by Erin Havoc
“Yeah,” the receptionist voices. “He’s dating. Crazy, right? Never thought he would date someone someday.”
“Exactly. He’s never been into dating, which means he changed his mind about it. Now I have a shot.”
I frown. She has a shot? How, if he’s dating me?
The receptionist laughs. “Girl, I’m not following. He’s already dating. How the hell do you have a shot?”
“Obviously he changed his mind about dating. Now I just have to wait for him to kick that fat ass and look my way.” She laughs. “Have you even seen her? She doesn’t stand a chance.”
“Well, she’s pretty. She has a pretty face.”
“So what? Mark’s a hunk of a man. He ain’t settling for a girl like that. I’m here now, and soon enough he’ll give in.”
The receptionist tuts, and I’m gripping my phone so hard my knuckles bleach. I want to turn around and curse them, tell them they’re badmouthing someone who’s next to them and make them feel ashamed. I want to go to Mark and make out in front of them so they know that we’re together, and very for real.
But are we?
How much of what they say resonates with me? How much rings a little too close to the truth?
I know nothing about Mark’s past and why he didn’t do dating. But they’re right about one thing.
He is hot as hell. And I’m… Not the kind of girl he dates. That’s for sure.
The receptionist starts to say something, but I’m out. I’m done with listening to that. I’m afraid of how often will I have to face people who don’t think he loves me or that we’re a couple. Afraid I’m getting used to being loved by him, only for him to kick me for a skinny girl.
My heart wouldn’t handle that.
Maybe… Maybe I should plant my feet on the ground once more. Let this beautiful dream go and come back to reality.
It has been an intense, amazing night with him. But it might be too dangerous. Too dangerous for my heart.
12
* * *
MARK
Amber’s twenty minutes late.
What bothers me is not that she’s late per se. It’s that these are twenty minutes I’m not seeing her. Twenty minutes I could be kissing her lips and palming her ass, and I could be telling her how incredible she is, and I’m wasting this time standing by the gym’s entrance.
I check my phone but she hasn’t messaged me. Worry creeps into my heart. She said she doesn’t work far, so she would walk here.
Was she mugged?
The thought sends my heart beating like crazy. I swallow, walking to the sidewalk and looking up and down. She’s not in sight.
If someone’s hurt her, I swear, I’m finding this person and kicking their teeth in even before they have the time to ask for forgiveness.
That feral beast in my chest awakes. My instincts flare up at the idea of having to protect Amber. I need to find her and be sure she’s safe. I cannot bear the possibility of her being hurt.
I call her. She doesn’t pick up. The call goes to voice mail.
“Hey, babe,” I say, trying to sound less grave than I feel. “Tell me where you are. Your man’s starting to get worried. I love you.”
I have never been a man of endearments and sweet-nothings and declarations. Hell, I’m pretty sure the only woman I’ve ever said those three words was my mom. But with Amber, it feels right. Natural.
As much as the possessive need to find and protect her.
Turning to Mia, our receptionist, I wave my fingers to catch her eye.
“Yes, Mark?”
“Have you, for a chance, seen a red-haired around here?”
Sara, an old student who came back from the dead today, reaches us that next moment. “Oh, are you waiting for that girl on your Instagram?”
I blink. “Yeah. Exactly. We were supposed to go for lunch but she’s late.”
Sara walks closer and reaches a hand for me. I take a sidestep before she can touch me.
She’s always been too handsy and I’ve never given her that intimacy. Since she knows I’m dating, that’s all the worse.
“You know, if she ghosted you, I can go in her place. If she hasn’t shown up, she’s not that interested. Maybe she just caught the drift.”
“Drift?” I cock a brow, and I’m growing impatient. Taking a breath, I tell myself I should not lash out at her because she’s my client. At the same time, I’m not needing money that desperately that I have to take shit from her. “What drift?”
“That she’s nothing next to you, of course.” Sara goes on, reaching out again and forcing me to step back once more. “I mean, you’re a Greek god. She’s more like the ugly duckling.”
I feel a vein throbbing in my temple. “Excuse me, who the hell are you calling an ugly duckling? Because surely you don’t mean Amber. Surely you don’t mean the woman I am going to marry? I can’t believe you’d be so disrespectful now, would you?”
Sara halts and swallows, her eyes widening. She hesitates but goes on. “Well, she doesn’t look all that much in the pictures. And if she’s anything like the fat girl that was here when I entered, she needs a diet before she gets a boyfriend like you.”
My throat closes. “Mia,” I hiss to the receptionist. “Cancel Sara’s subscription on the grounds of mistreating classmates. I’m not taking this shit. And surely not from someone who never manages more than two series because she hasn’t eaten the whole day. I don’t give a shit about what you’re doing to your body, but that’s just hypocrisy.”
“What?” Sara gasps, “I’m just telling…”
“Wait,” I stop her mid-mumbling. “You said something about a girl when you entered?”
“Yeah, red-hair, was wearing a green dress,” Mia calls from her desk. “I haven’t seen her face so I can’t say if it’s the same girl from your pictures.”
“When?”
