Maxie opened her eyes. She remembered that today was her birthday. There was only one person she really wanted to share it with and, luckily, she didn’t have to go far to find him. She cuddled up behind him on the bed and kissed him softly on the back of the neck. He rolled over toward her and smiled sleepily at her, his love for her written all over his face. “Happy birthday, my love,” he said, reaching out to stroke her cheek. “How is it that you get more breathtakingly beautiful with each passing year, indeed with each passing moment?”

“Spinelli,” she said. “How is it that you always know exactly the right thing to say?”

“It must be my fascination with all things Maxie,” he replied. “It’s made me very insightful. At least I hope so, because today I’m counting on that insight and hoping you truly desire the gift I wish to get you for your birthday.”

“The gift you wish to get me? You mean you haven’t gotten it yet?”

“Not exactly,” said Spinelli. “I require your assistance.”

“If you want to know the truth,” said Maxie, “there’s only one thing I want, and I already got it. But I can never seem to get enough of it. I always want more.” She inched closer to Spinelli and pressed her naked body to his. “Want to make that my first gift of the day?”

Spinelli smiled adoringly at her. “Of course, my love, anything for you on your birthday.” He pulled her on top of him and kissed her deeply and passionately, caressing her body with his hands. He loved the sensation of her skin on his, her scent, the way her body moved, the way she touched him. They made love slowly, taking their time, lavishing attention on each other, their bodies moving together in sync over and over again. Both of them wanted to make the moment last as long as possible. Afterwards, they lay on the bed together still wrapped around each other, completely satiated. “I love you so much, Spinelli,” said Maxie. “I want to wake up like this every single day. I really never thought I’d ever be this happy.”

“Believe me, Maximista,” said Spinelli, “the happiness you have bestowed upon me goes far beyond anything I could ever have imagined, even with my rather overactive imagination. And yet today I dare to seek just a little more, hopefully for both of us. Will you meet me back here around 1:00 this afternoon? I have one more thing to attend to first.”

“I suppose I could do that,” said Maxie, “but all this buildup had better be worth it. You’re not gonna get me a computer or something, are you?”

“What’s wrong with a computer?” asked Spinelli, laughing. “But to answer your question, no. My aspirations for your birthday are far loftier and certainly more momentous in nature.”
 

*****

Maxie arrived back at her apartment around 12:30 p.m. and sat down to wait. She was anxious for Spinelli to arrive. She looked around the apartment she still shared with Lulu and couldn’t help but wish that she and Spinelli had a place that was just theirs, but he still seemed reluctant to leave Jason and she’d finally made up her mind that she wasn’t going to live at the penthouse under any circumstances. She couldn’t think of anything less romantic than seeing Jason's face every morning.

While she was waiting, she started turning Spinelli’s words from that morning over in her mind, and she began to feel a little apprehensive. What could be so momentous? What did Spinelli think would make them both happier? Surely he wasn’t back to thinking they should get married? No, he knew she wasn’t ready. But what if he’d somehow talked himself back into the idea of marriage? Or at least the idea of proposing again?

Lost in thought, she didn’t even notice Spinelli standing right in front of her until he kissed her softly on the lips. “Where have your thoughts taken you?” he asked.

“Spinelli,” she said, standing up to look him in the eyes, “you know I want to be with you always. You make every moment we have together romantic and special and fun, you make me believe that anything is possible, and I really do feel like I can never get enough of you. You're the best gift I could ever receive, and I’m completely head over heels in love with you. But I won’t marry you right now, so don’t ask me. There, I said it.”

“Huh?” said Spinelli. “I thought we’d settled all that already. In fact, I stand by what I originally said to you on the rooftop. I will happily wait as long as it takes for you to be ready, and if that day never comes, so be it. My life is already overflowing with love and happiness because of you, and that's more than enough for me.”

“You’re just so damn eloquent,” said Maxie, grinning at him. “It makes me want to ravish you all over again. I’m not sure why my mind wandered off to marriage just now. It’s just that you were talking about today being momentous and your lofty aspirations and all that, and I wasn’t sure what to think. But if not that, then what?”

“Come with me and see,” said Spinelli.
 

*****

Spinelli led Maxie off an elevator and walked with her down a short hallway, holding her hand to guide her. She was wearing one of his beanies he’d found in his jacket pocket, pulled down over her eyes so she couldn’t see where they were going. “You’re lucky I’m such a good sport,” she said. “I don’t even want to think about what this is doing to my hair.”

They stopped walking and Spinelli took the beanie off Maxie’s head. “Well,” he said, “I’m hardly one to judge anyone’s hair, but you look as gorgeous as ever to me.” He gestured in front of them. “So? What do you think?”

