Forbidden Fruit: Volume 1 (10 page)

Chapter Six

It had been a week since Max spent the night in my room.

We had cooled things off a little, because too many times we were finding ourselves in situations where we’d been too close to getting caught. Neither of us wanted to put the other in jeopardy, so if that meant not being with him for a few days, then it was worth it.

Sherry had arrived back in our room, with no explanation to where she had been, and nothing more than a tiny Band-Aid across the bridge of her nose.

“You’ve been spending an awful lot of time with Max,” Sherry commented as she put her laundry away.

I stiffened and turned to face her. Everywhere I turned, Sherry was there with her stuck up expression, probably thinking up ways to bring me down. I was shocked she hadn’t taken the whole punch to the nose further, instead telling the guards that had been a misunderstanding.

If she got hold of this, who knew where it would end up. Or what she would want to keep it quiet.

“Leave it Sherry,” I said calmly.

“Or what? What are you going to do to me? You think everyone doesn’t see you two sneaking around? You think he’s not going to move onto the next slut who opens her legs when you’re gone?”

“One? You have no idea what the fuck you’re on about, and two? If you so much as hint to
anyone
your ill informed lies, I’ll tell the guards about the stash of weed you keep hidden under your mattress, and I’ll make your life a living hell.”

“I don’t have a stash of anything!” She exclaimed, her pretty little mouth dropping open.

“Not yet,” I replied calmly, narrowing my eyes.

That shut her up.

She turned back to her pile of clothes and continued to fold them. I watched her, not liking how quickly she had reverted back to being calm and focused. I didn’t trust her.

Not one little bit.

~*~*~*~

Don’t fall for it. She is just trying to get to you.

I watched as Sherry fawned all over Max as he helped her with one of the essay questions. Pretending it didn’t bother me wasn’t an option though, because it did. I wanted to storm over there and punch the shit out of her. I chuckled to myself. That would wipe that smug little smile off her face.

The class was only the six of us girls, and Max. One of the other guards usually stood around too, in case a fight broke out I was guessing.

I was convinced the other five were only there to perve on Max. For me, the perving was just a bonus. Only today, he was ignoring me. He was spending all his time helping the other girls, and it was driving me insane.

I hated the way Sherry threw back her head when she laughed. I hated the way she stuck out her chest whenever he walked past. But most of all I hated the way seeing him with other girls made me feel.

I called over the other guard. When he got closer, I saw his name was Jon. Ah, that Jon. From last week.

Well, two can play that game, Max.

“Are you okay?” Jon asked when he reached me. I flashed him a smile.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Max glaring at us. Exactly the reaction I wanted. Childish? Yes, but if it worked, it worked.

“Can you explain this to me?” I asked, my voice sugary sweet. I barely listened as he ran through the question, my head all consumed with Max. He was still watching, his eyes dark.

Yes
. I was getting under his skin. But my doubts were still there.

What if Sherry was right?

What if I was just another random girl he was going to fuck while I was here, and forget about when I’m gone?

I groaned loudly, loud enough for Jon and Max to both stare at me, confused by my outward display of emotion.

I had become
that
person.

The kind of person who was completely dependent on someone else. The kind of person I’d spent all my life trying not to become. Depending on people meant they let you down. My whole life had been one person letting me down after another. Why had I been so quick to cling to Max?

I give the guy a blowjob, and suddenly I’m planning our wedding?

This was never going to go anywhere. He was at least twelve years older than me for fucks sake! He was a way for me to pass the time, and that was all he was ever going to be.

God, I need to separate myself from him. How could I have become…
this
, in the space of three fucking weeks?

Was I that tragic? Apparently so.

I thanked Jon, and then put my head down and forced myself to focus on my essay questions. From here on, it was study, sleep and eat. That was it. I could make this work, and get somewhere in life, or I could fuck things up. Again. All pining over Max was going to do for me was break my spirit even more than it already was.

