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R emi pressed play on the next song she chose to share with Max. So far, they discovered he liked the faster songs, and he was a huge fan of heavy bass lines. She wore one of his Condors tees and he wore a pair of athletic shorts and his black cat ears, which made Remi smile. She thought she had ruined the night with just a few simple words. She didn’t think Max was a quitter by any means, and she didn’t think he thought he was a quitter, but she knew right now, he might react differently as he processed what he was up against. Tonight, she knew that donuts and blowjobs aside, in the back of Max’s head, he was preparing himself for the moment he walked back into the locker room to tell his team that he would never return to the ice.

While that didn’t qualify as quitting, Remi understood why Max might feel that way.

His emotions were too big right now, and Remi was fine helping him navigate those big emotions. She was a cleaner, a fixer, and ultimately, she was a lover. And she loved this man. She couldn’t fix him, but she could stick around, even when things got hard.

The music had stepped in like a crutch to save the night after their intimate fumble. Remi was grateful they were able to go from the exposure of their naked bodies to the exposure of the deepest hurt so gracefully.

With the music blasting, Max gave her a nod of approval as one of her favorite bands filled the space around them.

“I like this one,” he said.

“Yeah?” she asked.

“Yeah. This might be my favorite so far.”

Remi did a little happy dance before climbing up onto his lap to straddle him on the massive couch. “So, this is just an idea, but this band is actually playing a show tomorrow night at a little venue in Huntington.”

“What does that even mean? I don’t speak this music language.”

Remi leaned in and kissed his nose. “Okay, so a show is like a concert, but smaller. It’s usually in a dive bar or a small venue with standing room only. People crowd in, get really sweaty, and sometimes a little rowdy. You drink shit beer, and the music is so loud your ears hurt afterwards. There’s usually a hot dog vendor outside when the show is over, and it’s just… it’s the best,” she said with a huff.

Max looked at her, his face a little unsure before he said, “And they’re playing a concert on Christmas Eve?” he asked.

Remi laughed. “A show ,” she corrected. “And yes, not everyone has a family to cozy up with by a Christmas tree, some of us have always spent the holidays wherever we could find company.”

“Do you go to a concert or a show every Christmas Eve?” he asked.

“No,” she said, “I don’t have any holiday traditions.”

“Me either,” he admitted.

“To be honest, you’re the first person I’ve spent the holidays with since my mom passed away.”

“You’re the first person I’ve spent the holidays with since I was a boy.”

“Do you want to start our own tradition this year?” she asked.

“You mean like going to see this band tomorrow?”

Remi knew going to a punk show was completely out of Max’s comfort zone, but what if he loved it? What if they went, and it was everything he didn’t know he needed?

“Yeah, what else do we have to do? I don’t go back to work until the 27 th and you, well—” She stopped to look at him.

“I don’t really go back to work ever,” he said, and Remi was worried he was about to spiral, but then he smiled instead, catching her by surprise. “So, I guess I better find out if I like going to punk shows.”

She leaned in and kissed him. She was so proud of him. He was so brave, kind, funny, and wearing cat ears. He surprised her more often than not, and she loved that.

“We didn’t even get a tree, or hang lights, or do anything festive,” he said, looking around his bland living room.

“That’s okay, I’m more of a Halloween girl myself,” she said, running her finger over the headband of the cat ears.

“I think we should finish what we started meow,” Max said, bringing his hands to grip her hips, pulling her up against his already very turned-on body.

“I think that’s a purrrfect idea,” she said, her head falling back, making room for his mouth to kiss her neck, his beard making her skin tingle.

“Lay down,” he said, easing her body onto the couch, a new song booming through the house; one of her favorites.

She laid back on the couch and watched as Max made his way down her body in a trail of kisses, pushing the Condors tee up just enough to nuzzle his face against the soft skin above her panties.

His fingers hooked on the elastic band and slowly tugged them down, past her hips, his hands gripping her legs, trailing his fingertips against her bare skin as he pulled them all the way to her feet before tossing them to the floor.

“Purple,” he said, noticing her toenails were painted a new color from the last time he had seen her.

“So observant.”

He brought her foot up to his mouth, kissing the deep arch.

“Max Miller, I think you might have a foot fetish.” She giggled as the scruff of his beard started to tickle up along her leg.

“I think you might be right,” he said, breaking his kisses to look up at her. “I still can’t believe I get to do this to you.”

Remi laughed. “I still can’t believe you’re wearing cat ears as you do this to me,” she teased.

This made Max laugh, his eyes were wild and carefree—he looked so young like this, smiling and confident between her naked legs—she hoped they always kept each other wild.

“Is this considered roleplay?” he asked.

She laughed and thought before responding, “No, I think it might be cannibalism.”

Max’s smile dropped as he pondered what she had said, and then it hit him. He was a cat, eating her pussy?

They both started cracking up, his face pressed against her thigh. Her hands came up to cover her face at the crude joke she had just made.

“I love laughing with you, Max Miller,” she said through giggles.

“I love laughing in general,” he said, and she wondered when the last time was that he felt safe enough to be this carefree.

She reached down and ran her fingers through his thick red hair. “The distractions are strong tonight.” She sighed.

“Yeah, but I can’t be deterred,” he said, picking up where he left off, “I always finish what I start.”

“I know you do,” she said, her voice a hint lower, more serious.

They had come full circle.

And he was ready to finish this.

His mouth pressed against her center, kissing her there gently, a slow build-up to an already drawn-out moment—she would cherish these memorable times. She would always try and remember to make laughing and joking a priority, and never forget to postpone sex for a good cat pun, or a well-thought-out punk mix.

