by Nikki Ash
“I think this calls for another shot,” she says. I sit up and we both take a shot. Then we go back to watching The Bachelor. While she swoons over the guy, I point out all the lies women are telling, making her laugh.
Chapter Thirteen
Hayley
It’s Friday afternoon and I stop into the gym to see a few of the fighters before Caleb, Marco, and I head to Boulder to meet with his father’s attorney to discuss his will. The night Caleb confided in me I wanted to find his stepmom, Gloria, and beat the shit out of her. I wanted to make her pay for what she did to Caleb, but I knew Caleb wouldn’t want my pity, so I made a joke to make light of the conversation and it worked. We even became friends that night.
I’m getting all my files situated when Alex comes walking into my office without knocking and plops into a seat in front of my desk.
“Hey Alex, how’s your wrist doing?” I ask, coming around my desk, and taking his hand in mine to check out his finger function.
“It’s good, Doc. Thanks.”
“So what brings you by?”
“I haven’t seen you around lately. How’s Caleb doing?”
“He’s good. He’s healing.”
“That’s good. I was wondering if maybe we can go to dinner sometime.” Before Caleb and Marco moved in with me, I would have said yes, but now I feel like I need to focus on Marco and I’m not sure how I feel about dating with Caleb staying with me.
“Can I think about it?”
“Sure. How about you take my number and call or text once you decide.”
“Okay,” I say, handing him my cell phone to input his number in. I hear his phone ring and he laughs guiltily.
“Now I have your number as well.” He winks at me as he hands me back my phone. With a kiss on my cheek, he heads out the door.
“What was that about?” Liz asks, standing in the doorway as soon as Alex leaves.
“What?” I ask, not sure what she’s talking about.
She sits in the seat Alex was just sitting in.
“Alex kissing you on the cheek…”
“Alex kissed Hayley on the cheek?” Kayla asks, walking through the door without knocking and dropping into the seat next to Liz. Apparently today is drop in on Hayley day…
“He asked me out to dinner. No big deal.”
“And what did you say?” Kayla asks.
“I said I would think about it.”
“Uh huh,” she continues.
“Uh huh, what?” I plop back down into my seat.
“How are things going with Caleb?” Kayla asks. Of course Liz leaves the interrogation to her.
“Things are fine. He’s healing. His father passed away so we’re going to Boulder today to take care of his dad’s will. He and I have actually become friends.” I’m trying so hard to sound nonchalant.
“And how many times have you ogled his fine ass body when he’s come out of the shower?” Kayla asks. Both she and Liz laugh and I shake my head. They will never let me live that down.
“He makes sure to change in his bathroom. I’m sure the last thing he wants is me seeing him without clothes on. How’s Chloe?” I ask, hoping to change the subject.
Kayla smiles big and pulls out her cell phone to show us pictures of Chloe and Faith. “They are so precious!” I say, looking at the cute pictures.
“Karen, with DCF says it shouldn’t take long for the adoption to go through.”
“I’m so happy for you guys.” And I am. I’m glad she’s getting the chance to be a mother to Chloe as well. She’s mentioned so many times feeling broken because of her hysterectomy. Seeing her being given the opportunity to adopt Chloe and provide a good life for her makes me so happy.
“Why do you look so sad?” Liz asks. Oh, now she wants to jump in and be observant. Fabulous!
“I’m not sad. I just don’t think having a baby is in the cards for me. Don’t get me wrong. I love and adore Marco. He is an amazing kid. I feel absolutely blessed to have him in my life…”
“Hey,” Liz says, coming around the desk to give me a hug. “You have plenty of time to have a baby and when you do, Marco will make a great brother. You’ll meet an amazing guy who will want Marco in his life and you guys will have beautiful babies.”
Kayla comes around my desk and we end up in a group hug.
“Hmm… Anything special I’m walking in on? I can join if needed,” Alex says from the door, waggling his eyebrows. We all laugh.
“No, but I need to get going. We should all do something soon. Poor Caleb is stuck in the house with just me.”