Maxie was facing a door. “A door,” she said.

“Not just a door, but more the portal to a new world, if you will,” said Spinelli. He handed her a key. “Open it, Maxie.”

Maxie opened the door and they went inside. It was an apartment or, more precisely, the shell of an apartment. Spinelli had put balloon bouquets everywhere for her birthday, and the whole place looked festive and almost magical. The apartment was large and airy and light, and she knew immediately that it must be one of the condominiums in the new building on Elgin Street. Partly finished, ready for someone to pick out all the fixtures and fittings.

She turned to face Spinelli and smiled. He was standing holding two helium balloons in his hands, one with “Happy Birthday!” printed on it and the other with “I LOVE YOU.”

“How do you always know, Spinelli?” she asked.

“Know what?”

“Know exactly what I want.” She pulled him to her and kissed him, and she could feel tears starting to come into her eyes.

“Well,” said Spinelli, “truth be told, I haven’t always been very good at knowing what you want, but I do hope that in this instance we want the same thing. Shall I tell you what I want? Plain and simple, I want you, always and only you. I want to come home to you at the end of every day and I want to wake up to you every morning. I want us to have a place we can be alone together. A home. Our home. This is the birthday gift I wish to give you. However, being all too mindful of our recent experience with too-much-too-soon, if you don’t want us to move in together or you think it’s too soon, just say so. My only wish in all of this is to make you happy. Besides, I have plenty of other truly wonderful gift ideas. I know you’re secretly longing for a new laptop, despite your protestations.”

“No laptop!” said Maxie, laughing. “Everything I want is right here. A home with you in it. I couldn’t imagine a more perfect gift. A place where I can have you all to myself. A place that’s just for the two of us.”

“You’re absolutely sure?”

“Absolutely. But---”

“But what?”

“J-A-S-O-N.” Her tone was accusatory.

Spinelli looked down sheepishly. “Forgive me for ever suggesting that you could possibly live with Jason and me at the penthouse. It was pure folly. I should never have asked such a thing of you. You’re my priority, you’re the one I want to be with and you’re the one I want to make happy.”

“Good. And you’re definitely making me very very happy right now. But you know, it’s really too bad this place is just all subfloor and wallboard.”

“Oh. I must admit I thought you’d rather like that, Maxie,” said Spinelli. “With your design sensibilities, I thought you’d enjoy being able to select everything yourself to make the apartment exactly as you desire. And there are some other condominium models to choose from, so if this one isn’t to your taste, we can probably find one that is. But we can certainly have a look at the resale market if you prefer. Anything you like.”

“Oh no, my love, it’s not that,” said Maxie. “I really like the idea of picking out everything ourselves. You knew I would. That’s not the problem at all.” She pulled him close to her and spoke softly and seductively in his ear. “It’s just that this place being unfinished prevents me from doing what I really want to do right now, and that’s rip your clothes off and celebrate the fact that we finally have a place where we can have sex on every surface of every room as loudly and as often as we want and it’s not going to bother anyone. That’s the problem.”

“Hmm. That is indeed a most distressing problem,” said Spinelli. “In that case, I guess it’s most fortuitous that I've booked us a suite at the Metro Court Hotel tonight, because clearly I have a lot to make up to you. I shall devote myself to pleasing you and satisfying your every whim for the entire night.”

Maxie smiled at him. “I have a feeling I’m gonna have a lot of whims that need satisfying tonight.” She kissed him tenderly on the lips and wrapped her arms around him. “You truly are my best present ever,” she said.

“The Jackal has been thinking,” said Spinelli.

“Oh really,” said Maxie. “And what has he been thinking about exactly?”

“About love and destiny. If we are destined to remain only friends, then clearly the Jackal must seek love elsewhere,” said Spinelli. “I am exceedingly happy we’ve been able to get our friendship back on a sound footing, but man cannot live by friendship alone. The Jackal needs some loving.”

“But I love you,” said Maxie. “You’re my essen--”

“Ah, yes. I know,” said Spinelli. “And perhaps, since I’m so essential to you, you’ll be kind and generous enough to help me in this most important matter. I really want to find a woman I can love romantically, a woman on whom I can lavish my boundless affections. Someone who will look upon the Jackal not only with love but also with desire, who will ache for his touch, who will match his passion with her own.”

“Um, sure, I guess. I mean, you know, you don’t want to rush into anything,” said Maxie. She wasn’t sure she liked where this conversation was going.

