What really
happened on that Kibbutz R
by
Mary Ann
Maxwell Sheffield, his children
Margaret, Brighton and Gracie and their nanny Fran Fine are on a Continental
Airlines flight to Israel. They are taking a two-week Christmas/Hanukkah
holiday to live on a kibbutz outside of Tel Aviv. Fran had convinced
Mr. Sheffield that it would be an outstanding educational experience
for the children. The kids are having a ball in the back of the plane
with no supervision. They don't resent that their father and nanny are
in first class. Max and Fran are in the last row of the first class
cabin. Fran is feeling a little guilty that she and her boss are traveling
in such luxury while her charges are stuck in coach.
"Oh, don't worry Miss
Fine. The children are thrilled to not be under our noses for the next
ten hours." He pats her hand to reassure her. Max orders a round
of cocktails from the stewardess. They had just feasted on a wonderful
filet mignon dinner that Continental served the Business First passengers.
Fran had two desserts which Max enjoyed watching her eat. Lately he
was thinking that just about everything she did was absolutely adorable.
For the past few years he as been very attracted to her but his subconscious
has always pushed those thoughts out of his mind. He didn't believe
that a man could love more than one woman in a lifetime. His one woman
he has convinced himself, had been is late wife Sara.
Recently though, he is realizing
that the thoughts he secretly harbors towards his nanny are far beyond
friendship and affection. His mind has been revisiting the times they
have kissed. Of course, they were all quite innocent, well, except for
the time a few weeks ago when he had asked her to marry him to get his
mother angry. Fran had discovered his ruse and had kissed him passionately
on her mother's couch to get back at him. That time actually terrified
him. But he had kissed her a couple months ago when she was in a shop-o-holic
trance and had been stunned at his reaction to that kiss. He had loved
it. Of course that kiss also terrified him and he was glad she had fainted
and had no memory of it.
Max looks at Fran and swallows.
She's so lovely, how have I been able to keep my hands off of her
all this time? "Um, Miss Fine. What would you like to drink?
We have a long way to go and a few drinks will help you fall asleep."
He says motioning the stewardess again. He has already emptied his second
cocktail and knows that he will need a few more if he is going to fall
asleep. Especially since he will be sleeping in the seat next to her.
Fortunately in first class, the seats go all the way back and the complimentary
drinks flow freely.
After about an hour of imbibing,
Max and Fran are pleasantly tipsy. "So Miss Fine. You told me your
lost your, um...hat on that kibbutz when you were a teenager."
Fran had told him that she lost her virginity but the kids were in the
room so she said she lost her hat. He had finally figured out what she
meant. Maxwell is getting aroused just thinking about it. He is obviously
now emboldened by the alcohol or he never would have the gall to ask
such a personal question. "Tell me about it," he says arching
his eyebrows. He smiles at her wickedly.
"Mr. Sheffield!"
She says pretending to be more shocked that she actually feels. She
takes a sip of her cocktail. Max waits for her story with anticipation.
"Well," Fran starts slowly.
I can't believe he cares about this. Fran thinks. The alcohol
has pretty much taken hold of both of them. "Well,
uh, I was a pretty naive teenager and Yelsi was an experienced
older guy. I was homesick and miserable and totally bored. He completely
seduced me. I really had no chance. He was very handsome and virile,
and I was very innocent." She looks at Max with big brown eyes
a little shyly.
The thought of her as an innocent
teenager is having a drastic effect on him.
I would like to have been the one to be her first. Huh? Were did
that come from? He is stunned by his thoughts.
Yelsi wasn't really Fran's
first. Over the last two decades she has pushed an incredible encounter
in 1978 out of her consciousness. She had been so hurt by a one-night-stand
when she had fallen in love at first sight with a handsome young millionaire.
He had taken her virginity. They had spent hours talking in his hotel
suite before they made beautiful love. She had been so wounded after
he declared his love and then deserted her that she had subconscious
drove it mercifully out of her mind.
(Editor's note: please refer to fan fic '1978' May '03).
"Did you ever hear from
this Yelsi chap again after you left Israel?" he asks taking another
sip of his scotch. He is surprisingly a little jealous at the thought
of her with another man.
Actually we did correspond
for several months but naturally lost touch." Fran says sleepily.
The alcohol was taking over and she drifted off to sleep facing him.
Max smiles at her affectionately.
He brushes a stray lock of hair off her face with his fingers. He lifts
her blanket up around her shoulders and gives their glasses to the stewardess.
He lies back and lets the alcohol finish its job. He falls into a deep
sleep.
The plane lands at Tel Aviv
Airport. The limo he has ordered was waiting to take them to their destination.
The Sheffield clan arrives at the Kibbutz. "Welcome." The
pretty receptionist greets them. We are ready for you Mr. Sheffield."
She smiles at the children. "You are in the youth bunkers at the
south end of the property. Mr. and Mrs. Sheffield you are in the cabin
at the east end. Here are your documents and keys," she says handing
Max an envelope. Max and Fran look surprised that she address her as
his wife but say nothing.
