Chapter 4 – Sweet Serenades

Maxie knew that both Jason and Spinelli were convinced that the Russians were just lying low and waiting for the perfect time to strike, but Maxie wouldn’t think about that. If she had learned anything from her past experiences it was that every moment was the only thing she was sure of. Tomorrow was a risk, an unpredictability and today was what she had. Although, she couldn’t admit to never thinking about the future, when she was with Spinelli all that mattered was that very moment. That very instant when she felt like she had done something right. And she knew that Spinelli gave that to her, Spinelli gave her somebody she wasn’t afraid of being.

She heard the bathroom door shut and she knew he was finished with his personal hygiene. She had learned a couple of things about Spinelli, one being that after every meal he would floss. Under that somewhat messy head of hair was about the freshest set of teeth one could ask for. Maxie loved all the time she was getting to spend with Spinelli, it had been a month since her disguises started and nobody was the wiser. The only three people that knew about it were Spinelli, Jason and herself. She definitely didn’t want to get cocky, but her plan was going off without a hitch, it was almost too easy.

“The Jackal has a slight surprise for the Fair Maximista” her curiosity was quite peaked. She saw him go up the stairs and was wondering what he had been planning. She was amazed at all the things he had come up with, and she partly credits Spinelli for being able to think outside the box and figure out the plan with the wigs. Looking at the table she noticed her alias for that night. She had chose a brunette wig, that touched her shoulders along with a vintage black a-line dress with the cutest peep shoe four inch high heel shoes. They were red patent matching the belt that she had tightened around her waist. She was almost glad that Mac had forced her to stop seeing Spinelli or all of these disguises wouldn’t be, almost.

Hearing his footsteps she turned to see Spinelli coming down the stairs with a guitar. “The Jackal, in an attempt to be a more rounded citizen of Port Charles and to sway the Patriarch of Law and Order that the Jackal’s world does not solely revolve around danger.” He held up the guitar with a smile “I’ve taken up a hobby.”

Grinning at his enthusiasm “aww Spinelli, that’s sweet” she was truly touched at his attempt to work his way back into her life without secret, and although she didn’t want to discourage him but being involved with a musician was only about three or four rings down from the Mac scale of appropriate men.

“If Maxismista would like I could serenade her with a brief but full effort attempt at musical joy.” He sat down on the couch next to her in front of his laptop. Not only had he learned how to gain his p.i. license from his laptop, but he also found a site where he could learn how to play the guitar.

“I’d love that” she was so amazed at the man sitting in front of her. Amazed at his kindness and effort that he put forth to everyone. She couldn’t imagine if he hadn’t let her through the door when she first came back, she didn’t know what she would do if Spinelli had asked her to leave again.

Watching him play the guitar as he intently starred at his screen, focusing so diligently. She couldn’t help the smile that crept onto her face, even though his guitar playing was pretty bad, it was some beautiful music to her.

Finishing his twenty seven seconds of a song he learned he looked at her and noticed her smile “that bad huh?” he thought it had sounded bad, but maybe he thought if he played in front of her he’d surprise himself. Unfortunately he was wrong, and he thinks he might have gotten worse.

“It wasn’t that bad” she smiled and tried to rub his shoulder for encouragement “we all can’t be good at everything, I can’t cook worth a darn” she laughed once she saw his face turn into a smile.

“That was horrible” he said as he continued to laugh, good thing he turned out to be a better p.i. then a guitar player because that was some bad music he just spit out. “but the Jackal appreciates Maximista’s attempt to lift his self-esteem”

She continued to laugh, as she wasn’t quite sure if he was serious or sarcastic because her attempt to reassure him that his guitar playing wasn’t awful was pretty bad in itself. Seeing him laugh, she figured out he was being sarcastic. Once she was able to muffle out some coherent words she spoke “okay I wanna try.” She picked up the guitar from the table “teach me all you know music man.”

He smiled at his nickname, that was a little strange to hear somebody give him a nickname, granted he had many for himself she had managed to make him feel even more special in her presence, if that was possible. “I don’t know much but the Jackal would be glad to share all of his findings.”

Scooting closer to her on the couch he placed his arm over hers and helped to arrange her fingertips to what he felt was a good position for guitar playing. Sensing her get still under his touch he couldn’t help but take in the closeness that they were sharing. She smelt and felt like summer rain on the hottest day he could imagine.

Maxie wasn’t quite sure what had compelled her to turn and face him; she was very much enjoying his close proximity. Every time she felt they were close she felt safe and protected and cherished, a feeling she longed for and a feeling he gave her. But she wanted to look at him, look at the man who was making her feel all those things and let him know that she never wanted him to be anything he wasn’t. “Don’t ever change Spinelli.” She gave him that smile that she saved just for him “I think you’re amazing just the way you are.”