“But perhaps you could assist me nonetheless,” said Spinelli. “I’m certain I need to work on a few things. For instance, come here a minute and dance with me if you will. I've heard that dancing can be highly seductive.”

Spinelli dimmed the lights and put on some soft, slow music. Maxie walked over to him, he took her in his arms and they began dancing. He moved surprisingly well. His rhythm was perfect. He held her just a little closer, and she relaxed into his arms. Her cheek was nestled against his neck, and his soft, tousled hair touched her forehead. She closed her eyes. It felt so good to be in his arms and to feel his body against hers. His scent was so familiar and made her feel happy. She remembered it from when they were in her bed together, their naked bodies intertwined, his skin on hers. He had been so tender and loving and romantic and . . .

“Maxie?” said Spinelli, pulling away a little. She shook herself out of her reverie. “Yes?” she replied.

“How am I doing?” he asked.

“Not bad at all,” she said.

“What if I were to be a little bolder?” he asked. “Would that be appropriate?”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“Allow me to demonstrate,” said Spinelli. As they kept swaying, he began kissing her softly on the neck and then nibbled on her ear, flicking his tongue over her skin. He pulled her even closer so their bodies were pressed together while they continued keeping time to the music. Maxie felt a wave of heat and desire rising over her. His arms around her, his body against hers, his warm breath on her neck and his kisses were all a little overwhelming. This was not quite the evening she had been expecting. Spinelli was full of surprises. But surely he wasn’t really planning on finding a woman to dance with this way, to kiss this way?

“So what do you think?” asked Spinelli, taking his lips away from her momentarily.

“Hmm?” said Maxie, flustered. “Well, um, so far so good, so far so good.” She feared she might be not quite so coherent if he went any further.

“Excellent,” said Spinelli. “But the Jackal must also try out his words of love and seduction so you can tell me what your opinion is.”

Maxie already felt like ripping his clothes off right there and then. She didn’t quite know what to think. She wasn’t sure how much more of this she could take.

“Just play along,” said Spinelli, smiling at her. He held Maxie’s hands and looked deep into her eyes. “My love, no woman in my life has ever made me feel even a small fraction of what you make me feel. My whole heart is wrapped up in you. You are my inspiration, my muse, and I hope you will be mine forever. My most ardent wish is to make love to you until I know not where I end and you begin. I want to revel in you, to drink you in, to taste you, to feel you, to devour you. Every last inch of you shall feel my passion, if you will have me.”

Maxie just stared at him, lost in his eyes, not saying anything. She wanted him to take her in his arms. She wanted him to kiss her and make love to her. She wanted him to prove that there was truth in his words.

“And now, if I may take the liberty,” said Spinelli. “One last thing.”

“Yes, anything,” said Maxie, her eyes focusing on his lips.

Spinelli ran his hands through her hair and then pulled her head towards him, his lips meeting hers. He kissed her passionately, scorchingly, and she returned his kisses with the same intensity. He seemed to be hungry for her. They stumbled backwards against the wall, and he pressed himself against her, continuing to kiss her deeply. He slipped his hands under her shirt, caressing her bare skin. She wrapped one of her legs around him and pulled him even closer to her. She hoped he wouldn’t stop. Her entire body was tingling, burning, aching for him.

But suddenly he did stop. “Sorry, Maxie,” he said, without moving his body away from hers. "The Jackal is getting rather carried away." He looked straight into her eyes. "You know I have always desired you. My desire for you is so intense and so all-consuming that I will quickly lose all control over it if I don’t put an end to this right now. I will make love to you until we are both rendered senseless. Alas, you've made it clear that you don't feel the same way. But I do thank you for being so cooperative. You have been very helpful indeed. The Jackal feels some hope now. Perhaps there is a woman out there who can burn for him as he wishes afer all.”

Maxie sighed, reluctantly untangling herself from him. “Yes, I’m sure you’re right,” she said.  She went and sat down and buried her head in her hands. Why had he stopped? What on earth was he doing to her?

Spinelli looked at Maxie and a mischievous smile crossed his lips. So far so good indeed, he thought.

            Spinelli lay on his bed staring at the ceiling. He was starting to feel drunk, but it wasn’t enough to get the image of Maxie kissing the mob prince out of his head. Clearly Maxie wanted something he couldn’t offer. He loved her, but it wasn’t enough. It would never be enough. She would always be looking for something else. Even her “I love you” had been followed by a threat. Games, manipulation, lies. Perhaps this was all there was to Maxie. Perhaps Maximista was just an illusion he had created.

