CHAPTER FIVE
I’ve told you before, if you need to think, just take a drive, roll down the windows, and put on “The Weight” by The Band. It’s an oldie, but nothing helps clear your mind like the wind through your hair and the lyrics washing over you. Even Logan agrees with me.
~Text from Asher to Christy~
Christy
It’s been four days since I blew up at Max. I was home for maybe twenty minutes when the door to our apartment opened, and Mary came in with both Logan and Nicky following her. Nicky brought stuff to make enough margaritas that I didn’t get out of bed the next day.
They all helped me realize that I wasn’t being ridiculous.
That I deserved to be loved as loudly as I wanted.
I vaguely remember at one point, right before Asher and Ry came to collect their men, that Logan said something pretty profound.
He looked at me from the floor, where he sat leaning up against the couch.
“You deserve to be loved by someone who’s so in love with you that they’re willing to shout it from the rooftop.
You deserve the kind of love that makes a man’s heart beat faster every time you walk in the room.
You deserve the kind of love that if you were in danger, he’d do anything and I do mean anything to make you safe and back in his arms.” He took another sip and said the next part quietly, but I heard every single word.
“I know what it’s like to question if a love like that can exist, but I don’t anymore.
I know that Asher loves me beyond this life.
I’m also pretty damn sure by the looks I’ve seen Max giving you recently that he feels the same.
He’s just gotta let his heart do his talking instead of his mind.
” Nicky, who’s sitting in the chair next to my spot on the couch, looks between Logan and me and, for once in his life, is completely serious.
“The men in this family, they’re good men.
They sometimes take a while to realize what’s in front of them, but when their brains catch up with their hearts, watch out.
When the men fall, they fall hard, deep, and forever.
I know Ry loves me beyond anything else.
Just like Asher loves Logan, Mick loves Madison, Shane loves Kierstie, and…
I’ve had too many margaritas to list them all, but you get my point.
Max is like his brothers. Give him a few days, and I bet you he’s gonna be on your doorstep professing his love.
If he doesn’t, and he’s an actual idiot who’s gonna let you go?
Well then, we get that new prospect, Zane, I think?
He seemed all sorts of interested, a sweetheart, he’s a rugby player, and those guys have thighs and asses for ddaayyss. ”
Well, I’ve given Max time, and I think I’ve got my answer. Today’s my day off, and I'm gonna do laundry, read, and probably wallow in my feelings. What? You know you would too.
I do actually change out of my pajamas and into leggings and a t-shirt.
My fluffy slippers and messy bun complete my bum-for-a-day look.
I walk into the kitchen just as the coffee maker finishes brewing.
Mary comes through the kitchen and pours some coffee into her travel mug.
She doctors it up, takes a sip, and turns toward me.
“You’re off today, right?” I nod. “I’m at the sandwich shop for a couple of hours, but I’ll be at the bookstore most of the day today.
There’s a new shipment in, and I get to help reorganize a couple of sections.
” She grabs her bag and keys and looks back at me as she’s about to walk out the door.
“You okay? You know you can always come hang out at the bookstore with me if you want.”
I shake my head. “No, I’ve got a new book to read. I’m gonna do laundry and read. I really am okay… or I’m getting there.” Mary nods and heads out. She’s good at reading me when I don’t want to talk about something. She’s perceptive about people.
I grab my favorite mug out of the cupboard and doctor up my coffee to my liking, taking a much-anticipated first sip.
Every day I do this, I’m reminded just how awful the coffee up on the mountain was.
Shows that Joseph never got past the swill of the drip coffee he used to have as a longshore fisherman.
They still make it the same way, or at least they did when I left.
There’s a knock on my door, and all I can think is that Mary forgot her key.
I open the door, but it’s not Mary. Max is standing in front of me, but he’s not dressed for the office. He’s got jeans and a Henley on, and in one hand is a takeout bag. He shrugs his shoulders. “I came to bring you breakfast and hoped you’d talk to me?”
Max
Waiting for Christy to say something feels like forever, even though I know it’s less than a minute. She looks beautiful this morning, and I want to kick my own ass for making her doubt me.
