Friends with Consequences Ch. 27-29

Chapter 27

Linda could barely keep her hands from shaking as she drove to the coffee shop. It was hard for her to accept the reality that she actually kissed Max after all the years of missing him and thinking they would never get back together.

"Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my god!" she screamed at least once a minute. Her head was so full of adrenaline and thoughts, she never even noticed the radio was off and she was driving in complete silence the entire time.

Once the cute brunette got to the shop, it was impossible for the others not to notice the huge smile on her face. She was radiating with excitement, and her friends could feel it from a mile away.

Jesse and Patricia had already put the pieces together, but they were dying to hear the story. They just waited patiently, staring at her with smiles of their own.

"Why are you guys looking at me?" Linda asked, almost unable to contain herself. Red in the face, she turned away and expressed, "There's nothing to look at over here..."

"Why are you smiling so hard?!" Jesse asked before walking around the table and grabbing her friend's hands. "You have something to tell us?!"

Swaying her body from side to side, Linda finally explained, "Max completed a sale... and then we kissed!"

"Oh my God!" the other girls screamed as they ran up and squeezed their friend. "We knew it was only a matter of time before you got back with him!"

"We're not like... together," Linda replied, growing even redder in the face. "It was just a kiss... or two... or like twenty... We really didn't even get a chance to talk, so I don't know if we're actually like... together!

Jesse laughed before pointing out, "I bet you'll have your answer soon."

A confused expression came over Linda's face as she paused. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean... I'm sure you'll have your answer tonight... after you consummate the relationship."

"Jesse! You're implying I'm going to have sex with him tonight?!"

With a wink, her friend explained, "Well, you said you only had enough time to give him a kiss. What do you think is going to happen when you have a whole night alone with him?"

"I, uh..."

"What if he wants to have sex?" Patricia asked, looking excited. "You wouldn't reject him, would you?"

"I mean... I wouldn't say no... I'm just a bit nervous... because it's been a while..."

"Don't worry about it," Jesse assured, rubbing Linda's shoulder. "I'm sure tonight will be perfect, and you'll recapture all that magic you used to have with him."

Linda tried to keep her cool but she was now wide-eyed as she thought about her long history with Max. She wished she could only think about their intimate times, but all the other memories came flooding back, including the ones of her mistreating him.

"Yeah... If I have sex with him tonight... everything will be perfect..."

***

When Linda got home that night, after an anxiety filled drive, she found herself more nervous than ever to see Max. Not knowing if things were going to be awkward after their first kiss in years, the sweet brunette just gave a small wave when she saw him.

A smile immediately came to Max's face, calming Linda's nerves just a bit. He then made her heart jump as he expressed, "I'm so glad you're home."

"You are?" Linda asked with a smile. "I was afraid things would be awkward... after our... kiss."

"It's not awkward for me... As a matter of fact... I couldn't wait for you to get back because I couldn't stop thinking about our kiss..."

"Really?!" Linda asked, as her face lit up. "I couldn't stop thinking about it either..."

Scratching his head nervously, the young man asked, "I hope this isn't too forward, but I was hoping we could pick up where we left off..."

The cutest smile came over the brunette's face, and although she didn't say a word, the look in her eyes told Max everything he needed to know. He quickly approached and combed through her hair as he laid a soft kiss on her lips.

Linda's eyes almost rolled back from the pleasure of feeling his kiss, and adrenaline took over her body, causing her to melt into him. The emotions came rushing back, allowing her to temporarily turn her brain off and kiss him with all the passion rushing through her body.

Her breathing became heavier as she lost control of herself in the moment. Feeling aroused by her uncontrollable actions, Max lifted and carried her to the bedroom. Not even for a moment did they pause from kissing. Linda just wrapped her arms and legs around her man tightly until he laid her down on the bed.

Linda's chest was going up and down from her heavy breathing, and her fingers tingled. However, she was able to get her shirt off because she was desperate to reconnect with the man she craved so badly.

Max was watering at the mouth from the sight of her petite body in her black bra. His animal instincts started to take over, leaving him eager to undress himself. As much as he respected the woman Linda had become, he was dying to get his hands on her beautiful body.

