Chapter 36 Stay
Chapter 36 Stay
Max
I stared at Aellorah in the mirror, my arms wrapped around her tiny waist. She looked so small in my arms, so delicate and defenseless. Kissing her shoulder, I vowed to myself that I would always protect her.
“I knew this would look perfect on you,” I whispered, trailing my hand over the sparkly beading of the costume. “Seeing you as Clara, and then like this… It’s the embodiment of your duality.”
Aellorah wrinkled her nose at me, her eyes squinting in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“You aren’t just one thing, Aellorah. Never have been. You’re so fragile, and yet, that first day we met… The way you held your ground. Your willingness to protect me. You’re brave in ways that most people would never be. You have this innocence about you, too. Angelic, almost. And yet… for me… you let go. A gorgeous little seductress.” Her cheeks turned pink at my assessment, and she spun around to look me in the eye.
“I did not seduce you!”
“No?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at her. “You didn’t stick your hand down my pants while we were watching a movie?” Her face reddened further. Aellorah opened her mouth to protest, but no sound came out. I laughed and kissed her nose. “It’s alright, my little ballerina. I won’t tell anyone.”
She glared up at me, but the anger didn’t meet her eyes, those smoky blue orbs that shone at me with amusement and adoration. “You know what would look incredible?” I asked suddenly, glancing down at her costume.
“What?”
“You, in this… On the back of my bike,” I told her with a grin. Her eyes lit up even brighter than before.
“We should take pictures!” she whispered excitedly. “I can hang them in my room!” Her excitement was contagious. Instantly, I began to imagine her in that black tutu, straddling my bike. My dick twitched at the thought.
“Fuck, are you trying to kill me?” I groaned, pressing against her, letting her feel my arousal.
“Max…” My name slipped out in a breathy whisper, the kind that only made me harder.
“Stay the night,” I requested as I leaned in to press my lips against hers.
“I have class in the morning,” she countered, returning my kiss eagerly. Her mouth opened, tongue slipping into mine as I pulled her closer.
“So? I have class, too,” I replied, nibbling on her bottom lip. “I’ll make sure we get you back to your dorm early enough to change. But right now… Right now, I want to fuck you in my bed.”
“I’ll stay,” she relented in a whisper against my mouth. “But, if I’m late, I’m blaming you.”
“Blame me all you want, Princess,” I replied with a laugh. She was mine. I was finally going to have her in my bed, where she belonged.
Aellorah
I let out a small squeak of surprise as Max caught me around the waist and lifted me in his arms, carrying me back into the house.
“Have fun, you two!” Hayden called out.
“Wear protection!” Jax added with a laugh. I grinned and waved goodnight as we passed; the three of them were watching TV on the couch.
As Max carried me up the stairs, Jax’s words rang in my head. My father controlled everything, down to the doctors I saw. He’d never let me use birth control. I’d been buying emergency contraception for as long as I could remember. And Max hadn’t pulled out the handful of times we’d been together.
“Max,” I said his name softly as he set me on the floor inside his bedroom. “Jax has a point…”
“What?”
“About protection…” I explained. “We should go to a clinic together.”
“Do you think you might—”
“No! God, no!” I exclaimed, covering my reddening cheeks. “I just had my period last week, but still. I can’t go to my regular doctor. My father will find out.”
“Isn’t that a major HIPAA violation?” Max asked. I rolled my eyes and looked up at him. As if something like that would keep my father out of my business.
“Just say you’ll come with me. Somewhere we can get tested and obtain birth control without my father finding out…”
“Tested? Aellorah—”
“I don’t believe there’s any reason for concern, Max. I just… Want to do everything right and keep us both safe,” I assured him.
“You really know how to take a guy out of the mood, huh?” Max sighed, raking his fingers through his dark hair. A feeling of guilt coursed through me.
“I’m sorry!”
“No, it’s okay. I’m just giving you shit.” Max pulled me close, running his hand over my back. “It’s very responsible of you to want to make sure we cover all our bases. But maybe…”
“Maybe what?” I asked, blinking up at him, curiosity heightened.
“In a few years, after you graduate, when you’re tired of putting your body through endless punishment… Maybe then we can talk about having kids.”
“Max!” My eyes widened and I stared up at him in delighted surprise. “We are not seriously talking about having children!”
“Not anytime soon, love. But someday.”
“Someday…” I finally agreed with a soft smile.
“But for now, yes… We can go to one of the clinics this week, get tested, and figure out what method of birth control will work best for us.”
“I was just going to get the pill and—”
“No.” Max shook his head. “Don’t decide until we sit down and talk with one of the doctors. I’m not going to have you messing up your hormones if you don’t need to.” My entire body warmed at his insistence.
Max didn’t just want to sleep with me; he actually cared. Care enough to worry about my hormones, my body, my future. “I love you, Max.”
A smile spread across his face. “I love you, too, Aellorah. So much more than I ever thought possible… Now, let’s hang this costume up before I ruin it by tearing it off of you.”