Page 26

T he energy in the locker room after the Condor’s big win was electric. The start of the season's losses with Max in front of the net meant nothing with the winning streak Brown, Brody, and now Max had continued, putting the Condors in a great place playoff-wise. Max accepted the congratulations of his teammates and tried to avoid the knowing glare Brown was giving him from across the locker room. Brown didn't know exactly what Max was going through, but he knew enough to have his suspicions and worry. Max tried to catch him staring so he could give the young goalie some kind of reassuring smile, but Brown wouldn't have it, he looked away every time.

Maybe Max shouldn't have said anything to his fellow goalie, or maybe, just maybe, he should have said more. Said it all. Come clean. Entrusted his fate to one of his teammates before he dropped the bomb on the whole team. Maybe it would soften the blow?

The time would come for that, but it wasn't tonight, he wasn’t ready. Not after a big win. Not when Max had miraculously defied the odds and won the game tonight.

He showered and got dressed to leave. Some of the boys were going out to celebrate, and Max rarely joined them, so it came as no surprise when Max declined their invitation to come along. This time Max had something to look forward to when he got home. He had someone waiting for him, and he couldn't get back to her soon enough.

Pulling out of the parking garage, the contrast from the fluorescent lights to the dark night sky made him strain to make out anything clearly past the hood of his Jeep. His night vision was getting worse with every sundown, just like his dad said it would. He hated that the man who never tried to find him or warn him this was coming had already been so right about all of this.

He took PCH at grandpa speed, staying in the slow lane, allowing any impatient drivers to go around him. It was the new way he had to do things—slowly and cautiously, until he couldn't drive at all anymore.

The streetlights blurred as he drove past, counting them down one by one, just like he had done with the seconds on the clock at tonight's game until he was pulling past the Subaru Outback, he knew to be Remi’s that was parked in front of his house.

Entering the house, he was hit with a wave of a newfound familiarity he had only ever dreamed of—the scent of lemon, the sound of music, the rustle of his curtains blowing about, and his back door opened to allow the night breeze to freely enter his home.

Making his way into the living space, his heart raced at the sight of a new pop of color. Sitting on the kitchen island, next to the bowl of fruit, was a plant in a teal clay pot, with a note sitting next to it.

Come down to the water. I’m waiting.

-Remi

Max slipped off his dress shoes and suit jacket, laying it over the back of the couch. Unbuttoning the top few buttons of his shirt. He made his way down to the beach. The night air was cool with California experiencing more rain than Max could ever recall. Something about the weather felt moody; it only fueled the burning need and desire he had for Remi, and it amplified the lingering adrenaline from the win. It made him feel alive.

He made his way past his back patio and through the small gate that led down to the beach access. He could hardly make out the shape of Remi until he was right there next to her, where she stood to greet him. Snaking her arms around his waist, she welcomed him home in a warm embrace. Instinctually, his arms came up to wrap around her shoulders, pulling her body close to his. Their hearts raced against each other, speaking a language only lovers understood, a pitter-patter of hello, I missed you, and I want you.

Max loved the way she melted into him. There was no stiffness left in her embrace, just her body against his body, and the comfort they both found in that. How could something so new and foreign to him feel so familiar?

He leaned down to kiss the top of her head. “Thank you for the plant. It really livened up the kitchen.”

“It’s a ‘congratulations on the big win’ plant,” she said looking up at him, her smile a closed-mouth one, but the dimple on her left cheek still made an appearance.

“You watched?” he asked.

“Of course.”

“It was the longest game of my life,” he admitted, guilt teasing the depths of his stomach.

“I imagine they all might feel like that from here on out,” she said, her hands soothingly rubbing his lower back.

“I’m struggling with the guilt of it. Of taking the start knowing I don’t have the team's best interest at heart.”

“Sometimes you have to be selfish, Max. Just for a little bit. Just before it becomes your entire identity.”

“And then what?”

“And then you let it go until you have another valid reason to be selfish again.”

Max ran a gentle thumb across Remi’s jaw, causing her to close her eyes at the simple touch, her smile fading into something heady.

“I want to be selfish with you tonight,” he said quietly.

“You don’t have to be selfish with me, I’ll freely give you anything you want, Max Miller.”

“I want to make you feel good,” he said, bringing his lips down to meet the delicate skin of her neck, his soft facial hair causing her to giggle as it traced below her jaw.

“I want to make you feel good. You deserve the celebration. You played a hard game tonight.”

He brought her mouth to his, kissing her for the first time this evening, the taste of her lips sweet and minty against his. Pressing up on tiptoe she deepened the kiss; the friction between them made every part of his body come alive.

Pulling her down to the blanket she had on the sand, he brought her to sit between his legs, both of them facing the ocean. Max was grateful he was still able to make out the white crash of the waves. He never wanted to forget how the moon illuminated the ocean at night, making it seem as if it were glowing in the dark.

Remi settled herself against him, and the heat of her body pressed against his groin made him harden with need for her. He ran a heavy hand over her breasts and then lowered it firmly down her stomach until he was gripping her sex. Remi instinctually let her legs fall apart, making room for him there.

