Tapout

by J.C. Valentine

  Ally sat perfectly still as Don eased down and knelt before her. “I know it’s Jamison you’re marrying, but it’s kind of a package deal. You get him, you get me, and vice versa. You think you can live with that?”

  Grinning, Ally held out her hand. “Yes, I think I can live with that.” The ring slid easily onto her finger, and she stared at it, her smile radiant.

  “All right, then. I’m going to make up the couch and leave you to it.” Standing, Don headed for the door. “And no funny business, young lady. The man needs his rest.”

  “I don’t know,” Jami returned. “With all this excitement, and the drugs starting to kick in, I’m feeling a second wind coming on.”

  “Fine,” Don grumbled. “Just keep the noise to a minimum and wrap it up. I’m too young for grandchildren.”

  “Not according to Ally. What did you say he was, babe, seventy?”

  “Hey!” Ally and Don said at once. “You weren’t supposed to tell him,” Ally complained. “If I thought you wouldn’t pass out from the pain, I would smack you.”

  “You love me too much to hurt me.” Puckering his lips, Jami lured her in for a gentle kiss, one that quickly surpassed G and went straight for rated-R.

  “I’m leaving now.” They didn’t bother to acknowledge Don’s grumbling. He’d made a huge concession tonight allowing Ally to wear Milly’s ring, and that spoke volumes to Jami. They might not be best buddies, but he and Ally had come a long way.

  “He’s gone,” Jami whispered conspiratorially.

  “Finally, I thought he’d never leave.” She gave him an exaggerated eye roll.

  Jami chuckled, amused. “Quick, take off all your clothes.”

  “Why, it’s not like we can have sex.” Her mouth was protesting, but her hands were obeying. Standing, Ally stripped down to her underwear and climbed back into bed, lying down beside him.

  “No, but I can still look at you.” His gaze traced over each of her curves, mapping out the path he planned to take once he was recovered. “You’re beautiful. More than beautiful,” he amended. “Magnificent.”

  “Magnificent?” She laughed. “That’s cheesy, even for you.”

  Jami couldn’t take his eyes off her. She agreed to be his wife, and she was entrusting him with her future. He felt… humble. “Come here.” Cautiously, Ally shifted until her body touched against his. “Closer, I won’t break.” Gently, she draped her arm across his stomach and rested her cheek on his shoulder. Jami sighed with contentment and closed his eyes. “This is how I want it to always be for us. Right here. I love you, Ally.”

  “Love… you… too,” she said around a yawn. Her breaths grew heavier as she nestled closer to him, hitching her leg over his. Burying his face in her hair, Jami allowed the darkness to take over and carry him away.

  EPILOGUE

  Alyson couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She read the directions again. And again. She’d done it wrong, she concluded and opened a fresh box.

  The result was the same.

  Fine, she’d go with it and just pretend that it wasn’t an issue and move on with her day. Would Jami be disappointed? What about Don? How would he react?

  Man, she’d never screwed up so badly before. It made her anxious. And there was only one person she knew who would make her feel better.

  “Took you long enough! So, how did it go?” Olivia asked cautiously, but with a hint of hopeful exuberance in her voice. “God, the suspense is killing me! Tell me now. No, wait. I have to sit down first. Should I sit down first?”

  Her rambling brought a smile to Alyson’s face and helped calm her roiling stomach. “It, uh… went well?”

  “How is that a question? Did it or didn’t it?”

  Alyson dropped her head into her hand and sighed. “It did.” The scream Liv unleashed tore through Alyson’s head, and she ripped the phone from her ear, holding it out at arm’s length.

  “O.M.G. So, what did he say?”

  “I called you first.”

  “Aw, I feel so honored. You two have the perfect life. I hate you, you know. Like, I want to flush your head down the toilet kind of hate.”

  “I love you, too.” Alyson grinned and wiggled her toes against the cool honeycomb tiled floor. Worry niggled at her brain the more she pictured herself breaking the news to Jami. He’d been happy lately. More than happy, actually. As soon as the casts came off six months ago, he’d jumped feet first into the gym as both owner and personal trainer. With a championship title under his belt, Knockout was garnering a lot of attention from local residents and some as far away as California. Jami had even been requested to help train a guy to fight, and he was giving it some serious consideration.

  Things between them were excellent. Since Olivia had been the first to suggest it, they’d decided on a summer wedding, and when she wasn’t working at the gym, Alyson was working on finalizing the details. By mid-June, they’d be standing on a beach in the Keys speaking their nuptials and exchanging rings.

