What The Heart Needs - The Heart #3 (Complete)

Chapter 1 - Part 1

Please note this story has not been fully edited & will have spelling and grammar mistakes.

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I sighed, happiness filled my heart while I gazed down at Max who lay on the sofa with his head resting on my lap. I absentmindedly played with his hair while we watched a movie. It was silky soft and I loved the smell of him that teased my nose. My interest in the movie had been replaced with a fascination with the guy who had turned my bleak opinion of the opposite sex into something hopeful.

After my last disaster with Rory I thought I'd never be able to trust again. He had been the walking embodiment of a bad boy. He worked as tattoo artist which had solidified his reputation.

I loved bad boys, the ones who lived life by their own rules. There was something so hot about a guy who didn't feel the need to conform to society's rules.

It had only taken a few months to fall completely in love with him, I'd hung off his every word. Then one night I fell out of cloud nine and right back down to earth. I had intended to surprise him but I was the one to be shocked when I found him in a compromising position with a client he was working late on.

Even now when I thought back to it I could still feel the hurt, the embarrassment. I had been such an idiot to believe he loved me the way I did him. I'd sworn off boys, promising myself I would never allow anyone to hurt me like that.

At that time I wasn't even sure I would be able to let anyone else in but only a few months later here I was feeling the happiest I'd ever felt. Everything in my life was going well. College was going great, I had max in my life and I had my friends and family. I didn't believe life got any better than this.

Meeting Max at a party had been unexpected. He and his friend, Aiden, had approached Lacey and I. Max and I had hit it off immediately. Aiden's interest in my best friend, Lacey, had only been temporary. Once he had discovered Adonis' jealousy at the sight of the two of them dancing he had shelved any notion of anything more than friendship with her.

While Max and I had grown closer Aiden and Lacey had become really good friends. It helped ease the guilt I felt for spending less time with her and more time with Max.

Like Aiden, Max was in college. He was studying to be an accountant. Aiden was studying engineering. I was in college to get my business degree. I hadn't quite decided on exactly what I wanted to do when I left college so my business degree seemed like the best option.

Max was the opposite to the cliche type I would have imagined when someone mentioned accountant. In my mind an image of a geeky looking guy with oversized glasses appeared. Max looked nothing like that. He didn't wear glasses. He was muscular and fit. He wasn't good looking in the pretty boy kind of way but there was something about him that had caught my attention straight away.

"You aren't even watching the movie," Max murmured, looking up at me. He pulled me out of my thoughts and I smiled.

"It's a crap movie," I shot back.

He smiled, the type of smile that could read the unspoken in my eyes. I brushed my thumb over his bottom lip and he kissed it softly.

My stomach did a weird somersault and he reached a hand to the back of my neck to bring me down to close his mouth over mine.

The movie forgotten in the back ground as Max shifted positions and I lay on my back on the sofa. I gave him a mischievous look. His caramel coloured hair fell forward across his forehead as he stared intently at me, leaving me with no doubt with what he had in mind. My stomach fluttered. The way his big brown eyes held mine made my heart race.

"I'm missing the movie," I complained.

His eyes held mine and with missing a beat he said, "It's crap."

This time he kissed me. It was deep and by the time he lifted his lips from mine I was breathless. I threaded my hands through his hair.

My phone started to ring. I tried to reach for it on the coffee table where it vibrated against the glass top.

Max shifted off me so I could lean over and grab it. It was late, so I immediately had a sense it was something wrong.

It was Lacey's home number flashing on my screen. I answered without hesitation.

"Hi," I said as I sat up. Max sat beside me, he put his feet up against the coffee table.

"Reece." I had expected to hear my friends voice but it was the frantic voice of her Mother. "Is Lacey with you?"

I frowned. "No, I'm at Max's house."

I stood up and began to pace as I listened to Mrs Harper. "She isn't home and she didn't say she was going anywhere."

That did not sound like my friend.

"Have you tried Aiden?" I asked. If she wasn't with one of us she was usually with the other.

"No, he doesn't know where she is either."

I wanted to help but I had no idea where she was. I struggled to remember our last conversation. She had started working and between college and homework I didn't get a lot of free time.

"I'm sure she's got sidetracked. You'll hear from her soon," I tried to reassure her mom.

"I hope so," Mrs Harper said. "Sorry for the late call."

When the call ended I sank down onto the sofa still holding my phone in my hands.

"What's wrong?" Max asked, pulling me out of my thoughts. I glanced at him.

"Lacey's missing," I mumbled.

"I'm sure it's nothing. Probably just some misunderstanding." He tried to soothe my worry but something niggled at me.

She had a lot going on lately. With the return of Adonis from his last tour had brought added angst to my friend.

She'd idolised him from afar for as long as I could remember. I couldn't imagine being in her shoes. Despite her feelings for him, she didn't believe things would work out between them. I didn't believe that. I saw the way he looked at her when he didn't think anyone was watching. It was a look that spoke a thousands words. But I couldn't figure out was why he was still keeping his distance.

Unable to brush the phone call from her mother off I tired to call her cell but it just rang and rang. I let out a frustrated sigh before sitting down again.

Max put his hand on mine. "She'll be fine."

I wanted to believe him but I couldn't shake the worry her mother's call had started.

"There are other ways to keep your mind preoccupied," Max said with a sly smile that made my stomach somersault.

"I like the sound of that." I forced a light smile. Even though I played along in the back of my mind my thoughts still centered around my best friend.

Max leaned over and kissed me. His mouth moved against mine and I leaned forward move my arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

I wanted to lose myself in our moment but no matter how much I tried I couldn't stop thinking about Lacey. Max sighed after he broke our kiss and dropped a kiss to my forehead.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, knowing my preoccupied mind had dampened our night together.

We spent as much time as we could together. Our relationship was still in the early stages so it was all still new and exciting.

He smiled and tucked a piece of stray hair behind my ear. "That's okay. We don't need to do stuff. Just you being here is enough."

My heart melted at his words. He was the first good guy I had ever dated. He was caring and thoughtful so unlike the type of guys I had been with before him. It made me wonder what I had been thinking when I had been so taken with the self centred and uncaring assholes.

His fingers threaded through mine and he held my hand in his. My chest inflated with a warmth I was experiencing more around him.

"Thanks," I murmured leaning my head against his shoulder. He let go of my hand to put his arm around my shoulder.