Just Eternity | ✓ |

Seventeen.

Ellie POV

Maddox and I sat cuddled on my little loveseat, with me curled onto his lap and some random show playing in the background.

It felt so natural being in his embrace.

"I'm sorry if that was over the line during sex." I admitted, feeling a bit guilty, "I'm yours. I just wanted to break open that shell you've had on."

Max smiled down to me, running a finger down my arm until it rested on my sore right wrist. He massaged the area gently, rubbing the knot out with light circles.

"I was a bit possessive." He admitted with a sigh, "It's just, I spent the day with Chris and to be honest, it made me jealous knowing you two were together up until just the other day. He even had a key to your apartment. It seems like what you two had was serious so it's confusing for Chris to be so.. encouraging of me being here."

"We weren't serious, Max. Chris is sexually adventurous, I guess I could say. I don't think anyone could tie him down. Not even me, if I wanted to." I spoke softly, not able to meet his gaze.

The guilt gnawed at me, for things I had done years ago. Even if Max told me not to apologize for sexually moving on, I felt like I had to be honest with him.

"I kissed Chris after we broke up." I focused on his slowly moving fingers over my wrist, watching them freeze for a moment at my admission. "I was hurt you wouldn't tell me you loved me after I admitted how I felt. But once we agreed on a break, we didn't do anything. It wasn't until after the three years we started having sex. A part of me was ready to move on. I couldn't dwell on what we could have been anymore."

Max kissed my forehead, pressing his lips to my skin for a while, lingering with a few breaths.

"I care about Chris. I won't lie to you. But him and I have talked about what would happen if I were to fall for someone else, or you again. He made it clear he wasn't going to settle down with a woman and he wanted me to be happy. This wasn't a surprise to him. He knew one day I'd find someone who'd give me a future."

Max's face scrunched for a moment. "You said he wouldn't settle with a woman. Is he gay?"

I rocked my head back and forth with a groan. "You pick up on everything, don't you? He's bisexual. His first relationship with a woman ended pretty badly so he leans more towards guys. We were just having fun, blowing off steam and drinking one night when our benefits started."

"God, it all makes sense now." Max chuckled lightly as he relaxed his head to the back of the couch. "He was hitting on one of the cashiers today. Totally went over my head. Wow. Okay. No good for him. I'm glad."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Of course you're glad. Was the guy at least good looking?"

Max eyed me with a disapproving shake of his head. "You are so naughty now a days. Aren't you?" His fingers trailed my sides before he tickled me. The seconds felt like eternity with my forced laughter and cries for him to stop as I tried to wrestle out of his grip.

"You used to be so open about sex. You could barely look at Chelsea's boob without getting flustered." I laughed between his tickles.

"I'm not ruining this. Not again." He stopped moving his fingers, only to grip onto my hips as he somehow managed to lay on top of me.

"Just don't leave me again." I spoke softly, still trying to catch my breath.

"I won't."

"Then we have nothing to worry about." I pecked his lips to distract him and wiggled from his grasp. I rushed to the kitchen counter with Max in pursuit, only stopping when a shiny metal caught my attention.