Chapter 23

If only I could tell him why I let my family treat me the way they do.
He doesn't know what it was like for me to grow up around them. It was too much right now and I needed some distraction before my mind would go crazy.
"I don't want to visit my mother today, Max."
He grabbed my head with his hands and leaned in.
Softly he whispered to me, his lips inches away from mine;
"Anything you want baby girl."
His voice, the way he stood close to me, his breath, his lips and his look gave me shivers all over my body.
He could make me feel like I was the only person in the universe by hardly saying anything.
"Do you want to go back to my house or shall we continue walking a little bit?", he asked.
"Let's walk for a bit. I need a distraction so please tell me something about your brother."
I could see by the look on his face he was a little surprised by my words.
A sigh escaped from his lips.
"My brother is not that interesting to be honest with you." He folded his hands behind his back and looked a bit uncomfortable.
"So you have told me before, but he must mean something to you, since he is your brother. Why don't you want to talk about him?"
Silence lingered in the air before he answered me.
"Ray isn't really a person who'd I like for you to meet."
He paused for a few seconds, then continued to speak.
"I haven't spoken to him for a long time and I have good reason not too. You know, he's just not worth mentioning or talking about. I much rather be talking about you", he said.
I felt a blush coming on my face. It was not the first time he spoke to me like that and yet he still made me blush.
"Don't get shy with me now."
A smile appeared on my face and I even chuckled a little bit.
"You already know so much about me and even about my family. What more can I tell you?"
As I finished that sentence we just made it back to his house.
"Well, for instance you could tell me if you want to spend another night at my place", he said embracing me.
His forehead touched mine and I could hear him take in my scent. I did the same. His cologne smelled so good, I had to restrain myself from getting on my tiptoes and press my lips softly onto his neck.
The idea had me breathing fast and I noticed his breath accelerated too. Before we knew it our lips touched and we both slightly parted them.
Our tongues intertwined with each other, it started slowly but it didn't take long for him to pick me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist and let my hands run over the back of his head.
His hands firmly grabbed my booty to keep me in place.
Heavily breathing and kissing we stood there for a little while, as the whole world just seemed to disappear.
As we came down, for me also literally, putting my feet on the ground, we just looked at each other.
All I wanted now was him.
"Mira, please come inside with me and stay", his husky voice whispered.

Again our heads were pressed to each other and his hands tangled in my hair, holding the side of my head.
I took a deep breath and said; "Hmm, Max... As much as I want too, I can't..."
"Why..?" he breathed.
"Because I have work in the morning and I really need some time for myself after all this drama with my mother", I sighed.
For a few minutes we stood there, him holding my head with his hands, our forheads pressed against each other and nothing but our breaths escaping softly from our lips.
"I can't let you go anymore Mira. Please just stay", he begged.
I took his hands and slowly led them away from my head, holding them while looking at his perfectly blue eyes.
"Max, please don't. I need you to bring me home."
He kept my eyes locked to his, for a moment I thought he would get really upset, but he gave in.
"Okay, I'll drive you home."
I know this isn't what he wanted and maybe not even what I wanted deep in my heart, but it was the best thing to do for now.
I had to clear my head and also be able to rest a little for work. All this drama with my mother didn't do any good to my mood or my energy.
Also, the whole thing about Max not wanting to talk about his brother was causing a little bit of chaos in my head.
I was curious about that whole situation and him being so mysterious about it didn't made it any better.
He dropped me off at my place and to be honest I was actually happy to be alone.
I needed some time for myself to clear my head. If I stayed at his place Max would have been to much of a distraction.
This was actually one of the first times I felt comfortable with my decision. Normally with stressful things like this I liked the distraction of a man in my life. Tonight I was totally fine with being alone with my thoughts.
I took a hot shower and did some laundry.
When I sat down my phone buzzed. I picked it up and saw I had a few missed calls.
There were two from my dad, two from my brother and a whole bunch of Max. Just when I wanted to put it away my screen lit up and there was an incoming text from Max.
'Baby, why don't you pick up your phone? I need to know if you are okay.'
For a moment I hesitated to text back. I really needed some space but he has been so good to me, it would have been rude not to answer him.
So I decided to send him a short text that I was okay and that I was going to bed soon.
As for my brother and father I didn't call them back. I was in no mood to even think about them, let alone talk.
I growled at the sound of my alarm clock. Morning has come too early.
Stretching and yawning I pushed away my blanket and made an attempt to get up.
Last night I was so tired I fell asleep on the couch, waking up in the middle of the night not knowing if I was in my own home or with Max.
As soon as I realized I was in the comfort of my own place I moved myself from the couch to my bed.
"Okay I have to get out of my bed."
I jumped into the shower and got ready to leave for work.
As I got to the building a familiar silhouette appeared in my sight.
The closer I got the more I wanted to run away.