By the time Max was completely naked, Linda had just finished pulling her pants down. Her breathing was getting heavier, and she was losing feeling in her arms, leaving her unable to move quickly.

Although she wasn't wearing a thong, Max was still blown away by the sight of her matching black panties. Despite her weight loss, she still had all those same curves that drove him crazy when they were younger.

As desperate as Max was for the sexy brunette, he suddenly came to a stop when he noticed her heavy breathing. "What's wrong?" he asked, alarmed by the pale look on her face.

Linda shook her head, trying to snap herself out of the weird state. With a nonchalant voice, she answered, "Nothing... I was just having a hard time... getting my underwear off... for some reason..."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Of course, Max... Here, help me take these off..."

Hesitantly, Max helped Linda take her panties off before tossing them to the side. Although he thought her behavior was alarming, he figured she might calm down once they got into the action.

He kissed her softly as he laid his body next to hers. Her panting seemed to slow a bit, so he decided to continue making-out with her until she seemed okay.

Linda felt her heart rate dropping, but she was anxious to give Max the total experience he deserved. Whether or not she felt ready, she wrapped her leg around and pulled him closer.

As the make-out session intensified, and Max got ever so close to becoming one with Linda, he noticed her breathing heavily into his mouth again. Not only was her chest rapidly moving, her face was going pale again as well.

Moving to her side again, Max placed his hand over her chest to feel how fast her heart was racing. "What's wrong?" he asked, with a concerned voice.

Linda shook her head as a look of fear came over her face. Through her heavy breathing, she frantically explained, "I don't know! I've been waiting for this moment for so long... and now I'm messing it up... and it was supposed to be perfect, but I'm ruining everything!"

Max tried to calm her by rubbing her shoulder, but the anxious woman continued her outburst. "I haven't been with anyone in a really long time... I haven't even touched myself in forever and now I'm fucking it up when I'm with the one person...".

"Hey, hey," Max interrupted in a calming tone. With a smile on his face, he was able to get her to stop talking and focus on her breathing. Then in a soft tone he explained, "You're not ruining anything. I'm just happy you're here with me."

"Really?" the cute brunette asked with a little smile.

"Of course."

"That was nice of you to say..."

"Are you feeling any better?"

"A little... but I think I'll be okay... and I'll be ready to try again in a couple minutes..."

"We don't have to rush this," Max explained as he rubbed her back. "Your health is much more important to me than... well... anything."

With a disappointed look on her face, Linda whispered, "Sorry..."

"Don't apologize! Like I said, I'm just happy to be... with you again..."

"So am I..."

"How about we just focus on kissing? Do you think you can do that?"

"I think so..."

Slowly, Max took Linda's lips with his as they engaged in a very soft make-out session. There was very little tongue action, with them mostly just enjoying the closeness of being together. Though he was aroused from sucking on her lips, he made sure to keep it respectful, and not push the boundaries any further than she was ready for.

Somehow, Linda was relieved despite the slowly intensifying make-out session. In the back of her head, she knew Max didn't expect anything from her. She could now put that pressure aside for the moment, and just focus on the fact that she was in bed, kissing the man she loved.

Although Max could have made out with the cute brunette all night, he realized that she seemed a bit more comfortable than before. Eager to give her the pleasure she deserved, he dared to ask, "Is it okay... if I touch you?"

Linda could feel the anxiety building up a little as her breathing became heavier. "I don't know if I can perform."

"You don't need to do anything," Max whispered with a smile. "I just want to touch you a little while we make-out."

Although adrenaline was starting to creep back into her limbs, the sweet woman nodded her head and whispered, "I'll try..."

"If you have any trouble breathing again, let me know and we can just go back to kissing like we were. You don't have to worry; I don't need anything in return. Being able to kiss and touch you is more than enough for me."

Linda gulped from the fear or disappointing Max again. However, after seeing the eagerness in his eyes, she took a deep breath and agreed to let him touch her.