Max signs them in and they
head for their respective domiciles. Max opens the door to their stone
cabin. He is surprised that it is a one-room dwelling. There is a small
kitchen, sitting area and a single queen size bed. Fran's eyes fly open
at that. "Um, Mr. Sheffield, where is the other bedroom?"
she asks a little nervously.
"I don't know. There must
be a mistake. I'll go back to find out," he says walking out the
door.
"Oh, sir. When the arrangements
were made they only asked for one adult cabin," the receptionist
says looking at the computer.
Who made the bloody arrangements?
Oh, no! Niles. Max is outraged as he figures out his butler's
deception. He is so fired when I get home. Max is frustrated
that he can't even call him to chastise him. Niles has gone to San Juan
for the Christmas holiday. "Yes, well, I'm afraid I'm going to
need another cabin."
"Oh, I'm sorry sir. It's
the Hanukkah holidays. We are bursting at the seams. There is even a
waiting list. You have the last cabin," she says apologetically.
Max thanks her and heads back
to his cabin, and Miss Fine. "Blast! We've come seven thousand
miles." He mutters. He realizes that he is stranded in the Mideast
in a one-room dwelling with his children's nanny.
Now what do I do? He thinks running his hands nervously through
his thick hair. His stomach is doing flip-flops at the thought of telling
Miss Fine the news.
Fran is unpacking her suitcase
as Max returns. "Hi Mr. Sheffield. I figured I'd stay here,"
she says explaining why she was putting her clothes away. "How
far away will you be? I hope not too far," she says brightly putting
her undies in the dresser drawer. Max stares at her skimpy lingerie
and suddenly doesn't all together hate this ridiculous situation quite
as much.
"Mr. Sheffield?"
she says snapping him out of his pleasant reverie. "Where's your
cabin?" she asks again closing the drawer.
"What...Oh,
um... I'm not going to be far at all," he says nervously.
His eyes unconsciously drift to the bed.
"Oh good!" she exclaims.
"Are you next door?" She walks over to him. "I'm glad
you're going to be so close to me. It's kind of primitive here. We can
rely on each other," she says sweetly taking his hand.
He looks at her and bites his
lower lip with his upper teeth. "Um, Miss Fine. I'm afraid that
there are no other cabins left. I am going to be a little closer than
you may want." Max looks at the bed again and swallows. He looks
at her and turns pink.
"What do you mean Mr.
Sheffield? Oh!" She gasps suddenly grasping the situation.
Oh no...Niles! she thinks. He made all the travel arrangements.
"Oh, Mr. Sheffield! It's her turn to look at the lone bed in the
room. There isn't even a couch. She would have been willing to sleep
on a sofa if one was provided. No such luck.
"Um, Mr. Sheffield.
What are we going to do?" She glances over to that pesky bed again.
OY! This isn't really happening! I can't sleep in the same bed with
Mr. Sheffield for two weeks! Fran thinks getting embarrassed. She
has a thought. "Mr. Sheffield can't you bribe them or something?
There has to be another bed on this Kibbutz." She is starting to
panic a little.
While she has always thought
her boss was extremely attractive, there has never been anything between
them. Fran has been his children's nanny for just over three years and
has intentionally not let herself have a crush on Max. He is rich, powerful,
gorgeous and in her mind completely unattainable. Over the years, she
had put up a protective shield. She didn't have a plethora of self-esteem
when it came to men. She constantly picked dates that weren't nearly
worthy of her. Maxwell Sheffield, she inherently convinced herself wasn't
even in the realm of her existence. She couldn't over the last three
years allow herself to think of him as anything but her employer. Lately,
though he was creeping into her thoughts and even dreams. Fran is well
aware that she is developing a crush on him. And, unless she is imagining
it, he is showing signs of feelings for her.
Max on the other hand harbored
no such prejudices. He had been abnormally attracted to Miss Fine since
the very second he had met her. Maxwell Sheffield didn't have an elitist
bone in his body. He has absolutely no sense of class deferential as
most people in his station of life possessed. To him, people were people.
He had, over the last few years without completely realizing it, lost
his heart to Fran Fine. He had repressed his amorous feelings towards
her for years. He is British, after all, and she is his employee. He
felt a certain responsibility towards her. Those walls that he had unconsciously
constructed over the last few years were lately slowly crumbling. Even
he wasn't really aware of it yet.
Max snaps back to reality.
He is aware that his current situation is not to be taken lightly. While
the queen-size bed is fairly large, it doesn't have a solid wall running
down the middle of it. He is going to have to share it with the beautiful
woman that he is now quite aware he has lusted, and to be completely
honest with himself, loved over the last three years. This thought has
him terrified. But he must admit, he is not all together displeased.
"No Miss Fine. There is
absolutely nothing. They don't even have a cot." He glances at
the bed again. It keeps getting smaller and smaller every time he looks
at it.