"Why didn't you pick up your damn phone?!"
My brother was waiting for me, great. Just what I needed on a Monday morning.
"Julian, please go away. I have to get to work."
He blocked my way, preventing me from going in.
"You better tell that Max guy he stays out of our family business."
The threatening tone in his voice annoyed me and I was absolutely in no mood to be nice to him.
"He can say or do as he wants to. You have no saying about that at all. Now please go away", I said firmly.
"Girl, if you don't lower your voice to me right now. I swear to God..."
I kept staring at him for a few seconds before I walked passed him and got inside the building.
"Mira you better get your ass back here!", he yelled through the entry hall.
I just looked back one more time as I reached the elevators. He wanted to walk towards me but got stopped by security.
When I got to my level I just did my morning routine and started work.
I didn't intend to let Mr. Hensly know what was going on.
He did ask about my mother but I just answered briefly that she was in good care at the hospital.
Halfway through the day Eddie called me. I totally forgot to get in contact with him and I instantly felt guilty. I had been so caught up with Max and my family that I didn't think about filling him in about everything.
We made plans to see each other this weekend, so we could do some catching up. I was really looking forward to seeing him.
Thinking about what Eddie would say about all the stuff that was going on in my life, an image of my brother shoot through my head. Though I wondered what upset him the most. Was it that I finally had the nerve to walk away from the drama or was it the fact that Max spoke to him in a very demanding but also protective way? Or was he upset about me not picking up my phone or returning his and my dad's calls?
Maybe it was all of the above. Anyway, he was mad. He used to have so much power over me and now he starts to notice that I'm not listening to him anymore like I used too.
I pulled my fingers through my hair with my elbows leaning on my desk, heaving a sigh.
"What's the problem beautiful?"
I looked up and saw Max standing in front of me.
"It's nothing. I don't remember you having an appointment today."
"I didn't, I just came by to check on you."
I got up to get something from the printer behind me.
"I'm fine. I have a ton of work to do so.."
"Hey Max! I don't recall us having a meeting."
Max turned around and he and Mr. Hensley walked up to each other and shook hands.
"No you're right, we didn't."
"I have the best secretary one could wish for. I can't imagine her not telling me about an appointment", Mr. Hensly said with a smile on his face.
I smiled and said; "No, of course not sir."
"Mira is a lovely secretary, I can imagine you are very fond of her."
Max look was so intense. He looked at me only the way he could. His eyes sexy, but also in a way, very demanding. After all this time he could still make me blush.
He knew it, he knew what his look did to me, I could tell by his cheeky grin.
"Well, now you're here anyway, walk with me. I have a few things to discuss."
"Hold on, I'll be right there", Max said as he walked up to my desk.
"Don't cut me off now Mira. I can see you're going through things."
"I'm not cutting you off Max. I'm busy with work. We'll talk later", I said as I kept staring at my screen and typing.
I wasn't in the mood to talk to him at all, especially at my work.
Max walked off into the office of Mr. Hensley and I got back to work.
Those words of his, again very demanding. I know he didn't mean it in a bad way, but I just wasn't feeling him right now.

