It Happened One Night

The room was cold after spending time in the hot tub. Sherri immediately headed to the bathroom to change. She step out to see max waiting for her to vacate the bathroom. He was so handsome and seeing him in just a bathing suit, muscles showing made Sherrie want to rip her clothes off and join him in the bed. She shjook the thoughts away. “Your turn,” she smiled at him.

He return the smile and stepped in the bathroom. Both girls were asleep in the adjoining room, she settles down om Max’s bed to watch some TV.
“Why are you in my bed?” he questioned when he came back into the room.

“The girls are both asleep one mine and I wanted to watch some TV. Do you want to watch Star Trek?”

“That sounds good.” He settled beside her and she relaxed into him, very aware of the scent of spice from his body wash.

While watching the doings of Captain Picard and crew her thoughts wandered back to the kiss. It had been tender and comforting until a white hot passion over came her senses and she deepened it. In a tone so low it was almost a whisper she asked, “Do you want to talk about the kiss now?”

“Yes.” Was all he said. They stayed the way they were with his arm under her head and her cuddled into his side.

“Why did you kiss me? Why did you turn me away?”

He hedged, “I wanted to comfort you, but I really didn’t want to take advantage of your vulnerability in that moment. When we kiss I want it to be because we both want it and know what we are doing.”

“You think I didn’t know what I was doing?”

“Yes.” Was his simple answer.

“Well, I knew 100% what I was doing and who I was with. I didn’t confuse you with the dream I had, Max. Not at that moment.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Want to try again?” He asked as he was leaning down to kiss her.

She met him halfway and whispered, “yes.” Against his lips.

The intensity of it knocked Sherrie for a loop. His lips were not tender this time, but fierce and demanding. She followed his lead, her hand in his hair in case he decided to pull away. His hands were on her back, tracing lazy patterns on her shirt. The kiss deepened and soon breathing became difficult. She felt like she was drowning in him. He pulled her tight against him and she felt every inch of him in detail for the first time.

“Sher.” He murmured against her lips before letting them travel down to her neck. Kissing the pulse that was beating so fast, nibbling on her ear. The passion would soon be out of control if she didn’t reign it in. She tried, but the feel of him against her, his lips on her skin, overpowered her common sense and she ran her hands down his back, resting just below his waist line, to afraid to cross.

***
Max pulled back. This was and wasn’t what he wanted. He loved her and wanted to show her just how much, but it was too soon for this. They need to walk gradually if they were going to have any chance at a future. “Sher, we have to stop.”

“Why? You feel so good.” She was still in a haze of passion.

“So do you, sweetheart. And I want you too. But we need to do this right.”

She pulled away. At a loss of what to say he just looked at her with tenderness in his eyes. “Sher, this is not a rejection. I want a future with you, but I don’t want to jeopardize what we have. We just need to go slow.”

She smiled at him. A sheen of tears in her eyes that she refused to let fall. “I want that too, Max.” She leaned back into him. “I don’t ever want to lose you.”

He pulled her in close. “You never will. I will always be here for you.” He settled her snugly into his side as they settled in to watch the ending of the show.

Shasta prepared to walk in Bennett Real Estate and confront Max. She did her best to look nice but the drugs had taken a toll on her. Her blonde streaked brown hair was limp and lifeless. Her blue eyes lacked the usual shine. She was way to thin and the only nice cothes she owned hung on her. She took a deep breath and opened the door.

She had never been here. After their divorcce MAx had moved to a new office building. She had to admire his decorator. The cram walls filled with relaxing pictures of the ocean intermixe3d with current properties available were relaxing and hope filled.

She was taken aback to see Sherrie at the front deask, sitting as if she had control of the whole domain. Hatred stirred inside of her. Maybe if she wasn’t around she had a shot of getting Max and Hayleigh back. She stepped up to the desk and demanded. “I want to see Max Bennett.”

Sherrie didn’t even look at her. “Max is in a meeting. You’ll have to take a seat and wait.”

“I’m not going to wait.” Her voice starting to rise as anger filled her at being rebuffed. “I want to see him now.”

Sherrie looked up at that, “Sit down and wait or you’ll be escorted out, Shasta.” Sherrie bent back to her work, completely ignoring her.

