Not Like You

Chapter Forty-Two

I woke up in my bed, still is Max's hoodie.

My clock said it was two in the morning, but my mind wouldn't let me fall back to sleep.

I got up and changed into my Pyjamas. My nerves wouldn't calm down, and although I couldn't remember what dream I had, I could tell it wasn't a good one. 

Before I could change my mind, I slid on my slippers and quietly opened the door to my room, sneaking out and walking to the living room.

As I expected, Max's face was illuminated by his phone.

"Max?" he shifted up and the blanket my Dad must have given him fell, revealing his muscular, bare chest.

"Miel?" he asked, concern filling his face, "What's wrong?" I shrug and he scoots over, pulling the blanket up to let me in, eying my shorts and my tank top.

"Can't sleep?" he asks.

"Sleep is easy. The nightmares are what's terrifying," he sighs and pulls me to him. I buried my face in his neck.

"You need to do something about those guys," he whispered. I shrugged again.

"There's not much I can do.," he kissed my forehead and shook his head.

"There's plenty,"

"Wouldn't it expose your protection business?" he shakes his head.

"No. I didn't really explain the business to you. We are a protection agency, but we protect the real agency,"

"I'm confused,"

"It's confusing stuff. it's like we're on probation to get into the big clubs where they give you real, more dangerous problems. They give you an ID and everything. it gets you places," he laid back and I placed my head on his chest.

"Like training, but paid?"

"The pay isn't much. it's more just training. But everything is free once you get in. It's all I've wanted for a while,"

"How did you figure it out? That that was what you wanted to do?"

"When my Dad left, I knew I wanted to protect my future family with everything I had and give them a good life. I still want to," I flip over and run my hand from his neck to his cheek.

"You're a  great man, Max. I'm glad I'm with you," he tucked a piece of hair behind my ear and brought my lips to his.

He turned us over slowly so he was leaning on top of me, his leg between mine. His hands were around me, still holding me in an embrace, and mine were unmoving on his chest.

It was possible my dad could walk in and see us in a makeout session on the couch, but honestly, I didn't care. We've only been dating a matter of days and have known each other for a couple of months, but I felt like I've known Max forever. He felt made me feel more at home, even at the house I grew up in.

I shifted my hands so they played with the hair at the base of his neck. Max pulled away from my lips and kissed my forehead and my neck and my chest.

His hand was on my waist, crawling into my shirt slowly. I shivered as his fingers brushed just above my hip sending tiny strands of electricity through my body.

"Are you cold?" he asked against my lips. I nodded and he pulled the blanket up with one hand.

"better?"

"Yes," his other hand snaked into my shirt and I pulled away slightly.

"Not yet, Max," he looked a little agitated, but pulled himself away from me and laid next to me so we were eye to eye.