"Oh, Mr. Sheffield. This
is so embarrassing! We can't sleep in the same bed! It doesn't seem
right." She looks innocently at him.
God he's so gorgeous! All of a sudden Fran is realizing that
maybe this is not such a bad thing. In fact, she can't believe she was
so dismayed at first. Wow! Sleeping in the same bad with Mr. Sheffield.
Her heart starts to beat faster at the thought and she can feel some
really nice feelings in her lower region. She's suddenly looking forward
to going to bed. Naturally she couldn't let him know her change of heart.
"What are we going to
do Mr. Sheffield?" she says guilelessly. "I guess I could
sleep on the floor if we can get a sleeping bag or something."
She looks at a space on the floor. Fran puts her finger on her cheek
and pretends to mull it over.
"Nobody's sleeping on
the blasted floor Miss Fine. I won't hear of it." Max takes her
hand. "Don't be worried Miss Fine. We're both adults. I mean, we
sleep in the same house every night, that bed is big enough that we
won't be on top of each other...er, um, I mean..." His cheeks
brighten again. "Well there's plenty of room."
I am going to bloody murder Niles, he thinks furious that his
butler has put him in this embarrassing situation.
Fran looks trustingly at him.
"If you say so Mr. Sheffield." She casts her eyes demurely
down.
Max takes in her big brown
eyes. Her _expression takes his breath away. He can feel his heart start
to pound. Suddenly he is thinking that he is looking forward to going
to bed. I might just give Niles a raise. "Yes, well..."
He clears his throat. "Yes. I'm going to unpack." He gives
her hand a comforting pat. I can control myself. I'm not some hormonally
charged teenager after all. Max smiles at her and goes to his luggage.
"Oh, let me do that Mr.
Sheffield. I'll put your stuff away," Fran says brightly. She is
suddenly thrilled how this vacation is starting.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Niles has been at the San Juan
Dorado Beach Hotel for two days. In that time he has befriended and
charmed most of the single women at the pool. He can't believe what
a great time he is having. Niles has always been somewhat frugal and
never spent his own money on vacations. Most of his holidays were spent
with the Sheffield family. This is the first time away from them and
he is having a ball. The single women outnumber the men three to one.
He has danced the last two nights away and tonight is no different.
The disco at the hotel is jumping
and he is in the middle of the dance floor, tropical drink in one hand
and Sheila in the other. It is 70's night. The song changes from
More Than a Woman to The Hustle and everyone is suddenly
dancing with everyone else. As Niles twirls Sheila out of his arms,
a tall blonde takes her place. Niles is lost in the music. He opens
his eyes and is stunned and slightly horrified when he sees his new
dance partner.
"You!" he cries.
"Oh no! What are you doing here?" they cry in
unison.
C.C. grabs his hand and angrily
leads him to the bar. "You said you were going to St. Bart's! I
can't believe you'd open your wallet to stay at the most exclusive hotel
in the Caribbean!" C.C. says angrily. She motions the bartender
and orders two margaritas. C.C. is surprised but actually secretly thrilled
that her nemesis is here. She looks at his tropical shirt and white
trousers. She is to her chagrin, getting turned on by him in such unfamiliar
attire. What the hell is the matter with me? She thinks quite
confused at her feelings.
Niles is also noticing the
sarong that C.C. is wearing. He has never seen her in such revealing
attire and can't help but look at her appreciatively. Truth be told,
even though he was the life of the party here the last two days, he
was happy to see a familiar face. Especially this particular beautiful
familiar face.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Max and Fran are exhausted.
The jet lag has kicked in. After the communal dinner in the main dining
hall they retire to their cabin. Max was a little apprehensive but Fran
can barely keep her eyes open. She isn't even thinking of the fact that
she would be sharing a bed with her boss tonight.
Fran goes into the bathroom
and emerges in her white teddy. Max's eyes go wide at the sight of her
in the skimpy lingerie. She sees his _expression. "Um, I didn't
know I would be sharing a room. I only packed this," she says apologetically.
She quickly gets into bed and pulls up the covers over her. "I'm
so tired Mr. Sheffield. I'll borrow some pajamas from Maggie tomorrow."
She yawns and practically falls asleep as soon as her head hits the
pillow.
Max stares at her as she sleeps.
She looks like an angel, he thinks seeing her brown hair cascading
on the pillow. Stop it Maxwell. Don't go there. You have to sleep
with her tonight. He warns himself. He puts on his pajamas and gets
into bed careful no to disturb her. He lies back on the pillow wanting
to take her in his arms. After several minutes of restlessness, mercifully
the jet lag kicks in and he falls into a dreamless sleep.
After several hours of deep
sleep Max awakens as he feels a warm body snuggling up to him. Fran
is sleeping but her face is next to his and her leg is draped over his
lower body. In her sleep she is rubbing her cheek to his. Suddenly she
kisses him lightly on the mouth. Max groans at this unexpected assault.
