Pumpkin and Spice Page 5

  I alternate my thrusts with my finger strokes, each move going deeper, harder as she gets closer to falling apart.

  I’m about to erupt into her.

  My teeth gently tug at one nipple, and she shatters. She howls out my name. Her walls spasm around my cock. It’s so perfect, heavenly and tight I can’t hold back. It’s like she’s cracked me open and I’m shattering into pieces that only Max can put back together.

  I rocket my seed inside her with the force of a desperate man. In a way I am desperate. I want her desperately.

  “Max, you are a perfect work of art,” I say as I gaze down at her luscious mounds, over her tummy, her amazing hips that I’m holding still as her pussy milks out the last of my cum.

  She shudders and sighs as her orgasm subsides. I let go of her hands and she immediately pulls me down on top of her. Her arms are around my neck as she greedily kisses me.

  We’re both breathless as we come back down to earth. I adjust myself so she’s lying against me, her hair splayed all over my chest.

  I hold her close and let her gather herself.

  “Hmm,” she breathes, slipping one hand downward, sparking my need back to life again. She rests her hand on my shaft lightly. I can’t believe it, but I’m ready to go again.

  “I don’t know where I’m going to end up,” Max says, “but this nice big dick and the hot guy attached to it are coming with me.”

  Chapter 9

  Max

  I am far too relaxed after the late night/early morning’s Mattress Olympics to be embarrassed about showing up at my parents’ house just in time for Thanksgiving dinner.

  We swing by to pick up Dianne first. She seems oddly pleased all the way to the dinner. She sits smirking in the back seat of the car for the entire ride. “Oh god, she knows,” I keep thinking.

  Throughout dinner, Dianne seems chipper. She and my mom hit it off fantastically. They even make plans to meet up early the next morning for Black Friday shopping.

  If that isn’t enough, Stoner is nurturing me like I am his queen. He puts turkey on my plate, along with stuffing, cranberries, mashed potatoes and green bean casserole.

  “Eat up, sweetheart. You must be starving.”

  Fortunately my mother and father are oblivious. Thank god for all the other rowdy guests around the table.

  I grin stupidly at Stoner as he finally gets around to filling his own plate.

  “Thank you for filling my plate,” I say.

  He grins back at me. “You’re welcome. I hope I filled it enough.”

  He’s no longer talking about turkey. “More than enough. This is the biggest turkey dinner I’ve ever eaten. And the most delicious.”

  Relatives be damned, I am actually starting to get aroused all over again.

  But goddamn I’m hungry. We glance at each other as we eat our fill, grateful for each other and grateful that all of my aunts and uncles and cousins are distracted by the sheer number of people around the table.

  Soon, I feel Stoner’s hand on my knee. It both comforts and electrifies me. This is nice. So nice I have to tell him.

  “This is the best Thanksgiving I’ve ever had, Stoner.”

  He nibbles at his mashed potatoes. “And this is the nicest day, ever, of my life.”

  We ogle each other like smitten idiots until someone across the table from me clears her throat, loudly.

  “Are you wearing the same clothes you were wearing when you left yesterday?”

  This gets my attention. It is Sam, eyeing me suspiciously.

  “I didn’t pack all that many clothes for this trip,” I say.

  Sam scoffs. “Presumably you habitually change clothes from one day to the next, though.”

  I squint at her. “A shut-in who wears her robe ten days in a row has no room to take inventory of my habits.”

  Sam starts to raise her voice. “You weren’t even here to help this morning. Mom was freaking out.”

  She is trying to make me feel bad, but it's not working.

  “You want to talk about helping? Girl, you do not want to go toe to toe with me on that score,” I hiss.

  I feel Stoner’s fingers squeeze my knee, and I know he’s trying to tell me arguing is not worth it. He’s right.

  I search for my positivity. “Sister, I love you, but try as you might, you can’t ruin my Thanksgiving. I’m happy, and I’m truly sorry you feel the need to point out my flaws.”

  Stoner puts down his fork and reaches across the table.

  “What’re you doing?” Sam asks him.

  “I want to shake your hand,” he says.

  Incredulous, Sam meets his hand in the middle with hers.

  He takes it and holds on to it tenderly. “Samantha, I want you to know something.”

  People around the table are starting to notice and the room is getting quiet. Stoner continues, “I love your sister. I always have. I always will. And whatever drama you want to dish out at her, you have to dish out to me. It doesn’t bother me. We’re both here for you if you need to talk. And you’re right, we’re both wearing the same clothes we were in yesterday because Max spent the night at my place last night. Or, this morning. Whatever. But we’re adults, and we have no reason to be ashamed of that. Your sister deserves happiness. Now that it’s all out in the open, do you object to me hanging around? Because whether you do or not, you’re all stuck with me.”

  Everyone is now transfixed on us. I should be crawling under the table, but I’m not. I’m a damn adult. It feels good to allow myself to feel like one.

  Stoner’s words sink into my skin and fill me up as deeply as if they were made of oxygen. He feels no shame, and why should he?

  Everyone else around the table is smiling, smirking or looking totally confused. Then, they shrug and move on with their eating and drinking and laughing and chatting.