She nods and gestures for me to come in.
I walk in and set the bag down on the table.
I turn to her and open my arms, just praying she’ll walk into them and let me hug her.
As soon as she takes a step my way, I move like lightning to pull her into my arms. Everything comes out of me as soon as I feel her in my arms. I hold her, afraid she’s going to slip through my fingers.
“I’m so fucking sorry. I’m sorry I hurt you by being quiet.
I’m sorry I didn’t put you first where you most definitely fucking belong.
I’m sorry for all of it, but I'm mostly sorry that I didn’t show you just how much you mean to me.
I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you two things.
The first being that you’ve come to mean everything to me.
” I hear her sniffle and want to kick my own ass for making her cry.
She moves slightly, just a fraction of a step away from me, so she can look up and look me in the eye.
“What’s the second thing?” I look at her and say what’s been playing over and over again in my mind the last few days.
“That I love you. Not just I love you, but I’m completely and hopelessly in love with you.
I promise if you agree to still see me, that I’ll spend the rest of our lives proving to you just how much you mean to me. ”
She gives me a slight smile. “So you want us to just pick up where we left off?” I shake my head.
“No. I want us to move forward, and that includes the world knowing that you’re fucking mine.
Even that fucking giant of a prospect Zane.
” Christy shows me she’s been hanging with my sisters too much because she rolls her eyes at me.
“He’s just a friend. He’s not interested—” I move my hand up to her mouth to stop her.
“He most definitely is. But you’re mine. Mine to love, mine to touch, mine to build a life with.” I can’t not kiss her anymore, so I lean down and kiss her with everything I’m feeling. Christy breaks the kiss and gives me that smile that I love. “Did you just growl when you said that?”
What? I shake my head. “No, I didn’t growl.” She laughs and leans into me, letting me hug her. “You totally did. You growled, and I liked it.” I kiss her again because I can, and because I fucking missed her these last few days.
When I break the kiss, I lean in and touch our foreheads. “Are we really okay? I’m really fucking sorry, baby. I didn’t think about your side of things, and after you left the other day, I was reminded of some things I failed to think about.”
“Someone talked to you? Does that mean someone besides Mary and Madison knows about us?” I nod.
“Yeah. Pa and Wyatt gave me some advice and reminded me to see the big picture. Asher threatened me and gave me this bruise I’ve got.
” She moves back and looks at my face, her hand coming up and lightly touching my cheek.
The bruise is light now since it’s been a few days. “He hit you? Why did he hit you?”
“Apparently, you’ve won the grumpy bastard over, and he considers you a good friend and basically another little sister.
He told me if I wasn’t gonna man up and be the kind of guy you deserved, that he had plenty of guys on his crew that would love to go out with you.
” Christy rolls her eyes. “Those guys just like me because I make them sandwiches at work at least twice a week. Asher’s a good friend. ”
Christy
I get an eye roll and a sigh. Max looks down at me and leans in, giving me a kiss that quickly turns into a more heated one when a moan comes from me, and his tongue demands entrance. I know I don’t have any experience to compare to, but damn, he’s a good kisser.
He starts to break the kiss, but I don’t want to, so I reach up and tug on his neck slightly to keep his lips where they are. Max’s hands move, grabbing my butt. I’m not sure how it happens, but when we break the kiss, I’ve got my legs wrapped around his waist, and he’s holding me.
Something crosses my mind and comes out of my mouth before I can even think.
“Do you have to leave for work? I know you’ve got a full case load.
” Max shakes his head. “Nope. I cleared my schedule for today. I’m also not available for anyone else but you.
You. I meant what I said. I grew up watching great examples of strong, loving relationships and want that with us.
That means you come first before everything else.
That’s not a talking point, that’s a fucking fact. ”
This guy. Max asks me a question that’s the last thing on my mind.
“I brought pancakes for breakfast, wanna eat?” I kiss him again, and with my lips still touching his, I let out what I’ve wanted to tell him for months.
“There’s only one thing I want right now, and it’s not food.
” He gives me a questioning look, but lets me continue.
“I want to have the man I’m in love with make love to me. ”