The Rampage MC #4: Max and Briony

Chapter 33 (Briony): Smiling

Copyright © 2024 by GroveltoHEA

"Well, guess I can go back to my room now!" I said brightly when Darren walked into the room. 

Nothing to see here, folks. No almost-kiss between former lovers gone horribly awry.

Nope. We were just talking, and even under the threat of no desserts for a month, I wouldn't admit to anything else. Trying to avoid Max's eyes, I could feel his stare, could still see the look of longing in his eyes as he'd leaned toward me.

"Got a second date!" Darren crowed. In addition to barging into the room without thinking there was any reason to knock, apparently once he was inside a room, Darren couldn't read the smoking hot needy tension heavy in the air.

"That's just fucking great, brother," Max snarled. "So fucking happy for you."

Did Darren pick up on that? No. I had some serious reservations about the hamsters in his brain, but I was hoping he was just excited and missing obvious, blinking neon frustration cues.

"I know! I couldn't believe it, either. I feel like I might have a chance with her if I don't fuck it up. Hell, I can't fuck it up because I had the best time with her today. Easily the greatest date I've ever been on in my life."

"She's got a date on Sunday, Guard." Max was still snapping at Darren as he reminded him of that little fact. I was sensing how much Max was on edge, even if Darren wasn't.

"Yeah, but I'm going to treat her better than he ever will. So, what's a good second date? I have some ideas, but I need to run them past you first, Briony."

"Ask Genny," Max growled. 

"But Briony's right here," Darren protested.

Max got right up in Darren's face. "I said to ask Genny. I'm going to walk Briony back to her room now."

Darren's hands came up, finally catching on to Max's mood, if not the reason for it. "OK, OK. No need to be so touchy, brother. I'll ask Genny."

"Good idea," Max said, then he turned to me, his face immediately going soft and apologetic. "I'll walk you to your door."

"Thanks, Max," I said. Then we left Darren in the room, already dialing Genny as we walked out.

"You owe Genny some baked goods for that move," I teased. 

Max shot me a grin. "I'll do better; I'll beg Joy for some chocolate chip cookies in exchange for me helping with dinner prep this week."

"Such a good negotiator," I smiled at him as I turned to face him right next to my room door. 

Max didn't stop and pressed me up against the wall, his hand splayed on the wall beside my head, one hand at my waist. "You think so? Could I negotiate an end-of-date kiss since we were just kissus interruptus?"

That made me laugh out loud and then I forced my face to become serious. "I'll need to hear your opening offer before I can decide."

Max pretended to consider that. "Let's see. In return for a good-night kiss, I get to take you to dinner one night this week at a restaurant of your choosing. You get to pick the night."

"Hmmm, you drive a very hard bargain, but that offer is not quite what I'm looking for so I feel a counteroffer is needed. How's this: I'll agree to your offer if you add a clause allowing for the possibility of another good-night kiss following that dinner."

Max drew in a breath and sighed heavily and finally held out his hand. "I feel like the agreement is decidedly in my favor, so I agree to your terms. Let's shake on it."

With a laugh, I shook his hand, and he tugged on my hand to pull me closer to him and brought his mouth down onto mine. Then we added some tongue, some hands in the other's hair until Max pulled back.

"Thank you for a perfect day, Briony," he said huskily. He pressed another quick kiss to my lips and stepped away. "Sleep well."

With Max watching while I let myself into my room, I flipped the locks and then, on a hunch, I looked out the peephole. Max smiled, right at me, and then blew me a kiss.

Turning around with what was probably a ridiculous smile on my face, I saw Rie watching me, looking slightly rumpled. I supposed I didn't look any better.

"It was a really good kiss," she said. "And it was a really good day."

"Mine, too," I said, "both the kiss and the day." Then, grinning at each other, we took turns getting ready for bed, exhausted, thoroughly kissed and in need of sleep.

"You still going out on a date with that guy tomorrow?" I asked when I was settled in my bed and Rie was tucked into hers.

"Yeah. I feel like it's important to take things slowly with Darren and to make sure he's changed. So I'll keep dating for a bit, but if he keeps acting like he did today, I think we might be able to explore things. The big question in my mind is if he can maintain this behavior long term."

I thought of his genuine excitement when he'd walked into the room tonight, oblivious to anything but the sheer happiness of Rie agreeing to a second date.

"You know, given the horrible way he started, I actually have great hopes for him," I told my friend. "He can't wait for your next date."

"Really?" she asked, unable to hide her pleasure at the thought.

"Honest," I assured her.

"What about you and Max?" she wondered. "What are you thinking?"

I was thinking I'd had an incredible day. I was thinking about how hard Max was trying. I was thinking about our dates and how he'd been building trust between us with each date. Max was taking the lead with planning our dates, but he'd made it clear every next step was up to me.

I was also thinking about how different it was to kiss a man who'd been taking the time to forge a friendship with me even though he wanted even more. Having a man who wasn't pushing for what he wanted was new. Somehow, the kiss tonight had been more than lust and attraction. It'd been deeper, and I'd felt it differently. It hadn't been strictly physical, a fun prelude to sex, but it had been emotional as well. 

So many emotions had overwhelmed me when Max had melted me with his lips. Who knew a not-so-simple kiss could be so meaningful, so filled with hope and desire, passion and promises.

"I'm thinking good things. Hopeful things," I finally answered Rie.

"I like Max," Rie blurted out. "I hate what he did to you, don't get me wrong. But somehow, I still like him, and I don't know how to feel about that."

"You're allowed to like him, Rie."

"So are you, Briony," she returned, then yawned. "Good night."

She was right, I knew. Allowing myself to like Max was the last hurdle I was facing. Letting go, completely letting go of what Max had done, was proving daunting and I wondered sometimes if it was truly because I couldn't let go of it or if I was worried about Max catching me if I did let go and throw myself into his arms. But maybe that had already been answered.

My mind went back to to the moments before we'd stepped out of the plane. I'd been scared, but Max had been steady and solid behind me, his patience never flagging, his willingness to wait for me to decide to take that final step now taking on an added dimension.

That final step would be up to me, and Max would be there, waiting.

I fell asleep smiling, thinking of Max.

Copyright © 2024 by GroveltoHEA