Shasta took a deep breath and decided to just walk in. She dashed to the door marked “Max Bennett, Broker”

“Shasta, you can’t go in there.” Sherrie yelled at her.

She opened the door to find max pacing the room while a gentleman tried to get him to sit. Both men turned to look at her as she entered, Sherrie following close on her heels. “Shasta, get out.” Was all Max told her. She pulled the door shut and turned around.

“I told you he was in a meeting.”

“That’s Alex Hawke he’s with.”

“Yes.”

“He called an attorney.” She stared off into space. Her idea of talking to him and settling things out the window. She had worked so hard this last month anf it had all been for nothing.

“Look, Shasta, you can sit down and wait like I suggested or you can leave. The choice is yours.”

“I’m gone.” Was her only reply.

“I can’t believe she showed up here.” Max thundered.

“You should’ve expected, Max” Alex replied. “Calm down and let’s finish this.” They were working on an emergency protective order for Hayleigh to keep Shasta from seeing her until she was six months clean. “How long has it been since she has seen Hayleigh?”

“It’s been about six months I guess.”

“That’s good for us. How was she the last time you saw her?”

“High. I only let the visit go on for a half hour cuz she was so out of it.”

“Do you know what she was taking?”

“I know she was on Meth, don’t know about anything ewlse.”

“Ok. Now let’s talk about her call. What did she say?”

“Just that she’d been clean awhile and wanted to see Leigh.”

“How long is awhile?” Alex questioned him.

“She didn’t say. Just that she was in a rehab facillity.”

“Did she say what one?”

“No, Alex, what does all this have to do with the order?”

“We’re just rying to put as many facts in to keep her from Hayleigh as possible.”

Max let out a deep sigh. He didn’t see how all of this was going to help. He wanted to take Hayleigh and run. He wanted to keep her safe from the reality of her mother’s drug addiction. “Alright. I just don’t know anything else.”

“DO you know why she showed up here?”

“Of course. I told her no and she came to argue with me. She used to do it all the time while we were married. I usually gave in just to get her to shut up and go home.”

“Do you think she expected the same today?”

“Yes. It wouldn’t of happened today. She’s not my wife. If she had started in with her usual barage of anger I would’ve had security remove her.”

“Ok. I think we have enough for this. Now, tell me how is Hayleigh.”

“Not great. We’re going to start her in counseling. Things had to have happened to her at her mom’s before I got her.”

“How are your parents?”

“You know, Alex, you probably see them more than me. I talk to mom a couple times a month. She is begging me to come home for a visit, bring Sherrie and the kids, but how will Sherrie react when she sees how I grew up. Or that the hotel I set her up in belonged to my family?”

“DO you still want a future with Sherrie?”

“Of course. And this weekend was a good beginning.”

“Then you have to be honest about it. Look at the hell my Brynn made of our lives with a simple lie>”

“That wasn’t a simple lie, Alex. She tried to kill your wife.”

“Well, yeah, but we didn’t know she was responsible until Jenna came home.”

“True.”

“If Brynn hadn’t tried to kill Jenna again, we never would’ve know the truth. I’m glad it finally came out and that Jenna is safe and we can continue our life together. But I wish we had know the truth form the beginning.”

“So how do I tell Sherrie the truth?”

“TAke her home. Warn her your parents are not what she is expecting them to be.”

“I love her, Alex. I don’t want to lose her. She’s my best friend.”

“I thought Jaiden was.” Alex laughed.

“He was. He still is. It’s just different.”

“I know. Jenna was my best friend from the moment I met her.”

“Then you know. Why are you giving me a hard time?”

“Your dad isn’t here to do it. Call them, max, and tell them you and Sherrie are coming for a visit.”

“I’ll think about it. But I need more time to explore the new development with Sher.”

“Just don’t wait to long.” With that last peice of advise, Alex stood up to leave. Max hugged the man who had been a second father to him.

“Thanks, Alex, for doing this. Just let me know the cost. Give Jenna my love and tell Jai I’ll try to call this week.”

“Maybe bring Sherrie over to our place for dinner one night. We’d all love to meet her.”

“I’ll think about that too.”

Max walked him out, smiled at Sherrie as he walked back into his office then sat down and cried.