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When I got there, it was clear there was really only one building he could lass, and overlooked the Chelsea Waterside Park It also had a ridiculous view of the Hudson The lobby was eeted for about a minute, he asked me if I was Mr Stella’s friend

I paused, wary "Yes"

"Oh, good I should have asked sooner!" He stood, al around as he was tall, and waved me over to the elevators "I’m supposed to send you up"

I stared for a beat before snapping into action and walking into the elevator beside hiuard stuck a key in a slot and then hit the R key

Roof

We were going to the roof?

With a friendly wave, he stepped out "Have a nice Fourth," he said just as the doors closed

There were twenty-seven floors in the building, but the elevator was clearly new, and very fast, and I barely had tiand the doors opened

I was in a sht of stairs that led only to a door marked, ROOF ACCESS NOT FOR PUBLIC USE

What else could I do but assun didn’t apply to me? This was Max, after all I had the sense that he respected rules just long enough to learn how to properly bend them

The door opened with a shrill metallic creak and sla it back up, to no avail The day was hot, windy, and I was stuck on the roof of a building

Holy crap Max had better be up here or I a to flip out

"Over here!" Max called froht

I blew out a relieved breath and walked around a large electrical box Max stood, alone, with a blanket, pillows, and a giant spread of food and beer at his feet

"Happy Independence Day, Petal Ready to be fked outside?"

He looked unbelievable, dressed casually in jeans and a blue T-shirt, tanned,toward me His physical presence, out in the sun and with the hipping his shirt all over his chestholy hell Let’s just say it did things to me

"I asked if you were ready to be fked outside," he said quietly, bending to kissinherently Max-like War you indulge in every now and then, without guilt, knowing that it grounds you even as it’s probably not all that good for you

"Yes," I said "So you’re not worried about helicopters or ca to the people on a roof in the distance--"the people over there with binoculars"

"Nope"

I narrowed my eyes, ran my hands up his chest to his neck "Why don’t you ever worry about being seen?"

"Because it would change me to worry about it It would keepyou on the roof Consider what a tragedy that would be"

"A big one" It occurred toseen as not He didn’t seek it; he didn’t avoid it He just lived around the reality of it It was such a different way of interacting with the press and the public that it threw rinned, and kissed the tip of e, and fruit Little cookies with jam thumbprints, and perfect, tiny macarons On a small tray were bowls of olives, cornichons, and almonds In a metal bucket were several bottles of dark beer

"Quite the spread," I said

He laughed "I’ll say" He ran a hand up et my fill"

He pulled me down onto the blanket, opened a beer, and poured it into two glasses

"Do you live in this building?" I asked, taking a bite of apple The idea that ere this close to his apart where you dropped me after the handy the other day I own the apartment here but Mum lives there" He held up his hand just as I openedup to the roof"

"Will anyone be co an olive into his arded"How do you feel about that?"

Apprehension war hoould feel to be spread on the blanket beneath Max, feel hi the sound of the door opening and sla

"It has the best view for fireworks," he explained "They set off four siured it was so you’d like to see"

I pulled him closer to me and kissed his jaw "I’m actually rowl, Max pushed some pillows to the side and laid me down on the thick blanket He smiled, closed his eyes, and kissed ood? It would be easier to be casual--though certainly so --if Max were a mediocre lover, or treated et off every week But he was tender, attentive, and so sure of himself in this respect that it took very little for hi hiet er

In ti his hands over led to not compare this lover to the only other I’d ever had Andy was quick and rough After about a year of playful sex, our contact never really was about exploration or sharing so It had been in our bed, sometimes on the couch Once or twice in the kitchen

But here, Max slid a strawberry overme until I screamed and it echoed across the street

He took pictures of me as I peeled off my shirt and then his, as I licked my way down his stoth inthis time

He whispered, "Keep your eyes open Look at h in the feel of him that, for the moment, I didn’t care