Chapter 20 Max Sweet Oblivion #2
"If she loves him, I wish she’d admit it already." Sadie walks ahead of me up my front porch steps. "He’s too nice to get his heart broken." She says it like it’s a matter of fact, and honestly, it is. We all love Howie, even Olive finds the whole thing frustrating.
Pushing my key in the knob, I open the front door, and Benny leaps from his bed, plowing into Sadie. She drops to the floor, cuddling him and peppering him with kisses. But when she excuses herself to the bathroom, I force my pup to use the restroom outside.
My back porch isn’t large, just big enough to have two iron chairs and a small table between. When I step out with Benny, smack in the middle of the table is Sadie’s book.
What the hell?
"Sade!" I holler through the screen door. "Can you come here? There’s something—"
"You’ve got to be kidding me." She pushes out the door, spotting the book. "I literally locked it in my suitcase before I left. With an actual lock."
"Does it… hmm… do you usually have to lock it up?"
"No. The damn thing just follows me around. I’ve tried everything, and it’ll just show up. I threw it in the trash can before I ran into you at the diner that first day, and you picked it up off the floor. It makes no sense."
"It’s magic."
Benny does his business, and I let him back into the house. Sadie folds herself into one of the chairs, running her fingers over the title, and I sit opposite her.
"You know what’s so weird about this?"
"Other than the fact that it follows you, the ink changes color, and hints apparently appear in random places?"
"Yeah. Other than that." Sadie works to untie the twine holding it closed.
"Nope. No idea."
Sadie sighs, flipping it open to pull out the letter. She holds it up. "It's from Beth. I’ve known her my whole life, and I never once speculated that she had powers? Was a witch?"
Holding up a finger, I dart inside and grab two Diet Cokes from my fridge. Returning, I motion for her to proceed, popping the tabs and handing her one. Sadie takes a small sip.
"Sometimes people only show us who they want us to see. Maybe it’s not something she wanted you to know."
"But why now?"
Standing, I grab our drinks, placing one in the crook of my arm and reach my free hand out to her.
"Let’s go inside." Sadie doesn’t question it, but the truth is simple. I feel compelled to be close to her during this conversation, to touch her or hold her if I need to.
We settle on the couch, our drinks on the small sofa table that sits behind it. Bridget insisted I needed it, and I have to admit it comes in handy. Holding her injured hand, I draw small circles on her palm.
"Is it possible she’s showing you now because she decided that the risk of not helping you is greater than telling you the truth?"
Sadie peers at me, her neck flushing red.
"No, I don’t know. That’s another thing that doesn’t add up.
I’ve always been this way. I mean, even in school, I was so focused I didn’t really have a life.
You remember. And none of these clues make sense.
The ones we’ve solved have nothing to do with my life. "
She’s getting frustrated. Her chest heaves rapidly, and she’s twisting her hair with her fingers like she wants to pull it out.
"I remember you went to prom with Bradley Bushnell. Seemed like you had a life that night." My skin heats at the reminder. Xav was right. I had a serious crush on her. I was just too young and too dumb to do anything about it.
Sadie snorts. "Oh my God. Are you jealous right now?"
I shake my head from side to side, biting the inside of my cheek.
"Yes, you are. Someone call the Mage Hollow Messenger!" Sadie pretends to yell to the empty room. "Max O’Reilly, the prince of Mage, is jealous of a boy whose hands shook so badly on the walk in he could barely escort me."
I tickle her side. "Okay, laugh it up. I’m not jealous."
"Yes, you are." Sadie continues to fall apart, trying to wiggle out of my hold. But I pin her to the couch instead with one arm on each side of her face.
"Okay, fine. I’m a little jealous. But only because I had a tiny crush on you." I bury my face in her neck, holding my weight off her as much as possible.
"What!" Sadie laughs harder now, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably. "There… is… no… way."
Pulling back slightly, I trail a finger down the side of her cheek and brush my thumb under her bottom lip.
"Sade, I’m not sure if you know this, but you’re kinda sexy as hell." I dip forward, brushing my lips across hers lightly. "You’ve got the whole brainiac thing going on, always so organized, not to mention this face, among other things."
She blushes, closing her eyes as she shakes her head back and forth. "Max, stop."
"No."
"Yes."
"The best friendships are built on open communication, Sade. I’m being honest. I’m like really into you." I roll my hips forward so she can feel how much I’m telling the truth.
She covers her face, mumbling through her hands. "I secretly wanted you to ask me out back then."
"Sorry, I didn’t hear you? What did you say?"
"Max!"
"Move your hands and look me in the eye when you tell me all my hot-for-my-high-school-tutor fantasies were real."
She moves her hands, but instead of admitting it, she kisses me. Her soft lips move over mine, teasing and testing. When she pushes her hands into my hair, I wedge my arm between her and the couch, rolling us so she’s on top of me.
Sadie runs her tongue along the seam of my mouth, and I open willingly.
We’re frantic, tongues dancing over each other, desperate for more.
My hands drift down her back, grabbing her ass hard as she grinds her hips into me.
When I run my fingers under her tank top, her breath hitches briefly, but she bites my bottom lip before soothing it with tiny flicks.
Sliding my hand up further, my fingers wrap around her rib cage, and my thumb grazes her peaked nipple. A small moan releases from her throat, and I buck my hips up. It all feels so good, so right that it’s almost too perfect.
Pressing tiny kisses down her neck, I glance up at her. She’s a mess, in a good way—her hair is wild from air drying, lips swollen from being thoroughly kissed.
"Can I?" I tug on the hem of her tank top, and she quickly nods. With both hands, I slide it up and over her head, tossing it to the floor. Running my fingers along the edges of her triangle bikini top, I lean forward, pressing my lips to the salty skin directly over her heart.
"More, Max," she demands as she reaches behind her head and unties the string.
The triangles fall to her stomach, revealing her handful-size breasts, with tight pink nipples that are begging for me.
"Fuck, Sade. You’re stunning."
I wrap my hand in her hair, pulling her back to me for a searing kiss.
After only a moment, I release her lips, sliding my tongue down her neck until I’m sucking one of the tight buds between my lips.
Sadie’s breaths are heavy, slow puffs of air interspersed with sounds of approval as I spend equal time on both nipples.
She’s grinding into my cock, riding me like there aren’t several layers of fabric between us. It’s too much to take—the sight of her, how perfect she is with those breathy little moans. I don’t want to stop. I need to see her like this—falling apart in my hands.
"Sade, I have to—"
"Don’t you dare stop, Max." Her eyes dart to mine, they’re glassy, dazed.
Following her lead, I continue my assault on her chest, biting lightly then blowing gentle puffs of air on the marks I’m making.
Sadie’s legs start to shake, but she doesn’t stop rolling her hips.
Her mouth pops open, jaw going slack like she’s seconds from ripping apart at the seams. She’s enchanting, divine, like nothing I’ve ever seen—and as much as I’ve tried to hold out, I fall into oblivion—her name on my lips.
"Max, did you just?" Sadie stiffens as her eyes widen, and her lips tip into a grin. "You know?"
I run a hand down my face. "Sure did. And I’m not even a little bit ashamed about it."
Sadie snorts before leaning in to kiss my forehead. "Looks like you owe me one."