chapter 5

Kaley managed to leave someone in charge of the restaurant and sneak home before seven on the day of Max's birthday. Max had already been home a couple of hours and was sitting with his feet up, take-out boxes and dirty plates, that looked like they had once contained the remains of the cake Kaley had made, were scattered around him.

'Happy birthday!' Kaley chimed, walking in. 'Take out? Is this what you eat when I'm not around to cook for you?' laughed Kaley.

'Well, it's not as good as your food, but it hits the spot!' chuckled Max, resting his hand on his bloated looking stomach.

'Here, I got you a present to make up for the failed cake,' Kaley announced, passing him a beautifully wrapped gift.

Max looked shocked and sat up in his chair. 'You really didn't need to do anything else for me!' he said, feeling a little embarrassed to be getting even more off Kaley. Still, he began to unwrap the present and smiled graciously at the present of a football shirt and new football. 'Ha, thanks,' he marvelled. 'Although my old football is a lot more tasty now it's covered in cake!'

'Is the shirt alright?' asked Kaley, looking anxious.

Max unfolded it and looked at it. 'I love it.' He studied it carefully, laid out in front of him. 'Looks big. What size is it?' he asked, reaching for the label.

'It's XXL,' jumped in Kaley.

'You trying to say something?' laughed Max, patting his rounder stomach.

Kaley suddenly felt a little embarrassed. 'I can take it back!' she replied straight away. 'I just thought you... you know. With all the cake and everything, this might fit better than the other ones you have' There really was no easy way to tell someone you anticipated them putting on more weight soon.

Max laughed, rubbing his stomach. 'No, you're probably right. I love it. There's no way you're taking it back.' He stood up and slipped off his t shirt, revealing his broad chest and bloated paunch. Kaley's eyes couldn't help but travel down to the hard looking stomach for the few seconds she had of seeing it before the new football shirt was put on. 'Feels good!' Max smiled. 'Thank you. It's not as big as I thought either,' he mused, feeling the fabric that surrounded him.

'It looks great!' Kaley smiled, walking back. 'I've got some leftovers in the car if you're not too full?'

'Bring them on!' laughed Max, sitting down in his chair again, his thick legs spread like he was ready to be challenged. Kaley smiled, grabbed her keys and went downstairs again.

Kaley realised she was probably overfeeding Max; but why not? She couldn't think of anyone else in the world who deserved to be spoiled as much with treats. Max's appetite was fantastic as well. He was tall and broad, so had clearly always been a good eater. There was just something so masculine about how much he could eat in one sitting and how he really didn't care about the extra weight he was carrying; not that he ever was brazen enough to walk about without a shirt on. Kaley found herself deliberately making too much in the restaurant so that she would have some to bring back to Max each night. He was always so grateful and complimentary about her food.

A couple of months later, Max dropped a meatball down his t shirt and it rolled the whole way along, staining it with red wine sauce on every part it touched. 'Shit!' Max exclaimed, looking down on himself.

'That stains really badly! Get it off quick and I'll rinse it,' offered Kaley, walking over and waiting for Max to take his shirt off.

Max slowly lifted off his t shirt revealing a now firm pot belly that sat under his broad chest. It was one thing to see Max getting heavier, but another to see it, there in front of her, looking so impressive. Max handed her the t shirt and then seemed to double over when he saw Kaley staring at his stomach. He covered it with his arms and apologised straight away. 'Sorry, I know I've put on a bit of weight. Hannah couldn't stand it when I didn't wear a shirt around the house. I'll go get a fresh one on.'

'Don't apologise!' Kaley said, embarrassed about how long she had actually been staring. 'I was just thinking how much it suits you. No need to dirty another shirt today.'

Max pulled his arms away from his stomach and relaxed a little. 'Thanks,' he sighed, a little relieved. Then he turned back to the leftover food, hunched over, picking at it again with his fingers. His belly folded twice in the middle in this awkward position creating two solid rolls of new fat; the lowest roll dripping over his waistband and half covering his crotch. His beefy ass stuck out awkwardly behind him and his crack could be seen due to his ever shrinking underwear.

'So Hannah never used to let you walk around the house without a shirt on?' asked Kaley curiously a few minutes later as Max finished the last of the leftovers.

'Not once I started putting on a bit of weight,' Max explained casually. 'She hated the extra lbs on me.' Kaley just shook her head. She didn't have a single good word to say about Hannah these days and Max knew it. 'It's not all her fault you know...' Max went on awkwardly. 'I'm not perfect myself.'

'Well, you're the most perfect man I've ever met,' laughed Kaley lightly, scrubbing Max's t shirt in the sink. 'Kind, sweet, laid back, great appetite and loves food. Why can't I find myself a guy like that?'

Max stood there awkwardly in the kitchen with his shirt off and belly out. 'Which reminds me,' Kaley went on still at the sink and concentrating on the t shirt. 'I wanted to try making this new flavour cheesecake tonight. See if it might work at the restaurant. If I make a few of them in different ways, do you think you could tell me which one is best?'

'Yeah, I'd love to,' he smiled, heading to sit down, but still noticeably awkward at being without a t shirt.

An hour later, Kaley was taking the cheesecakes out. She looked in to the living room to let Max know they wouldn't be long when she saw that Max had actually fallen asleep in front of the TV. Kaley walked around to get a better look. It wasn't often that she got to see Max shirtless. Maybe she had brought too much food home for him tonight and this was why Max was passed out by 8pm; or maybe it was the six bottles of beer resting on the table. He sat there, with his rounded stomach bulging out gently and a large hand resting on its increasingly spherical shape. He had probably gained close to 80lbs since his enforced diet and was likely to be close to 270lbs by now. He looked so handsome and well cared for, Kaley didn't have the heart to wake him and left him there whilst she finished tidying the kitchen.