Ache With Me

“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” I chanted, frantically trying to finish curling my hair. I had ten minutes before Max was supposed to come pick me up for his gallery opening and I wasn’t done with my hair or my makeup yet. I finished the last section of curls and ran my fingers through it quickly before haphazardly applying some mascara and lipstick.

I had just finished putting on my heels when there was a knock on the door. “Coming!” I yelled, grabbing my purse and rushing towards the door. As I ran by, I snatched up my coat and keys off the entry table and flung open the door.

“Hi.” I said, rather breathlessly. Max smirked down at me.

“I always have this effect on women.” He said, cupping my face in his hands as he leaned down to kiss me. I let myself melt into him and whined softly when he pulled away. “As much as I’d love to just stay here all night and kiss you, we have somewhere to be.”

“Fine, fine.” I laughed, locking the door. When we got into the elevator, I took the time to examine his outfit. “You look nice.” He was wearing a dark blue button down with the sleeves rolled up and a black tie. For once, he’d found a pair of jeans without paint splatters and holes in the knees. They clung tightly to his legs, and I could only imagine what they did for his ass. I made a note to check later.

“I could say the same for you. I can’t wait to see what’s under this.” He tugged on the lapel of my forest green coat.

“You will once we get there.” I winced as the cold night air hit my bare legs. Max held my door open for me, as he usually did, and then took off down the street. He always drove way too fast and it scared the crap out of me. We’d never hit anything, which was something, I guess. The opening wasn’t until eight, but Max wanted to be here early and since he was giving me a ride, I was coming along. We had about half an hour to kill before the opening. Max spent most of it smoking nervously or talking to the gallery owner. I took the opportunity to wander through the gallery, knowing this was probably the best chance to see his art. I was expecting the gallery to be packed to the rafters with people. Zina had told me to enjoy tonight as Max’s date and was sending Zack to cover the opening, so I didn’t bother with my camera and just looked at the art.

I knew Max was good and had seen pictures of his work, but it was very different from seeing it in person. Some were photographs of Seattle’s skyline and the bay and some things I didn’t even recognize. The majority of the work was painting though. I spent a long time examining one of a woman’s back, marveling over the detail he’d put into it. Black fingerprints were all over her, as if someone had left their mark on her skin. The next painting hurt my eyes to look at it too long; it looked like white scratches on a black background, but the scratches formed something that looked like it could be breathing. I didn’t spend too much time looking at it and moved on quickly.

Max and the gallery owner both looked over at me at the sound of my gasp. The painting was of a small woman, with a belt hung with crosses slung across boyish hips and a smile on her pink lips. Her green eyes danced with merriment as her delicate hands played with the hem of a cornflower blue jacket. Part of me recognized it as the paint that had stained Max’s hair; another part of me recognized that face.

“Do you like it?” Max asked softly behind me.

“Max, it’s incredible. I can hardly believe it.” I couldn’t take my eyes off the painting. He had made me so much more beautiful than I really was. The clothes I was wearing in the painting were the same as when I’d first met him.

“I started working on it when I came home from that interview. I couldn’t get you out of my head.”

“And then you couldn’t get me out of your hair.” I laughed, tugging on the still slightly tinted lock of hair that fell over his eyes.

“But then I got you in my arms.” He pulled me flush against his body. “Now I believe I was promised a look under that coat?”

“I suppose I did promise.” I sighed. I hadn’t even realized I hadn’t taken it off yet. I handed him my purse and then slipped off my coat, revealing a dress that was almost indecently short. His hungry eyes traveled over me slowly, taking in every detail.

“You’re beautiful.” He finally said, pressing a kiss against one bare shoulder. I blushed and his grin grew wider. “Now let’s get some wine and wait for the madness to begin.” I laced our fingers together and let him lead me over to the refreshments table. I had absolutely no idea how this was supposed to go; the events I covered for the paper were usually fashion or food oriented. Plastic cup of wine in hand, I clung to Max as the doors opened and people began to pour in. Most of them looked like they bathed in gold and diamonds, but a few looked a little grungy and different.

“Alex!” Max waved frantically until he got the attention of whoever he was calling. I got my first glimpse of the person when she made her way through the crowd. She was tall and leggy, with skin somewhere between the color of honey and cocoa. She had a boyish, slim figure. I imagined her with a long cigarette holder and a flapper dress. Actually, her dress wasn’t far from flapper; it was short and decorated with fringe that moved beautifully as she walked.

“Hey Maxie.” Her voice was low for a woman’s. “And who’s this cutie?”

“Alex, this is my girlfriend Lily. Lily, my friend Alex.” Max said. I felt very short and awkward standing next to Alex. “Excuse me for a minute, I believe I’m being called.” He disappeared into the crowd, leaving me with this Amazonian goddess.

I didn’t know what to say, and finally blurted, “God you’re pretty.”

She laughed. “Thank you honey. Max has told me so much about you.”

“Oh really? Anything I should be worried about?” I was trying to make a joke, but I didn’t think it came off that way.