"Just focus on kissing me," Max whispered before reengaging with her lips. They then started from scratch, kissing slowly as his fingers crept their way down to her crotch.

The second Max touched Linda's clit, she let out a deep exhale into his mouth. He made sure to take things slowly by waiting to increase the pressure only when her breathing was under control.

Linda was nervous, but kissing Max while through her troubles gave her a sense of peace. There was also something about Max that always left her running to him whenever times got tough. And somehow, this situation felt no different.

As Linda became more comfortable, just kissing Max as he gently caressed her clit, some of her insecurities started to fade. Before she even realized what was happening, she started to let go of her inhibitions, and just enjoy the pleasure her favorite man was willfully providing her.

Despite all the thoughts running through her mind, Linda just wanted to make out with Max all night long. Though they had done much more intimate things in the past, this was the closest she ever felt to him.

Eventually, Max noticed that her breathing getting heavier. This time, however, her eyes were closed, and the panicked look on her face wasn't there. Just to make sure, he asked, "Are you doing okay?"

With a look of hesitant desperation, Linda stared into his eyes and nodded her head. Then, after a subtle moan left her mouth, she admitted, "I think I'm going to cum..."

A big smile came over the man's face, possibly the biggest Linda had ever seen from him. He gently brushed her hair before kissing her again, this time playing with her tongue just a little more.

Although he knew she was close, he stayed patient, never increasing the pace of his fingers. He just maintained stroking her at the exact pace and pattern that was working for her.

Linda's breathing got heavier, but her kissing became stronger, letting Max know he was hitting all the right notes. Then, after all the patience and effort the genuine man happily displayed, they were both rewarded when a penetrating orgasm suddenly erupted in Linda's body.

No matter how much Linda thought she disappointed Max, he found the loud moan she let out as one of the sexiest things he had ever witnessed in his life. He wanted to continue kissing her, but instead, he just held her as she let out more subtle moans, leaving him with a satisfied smile on his face.

"Thank you..." Linda whimpered as the strong orgasm finished rippling through her body. Though it wasn't the naughtiest thing she had ever experienced, it was still one of the most meaningful because it was with the most important person in her life... Max.

***

The next morning, Linda's eyes shot wide open as soon as she awoke from her slumber. Breathing heavily, she looked around with a confused expression on her face.

What happened? she asked herself, trying to gain her bearings. Then as she grabbed her phone and notice the time, she thought, I slept in... I'm glad I don't have work today... but I'm sure Max would have woken me up if... Max!

Suddenly, it all came rushing back. The images and the anxiety from the previous night came back to her, leaving her wondering where Max was.

I guess after I had that orgasm... I got tired and fell asleep. He was really nice about it. He even cuddled with me, I think... But there's no way he wasn't disappointed.

Resting her head back against the pillow while she stared up at the ceiling, Linda let out the loud sigh. I had my chance and I blew it... I'm not even good at having sex anymore... What's wrong with me?

A sound suddenly startled the exhausted woman. It was the doorknob turning, making her think, It's probably him!

Sure enough, it was the man she was almost too afraid to face entering the room. But much to her shock, as he appeared, an excited look came over his face when he noticed she was awake.

"Oh, I thought you were asleep! I just came in here to grab something."

"I woke up a couple minutes ago... How are you?"

"I'm good. How are you feeling?"

Linda pulled the covers over her body, as if she were hiding her shame from the previous night. "I'll be okay..."

"Maybe you'll feel better after you have some breakfast," Max pointed out with a smile. "I was thinking we could go out since you don't have work for a few hours."

"Oh... You want to take me out?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

Linda couldn't tell if Max was just hiding his disappointment from the previous night, but seeing how well he was willing to treat her even after such a disappointing night brought a smile to her face. Nodding her head, she answered, "I'd like to go out with you... Can you just give me a minute to get ready?"

"Yeah, no rush," he responded, patting Linda's leg through the comforter.

***

Throughout the drive to breakfast, Linda waited for the moment Max would finally show his disappointment for the previous night. However, in her mind, he was doing a good job of being polite by not bringing up her embarrassing moment. It pained her to know she was unable to provide him with the sexual gratification he probably hoped for. She didn't want to talk about it, but the longer it went unspoken, the more she felt it needed to be brought up.

