Falling for the Bully (Falling in Love 3)

Aria quickly composed herself and forced a smile to her lips. “Ignore me. This is just the first time I’ve been stood up. It’s no big deal.”

“Don’t let this one loser even get you down,” Max said.

“Loser?”

“Look, any guy that can’t come and say that he doesn’t want you to your face, is not worth your time or energy. He’s a fucking waster, and you can do so much better than him.”

Then why was she sitting in this really nice restaurant, about to have dinner with Max? She could go home. It would be easier and far better for her, if she was just to go home.

Instead, she sat in her seat, waiting for her meal to come out.

“Are you feeling better?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

“You know, dating won’t help you to feel fulfilled.”

“I don’t want to go around having one-night stands.”

Max leaned back in his chair, arms up. “Whoa, I’ve not had a one-night stand in a long time.”

“What is a one-night stand like?” she asked.

“I feel we’re getting way off topic here.”

“You’re my date, and I’m asking you. I’ve never had one.” She snorted. “I’ve never gone out drinking or partying. I’ve never lived up a good life. I’m just me, you know. The baker. I spent most of my years in high school studying. I was never invited to parties. I was never considered to be fun, not even a little bit.” She pouted.

“Are you wanting to get crazy?”

She climbed out of her seat and rushed toward the bar. Ordering shots, she smiled at the bartender, paid the money, and went back to the table.

Putting a couple of shots down in front of Max, she held one in her hand, and without thinking about the repercussions of getting completely drunk, she knocked it back, swallowing. The shots were hot and burned her throat, but she quickly did the second shot.

Glancing over at Max, she saw his gaze was wide as he watched her.

“Come on, Max. I paid for the shots. Drink up, enjoy.”

“I brought my car tonight.” She blew out a raspberry before she could control herself. She pressed a hand to her mouth as Max laughed. “I’ve got a feeling I’m going to be designated driver for tonight. I’ll make sure you get home safe.”

He moved the shots toward her, and she sighed.

“I’m not going anywhere, Aria. You’re going to be perfectly safe with me.”

She knocked back the third shot just as the waitress brought their food.

“Is that because you don’t bang fatties?” she asked.

Max had taken a bite of steak, which he started to cough around as she spoke. “What the hell?”

She pressed her lips together and couldn’t believe she’d even said anything. Those shots were strong. There was no way they were like a truth serum or something.

“What the hell, Aria?”

“I’m perfectly safe with you, because you’re not going to grope me, or take advantage of me. You don’t do fat chicks, right? I think I recall you saying that at school. You see, Max, it wasn’t just the lard ass comment. Someone told me how you mentioned that I’d made a pass at you and that you had to tell me you didn’t want me. I had to deal with people saying ‘sorry fatty, I don’t do chicks who wriggle.’ Everyone always laughed because apparently, it’s what you said. They thought it was so funny.”

She picked up the fourth shot, and knocked it back.

Looking up, Max was staring at her intently. Picking up her fork, he covered her hands with his own.

“I never said that. Whoever it was, fucking lied. Okay, I don’t even remember calling you a name or what I did at all. I was a fucking jerk back then. An asshole. I’m not the same person. I’ve changed. With how you’ve responded to just a couple of shots, I bet you can’t handle your drink properly, and won’t remember this come morning, so here it is. I would fuck you at the first opportunity. I love how your tits are pressed together. They look so fucking full and ripe. I want to see them bouncing in front of my face as I pound your pussy.” He smiled. “That’s not all. I want to spread you open. Have you on my bed, legs wide so I can see just how wet you are. There have been nights where I’ve thought about you. Where my dick has gotten so hard, and only you will be able to make the ache go away. I’m trying to make amends for all I’ve done. I will continue to do so. A dating website won’t work. This right now, won’t work. You’re going to have a killer headache in the morning, but don’t worry. I’ll make sure to bring my remedy by in the morning.” With that, he put a piece of beef in his mouth and chewed.

Aria opened her mouth, closed it, and got to her feet, moving toward the bar and ordering more shots.

