by Claire Adams
“I’m going to start dinner. Do you want to help?” I asked Margie.
“Not unless Anna wants to help too,” she said in protest.
Anna looked at Margie. “Let’s do it,” she said. The excitement in her voice made Margie’s eyes light up like a Christmas tree.
“Thank you,” I whispered as we followed Margie into the kitchen.
“You’re welcome. She is absolutely adorable. Thank you for introducing me to her,” she said. Then to Margie, she asked in a louder voice, “What are we making?”
“Spaghetti with homemade meatballs,” she announced proudly.
“I hope that’s alright,” I said to her.
“It is,” she assured me.
We spent the next hour making the meatballs out of raw hamburger meat and my special seasoning mix. We cooked them, then the noodles and the sauce. The kitchen was messy very quickly, but it was okay. We were all laughing and really enjoying ourselves.
When the food was done, Anna offered to set the table for us, and I reluctantly let her. We sat down to eat, and I couldn’t help but feel at peace. It felt wonderful to have the three of us together like this.
The conversation at dinner was lively. Margie asked Anna a million more questions.
“Do you like spaghetti?” she asked.
“It’s my favorite. Especially this spaghetti,” Anna said.
“My dad makes the best food,” Margie said and took a big bite of a meatball.
Anna smiled endearingly at Margie. Then she smiled at me and said, “He really does.”
“Thank you. I couldn’t have done it without your help, though. Both of you.” I watched a smile appear on Anna’s face, one that I knew was mirrored on my face as well.
I loved how perfect this moment felt. Having dinner with both Margie and Anna felt right. It was comfortable and fun, exactly the way it should be.
“Will you eat here a lot?” Margie asked.
Anna laughed and looked at me.
“We would love to have you over more often if you wanted to do that,” I said.
“I would love to eat dinner with you guys again.”
I had not told Margie about meeting Anna’s parents quite yet. I wasn’t sure how to introduce the idea of that to her. I was planning to tell her in a couple days. I figured that would allow her time to adjust to meeting Anna before I brought up the idea of meeting even more people.
I loved how Anna had made sure Margie was comfortable with her. I made a mental note to ask her about the story she told Margie from when she was little.
Chapter Ten
Anna
The night had been absolutely amazing. Dinner was delicious, and I was so happy that they included me in making it. I never had that much fun cooking before, and Justin’s meatballs were to die for. I thought of asking him for the recipe, but I wondered if it was a secret family recipe or something. That could be a discussion for another day, though.
I went with Justin and Margie into her room for story time before she went to bed. She picked out The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
“It’s my favorite,” she told me.
“Wow,” I said with excitement. “That’s crazy.”
“Why?” she asked.
“This was my very favorite book when I was little. In fact, if you don’t tell anyone, it’s still my favorite book,” I gave her a small wink and watched her eyes light up.
“It’s my dad’s favorite book, too!” she said.
I looked at Justin, who was smiling at both of us.
He started reading to her and getting her nestled into her bed. I was studying them. I couldn’t help it. I loved how they interacted with each other, and I could tell his daughter was his entire world. It made my heart melt. He kissed her goodbye, and she asked a few questions about the boogeyman. I figured it was just normal kid stuff. I remembered being afraid of the dark as a child. He gave her a few extra kisses and hugs, and she even asked for a hug from me. I was honored, and I bent down to wrap my arms around her.
When Margie was asleep, which wasn’t much longer after story time, I followed Justin back into the kitchen area.
“Do you want some help cleaning up?” I offered.
“Sure, that would be nice,” he said.
I helped him gather the plates and put them in the sink where he began to rinse them off and hand them to me to put in the dishwasher. We fell into an easy rhythm with him rinsing and me loading.
“Thank you,” I said.
“For what?” he asked as he handed me a red bowl.
“For inviting me to dinner and for letting me spend time with Margie,” I said.
“No, thank you,” he said.
I gave him a confused look. “For what? You’re the one that did most of the cooking.”
He laughed. “For spending time with Margie. It really meant a lot to me that you spent that kind of time with her. She laughed a lot. I can tell she likes you.”
I smiled. I was happy to hear that. I had been so nervous before I got there because I wasn’t sure what was going to happen, but it seemed like we all really clicked. Even cooking and cleaning up with Justin was easy. We were working so well together. He would hand me a rinsed dish, and I would put it in the dishwasher in total sync. We were effortless.
“I absolutely adore her. Not only is she beautiful, but she’s so sweet, and she’s got an amazing sense of humor too.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” Justin said and handed me a few forks. Our fingers brushed, and we looked at each other for a moment. I wondered if he felt the same spark that I did.
We finish cleaning up the kitchen and then moved into the living room where he motioned for me to sit by him on the couch.
“There’s something I wanted to ask you,” he began.
“Okay, ask away,” I said.
“Will you come to my big fight next Friday?”
I had to think for a minute. I remembered how nervous I’d been watching the last fight. It was hard to see him get hurt.
“I don’t know. I hate watching you almost get beat up. It’s hard to watch,” I said with a grimace.
