The head of his c.o.c.k pushed between my wet folds again, and Max was sliding into me in one long stroke.

"I want you, Liv. And I'm going to have all of you, every way, eventually."

"Yes, yes..."

I thought he would just do it. I was in position, and while I probably really wasn't ready physically, my mind was already in a place that would give up anything for Max. Anything to please him, to fulfill all of his needs as he did mine.

I felt his thumb press against me and then ever so slowly he worked it into my a.s.s.

My head dropped and my face was buried in the pillow. Like he'd done other times we were having s.e.x, Max pulled the pillow away and said, "I want to hear you."

I was breathing heavily and he was causing little whimpers to escape from my mouth, as he worked his thumb in farther.

The pressure was intense, a great feeling of being filled. His c.o.c.k stroked along my inner walls and having his thumb there maximized the sensation.

I was hopeless to hold off. I just couldn't stop myself. I felt the spasms in my abdomen. They came quickly and fiercely, and so did I.

And I felt the warm slickness of Max's s.e.m.e.n pumping into me.

"G.o.d, Liv...you drive me crazy in every way..."

NINE

My parents arrived the next afternoon with Grace and the baby, my newest niece. The older one stayed at home with my brother-in-law because she had come down with a cold at the last minute. Grace almost didn't come because of that, but felt okay about it when her mother-in-law came to stay at their house for a few days.

They drove from Ohio so they were all tired by the time they got to their hotel. It was only ten minutes from my apartment and I headed over there when Grace called to say Dad was getting them checked into the rooms.

We sat around for a while and the focus was mostly on the baby, of course. I couldn't believe how different she looked after having not seen her for just a few months.

Dad was sitting in a chair and nodding off, but snapped awake when the subject of food came up.

We decided to keep it simple and cheap, and just went to a chain restaurant.

"People drive like crazy around here," Dad said.

Mom agreed and said it was probably the drugs.

"They have drugs in Ohio, you know," I said.

Dad shot me a look like I was still a kid and should be quiet instead of pointing out a simple fact that didn't fall in line with my parents' predetermined opinion.

"We're only here for a few days," Grace said. "Can we not argue?" Ever the diplomat, but I knew she agreed with them. She'd followed their path in life and thought like they did, but we still had that sisterly bond that no one could break and if she had any plans to give me grief about leaving Ohio, she'd wait until we were alone.

After dinner we drove around LA for a little while. Grace wanted to see more of the city, and I think my mom did as well, though she reluctantly took Grace's side when my dad said it was dark and we wouldn't be able to see anything.

"Dad, this whole city is lights," Grace said.

Dad came up with another reason not to ride around. "Well, it's getting kind of late."

"It's 7:40," Mom said. "With the time difference, it's not even five o'clock to us."

Dad sighed. "All right, but we're keeping the windows up and the doors locked."

Grace and I looked at each other in the backseat and rolled our eyes.

Later, back at the hotel, we were all in my parents' room. Grace and the baby were staying in an adjacent room, and the two were linked by a door.

This is when Dad started his pitch in earnest, telling me I should really think about coming home, there was plenty to do there in the way of work, that's where my friends were, etc. And, just for added guilt, he said, "What would you do if something happened to one of us?"

"What do you mean?"

Dad shrugged. "An accident. One of us gets sick. Anything. You're so far away."

"It doesn't take long by plane," I said.

"That's not cheap."

He was right, of course. It wasn't cheap to get a ticket for a flight from LA to Ohio on short notice. What he didn't know, and what I couldn't tell them, was that I wouldn't have to buy a ticket. Max would fly me home in a heartbeat.

He dropped the issue, probably just thinking of his next line of attack. Mom had stayed silent while Dad and I discussed the distance issue, but when she picked up when he stopped.

"You haven't been back to Las Vegas, I hope?"

"I go there every weekend."

Mom looked at me in shock. Dad cut his eyes at me.

"I'm kidding," I said.

Grace handed me the baby, who looked at me and smiled. I smiled back, thinking how nice it was to have at least one relative who wasn't judging me.

"They're just worried about you," Grace said a little later.

"I know, but it gets old."

"I'm worried about you, too, you know. Especially after that whole thing with Chris."

"He's gone," I said. "And I doubt he'll be back."

We were in the adjacent hotel room. Mom and Dad had gone to bed, the baby was asleep, and it was getting close to 11:00.

"I know you are, but seriously, Grace, wouldn't you rather be here? I mean, you saw the city. There's never a boring minute here."

"Maybe I like boring."

That couldn't be more true. And it couldn't have made me more sad for her. Yes, I was being judgmental, but I'd been on the receiving end of judgment myself for too long.

Grace said, "So, what's up with Krystal?"

Jesus. What a topic. One that I didn't want to talk about. One that would only confirm that she and my parents were right about this probably being a bad scene for me. One that would give them the wrong impression about how wonderful things were really going when you considered everything with Max.

I said, "I hardly ever see her. She's always working at that restaurant or going to casting calls." There. I lied. But I had to. And it worked. She moved on to something else.

"What do you do when you're not working?" she asked.

I could have answered truthfully with the one-liner that popped into my head: When I'm not working, I do Max. When I'm not working, I do Max. But that was a little joke I had to keep to myself. But that was a little joke I had to keep to myself.

I gave her a generic response-hanging out with friends, still trying to see all of the city and the surrounds, going to the gym....

"Have you met any boys yet?"

Boys.

I must have hesitated just slightly too long because I clearly gave away the answer.

We were lying on the bed. I was on my back, she was on her stomach, and when she sensed I had something juicy to tell, she flipped over on her side to face me.

"Ohhh, you have. Do tell."

So I told. Even about the trip to Napa. But not about New York.

"And...remember when I told you that someone saved me from Chris that night at my apartment door?"

"Yeah. A neighbor, but...it was this guy?"

I nodded.

"Wow."

"I know. And I'm sorry I lied to you about him."

"Don't worry about it. So, what movies has he done?"

I told her, and she recognized a couple of them. She liked one of them so much, she had a DVD of it at home.

She was silent for a moment. Then another, "Wow," but this time softer, like she was trying to imagine what it would be like to live her younger sister's life. "You look happy, but...you kind of also don't."

s.h.i.t. She could read me well.

"It's just that I'm pretty sure he's serious about me, but I'm afraid that I feel more than he does. You know?"

"Have you brought it up with him?"

"Oh, G.o.d no."

"Why not?"

I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. When I thought about this, my chest got tight and my stomach churned.

"I don't want to push things too fast," I said.

She nodded. "So, have you slept with him?"

"Yes." I closed my eyes.

"Then it's serious."

Sometimes Grace could be really rational and insightful. Sometimes she could be really nave. And sometimes she could be both of those things at almost the same time.

"I don't know," I said.

"What does he look like?"

I got my phone out of my bag to do a Google Image search. I'd had it on mute all night, and when I swiped the screen I saw that I had missed a text from Max.

It read: I'm coming to get you. I'm coming to get you.

"Hang on," I said to Olivia. "Have to text somebody back."

"Him?"

"Yeah."

I texted: What!? What!?

Max: That was a joke and it was two hours ago. That was a joke and it was two hours ago.

Me: You couldn't find me anyway. You couldn't find me anyway.

Max: You underestimate me. You underestimate me.

Me: I know. It's a bad habit. I know. It's a bad habit.

Max: Please keep doing it. Makes it easier to impress you. Please keep doing it. Makes it easier to impress you.

Me: So you weren't really coming to get me? So you weren't really coming to get me?

Max: No. My dreams will have to suffice tonight. No. My dreams will have to suffice tonight.