AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“We bettermakethe mostof itthen,” hegrowled.Picking herup,hethrewheroverhisshoulder, leavingherheadhangingdownnearhislowerback.Whenshesquealedinprotest,hespankedher on theass. “Quiet.Wedon’twanttowakethebaby.”
Shestifled a giggle, but madenoother noise. Oncehis bedroom door was shutbehind them, he dumped herontothebed.Shewaswearing thosedamnyogapantsagain—theonesthatshowed offevery one of her delectablecurves. Hetugged atthebottomof thelegsand sheslid thewaistband off her hips.
“Forgetting something?”
Gigi smiled and removed her underwear also. Then withoutanyfurther prompting fromhim,she took offhertanktopand bra.Sheleaned back onherelbows, lettinghimdrinkhisfill ofhernaked body.Leavingherwasgoingtobe oneof thehardestthingshe’deverhavetodo.Eveninthisshort time,shehadfound a placein hisheart.
“Areyou justgoing tostand thereall night?”sheteased. Hewatched,enraptured,as sheran a fingerdownherchest,circlingonenippleplayfullyasshewent. Maxcouldn’tgetundressedfast enough. Kicking offhispants,hecrawled up thebed and covered her.Hekissed hergently,lowering hishipsuntilhewascradledbyher.Shearchedher back,liftingherbreastsclosertohis mouth, inviting himtotaste.Notwanting todisappoint,hedid justthat; shegasped.
Liftinghishipsback,hiserectionbrushedagainstheropening.“Don’tteaseme,”shegroaned, raising herpelvistomakecontactagain.
Maxsmiled.“Iwouldn’twantthatnow,wouldI?”Heslidintoher,slowlyinchinghiswayinside herbody.Herhandstraveledfromhisshoulderstohookaroundhisneck,hereyesalwaysonhis face.Whenhewasfullyseated withinher,hestartedtheleisurelystrokesthat wouldensurethey wouldbothlastalongtime.Hedidn’twanttomissa minute ofthis,andhecertainlydidn’twantto rushit.Heneededtoremembereverysingledetailofhowshefelt,howshesmelled,howshe looked at himwithsuch…love.
“Iloveyou,Gigi,”hemurmured.Heheldhisbreath,waitingforhertorejecthim. Itwastoosoon tobesayingthosewordstoher.Theywerealsopointless,ashewasleaving,but hehadtotellherat leastonceeven if shedidn’tfeelthesamewayabout him.
Gigikissed him.“I loveyou,too,Max.”
*
ItwasstilldarkwhenMax’seyesshotopen.Somethinghadwokenhim,andherealizeditwas hisphone.
Wherewashisphone?
Scramblingoutofbed,hedugthroughthepocketsofthepantshe’dtakenoffandfoundhiscell. Itwashismom.
“Mom?”heanswered,glancingoverattheclockbyhisbed.Itwasfourinthemorning,which madeitaboutonea.m.in LA. “What’swrong?”
“It’syourfather,Max.”His mom’s voicewasflat—thetonelifelessanddevoidof anyoftheusual sparkhewasused tohearing.
Hesatdownontheedgeofhisbed,feelingGigi’sarmwraparoundhiswaistandherheadlean on hisshoulder. Heexhaled beforespeaking.“What’shappened?”
“Hepassed away.”
Maxfelttherippleofthewordsstriking hisheartlikeasledgehammer. “When?How?”
His momsniffled,thefirst signthatthewallshe’dbuiltuptodelivertheheartbreakingnewswas beginningtocrack. “Hedevelopedanarrhythmia afterhisheartattack.Hisheart musclehad sustained justtoomuch damageandcouldn’tstand up totheabnormalheartrhythm.”
Gigi’ssqueezedhimtightlyforamoment;itwasobviousshecouldheartheothersideofthe conversation.
“When?”hecroaked. “When did he pass?”
Hismom’sshakyexhalewasa lanceofpain through him.“Tenminutesago.”
Hehad just onethought.“I’mcominghome.”Whenhismomdidn’ttellhimnot tobesosilly,he knewthis waswhatshewanted.Sheneededthesupport,notthatshewouldeveraskforit. “I’llcall youwhen I have myflight booked.”
“I love you,Max,”shesniffled beforehanging up.
“I’msosorry,”Gigi murmured.Shewasstilldraped overhim,lending himastrengthhedidn’t thinkhe’d everneed.
“Yeah,”hereplied.“Me,too.”Hepatted herhand toletherknowhewanted to getup.Hehad to getsomeflightsbooked to gohome. Hehadtocall Evangelineand letherknowwhathad happened. Healso had tomakeBrianawareof hischangeof plans.
“Isthereanything I can do? AnyoneI cancall for you?”
Turning,heleaned down andkissed her. “Justlookafter Erin forme,okay?”
Shenodded,herlipspressedintoathinline.Hepulledonapairofsweatsandateethenmade hiswayintothelivingroom.Hedidn’thavealaptop,sohe openedthebrowser onhisphoneand startedlookingforflights. Hedidn’tevenknowGigi hadfollowed him outuntilshestartedfillingthe kettle.
“Would you liketouse mycomputer instead?”sheasked.
