Sharing Expenses
Maxine moaned against Jeremy's lips as he kissed her passionately. The absence of her roommate, Kenny, allowed Max to be more relaxed and allowed Jeremy to be more affectionate with her without fear of Kenny's intrusion.
"You're beautiful, Maxine," he whispered in her ear as he trailed kisses along her jawline up to her earlobe, "Your skin is like fine china, smooth and soft, and your hair, your hair is the color of a desert sunset."
"Oh, Jeremy," Max moaned, "I want..."
"I know what you want, Maxine. I'll take care of you, Baby," Jeremy whispered slipping his hand down into her panties.
Max felt his hands on her, inside her, and knew she should enjoy it, but her stomach knotted and she began to slowly squeeze her thighs closed and arch her back to get away from his touch.
"You want to play, Maxie?" Jeremy asked, pressing his hand harder into her, "We can play."
"Jeremy, I don't..." Max whispered, but the cut her off with his lips, taking another kiss.
Kenny rushed to the apartment, his heart in his throat due to the inexplicable feeling in his gut that all was not well with Max. He had a sort of sixth sense with her and knew that something was wrong, that something, even the littlest thing was not right. His heart had been pounding since he left the bar and it did not slow down one iota when he saw Jeremy's car parked outside his building and that the lights in his windows were off. That sent even more signals off in his mind, they were in there with the lights off and he felt as if he wanted to get sick to his stomach, Kenny ran faster.
"Jeremy, no!" Max said firmly, getting her in between herself and Jeremy and gave him a slight push.
Kenny chose that precise moment to come through the door, just in time to hear Jeremy's question, "Hey, what's your problem, Baby?"
Before Maxine could answer, Jeremy was pulled up and off her and smashed against the wall, "You son of a bitch! She does not want you touching he," Kenny shouted at Jeremy, while slamming his against the wall again, "Turn around, you worthless..."
"Hey, she wasn't saying no until just now," Jeremy protested.
"Yeah, I'm sure," Kenny said rolling his eyes, "turn around and put your hands behind you're head." Max lay against the sofa in stunned silence until she heart Kenny instruct Jeremy to put his hands behind his head.
"Kenny," Max protested, "let him go. He's telling the truth."
Kenny turned around to face Max, his expression shocked and a little bit hurt, "You mean you..."
"Kenny, please," Max asked, her heart breaking and mind whirling at the shattered look on his face, "Can I have a few minutes with Jeremy?"
Silently, Kenny nodded and moved past Max to go to his room, his dark features tinted red with embarrassment. When he was out of earshot, Max began, "Jeremy, I'm sorry. I was just...I'm just not ready to be intimate with you."
Jeremy ran his hand through his hair, "All right, Max, I got that, but why did you let me go that far?"
"At first, it felt so good and I haven't had sex in a long time and I haven't been kissed even in a long time, and you are such a good kisser Jeremy, but...it just felt wrong," Max hastily explained, a heavy blush on her cheek, "I'm sorry."
"It's all right, Maxine," Jeremy said gently, "I should be sorry. I was rushing you. But I don't get your roommate. What's his...I mean, he nearly arrested me for making out with my girlfriend."
Max sighed, "Kenny is overprotective of me. We've been through a lot together, been best friends for years, partners even longer," she tried to explain.
"And I'm glad of that. I know you're in good hands on the streets with him at your back, but next time, we go to my place. Okay?" Jeremy smiled, "You guys really need some rules around here."
"There are rules, Jeremy," Max answered, "and I broke them. This is a common space, Kenny's and mine, I should, um, entertain you in my bedroom," Max explained and batted her eyelashes, "It's getting late and..."
"Yeah, it is," Jeremy agreed, "as you have some things to discuss with Kenny."
"Yeah, I do," Max agreed, leaning up to kiss Jeremy's lips, "Call me."
Kenny overheard every word Max had said to Jeremy and all of his responses. This Jeremy he realized was not a bad guy, he was a little ambitious perhaps, but he was not a bad guy. In fact, he was the best guy she's ever dated as far as he could remember.
Kenny's musings were interrupted by a gentle rapping at the door, "Come in!" he called. Max opened the door and sat down on the bed next to him.
"I'm sorry, Max," Kenny sheepishly apologized, "I thought..."
"Ssh," Max quietly silenced him, "I know what you thought, Kenny and I know how sensitive you are about...that kind of stuff," Max explained, "and I'm sorry."
"You're sorry?" Kenny asked, "Max, I was the one who acted like a jerk out there..."
"No," Max interrupted, "you acted like a friend out there, like a partner," she told him and then very softly added, "and I love you for that."
Kenny's throat clogged up at her words. He thought for sure she would get angry at him and shout at him, but this level of understanding...Kenny turned to Max and saw the emotion in her eyes. He couldn't quite place it, but he knew he'd never seen it before. Slowly, she moved toward him and put her arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug.