She dropped her voice to sound more like Max’s. “Oh Lily’s so amazing, she’s the funniest person I’ve ever met, she’s so sweet, she yelled at me because I was a dick, on and on and ON. Girl, he really likes you.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “What a goof.”

“He’s a good guy. You’re one lucky lady.”

“I know.” I spotted Max’s blonde head above the crowd, talking to a little old lady dripping in jewels. He kept glancing our way and when he caught sight of me looking at him, he winked and mouthed, “five minutes.”

“Alex!” Both of us turned to see who was calling her. He was a little shorter than Max, but still far taller than me. He had dark hair falling into blue eyes. A ratty blue flannel shirt and threadbare Electric Wizard shirt stretched across his broad shoulders.

“Well if it isn’t the elusive Hunter Scott.” Max’s voice startled me and I nearly sloshed wine on myself. Max and Hunter hugged, and Alex kissed him on the cheek. “Nice of you to show up, you disloyal bastard.”

“Oh fuck off.” Hunter said with a smile. He turned those pretty blue eyes on me. “Is this Lily?”

“Yeah, hi.” I waved awkwardly. I assumed this was the same Hunter that Max was meeting on Sunday morning

“Max doesn’t shut up about you. It’s always Lily this and Lily that and Lily’s so pretty and Lily-” Max clapped his hand over Hunter’s mouth to shut him up.

“That’s enough of that. I need a smoke.” Max said. I followed him out to the balcony while he lit up.

“I’m proud of you.” I said, breaking the comfortable silence. “Your art is amazing.”

“Well I told you I was good when we first met.” He winked at me. “I’m glad you came along.”

“Me too.”

He flicked his cigarette butt away. “I’m also glad you wore that dress.” He ran his hands down my sides, leaving goosebumps that had absolutely nothing to do with the night air. I was pressed up against the railing, caught between his body and the cold metal. I slid my hands up his chest and wrapped my arms around his neck. I had to stretch to reach, even in my heels. He pressed his lips to mine in a feverish kiss, his hands gripping my hips tightly. I craved him in a way that scared me. I was kissing him like he had the last bit of oxygen on the planet in his mouth. The bullets that made up my bracelet were scraping against his neck and he didn’t seem to care, just clutched me closer and kept kissing me.

When we finally broke apart, he turned away from me, running his hands through his hair. As concerned as I was, I took the quiet moment to compose myself and let the night air cool my heated cheeks. When a few minutes had passed and he still hadn’t come back to me, I stepped towards him quietly, resting a hand on the small of his back.

“Max?” I said softly.

He turned to me, smiling. “Sorry about that love, I just needed a minute to calm myself.” I gave him a quick peck on the lips.

“Come on, they must be wondering where you’ve run off to.” I led him back inside and found Hunter and Alex in a corner, while Max went to make a speech of some kind. Hunter was drinking something out of a flask and Alex was still enjoying her wine.

“Look who’s back.” Alex elbowed Hunter, pointing at me.

“Hey guys.” I had picked myself up another cup of wine, my third of the night. I was starting to get a little tipsy but I couldn’t be bothered to care.

“You look like someone just banged your brains out.” Hunter snickered.

“Well there was no banging being done.” I couldn’t help the flush creeping up my neck.

“Maybe not but something happened.” Alex winked. “Get ya some, girl.”

“Oh, I think he’s starting.” I said, swiftly changing the subject. Max made a speech about his art and the gallery and I could see that persona slipping back into place. He seemed to wear arrogance as armor. I knew him well enough to pick out the slight tremor in his hands as he spoke in front of the crowd.

The rest of the night passed quickly. Max snuck several sips of Hunter’s whiskey and it wasn’t until it was time to go that we realized both of us were nearing drunk and couldn’t drive.

“Guess we’re calling a cab.” I found the number of a cab company on my phone and gave them the address. Ten minutes later we were bundled into the backseat, giggling about some older lady that had hit on Max.

When we pulled up in front of my building, I glanced over at Max. The wine, and admittedly the whiskey I’d sampled as well, made me brave enough to say, “Do you want to come up?”

He looked back at me then nodded and handed the cabbie the money for the ride. We stumbled into my loft, almost tripping over ourselves as I led him to my bedroom. Well, it wasn’t much of a bedroom, considering I lived in a loft, but the velvet curtains surrounding it made it a little room. As I started shimmying out of my dress, Max stopped me.

“I’m not having sex with you tonight. We’re both toasted and I don’t want either of us to regret this in the morning.” He said.

“Dude, I just wanted to cuddle, I don’t want your dick tonight. Now take off your clothes and let’s get in bed, I’m tired as hell.” He left on the tank top he’d been wearing under his button down and his boxers. I found a big shirt and pulled it on over my underwear, then unhooked my bra and took it off from under the shirt.

We crawled under the covers and met in the middle. He spooned me and tucked his face into the side of my neck. I felt his breathing even out and deepen within minutes. It took me a little longer to fall asleep; in the mean time I traced patterns lightly on the hand that was resting on my waist. Eventually the sound of his breathing lulled me to sleep and I had one of the best night’s sleep ever.