Without thinking he turns her on her back and kisses her passionately.
He gets on top of her and presses himself into her. Fran wakes up with
a start. She had been dreaming of this very thing, and now she is quite
aware that it is happening.
"Mr. Sheffield,"
she gasps. Oh my god does this feel good. She thinks happily.
She kisses him back with a passion to match his. She wraps her legs
around his hips and softly thrusts herself up in to his hardness. The
feeling of it against her almost makes her climax right then. "Mr.
Sheffield," she moans softly.
Oh god. Is this really happening?
At her exclamation, Max comes
to his senses. We can't do this! I can't take advantage of her like
this! His brain screams at him. His British repression has suddenly
kicked in. He gets off of her. "I'm so sorry Miss Fine. I don't
know what came over me. He sits up and moves as far away from her as
possible. "Do forgive me. I must have been dreaming." He lies
back down and turns his back to her. He is quite humiliated by his reprehensible
actions.
At his obvious rejection of
her, Fran turns her back to his. Oh no. I made a complete fool of
myself! She is so embarrassed that soft tears come to her eyes as
she wonders how she will ever be able to face him tomorrow. Somehow
she manages to fall back asleep.
Fran wakes up with a start.
She looks next to her and sees Max is still deeply asleep. She gets
out of bed and silently changes. She is grateful to be able to leave
before he wakes up. The memory of last night is fresh in her mind. She
sneaks out of the dwelling to join the kids for breakfast.
"Thank you God for getting
me out of there before he woke up," she whispers thankfully looking
heavenwards. "I'm just going to pretend that nothing happened.
He'll think I was sleeping and I won't have to be so embarrassed about
it for the next two weeks," she decides. Her plan starts to make
her feel better.
Max wakes up. "Miss Fine!"
he cries out. He is surprised and disturbed that she isn't next to him.
Last night rushes to his mind and he is now horrified at how he pushed
her away. I have to talk to her.
I can't believe I just turned my back on her like that. I didn't
know what to do and just I panicked. He realizes nervously as he
prepares for the day.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Niles you haven't danced
with me all evening!" Heather pouts. The twenty-year old blonde
with perky breasts has approached him at the bar. Heather is holding
a Strawberry Daiquiri in one hand and twirling a lock of her blonde
hair in the other. C.C. gives her a dirty look and she hastily retreats.
"What did you do that
for? You're scaring away potential lovers from me witch," Niles
says giving her a dour look. There is twinkle in his eye though. He
can't believe how happy he is that she's here. He is realizing that
C.C. is the only woman that makes him truly happy.
"Oh, please," C.C.
says giving him a withering look. "What was she...twelve? Like
you could keep up with her Rochester." She takes a big sip of her
drink and sets it down. "Come on." She takes him by the hand
and leads him to the dance floor. The song has changed to
Don't Throw It All Away, which was 1978's biggest selling ballad
by Andy Gibb.
"Where are you taking
me Broomhilda?" Niles says angrily, but he lets her lead him willingly.
Even though he is acting annoyed, he is actually thrilled that he is
going to slow dance with her. He decides it's about time
he takes the lead. He gathers her forcefully in his arms and
looks straight into her eyes, pulling her close to his body.
C.C. gasps softly at the obvious
passion she sees in those blue eyes. Her heart skips in beat as he pulls
her into him. The alcohol has lowered their inhibitions considerably
and they were both feeling quite aroused swaying rhythmically to the
music. Niles is holding her close to him and C.C. is hanging on tightly.
Both their hearts are pounding into each other. The music ends and
I Will Survive begins. They silently agree to go back to the
bar. C.C. suddenly really needs a drink. She is loath to admit that
she is really turned on, and by a servant no less!
"Miss Babcock,
um..." Niles begins. "He desperately wants to go to
bed with her but has no idea how to go about it. All he has thought
about the last hour is how to get her into his bed.
Fortunately for him, C.C. has
been having the same thoughts. She can finally stand it no longer. "Niles.
You must come see the gorgeous suite I am in!" she says innocently.
"The views are breathtaking and we can have drinks up there. It's
getting too loud in here for me anyway," she yells over the music.
Niles is relieved. He really
had no idea how he was going to get her to his room. At least I have
a shot at her now. He is beyond grateful that it was her idea. He
didn't handle rejection very well. Niles helps her off the bar stool
and they leave the disco hand in hand.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Max rushes out the door of
his cabin. He has to find Miss Fine and apologize for his caddish behavior
last night. "Why the hell did you push her away you moron? You
are a bloody coward," he mutters desperately shaking his head.
She obviously wanted you. He remembers her wrapping her legs
around him last night and starts to get a little hard.
Oh well, I have two weeks to make it up to her, and that's exactly
what I intend to do...if she'll have me.
He spots her talking to a tall
dark and to his distress very handsome man in kaki shorts, shirt and
hat. They are very animated and his heart skips a beat as she gives
him a big hug. Suddenly a horrifying thought comes to his mind.