            He thought back over the past year, and every thought, every moment was filled with her presence. Had he really imagined the whole thing? Every touch, every glance, every intimate conversation, everything that had made him believe she was the woman of his dreams? Her kisses, her lovemaking, her laughter, the light in her eyes? But now reality had come crashing back down on him. For who could really love the Jackal, this misfit, this freak? His mind wandered to the words of the sonnet he had once wanted to recite to Maxie: “I all alone beweep my outcast state and trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries, and look upon myself and curse my fate, wishing me like to one more rich in hope.”

            Spinelli closed his eyes. He was feeling the effects of the alcohol a little more now. There was a noise in his room. “Spinelli,” said a voice. It seemed to be Maxie. He must be hallucinating. “Begone, temptress,” he said. “You are faithless and you can’t love me, so leave me alone. Get out of my head.”

            “Spinelli, please” the voice said again, and he opened his eyes and gazed confusedly at the face of his beloved. “Maxie,” he said. “If you are really here, you need to go. The Jackal cannot bear to be in your presence at this moment. He has been mortally wounded.”

            “I want to talk to you anyway,” said Maxie.

            “Talk?” said Spinelli. “What, to soothe me with more of your lies? To appease me with your sexual favors? To tell me that you think of me constantly, that you’ll be with me forever? Spare me. I’ve already heard it. I believed it all the first time, but now my eyes have been opened.”

            Spinelli got up and walked over to Maxie. He reached out and caressed her cheek and sighed. “For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings, that then I scorn to change my state with kings.” He stroked her hair, wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply on the lips. She kissed him back passionately, pressing herself to him. He pulled away suddenly. “That’s the end of it,” he said. “No more games.”

            Maxie was crying. “A valiant attempt to break down the Jackal’s defenses, but it shall not work, even though I love you still,” said Spinelli. “I don’t know if your spell over me can ever be broken. I gave myself completely to you, heart, body and soul. I’m not sure if I truly believed you could love me back, but I couldn’t help loving you anyway. You brought light into my life. Every moment I had with you was pure joy. And when you finally told me you loved me, I still had trouble believing it. But I came back here for you, because you said you loved me, because I love you with every single solitary fiber of my being, because I thought we could have a future together. And now you’ve made a mockery of it all. Once you had secured the Jackal’s affections, you no longer wanted him. The game was played out for you. Unsurprisingly, the Jackal could no longer hold your attention or interest.”

            Tears came to Spinelli’s eyes. He reached for Maxie’s hands, and his gaze met hers. “The Jackal is inebriated,” he said. “You should go, once and for all.”

            “I will not go,” said Maxie. “I have something to say too.” Tears were streaming down her face. “I want you to understand. I want you to really listen to me. I followed you to Los Angeles because I couldn’t bear to lose you. I wasn’t going to let you out of my life. Not because I needed a friend, not because I needed tech support, but because I loved you and I wanted to be with you. But you were going to leave me just like all the rest. You know, in that moment when I told you I loved you, I felt like such a weight had been lifted off me. I felt like finally I would have someone who would be with me forever, who would always love me. But was I right? No, I wasn’t. You were going to leave me anyway. You took my ‘I love you’ as if it was nothing, and you turned around to walk away from me. And so what did I do? I pulled out a threat, I started manipulating. Anything to get you to stay with me. Because telling you I loved you wasn’t enough for you.”

            Spinelli sat down on his bed, his head spinning. “The Jackal is confused,” he said. “Is Maximista angry?”

            “You bet I am," she said. "Hurt and angry. Do you think I like the fact that I had to manipulate you into staying? Well I don’t. And if you love me heart, body and soul, then why the hell didn’t you say that in Los Angeles? If anyone is capable of grand declarations of love, it’s you, and you didn’t give me one. You wouldn’t even stay for me. You made me feel like you didn’t really want me after all. And you’ve done almost nothing since then to make me feel otherwise.”

             Maxie sat down on the bed beside him. She looked sadly into his eyes. He reached out and wiped a tear off her cheek. “Look,” she said. “I know I’ve been acting like a heartless fool the past little while, and I don’t know if I can really explain it, even to myself. I’m truly sorry. I think I felt like, if I had to manipulate you just to get you to stay, then one day you were bound to leave me anyway. I don’t want anyone but you. It’s just that I don’t trust it. I feel like you’re going to end up walking away. It’s like I need to make sure you don’t have such a hold over me. I don’t like being vulnerable, and I’ve never been as vulnerable as I am with you. And when I finally did offer you my love, it just wasn’t enough. I wasn’t enough.”

