by Angela Blake
She just wanted to protect her daughter.
She went through client meetings until two when she stepped out for lunch. She checked her phone to make sure she hadn’t received any calls from Elsa’s school, and she smiled and shot Rachel a quick text letting her know that everything was fine, and that she still hadn’t told Keith.
She wasn’t quite sure how to bring it up, to be honest.
How does one tell their ex-husband that they have a child who is six years old, and that the only reason they kept her hidden is because they wanted to protect her?
Liesel mused as she took a sip of her coffee as she looked both ways before crossing the street. She was in such a hurry she didn’t notice the body stop in front of her.
She yelped in surprise as hot coffee splashed all over her shirt, and she grimaced as she began to dab it.
“I’m so sorry, here let me help you.” A familiar voice said.
Liesel froze as she looked up into the eyes of the man who had been occupying her thoughts since she last saw him. He was dressed in a pair of washed out jeans and shirt with a pair of sunglasses settling comfortably on his nose.
He frowned as he tried to get the stain off but failed miserably.
“Okay, I’m sorry. I can take that to the dry cleaners.”
“That’s not necessary-“ Liesel began.
Keith interrupted swiftly. “I want to. It’s the least I can do. I need to apologize for my behavior last time, and for propositioning you the way I did, I figured getting your shirt cleaned might be a good place to start.”
Liesel relaxed visibly. “I won’t make you grovel or anything,” she teased.
Keith smiled. “Would you like to go get another cup of coffee?”
Liesel checked her watch and realized that she still had time before her next client.
They made their way to the coffee shop and sat in the back and talked quietly just like they used to. Liesel was surprised to find herself laughing and reminiscing about the old times.
“Keith, I need to tell you something, but you have to promise you’ll stay quiet till the end, and please understand why I made the decision I did.”
She began to tell him about Elsa, and why she kept her a secret. After she told him that, she told him about what an amazing little girl Elsa was, and how she hoped that they’d have a relationship.
Keith was quiet for a really long time until finally he looked her. “I can’t say I’m happy that you hid her existence from me, but I get why you did it. That being said, I don’t want to miss any more of her life, I would love to be a part of her life, in a small way at first because I want her to adjust, but then hopefully in time, if you’ll let me, and if she wants me to, in a bigger way.”
“That’s great, Keith, really.”
“There’s just one more thing, but this has nothing to do with my relationship with Elsa, I hope you’ll also let me try again with you, a real shot this time. No propositioning, no fooling around.”
“I’ll think about it.” Liesel promised.
They finished their coffee and each went their separate ways and agreed to meet up at five in front of the office, so that Liesel could take Keith to meet Elsa.
She finished the rest of the day in a haze and met Keith out front where he looked nervous, but excited.
***
“Rache, we’re here.” Liesel called out as she gestured for Keith to come in. He stepped into the room and looked around awkwardly as Liesel dropped her bag on the floor and hung up her coat.
“She’s in her room playing, I’m heading out for a while. I’ll see you later, El.” Rachel said as she grabbed her jacket and keys.
“Rache, this is Keith.”
Rachel gave him a tight smile. “I’m Liesel’s roommate and Elsa’s godmother, if you hurt either of them, I’ll hunt you down and kill you.”
Keith laughed nervously as he gave her a weak smile. “I’ll try not to.”
“She’s kind of scary.” Keith mumbled and Liesel laughed as they made their way up the stairs.
Liesel introduced Keith to Elsa as her friend, and she watched as they played together noting that Keith was a natural born father. He was completely at ease and knew exactly what to do.
They put Elsa to bed a while later, and as they stood outside the hallway in front of her room, Liesel decided to throw caution to the wind, and she kissed him.
“I thought you wanted to think about it,” Keith mumbled as he pushed her backwards into the room.
“I’ll think more, later.” She bit his bottom lip and smiled as he groaned in response. He took off his shirt and helped her out of hers as he pushed her up against the wall. He held her wrists on top of her head and began to kiss her neck reverently.
Liesel moaned as she tangled her fingers through his hair and angled her neck, so he’d have better access. She began to fumble with the zipper on his jeans till she finally managed to shuck them off, and he kicked them off as he helped her do the same with her skirt.
He lifted her up, so she wrapped her legs around his waist, and he began to grind against her. They both moaned as their kissing grew more passionate, their tongues battling for dominance.
Keith reached a hand down and snuck it underneath her panties. Liesel’s breath hitched in her throat as she whimpered, and her hips began to buck against his hands.
He found her bundle of nerves and began to stroke until he had her panting and clawing his back begging for release. He took his hands out and pushed her underwear down. He reached into his jean pocket and pulled out a condom and placed it on while Liesel undid her bra.
