Max & Lili Ch. 01

"This is some set up."

Max appreciatively took in the luxurious surroundings.

"Thanks for letting me crash on this your wedding night."

"Just do me a favor and try to be quiet down here. I'm thinking you shouldn't be driving anywhere in weather like this. I'd tell you to crash at mine, but Uncle Junie has claimed repossession of my (formerly his) bed and my place as a result, for him and MM. I don't even want to think about what might be going down in there."

"But man, it's your wedding night. I don't want you in trouble with Lou. Or rather, I don't want trouble with Lou, I can get a room somewhere."

Dax laughed easily. "Don't worry about Lou. I can take it. Just ignore any sounds you might hear. I am about to go up there and do my damnedest." Dax strikes his fist in his palm for emphasis.

"I don't blame you." My brother's wife is hot.

She's a bossy little thing though. The way she barged into the guest room the night before the wedding and demanded time with her husband was funny as hell.

"Look dude, either shove over or get out. I want my husband." She actually climbed across him and took her place beside Dax and snuggled up next to him.

I took a long look at the back of her and immediately got a slight chubby. Dax and I have been known to share a woman or two. I looked at him and he shook his head no and drew Lou closer.

He did smile at me gloating though. "Not on your life, am I sharing her with you."

As I left, bound for the living room sofa, I looked back to watch my brother and his new bride. I envied him. She looked content, safe and cherished. Would that her sister would look at me like that again.

Max chuckled inwardly and with Dax's question, snapped back to the present

"So you and the sister eh?"

Dax looks at his brother. "Max, I understand the attraction. Swear to god. But damn. I mean dude? I'm pushing it with Lou, it's all I can do to keep up with pleasing her, and she only turned 30 in August.

The way Lulu makes my heart race, I would not be at all surprised if I died in the process.

But Lili? She's not even 30 yet man! What in the actual hell were you thinking? "

Max ran a hand across his face and rubbed the back of his neck, looking ill at ease. Something Dax has rarely seen, especially behind a woman.

"I don't have an excuse that makes sense. Her spirit read as much older. She had a damned good head on her shoulders. But she was barely legal. What can I say? The woman danced with me.

She was 20 or 21. It went on for a while, a few years, me flying in and out of Texas. She was amazing. Is amazing. It didn't end well. I didn't end it well. We got caught up in some personal shit with her best friend and an ex-husband and instead of being honest with her about what was going on I botched it by handling the situation badly.

I let her leave. I focused instead on trying to make career moves. I knew where she was but I was still caught up in being stubbornly independent and not wanting to be tied down.

I swear I never knew she was PREGNANT! Or that I had a child out there. Jackson is amazing. I will never recover those years lost. "

And she had every chance to tell him. He still remembered her last words to him once she finally answered her cell phone before disconnecting the number and changing it.

"Its over." Said flat and plain. No theatrics no tears. Her tone lent such a damning ring of finality to the statement that it no room for discussion. She disconnected the call and that was that.

Until now.

Max ran a hand through his hair, stretching and cracking his neck trying to release the tension.

"I met her at a Daft Punk concert of all places. Remember Coachella? That April.

Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure your girl Lou was there. Both of them dancing like there was no tomorrow.

In fact, I remember looking to Lou first. That hair of hers just draws you in. She scoffed at me and turned to dance with this huge guy.

That big bastard from DC. Harry, right? He seemed to be there in some sort of bodyguard capacity. Somebody dared to squeeze between the sisters, trying to make some sort of sandwich. Harry threw the man to the ground and stood there and smiled afterwards. There was a perimeter around them after that.

But Lili looked at me, crooked her little finger and that was it.

I should have known better, but man she was so sweet . . . I lost my mind Dax. I mean come on? I know you know what I mean. Her breath smells like . . . strawberries or something . . . that kitten soft skin and those long legs, tits like peach sherbet, you just want to get as much in your mouth as you can and oh my god her ass . . . dude - right?!

And to think it's like hereditary. I mean that MM doesn't look like any 73 year old woman I ever saw. Like mind-boggling."

Nodding in agreement Dax sighed deeply, taking another drink.

