“Thanks, even with this?” I asked, pointing to the somewhat faded black eye I was still sporting.
“Well, I'd prefer that you weren’t someone's punching bag, but it doesn’t take away from how nice you look,” he said, looking at me appraisingly. “I like this too,” he added, twirling a small lock of hair that had escaped my French braid.
“Thanks,” I said shyly. “Lucinda was in a good mood so she fixed it for me,” I added, trying to come up with something to say.
His face took on a pinched look at my words and he dropped his hand.
I grimaced at my mistake. Max hated it when I mentioned Lucinda since he found out she liked to take her frustration out on me. “You look pretty snazzy too,” I said, trying to change the subject.
He took my hint and smiled at me. “In this old thing?” he asked, indicating the tailored black suit that fit him to a tee.
“Old, huh? I'm sure.” I said, raising my eyebrows.
He laughed. “After the countless fittings my mom made me suffer through, believe me, I feel like I know this suit better than my own skin.”
“Well, kudos to your mom because it looks quite yummy on you,” I said brazenly.
“Yummy? You think I look yummy?” he asked suggestively, placing a warm hand on my knee.
“Well, it’s the first word that comes to mind,” I laughed, blushing slightly as I looked down at the fingers massaging my leg.
My gaze left his hand when I felt the vehicle abruptly turn off the road.
“Are we here?” I asked confused as he pulled the vehicle into a narrow opening that looked like it had been notched out of the forest as an afterthought.
Max unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to face me. “Yummy?” he asked again, making me giggle when I realized why he had pulled over.
“Um, you could say that,” I said just before his lips claimed mine. I shivered in anticipation as he deepened the kiss and explored my mouth with abandon.
“Give me your tongue,” he begged against my slightly parted lips.
I succumbed to his demands, giving myself to him as he moaned against my lips. He released my seatbelt and dragged me across his lap in one fluid movement without ever breaking the contact our lips shared. I ran my hands up under his suit jacket, feeling the soft skin of his neck under my fingers as I anchored him more firmly against me.
“You are so beautiful,” he whispered, pulling back slightly to gaze at me hungrily.
“You’re just biased because your choices have been limited here. In a school of a couple thousand kids I'd be lost in the crowd,” I said, not used to compliments.
“It could have ten thousand students and I'd still think you were the most beautiful,” he said before crushing his lips
once more on mine.
I was the one to moan this time as his tongue met mine. I felt his hand on my ribcage, slowly caressing me through the velvety material of the dress. I shifted closer, yearning for his touch like none other. He understood my unspoken plea and adjusted me so I was straddling his lap, bringing us together intimately although we had layers of material between us. His hand continued slowly up my side until it rested just below where I wanted it to be.
“Max, we should go,” I finally said, dragging my lips from his. He nodded, but shifted slightly to bring us even closer.
I fought back a groan, trying to control my exaggerated breathing.
“You’re killing me,” he said, planting one last kiss on my lips before deftly moving me off his lap.
My senses slowly returned, and I was mortified at how out of control I had allowed the situation to get. I acted like Lucinda would have. I felt color creeping up my cheeks as I thought of how close I had come to letting him do whatever he wanted. Had Lucinda been right in all the years that she had been telling me I was just like her? Was I really no better than she was? Giving up my virginity in the front seat of a vehicle with a guy I had only known a couple weeks would have definitely painted me that way.
“Katelyn, are you okay?” Max asked as I studied my hands, mortified.
I remained silent as I struggled with the inner turmoil boiling through me.
“Katelyn?” he said again, more insistent this time.
“I’ve just never acted like that,” I finally muttered, thankful the interior of the vehicle was too dark for him to see my face clearly.