Max pushed her legs up, giving himself better access to her, running his tongue along her core and stopping to focus on what mattered the most. He pushed a finger inside her and her body instantly tensed around him. She didn’t realize how badly she wanted this, needed this.

His mouth worked her clit while he expertly moved his finger inside her, the perfect pressure and perfect curve that hit all the right spots.

Her orgasm came on faster than she expected. Maybe it was the cat ears between her legs, or maybe it was the slow-burn of the night, laced with heavy emotions. This was the release she needed, and she couldn’t wait for it to come so she could return the favor.

Her knees began to shake, her body instinctually trying to pull her legs together around his head, but he firmly held her legs in place, making her entire body come alive as he continued to lick her clit. The sensations of it all flooded through her, the tickle of his beard, the pressure of his finger deep inside her, the soft fur of the cat ears against her thighs.

It was purrrfect.

He was purrrfect.

Max kept his pace, never trying to switch things up when he felt her getting close. So perceptive. So aware. He was already so masterful of his senses.

Her body trembled as her breathing went shallow. A soft hum of moans grew to an encouraging string of words for him to keep going , that she was so close , her entire body jerking below him. Her hips pressed up off the couch as her fingers latched onto his strong freckled covered shoulders as she came hard—the release like no other. It was more than an orgasm, it was an emotional release, too.

Max climbed up next to her, the couch deep enough for the both of them, his cat ears a little off-center on his head from her legs clenching against him.

“Me-owwww,” she said in a deep release of breath as she tried to slow her heart rate.

“Good?” he asked.

“Great,” she affirmed.

They were talking about the sex .

“And how are you ?” he asked.

“Also, very good.” She smiled.

They were talking about the heart .

He pulled her into his body in a hug that engulfed her, his heart racing against her cheek as she pressed her warm face against his bare chest.

“You feel like home, Max.”

“I do?” he asked, “Is this what home feels like?”

She looked up at him, a lazy post-orgasm smile on her face, and pressed her finger to his nose to boop it three times. “Ding-ding-ding. I think it is. I really do.”

“Then stay here forever,” he whispered against her head, his lips kissing her there.

“I like the idea of that.”

“Of staying here?” he asked.

“Of forever, with you. Of home. I think it’s high time we both know what that feels like.”

“You bring this place to life, Remi.”

“One potted plant at a time,” she said, kissing him right above his heart.

“One single-dimple smile at a time.”

“How about two?” she asked, looking up at him, her smile spread across her face, both dimples present.

“Two is better than one, they say.”

She pressed up and kissed his jawline, sliding her tongue down the salty skin of his neck, sucking and nipping. Her hand pushed below the elastic band of his shorts, his erection hard, his tip wet with anticipation. She wiped her finger over it firmly and then gave him a slow stroke.

“I remember a conversation about a blow job,” she said nonchalantly.

“Yeah, I think there was mention of that,” he said through gritted teeth.

“Well then,” she said, sliding off the couch, encouraging him to sit back, his legs spread wide, making room for her in front of him on her knees.

“Well then,” he repeated, bringing his hands to push away the unruly blonde hair that fell across her forehead.

She leaned forward, pressing a single kiss to his tip, just to greet his beautiful cock in a friendly manner. She looked up at him, his eyes heavy on her, his hands gripping his thighs in anticipation, the cat ears still atop his head.

Remi burst out laughing.

“Max.” She laughed.

“What?” he asked, slightly confused.

“I can’t do this with the cat ears on. I just can’t.”

Max began to laugh along, and without another thought, he yanked the ears from his head and tossed them across the room. Remi pushed up on her knees, Max meeting her there halfway as she kissed him in a soul-crushing kiss, the sound of laughter still finding its way from the corners of their mouths.

Her lips fell away from his, landing on his neck, nipping at his ear and his freckle-spattered shoulder—she couldn’t get enough of him. She kissed him everywhere she could, every inch of this man was perfect and worthy of love.

The lower she got, the more her frantic kisses slowed, a trail of red leading her to his perfectly thick length. Without hesitation, she took the whole of him deep, with no reservation. She sucked him hard, a moan escaping her as she felt his hands assertively grip her hair to guide her. She slid up his length, the flat of her tongue pressing against his tip before sliding back down, sucking him down to the hilt.

Max groaned, deep and restrained.

She didn’t want him to hold back.

His grip grew firmer in her hair and the sting of it made the ache between her legs worsen. Bringing her hands up between his thick thighs, she cupped his balls, massaging them as she took him as deep as she could, staying there and sucking, using the vibrations of her own moans to let him know she wanted this as much as he did.

His body shifted under her, his hips bucking, causing her to take him even deeper, his tip hitting the back of her throat. She kept sucking, waiting for his release, but his hands tugged at her hair, willing her to pull away.

“I’m going to come,” he hummed, trying again to pull her from his body.

Slowly, she lifted up, her lips sliding to the tip of his cock and sucking his sensitive head. His body completely tensed up at the sensation of her mouth there. She took him deeply once again, despite his warning that he was about to climax, her jaw stretching to fit his girth. Max jerked under her, letting out a rough, deep moan as he began to come. She gripped his thighs tight and swallowed down every drop of his release.

“Oh, my… oh, fuck,” he said as he came, realizing that she wasn’t pulling away. “Oh, fuuuuuu…” he said again, and she couldn’t help but smile, her lips swollen and her jaw aching in the best way.

“Remi, Remi, Remi,” he said, pulling her up into his lap.

“Good?” she asked.

“Better than a maple bar, that’s for damn sure.”