Justin turned himself, so he was looking at me. “But you’re my good luck charm. I need you there.”
I gave him a smile. It was so sweet that he felt that way. It was also a huge turn on to hear him say that he needed me around. My cheeks flushed.
“Okay, I’ll go,” I said.
“You are amazing, you know that?” he said.
“Why is that?” I asked playfully.
“For one, you spend your time massaging people so they won’t hurt anymore. For two, you came to hang out with my daughter. You not only put up with her questions, but you also interacted with her like you actually cared.”
“I do care,” I said.
“I can tell; thank you. And also, you come to my fights when I ask you to.”
I smiled at him. “Thank you. You are amazing, too, Justin. And so is Margie. She’s very inquisitive.”
Justin moved forward and put his lips to mine. We were kissing, and I instantly felt the heat between us start to rise. His tongue entered my mouth, and I wrapped my arms around him. I kissed him back with a fierce passion.
He suddenly stopped kissing me. I blinked at him with confusion. As he stood up, he whispered, “Come with me,” and held out his hand.
I grabbed his hand and let me lead him into his bedroom. He closed the door behind us, and I sat on the bed. He pulled me down beside me and kissed me again. He leaned back so I was partially on top of him, and we pulled apart to get undressed. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from his. He stared at me with such attention and desire that it was almost overwhelming.
The intimacy of the moment just made my desire for him that much stronger.
When we were down to our underwear, Justin laid on the bed and pulled me onto him. Our mouths met, and we started kissing. Our tongues moving together, our bodies were pressed firmly together. I could feel his hard dick pressing into
my thigh, and it was driving me crazy.
He slid a hand down my panties and started to massage my clit before sliding a finger inside of me.
“You’re already so wet,” he said to me.
“Just for you,” I said lustfully. I was ready to take him inside of me again. I had been thinking about Friday non-stop, and I was eager to be with him again.
I leaned forward and undid the clasp on my bra and let it slide down my arms. Then I tossed it to the floor. We both pulled off our underwear, and I leaned back as he rolled a condom onto himself. Without a word, he spread my legs apart and entered me.
“I missed this,” he said softly.
I let out a small moan. He began to move in and out of me in small increments, working himself further inside of me with each thrust. He laid on top of me and laced his fingers in mine above my head. He kissed my throat, letting his tongue taste me. I moaned with each thrust. He felt amazing. The sensations he created in my body were mind-numbing.
We started kissing again, and even though he wasn’t moving as hard or as fast as he had been the last time, the pleasure felt so much more intense. The slow motions allowed me to feel every inch of him.
He started thrusting harder, but he didn’t pick up the pace yet. I could feel myself getting closer to the edge of coming with each hard thrust. My insides were vibrating with pleasure.
He unlaced his fingers from mine and wrapped his arms around my shoulders. I wrapped both my arms and my legs around him as I took every inch of him.
“Nothing has ever felt this good,” he whispered in my ear as he picked up the pace a little bit.
“Oh, fuck.” I groaned. I was getting so close. “I’m gonna come.”
Justin stopped suddenly. “Not yet.” He sat up so he could pull himself out of me. “Turn over,” he ordered.
I turned over so I was now laying on my stomach. I started to get into the doggy style position when he pushed me back down.
“Lay flat,” he said.
I flattened my body and a few seconds later felt him begin to enter me again. Because my legs were together and not apart, not only did it feel extra deep because he was entering me from behind, but I also felt so much tighter than normal.
“Oh, fuck,” I said again as he began to move at a faster pace.
“Holy shit,” he moaned.
He picked up the pace even more, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe. The pleasure in this position was more intense than the last time. More intense than I ever thought sex could feel.
I felt myself starting to get close again. It felt so amazing as I felt myself getting closer and closer. He was hitting my g-spot perfectly, and finally, I felt my release. My body shook uncontrollably beneath him, but he didn’t stop. With each continued thrust, my pleasure built. I fought the urge to scream out my ecstasy.
And a few thrusts later, he called out, “Oh my god, Anna,” as he began to come. I could feel him pulse inside of me, and I soaked up the feeling.
It might have been the best sex I had ever had in my life, and I was sure it was because of how intimate things had been between us. I couldn’t help the feelings that I knew were coming. Something about the way he said he needed me right before we had sex made the experience so much better for me. I had never really been told I was needed by anyone.
He pulled out of me, and I was a little sad it was over. Sex with him was amazing, and I wished it could just go on forever. I was already starting to think about the next time we could have sex.
“Was that good for you?” he asked as he pulled the condom off, and I rolled over.
I bit my lip. “Mmhmm,” I said and climbed off his bed to find my clothes.
We got dressed in silence, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Nothing with him seemed to be uncomfortable.
“Thank you for coming tonight,” he said.
I laughed. “Are you talking about in general or just now?” I couldn’t help myself.
Justin laughed. “Well, both. But seriously, thank you. I’m glad you got to meet Margie. You’re the first woman to meet her that wasn’t a babysitter or relative.”