Once they got to the restaurant, they grabbed a little table on the patio. The weather was nice for the first time in months, and Max figured Linda would enjoy the fresh air.

For the most part, he was right. The nice weather, the pretty views, the food options, and the cute cafe did a good job of taking her mind off her stressors. That was until Max spoke up, bringing anxiety to her once again.

"I guess we should talk about yesterday," he said, looking a bit more serious.

Trying to avoid eye contact, Linda turned her head and stared at the beautiful scenery surrounding them. "I guess we should..."

"I know things happened kind of fast... but, are we... together... in your mind?"

Linda quickly refocused her eyes on Max. "Wait... what?"

"Because we kind of are... in my mind," he continued, too focused on his own words to even notice how confused Linda appeared. "I know I shouldn't just assume that, but... you know... we've been living together, and it has just felt like we've been together even though we never made it official."

Finally, Linda was able to put her insecurities aside and focus on the topic at hand. Growing red in the cheeks, she had to contain her smile as she asked, "You think of me... as your girlfriend?"

"Um... well, kind of," Max answered with his shaky voice. "I know I probably shouldn't assume that, but that's just how it feels..."

The redness on Linda's face disappeared as memories came flooding back to her mind. As she looked down at the table, she started to think about the way she hurt Max the last time he thought of her as more than just a friend.

"Is it okay for me to think of you like that?" Max asked with a genuine look on his face.

"Max... I'm honored... I really am... but I'm just afraid of hurting you again..."

"Linda... I've put a lot of thought into this... I know we don't have the greatest past, but the woman I've known the past couple months... the woman who dropped everything for me... she's nothing like the woman I used to know. As a matter of fact, she's unlike anyone I've ever met... And there's no one else in the world I'd rather be with..."

Linda's eyes shot wide-open as adrenaline went soaring through her limbs. She was tingling all over like the previous night, but this time without any of the anxiety. It was just her heart melting at the idea of Max thinking she was this amazing woman.

"It's okay if you're not ready," Max continued, growing more confident with every word he spoke. "I know you've been through a lot, so if that's something you don't want, I'll understand. I just wanted you to know how I feel..."

Fighting off tears as she tried to remain strong, Linda put on a brave face and spoke up. "Max... can you promise me something?"

"What is it?"

"Can you promise to never allow me to hurt you again? Can you promise to take yourself out of the situation if I start abusing you again? Because I want you so badly... but sometimes I just don't trust myself. I hurt you and tricked myself into thinking I wanted something else when I could have had you..."

"I can't let you take all the blame," Max said with a deep breath. "I was a mess back then..."

"I'm not asking you to take blame," Linda interrupted with fire and determination in her eyes. "I'm asking you to make sure I don't hurt you again... because even though I think I've gone through a lot of changes, I just don't know if I can trust myself."

"Well, you might not trust yourself... but I trust you. When I was at my worst, you were there. You could have done the bare minimum, but I watched as you worked yourself tirelessly to make sure I was okay. It was one of the most inspirational things I've ever seen."

Linda's eyes got big and she felt her heart jump once again. She wanted to argue, but she couldn't find the words before Max started speaking again.

"You've already given me every opportunity to stop seeing you, but I never took it because... you were the only thing that made me feel better... I felt that peace whenever I relied on you because... I knew I could trust you."

"Max..."

"I mean, why do you think I asked you to move in with me? It's because I wanted to take care of you... like you took care of me. And since we started taking care of each other, life has been... perfect..."

Linda's breathing got heavier but from not from anxiety. It was her realizing everything she did had paid off, and the man she cared for so much felt the same as she did. Placing her hand over her heart, she whispered, "It's been perfect for me too..."

"I think you've more than atoned for what happened several years ago," Max expressed, grabbing Linda's hand. "Back then, you didn't even know who you wanted to be. But now... now you know who you are... and I know who you are... and that's who I want to be with..."