  Sam opens and closes her mouth for a few moments, then shakes her head as if shaking out the cobwebs. “Fine,” she half whispers, and returns to her food.

  After a few moments, Samantha seems to be thinking hard about something. I watch her while I eat, waiting for the bomb to drop.

  But it never does.

  Then she looks up and says to our mother, “Mom? I’m sorry, I have to go make a call.”

  “Of course, dear,” says Mom.

  I watch Sam go to her room and wonder who she’s going to call. She’s likely going to call her sponsor and spend the rest of the afternoon in her room.

  When the family concludes the eating portion of the day, the women wander out to the den to watch Hallmark movies while the menfolk wash dishes.

  Soon after that, Sam emerges, her hair pulled up in a nice chignon. She’s wearing eyeliner. And a cute dress, and boots.

  “Sam! Where are you going? We’re just about to watch the one where the cookie baker falls in love with the CEO who’s trying to buy out her company, while teaching him a lesson about the spirit of Christmas!” one of my aunties shouts.

  “I gotta go, Sam says. “I’m…meeting someone. I’ll be back later.”

  Mom gets up to go chase down Sam.

  In the meantime, I am in desperate need of a shower.

  As if he’s reading my mind, Stoner makes an appearance in the entrance to the den. We lock eyes and I gesture with my chin to my room.

  Chapter 10

  Stoner

  “It’s time for dirty bingo!”

  Max’s uncle Klaus has announced some kind of game that involves bingo combined with stealing presents.

  “I didn’t bring a gift,” I say.

  Klaus waves me off and assures me that Aunt Jeanie, whoever that might be, always brings enough random crap from the dollar store just in case something like this happens.

  “Sounds fun!” I say.

  It takes about 30 minutes for everyone to agree on who is calling the numbers.

  In the meantime, Max pulls me down the hall while nobody is paying attention.

  “But I want to play dirty bingo,” I say,
laughing. I’m only half-joking.

  “I have another dirty game for you,” Max says, pulling me into her room and locking the door. She drags me into a small bathroom that connects her room to Sam’s. She locks that connecting door, and then she turns on the shower faucet.

  “I want a shower. Right now.”

  Max drops her jeans, sweater and underclothes to the floor. Her body is covered in gooseflesh as she waits for the water to heat up.

  I love that she’s already so comfortable naked around me.

  “I kind of need one too,” I say, covering her in a bear hug to warm her while we wait for the ancient pipes to bring on the hot water.

  She steps in backwards under the warm spray. Rivulets of water stream down her hair, neck, chest, over her beautiful perky mounds. Soon her entire body is wet and she finds a big chunk of homemade soap and lathers up a sponge.

  She looks at me. “Well, are you coming?”

  I grin as I take off my clothes in response. “Probably sooner rather than later.”

  I join her in the shower as soon as I’m naked, and I can’t get naked quickly enough.

  She hands me the sponge and I bring it to my nose. It smells beachy, just like her.

  I gently massage the sponge over her neck, across her shoulders, under her arms.

  She smiles and bites her lip as I spread the silky lather around and under her breasts.

  When I press the sponge between her legs, her smile disappears. It is replaced with desire, and it sends me through the roof knowing that expression is there all because of me.

  “I still can’t believe how lucky I am.”

  She says, “Do you think we would still be together if you had asked me out in high school?”

  I don’t know how to answer that. “I had to go through what I went through to get to where I am. I’m just fucking elated you're with me now.”

  Max runs her hands down my chest and weaves her fingers into the fine hairs on my chest. Her fingers on my wet skin make me feel like a god.

  “Did you mean it when you told my sister that you love me?”

  I smooth my hand over her ass, covering it with a layer of fragrant lather. “Of course. I say what I mean, you know this.”

  “It’s just that you hadn’t said it to me first.”

  “I love you, Max.”

  “I love you, too, Stoner.”

  “Say my real name.”

  “I love you, Talbot Spice.”

  The words tighten my chest more forcefully than I was prepared for.

  “I’m going to spend the rest of my life with you, Max.”

  “You better, because if I’m gonna be staying in Chicago, I’m going to need something to do.”

  “You’re staying?”

  She bites her lip and nods. “I just decided. When you were talking to my sister, I knew that it was right.”

  I’m shocked at this revelation. “You love San Diego.”

  She shrugs. “I do but…I love you more.”

  I don’t know what else to say. I grab her up in my arms and cover her mouth with mine. She’s staying. She’s staying in Chicago with me. For me. This is way more than what I asked for, but I’ll absolutely take it.

  I use such force, her feet come off the floor of the shower.

  “I thought that might make you happy,” she says.

  And then I kiss her again. I want her to know how grateful I am and how much I plan to take care of her. I do my best to tell her all of this in the way I hold her and kiss her and tend to every inch of her.

  Eventually, we finish washing each other and she changes into fresh clothes. We are both trembling with renewed desire for each other, but I also know she’s exhausted. I get dressed and briefly stay with her while she rests on the bed.

  When Max finally falls asleep, I kiss her damp hair and tell her I’ll be back soon.