As I left the building to finally go home, I decided to take another way to get my thoughts in order. What I really wanted to do was go to my mother. Although our bound has never been that great, if I really needed her she was there for me.
The wind started to attract, it was really clear summer was coming to an end. I looked up and dark clouds were starting to form above town.
"He, watch where you're going Miss."
I tilted my head and in front of me I saw a man. In a split second I thought it was Max.
"Oh sorry. I'm so sorry. I wasn't paying attention."
The man in front of me smiled.
Geez, he really looked like Max.
"Is something wrong?", he asked.
"Uhm, no. No, I just.."
I heaved a sigh.
"You look a lot like someone I know, that's all", I said brushing it off.
"I get that a lot when I'm in this town."
He smiled.
"Well, I better get going", I said and walked away.
'Finally I'm home', I thought to myself.
It was my plan to have a nice quiet evening and go to bed early. Gathering my thoughts had not been a success as I kept thinking about Max.
For a while I sat on my bed with my phone in my hands. Contemplating whether to call him or not.
The sudden ringing of my device startled me and the phone bounced from the bed onto my wooden floor.
"Hello?", I said hanging from the top of my bed.
"Hey girl. What's up?"
"Oh, hey Claire."
I tried to sit up straight while keeping my phone in my hand.
"What are you doing?", she laughed.
"My phone startled me so I dropped it on my floor."
"How can your phone startle you?"
I heaved a sigh.
"I was contemplating whether to call Max or not."
"Why? What's going on?"
"I don't know, you after all this mess with my mom and him and Julian getting in an argument.."
Again I heaved a big deep sigh.
"Wait..Hold up. What are you even talking about? What is going on with your mom?"
I slapped my hand against my forehead. In all this commotion I totally forgot to tell her about my mother. I guess after what happened at her party I never really thought about telling her what happened to my mother.
"Do you have a minute?"
"Two even", she joked.
I settled in on my bed and started to tell her the whole story.

"Oh, by the way. This was so weird."
"What was?"
"So, I was walking home right? And I took a detour and all of a sudden I bumped into someone and I swear he looked like Max!"
"No! Really?"
"Yes, I swear! It was so weird. He was about the same height, how he presented himself..."
"Wow, that's so weird."
"I know, right? Even his voice was kinda similar."
"Kinda creepy if you ask me."
"Yeah maybe. Anyway it's really late so I should probably go. Thanks for listening honey."
"No problem. Let me know how things with your mother are, okay?", she said sweetly.
"Sure. Again, I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner."
She secured me that it was okay and that I didn't need to worry.
We made an appointment to catch up next weekend.

For the next few days I yawned my way through the days at the office.
All of this made me so tired. It really drained all of my energy.
Therefor I was really looking forward to meeting up with Eddie. He always knew how to put a smile on my face.
"Mira, do you mind to drop this off at Mr. Woods office before you go home?"
Mr. Hensly pulled me out of my thoughts back into the reality that's called work on Friday. I was actually hoping to be out of the office by six p.m and home by six thirty, but I guess that was out of the question now.
"What is it?", I asked as I grabbed the file from the desk.
"They are very important papers for the project in L.A."
"I see", I said briefly going through them.
"It's too late for me to call a courier. Also I think you guys are getting along great, aren't you?", he smiled.
"He's okay."
He stayed silent, clearly thinking about my answer. I tried to be as transparent as I could. I didn't want him to think I was mixing my career life with my personal life.
"I know he's very fond of you."
I smiled. Shoot.
"He's always very polite."
Mr. Hensly nodded in agreement.
"Just make sure these get there in time."
He then walked off to his office, leaving me wondering what he was thinking or possibly knowing about the 'relationship' me and Max had.

I was on my way to Max' office building. I knew it was big, but I had never been there before. Our building was big too, but this one seems much bigger. Maybe I was just impressed because I knew it was Max's.
The doors opened and I walked in.
"I'm gonna have to stop you Miss", a security guard said as he walked up to me.
"I'm here to drop this off for Mr. Woods."
I showed him the file and wanted to proceed.
"I'm sorry, but I can't let you through."
I rolled my eyes. Great.
"You can pass it to our reception. They will make sure he gets it."
"I'm sorry but I don't think you get it. I was sent here to give this to him personally."
The big guy took a few steps back and started talking through his ear piece. He then nodded for me to go to the reception.
"I'm sorry for the inconvenience. How may I help you?"
"I need to deliver this to Mr. Woods personally. It's very important."
"Yes, I heard so. You can leave it here with me and I will personally see that it will get to him."
The lady at the desk smiled at me and handed out her hand to grab the file.
"I really need to deliver this to him personally. I'm Mr. Hensly's secretary."
I tried to stay calm and nice but it was very hard for me. I knew my role and to stay polite, but having such a shitty week and being tired it really took all of my strength.
"I still can't let you go up."
"Can you please call him for me? And at least ask?"
Although she smiled I could see by the look in her eyes she was not amused, but she did call him.
I couldn't hear what he was saying to her, but it was clear he wasn't happy about the situation.
"You may go to him. Top floor, you will find him there."
That was all she said, with a very fake smile.
"Thank you."
I then walked up to the elevators and stepped into the first one that was there.
64 floors..Wow!