"What is with us Wilde men and these particular women? How did three of us manage to fall into the same damned trap. It's a sick sad business is what. I feel bad for Uncle Junie. I can't imagine what MM was like back in the day. I feel for you too as you seem to be married to MM the sequel. But mostly I feel sorry for myself. Our dancing tonight left me as hard-up as I have ever been."

"She's young Max, damned young. Mom just might kill you. Especially if you don't do right. And if she doesn't Lou absolutely will. I heard what she said to you at the wedding. I am telling you right now, I am not getting in the middle of it."

Max remembers well his exchange with Lou. Menaced by a beautiful bride.

Lou walked right up to him. "FBI - NSA - spy whatever, you hurt my sister again, I will find you . . . and then no one will find you. Try me."

She nodded at him with certainty as she very quietly said it. He threw his head back and laughed and tried to look elsewhere in the room but as she sought out and held his gaze for a beat, he sobered. Max wanted to laugh at the thought of this tiny giant of a woman possibly doing him harm, but the look in her eye spoke volumes.

"Yeah man, your wife . . . is . . ." Max puffed his cheeks and exhaled.

"Feral when it comes to her loved ones?"

"Exactly."

"NSA/FBI be damned . . . shit, my own mother is about to take out a contract on my life. Says I robbed her of precious years with Jackson by being an irresponsible man-whore."

Dax laughed, and poured more scotch for the both of them and laughed again.

"C'mon man sympathize a little with me here." Max groused.

"I'm just thinking Lou might save her the effort and kill us both if I don't replace this scotch."

"This is hers?" Whew!

"Yep."

"You knocked up and married a scotch drinking, red-headed, creole, lawyer? Shiiiit, and I thought , I had problems. "

They share a laugh.

"Seriously man, " says Dax - "My first night in this house I had to ride out behind Lou and get Lili out of an abusive situation. I don't think its been easy going for her."

Max's face went completely smooth, an indicator of imminent and furious anger.

Dax shakes his head. "Don't even bother. Lou kicked his ass on the spot." He gives Max a brief rundown of that event.

"That wife of yours. Damn man."

"Yep. In the end there was nothing for it, had to marry her." Dax sighs contentedly. "Speaking of which, its still my wedding night and I need to get back to it. Bathrooms through there, fully stocked with essentials, I've got some extra clothes you can borrow down here if need be, just sweats and jeans."

"Well get back to it. Though I don't know what else you can possibly do to her that you haven't already."

Dax's eyes narrow thoughtfully. "Oh, I've got a few more ideas. Yes siree."

"Well Congratulations man. I may need to borrow your truck tomorrow."

"Help yourself. I don't need to go anywhere." Dax tosses him the keys and heads back upstairs.

Max sits and pours himself another glass of Macallan 25. Swirling the glass's contents, he examines it in the soft lamplight with appreciation. The woman's got balls and great taste too.

Letting his mind drift, he reclines, watching the hypnotic dance of the flames in the fireplace. The oaky molasses smell of the scotch, and the comfort of the leather sofa lull him to sleep.

His dreams start out well enough - memories of sweet young Lili laughing at his bumbling dance moves with her teasing eyes. Him shrugging off any nagging bullshit pangs of guilt about her possibly being too young, because the objective is always pussy regardless right?

What she gave and what he so rashly and undeservedly took from her was too large a gift. Dancing like that he hadn't known at the time how innocent she was. Virgins should not be allowed to move like that. And once he broke the seal on her a kind of madness overtook him and his only thought was mine, mine, MINE.

And she was his. His to enjoy in just about everyway possible over the course of many months. Two years in fact. The frequent laughter that spilled from her lovely mouth with its shapely lips and candy tongue. The peach-sized breasts that he tried to inhale. The veritable heaven of long silky legs that so frequently wrapped around him as clutched and squeezed at her perfect ass as he rocked them towards the moon.

But the female demon Lilitu is a frequent visitor in men's erotic dreams. She chases young Lili away and proceeds to torment him in the guise of a naked Lili that he can never quite touch as she dances invitingly around and around him. Promising to do all manner of things, if he can catch her. Kiss you, lick you, suck you, fuck you. She laughs, she winks, she beckons and dances teasingly away.