  Chapter 11

  Max

  Somehow, all 40 of my relatives have let me sleep through the rest of the evening. I haven’t even been woken up by my Dad or my stupid sister for anything the next morning.

  Mom and Dianne had planned an early morning of Black Friday shopping along the Magnificent Mile, and I am happy that they both have made a friend. And I am secretly grateful to Dianne for occupying my mother so I could sleep in.

  As I move around the nearly empty house, I find that Sam still isn’t back home yet. Dad is in the den, watching football highlights, seeming to be content with some quiet time.

  I check my messages. Both Sam and Stoner have texted.

  My heart rate spikes as I instantly click on Stoner.

  Babe, I’m taking a sledgehammer to the old parsonage today if you want to come celebrate afterward.

  Butterflies surface in my stomach. He is really going to do it.

  I call for a Lyft and as I wait, I read my sister’s message. I took a cue from Stoner yesterday and I called Jenna to tell her how I feel. It’s been an interesting time.

  Confused, I type back, You’re talking to your sponsor about your love life?

  She replies, Dummy. My sponsor is my love life. I just didn’t realize it until yesterday. Turns out, she felt the same way this whole time. Do you think Mom and Dad will freak?

  Shocked, I sigh and shake my head. Honestly they won’t care who you end up with as long as they make you happy and you somehow give them grandchildren one day.

  Thanks, sis.

  Love you, Sam. And I’m happy for you. Imbecile.

  She responds, Slut.

  The Lyft driver drops me off in front of the bar, where Stoner is waiting for me.

  He greets me with a huge one-armed hug and a kiss that nearly bends me in half backwards.

  “Are you ready for this?” he asks.

  “Sure. You?”

  “Let’s smash this bitch,” he says.

  Upstairs in the rectory office is where he wants to start. He touches the sledgehammer to the built-in desk. And then he lifts it over his head and brings it down with a heavy crash. It takes a few swings, but the desk eventually comes apart. Then he goes to town on the cabinets.

  “This is where he kept the wine that he gave me. He said it was OK because it was holy wine.”

  And then he smashes the shit out of the cabinets.

  I stand back to avoid getting hit by flying debris. Soon I’m out in the hallway, and he’s inside the room alone, tearing the place to hell, roaring with every backswing.

  I start to worry that this might not have been the best idea for him.

  When he’s finished, he’s covered in sweat and his face is unreadable.

  “Baby?” I say, stepping into the room.

  “I don’t feel anything.” His eyes are vacant.

  “What were you expecting to feel?”

  “Better. I expected for the last of the pain to go away. But it’s just meaningless. I don’t feel anything. It’s just a room where some bad shit happened a long time ago. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now.”

  “Do you still want to turn it into a restaurant?”

  He tosses the sledgehammer to the floor and it lands with a thud. He looks up at me and says, “No.”

  “Why not?” I ask.

  “Because,” he says, his eyes suddenly warm and connecting with me again, “I don't think you actually want to stay here.”

  “What?” I’m totally taken aback.

  “Are you staying here for me or for you, Max?”

  “Stoner.”

  “Tell me the truth. I need to know if you really want to stay here in Chicago or if, in your heart of hearts, you want to go back to California. Because I’m getting the feeling that being here is not good for me. I need some space to figure things out.”

  My heart falls to my feet and my lip starts to tremble. This cannot be happening. “Are you saying you want some space from me?”

  “What? No! Fuck no!” Stoner comes to me and grabs me by the shoulders. “That’s not at all what I’m saying. I mean I need some space
from this city. From the neighborhood. From the people who come around the bar night after night. I need you and I need a change of scenery.”

  Before I know what has come over me, I blurt out, “I don’t want to sell to Green Wave! I want to go back to San Diego and I want you to come with me.”

  Stoner has me in his arms, and even though he’s covered in dust and sweat and twenty-plus years of dirt and baggage, he is the sexiest thing I’ve ever known.

  We kiss each other for the longest time there in the room where his childhood was snatched away, and now we’re reclaiming it as something completely new and different.

  We spend the rest of the day in his apartment, snuggling on his bed in our underwear, under a pile of quilts, watching Hallmark movies while he feeds me popcorn by hand.

  “I love you, Stoner,” I say.

  “He kisses the top of my head and says, “I love you, too, or I wouldn’t be watching these godawful movies with you.”

  “You better get used to it because they’re kind of a big deal for me,” I say, sliding my smooth leg slowly up his furry, masculine one.

  He sets down the bowl of popcorn and slides a hand under the blanket, covering my tummy. His fingers glide into the waistband of my panties.

  “Only if I can do this while you’re watching the TV. That might make it more interesting.”

  I close my eyes and sigh as his hand slides lower until his fingers find my pussy. “Mmhmm. You can do whatever you want to my body as long as I get to control the remote,” I say.

  Before I know what’s happening, he’s dove under the blankets and slid my panties down.

  Chapter 12

  Stoner

  What my baby wants, my baby gets.

  She can watch all the Hallmark movies she wants, as long as she does it with no clothes on and I get to drink her sweet honey.

  I love the way she spreads wide for me after I get her lacy undies off.

  I love the way she continues to eat popcorn while I feast on her pussy.