Twenty-One.

Once again, no proof reading. I'm so excited to be writing again that I just want to get it out there and 'published'. =]

Rylie's POV

I sit across from Max in the living room, feeling very much like the teenager that has been sent to the Principals office on account of bad behavior. He looks at me, and all I can do is look back. We both know what we should be talking about, but still.. neither of us dare speak.



This is an awkward situation for us to be in. He never wanted anything to do with children, and up until a couple of months ago I didn't want anything to do with him. It's ironic how the world works when one sits back and thinks about it. Because with all of this not wanting anything to do with things, we were now thrown into a situation that neither of those wishes could be made a reality. I was having this baby, there was no getting around that so Max would have something to do with children, no matter what way he looked at it. The fact that he is here is just enough to assure me of that. And seeing as he was the father of the thing growing inside of me, it's not as if I could simply avoid him now either.



After another few seconds of silence, I speak up.



"So..." I say with a shrug of my shoulders, not really knowing how to get this conversation rolling. He sighs before speaking up himself.



"Do you want to discuss us first, or Junior?" he finally replies, sitting back against the back rest of the couch while I fidget in my chair, pulling my legs up to my chest.



"I guess we should start with us. I think that has a lot to do with how we are going to deal with Junior," I answer, putting emphasis on his new nickname for our child.



"Alright then," he says while clapping his hands together. I can't believe how incredibly awkward this is for the both of us.. "Where do we stand?"



"I want to be with you."



"I want to be with you, too," he replies while a smirk crosses his face. We both sit there and stare at each other, not knowing where to go from here. I feel embarrassed under his intense gaze after my sudden splurge of emotions, so I duck my head while I feel my cheeks flush. "Come here," he whispers softly, indicating the empty spot next to him on the couch. I do as told, and automatically wish I didn't when I feel his arms wrap around me.

"I want to be able to trust you again," I sigh, taking a deep breath and relishing in the scent that is 'Max'.

"And I want to be trustworthy," he says with a nod of his head.

"I want to be able to talk to you like I use to; about anything and everything."

"I can be a great listener," he answers while squeezing me tighter.

"You have to let me in 100%. You have to let me know what randomness is floating around in that Talbot mind, so I can keep up with it and have counter responses."

"I can do that," he answers with yet another nod of his head.

"You can't expect me to read your mind like you use to."

"Mhm mhmm," he mumbles while moving my hair away from my neck, quickly replacing it by his lips which start trailing light kisses toward my collar bone.

"Your party boys don't have to stop completely, but you can't leave me sitting at home wondering where you are at."

"I would never," he groans while shifting me so that I'm not sitting on top of him, straddling him.

"You can't expect me to pick up after you all the time either. It's your shit too."

"You'll be treated like a queen," he answers while placing his hand on my neck, bring my lips down to his for a soft, sweet kiss.

"We have to be a team," I mumble. He nods his head in response and then just stares at me as the tears start to fall down my face. "Because I don't know what I'm doing," I admit while throwing my hands in the air. "You can't push this all off on me, because I've seen you with kids, you are amazing. Me on the other hand?" I shake my head side to side in response, not knowing what else to do to answer that question. He wipes the tears away from my face before holding my hands in his own.

"So, now I've gotten a list of all the things that I can't do.." he says with a small smile. I nod my head yes while biting my lip, waiting for his list of demands in response. "But can I still touch you here?" he asks with a smirk before placing his hands on my ass, pulling me down harder on his lap.

Max's POV

She bites her lip even more, giving me a timid smile and a nod of her head.

"Or here?" I continue, grabbing one of her boobs in my hand firmly, noticing how she flinches from them being sore, but never once asking me to stop.

"Mhmm," she mumbles, starting to squirm slightly on my lap. I pick her up gently, laying her down on the couch before laying down next to her.

"And what about here?" I ask while trailing my hand down her stomach, stopping in between her legs. Her legs automatically part a little, making the smirk on my face grow. Not being able to take it any longer, I push my lips up against hers and begin to pick her up, but she stops me.

"What about Junior?" I take a deep breath before answering her as honestly as possibly.

"I think it's a great addition to the family. Our family," I add while placing my hand on her stomach.

"We'll have to make her happy," she comments while her eyes begin to water again.

"Her, huh?" I ask with a chuckle, to which she just nods her head again. "And what will make her happy?"

"A happy momma," she says with a devilish smile.

"And what makes momma happy?" I continue, playing along with her game.

"You," she replies while grabbing for my belt and pulling me toward her.