  It was all very surreal. She never thought she’d find love, let alone love with Jami. He was her dream made reality, and he reminded her every day why she fell in love with him. Everyone should have someone like that in their lives. Someone to hold their hand through all the rough patches and share their laughter during the calm.

  She wanted that for Olivia, so much. “How is Spencer?”

  “Good, really good,” Liv said, and Alyson thought she detected a hint of a smile in her voice. “They’re releasing him from rehab next week. He’s been doing really well. Even this therapist thinks he’ll be fine, as long as he sticks to his meetings and continues to stay away from his triggers. He, uh… he wants to see Jami,” she finished softly.

  Alyson cringed. “I don’t know. Jami’s still pretty upset over everything that happened. He knows how hard Spencer is working, but well, he needs more time.”

  “How much time?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Do you think he’ll be ready to see him before the wedding? I’d really like to bring him.”

  Alyson chewed her lip. “I’ll talk to him. I’m sure he’ll come around. Just tell Spencer to be patient, and that I’m proud of him.”

  “I thought you wanted to kill him, too,” Liv laughed tightly.

  It was no secret that Alyson would have liked nothing more than to wring his neck, but Spencer was getting help, so she figured she owed him another chance. “I did, but not anymore. I’m just happy he’s getting his life back together. Just be careful,” she warned. “He’s still an addict.”

  “I know, and I will. All right, enough with the heavy. Get off this phone, and go talk to your man!”

  Alyson was smiling as she hung up and got dressed. After working her shift, she’d decided to shower while she waited for Jami to finish up on the floor. He liked to oversee all orders of operation, which meant he was always the last to leave. Tonight, as Alyson left the locker room with her gym bag hitched over her shoulder, she came to a sudden stop, the breath sucked from her lungs.

  “What is all this?” she breathed, noting the soft amber glow of flickering candles creating a path leading to the boxing ring at the far end of the room where Jami stood waiting. He was dressed in crisp black slacks, a black tie, and a white button up, holding a single red rose at his side. His hair was damp from a recent shower, and the smile he wore was heart-stopping.

  Following the given path, she stepped carefully over the crimson rose petals, reaching out to take Jami’s hand so he could pull her into the ring.

  “This,” he said, exchanging her gym bag for the rose, “is me attempting to romance you.” Holding up a small remote, the stereo clicked on, and the soft strains of “Angels” by The xx began to play.

  Blinking back tears as memories of their first dance came rushing back, Alyson tied her hands behind his neck and smiled up at him. “I’d say you’re succeeding.”

  Dipping his head down, Jami’s lips moved against hers, his tongue slipping into her mouth. He
kissed her slowly, taking his time as they swayed together to the music. “So, you’re romanced?”

  Eyes still closed, Alyson smiled. “I’m romanced.”

  “Whew! Then let me get out of this monkey suit.” Stepping back, Jami began tearing his clothes off. “I swear this tie is trying to strangle me.”

  Unable to contain herself, Alyson threw her head back and laughed. “As hot as you look, I’m so glad you said that. I was starting to feel seriously underdressed.” She waved her hand over the pair of cut-offs and grey tissue-T she wore.

  Wearing only the tailored slacks, Jami slid his arm around her. “You would make a paper sack look good. But now I’m the one feeling underdressed. I think you need to remove your top.”

  “Again with the romance. If you’re not careful, I might start demanding it.”

  “Now that I know I can do it, I might just give it to you without you having to ask,” Jami countered. They kissed again, and then he directed her attention to the far corner of the ring where a blanket had been laid out. Two white porcelain plates complete with napkin wrapped silverware framed a silver dome she assumed hid some type of a fancy dinner.

  “Now, despite the way it looks, it’s nothing fancy,” Jami said, completely blowing that theory to pieces. Lifting the lid, he revealed a perfectly round pizza covered in what looked like every topping available.

  The spicy aroma of melted cheese and meat hit her hard, and her stomach flipped. Alyson held her breath to keep from getting sick. “Looks tasty,” she said with forced cheer.

  “You don’t like it.” Jami’s smile fell.

  “No, I do, I—” She swallowed, suppressing the urge to gag. “Can you put the lid back on, please?” He did, but he didn’t look happy about it. With the smell fading from the air, Alyson breathed easier, and the nausea passed. There was no putting this off, not with Jami looking at her as if he were a child, and she’d just taken his puppy away.

  “I’m sorry. I thought you would like it. This was just easier than cooking.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “Fuck, I’m just sorry. I’ll make it up to you.”

