Max couldn't stop thinking about Caroline.

She kept telling herself to think of something else and the next thing she knew, she was staring at the blonde waitress again and her voice filled Max's mind. The feel and taste of her kiss lingered on Max's lips, and her soft touches seemed to have left a trail of flame on Max's body.

And when she wasn't looking at Caroline, she could feel Caroline's tender and longing gaze on her; sometimes they catch each other's gaze and Caroline would just smile softly at her before focusing on her own work.

That night when they walked home from the diner, Caroline slightly tugged at her hand and when Max looked at her, Caroline stole a peck of kiss. Max blushed and stared at Caroline's playful smile.

"Why did you do that?" Max asked but the blonde only shrugged and gave her an innocent smile.

"I just wanted to kiss you, that's all."

The corner of Max's lips tugged upwards involuntarily, but she looked back ahead. She squeezed Caroline's hand in hers before letting go.

"You need permission to soft touch me. I don't just let anyone to do that shit to me."

Caroline laughed, and her bright and light laugh rang out in the chilly streets before disappearing in the wind, Max looked down on her boots as she secretly smiled at the sound.

"May I take your hand, Max?" Caroline smiled brightly at her and offered her hand to Max. Max stared at the hand and half glared at Caroline, hating that she wanted to say yes.

"Only this time because you asked nicely." Max said and Caroline held her hand.

"May I kiss you, Miss Black?" Caroline asked again with a beautiful smile and pulled Max to her in the middle of the road. Max was pulled to Caroline's energy and the way the blonde was looking at her. Caroline wrapped one hand around Max's waist to keep her close, and one hand cradled Max's face.

"Just say yes." Caroline whispered.

Max looked into Caroline's ocean blue eyes, and whispered back weakly "Yes... "

Caroline kissed her so softly and slowly then, at 2:30 in the morning, in the middle of the road until Max felt safe and loved and weak in her arms.

XXXXX

"Sleep with me tonight?" Caroline tugged at Max's hand in front of their door.

"Look Blondie, if you wanna have sex with me you can just say it. You don't have to pretend." Max smirked as she unlocked their door.

"I'm serious, Max." Caroline smiled and locked the door behind her, Max took her coat and hung them on a stand. "Wait lemme think..."

"Think what? If you wanna sleep with me? Caroline, the entire Brooklyn are queueing up to have a go with my girls, I'm offended you have to even think about it." Max said and zipped down her uniform in front of Caroline to emphasize her point. Caroline gasped for a second at the sight of Max's breasts in her bra before frowning. Caroline bit her lips for a moment before deciding.

"I'm thinking if you're ready or should we just sleep."

"If I'm ready?" Max snorted, "Trust me, Blondie there is nothing I have never done. I think it's yourself you got to worry about."

"Oh there is one thing you have never tried." Caroline shrugged and said casually before going into the bathroom for a quick shower.

Max gaped and stared at the bathroom door before shaking her head. Now she was annoyed and offended, she ran her tongue on her teeth and crossed her arms. Max Black is not good at a lot of things but when it comes to sex, she knows she's good at it. Better than good if she could say so herself, countless men had praised her before and she could almost say she had done more things than normal couple.

Max waited for the shower to cut off a few minutes later and stripped down to her underwear, sitting at the edge of Caroline's bed. Caroline walked out in her soft pajamas, switched off the bathroom light and was startled at her table lamp being switched on in the dark living room. She was more shocked Max was half naked, sitting at her bed.

"What're you doing, Max?" Caroline asked as Max stood up and walked t her with a seducing smile.

"I want you to tell me what have I not tried? Or better, you can show me." Max whispered the last part in the Caroline's ears.

Caroline took a step back, "Really, Max? You're letting your ego do this?"

Max frowned and crossed her arms, more defensive than ever. Here she thought a rough sex with Caroline might actually took the edge away and solved every problem and feelings she had. Sex had always worked, including booze and some weed always solved her problems, at least for a moment. It had always been Max's coping mechanism.

"And what's wrong with that?" Max snarled, clenching her jaw.

Caroline looked into Max's eyes, easily reading the tough brunnette in front of her. Caroline reached for Max's hands, but they were tugged snugly against Max's chest. Caroline tried again.

"Hey, look at me." Caroline said softly and Max's hardened eyes meet hers. Caroline gave up on trying to pry Max's hands off her chest and rest her hands on Max's hips instead. "You're a beautiful woman to me, I love your creamy skin and I love your curves." Caroline softly said, making sure to make eye contact with the brunnette as her hands wander on Max's body. "I love the soft, little hairs on your tummy." Caroline touched Max's navel and moved upwards. "I love the goosebumps you form from my touch, I love your breasts, I love how your nipples react to my touch."

Max frowned deeper and deeper at that, finally not able to take it anymore, she jerked away from Caroline's soft touch and stepped away. "Okay, stop. Just stop whatever you're doing."

Caroline stopped and smiled weakly at Max, "This, Max. This is what you have not tried and what you are not ready for. You're not ready to hear that you're beautiful, you're not ready for someone to care and love you, to treasure you because you're special. I'm not the rest of Brooklyn, Max. I don't want just your body, I want you." Caroline said softly and reached for Max's hand.

Max stared at her, her heart racing 100 miles an hour. She felt numb all over but also too much at the same time, Caroline had been making her feel this way these days. She let Caroline lead her to the Murphy bed.

"Caroline..." Max finally spoke, looking at the blonde standing infront of her while she was sitting on the side of the bed. She was speechless and Caroline seemed to understand that. The blonde smiles and leaned down to kiss the top of her head.

"It's okay, Max. I understand. And until you're ready, I'll be right here. I'm not going anywhere."

"Don't make any promises you can't keep. " Max clenched her jaw once more.

"Okay." Caroline said and pretended to think for a second before saying again, "I'm not going anywhere, Max. I won't leave you for how many billions in the world."

"God, why can't you just be like anyone else in my life?" Max grumbled, still unwilling to let down her guards.

"Maybe the universe thought I have had too much and you have had too little." Caroline said after a while and Max looked back at her. "So it took away my money and gave me you, it took away Robbie and gave you me. We're perfect for each other, Max."

Damn Wharton graduate. Max thought, she's right.

But Max is not in a hurry to admit that.