Turn It On

Chapter Fourteen

Maxine bent to kiss the top of Carl’s head. He was busy at his desk and barely seemed to notice when they left.

“Happy Thanksgiving.” The nurses waved farewell, the scent of the special lunch meal hovering in the air of the nursing home.

“It feels strange to leave him there alone and go back to where all my family will gather.”

Ryan held the door open for her and they headed into the bright sunshine of the fall day. “He wouldn’t be happy joining us. Too many people, too much noise. Even if your family were smaller it wouldn’t work. He’s content where he is.”

She shrugged. It was all so different, trying to balance wanting to be with Ryan, meeting her family’s needs, and now learning more about Carl. She snuck her fingers into Ryan’s hand as they walked back to the car. “You’re a good brother to him.”

Ryan looked startled for a moment. “Thank you.”

She grabbed him by the sleeve. “No, I mean it. I understand more why you hesitated to tell me about him. He’s a very special person, and I do have a hard time remembering he can’t just jump in and join us in the family events.” She leaned against him and kissed him, lingering over the now-familiar flavor of his lips. “You’ve done your best to care for him. He doesn’t say thank you, but I know he would if he understood all you’ve done.”

Ryan held her close, his hands tight on her torso. She rested her cheek on his chest and drew in a long slow breath. The day so far had given her plenty to be thankful about.

They made it back to the house barely thirty minutes before the first of the horde arrived. She hugged her cousins, kissed her aunties and avoided Uncle Maxible, whose aftershave made her nose twitch. Gramma was taken on a thorough inspection of the house, clinging all the while to Ryan’s arm as she admired the changes Maxine had made. After the initial questioning glances at Ryan were over, murmurs of approval rose as he plied his charm on all the relatives. A warm feeling built inside Maxine’s heart.

Wandering toward the front door, she jerked to a stop.

He couldn’t. He wouldn’t.

She stared in disbelief as Jamie Daultry made his way up the stairs in the company of her cousin Maximilian. While Jamie’s impressive good looks hadn’t changed, she wondered why she’d continued to see him after their first date. Looks were all he had going for him because he was obviously lacking brains. What kind of jerk would show up at a Thanksgiving dinner with his ex-girlfriend’s family?

Scads of relatives wandered the house, children shrieking with delight as they raced around outside on the porch. Maxine glanced to see where Ryan had disappeared to before approaching to cut Jamie off at the pass.

“Maxine! So nice of you to offer to host this year.” Maximilian dropped an air kiss by her cheek and stepped around her into the house.

He was not one of her favorite cousins to start with. She’d always found his boastful mannerisms over the top, and having seen him escort Jamie up the walk eliminated any positive familial sentiment she might have had before this moment. She jerked his sleeve, pulling him to face her. “Mill, what the hell is going on?”

“You know Jamie, right? We’re doing some business together and I discovered he was planning on spending Thanksgiving alone. I didn’t think you’d mind, so I invited him to join us. You know the clan motto—the maximum the merrier.” Her cousin winked at Jamie over her shoulder and Maxine heated with anger.

She didn’t want to have anything to do with either of them, especially Jamie. Lowering her voice she spoke directly at her cousin. “You should have asked, Mill. This is going to be awkward as hell.” She dragged a hand through her hair and took a deep breath.

“Maxi, you look wonderful.” She found her hand clasped in Jamie’s as he approached closer. She took a fast step backward to avoid his embrace.

Something solid hit her and she gave a startled cry. Familiar arms caught her around the waist and the spicy scent of Ryan’s presence eased her anxiety. He twirled her around and planted a firm kiss on her lips as he molded their bodies together. Forgetting where she was for a moment, she responded eagerly. She relaxed, drinking in his flavor, enjoying the possessive stroke of his hands. He was all she was aware of, all she could focus on. With a final lingering touch he stepped away, brushed a finger over her kiss-swollen lips and winked at her. “We need to take out the turkeys soon. The stuffing is more than ready.”

She cleared her throat in embarrassment. The glint in his eyes said he was remembering their morning interlude. The heat of her blush covered her face and he smiled lazily. She hit his chest lightly. “Be nice,” she murmured.

He raised a brow. “I thought I was more than nice.” Glancing over her shoulder, he tilted his head at the newcomers as if he’d just spotted them. “Hello. More family?” he asked as he tucked her under his arm.