Chapter Seven

I was avoiding him. And it was working too. I ate, and I stayed in my room. There was nowhere for him to corner me. Until I was yanked behind a bush a few days later while walking across for breakfast. I rubbed my arm and glared at him.

What the hell did he think he was doing?

“Why are you avoiding me?” he asked, angry.

“Because there is no point? I’m over whatever this is, okay? So you can move on to the next girl.”

“Move on…what the hell are you talking about?” he hissed, his eyes clouded with confusion. “You think this is what I do? You’re the first that I’ve ever…” He shook his head. “Whatever. If that’s what you think, then that’s what you think.”

He stalked off, leaving me standing there, alone, surrounded by bushes and shrubs. I stepped back out onto the path, not quite sure of what the hell had just happened.

What you wanted. For him to back off.

But if that was what I wanted, then why did I feel like shit?

~*~*~*~

Carrying my tray, I found a table in the corner of the lunchroom. Most of the girls had friends, or at least people to talk to. I had nobody. Not that I wanted anyone. Friends complicated things. People in general complicated things.

I picked at my chicken mornay, which tasted like old shoes, before pushing it away. I glanced around and spotted Max, staring at me from across the room. I looked away, my heart racing. It felt like weeks since he had touched me. Why couldn’t I just delude myself while I was in here? It’s not like things were going to change outside. I could talk as much shit as I wanted, but talking and actually changing were two completely different things. Why couldn’t I just accept that, and enjoy having him in here?

If he was using me, then why the fuck couldn’t I use him?

If only it was that easy to fool myself.

I kicked back my chair, and stood up. Knowing he was in there, watching me was just too much. What the hell was wrong with me? I laughed. Everything was wrong with me. I wish I even
knew
where to start with that.

I made my way down to the tree. Our tree.

No, it wasn't 'our tree' it was a tree owned by the detention center you were put into for acting like a dumb ass.

I sat down and leaned my head back against the trunk. I closed my eyes and sighed. It shouldn't be this hard. If things were this hard now, what was shit going to be like in five years, or ten years, or even twenty years down the track? What was the point in living at all?

Great, so now on top of everything else, I was having an existential crisis.

“I thought I'd find you here.”

I jumped, my eyes flying open. I was so focused on focusing on not thinking, that I didn't even hear him approach. He stood in front me, his towering presence sending shivers down my spine. He was so much harder to ignore when he was right in front of me, when I could smell the musky scent of his aftershave. When my heart was pounding at the sound of his voice.

“It wouldn’t have taken much of a guess,” I said dryly. “I'm always here.”

“That's true,” he said sitting down beside me. “But I like that I automatically know where to look for you. I like that after three weeks I know you that well.”

“How well can you really know anyone after three weeks?” I asked sullenly.

“Now, where's that coming from?” He looks confused. I didn't resist as he reached for my hand, entwining my fingers in his own. “This doubt…this insecurity, it's a complete one eighty from the woman who practically forced herself on me on her second day here.”

“Forced myself on you?” I couldn't help but laugh. “The way I remember it you went kicking up too much of a fuss.” I teased dryly.

“How much fuss could I kick up when your mouth is over my dick, with that sexy red hair flying everywhere?” he protested, laughing.

I rolled my eyes “You make it sound like I assaulted you.”

He shrugged, that sexy grin spreading across his mouth

“Hey, I'm not saying it wasn't a welcome assault.” He grinned at me. “I'm not saying I’d push you away if you did it again.”

“Ah, so that's why you're here?” I chuckled, managing a smile.

His face turned serious “Not at all. I'm here because I was worried about you.” He glanced around looking like he wanted to say something

“Say it,” I said, pressed him.

He shrugged. “I don't know. I don't know what it is about you, but I like it when you're happy. And you haven’t looked happy for a few days.”

I sighed. I was such an idiot. “I’m sorry. I
may
have overreacted.”

“To what?” He asked. “I still don't understand. Was it something I did, or said to make you uncomfortable?”