“Is this okay?” he nearly growled into her ear.

“Yes,” she hummed.

He firmly pressed his fingers against the cotton fabric of her shorts, grateful she had chosen to wear something simple that allowed him such easy access to her tender parts. Remi allowed her head to fall back against his chest, her eyes closed, and her breaths growing rapidly.

He looked down at her body, loving the advantage he had being so big in comparison to her. He loved his ability to have her in his arms this way, to watch as she bit down on her bottom lip while he slowly brought his hand to the elastic band of her shorts. Her hands gripped his thighs as he pushed below the thin fabric. Looking up, she gave him a smirk when he realized she had no panties on.

“Fuck, Remi, you’re so soft. So smooth,” he whispered as his fingers grazed her most intimate parts. Teasing her as he trailed a finger along her entrance, he pressed in just enough to feel how wet she was for him, but not giving her what she wanted—not yet, not while he was enjoying watching her come apart in his arms.

“Max,” she hummed, and it wasn't a question or a statement. It was just his name on her lips, a whimper, a plea .

“You’re so beautiful like this,” he said, pushing his finger between her soft lips just enough to stroke her clit. Her ass rolled against his erection, making him suck in a deep breath. The ocean was loud in the distance, and he wondered if it would be loud enough to mask the sounds she would make when he made her come.

He ran his hand down her slit again, this time stopping to press a finger deep inside her. The warmth of her made his dick weep to be free, engulfed by the walls of her sex. When she pressed her body up against his hand, he curled his finger firmly inside her, his palm heavy on her clit, creating friction against her most sensitive parts with the strong palm of his hand.

His grip on her was rough and controlled, and he used that strength to make her body tremble. Shifting his hand, he brought his thumb up to massage her clit, pressing in deep circles. The walls of her sex started to grip around his finger, the pulse of her heart seemingly pounding against his palm. She began to cry out in little hums and moans. Her voice was deeper than normal, and her body pressed against his chest as he kept his rhythm, never missing a beat, never switching it up once he found the spot, the pace, and the pressure that made her come undone.

Without warning her knees clasped together tightly, trapping his hand between her legs as she came. Her toes dug into the sand; orgasm footprints would mark this place when they pulled the blanket up to go home.

Max smiled out at the ocean.

Tonight was a good night.

He couldn’t understand how he had just found out he was going blind and that his career as a professional athlete was essentially over, and yet somehow, he was managing to feel the most alive and complete he had ever felt in his lifetime.

Sometimes , he thought, it took losing something to see what you had right in front of you the whole time.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to walk back to the house after that, sir ,” Remi teased, her eyes still closed and her hands still gripping his thighs.

“I’ll carry you,” Max offered, causing Remi to smile one of her effortless smiles—even in the dark, it felt like sunshine when she looked at him that way.

“I can’t believe we just did that on the beach.” She laughed.

“No one ever comes out here. It’s pretty sad really. We all pay for these beachfront homes and these views, and none of us appreciate it. I know I sure as hell didn’t appreciate it until recently.”

“Hummus always helps people see the beauty of things.”

“You call it hummus, I call it good company,” he said.

Remi sat up and turned to face him. Her legs wrapped around him as she leaned in to kiss him, the smile on his face causing his end of the kiss to feel a little stiff, but for good reason.

“You know, I think you’re getting pretty good at this talking stuff,” she said.

“Thank god, because I’m trying really fucking hard,” he admitted.

“I don’t think you were ever bad at it, not with me anyway.”

“I guess I just needed someone to feel safe with,” he said, leaning down to place a kiss on the top of her head.

Remi leaned back and looked around, taking in the vastness of the ocean and the infinite stretch of sand.

“What do you see? Tell me,” Max said, because truth be told, he couldn't make out anything past the blanket, his night vision loss seemingly the worst part about retinitis pigmentosa so far.

“Nothing worth looking at besides you,” she said, leaning in to kiss his lips gently. “Close your eyes,” she said sweetly.

“Why, I can hardly see as it is,” he teased, causing Remi to laugh while shaking her head in disbelief. “What? Too soon?” he asked.

“Listen, I’m definitely not ready to make vision jokes, but knock yourself out, big guy. Whatever helps.”

Max smiled and scrunched up his nose before doing as she asked by closing his eyes.

He felt her breath on his lips first, and then the gentle graze of her tongue along his bottom lip, his body shivering at the simple sensation.

Then, the tip of her nose gently ran along his jawline, pressing against his beard, causing his body to cover in goosebumps.

Her fingers gently rose into his hairline, starting with a delicate touch before quickly turning into a firm grip, pulling his head back.

His body was overwhelmed with sensation, and then it dawned on him, he could feel all of these wonderful things with his eyes closed.

He was going to be okay.

This was going to be okay.

His eyes shot open, finding Remi’s deep blues intent on him, her eyes just as wild as his. “I want you,” he said.

“Here?” she asked, slight panic lining her face as she scanned the beach again.

“Here,” he said.

