Truth or Dare

“Fran, can you pass me the orange juice?” Maggie asks as they all sit and have a great lunch in the New York sun. “Sure sweetie” Fran leans over to hand her the juice.

Maxwell sits back, propped up on both elbows enjoying the sun. it was a good idea to com out of the office today and enjoy a nice day with his family. He knows he doesn’t do this often enough and directly makes a mental note of taking more time off to spend with them. Fran is sitting next to him. Strange how they always end up next to each other.

Fran looks beside her. “Are you enjoying the picnic Mr. Sheffield?” She loves to see him relaxed for a change. He is always so busy, forgetting to live and spend time with his family and .. her. He is dressed in Levi’s jeans with a black polo shirt. As much as she loves him in his suits, Maxwell Sheffield in jeans is something else as well. It gave her a chance to see his great tush in all its glory.

“It was a great idea, Miss Fine” he looks to his right where she is enjoying a sandwich. “I was just thinking about how we should do this more often.”

Fran smiles at him. “Anything to get you in jeans Mr. Sheffield” she just has to play with him. The sun, the feeling of spring, it makes it all hard to not flirt with him.

Maxwell sits up and looks straight at her, “Well, I’d better make good use of these jeans then. Come on kids, who wants to play a little Frisbee?”

Maggie, Brighton and Grace first look at each other confused. Then Brighton jumps up. “Go away you space alien, what have you done to our father?” They all laugh hysterically and run away with the Frisbee. Only Maggie stays behind.

“Wow, dad is really in a good mood today.” She says looking at Fran.

“yeah, isn’t he? It must be the spring” Fran replies stretching her arms sideways.

“Yeah, love is in the air” with that Maggie winks at Fran and walks off to join her dad and siblings in a little game of Frisbee.

Fran smiles at the scene before her. Mr. Sheffield is laughing and running along with his kids. She sees the enjoyment on all their faces and her heart warms. It really feels like her own family. She loves them all so much. Her eyes fix on Mr. Sheffield again. As if he feels her stare he turns to her and waves. With a broad smile she waves back at the man she loves.

“Pffffff, I am not 25 anymore” Maxwell says as he sits down next to Fran again, breathing heavily. The kids didn’t feel like ending their game so soon.

“Ahw, I think you kept up just fine.” Fran pats Maxwell on his knee. “And like you once said, men improve with age like fine wine.”

Maxwell smiles as he puts his elbows on the grass behind him. “Thank you Miss Fine but I think you have had quite enough wine already this weekend.” He feels relaxed and at ease. They’ve known each other for two and a half years now. There is no need for tension. He could just joke about it and be relaxed. Hey could go on like this for ages and nothing would change. Maybe there would be more accidental kisses, he wouldn’t mind that at all. They knew how they felt about each other. But here in the sun he felt totally in control. He would never let it escalate again. It would be way too complicated. He was a gentleman after all, he could just keep his relationship with miss Fine decent.

Fran is happy to hear him joke about last night. She had never expected him to bounce back this quickly. She can’t help giving him a loving look. “Hmmmm, I did have a very good wine last night”.

Oh, he could handle a little flirting. He wasn’t new in this game either. “Yes, I recall tasting your wine rather thoroughly and I can say I have never tasted it sweeter.” He shifts his body so he lays on his side, propped up on one elbow facing Fran.

Fran stretches herself and lays down on her side as well, her body turned towards Maxwell. “Your brandy was pretty good as well. Strong, raw and burning hot.” She narrows her eyes as she looks at him, watching what chord she struck.

Maxwell feels his blood raising to his brains. God, this was just some innocent flirting and he couldn’t even handle it. The way she referred to last night made his temperature rise. He had to stay in control.

“Well.. uh.. yes it was a very good brandy” he stammers as he turned his head towards the field were the children were playing.

And there he went again. Fran felt his mood directly turn. She couldn’t believe how scared he was. He trhis his best to stay in control but when she pushed the flirting a little further. He got cold feet and backed off. She decides to get back on the safe track again.

“This is so much better than having them in front of the tv the whole day” she says reverting to the children.

“Yes… this was a very good idea” he absentmindedly says. With his fingers he is plucking pieces of grass.

“Isn’t it beautiful like this in spring?” she continues trying to get him out of his cone.

‘Yes, it is. In have always liked spring when I was a young boy. The flowers, the mild weather, the girls starting wearing skirts again.” He looks up at Fran, his mouth forms a light smile.

“Oh you must have been a real Romeo in your fancy scmansy school.” She gives a light push in his chest. He starts laughing.