He kicked off his boxers and positioned himself, so that he would enter her in one swift thrust. He kneaded her breasts, kissed them and sucked on them as he began to move against her, slowly at first then faster and faster until they were both shouting in pure ecstasy.
They collapsed onto the bed together a while later as they began to quietly talk of a better future together as a family.
THE END
BOUNCE
Mark
Mark Hummel groaned as he dropped the weights he had been carrying.
It wasn’t that he couldn’t do it; it was just that his coach had been pushing him extra hard because he was the youngest person on the team.
He knew he had a long way to go to prove himself, and he was willing to go the distance. He wiped the sweat off his brow and dropped to the floor to do twenty push-ups.
He caught a glimpse of a woman staring at him in the mirror, and he winked suggestively. The woman blushed beet red and pretended to be engrossed in what she was doing.
Mark hoisted himself up and grabbed a towel to dry off until he could get to a shower. He grabbed a bottle of water and flexed his muscles as he began to gulp down the water.
He pretended not to notice the pairs of eyes that were on his bare muscular chest. He smirked as he crushed the bottle in his hand, and then tossed it into the bin.
He turned around and stepped on the treadmill to get some mileage in before calling it a night. He grabbed his phone and scrolled through his playlist before settling on some hardcore rock music to get him pumped.
A message came in from his friend Blaire-Blaire Hamilton-the NBA’s MVP, and Mark slowed to a brisk jog as he read his way through it.
He and Blaire had bonded almost instantly a few months ago, they often went out partying together, and picked up girls together. In fact, most of Mark’s techniques came from Blaire himself.
He practically idolized the man, but then Blaire found out that the love of his life had his baby, so he mellowed out.
Mark thought it was a damn shame that it had come to that.
Blaire Hamilton the basketball legend was whipped, and Mark couldn’t for the life of him figure out why. So what if they had a daughter? It didn’t mean he had to be with her mother.
Mark’s own parents were divorced and better off for it, he never once felt the need to have his parents get back together.
&n
bsp; Mark shook his head at Blaire’s joke and shot him a text letting him know that he’d join him for a beer after he was done at the gym.
He pulled up the playlist once again, and his feet began to really pick up the pace as the sounds of Led Zeppelin came in through his earphones.
Beads of sweat came pouring down his back, and he had his brow furrowed in intense concentration, so he didn’t notice the brunette standing next to him until she tapped him on his shoulder.
He yanked out the earphone and stared at her for a second, feeling dazed.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but aren’t you Mark Hummel?”
Mark’s eyebrow went up as he regarded the brunette with the long legs, tiny waist and round firm ass.
“Depends on who’s asking,” he responded as he dragged a hand through his shaggy blonde hair. His green eyes perused her slowly, thinking that he could definitely picture her as wild between the sheets.
Her brown eyes light up. “I saw you at the game last week, you were great.”
Mark nodded as he got off the treadmill and stood directly in front of her. He was still a good deal taller than her, so he noticed how she had to crane her neck to look up at him. He wanted that head thrown back and moaning in pleasure, but he could wait.
“How close were you?” he inquired conversationally as he made his way towards his gym bag.
“Oh, close enough that we could see the sweat,” she said as she sidled up to him and leaned against the wall as she eyed him, her intentions mirrored in her eyes.
His eyes immediately traveled down to her sports bra, and he let his gaze linger there long enough that a slow flush began to crawl up her cheeks. His gaze traveled down noticing her shapely thighs, and the way her sweatpants clung to her legs as if they were one and the same.
That piece of fabric would look much better on the floor, he thought.
He let his eyes travel back up to her face, and he could see that she noticed he was checking her out, and she didn’t mind one bit. In fact if her body language was any indication, she was very hot for him.
Mark swung his bag over his shoulder and casually strode towards her. He stood next to her and leaned in. He smirked as he noticed that her breath caught in her throat and goosebumps rose on her arms in response to his warm breath on her ear.
“Were you this close?” he asked.
It took the brunette a while to comprehend that he asked a question. “No, not really,” she tried to come off sounding nonchalant, but her tremor gave her away.
“Were you close enough that you could smell the sweat?” he asked as he slid his finger casually down her stomach making her quiver in response.
“No,” she stood very still, as if she was afraid that if she moved he’d disappear or somehow stop, and it became very evident to Mark that she didn’t want him to stop.
Her hand came up and traced the electric guitar tattooed onto his bicep. He watched her carefully knowing that if she didn’t stop, it would be very hard for him to leave the gym and go get beers with Blaire.
Her hand began to move to his chest, and Mark could feel a growing bulge in his pants. He deftly grabbed a hold of her wrist and began to run his thumb over the pressure point.
“Would you like to be?” he asked as she took a step back. He had her caged between the wall and himself, and he had to admit that thought of taking her right then and there was very appealing, but there were too many people around.