Her stomach felt a little tight, and her body was incredibly fluid. The alcohol must be going to her brain. She carried the four shots back to the table, feeling some of the liquid spill over her fingers. She sat back down, and Max took the shots.

“You’re going to eat something, and come morning, you’ll thank me for it.”

“You’re being a buzzkill.”

“And you’re not responding to the fact I want to fuck you. How about that?”

She snorted. “You think I believe you.”

“Why wouldn’t you?”

“Come on. I’ve heard everything Molly and June have had to say about you. A different girl every chance you get. You’re always with someone new. I’m not shocked, not even a little bit. You don’t want to fuck me. You’re just being nice to me.” She ate a bunch of fries, staring at him, daring him to comment.

He picked some up himself, and ate a lot more than she could put in her mouth at any one time.

“You don’t think I want you?”

“No. I don’t.”

She gasped as he leaned over the table, and right there, he traced the curve of her dress. Even though her dress flared out around her knees, the bodice was incredibly tight and pressed her breasts together, giving her a really impressive cleavage, which Max was now stroking. The touch of his finger on the top of her breast, and she couldn’t think. Not with how he looked at her. He looked ready to devour her.

“I wonder what these beauties will look like bouncing in front of my face. I want to see if you’ve got small nipples or large ones.” He pulled his hand away. “I’m not joking with you.”

“I’m a virgin.” The words spilled out of her mouth before she could stop them.

Max nodded. “I gathered. Maybe if you forget this, we’ll never have to speak of it again. However, if you don’t forget about it, maybe you and I can … explore this.”

“Explore what?”

“You don’t feel it?”

“Look, Max, I don’t feel a whole lot right now.”

He chuckled. “That’s the alcohol talking. I guess I’m going to have to wait and see just how much you remember.”

She ate a couple of slices of beef, more fries, and even took a large helping of the salad before washing it down with another two shots. She wasn’t good at alcohol or taking rejection. This was the first guy she’d ever considered dating, not Max, even though as she stared across the table, there were two of them.

“Do you have, like, an evil twin?” she asked, squinting.

“I think now is as good a time as any to get that check. You’re so going to vomit, aren’t you?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She shrugged,

finishing off the last shot. “I like it when you’re being nice. You’re not a giant dick when you’re nice. I even like you walking me to and from work, which is weird because at first, I really hated it. I didn’t want you around me. It’s nice to have someone to care.”

Max paid for the check, and she smiled at the waitress.

“He’s coming home with me. I bet that shocks you.”

“She’s drunk,” he said.

Aria let out a little gasp as she was pulled to her feet. With her arm around Max’s shoulder, he helped to lift her and walk her out. She liked how close he was, and how nice he smelled. It was rather intoxicating.

She could totally get used to this brand of care, the sweetness of him.

“I think I could like you, Max,” she said.

He opened the car door for her, and everything began to get really fuzzy. The world spun, and before she could stop herself, she vomited.

Chapter Three

Max poured some orange juice, some dry toast, and put some painkillers in a tiny bowl he found inside Aria’s apartment. The sun was shining, and he’d spent the night, keeping an eye on her to make sure she didn’t choke on her own vomit.

He’d held her beneath the shower because she had vomit all over her by the time he got home. His car stank and was indeed covered in vomit. He refused to stop the car until he got her somewhere safe, and that place was home.

So, he’d showered her, brushed her teeth, done everything he could to make her comfortable, and put her to bed. He’d set his alarm to check on her every thirty minutes, until he’d finally given up and slept in the chair beside her bed.

His body ached, but he’d taken a shower and felt somewhat refreshed. Cricking his neck from side to side, he moved around the kitchen with ease, enjoying his time until he heard the groan.

Sipping his own orange juice, he waited for it, and just before nine, she groaned. Finishing off his drink, he walked into her doorway as she got up, rubbing at her head.

“You okay, sleepyhead?”

She gasped, her eyes going wide as she looked at him and then down at her body.

Max waited to see if she’d remember their time together.