Maxine fought the urge to roll her eyes, instantly reminded of dogs marking their territory. She clamped a lid on her laughter before it burst out. Leaning back comfortably, she settled against Ryan’s torso before making introductions. “Ryan, this is Maximilian and Jamie. Guys, meet Ryan Claymore, my…” Shit. What should she call him—boyfriend? Lover? One was too juvenile, the other too risqué for this crowd, no matter how much truth there was in the statement.

Ryan reached around her to clasp Jamie’s hand in his firm grip. Jamie’s eyes almost popped out his head, a grimace appearing on his perfect brow. Maxine nudged Ryan in the side. “Hey, stop the pissing match. You don’t need to break anything,” she whispered. He released his hold slowly, making a show of placing his now free hand casually on Maxine’s hip, his thumb caressing under the edge of her blouse.

Maximilian gaped openly at Ryan. “Your what?” He spun around to glare at Jamie. “You told me you were—”

“I hear the turkeys calling us,” Ryan interrupted, tugging Maxine toward the kitchen. “You boys look big enough to get yourself a drink if you want one. We’ll see you at the table when everything is ready.” He wove through the crowd of bodies, clutching her hand tightly until they were back in the kitchen amidst the bustle of serving spoons and heaping full bowls of mashed potatoes and stuffing.

“What’s come over you?” Maxine asked quietly as they slipped past Auntie Maxence, who stirred the gravy with a vengeance. “Ryan!”

He pulled her into the pantry and firmly closed the door after them. Then she couldn’t speak anymore, couldn’t breathe. He consumed her, his tongue demanding access to her mouth, plunging her into a maelstrom of passion with barely an effort. As he trapped her against the back of the door, his rising erection pressed into her belly and heat spread throughout her body.

This was insane. There were close to sixty family members ranging throughout her house, including her sweet Gramma, and she was allowing herself to be ravished in the kitchen pantry. She put her hands on his chest and gave a firm push, reluctant to have his mouth depart from hers, but frantic to stop before they were discovered necking like horny teenagers.

“Stop. What is your problem?”

He stepped back and crossed his arms casually across his chest. “You neglected to warn me your ex-lover was a dead ringer for Orlando Bloom.”

She snorted in disbelief. “This is because you’ve got a case of elf envy? Trust me, he’s nothing compared to you. He’s got the looks, but you’ve got the moves.” Ryan’s grin lit up the small room. “Now can we please go make nice with the family without you killing anyone?”

He wrinkled his face, like he was considering hard, and she hit him in the gut.

Laughing like conspirators, they snuck out to join the throng.

Ryan behaved himself throughout the dinner. In fact, he relaxed enough to enjoy the zany camaraderie of Maxine’s uncles as they tried to out do each other storytelling. Afterward Junior gave him the third degree as they passed in the hallway, but overall the afternoon was an enjoyable diversion.

He loved watching Maxine. She floated in and out of conversations, rescued children from precarious positions on the furniture and railings without a qualm and doted on her Gramma. Laughter rang loud and long throughout the house, and suddenly something inside Ryan pinched tight and he found it hard to breathe.

He’d never attended this kind of function before. He’d never experienced the swell of confusion and love racing through the old building like a tornado. The only family he remembered were grim-faced, judgmental people. And now he had Carl, who couldn’t have sat in this chaos without working himself into an emotional frenzy at the noise and chaos.

Perhaps they had more in common as brothers than he first realized.

He slipped away to calm his jangling nerves and stepped into the master bedroom to use the can before turning down the hall. Slow footsteps descending the small stairwell from the servant’s level caught his attention. It was the dark-haired cousin who’d brought Max’s ex with him.

Ryan’s fingers twitched with the urge to pound the man’s face.

Maximilian jerked to a stop, his momentary expression of panic quickly exchanged for a smirk. “So, enjoying your day with the clan?” He skittered to the side, tucking his hand into his pocket surreptitiously.

“It’s been fine so far. Great place for a gathering this size.”

“I’m sure.” Maximilian rolled his eyes and snorted.

Ryan eyed the man with derision. “You’ve got something to say to me? I don’t think we’re the type for small talk, Mill.”

The cousin held out his empty hands and shrugged. “Plain talk? Fine. I don’t know what a nice girl like Maxine is doing with someone like you.”

“Someone like me? You claiming to know all about me and you’ve found something lacking?”

“Not sure you’re the right guy for her, that’s all. Just out of the service, new company. Gotta wonder if part of the reason you’re with her is for the nice digs. Since I understand you’re now an item.”

Maximilian had the balls to sneer at him and Ryan counted to ten. Maxine would understand if he broke her cousin’s nose, wouldn’t she? He counted to ten again, to be sure his mouth would work faster than his fists.