            “You weren’t enough? But you were everything,” said Spinelli. “You were my whole world. You had, and you have, the power of life and death over the Jackal’s heart. Heaven help me, I love you more than I ever thought it possible to love anyone. My heart is full of you, and I don’t know how to make that feeling go away. I’m not sure I even want it to, for then I shall be left with nothing but emptiness.”

            They sat beside each other in silence for a while. “We've really made a horrible mess of this, haven't we?" said Maxie. “If we love each other, if we’re in love with each other, then let’s start acting like it for a change. Let's really be with each other, let's enjoy it, and let's be honest with each other. I promise I’ll be completely honest with you about how I’m feeling from now on. Can we try?”

            “But the Jackal fears he cannot make Maximista happy. She needs more.”

            Maxie wrapped her arms around him and smiled at him. “Don’t you know that you’ve already made me the happiest I’ve ever been in my life?” she said. Spinelli kissed her tenderly, almost hesitantly, on the lips. “Then I shall endeavor to continue,” he said, “and to make it abundantly clear to you just how deeply you are loved.” They lay down on the bed together, their bodies wrapped around each other. Spinelli finally felt a little peace creeping into his troubled mind. Perhaps there is hope after all, he thought.

Spinelli and Maxie slipped off their sandals and began walking across the sand to the beach. It was a beautiful warm sunny day, and they held hands as they looked for a good spot with some shade.


"Here,” said Spinelli. “This spot will do nicely. This tree is perfectly situated to protect your lovely skin from the sun.” Maxie looked at him with a smile on her lips. “What about you? I’m thinking with all that paleness you’re gonna be as red as a lobster in about five minutes. You need some protecting too.”

Spinelli spread out their beach blanket, and they sat down for a moment to take in the scene before them. Maxie draped her legs over Spinelli’s and cuddled close to him, nuzzling his neck. He stared down at her. She was wearing a flimsy yellow bikini and was almost impossibly gorgeous. He would never tire of looking at her.

“Spin,” said Maxie. “Will you put some sunscreen on me?” She handed him the bottle. “Of course,” he said. “The Jackal will be most exceedingly pleased to oblige.” He began spreading the sunscreen on her body, the touch of her skin making him feel like he wanted much more of her. When he was done, he kissed the tip of her nose and then kissed her deeply on the lips. They could not get enough of the taste of each other these days.

“Now you,” he said when they finally broke away. Maxie took the bottle and began spreading sunscreen on Spinelli’s chest. He really was a beautiful man. Every day she could feel herself falling more in love with him. She slipped her hand into the waistband of his bathing trunks and pulled him toward her. She kissed him again and then ran her hands through his hair, pushing it back off his face. “I think it’s about time for a proper haircut,” she said. “I want to see that beautiful face of yours.” He grinned at her. “Whatever you like, my love,” he said.

When they finally ventured down to the water, Maxie was a little tentative. The water was kind of cold, and the waves were rather rough at times. Spinelli ran into the water exuberantly while she watched him. He had such joy for life now, and he filled her heart with amazing joy too. He came back to her, scooped her up into his arms and ran back into the water with her. “Come on, chicken,” he said. “This is what we’re here for. Let’s enjoy it. Let’s get wet and play.” His sense of fun was infectious, and Maxie was soon following him into deeper water. Spinelli disappeared under the water for a moment, and Maxie looked around, a little alarmed. But then she felt his body press against hers and his lips on her neck as he slipped out of the water. “Don’t do that!” she giggled. “I was actually scared there for a minute.” Spinelli smiled at her and kissed her softly. “Never worry about me, Maxie,” he said. “There is nothing on this earth that could take me away from you.”

When they came out of the water, they went to lay down on the blanket. Spinelli put a towel around Maxie and another one around himself. He lay looking up at the sky, while she lay looking over at him. They had had so many fun days together since she finally confessed her feelings for him. He was everything she could have hoped for and more. She was head over heels in love with this man. “Spin,” she said, but he didn’t hear her. He was lost somewhere in his daydreams. “Sweetie ... Spin … Damian!” That got his attention. He rolled over on top of her and looked down at her. “What is it you wish, oh vision of loveliness?”

She pulled him closer and nibbled on his ear, making him moan with desire. “Maximista wants to know the Jackal in the carnal sense,” she whispered to him. “She wants to feel him inside her. She wants to wrap herself around him and show him the full extent of her unbridled lust for him. She wants him to know down in the very deepest part of him that his Maximista will love him till the end of time.”

And with no further ado, Spinelli quickly gathered up all their things and they hurried back to their beach house. As soon as they closed the door, they stripped off their clothing and pressed their naked bodies together, giving in to their passion for each other. It was just another day in love. :)