“Well, I’m glad I got to meet her. She is so delightful, and I loved talking with her.” I meant it; Margie was a remarkable young lady. I just hoped I would get to spend more time with both her and Justin after the dinner with my parents. “I should probably get going. We don’t want her asking questions,” I said with a wink.
“I’ll walk you to your car,” he offered. We opened his bedroom door quietly and snuck out of the house. When we stepped outside, I was surprised by how warm the night still was. It was getting close to midnight, and this time of year went one of two ways: it was either pleasantly warm at night or still bitterly cold.
When we got to my car, I turned to look at him. “Thank you for dinner.”
“Thank you for helping.”
I smiled, and then he did something I had not been expecting: he leaned in and kissed me gently. His lips lingered against mine, and I felt myself melt into him.
“Get home safe,” he said before pulling back.
“I will,” I said.
I got into my car and started the engine. As I pulled out of the driveway, Justin watched me leave.
I thought about everything as I made my way home. A week ago, Justin told me he wouldn’t be able to see me anymore, and now here we were. I just left his house after some truly great sex, and I felt butterflies every time he looked at me. I just wasn’t sure what he was feeling. This was supposed to be pretend, so it would not be a big deal if it turned out to be part of the act.
I remembered how he invited me to his fight last weekend—that was before any of this fake boyfriend stuff. He didn’t have to invite me, but he did.
I tried not to over analyze things. I didn’t want to be that girl. The one who reads into everything. I just wanted to relax and have a fun time with him. I wanted to enjoy the ride we were on together.
I sent him a quick text when I got home.
Hey. I’m home safe.
It took less than a minute to receive his response.
Hey, you. Thanks for letting me know. Sleep good, okay?
I smiled at his text message.
You too. XX.
I put my phone down and got ready for bed. I hoped the kisses weren’t too forward. I checked my phone, and there was no response. I figured he was probably just asleep. And it didn’t take long before I was able to fall asleep too.
Chapter Eleven
Justin
It was Friday night, my first high-pressure fight. To say I was nervous was an understatement. My whole life was riding on this fight and the next three. It was no longer just about my reputation as a fighter. This was about whether I was going to lose everything I ever loved or not. Just thinking about Markie gave me chills, and I tried to ignore them. He was a scary guy, and I wished I wouldn’t have gotten involved with him. The stress was starting to get to me.
On the other hand, I knew I had no other choice. I had been drowning in the debt for four years. I needed that money to pay off the bills. I lost it all, but I wasn’t going to lose anymore. Not with how much was on the line this time. I just had to win four fights. I could do it.
“You need to calm down and get your head in the game, Justin,” Artie said from beside me. He was looking at me, and I knew he wasn’t happy. Not after my last fight. It would take a win for him to have faith in my fighting ability again.
Shit. I was hoping that it wasn’t that noticeable. “I know. You’re right. Because if I don’t, I’m going to be screwed.”
Artie gave me a weird look. “What do you mean?”
I knew I needed to come clean with Artie. He had been there for me a lot, and I was doing a disservice to him by hiding it. I looked at him and hesitated. Telling Artie wouldn’t be easy.
“I made a new bet with Markie,” I said, avoiding Artie’s gaze. I didn’t want to deal with the judgment I knew I would find there.
“Dammit, Justi
n,” Artie said.
I was taken aback for a second as Artie never cussed. He was a straight-laced kind of guy that thought foul language just made people sound dumb. So, the fact that he was cussing now told me I was in some deep shit with him.
“I know, I messed up. I know. You don’t need to remind me like I’m a child,” I said. It was too late for him to be scolding me now. The deal was done, and the only thing left to do was to make sure I won my next four fights.
“What’s the bet this time?” he asked.
I was hesitant. “If I win my next four fights, then I walk away without owing him anything.”
“And if you don’t?” he sounded impatient.
“Then I owe him double,” I gave a small shrug like it was no big deal, but we both knew how huge this was.
“For fuck’s sake, Justin.” He cussed again, and I tried my hardest to ignore it. I needed to get my head in the game and stay focused. I couldn’t let him get to me. If I did, then I would lose for sure. He was saying some more things under his breath, but I ignored him. I knew he was pissed. He hated Markie, and for a good reason.
We were standing in the back as the first fight came to an end. I watched the crowd get rowdy for the winner. They weren’t nearly as loud as they got for me, but it could be different this time. I had let my fans down during that last fight, and it made me question whether or not I would still have any fans. My mind wandered to Anna. I couldn’t see much of the crowd from where I was, so I had no idea if she was there or not. I hoped she was.
I heard my name called by the announcer and made my way down the little hallway. People were screaming just as hard, if not harder than before. I was glad to know I still had fans after my beatdown last time. They were some true, die-hard fans. It made me feel good. It was an ego boost, one I really needed. But I just hoped that one fan was in the crowd tonight. One very important fan.
I stepped into the cage and went to my side with Artie where we talked strategy. Artie was saying something about jiu-jitsu. I knew I should be listening, but I wasn’t paying too much attention to what he was saying. I was distracted; I wanted to see if she was there. I searched the crowd closely, scanning each face.