"You're the best friend I've ever had, Max," Kenny whispered, holding her close, feeling how slight she was, and thinking how easily someone could seriously harm her.
"And you're my best friend, Kenny. And I never want that to change," Max said as she let Kenny hold her close and stroke her hair, "I don't know what I'd do without you."
If possible, Kenny's embrace tightened, "You'll never be without me, Max. Not ever," Kenny promised. "God, Max, when I came home and saw him on top of you and you pushing him away, I was so scared, Max," Kenny admitted.
"Kenny," Max said softly, pulling back a bit to look at him, "I know you want to protect me, I know you really hate everything to do with rape and with sexual misconduct and so do I. I'm a police officer, I've seen what these crimes do, and you know what, I know how to handle myself. I know how to defend myself." Max said this very slowly, so Kenny's mind could fully absorb what she was saying.
"Do you, Max? I mean, I know you know how to defend yourself, but...I don't know what I mean," Kenny sighed and finally let Max go.
"You mean, I know how, I know the technicality, but could I really do it if I had to," Max paraphrased through Kenny's fumbled speech.
"Yeah, I mean Max, you're tiny. You're very petite. Men could easily...Jeremy could, I could and I want to keep you safe. You're in my home, in my care..." Kenny tried to explain.
"Hold on," Max interrupted, "I live here, Kenny because it's convenient, we're sharing expenses, we're roommates. You are not responsible for me."
"Yeah, Max. I am," Kenny countered, "I'm your partner and you're friend. I am responsible for you and you are responsible for me. You are accountable to me, and I am accountable to you. That's what it's all about, Max, What happens to one of us...happens to both of us and I know I don't ever want to feel the way I did after...not ever again. So you see, we're involved with each others lives, like it or not, roommates or not, that's what being friends is."
"And I know that, Kenny. But you can't always beat yourself up because you suffer under a misguided belief that you can control every bad thing in the world. You can't stop it all, Kenny, but I thank for trying just the same," Max told him, with a tear stinging the back of her eyes at how much love and devotion she saw in her best friend's eyes, "Now, it's getting really late and we have to save the world tomorrow, so let's get to bed."
With a small smile, Kenny rose and moved to give Max another strong hug, "Good night, Kenny," Max said with a kiss on his cheek, "How about a pizza and beer night tomorrow? Just the two of us?"
"All right," Kenny agreed, "I'll get the food and the booze, you get the movie."
Max smiled, and said "I can live with that," as she went down the hall to her room.
Maxine moaned against Jeremy's lips as he kissed her passionately. The absence of her roommate, Kenny, allowed Max to be more relaxed and allowed Jeremy to be more affectionate with her without fear of Kenny's intrusion.
"You're beautiful, Maxine," he whispered in her ear as he trailed kisses along her jawline up to her earlobe, "Your skin is like fine china, smooth and soft, and your hair, your hair is the color of a desert sunset."
"Oh, Jeremy," Max moaned, "I want..."
"I know what you want, Maxine. I'll take care of you, Baby," Jeremy whispered slipping his hand down into her panties.
Max felt his hands on her, inside her, and knew she should enjoy it, but her stomach knotted and she began to slowly squeeze her thighs closed and arch her back to get away from his touch.
"You want to play, Maxie?" Jeremy asked, pressing his hand harder into her, "We can play."
"Jeremy, I don't..." Max whispered, but the cut her off with his lips, taking another kiss.
Kenny rushed to the apartment, his heart in his throat due to the inexplicable feeling in his gut that all was not well with Max. He had a sort of sixth sense with her and knew that something was wrong, that something, even the littlest thing was not right. His heart had been pounding since he left the bar and it did not slow down one iota when he saw Jeremy's car parked outside his building and that the lights in his windows were off. That sent even more signals off in his mind, they were in there with the lights off and he felt as if he wanted to get sick to his stomach, Kenny ran faster.
"Jeremy, no!" Max said firmly, getting her in between herself and Jeremy and gave him a slight push.
Kenny chose that precise moment to come through the door, just in time to hear Jeremy's question, "Hey, what's your problem, Baby?"
Before Maxine could answer, Jeremy was pulled up and off her and smashed against the wall, "You son of a bitch! She does not want you touching he," Kenny shouted at Jeremy, while slamming his against the wall again, "Turn around, you worthless..."
"Hey, she wasn't saying no until just now," Jeremy protested.
"Yeah, I'm sure," Kenny said rolling his eyes, "turn around and put your hands behind you're head." Max lay against the sofa in stunned silence until she heart Kenny instruct Jeremy to put his hands behind his head.
"Kenny," Max protested, "let him go. He's telling the truth."
Kenny turned around to face Max, his expression shocked and a little bit hurt, "You mean you..."
"Kenny, please," Max asked, her heart breaking and mind whirling at the shattered look on his face, "Can I have a few minutes with Jeremy?"