“You’re pretty cocky for a cousin. I’ve already been cleared by her dad and her brother, so fuck off, your opinion means very little to me. In fact, the only person’s opinion I give a shit about is Maxine’s and she’s pretty damn happy as far as I can tell.” A door creaked behind him and Ryan spun to watch Jamie exit the master bedroom. “What the hell were you doing in there? How did you get in?” he demanded. Less than a minute had passed since Ryan had exited the empty room.

Jamie retreated. “I was looking for Maxi. I…poked my head in. She’s not there.”

Ryan narrowed his eyes. What the fuck was going on? “If you need to speak to her I’d appreciate it if you’d look in more public places than her bedroom.” He stalked closer to the blond and grabbed the front of his shirt in a fist for a second before smoothing it carefully. He straightened Jamie’s shoulders and tapped him casually on the cheek. “You don’t want me to get the wrong idea about your intentions, do you?”

Jamie shook his head rapidly before nearly leaping down the stairs to get away.

“Wow, that was a manly display of uber-arrogance. Maxine must love you for your gentle, debonair ways, right?” Maximilian taunted.

Ryan leaned back casually on the wall, his arms crossed in front of him. “I really don’t like you, dickhead, so if you’re done, I suggest you rejoin the rest of the clan before I give in to the urge to maximize my pleasure and rearrange your teeth for you.”

The slimy little weasel snuck past him. Once he stood at the top of the stairs with a clear path to safety, Maximilian paused. “I always assumed one of the things a real man did was provide the home. You’re too modern and sophisticated for that. Besides, leeching is more productive with a girl like Maxine and a place like this one. Have a nice day.” He turned tail and ran.

Ryan stared after him in confusion. The asshole had run off at the mouth for a reason, but what the hell was it? There was no way he believed the jerk was actually concerned about Maxine or brave enough to issue a serious challenge.

He slipped into the master bedroom and took a long, hard study of his surroundings. Nothing appeared to be disturbed but it had bothered him greatly to see Jamie exit the room. Screw the man’s excuse, he hadn’t “poked his head in”. Jamie had walked out.

When had he walked in?

Ryan carefully paced the walls, examining them closely, but spotted nothing out of the ordinary. Perplexed, he made his way upstairs to check out Maximilian’s mischief. Maxine had locked the doors along the top hall as a precaution to keep the younger family members from hiding and getting lost, but now Ryan hit a brick wall. If Maximilian had a key, which Ryan had to conclude was a possibility, there was no way to know which room the ass had entered. No way to figure out what he’d been doing wandering around away from the rest of the party.

Giving up in frustration, he returned to the second floor, stopping to stare down into the life-filled main-floor room from his high vantage point. The house was filled with loud voices and enthusiastic noises, and he wasn’t sure where he fit into the picture. The past week he’d been trying his damnedest to simply let go and trust his relationship with Maxine had a future. They came from vastly different backgrounds. Fuck, hers was something from a Waltons rerun, but most of the time they fit together well.

The chemistry between them was undeniable.

While they were happy together as a twosome, she was obviously a more social creature than him. Would she be willing to give up some of the liveliness surrounding her to be a part of his world, with his commitment to include Carl in his life? Was it fair to ask her?

He spotted her crossing the living room. She looked up and their eyes met. The sweet smile she bestowed on him made his body tighten and his heart pound. Yeah, there were no easy answers, but as he descended the staircase toward her he realized there was no way he’d willingly throw away what was developing between them. Not without giving it his best damn shot.

She slipped her hand into his elbow, falling into step with him easily. “You okay?”

He nodded briskly. “Where’s Tweedledee and Tweedledum?”

Maxine guided their steps around a couple of kids playing jacks on the floor and chuckled quietly at his quip. “If you mean Mill and Jamie, I think I saw them leave a few minutes ago. Why?”

“Did either one of them try to talk to you before they left?” he asked, stroking her fingers where they rested on his arm. She shook her head. “Good. I said Jamie was an ass, but Maximilian comes close to beating him for the title.”

She turned and straightened his collar, smoothing her hands down his chest before sliding them around his body to hug him close. “Everything okay? You seem a little quiet.”

He laughed. “Sweetheart, I could be shouting and I’d still seem quiet amidst this bedlam. I’m fine. In fact I was just about to go see if your father was serious about challenging me at cards. You don’t mind if I beat him, do you?” He kissed her cheek chastely before heading to join the men at the table. It looked like a bit of research into Maximilian and Jamie was in order when the weekend was over.