the aftermath. The air was tinged with our arousal.
After placing a soft kiss on my nose, he then withdrew slowly and rolled beside me. Both our bodies were bathed in sweat as we turned to face each other.
No words were spoken, we stared into each other’s eyes and then Max kissed me passionately before pulling the sheet over our spent bodies. I could feel his seed between my legs but I didn’t want to clean myself up. It was like he was part of me.
When I opened my eyes hours later it was still dark and I was on my side. I could hear Max sleeping next to me and my heart swelled in my chest. That first time we’d slept together I had woken up to see he wasn’t there. How things had changed.
I wondered if he did care for me. Surely you didn’t get that level of pleasure from just anyone?
Pushing my body up, I slid my legs to the floor, I felt teary which I knew was silly.
Standing, I went over to my discarded pyjamas and dressed feeling emotional.
Max’s voice came from behind me and I turned to smile down at him. He was half covered by the bed sheet, his huge impressive chest naked. He patted the space I had left. “Come back to bed,” he said with a sexy tousled look.
I chuckled but said, “No, not yet.”
He gave me a disappointed little boy look, “Why?” Like one where the boy had opened his presents at Christmas and did not get what he wanted.
I moved over to the bed with a raised brow, “Because I need to get my breath back before you steal it away again.” I replied honestly.
“I thought we could just lay together, talk?” Max said, patting the bed again.
My eyebrows shot high, “Lay together? Do you mean cuddle? I certainly didn't have you down as a cuddler.”
“You don't know me half as well as you think you do,” Max said. I found his response interesting as he was right. There were things that neither of us had shared. My thoughts darted to Zander. I didn’t want to speak about him in my bedroom and taint the space.
“What’s wrong? You can talk to me, you know; about him,” Max said, pushing up on his elbows as he watched me. The lamp was still on and his skin was on display. He looked like a bronzed God .
I felt the rawness of those words sear through my skin, branding me and I turned my face away and stared out of the glass of the balcony doors.
You can trust this man, my reflection said.
Since Zander, I'd slept with other people but it had been faceless, emotionless sex. Just a release to deal with my baser urges. What had happened between Max and me was special as there were feelings involved, on my side anyway. The rhythm of his body as he moved inside of mine was like a seductive melody.
I turned and looked down at Max as he lay in my bed, the covers twisted around his waist and I smiled as he peeled a corner back with a nod of his head. "Come on, you must be cold." His words stirred more excitement in my stomach; desire curdling in my pelvis.
I instantly realised that I was the opposite of that. The ice that had been in my heart before had thawed and Max Hunter was the person responsible for that. He was more than an itch I needed to scratch, so much more. I was in love with him. But what was I to him?
It was time he knew about my demons. And the bedroom suddenly seemed the right place to do that, considering that was all I’d had with Zander. The rest had been bullshit.
As I moved to join him something caught my eye outside, a flicker of orange light. Turning my head sharply, I pushed my face closer to the window, narrowing my eyes to see.
A jet of adrenaline burst through my chest as I saw what appeared to be a small flame licking up into the sky like a snake's tongue
“Max, I said, alarm threaded through my tone.”
“What, what is it? He questioned, the bed creaking as he swung out to join me. “Is someone there?”
He grabbed his jeans and started to pull them on saying, “Shit. ”
My brow was threaded as I blinked, trying to establish what I was looking at. “What do you think it is?”
Max turned the lamp off so we could see outside. “I know what it looks like. What building is that?”
My mouth opened and closed in panic as the scene unfolded before us. “That's the stables.”
“It's on fire Amber, call the fire brigade now. I'll go and alert the staff.”
Fire!
“The horses, Max. The horses are in there,” I cried, lunging for my robe, and shoving my arms into the sleeves before racing to the door.
“Amber, where are you going? Wait, Amber, damn it to hell,” Max yelled as he stubbed his toe hard against the bed frame.
I heard Max shouting my name as I left him frantically dragging his clothes on, but I couldn’t stop; I didn’t have the time. I secured the belt of my robe over my shortie PJs whilst running, taking the stairs two at a time.
The stables were on fire and the only thought pounding in my head was my horses. My therapist said that staring into a fire could be calming, as I yanked open the door and was faced with one, that couldn’t have been further from the truth. Panic raced through me like a freight train as I ran across the yard towards the bright yellow flames which licked up the back of the building. Smoke was billowing up into the black sky and the heat from the blaze intensified the closer I got. My skin prickled as my heart thumped in my chest, adrenaline pumping through me. The worst part of the fire seemed to be at the back, but I could see an obvious glow where it had started to creep across the roof.
Pain shot through my soles, reminding me I was barefooted as I shot over to the large double doors and unclipped the beam that held them closed. I could hear the thudding of hooves and the whinnies from my babies as I leaned all my weight against the doors to shove them open .
It was then that I saw the full extent of the inferno, the entire back corner where we stored the tack was alight. Wood, hay, and straw were rapidly burning in all directions, the perfect tinder to flame.