“Some forty minutes ago?”
Fuck. Everything made sense now. Amber was early, waiting by the door, and someone said some shit about me, her or the two of us. She ghosted me because she’s hurt. She isn’t picking her calls because she’s afraid whatever she heard is the truth.
I need to find her. I need to find her and show her nothing matters. Nothing but the two of us.
13
* * *
AMBER
I am such a coward.
Mark has called me four times. He has messaged me asking where I am. He has left voice-mails I have no guts to listen to. I’m sure his voice will break me up.
And I’m at work. I can’t just start crying out of nowhere. People here already give me the side-eye because of my size. I don’t need to become known as a crier too.
I know I should message him to say I don’t want to talk to him, or that I’m done with our beautiful fantasy, but I don’t want to. I don’t want to answer his questions, and I don’t want to think about this pain.
When I get home, I’ll cry me a river and then I’ll call him and finish this. But not now, and not here. At home, by myself, no one will mind if I’m ugly-crying. No one will bother me if I stuff my face with ice cream.
It’s lonely. But it’s what I have.
Mark and I need this time apart. This way, hopefully, he’ll see we’re not really meant to be together. He’ll see everything was a silly fling and he’ll let me go before I get too attached.
Even if I already am. Even if my heart is his and I love him too much.
Olivia, the girl who sits next to me, plops on her chair with a loud sigh. “I need a new boyfriend.”
She’s constantly changing boyfriends, so that’s not the first time I hear that. “Oh? What happened?”
She shrugs. “Nothing in particular. I just wish he was more romantic.”
“Like sending you flowers?”
She turns her computer back on, sighing again. “No, more dramatic. More like… If I broke up with him, he’d come to my job, demanding to see me and have a new chance, this kind of thing.”
; A chortle escapes me. “That’s oddly specific. Have you seen that in a movie?”
“No,” she shakes her head, not looking at me. “There’s this hot guy downstairs doing just that. He’s asking for an Amber, looks like he can’t contact her.”
My heart skips a beat and I turn my chair to face her. “What?”
She looks at me, cocking a brow. “Yeah. He’s pretty pissed the receptionist won’t let him in.”
“How does he look like? Dark blond hair?”
Her brows slowly tilt up. “Yeah. What…”
It’s Mark. He must have gotten my work address from my subscription form. I shoot up to my feet.
Olivia’s eyes widen but her lip tilts to a side. “Wait. You’re not the Amber he’s looking for.”
It’s not a question, and it pisses me off.
“Why not?” I ask and, for the first time in forever, there’s heat and threat in my words. I dare her to answer me.
She gives me a once-over. Olivia’s been one of the people here who love to point out what I’m eating. Who loves to inspect the size of my clothes. She doesn’t answer me, her gaze telling me my size is the reason a man like Mark wouldn’t date me.
The fact Mark’s here fuels me up. He has come after me. I tilt my chin and I raise my head.
“Why not, Olivia? Because I’m a size fourteen? Because I’d rather eat Thai food instead of starving half-to-death to please other people?” My face heats up but a smile, no, a grin stretches my lips. “Looks like he doesn’t care about it. Looks like size doesn’t make someone’s personality. Who could tell?”
I care not for the irony in my words, and I care less for the wide-eyed stare she’s shooting my way as I turn around and sprint to the elevator. My heart’s skipping inside my chest, glad, free.
And I’m fucking proud of what I just said.
When I reach the lobby, my gaze meets Mark’s. We are attracted to one another and I know I’d find him anywhere in a crowd.
“Babe,” he calls from the other side of the reception. Relief washes over his face. “You got me so worried,” then his expression changes to anger. “Did someone hurt you? Did someone say something mean to you?”
I reach him, and I let him hug me. It seems like he was making a scene for there are some people who have stopped to watch us.
“I did overhear a nasty conversation,” I mutter against his chest, feeling ashamed I let those words hurt me. “But it wasn’t your fault. I should have waited for you.”
He kisses the top of my head. “I’m so sorry, baby. You are perfect the way you are, don’t let people’s meanness reach you.”
“I know,” I take a step back so I can look up at him. “I’m sorry I lost my fire somewhere along the way. It won’t happen again.”
He cups my cheeks, carefully. “If that’s you without your fire, I can’t wait to see how hard you burn.” He smiles, leans forward and kisses me softly.
I kiss him back, but before I can get into a real kiss, he lets me go. When I open my eyes, he’s not standing anymore.
He’s down on one knee.
My heart pretty much stops, and I hear the surrounding gasps echoing mine.
“Mark?” I murmur and he’s holding me around my hips, looking up with so much care in his eyes it makes me tear up.
“I don’t want to let any more misunderstandings between us. I haven’t got a ring, but we’ll get one as soon as we’re out of here.” He smiles. “I love you. I don’t care how fast we’re going. I don’t care what anyone thinks. I love you and I want you forever. Will you marry me?”
A tear threatens to spill down my face. I’m grinning as I nod, and I repeat “yes” many times as he gets up and kisses me, over and over and over, until his lips are engraved on mine.
And I couldn’t be happier. For I have him, and that’s all we need. One another.