Oh no...It can't be, he thinks starting to panic. He is realizing
that she could only be so familiar with one person in Israel. Max approaches
the obviously ecstatic couple apprehensively.
"Mr. Sheffield!"
She is very excited. "You are not going to believe this! This is
my old um...friend Yelsi! He's still here after all these years!
Isn't that astounding!" she cries looking happily at him. Fran
has completely forgotten to be embarrassed with Mr. Sheffield. Finding
Yelsi has pretty much vanquished last night's memory of their encounter.
"Oh yes, it's astonishing,"
Max says miserably shaking Yelsi's hand. He looks glumly as Yelsi has
his arm around Fran. She is looking up at him adoringly, which causes
Max's heart to sink. He is now really regretting pushing her away last
night. She on the other hand seems to have forgotten all about it and
only has eyes for this blasted Israeli. This should relieve Maxwell
but it actually terrifies him. The one intimate moment they have shared
has been seemingly wiped away by this chance reunion.
"Um, Miss Fine. I'd like
to talk to you when you have a moment," Max says unconsciously
rubbing his hands together little nervously.
"Sure Mr. Sheffield."
she says not really hearing him. Fran walks away from him arm in arm
with Yelsi, Maxwell's request already forgotten.
Max can only stare at their
retreat with a horrified _expression. "Oh god," he whispers
suddenly realizing their history. "She's actually had
sex with that bloke. She'll have no qualms about making love
to him again," he mutters dejectedly. "I have really blown
it. I wish Niles were here. I really need his advice. I wonder what
he's doing now."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
C.C. opens the door of the
Presidential suite. Living with Maxwell Sheffield all his life, Niles
is quite used to the finest things in life. But even he gasps at the
opulence of the room. The floor to ceiling windows offer a spectacular
view of the Caribbean Sea, which The Dorado Beach Hotel has lit with
powerful spotlights. The room is really three rooms. A huge living room
and dining room with the bedrooms just off of it. The master bathroom
has a sunken marble Jacuzzi. It takes a lot to impress Niles, but this
suite certainly captivates him.
C.C. it delighted by his _expression.
"I told you it was fabulous." She says happily walking over
to the wet bar. She takes the bottle of
Three Olives Vodka and mixes the martinis.
Niles sits on the overstuffed
sofa overlooking the wrap around windows. He is suddenly getting very
nervous at being alone with this unattainable woman in such a seductive
situation. C.C. walks over to him and hands him the cocktail. She sits
down next to him and crosses her long legs. Niles looks at her luscious
legs and is surprised that he is becoming very aroused. He takes a sip
of his martini and sets the glass on the coffee table with slightly
trembling hands. He turns to face her. The look he gives her causes
C.C. to shudder involuntarily. She sets her own drink down without tasting
it. Niles suddenly takes her in his arms and kisses her with an urgency
that, to her chagrin, causes C.C. to moan.
She melts in his arms. They
both now realize that his night will change both their lives forever.
All at once Niles lifts her into his arms and carries her into the bedroom.
He gently deposits her on the huge bed. He gets on top of her and looks
deeply into her eyes. "Your spell has hit its target...Endora,"
he says huskily. "So tell me, are you a good witch or a bad witch?"
He kisses her tenderly. His heart is pounding madly.
C.C. just looks up at him.
She is embarrassed to be trembling slightly as she feels his now obvious
erection pressed against her. "Kiss me again and I'll let you decide...Mr.
French," she murmurs batting her eyes.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Fran gets back to the stone
cabin after midnight. She has spent the entire day with Yelsi. Max had
no opportunity to apologize to her about last night. He has been beside
himself all evening at the thought of her and her first lover together
again. Max is already in bed, but of course he hasn't been able to sleep.
He pretends to be asleep as he hears her quietly changing for bed. She
carefully climbs into bed with him careful not to disturb him.
"You're late," he
says sitting up and turning the lamp on. The angry look in his eyes
startles her.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I
wake you up Mr. Sheffield?" Why does he look so mad? He's not
my boyfriend. He's the one who turned his back on me last night,
She thinks confused.
Fran had earlier in the day
borrowed pajamas from Maggie. Max looks at her in them and swears under
his breath. She looks even more desirable now than in that blasted
negligee. "What have you been doing?" he asks not even
trying to be subtle. He has been crazy with jealousy the last several
hours. The fact that she has slept with this bloke before, unlike the
dates she had while working for him. Yelsi has known her intimately.
That fact alone makes Max almost nauseous with envy.
Fran sits up to face him. "Yelsi
and I were reminiscing about my time here in the 70's." She stifles
a yawn. "He was the only good thing here for me then." Suddenly
she remembers her confession to Max about how she lost her virginity
and turns pink with embarrassment.
Maxwell notices her _expression
and starts to get very uneasy. Why is she blushing? Did she...? I'll
die if she made love to that bloke tonight. He thinks unhappily.