“To tell you the truth, I was rather shy. I wasn’t really good with girls. I always got extremely nervous around them.”

Fran’s eyes start to light up. “Your’re kidding. Although… nothing has really changed.” Hole in one, she thinks.

Maxwell’s smile fades, was he so transparent? He didn’t like her thinking of him as nervous and insecure. Come on he could handle a woman. It had been a while, that’s true. Miss Fine was also not an easy woman but he wouldn’t let her get his goat this easy. He would show her that Maxwell Sheffield knew his way with women… with her.

“Oh.. you think I am nervous around women, miss Fine?” he lifted his finger and traced it along her bare arm.

Fran shivers, she hadn’t expected this. “I.. I’ she had to come up with something clever right now “ uh… well, you aren’t exactly a smooth guy, Mr. Sheffield.” It wasn’t much be she had to say something. His touch and proximity made her slightly nervous.

His finger reaches her hand and he picks up her hand with his own. He slowly brings the back of her hand to his mouth, not taking his eyes off hers. “Am I not?” he asks in a low sexy voice as he opens his lips slightly before pressing them on the skin of her hand. His lips softly glide over her skin leaving a soft wet trace. She feels his tongue pushing on her skin right between his lips. She closes her eyes. Maxwell watches her intently as he tastes her sweet and pure flavour. He could still do this. Make her want him.

His lips slowly release her hand. He is still watching her. Her eyes remain close for just a few seconds longer before she opens them and smiles.

“Changed your opinion, Miss Fine?” he asks, still holding her hand in his.

Fran grins mischievously “Hmmm I am not yet convinced”

Maxwell laughs “don’t push it Miss Fine, don’t push it”. As he releases her hand, she catches him off guard. She leans forward and pushes him over with two hands across his chest. When he’s flat on his back she immediately moves her hands to his hips and starts tickling him. Knowing very well he can’t handle that.

Maxwell start laughing and shaking his body “Please Stop it, stop it” he yells. He kicks with his legs and tries to push her hands away with his own. She doesn’t let him get out of this too easy, so she swaps one leg over his body, having one knee on both sides. As she sits above him she continues tickling him, being no match for the poor man. “Please Miss Fine” he hick-ups.

Suddenly she stops. Placing her hands next to his head. “See? You are no match for me” she smiles, looking down at him.

Before she realises it Maxwell has moved his hands to her hips and starts repaying her. Fran is totally ticklish and falls right off him on her back. Maxwell takes the advantage of getting on top of her just like Fran just was on him.

“Nooooooooooo, I … I … I can’t handle this. Pleaaaaaaaaasese” she screams. Maxwell finadecidecides to end her suffering. “Hmmm you are very ticklish Miss Fine” he says looking down at her. She looks lovely with her hair spread out all around.

She eyes him seductively “Hmmm, I am very sensitive….. everywhere”. She sees Maxwell swallowing hard, looking seriously at her. Fran thinks she can take advantage of this, moving her hands to his hips again. But Maxwell doesn’t let himself be fooled a second time. He grabs her by her wrists and places them above her head.
“What did you want Miss Fine?” his face is now very close to hers. Their eyes lock. Maxwell slowly moves his lips downwards towards her. Fran closes her eyes waiting for their lips to touch.

“Dad, Fraaaan” the screams of the children break them apart. ‘There we go again ..” Fran thinks.

“Hey, you love birds” Brighton walks up to them smiling. He grabs a sandwich from the basket Niles has prepared.

“I… I was just tickling Miss Fine” Maxwell stammers, trying to find an excuse for the position his son found him in.

‘Oh, is that what they call it these days?” he cleverly remarks as Grace and Maggie come and sit beside him.

“Hey, I don’t blame you dad” he says looking at Fran and his father. ‘I would actually blame you if you hadn’t fallen for Fran. Then I would have really doubt if you hadn’t spent too many years in the theatre. If I were your age… “

Maxwell raises one eyebrow. “Okay, I am shutting up now” Brighton says and looks down at his sandwich.

“You’d better!” Fran laughs. “You are getting a bit too wise here” she softly slaps him on the arm.

Fran looks at the children. They really seem okay with it. Of course, they are not crazy. They must have already sensed that there was more between her and Mr. Sheffield but Fran never knew how they actually felt about it.

Maxwell looks at the four people around him. Everyone seems happy. He was happy. He was happy being here with everyone he loves. But still …. Was he ready for a woman like Miss Fine? Was he ready to be totally swallowed by her love and passion?