Into My Heart

By: Izabel

Chapter 7: Troubles

*~*~*~*

Max awoke as the sun streamed in through her open window. She glanced down at Jason, wondering if she should wake him or not. She bit her lip and looked at the clock. 7:04. She had a little over an hour before she had to leave. She looked towards the kitchen—it was still a mess. She stood and stretched, realizing she was still naked. She glanced at Jason, who was now barely covered up, leaving little to the imagination. She smiled at him and tugged the corner of the blanket further up his body. She stood back and admired him for a minute.

He was amazing. Muscles bulged in his arms, his clearly defined abs showed perfectly. Max winced as she saw the scratch marks on his chest. They were shallow and would heal in a few days, but what would people at Baywatch say? Max shrugged and jogged lightly down to her room. She grabbed her suit and changed into it, loving how it worked for her figure. She knotted her hair up into a tight bun on top of her head. She rubbed an unscented moisturizer onto her tanned legs. She grabbed a change of clothes and tossed them into a bag. She went back to the living room. Jason was still asleep. She looked at the clock again. 8:13. She had to leave.

Max leaned over and kissed Jason's mouth. It took a second, but he responded. When she pulled back, he looked up at her. Blinking like an infant coming out of sleep.

"What time is it?" he asked, breathing deeply.

"Almost quarter after eight. I have to go…" Max trailed off.

Jason shook his head and tried to pull her down with him. "No, stay here."

Max laughed and drew back. "I wish. There's food in the kitchen, help yourself. I'll be home around two. You can hang here, or whatever."

Jason nodded, already beginning to go back to sleep. Max silently stood and went for the door.

"I love you, baby," Jason called.

Max could have cried. "I love you, too, Jase."

At 2:30, Max sluggishly returned to her penthouse, collapsing in an armchair as soon as she got it. She looked around. Jason must have left earlier. She laughed incredulously as she saw the immaculate kitchen. A note lay on the table in front of her.

Max-

JD and I are supposed to go out for a bit. I'll call you around 3:00. Hope you like the kitchen. I already made reservations for you, JD, Kekoa, and me tonight. OK?

Love you.

-Jason

The phone rang shrilly beside Max. She grabbed it happily. "Jase?"

"Nope," came the harsh male voice. "Hello, sweetie."

"Todd?" Max gasped, sitting tensely on her couch. She clutched the afghan, neatly folded beside her. It still smelled like Jason. She took strength from this. Calmly, she said, "What do you want?"

"I want you, Maxie," he snapped. She could hear him laugh. "Maxie, I'm sorry for everything I did to you. I just…Give me another chance."

"Look, Todd, I have a new guy," Max admitted, hoping he'd back off.

Yeah, right.

Todd exploded. "You little slut. You always were a whore."

Max clenched her teeth. "I'm hanging up, Todd." She clicked the off button. Instantaneously, the phone rang. Max stared at it. She let it ring eight times before answering with an irritated, "Just leave me the hell alone!"

"Max?" Jason's confused voice came on the line.

"Oh, God, Jason…" she winced. "I thought you were someone else."

"I'm glad I'm not that someone else. You sound about ready to kill them." She could hear JD talking in the back.

"Sorry," Max apologized. "What's up?"

"Just wanted to see if you got my note. You up for dinner at six?" he asked.

"Definitely," Max replied, relieved he didn't press who she was mad at. She uncurled herself from her position and began to go to her room; she opened her closet and looked at the variety of clothes. "What kind of dinner?"

"Hold on," Jason said. She heard mumbling in the background. "Kekoa needs to talk to you when we're done." Pause. "Fairly nice…" he said mischievously.

"Jas-on!" Max pleaded.

"Here's Kekoa," Jason said quickly.

"Jase!" Max protested.

"Love ya, Max," he replied quickly.

"Max?" Kekoa said. "I'll be over in ten."

Click.

"Great," Max laughed into the dial tone. She hung up and sat, waiting for Kekoa.