" So, you were just reminiscing all this time?" he asks a
little more forcefully then had had intended.
Fran looks at him surprised.
"Of course. What else?" She is little perturbed.
He doesn't have the right to even ask me that. Not after how he humiliated
me last night. "Yelsi lost his wife last year. He's a widower
too Mr. Sheffield." She says.
Just great, he's unattached.
Max thinks glumly.
"Oh! I forgot! I have
good news for you!" Fran says suddenly. "I won't have to share
this bed with you after tonight! Yelsi's daughter, who is visiting from
Cleveland, is leaving for home tomorrow. He has invited me to stay in
her room for the rest of our vacation." She smiles at him. "You
won't be burdened with me anymore," she says happily.
She couldn't have horrified
Max more if she kicked him in the stomach. In fact, it felt exactly
like she did just that. His eyes go wide and his mouth drops open. He
is quite aware that his heart is pound madly at her odious news. His
brain starts to panic at the thought of her in that Israeli's home for
two weeks...alone...together! This can't be happening! He thinks
wildly. Now what do I do?
Um, Miss Fine. Do you think
that's appropriate? I mean, what do we really know of this chap? I just
don't think I can allow it." He finishes lamely. He knows he has
no right to dictate what she does in her private life.
Fran's eyebrows shoot up in
shock at his last statement. "You can't allow it? What has
this to do with you? We certainly have no personal commitment to each
other. What do you care where I sleep, Mr. Sheffield? I thought you
would be happy not to have to share a bed with me," she says incredulously.
"I think me sleeping in the same bed with my boss for two weeks
is way more inappropriate than me sleeping in a guest bedroom of an
old friend." She looks him directly in the eyes. She is grateful
that last night's near liaison hasn't come up. She is still determined
to pretend it never happened.
Max has no answer to her logic.
He knows that she is absolutely correct. Anything short of taking her
in his arms and declaring his love for her defeats any argument he can
come up with. That's exactly what he wants to do but to his distress,
he just can't muster up the courage to do it. Defeated he slowly reaches
over to the lamp on the nightstand and turns it off. He lies down and
turns away from her. "Good night, Miss Fine," he mumbles.
Fran is a little surprised
at this sudden turn of events. She lies back on her pillow and turns
her back to him. "Good night Mr. Sheffield," she says softly.
She's all of a sudden very disappointed that he has surrendered. She
lies awake for a while sorting through her now very conflicted feelings.
She is surprised that there are tears welling up in her eyes. She now
realizes that she wanted Mr. Sheffield to force her to stay him with
him for the duration. I'm a complete idiot to even think he would
want me like that. He was probably just in the middle of a dream when
he attacked me last night. He probably wasn't even aware that it was
me he was kissing until he woke up, she thinks sadly.
Oh, well. Still exhausted from the time change she soon falls
to sleep.
Max is depressed beyond belief.
He can't believe how horrible he feels. He now has absolutely no doubt
how much he loves this woman. The thought of her playing house with
her former lover has paralyzed him. He is also trying to dredge up a
memory. This memory has lately been keeping him up at night. For some
reason, he is thinking that he has been in bed with Miss Fine before,
not counting the time she was drunk and got in with him.
Last night's near lovemaking
triggered a long forgotten memory. For the life of him he can't imagine
when he could have been intimate with her. Suddenly a twenty-year old
memory shoots into his brain. Maxwell sits straight up in bad and looks
disbelieving at his sleeping nanny.
It can't be! He runs his trembling hand through his thick hair.
Oh my god! It is...Fran! It's her! he thinks his body shaking
uncontrollably. He now knows that she is the beautiful young woman he
met at Studio 54 two decades ago. He had been the one to take
her virginity...not Yelsi. I can't believe she has forgotten that
incredible night! He is in shock.
No, it can't be her...it would be a bloody miracle.
Life doesn't work that way. He convinces himself lying back on
the pillow. After several minutes of wrestling with the memory, exhaustion
takes hold and he falls asleep.
Max wakes up to the pleasant
feeling of a warm cheek rubbing against his face. He is suddenly aware
that in her sleep, Miss Fine is once again half on top of him. She is
snuggling her body against his and murmuring his name.
HIS name! Max's heart starts pounding madly and he realizes that
he is being given a second chance...or is he? He turns her on her back
and kisses her mouth tenderly. "Miss Fine wake up," he whispers.
He has no intention of taking advantage of her unless she is fully conscious.
Fran slowly opens her eyes
and blinks rapidly. "Mr. Sheffield?" He kisses her before
she can say anything else. Fran can't believe this.
Is this a dream? she thinks groggily. Max kisses down her throat
causing her to arch it to meet his lips. "Oh, Mr. Sheffield, we
shouldn't be doing this," she moans.
"I know. We should stop,"
he murmurs unbuttoning her pajama tops. His hand reaches in and finds
her breast. He can feel the nipple harden immediately at his touch.