“Stuck isn’t the word I would use,” Alex says smiling at me.
“Weren’t you just in here, lover boy?” Kayla asks, putting her hands on her hips.
“Yeah, but I just thought I would see if Hayley has thought about what I asked.”
I need to give him some credit on his persistence.
“You just asked her!” Liz laughs. I love that my girls always have my back.
“Okay… Okay…” Alex puts his hands up and backs away. “Think about it, Hayley!” he yells before Kayla closes the door on him. We all crack up laughing.
“Just for the record, I am team Caleb,” Kayla says. Liz laughs and agrees.
“You both are crazy! First you need to get Caleb in the game then we can pick teams. Okay, I really need to get going. Dinner soon?” Both ladies nod as we walk out to the gym floor.
I say goodbye and head out to my car. About halfway through the parking lot, I get this weird feeling like I’m being watched. I quicken my steps and once in my car press the lock button. I glance around but don’t see anything that looks alarming. I chalk it up to paranoia. Caleb got a call from the detective of his case earlier this week letting him know the four men who were arrested were denied bail, which is great, but the problem is none of those men were Hector or Santos. They are still out on the streets because they weren’t there when everything went down. The guys who were at Marco’s house are the enforcers, sent to scare someone into paying. Apparently Marco’s mom was in some major debt from buying drugs. Because Hector and Santos are both still free, Caleb insisted I put a tracker app on my phone and requested I let him know if I’m going anywhere other than to the gym.
While driving I think about what Kayla said regarding the adoption and decide to call Karen and find out the process of adopting Marco. I want to make sure nobody can take him from me. She lets me know the process is a bit longer for a single mom, but everything should go through smoothly. I hate that Caleb won’t be on the paperwork, but I need to still go through the steps to ensure Marco is mine legally.
I get home in time to see Marco getting off the bus and wave to him. While he’s walking toward the house I get the feeling of being watched again. I look around and don’t see anyone but the few parents walking back to their houses with their children. I am definitely paranoid!
“You ready to go see some snow?” I ask Marco, handing him a bag of snacks for the trip.
“Yes!” He beams at me and then goes to his room to put his backpack away.
Caleb comes hobbling out from the room with his crutches. Luckily when the guys broke his leg it was only the lower part so it’s not a full leg cast. He can use crutches instead of needing a wheelchair. Unfortunately they also broke his ribs and shot him in the shoulder and chest so his crutches only get used for short distances. We will be taking a wheelchair with us to the airport. Thankfully Bentley offered to charter a private plane for us to Boulder so Caleb wouldn’t have to deal with his broken body on a public plane.
“Ready to go?”
Before I can answer, Marco answers for me. “Yes, sir!”
Once on the plane, I give Marco a present. I picked up an iPad for him this week so he wouldn’t be completely bored on the plane and at the attorney’s office. As soon as I give it to him, ready to go with apps, he goes crazy with excitement.
“This is mine?”
“Yep! All yours. I downloaded some games and if there’s any othe
r games or apps you want just let me know.”
He gives me a hug and thanks me. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of his hugs.
The stewardess takes our drink orders and Caleb jokingly asks if I would like some Patron to finish our drinking game that got stopped from his phone call.
“Oh no, I’m good. Root beer is just fine.”
We’re seated on opposite sides of the plane so he tells me to come sit next to him so we can talk.
“How was work?” For a second I wonder if someone said something to him about Alex asking me out, but I doubt it.
“It was good. How was your day?”
“I spoke to the manager with the UFC. They’re suspending my contract until I’m healed. I have no idea how long it’s going to take to be at a hundred percent and ready to fight again.”
“I’m so sorry. Kayla is going to work with you, right?”
“Yeah, once I’m ready. I just feel so restless. Fighting is all I have ever known.”
“The weeks will fly by and you’ll be healed before you know it.”