Forever.
Epilogue
* * *
Mark
One Year Later
Of all the yoga positions, I had to walk in as she’s in downward dog.
“Baby,” I call her with a sigh. “You know it’s tough for me not to fuck you constantly. You could try to help me for a change.”
She chuckles. “If you can’t handle my ass up in the air, you shouldn’t walk in as I’m doing yoga.”
Standing next to her, I wait for her to pull a leg in front of her and change positions so her head’s up. I lean in and give her a quick peck before sipping from my coffee.
“How is it going?” I watch her breathing deeply in and sinking lower into that position. Our baby is a month away from being born, and the heavy belly changes her center of mass so she’s always careful with her movements now.
Amber started doing yoga a couple of months after we found out she was pregnant. She said she wanted to keep her flexibility and muscle strength throughout pregnancy and watching her sink into downward with that belly was impressive.
But her plump ass up into the air gives me a painful hard-on every single time. We’ve been married for almost a year and yet, I haven’t learned how to handle how hot she is.
“It’s okay,” she answers after coming back up. “I thought it would be harder with the belly on the way, but the flexibility helps.”
“You’re amazing, you know that?” I smile. She smiles back, and I’m glad she hasn’t gotten tired of me telling her this. Because I surely am not done praising her.
“Thank you, baby,” she stops and stands up, bringing a hand to her belly and taking a sharp breath in.
“Baby? What’s wrong?” I’m by her side in the next second, bracing her up.
She shakes her head. “Just a practice contraction. I’m going to get some water.”
“No, you sit down and I’m doing that.”
I bring her a glass of water and she sips from it as the two of us rub her belly. Our child moves a little, feeling the contraction, and I kiss Amber’s temple as she breathes slowly, in and out.
“Being pregnant hasn’t been as hard as I expected,” she says after a moment. “But I’m ready for her, or him, to be out.”
I take the empty glass from her hand and pause it by my foot. “I can’t wait to meet our child, but you do look incredibly hot in that belly.”
She cocks a brow. “So hot, all swollen up.” She stretches her leg and wiggles her toes. “Sometimes I miss my fingers. They all turned into sausages.”
“They have not. And yeah, you do look hot as hell. Though that’s the usual you.” I kiss her again, running my hands down her thigh. “Do you want me to massage your feet?”
“You spoil me,” she grins, that mischievous grin I love. “But I’m thinking about something else.”
Her hand comes to my cock, and it’s hard as steel as she gawks at me.
“What?”
“You’re so hard, baby,” she coos, jerking me off over my trousers. “Whatever is that for?”
“I’ve already told you, you should avoid that downward dog pose. I’m always hard around you, but that pose is to die for.”
She scoots closer. “Do you think we can fuck before breakfast?”
My cock twitches. “There’s only one way to find out.”
Amber stretches her neck and we kiss. Soon enough she’s sitting on my lap with her back to me, and I press her amazing tits together over the sports bra.
“You’ve always had perfect tits,” I bite her ear, making her shiver. “But they’re in their prime when you’re pregnant.”
She rolls her hips over my cock, almost driving me to the edge. “How are we going to manage when I give birth?”
“Simple,” I bite her neck harder until she’s squirming and moaning above me. One of my hands slips under her bra to pinch her nipple as I let the other enter her leggings to part her lower lips. “I’ll just keep you pregnant. Let’s have a soccer team worth of kiddos around the house.”
“Fair enough,” she chuckles, reaching around her to pull my pants down.
I take he
r, and I kiss her, and I murmur against her hair how much I love her. For the best part of all this is that she’s mine and I’m hers. All the steps I’ve taken my whole life led me to this.
She’s mine and I’m hers, and nothing can go wrong while we’re together.
THE END
Cherry
I don't mind spending the Holidays alone.
Or so I try to tell my best friend.
But she's keen on taking me along...
I can't tell her the real reason I don't want to spend a weekend with her family.
She cannot know her older brother is the only man I've ever wanted.
Tyler
I tried to keep my distance.
I'm older than her. Much older.
But even if Cherry is my little sister's best friend, I can't think of anyone else.
Her curves are part of my filthiest dreams.
All I have to do is keep my hand off her for a weekend.
1
* * *
CHERRY
Snowflakes drift outside the window. They’re pilling up on the windowsill, and my mind floats to the kitchen cabinet. Do we still have chocolate powder? It would be amazing to make some hot cocoa and snuggle up on my bed to read while it’s snowing. So dreamy.
My wanders are cut short when something hits me straight to the face.
“What the—,” I break the insult off as the offender drops on my lap, over the book I’ve been reading. It’s my overnight bag, a small fuchsia thing that fits only a couple of outfits. Looking up, I meet Liz’s eyes. “You know, I think you just dropped this. In my face.”
Liz opens a grin, crossing her arms over her chest. “I threw it, Cherry.” She leans forward, her eyes glinting with a threat. “On purpose.”
I cover my heart with a hand. “Gratuitous violence. The cold has driven you mad.” My eyes widen. “You’ve gone Johnny, like in The Shining!”