He becomes hard at feeling her breast for the first time.
"Yes, we really should
stop." She says softly, her breathing now becoming heavier. She
instinctively lets her hips rise up to meet the delightful hardness
that is pressing into her. Max groans at this.
His tongue finds her other
breast and flicks it lightly. "You're right, we'll stop."
His voice husky with passion. His hand travels lightly down her body
to her pajama bottoms. He lets his hand cup the outside between her
legs and rubs gently. She rises to meet his hand crying out softly in
pleasure. He kisses her then his eyes at half-mast looks into his eyes.
"We shouldn't be doing this," he whispers kissing her more
forcefully. He lets his tongue discover her mouth. Maxwell's hand slides
inside her pajama bottoms and lightly massages her. Fran gasps and holds
him tightly. "Do you like this darling?" he whispers kissing
her ears and neck.
"Yes." Was all she
was able to say. She can feel herself clenching his fingers uncontrollably
and knows that she's going to lose control. "Stop, please Max...stop."
She begs holding on to him for dear life.
"Relax baby...let it happen.
I want you to." He whispers in her ear seductively, holding her
tightly with one arm. He looks deeply into her eyes and presses into
her more forcefully. He refuses to break their gaze as they connect.
Fran has no chance. She suddenly cries out his name and rises up wildly
to meet him. Max is delighted by the sublime _expression on her face
as she throws her head back on the pillow. Slowly she comes back to
her senses and looks at him in awe. "Do you still want to stop?"
he says tenderly.
Fran can say nothing. She just
shakes her head. Max kisses her and gets on top of her. Without ceremony
he thrusts himself into her. He knows he pleased her and has no qualms
about taking her immediately. He couldn't have waited another second
anyway. He was ready to burst. She is slippery wet and the feeling of
him sliding into her causes them to cry out together. He presses himself
into her with abandon. He has satisfied her, now it is his turn. Max
pushes himself in one last time and finally gives in. He yells out her
name and collapses on top of her, spent.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Niles rolls over and takes
C.C. into his arms. He kisses the top of her head as his breathing is
becoming more normal. He still can't believe what has just transpired
between them. He would never have thought her so passionate, so uninhibited.
He sighs reliving the unbelievable lovemaking he has just experienced.
C.C. is dozing in his arms. He looks down affectionately and kisses
her again causing her to stir. She looks up at him wondering what he
is thinking.
"So Samantha, did you
enjoy that?" he asks tenderly. Niles heart starts pounding fearfully
waiting for her answer. He is pretty sure she enjoyed it as much as
he did.
"What do you think?"
She says smiling up at him. It doesn't escape C.C. that for the first
time ever; Niles is referring to her by the name of a
good witch. Hell. She thinks. Next he'll be calling
me Glinda the good witch of the north form the Wizard of Oz. C.C.
snuggles happily into his muscular chest.
I guess I made a good impression, she thinks quite satisfied.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Max turned over pulling Fran
on top of him. He didn't want to crush her beneath his weight. He barely
had strength to do even that. Max's breathing is slowly coming under
control. He gathered her into his arms and cuddled her to him.
"Um, Mr. Sheffield. I
guess I probably don't have to sleep in Yelsi's cabin for the rest of
the vacation. She looked up at him for conformation.
"Miss Fine, you are not
leaving my sight for the next two weeks." He hugged her and whispered.
"Fran."
She rubed her cheek to his.
"Max."
A feeling of déja vu suddenly
hit him. He can't shake that pesky memory that keeps creeping back into
his brain. "Fran, did you ever go to that disco
Studio 54 back in the '70's?" he asked reluctantly looking
down at her face.
"What in the world made
you think of that? I haven't thought of
Studio 54 in almost twenty years! I was only there a couple times.
Did you go there?" She asks still confused by his question. All
of a sudden a long buried memory floods her mind. Her mind goes back
to a teenage Fran climbing through the window of her best friend Val
and weeping in her arms. A young Englishman had taken her innocence
and had just disappeared. I
almost forgot about that over the years. She thought baffled
that she remembers that night all of a sudden.
Max turned on the light and
held Fran at arms length studying her face closely. "Fran."
He looked into her eyes and is astounded that twenty years have been
returned to him. He wanted to cry.
Fran looked at him. She is
now seeing him as though they have just met. Her eyes go wide. "It
can't be." She whispered. "No!
No! It can't be! YOU! Oh my god!
It was you!" she cried tears coming to her eyes. Fran suddenly
remembers that night twenty years ago clearly. It is 1978 all over again.
"How could you have done that to me? How could you have just left
like that?" she said moving away from him and pulling the covers
up to her neck. She was in a state of shock.
Max took her back into his
arms. "I didn't desert you darling. "It was an emergency.
This is freaking unbelievable.
He thougt as the initial shock is wearing off. "My brother Nigel
was injured and I had to take the next plane back to England. I didn't
even have your last name. I tried to find you for months!"