“It wasn't you.” I hesitated. “Seeing you in class with Sherry all over you…"

He laughed. “What exactly did you want me to do, Maya? I’m a guard. I was doing my job. You know, what I get paid for?” His face turned dark. “Were you trying to make me jealous by calling Jon over that day?”

“Did it work?”

“What do you think?” he shot back. I hid a smile. How could I explain this without sounding like a complete head case? I turned to face him

“At the risk of sounding like a nut, I guess I just began to psych myself out thinking about us, much longer term than I should’ve been. I started to think about beyond my release from this place.”

And?” He asked.

“And what?” Not understanding what he was trying to ask.

“When you get out of here. I mean, what’s your plan?”

“My plan?” I repeated. I closed my eyes and groaned.
Could I sound any more like an idiot right now?

He chuckled. “You can't give a guy a break, can you? I'm trying to ask you if you can see me fitting into your plan when you get out of here.”

My mouth fell open. Did he really just say that? He really saw us going beyond me being here? Did he actually see a future for us?

“I'm not saying I want to marry you.” He made a face. “Not that I'm saying I
don't
want to marry you.”

He face palmed and shook his head, as I giggled. I liked seeing him flustered, especially over me.

“Let me start again. I like you, Maya, and want to get to know you better. I want to see where this can go. I want to see you in the real world.” He hesitated, before continuing. “I want to come home from work and find you sitting on my couch. I want to introduce you to my friends. I want you to meet my family. I want to meet your friends…am I scaring you yet?” he laughed nervously.

“Not at all,” I said shyly. “You're not worried about our age difference, or the fact that I'm a criminal?”

He laughed, “You’re hardly a criminal. And who cares about the age difference! Do you?”

I blushed, not wanting to admit that I wasn't exactly sure how old he actually was. He looked to be in his early thirties, but for all I knew he could’ve been a fifty year old who’d aged well.

“What now?” he chuckled, raising his eyebrows.

“How old are you?” I said, biting my lip.

He laughed. “I’m thirty-four. I turn thirty-five next month.”

Whew.
Pretty much what I thought. I turned to him.
God, look at those eyes
. I could stare into them forever. Holy shit, I was starting to sound like a freaking lifetime movie. I moved closer to him until I was straddling him. His hands rested on my milky white thighs, slowly riding up my skirt.

“So,” I said coyly, “You think we’re pretty deserted up here, right?

“Yeah, why…” His voice trailed off as I lifted my shirt over my head. His hands moved up over my stomach and up to my breasts. I sighed as I slowly began to rock against him. I could feel him getting hard against my movements, which was enough to make me wet.

Reaching behind me, I unclasped my bra and slid it down my arms, throwing it onto the ground beside me.

“Maya,” he sighed rolling my nipples between his fingers. I smiled as my hands moved towards his zipper. Unfastening it, I reached inside and freed his cock. My hands moved slowly up and down his shaft. It hardened against my touch, precum leaking from the tip.

He groaned, his fingers digging into my skin as I stroked him. I swayed forward on my knees until he was at my entrance, ready.

“I don't have a condom,” he whispered, “Are you on the pill?”

“I have an implant,” I replied, kissing him.

That was all he needed to hear. He gripped me by the hips he lifted me on to his length. I'd gasped as his thickness pushed inside of me, his skin against mine incredible. My muscles contracted, gripping onto him as he moved faster inside of me.

I love the way this feels, fucking him on top.

In this position, I could see his every facial expression, every sigh. I could feel his fingers digging into my thighs as he guided himself further inside of me.

“Oh yeah,” he grinned as his hands gripped my arms. He thrust himself deeper inside of me, each movement faster and more furious than the last. “Oh yeah,” he gasped, as he released inside of me, his thrust slowing to a stop.

“You are fucking incredible,” he muttered.

I lifted myself off his lap, and curled up on the ground next to him, watching as he cleaned himself up. This was perfect. Or at least, it was as close to perfection as I’d ever experienced.

I smiled to myself. How had it taken getting thrown in detention for me to find the person I could be? It didn’t matter. I was beginning to think that I owed Ella a thank you for helping me end up in here.