It didn’t deter me, I dipped low, covering my mouth with my hand and ran towards the back of the building, throwing myself at Shadow’s stall. The fire extinguisher positioned there would be useless as the flames were already out of control. I ignored it and carried on with my task. I needed to get them all out.
“Shit,” I hissed as I burnt my fingers, the metal door bolt which secured the top of the stall door was scalding hot. Pulling the sleeve of my robe over my hand to protect it, I freed the bolt and then took my foot to the lower kick bolt. Shadow was panicking, prancing back and forth in her stall and I dragged the door open and lunged towards her, careful of my toes being trampled by her hooves. Grabbing the head collar, I yanked it, side-stepping her body, so I wasn’t crushed against the wall of her enclosure. There was no time to attach a lead as I steered her out of the stall.
We ran regular drills, and I knew it wasn’t the best idea to turn the horses loose in the yard but what could I do? A panicked horse was better than a dead one. And the horses were trained to go to the paddock in times of distress. In theory anyway.
“It’s OK girl, come on. You can do it,” I cooed, attempting to calm her nerves. She came with me and as we cleared her stall, I smacked her on the rump and she fled, galloping towards the exit, and getting clear. As relief kicked in, there was a crash and a wiz of sparks shot up into the air like a firework, but I paid it no notice, I knew what I needed to do. I had four other lives to save.
“Amber,” Max’s voice shouted. “Where the fuck are you?”
“In here,” I yelled, my lungs feeling tight and dry. The smoke was getting thicker, but the air was bright, the darkness lit by that relentless, amber glow. My skin felt like it was burning but I couldn’t leave .
Max appeared by my side with a flustered Dexter, “You need to leave, Amber. The whole place could come down,” he yelled. The noise of the burning rafters muffled the sound. He had his top pulled up over his mouth. “Go get the other doors loose,” he ordered Dexter who nodded and jumped into action.
I was in the process of removing the next bolt lock on Autumn’s stall, but Max brushed my hands away and took over, freeing it instantly. He then rammed his booted foot against the kick bolt and yanked open the door. Autumn whinnied and raced out, bursting past us both and knocking me over. I watched as her chestnut flanks sped past feeling slightly dazed.
Another crash, followed by a hiss and sparks of fire shot towards us. I felt Max grab my arm and pull me up before we were both knocked to the side as Ace, my father’s palomino cantered past us; Dexter having managed to free her from her stall.
“Please, Max. Stall four,” I shouted, my eyes stinging like fuck, and visibility was rapidly becoming worse. Another bang hit the air as part of the roof at the back where Shadow’s thankfully now empty stall collapsed, and I jumped towards Max as the sky appeared.
We both lowered ourselves to the ground, almost crawling. Pain in my feet shot up my calf muscles. Shadow, Autumn, and Ace were clear and I saw Dexter was in the process of freeing Piper. The only horse left to free was in stall four.
Lady was rearing her hooves, stomping, her ears drawn back in terror, her cry shooting shivers of fear down my spine. Lady was our eldest horse, a beautiful chestnut mare, and most importantly, she had been my mother’s horse. A fist gripped my heart as Max, taking control, started to rattle the bolt lock, the sleeve of his jumper covering his fist against the heat of the metal.
“Fuck, it’s stuck,” he yelled out, using his elbow to try and free it. I helped by freeing the lower kick bolt, but the top wouldn’t budge. Lady as a retired horse wasn’t exercised as much as the other horses which could have been why the top lock had jammed.
I found myself on the edge of hysteria, “Please, you’ve got to free her, Max. I can’t lose her,” I cried, despair dripping down my face, my cheeks stinging at the hotness of my skin. I wondered if I’d have blisters and there was an acrid taste in my mouth.
Dexter appeared at our sides, his tone low and deadly, “We need to get out of here, it’s all coming down.”
Max’s eyes crashed with mine and I shook my head, I would rather die than leave her there. He must have read those thoughts through my eyes.
“She was my mother’s horse, Max.”
He searched my face, a pained expression twisting his features before a look of determination wiped away any weakness.
“Get her out of here,” he growled at Dexter before taking a step back, glaring at the bolt lock and lifting his leg. Max smashed his booted foot against the bolt, attempting to kick it free. Once, twice with a roar as if he could open it with his anger and frustration. Hope surged in my chest. He glanced back at us in between his ferocious kicks.
“ Are you deaf? Get her out of here now !” he yelled aggressively.
Dexter grabbed me by the arms and started to drag me out, but I struggled, “Let me go Dex. I need to help him.”
He ignored me and half carried me out of the stable. As we both fell out onto the ground, I inhaled the clean air into my lungs, my entire body broken from the lack of oxygen and extreme heat. Pushing up to my knees, Teresa and Marcel rushed over. “Are you OK? The fire brigade are on their way. Oh my God, how did this happen?” Teresa’s shrill panicked voice screeched.
Choking to the point where I thought I was going to throw up, I managed to say, “Get the gates open. They won’t get the engine in otherwise. ”
Marcel’s hand was on my back and shoulder, and I shrugged him away, “Go. Now. Do it. Dexter, go with him.”
