30. Max
***Max***
My bike was the one thing I let myself have that wasn’t rigidly controlled.
I needed to feel the sharp wind on my face every so often as a relief from how tightly I was wound the rest of the time.
Even still, I kept my speed under the limit and made sure I stayed responsible.
I had Poppy at home waiting for her dad to come back.
That weight wasn’t light on my shoulders.
Things were too tense in the house and I was started to feel frazzled.
Having Daisy around was a constant test and it was made even worse by knowing Wes and Flynn were both trying to go after her.
I’d never known any of us to go after the same woman but it seemed Daisy had a way with Calloway men.
Since the night I’d eaten her out and come on her face I’d been extra careful to not be alone with her.
That didn’t mean I didn’t think about dragging her away nonstop.
I’d been suffering with a never-ending hardon.
That was why when I slowly made my way down the main street of the village and spotted Daisy, I was half convinced that I was making it up.
Traffic was moving slow enough that I managed to lock gazes with her.
Her quick grin turned frown convinced me I wasn’t imagining things. My fantasy Daisy didn’t frown at me.
I wanted to stop. I wanted a few minutes alone with her.
That wasn’t a good idea, though. I looked away from her and kept going.
I could almost hear her scoff of annoyance and I got a bit of joy at the thought of annoying her as much as she annoyed me.
I got to the outskirts of Sweetwater Cove and pulled over.
It was a fucking terrible idea to go back.
I had no business going back. I’d told Wes and Flynn that I wanted nothing to do with her.
I turned around and went back. I stopped thinking because if I let myself think, I’d start thinking about the way she tasted and the sounds of her moans and the sounds of her laughter. No, definitely no thinking.
I spotted the back of her near the same spot I’d first seen her.
Her hourglass figure was wrapped in a white dress with enough flare around her hips to keep every male gaze locked on the bottom hem.
Her hair bounced as she walked, the old-timey curls pronounced and put together in a way that made me want to destroy it by grabbing a fistful.
At the sound of my motorcycle her shoulders stiffened. Wanting to push her the same way I felt pushed I pulled on the sidewalk behind her, scaring several tourists and breaking a few traffic laws.
Daisy finally turned to face me, hands on her hips. Her bright red lips were set in a firm line but I could see a dare in her pretty eyes. She yelled over the engine. “What do you think you’re doing, Max?”
I nodded towards the back of the bike. “Come on. Get on.”
Her eyes widened. “You can’t be serious. Look at me, Max. I’m in a dress and heels. My hair-”
“Will survive. Come on. I’m not leaving until you get on.” I smirked at the way her will was crumbling. “If I keep blocking the sidewalk, you’re going to catch an earful from all these business owners.”
She stomped her foot and glared at me. “Fine. I’ll do it. I’m probably going to show my ass to everyone in town and you’ll have to pay for everyone’s therapy because I refuse. I want it on record that I’m saying this is a bad idea.”
I tried to fight a grin and failed. “Get on, woman.”
She glanced around us, looking nervous about the scene we were making.
I’d been the Calloway everyone considered a fuckup for so many years that it didn’t phase me anymore.
People were going to think what they thought and that had to be fine.
It only mattered what my family thought of me.
With the important exception of Tyler. I didn’t give a fuck what the true Calloway fuckup thought of me.
Daisy groaned and grabbed my shoulder before expertly throwing her long leg over the bike behind me. She settled on the bike and adjusted, tucking her skirt in and getting a scarf out of her bag that she wrapped around her hair.
“You did that pretty damn easily. Been on a bike before?”
She grabbed both of my shoulders and leaned forward to whisper against my ear. “Never. I just knew how embarrassing falling would’ve been.”
I laughed harder than I had in forever and grabbed her hands to wrap her arms around my waist. “Hold on, D.”
She locked on tight, her hands dangerously close to my dick, and pressed her cheek into my back. “Don’t kill me, okay?”
I pulled off the sidewalk, smiled at the way she squeaked, and got us through traffic and away from the congested downtown of the village. I didn’t have a plan, except that I knew the kids would expect her back before dinner.
Daisy held onto me tight, her body pressed so hard against my back that I could feel her nipples. Her hands rested low on my stomach and my dick was doing everything it could to reach for them. It was a sweet torture and I wanted to kick myself.
I drove us to Hunts Cove and parked outside of a tiny ice cream shop. I figured she’d like something sweet and I wasn’t done torturing myself, apparently. I killed the bike and reached back to help Daisy off.
She climbed off and stood on shaky legs with a wild look in her eyes. “That’s not fair.”
I got off and raised my eyebrows. “What?”
She motioned at me and then the bike. “All of this. The motorcycle, the looks, the ice cream shop. You’re doing this on purpose.”
Shaking my head, I wrapped my hand around her upper arm and pulled her towards the entrance. “Come on.”
“I’m only going along with this because I would never turn down ice cream.” She whipped the scarf off and folded it neatly just to toss it into her purse. She fluffed her hair, decided it was still perfect, and shot me one last annoyed look. “You’re going to have to talk to me now, you know?”
I swallowed hard. I really hadn’t thought anything through. She was right. I was going to have to control myself and manage a conversation at the same time. “Fuck.”
She entered the shop laughing and every head turned to watch her.
She didn’t seem to notice the stares; she just walked straight up to the counter and started a conversation with the older woman behind the counter.
I glared at a teenager staring at her ass and moved closer to her so people would know she was with me.
It turned out that I didn’t have to worry about carrying a conversation with Daisy because she was instantly best friends with the other woman, and then the woman’s wife. By the time she was finished chatting, I’d already finished my ice cream.
She finally turned to face me, melted ice cream dripping on her hand, and gave me an honest to God pout. “I’m so sorry, Max. I got lost in that… Where’s your ice cream?”
Before I could answer the first woman held out another cone to me. “It’s the least I can do for stealing your date.”
I glanced at Daisy and waited for her to correct the woman but she was busy licking ice cream from her hand. “Thanks.”
Daisy followed me to one of the metal tables outside and grinned at me after she sat down. “Did you take me on a date without telling me, Max?”
I scowled at her. “It’s not a date.”
“Of course, not.” Her eyes lit with humor. “You didn’t deny it was a date to Sharon, though. Interesting.”
“Daisy?” He waited until I nodded. “Shut up.”