As I got to his floor I was very impressed. The doors didn't open into his office, of which I was glad, cause that would have been a cliché.
There was a high desk, like mine and a woman with short, very curly hair was sitting there. Her dark brown skin was glowing. Her brown eyes were a warm welcome as I walked up to her.
"Hi, I'm so sorry for the confusion downstairs", she softly spoke.
"They have very strict rules as it comes to Mr. Woods. He's a busy man."
Her face expressed nothing but sweetness and her smile was very soothing.
"It's okay, I understand", I said.
"Go on, get in there child", she laughed.
I walked up to two very big doors and I knocked twice.
"Yeah!"
Carefully I opened up the doors and peaked my head around the corner.
"Mira."
He signed for me to come in. I pulled the door a little more (which was very heavy) and stepped into his enormous office. Then closed it behind me.
He sat there behind his big oak desk. Hands in front of his face, his two index fingers touching his lips.
All dressed up in his grey suit, his jacket hanging on the back of his chair, his necktie loosened.
I can't deny that the sight of this was very sexy and yet I felt very intimidated.
"Don't just stand there, come here", his voice seemed even deeper.
This man, every time he knew how to weaken my knees.
Slowly I walked up to his desk. Holding the file even tighter.
His look was intens, he didn't let go for one second, up until I was there at his desk.
Him sitting there, me standing on the other side.
"Here is the file you asked for."
I placed it on his desk but before I could pull back my hand his fingers touched mine. Our eyes met and a tingle shot through my body.
A tingle? No, he set off a fire in my soul.
And he knew it.
He opened up the file and studied the documents.
"Is this all Mr. Hensly gave you?"
"Uhm, yes. Why? Is something wrong?", I asked worried.
"No." He said without looking away from the documents.
"Well, I'm going then."
He was acting so weird and I was in no mood for his shenanigans.
As I almost reached his doors he called my name.
"Mira, wait."
So demanding.
I heard his chair rolling and his footsteps coming up to me.
Then I felt his hand softly removing my hair from my right side to my back, where he let his hand then rest.
His face close to mine, I could feel and hear his breath.
"Stay with me, baby."
The words his slowly whispered in my ear made every fiber in my body ache for him. The smell of his cologne touched my senses, his firm hand on the small of my back and his other hand reaching for mine, quickly twirling me around had me accelerating my breath.
We faced each other and the only thing we could do was give in to our feelings and let our lips touch. My lips parted and so did his. As our mouths were following the passion that was unleashed, our bodies did the same by pushing towards each other. I could feel his firm hands slipping to my back, pulling me closer, if that was even possible.
My hands cupped the back of his head, one sliding to his neck, the other grasping his hair. He could unleash feelings I never knew I had.
The passion that was burning inside both of us was lighting up. We both kept fueling this fire, him by moving his lips to my neck and his hand squeezing my booty. Me by letting soft moans escape my lips and my lower body pushing against him. I almost let him take control.
Almost...
"Max..", I moaned. "Wait...Stop."
"Why..?" He asked between kisses. His breath heavy.
"Because I have to go."
I softly pushed him away, his hands cupping my face.
Both of us were still breathing heavy.
With his eyes closed he said; "You drive me crazy Mira. I need you."
The words his deep voice whispered lingered in the air.
I closed my eyes too, our foreheads against each other.
"Max..I..."
I struggled for words.
"Please stay with me. Come home with me."
Again our lips touched and we were yet involved in an act of passion.
"Why won't you let me in, baby girl?"
"Max, it's just..."
"What, what is it?", he sweetly said holding my hands.
"If I go home with you I might lose myself, in you."
"What's so wrong about that?"
For a moment I stayed silent.
"I want to do this right."
"But there is nothing wrong with this..."
I took a few steps back, opening the door of his office.
"I just can't Max. I'm sorry!"
Then I opened up the door and firmly walked away.
As the doors of the elevator opened up, I saw him standing there, looking confused and lost.
I stepped in and as the doors closed that image of him faded away.