As I attempted to see inside the barn, I strained my eyes. Where the hell was Max? The smoke was now a mixture of brown and black. The scene was devastating and another sob forced its way from my throat.
And then my heart stalled as half of the building collapsed , taking one of the doors off with it, glass shattered, and a large section of the roof folded in on itself. A plume of smoke hit the air with a crackle and a hiss.
“No!” I screamed, clawing at my chest with my hand.
As I pushed to my feet, Dexter ran back to help me up and I lunged forward. I needed to help Max.
“No, Amber. You’re not going back in there,” Dex yelled, holding me back, physically restraining my arms as I pulled and pushed.
And then everything seemed to go in slow motion, I could hear the beeping noise the electric gates made when they were opening, like a lorry reversing. Our beautiful stable was gone. Horses were dotted around the yard, two had made it into the paddock and were racing around it in circles, spooked and terrified, sweat-sheening their coats. All the lights were on in the house casting an eerie glow over that part of the yard. I could hear my heart beating it was so loud.
“Max!” I screamed again. Genuine horror that I had lost him jarred through me, it was like an agonising pain and sobs shook my body as Dexter pulled me into his chest.
“No, please!” I screamed; my vocal cords felt like they’d been cut with a razor.
I couldn’t see anything , there was so much smoke and debris and then came a thudding noise. It was faint, like a familiar beat.
Dexter and I looked at each other before turning back to the half-unrestricted door into what was left of the building. Flames reached for the sky like hot hands and there was no doubt in my mind that it was spreading fast. The scene before me was devastating.
Max, I need you, where are you?
Through the thick smog, I could see movement, a nose, a head and a horse, my mother’s horse. Lady’s hooves pounded down the narrowed section, with Max mounted on her back, leaning over her neck. His strong hands wrapped into her bridal and just as she cleared the open doorway, the entire frame collapsed shooting clouds of ash and splintering wood into the yard. I watched, opened-mouthed as Max yanked on the bridal to bring her to a halt and she started to slow up as she cantered past me and Dexter.
Max slid off her onto the ground, he was breathing heavily, his hair flat to his forehead and dirt and sweat covered his face and hands. His clothing was ripped, and I could see blood. Pulling away from Dexter, I ran towards him, my feet felt nothing, they were that numb.
“Max, are you hurt?” I yelled as he pushed onto his knees. I threw myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck and squeezing, his arms fell around me as we embraced. I then pulled back and stared at the cut on his neck.
OMG, he was hurt.
“Do you need an ambulance,” I said, oblivious to what was going on around us. The only thing I could hear was a rushing sound in my ears and the faint noise of a siren in the distance.
“No, it’s just a scratch,” he said. “Did we get them all?”
“Yes, you saved her. You saved my mother’s horse. I thought you were dead, oh my God, I was so scared.”
We sat there on the ground with the fire still burning but time stood still as Max gazed down into my face, looking at me in wonderment like I was the most precious thing in the world.
I pushed my cheek into his hand as he cupped one side of my face.
“You were so brave. I was terrified I’d lose you,” he whispered .
And in that moment, I understood why I loved him so much.
Max’s mouth met mine in a hard, brief kiss before he pushed to his feet. “Are you OK? Your feet are a mess, Amber,” he said as he took my hand, and we moved over to Dexter. Some of the other staff were standing with shocked faces. Dex was on his phone. I was so relieved Daddy wasn’t home to see it. It would have finished him off.
My gaze took in the horses. And then it hit me. How had the fire started in the first place?
A million fears jetted through me and then a fire engine appeared, slowly negotiating the gap between the gates into our property.
The next hour was chaos.
It took over an hour to put the rest of the fire out. It hadn’t spread to the tennis courts or any of the other outbuildings but the trees beside the boundary wall had caught fire and now sat there as charred black stumps. Another wave of sadness hit me.
Max was amazing , he spoke with the staff and asked them to supply the firemen with anything they needed. Bottled water was passed around. My feet were torn up and Max lifted me onto the kitchen counter and cleaned them before wrapping some gauze around my wounded soles.
My God, I loved him so much and was desperate to tell him, but would he believe me? What if it wasn’t something he wanted to hear? I felt so confused. Not about my feelings but how to deal with them. I had never felt that way about anyone. That moment when I thought him dead in the barn, I wanted it to be me. I would have offered myself in exchange.
As I came off the phone with my father, the chief fireman was speaking with Max. He explained that once the heat settled a thorough investigation as to how the fire started would be carried out.
It was almost four in the morning and Max suggested I take a shower and then get back in bed. It wasn’t unbearable pain but my feet were sore. As I was in the bathroom, Max knocked and then came inside. He took his shirt off and helped me out of my bedclothes which were unsavable.
We showered together with Max washing my hair. He was so attentive and caring and I felt safe and cared for.
We did all that in silence. It wasn’t a sexual thing. We just needed to be clean, to wash the horrible event from our bodies.
Max said the police would be calling in at the house during normal hours and as we lay together in my bed, fresh from the shower. Max explained why the police would be involved.
And my stomach plummeted. Suspected arson. A purposeful attack on my family.