What are the bloody odds of this happening?
Fran calmed down at his explanation.
"Maxwell why didn't we recognize each other when we met a few years
ago?" She is shivering in his embrace. "This can't be real.
I must be dreaming," she said willing herself to wake up. She doesn't
because she is already awake.
"It's no dream darling,"
Max hugged her protectively. "It was you and I that night so long
ago. We must have subconsciously pushed it out of our minds over the
years. I know how painful it was for me not being able to find you."
He says shaking his head. I can only imagine how you felt after I...I..."
He buries his face in her hair. He remembers how guilty he felt about
taking her virginity. He would have never made love to her if he had
known. Having to leave so abruptly and then not being able to find her
had almost driven him bloody mad.
"I haven't thought about
that night in almost twenty years. It almost killed me at the time,"
she said looking up at him tears glistening in her brown eyes. "After
a few years I didn't even remember your name. I guess the brain goes
into a protective mode when you are incredibly hurt." She buries
her face in his chest. "I can't believe how the memories just flooded
back tonight so crystal clear. I now remember everything like it was
yesterday." She says incredulously. Fran shudders involuntarily
at the memory of knocking on his suite door the next night. She can
off a sudden picture the older woman answering it having no idea why
a nineteen-year old girl in a disco dress was knocking. Fran recalls
how devastated she had been that Max had deserted her. Fran shudders
again. "Max this can't be happening," she whispered looking
up at him.
"I know, I know! It's
Ripley's!" He shook his head again. "I never believed in fate,
but we were obviously meant to be together."
"Max, it's for the best
it happened this way," Fran says suddenly realized the truth. "We
wouldn't have Maggie, Brighton and Gracie if we had found each other
permanently two decades ago. We had a twenty-year hiatus, but look at
the results of our separation." She hugged him.
Max is now realizing how incredible
this woman is. "You're right. I...we wouldn't have my beautiful
children if fate hadn't played this cruel trick on us so many years
ago," he exclaimed hugging her tightly to him.
They lay in each other's arms,
sorting out their feelings and memories. Neither could believe the astounding
history they have shared. Max turned her around and snuggled his front
to her back. He nuzzled the back of her neck realizing that this is
a moment nobody could have ever experienced before. He also can't believe
that his erection has returned...in spades. He had to have her again.
Fran turned her head and looked
at him enticingly as she could feel his hardness against her bottom.
He whispered her name softly as he slid in easily. Fran gasped in bliss.
She was ridiculously wet and slippery from their previous encounter.
They moaned each other's names. She was deliciously aware that her inner
walls were milking his orgasm right out of him. So was he. The feeling
of her climax gripping at his hard length was all it took. Max softly
cried out her name and pressed himself in deeply as he released.
The spasms Fran felt inside
her convulsing uncontrollably. The feeling took over her mind and body.
She could feel the heat and waves of ecstasy surge through her. She
also felt him release into her. Fran let herself melt into the sheets
as the orgasm disappiated. She murmured his name softly. She couldn't
believe that the prim and proper Mister Sheffield would have
sex so unconventially! He was a constant surprise.
Certainly she had never experienced
love making like this. As she lay spent on the bed, his body covering
hers she started to remember the memory of her incredible climax. This
caused her to involuntarily squeeze him again. He hadn't pulled out
yet and was stunned that the feeling really turned him on so soon. As
Max felt her again gripping him he couldn't believe that he was getting
hard. Nor could she. He let out a soft, guttural moan as he pressed
himself more deeply into her.
Max's forty-something body
was now completely out of control. His manhood had a mind of it's own.
A mind Maxwell Sheffield would never have believed was possible. His
third erection was as hard and insistent as his first had been. What
kind of woman was this? She had thoroughly bewitched him, not that he
was complaining.
He let himself press into her
deeply, again feeling her involuntarily griping him tightly. As he released
again, he couldn't believe that he is going to experience his third
climax in less than an hour. Finally, spent he rolled her over and buried
his face into her neck.
"Mr. Sheff...Max, can't
we just stay here another week?" Fran whispered contentedly. She
snuggled up to him never feeling so sated and satisfied in her life.
It was like she died and went to heaven...in Israel. She never wanted
to leave.
Max hugged her to him wishing
he could grant her request. He never wanted to leave this bed. "Unfortunately
darling, we have to go back to the states. I have to fly to blasted
Pittsburgh to catch a revival of My Fair Lady starring some bloody
sitcom or soap opera star...Charles something or other. He is getting
rave reviews as Henry Higgins and my scout told me I should sign him
to do the revival on Broadway." Max said a little disgusted that
this was probably a wild goose chase. Like a TV star could do Broadway
successfully.
"Oh, well can I come with
you?" she asked a little shyly.
"I wouldn't have it any
other way. You will probably be the only pleasant thing about going
to Pittsburgh. Now, enough talking." he murmured kissing her neck.
"Oh, Mr.
Sheffield!"
The End