We get to Boulder and have a rental SUV waiting for us. Caleb sits in the back letting his leg sprawl across the backseat, and Marco sits in the front with me. We arrive at the resort, have a late dinner, and get situated. We decided to meet with his father’s attorney first thing in the morning to get it over with, which will give us the rest of the long weekend to enjoy our time with Marco.
Caleb obviously can’t ski with his broken body and after our last group trip where I fell on my ass a hundred times before giving up, I have no desire to, but we’re bringing Marco to the ski resort so he can do snowboarding lessons and go tubing while Caleb and I hang out and watch him. I’m sure Caleb will have a lot to figure out after meeting with Jason, his father’s attorney.
“Time for bed, buddy,” Caleb announces after Marco’s show finishes. We both get up to tuck him into bed. Somehow it has become part of our routine for both of us to say goodnight to Marco together once he’s in bed. I try not to think too hard about what will happen once Caleb is healed enough to get his own place and it’s just me saying goodnight to him. I think the only reason he hasn’t yet is because he can’t drive with the cast on, which makes it difficult to find an apartment.
After we both give Marco a kiss on his forehead, we head to the main room. The hotel suite only has two rooms. but Caleb has insisted he can sleep on the couch. I grab a bottle of water from the fridge on my way to my room.
“Hey, wanna watch something? I don’t think they have The Bachelor here, but I’m sure we can find some chick flick of some sort.”
I laugh and join him on the couch. “Sure, you pick.”
“Okay, grab a bottle of liquor and two glasses. You can’t make me watch a chick flick without alcohol.”
After skimming through the channels he stops on Friends With Benefits and looks to me for approval. I smile and he presses play.
About thirty minutes into the movie we’re both cracking up and I’ve noticed Caleb has moved closer to me. We’ve had quite a few shots and I’m feeling warm and fuzzy. I need a breather from his closeness so I have him pause the movie for a two-minute bathroom break. When I return, he’s glaring at my phone like it just insulted him.
“What’s up?”
“Nothing.”
He pats his leg, indicating for me to lay my head on his lap. I do what he asks and he presses play and then runs his fingers through the strands of my hair just like I did for him that night he confided in me. He has turned this into our go-to position when watching TV at home. We watch the movie in mostly silence, laughing at certain parts, and I sniffle trying to hold back tears at other parts. I am such a sappy romantic!
At one point Caleb wipes the tear falling down my cheek. I look up at him and he is silently laughing at my tears. I don’t know when it happened, but we seem so much closer than we were when he first moved in. It makes sense since we’re always together. Eating together, hanging out with Marco, watching television shows after Marco goes to bed. Everything feels like it has shifted. We went from barely acquaintances to friends in such a short time.
“Do you think it’s possible?” I ask when the movie ends. “To have sex without the emotions?”
I regret the question before I ever finish it, but Caleb answers before I can take it back.
“No, it’s not possible.” Did he feel something for these women he was forced to have sex with?
Almost as if he hears my silent question, he adds, “I hated every one of the women I had sex with. I felt the contempt and disgust run through my veins for years. You can’t have sex without emotions. I have never had sex that I enjoyed. ”
While my experience is limited to a few guys, I can honestly say for the most part they were all decent in bed. Sure there wasn’t huge sparks, but I can’t imagine hating the person I’m intimate with.
My cell phone dings with a text, so I check it. It’s Alex. When I go to check the text, I notice one I missed from earlier. Did Caleb see the text? Is that why he was glaring at my phone?
Alex: Have you thought any more about dinner?
Alex: Just one date…
I put the phone down and turn to Caleb, moving a bit closer. “Maybe if you have sex with someone by choice you might enjoy it.” I give him a small smile hoping he catches my drift. The alcohol is definitely giving me liquid courage.
“Maybe… Have you ever had no-strings attached sex?”
“Once. It was okay. I didn’t really know him though. I think it would be better if I at least got to know him first.”
“Like Alex?” I cringe when he says his name instead of his own. That’s not where I was trying to go.
When I don’t say anything, he says, “We’re friends… You can tell me.”