Silently, Kenny nodded and moved past Max to go to his room, his dark features tinted red with embarrassment. When he was out of earshot, Max began, "Jeremy, I'm sorry. I was just...I'm just not ready to be intimate with you."
Jeremy ran his hand through his hair, "All right, Max, I got that, but why did you let me go that far?"
"At first, it felt so good and I haven't had sex in a long time and I haven't been kissed even in a long time, and you are such a good kisser Jeremy, but...it just felt wrong," Max hastily explained, a heavy blush on her cheek, "I'm sorry."
"It's all right, Maxine," Jeremy said gently, "I should be sorry. I was rushing you. But I don't get your roommate. What's his...I mean, he nearly arrested me for making out with my girlfriend."
Max sighed, "Kenny is overprotective of me. We've been through a lot together, been best friends for years, partners even longer," she tried to explain.
"And I'm glad of that. I know you're in good hands on the streets with him at your back, but next time, we go to my place. Okay?" Jeremy smiled, "You guys really need some rules around here."
"There are rules, Jeremy," Max answered, "and I broke them. This is a common space, Kenny's and mine, I should, um, entertain you in my bedroom," Max explained and batted her eyelashes, "It's getting late and..."
"Yeah, it is," Jeremy agreed, "as you have some things to discuss with Kenny."
"Yeah, I do," Max agreed, leaning up to kiss Jeremy's lips, "Call me."
Kenny overheard every word Max had said to Jeremy and all of his responses. This Jeremy he realized was not a bad guy, he was a little ambitious perhaps, but he was not a bad guy. In fact, he was the best guy she's ever dated as far as he could remember.
Kenny's musings were interrupted by a gentle rapping at the door, "Come in!" he called. Max opened the door and sat down on the bed next to him.
"I'm sorry, Max," Kenny sheepishly apologized, "I thought..."
"Ssh," Max quietly silenced him, "I know what you thought, Kenny and I know how sensitive you are about...that kind of stuff," Max explained, "and I'm sorry."
"You're sorry?" Kenny asked, "Max, I was the one who acted like a jerk out there..."
"No," Max interrupted, "you acted like a friend out there, like a partner," she told him and then very softly added, "and I love you for that."
Kenny's throat clogged up at her words. He thought for sure she would get angry at him and shout at him, but this level of understanding...Kenny turned to Max and saw the emotion in her eyes. He couldn't quite place it, but he knew he'd never seen it before. Slowly, she moved toward him and put her arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug.
"You're the best friend I've ever had, Max," Kenny whispered, holding her close, feeling how slight she was, and thinking how easily someone could seriously harm her.
"And you're my best friend, Kenny. And I never want that to change," Max said as she let Kenny hold her close and stroke her hair, "I don't know what I'd do without you."
If possible, Kenny's embrace tightened, "You'll never be without me, Max. Not ever," Kenny promised. "God, Max, when I came home and saw him on top of you and you pushing him away, I was so scared, Max," Kenny admitted.
"Kenny," Max said softly, pulling back a bit to look at him, "I know you want to protect me, I know you really hate everything to do with rape and with sexual misconduct and so do I. I'm a police officer, I've seen what these crimes do, and you know what, I know how to handle myself. I know how to defend myself." Max said this very slowly, so Kenny's mind could fully absorb what she was saying.
"Do you, Max? I mean, I know you know how to defend yourself, but...I don't know what I mean," Kenny sighed and finally let Max go.
"You mean, I know how, I know the technicality, but could I really do it if I had to," Max paraphrased through Kenny's fumbled speech.
"Yeah, I mean Max, you're tiny. You're very petite. Men could easily...Jeremy could, I could and I want to keep you safe. You're in my home, in my care..." Kenny tried to explain.
"Hold on," Max interrupted, "I live here, Kenny because it's convenient, we're sharing expenses, we're roommates. You are not responsible for me."
"Yeah, Max. I am," Kenny countered, "I'm your partner and you're friend. I am responsible for you and you are responsible for me. You are accountable to me, and I am accountable to you. That's what it's all about, Max, What happens to one of us...happens to both of us and I know I don't ever want to feel the way I did after...not ever again. So you see, we're involved with each others lives, like it or not, roommates or not, that's what being friends is."
"And I know that, Kenny. But you can't always beat yourself up because you suffer under a misguided belief that you can control every bad thing in the world. You can't stop it all, Kenny, but I thank for trying just the same," Max told him, with a tear stinging the back of her eyes at how much love and devotion she saw in her best friend's eyes, "Now, it's getting really late and we have to save the world tomorrow, so let's get to bed."
With a small smile, Kenny rose and moved to give Max another strong hug, "Good night, Kenny," Max said with a kiss on his cheek, "How about a pizza and beer night tomorrow? Just the two of us?"
"All right," Kenny agreed, "I'll get the food and the booze, you get the movie."
Max smiled, and said "I can live with that," as she went down the hall to her room.