You Never Know

9. New morning, new day

I wake up the next morning rapped in silk sheets. I'm coherent enough to understand that it's not my bed, since my sheets are Cotten blend. I feel movement beside me and hear a single soft snore. 'Ok, I clearly went home with someone last night, but who?' I think. 

I try to remember my my mind is still hazy. I remember the talk with Kris and Geno, drinking to much, dancing with Max, and Oh. OH! We kissed, a lot. 'Please tell me I didn't do what I think I did!' 
I feel movement again, except this time the body rolls my way.

"Good morning, mon belle Nicole." I turn to face him, knowing clearly who's voice that is.
"Good morning, Maxime." I say to him.

He leans over and gives me a gentle kiss on the lips. As he moves back I can see the sweetest smile on his face. 

"Um, Max?" I start off tentatively.
"Yes?" He answers back.
"Did we....." I let the sentence trail off knowing he would understand.

He chuckles and reaches for the sheets. He quickly pulls them down and I can see the oversize shirt I'm in and the boxer briefs that he's wearing.

"No, my dear. We didn't, as much as I would have liked."

'Oh,' I think some what disappointed. He reads my face like a book and breaks into a huge smile. "You wanted to though."
"I'm sure I did, I've had a huge crush on you for a while," I admit, I can feel myself blush.

He smiles again and brushes a few loose strands of hair out of my eyes. I tentatively reach out and brush along his jaw line and over a scar that I had never noticed before.

"Fight."
"Hmm?"
"Hockey fight, juniors, got three stitches."
"Oh," I smile," I hadn't noticed it before." 

Just then my stomach growls signaling that it was time to eat.

"Come on, lets get some food going," he says.
"You cook?"
"I am a master at everything," he says with a huge grin.
"I doubt that," I shoot back.
"Just wait and see."

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

My jaw drops as I see the spread before me. French toast, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, and a variety of fruit all laid out on the kitchen island just waiting for us to dig in.

"Jeez, Max were you cooking for a small army?"
He laughs and says," just wait, I bet some of the guys drop by."
"I better get started then." 

We fix our plates and sit down just as there's a knock on the door. Max looks at me and smiles. He leans over and kisses me, which surprises me because he hadn't since I woke up. 'There had to be a lot more of that,' I think,' A LOT!'

"I know I won't be able to do that for a while now, but I had too," he says giving me another quick kiss as the knock turns to a pounding. 

"Open up you bastard!"

It sounds like Marc yelling through the door. Max opens the door and Marc, Geno, Kris, and Sidney come in. Their to busy goofing off to notice me right away, busting Max for his lack of action last night. 

Geno spots my first and gives me a subtle wink, like he's in on the secret. Then he nudges Kris who sees me and smiles, causing the other two to turn my way.

"Well! Good morning Beautiful," Marc says, all but tackling me as he gives me a huge hug.
"Good morning, Boys, Marc," I say pointedly since he's now laying on top of me.

He smiles at me as he settles down like he's planning on taking a nap.

"Get up, Flower! Your gonna hurt m...our girl," Max tries to cover his slip but Marc and everyone else catches it. 

"Your girl?" Sidney asks in complete confusion.

Marc is smiling like crazy as he looks at me, I know I'm bright red because my face feels hot.

"We're not going out," I say quietly, but the whole room is silent I know everyone heard because Max's face falls.

"What I mean is, Max hasn't actually asked me out yet."
"So what, you just sleep with him instead?" Marc says it like a joke but I can tell Sidney is not happy.

He storms out before I or Max can explain and I know I'm going to have to hunt him down to later.

"What did happen last night?" Kris asks us.
"Nothing. We left the club and came here and went to sleep," I say not knowing if he believes me or not.

"Yeah huh......." Marc draws out clearly a skeptic.
"It's true. There was no funny business last night, here anyway," Max says cheekily while looking at the guys.

Geno and Kris both smile, giving away what Max was hinting at. Marc just shrugs and sits up, finally getting off of me.

"Oh gross!" I say, dramatically covering my ears and falling back into the cushions.

The next thing I know several hands grab me. I let out a scream as Geno and Marc start tickling me.

"No! Please! Stop!" I yell out as I laugh and try to squirm away. I almost fall off the couch when I feel another pair of strong hand grab me.

I see Max looking down me with a mischievous grin as he raps his arms around me.

"No!" I try to day firmly, but I'm still giggling.
"No what?" He tries to ask innocently.
"Whatever your thinking about doing, no!" I say again.
"You are in no position to tell us what to do," he smiles slyly at me, as if to confirm what's about to happen.

But instead of letting the guys tickle me to death, he picks me up, turns, and sits back down now with me in his lap. 

"Booooo!" Marc draws out like an angry fan.
"Way to ruin the fun," Kris says from the recliner.
"No fun, Max," Geno pouts from the end of the couch where he now sits.
"Sorry, boys, but I couldn't let you pick on her anymore," he says giving me a wink.
"You no date her, and whipped now, already," Geno chirps.

"Oh, yeah. About that," Max says looking at me," have dinner with me? Tonight?"

His eyes are sparkling with hope as I stare into their blue depths.
"Yeah, pick me up at 7," I say getting up.
"Where you going?" He asks.
"You don't have to leave, Nic," Marc says.
"No go," Geno firmly states.
"I have some errands to run. Then I need to get ready," I say not telling them my real plans.
"All right, drive safe and I'll see you at 7 sharp," Max says, giving me a hug and soft kiss on me cheek.
"By, Guys."
"By, Nic!" They chorus.

Now to find my Captain.