The Only Way is Up

Part Thirty Nine

Chapter Thirty Nine

A/N Sorry...again. Life is pretty chaotic at the moment so I'm struggling to get the words physically on to screen, but time is making me tweak things, so hope that the wait is worth it.  Love to hear your thoughts.

"This is a bit weird."

Max looked up at that, he was tying the laces of his new shoes that he wore with his new jeans and new shirt. Everything was new...but then he'd lost all his current possessions. They weren't all necessarily burned, but what wasn't was smoke or water damaged too. Fortunately when he'd given up his apartment to move above the gym he'd put a large portion of his belongings into storage, including some clothes. He'd have to get there and collect some things, and then he could relax a little.

Nicole looked beautiful, she was wearing a pair of shorts, her shapely legs bare, and a sleeveless top that seemed to float as she moved. She looked smart, stylish, yet casual too. For the first time since he'd met her she was demonstrating that same sense of spirit that he'd seen in the photos of her scattered around the lounge, the woman in the bright clothes, the bad perm, the whacky yet happy grins. She was an enigma, and he loved that he was finally seeing all her facets, the happiness and carefree girl that he'd longed to meet was stood in front of him with a confused expression on her face.

And focussing on her, on them, on their evening, took his mind away from the dark cloud that represented his father. He had to do something, but he wasn't sure exactly what. She was distracting him from that, which was good, but he also knew that he couldn't avoid it forever. But instead, he smiled at her.

"What is weird?"

She giggled, a sound that bubbled in her throat and made his body long to repeat it, "well, you know. Last week we weren't going anywhere, this week you're living with me...and it feels good, right...you know?"

It was his turn to chuckle, "so you mean I have taken you on roughly two dates, and now we are going to our friends' house for dinner as though it is the most natural thing in the world."

She nodded, "do you think that's strange too?"

"I actually do. But then I haven't had a familiar thought since the moment I met you."

She bit her bottom lip at that, and he could see her trying to make sense of that, so he jumped up and crossed the room to her.

"I don't mean that in a bad way." His arms slid around her waist and he tugged her into his body, "I LOVE the way that I'm thinking these days, it is a change for the better. And who prescribes how many dates a couple must have before they can have dinner with friends in a familiar way?"

She chuckled, "is that what we are now?"

He lifted an eyebrow in question, "a couple? I'd say yes, wouldn't you?"

He watched as she chewed that bottom lip, then grinned, "I suppose that makes sense."

"I'm glad, now we have a taxi coming. Are you ready?"

Nicole nodded then slid her feet into a pair of heeled sandals. They made her nearer his height, and her legs even longer, with a sigh of pleasure he slid his arms around her and pulled her close to him, dropping his lips to meet hers.

Max finally lifted his head and smiled down at her face, eyes half closed, lips bruised, cheeks flushed. He was tempted to toss her over his shoulder and march upstairs. Hell if he had his choice they'd not leave the bed...ever. But that was neither possible nor practical. Instead he rubbed his thumb across her bottom lip, and when she parted them and sucked his thumb into her mouth, he rolled his eyes ruing their imminent dinner date.