She felt his hand move away from hers and she wanted to tell him to put it back, she loved his touch, the feeling of his hand on hers, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t form words as he looked at her; his eyes were full of intensity and sexuality. Her mind flashed back, again, to that night on the couch, she was used to telling everyone what a great friend Spinelli was to her and convincing everyone that he was her best friend and she cared too much for him to have sex with him. But once she stopped convincing everyone else of that she forgot to tell herself that. There was something about him that pulled her in, and she tried to turn away, she didn’t want to ruin him and destroy him like she had done to others, she couldn’t do that to him, but she also knew couldn’t look away.

She felt his hand cup her cheek and heard a gasp escape her lips. She felt his fingers on her chin as they trailed to place a strand of her hair behind her ears. She wanted to scream, he was driving her crazy, she couldn’t be having these feelings for Spinelli, and she shouldn’t be. But damn, his hands were magic, and then he did it. She felt his lips on hers and she lost all control. Every thing in her mind that was telling her to stop, but with his kisses every fear that had drove her away before had been silenced and she let him continue.

Feeling his lips depart from hers she sat there stunned and looked at him. She saw that he was slightly out of breath. She had kissed him many times before, she often blamed it on habit or excitement of him being there but she just realized the truth. His lips were meant for her and she couldn’t get enough of them, even if only for a brief moment.

He sat there starring at her face. Starring at the woman he fell more and more in love with each day, which he thought was utterly impossible. If he loved her anymore it would hurt. He didn’t think, he just acted and now he feared that he violated their friendship. She spoke softly, but he heard everything she said, the penthouse had never been quieter and their hearts had never been louder “what was that for?”

He didn’t know what to say, he needed words, he was great at words, but goodness he didn’t wanna talk at that moment “the jackal apologizes, he didn’t…. i didn’t”

She interrupted him and once he heard her speak he worried what was about to exit those lips that he had just had the pleasure of tasting, but what she said pleasantly surprised him “you could do it again you know” she paused and smiled as she looked at his face. She didn’t want him to apologize for kissing her; she just wanted him to do it again.

So he did. Again and Again and Again. It was as if they kissed each other for every time they knew they should have been kissing. It was as if in that moment they finally acted upon what they both knew a long time ago, but were afraid of admitting. But at that moment Maxie Jones realized why every moment with Damien Spinelli meant so much, because she longed for him. She longed for everything about him. She longed for the way he talked, the way he irritated her, the way he listened, the way he cared for her, the way he kissed her. He kissed her like she was everything he always dreamed of and he kissed her like he knew the importance of a fleeting moment. A moment, a brief flash in time where everyone has the choice to make it mean something, every moment he gave her was meaning. She wouldn’t say this was perfection, perfection was overrated, she sure wasn’t perfect but she was tired of perfect. This was better than perfect, it was real. She wanted messy hair and flossed teeth. She wanted bad guitar playing and mad computer skills. She wanted irritation and admiration. She wanted orange soda and barbeque chips. She wanted Spinelli and it was in that moment that she wanted to give him meaning like he had to her. That moment she heard an annoying beep. An annoying beep she tried to ignore, until she realized what it was.

“Oh shoot” she pulled away from him, she wasn’t aware at how long she had actually ignored that beep until she realized she was twenty minutes behind schedule and she should have been on her way already. Looking at Spinelli just sitting there she grabbed her things and put her wig back on. Looking around the floor for her shoes she saw Spinelli come up to her holding them both in his hands.

“The Jackal hates that you have to leave” he said with a smile that seemed to be stuck on his face. She didn’t want to leave either, but if she didn’t leave now she might not be able to come back tomorrow.

“Me too” she said swiftly grabbing her bag off of the desk running to the door she turned to see him still standing there smiling and she dropped her bag and ran to him. Throwing her arms around him she eagerly put her lips on his again, she knew she couldn’t be late but she just wasn’t ready to leave yet. Running her hands through his hair, she wanted to taste every bit of him. She wanted it to linger on her lips so she could remember him all night. This time she felt him pull away.

“You have to go,” he said urgently, if her plan faltered he knew things would get bad and quick and he couldn’t risk that.

“You’re right” she walked backwards starring at him “I’m going” fumbling she almost tripped over her purse “I’m okay” she said as she held up her arms and noticed he wanted to come help her, but she knew he couldn’t. “You stay there” she put her hand up “just stay there” she couldn’t take him any closer.

Just as she reached the door and was ready to walk out she heard him call her name “Maximista” turning to him, she didn’t know what to say or what to do. She knew what she wanted to do versus what she had to do. “Don’t speed.”

“Okay” she felt herself sigh with a bit of relief, that she could do, she could abide by the speed limit, there was something she could control; her speedometer “I won’t.” and with that was she was gone.