Max woke with a start, immediately alert to the opening of the front door upstairs and the soft almost stealthy click of shoes on the wooden floor above. Having left his sidearm in the car, he avails himself of a bat from Dax's collection and goes to investigate.

Up the basement stairs and across the hall there's a muted light in the kitchen coming from the refrigerator. Burglars don't start with food. Burglars don't usually wear heels either. He leans the bat against a door and stops to take in the life-affirming and glorious spectacle of Lili's shapely backside as she places containers of food into the red fridge. Attaching a fallen post-it note she finally backs away closes the door and turns with a turkey leg clenched in her teeth, which falls to the counter once she spots Max.

"What the hell are you still doing here?" She whispers heatedly reaching for the dropped turkey before wrapping it in paper towel.

"There's more than half a foot of snow and its still falling heavily out there. What are you doing here? Should you be driving in that?"

"I am driving my Land Rover with snow chains. I can handle a little snow."

"Yeah, I noticed you still have your truck." Max gives her a thorough once over.

Lili squirmed. It might have been less nerve-wracking were it not for all the staring. She'd caught him, at it numerous times during the wedding and reception. Every other glance and Max's eyes were focused intently on her. He'd look away as soon Lili noticed, but it was enough to keep her off-kilter for most of the wedding.

"Just dropping off breakfast for the newlyweds. Lou had a craving for Maple French Toast and Surry Sausage so . . . I guess I'll see you around."

"Don't go. We should talk."

"I think so too. But right now is a bad time."

"When can I see you? We need to talk more about Jackson . . . and us. Don't you think?"

Lili rubbed her forehead like she's been doing all day.

"Max, I . . . " she stopped abruptly and blushed furiously at what she heard. Lou and Dax, having a very vocal and voluble private moment.

Lili squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head in mortification. She can't quite decide who's louder Dax or Lulu.

Max gave her a scorching look from those remarkable amber eyes. "You should come on downstairs with me for a bit. Give them some privacy. We don't want to disturb those two."

Lili's no fool. "Riiight. Because we should be alone, in a basement, on a snowy night? Really dude? I am taking my ass home."

She sounds decisive and firm. The room is quite warm. However, her hardened nipples tell an entirely different story.

The pull of pure attraction towards Lili is instinctual. Animal attraction. As if every aspect of her were designed to incite and tempt him.

For her part Lili still finds Max a very handsome and charismatic man. His masculine face with its strongly angled jaw and sharp cheekbones enhanced by 5 o'clock shadow are almost starting to eat away at her resolve. His dark curly hair is now shot through with silver. I wonder how he spent the years? They seem to have taken a bit of a toll. There are a few slight wrinkles around his mouth, across his forehead and eyes.

Eyes she is having a hard time meeting at the moment so she lowers her gaze, only to be done in again as she takes in the broad shoulders barely obscured by the formal dress shirt he's wearing. The sleeves of which are rolled back showing how large and muscular his arms still are, the way his forearm flexed as he rubbed the back of his neck to ease the tension in it, the size of his hands. The lessons those hands taught her. She hasn't had a proper lesson in years.

Taking a deep breath Max steps up close to Lili, who imperceptibly inches away. "What's your hurry? You don't want to be alone with me? Why not? What's so wrong with me, huh?"

She opened her mouth to speak and he swooped down. There was a squeak of protest followed by a hot and melting kiss. Lili broke it off backing away as Max boldly advanced. Breathing heavily, her tongue darted out to lick at whatever is left of him on her lips and instantly he was on her again, enfolding her completely in his arms before lifting her straight up and bearing her away down the stairs.

The turkey leg lay forgotten on the kitchen floor.

-----------------

Lili floated languidly in the warm pool. She felt weightless, disembodied, liquid within and without. Letting her mind drift she thought and wondered. Salt-water heated pool, god bless my sister, this is the gift that just keeps on giving.

That damned Lulu. How in the hell did she manage to take up with the brother. MM with the great uncle. It is just too weird and unbelievable.

And now the questions. Questions from Jackson. Questions from the grand parents. So many questions. Questions for which she was unwilling to provide answers.