  Leaning across the blanket, Alyson took his hand. “It’s great. I love it.”

  “You hate it.”

  “I love it,” she insisted. “It’s perfect, but I—” The words stalled on her tongue. How did she tell him? Should she try to make it special, or just blurt it out? Jami I’m pregnant. No, that didn’t feel right. But he was waiting for an answer, and that look on his face was killing her. Like a bandage, she told herself.

  Cupping her cheek, the sadness in Jami’s eyes made her want to burst into tears. “But what?”

  Scooting closer on her knees, Alyson mirrored his gesture, placing her hand against his fresh shaven jaw, and stared into his dark eyes. “But the baby doesn’t like pizza. Apparently. Judging from the way I almost threw up just now.” She waited, giving him a hopeful smile. When Jami’s expression remained blank, her heart began pounding in her chest. She’d thought the worst reaction he could give would be anger, but she was wrong. Indifference was so much worse. “Say something,” she implored.

  Jami sat frozen, his eyes glazed. She’d been afraid he would yell, or pace the floors, question her mercilessly, but somehow, this was worse. The total silence felt like a punch to the gut. What if he didn’t want their baby? Then she’d raise it on her own, she decided fiercely. But she didn’t need to worry about any of that.

  Dropping his hand from her face, Jami covered her flat abdomen with both hands, catching her off guard. “Are you sure?”

  “I took two tests.”

  “And they’re sure?”

  “As sure as they can get.”

  “How did this happen?”

  He pressed his ear to her stomach, and Alyson chuckled. “I’m pretty sure it had something to do with sex.” Even though she was sitting on her knees, he managed to smack her rear-end.

  “Sassy mouth,” he mumbled.

  Alyson listened as he spoke to their unborn child. Some of the things he said turned her into a leaky faucet, while others had her laughing. Running her fingers through his wild hair, she couldn’t believe how great the night had turned out. From worry to elation in under an hour. “So you’re okay with this?”

  Lifting his head, the smile Jami wore was devastating. “You’ve agreed to marry me and you’re giving me a son or daughter, a family. I couldn’t be more okay with it.”

  Grabbing her face in both hands, Jami mashed their lips together. The force of his attack knocked Alyson onto her back, and Jami followed. “Fuck, I love you so much. More than anything.”

  Alyson helped him shed their clothes, and as their bodies united, she closed her eyes and immersed herself in the kind of pleasure that only Jami could give her, the kind that they would give each other forever, and she realized that while they may have met as children, this was their true beginning.

  The end.

  Dear reader,

  Thank you for reading Tapout. If you enjoyed reading about Jami and Ally, please consider leaving a review where you downloaded it so that others can find it, too.

  Visit my Amazon author page for links to all of my books.

  More from J.C. Valentine

  Knockout

  Wayward Fighters Book 1

  From the wrong side of the tracks...

  Alyson Blake had learned early on that the only one she could depend on was herself. The only light in her life was a boy whom everyone agreed was destined for prison; but with his first kiss, he had set her soul on fire. Since the day the police dragged him away in handcuffs, she had managed to lead a quiet life, but when she attends an event fraught with mayhem, trouble resurfaces.

  The one person she can’t forget...

  Jamison Weston is the kind of guy dads load their shotguns for; endowed with a hot temper and a rap sheet as long as both tattooed arms. Known as “The Judge,” Jami’s hot temper, lethal fists, and cocky attitude have earned him respect and admiration both in and out of the ring. But just when he thinks he’s pummeled his past to death, Alyson Blake reenters his life.

  Two paths collide…

  After years of separation, Alyson is eager to reexplore the man who’s never left her thoughts, but for Jamison, she’s both the distraction he wants, but doesn’t need. As the two embark on a relationship that neither of them expected or bargained for, an outside threat closes in. When Alyson crosses the line of professionalism and takes her work home with her, her life is put in danger, leaving Jamison with no choice but to once again step in and become her protector.

  Other Books Available by J.C. Valentine:

  Stranded

  That First Kiss

  Surrender to Love

  Trust

  About the Author

  J.C. Valentine

  Best selling author J.C. Valentine is the alter-ego of Brandi Salazar, whose enjoyment of tales of romance spurred her to branch out and create her own.

  She lives in the Northwest with her husband, their wild children, and far too many pets. As a university student, she studies literature, which goes well with her dream of becoming an editor. Brandi entertains a number of hobbies including reading and photography, but her first love is writing fiction-in all its forms. Connect with JC on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/JCValetineAuthor