Friends… Right… And it’s obvious that’s all we’ll ever be.
“Maybe. I don’t know,” I say, grabbing my phone and suddenly feeling exhausted.
“I’m going to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.” I don’t bother looking back before I close my door and climb into bed without changing my clothes. I don’t know why I thought Caleb would want me to be the person he has sex with by choice. I told myself I was done trying to be more with Caleb, but it’s almost impossible not to have feelings for him when we live together and I see what an amazing person he is. The more I get to know him the more I want to be with him. Maybe saying yes to Alex would be a good idea. I can get Caleb out of my head and focus on another man. I would rather have Caleb as a friend than as nothing at all.
Me: Okay. One date.
Alex: How about dinner on Tuesday at 6?
Me: Sounds good. We can leave from the gym.
After I’m done texting with Alex, I decide to sneak in a quick orgasm. Being so close to Caleb has gotten me completely turned on with no chance of a release. I move my hand down to my shorts and panties, and pull them down to my knees. Separating my pussy lips, I put a finger into my warmth and find I’m already wet. Using my juices, I add another finger and move them to my clit. With my other hand, I pull my shirt up slightly and pinch my nipple. Closing my eyes, I imagine Caleb is the one with his hands on me...
Chapter Fourteen
Caleb
Jesus! Why do I feel like a teenage fucking boy when I hang out with Hayley? Between being turned the hell on and unsure of what to say, I feel lost as fuck around this woman. She’s the only person I have told about my past life and she doesn’t treat me any different than she did before she knew. We’ve become close the last couple weeks. I thought Kayla and I were close, but hanging out with Hayley has made me realize Kayla’s and my relationship was one-sided. I wasn’t ready to tell her about my shit, so instead I was there for her through all of hers. For me to tell Hayley everything, I know somewhere deep down I have to trust her. Maybe it’s the way she treats Marco or the way she no longer flirts with me, but I want this woman in a bad fucking way.
When she went to the bathroom and I saw Alex’s tex
t come through, I wanted to chuck the phone across the room. His text confirms what I already knew, guys aren’t blind to Hayley. I can’t believe she hasn’t been scooped up yet.
And then when she asked me about sex without emotions, I wanted to take her and throw her down onto the couch and show her every foreign emotion I’m feeling right now. But I remembered I have ribs that aren’t healed yet and a cast on my leg. I’m not in a position to throw anyone anywhere.
I took my frustrations out on her and asked about Alex. I shouldn’t have brought him up… or I should have asked her not to go out with him. He’s a good guy and would treat her right. I know this, but fuck if I don’t want her for myself. I clearly suck at this conversational bullshit because she practically ran from me and into her room for the night.
I need to go speak to her. I hate the way we left things and I don’t want it to be awkward between us. Grabbing my crutches, I make my way to her room and knock lightly. I hear a noise and assume she’s telling me to come in, so I open the door.
The room is mostly dark, but from the door opening there is now light filtering through and before she realizes I am there I see the most beautiful, erotic sight of my life. She has her shirt up, shorts down, eyes closed, and she’s fingerfucking herself. What makes it even better? My name graces her lips as her orgasm hits her full force.
“Mmmm… Caleb,” she says, her body bowing. I quickly and quietly close the door not wanting to embarrass her. I might have been on the fence before, but I’ve made my decision.
I want this woman and I’m coming for her.
* * *
The next morning we arrive at the attorney’s office at nine o’clock on the dot. It was rough sitting across from Hayley, watching her eat her muffin with the same fingers she had in her pussy last night. I wanted to make a comment, let her know I saw, ask her if I could help her out next time, but I was afraid of how she would respond.
Once we’re seated in the waiting room I look over and see Gloria. Can you say instant turn-off? She’s dressed to impress in her name brand clothes my father’s money has paid for. She has a face full of makeup and her hair is done to perfection. She’s aged over the last several years, but she’s still young, and I want to throw up just looking at her. Hayley sees me stiffen but doesn’t say anything.