Break My Fall •j.b•

16.

Max
I woke the next morning to see Cam sitting on my bed. "Jesus, Cam, what are you doing?" Startled, I pulled myself up to a sitting position.

"Well, I'm assuming since it's after ten you've missed work?"

I grabbed the alarm clock on my locker and groaned. "Damn." I was supposed to be on the morning shift. Then I remembered I had the rest of the week off. "I'm off work for the week, Cam."

"Exactly," she grinned and clapped her hands. "So let's not waste another minute of it."

"Why are you so merry this morning?"
"Her eyes sparkled as she grinned at me. "Oh, I had a very long . . . hard night," she joked, then slapped her hand over her mouth. "Oh, Max, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be insensitive. I just . . . I'm not sure how to be around you after what you told me. I don't want you scared or afraid."

I stared at her, my eyes narrowed. "You treat me the way you always have, Cam, or I swear I'll disappear. I just want a fresh start. Just be normal with me." She was quiet for a moment and then nodded.

I let out a sigh of relief.

"So," she said, her tone purposefully light. "I have a modeling shoot in an hour. Scrub up and you never know, you might get a job. You have the whole package, Max. It's about time you flaunted it. I say we go check out a movie after my shoot and grab some lunch. Have some fun for a change."

I burst out laughing in nervous relief and nodded. "Sounds like a plan, but you're the model not me."

I flopped back down on the bed and Cam threw a pillow at my head. "Get your hot ass out of bed and go get in the shower."

I dragged myself out of bed and stretched.

Ouch, I was sore.

I felt stretched.

"Atta girl, now wear something sexy," Cam said and then sauntered out of my room.

"Wait," I shouted. "I don't own anything sexy. And don't even suggest that dress."

Cam looked back and grinned. "Just go have a shower. I already put an outfit in the bathroom for you."

I grabbed my toiletries bag and crossed the hallway to the bathroom, grateful that Cam was behaving normally with me again. Turning on the shower, I prayed to Jesus that there was some hot water left in the tank. Scorching hot water poured from the shower head.

Bingo.

I stripped down and stepped under the water. I soaped myself in my favorite strawberry scented shower cream and scrubbed myself raw. I wanted to wash last night away. I thought what had happened between Justin and I had been perfect, but the way he had acted after made me feel dirty.

I felt like a whore.

I guess he was right.

They were all right . . . I was just too damn easy.

I blinked back the tears that threatened to spill. I refused to cry another tear over him. Just because being with Justin had meant more than sex to me, to him it was just that; sex. I meant as much to him as any other girl he had, and with Justin, there had been a lot of girls. I cringed when I remembered him releasing into me. I scrubbed between my legs roughly.

Justin

I lay in bed counting all the ways I was such a chicken shit.

In the cool light of day, I had no clue how to approach Max. I knew she was awake. I'd heard her shuffling around in her room over an hour ago, and then heard the shower running from across the hall. She'd been in there for half an hour and I was still lying in my bed, contemplating how I was going to face her.