She made a vow though when she had Jackson to never lie to him. Not even by omission. And so she had tried her damnedest to explain to him. Explain that she left his father and never told him he had a child.

Max heard her trying and stepped right in and took all the blame.

Heart-stopping sex aside, no matter which way she turned it in her mind, she remained firmly reluctant to summon up the will to trust in Max again.

"Lili? Baby, I swear, nothing happened between Lisa and I."

Then why? Nothing else made sense.

Her best friend Lisa got started early with marriage and children. Lili's beloved godchildren. Lisa's oft-times violent situation with her children's father ended and miraculously it seemed to work a cure all around and they remained friends committed to raising their beautiful and rambunctious children. It went well until one day it didn't.

Lisa completed her education and then for whatever unknown reason started sleeping with strange men left and right. They were in the house around the children. It was unsafe and defied comprehension and Lili let her know it.

Gary, the children's father, got wind of it and wanted to take the children away for their safety and Lisa saw red. Having gone to Vegas and gotten married whiplash fast, she threatened to move the kids to her new husbands home state of California and sue for back child-support.

Child support she never bothered formally collecting as she and Gary had a perfectly amicable arrangement with him supporting her and the children while she completed her education. He subsidized her rent, performed repairs around the house and on her vehicle and spent most weekends with his children. This was a man who had moved on but was still completely committed to helping the mother of his children be her best possible self.

Seeing all this and not understanding this radical shift, made Lili question her friend. Lili was accused of being unsupportive and judgmental. All because Lili bought her pushy-assed sister Lou around. Lou was frequently the voice of reason and rationale and she asked Lisa the hard questions like - what judge do you think is going to give you custody of those kids when you can barely support them? You just graduated college and in this 2009 economy whereas no one is hiring what are you going to do for income? Or do you in fact propose to use the children of your ex-husband to fund your current marriage?

It led to a huge falling out. The altercation fractured the relationship severely, because Lou wasn't wrong.

At her wits end, Lili finally and reluctantly turned to Gary for insight and understanding. She was floored and deeply saddened by the revelation, that her long-time friend was in fact manic-depressive and that it was she who would instigate the fights.

"I was no saint mind you, I shouldn't have let it go on as long as it did Lil, but we were so compatible in every other way. Especially that way. I thought I could deal with it. In the end I just couldn't. As for what's going on with her now, if I had to guess I would say she is once again pregnant. When she gets pregnant she goes off the meds and it quickly goes south with her. "

Lili kept her new knowledge to herself and tried to be there for her friend. She spent more time with the children watching carefully to make sure they were growing up as safely as possible. In the meantime she met and fell hard for Max, who coincidentally was good friends with Gary. They were close in age, Gary being a little younger than Max and on the same career track. Though Gary shifted gears for something less dangerous when the last of his children was born.

Lisa leveled out for a bit and things seemed to go back to normal with all of them spending much time together, the new husband the old husband, Max, herself and the children. Barbecues and dinners and trips to the beach. Just cozy.

And then Gary got sick. Blood cancer. He rallied for a while and then died suddenly. The absolute bitch of it was that no one told Lili. And when she found out she was furious. They were all friends, and it made no sense whatsoever that no one told her.

She and Gary had become genuine friends. They bonded over their mutual love of all things bitter. Bitter beer, campari, sazerac, bitters - really bracing stuff. He reminded her so much of Lenny it was like discovering another brother in some respects.

The truth came from her co-worker Alice as they were talking about death and remembrance one day on the job and Alice remarked how cute the silver fingerprints of Gary's were that Lisa had made for the babies.

Lili froze.

"Gary is not dead. I just saw him not even two months ago. "

She and Lulu and Lenny had taken an extended summer vacation to see MM and Lili still hadn't unpacked yet. She had new bitters for them to try and everything.

"You are surely talking of someone else."

Looking at Lili carefully. Alice said, "No, I mean Gary. Blood Cancer, spread everywhere overnight. That friend of his - Max, helped with the cremation and memorial arrangements. There was even a small mention in the paper."

A deep and stinging hurt flashed through Lili. She immediately shucked her steel lined gloves and dropped her welding mask and left the hangar and headed to Max's place.