“Are you sure no one comes out at night?” she asked.

“I mean there's always a possibility,” he said, because he couldn't lie.

“Your career would be over,” she said.

Reaching down, he pulled her cotton shorts to the side exposing her. “It already is. I might as well enjoy the boat ride if the ship is going to sink anyway.”

Remi scanned the beach again for good measure, then grabbed his hand and placed it on her chest “Feel that? My heart is pounding.”

And it was.

Max took her hand and placed it on his dick. “Feel that? So is my need for you.”

Remi’s face lit up with a wild smile. Her hands frantically undid his belt and his zipper, tugging his suit pants down as much as she could with the weight of his body holding them in place. Max, seeing her struggle to undress him, pushed his body up with her still sitting on his lap, and with one hand managed to maneuver his pants and briefs just low enough to free his cock.

“I can’t believe we’re about to fuck on the beach,” Remi laughed.

“Not long ago, I was nervous to share a bottle of lemonade with you in this same exact spot, now look at us. Look how far we’ve come,” he teased.

Remi lifted herself to straddle him, her knees pressing into the blanket on the sand, her hips hovering above him as Max took his hard length in one hand and held it ready for her. Remi wiggled her hips, teasing against his tip before slowly easing all the way down, taking him deep with the weight of her body.

“Fuck,” he said, biting his lip.

“I know,” she agreed, her head falling back, “your dick is my favorite thing ever.”

“No, I meant, fuck , fuck. No protection,” he said, realizing in their idiotic lust-filled moment that they had forgotten how important that particular step was.

“Oh. Fuck,” she said, agreeing.

“I hate how good this feels, Rem,” he said, looking down at their bodies locked together.

“I don’t. I know I should, but I don’t. Yes, to everything, Max. And right now, yes to me fucking you on the beach. We’ll sort out the bad choices later. Right now, we’re already this far in, let's enjoy it.”

Max didn’t waste another second with worry. He gripped her waist and raised her off his dick to the tip before letting her slide back down. The stretch of her around his girth was enough to cause his heart to miss a beat.

He lifted her again, this time meeting her as she came down with a quick thrust of his own. Remi winced as he hit her deep inside, but that didn't stop her from taking him again and again. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, using him as leverage as she began to move her body, taking him to the hilt, then sliding up. Rolling her hips with each thrust, his strong hands helped to guide her, lift her, pressing her hard against him.

“This feels way too good,” Max said through gritted teeth, his hands both gripping her ass while also keeping her cotton shorts pulled to the side as Remi took over completely. She worked her body expertly; thrusting, rolling, and those sounds she made—he wouldn’t last much longer.

Heavy, steady moans escaped her as her rhythmic movements halted, and her body stiffened. She clenched onto his shoulders; her sex pulsing around him.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized in a whimper, her face buried in his neck. “I can’t move, I’m coming so hard.”

The way her body tensed around him, trembling with release as she held onto him with all her strength, he lost it completely. If she couldn’t move, he would have to take over. He lifted her off his dick, then pressed her down into his lap forcefully as his hips pushed up against hers. Lifting her body one last time, he thrusted up into her, holding her tight against him as he came harder than he had ever experienced before.

Remi’s head crashed into his shoulder, their breathing erratic from the sex, the thrill, and the wild abandon they had both just displayed. Not smart by any means, but so fucking worth it. Max had never felt so wild and alive.

He pulled the sides of the blanket up to wrap around his naked ass, and to cover Remi as she lifted herself from his lap, his come deep inside her. A situation he had never put himself in before, possibly problematic, and yet it made his heart race with a weird sense of pride, to be in her that way. Raw. Real. His. She was his, and he wanted her this way for the rest of his life.

“Maybe we should head back to the house,” he said, trailing kisses along her shoulder.

“Yeah, maybe we shouldn’t stay out here and push our luck,” she agreed, looking around with a dubious smile on her face. The fear of being caught was over. They had done it, they had sex on the beach, and neither of them was headed to jail for indecent exposure—another win for the books tonight.

Remi stood, her shorts stretched out around her thighs. His dick stirred at the sight of her like this and thoughts of his orgasm dripping from her as she walked across the beach made him crazy with lust. As if knowing his very thoughts, she sarcastically rolled her eyes at him.

“I’ll need a shower,” she said, leaning down to pick up the blanket.

“Me too, I think I might have some sand in my ass,” he joked. “I’ll start one for you when we get home.”

Home . It fell from his lips with ease. He didn’t know if she planned to stay, but he would have her if she would.

Max gripped the other end of the blanket, taking it in his hands like he had that first day on the beach after their picnic. As if on cue, they both walked together, bringing the ends of the sandy blanket to meet up, chest to chest. Max thought of how he wanted to kiss her the first time they did this, and how he wasn’t sure if she wanted to be kissed by a man like him.

Without hesitation, he leaned in, and her lips met him there with no uncertainty, no unknowns, no what-ifs.

He kissed her with confidence backing it, because he could, and because she wanted him to. It was nice to be so certain of one thing when the rest of his life was spiraling into the great unknown.