“Like to be what?” Her voice came out sounding husky. Mark was growing even more turned on, and he casually lowered his bag to hide it. To the rest of the gym it looked like they were simply having a private conversation, but to Mark and the brunette, the air was crackling with sexual tension.
“Would you like to be close enough to smell the sweat?” he murmured as he watched the rapid rise and fall of her chest. He pictured himself tossing away that sports bra and burying himself between those breasts. He shifted and adjusted the bag even lower.
“Yes,” she breathed.
“What’s your name?”
“Laurel.”
Mark chuckled deeply as he noticed how breathy she sounded. He could already see the desire pooling in her eyes. His green eyes met her brown eyes in a direct stare. “Laurel, I want to make you scream with pleasure.” He kept his voice low but purposeful.
Laurel’s eyes widened and her legs tightened in response. Mark grinned because of his earlier assessment of the brunette was right, her reaction meant that she liked to get a little wild between the sheets.
“Unfortunately, I’m supposed to be meeting a friend for drinks in about an hour or two.”
Predictably, Laurel looked disappointed.
“However, I know the manager here. Follow me.” He pointed a thumb towards the door, and they hurried down the hallway. He stopped at the desk and had a few words with the manager who handed over a key.
They were both practically running down the hallway until they reached a shower stall at the end of the bathroom.
“The manager lent me the keys to his private office. He has a steam room, jacuzzi and shower in there.”
Laurel blinked as she took in the sight. Mark shut the door behind them and flipped the lock closed before dropping his bag on the floor. He kicked off his shorts and watched as Laurel’s eyes darkened with lust.
Laurel kicked off her sweat pants until she stood in nothing but her sports bra and underwear.
“Let’s see if we can put those long legs to use.”
They collided into a mess of limbs as Mark switched on the shower and proceeded to keep his promise to make her scream.
***
Mark grunted as he lifted his jeans up and slipped on his shirt. He flicked his hair out of his eyes and watched as Lauren put on her hoodie.
The door clicked open, and he gestured for Laurel to go first.
She paused uncertainly at the door. “Will I see you again?”
Mark let out an aggravated sigh. “Laurel we’re both adults here, we both know how this works, so I’m not going to lie to you, but it’s been fun babe.”
Laurel nodded and straightened up but not before she grabbed the front of his jeans. Mark felt himself respond to her touch, but his face remained neutral.
“Well, if you ever want a repeat performance, you know where to find me.” She slipped a card into his hands before she reached up and nibbled on his ear.
“I doubt that. I make it a point not to sleep with the same woman twice.” Mark responded nonchalantly as Laurel stopped nibbling on his ear. He hooked his thumb in the waistband of his jeans and watched as Laurel eyed him.
“It’s there if you change your mind,” Laurel said once more before she gave him one last seductive look. She patted her hair carefully before she strode out of the room, her heels echoing in the hallway.
Mark let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. He was still new to the whole bad boy thing, it had only been a year in fact, and it was Blaire who told him not to sleep with the same woman more than once. He told him that it would mean they expected him to call back, take them out and stuff like that, and Mark didn’t want that.
He wanted to be free and wild on the court and in bed.
And he liked how women fawned all over him. The second he walked into a room, he saw how women’s eyes trailed over his fit muscular body, taking in the piercing green eyes, shaggy blonde hair, and the tattoos that were on his body. He didn’t have many, but he had just enough that would make women want to lick, bite and kiss every single one.
The only person who’d just touched them slowly without doing anything was Jenny McAndrews.
He didn’t know why he was thinking about her now he thought as he made his way out of the gym and headed towards his convertible.
He hadn’t thought about Jenny in a year, not since they met in that bar when he had just joined the NBA, and she was there with a douche bag who had paid her no attention.
He saw her the minute he walked into the
bar, how could he not? With her fiery red hair, blue eyes and a sprinkling of freckles across her nose and cheeks.
She was sitting next to a guy who was too busy flirting with the woman next to him to pay her attention. He noticed how Jenny had seemed sad about that, and after a few drinks, he decided to walk up to her and start a conversation.
The second she smiled at him, he knew he was in trouble.
Mark shook his head to clear away the remnants of the memory and threw his bag into the backseat. He texted Blaire to let him know that he was on his way, and got into the driver’s seat. He slid the door down and hooked in his phone to listen to some AC/DC.
He turned the music up and hit the gas hard enough to leave skid marks as he let the music wash out all thoughts of a certain redheaded woman he had never been able to forget.
Mark
“Look, it’s not that I don’t want to visit a hospital full of sick kids, but what if they get me sick or something?”
Mark could practically hear his manager roll his eyes. “You’re being paranoid, Mark. Besides, we need to do a little rebranding because your image has taken quite a hit after that fiasco with the Harley.”
Mark grunted as he began to stretch his muscles. “I already told you what happened. I was on my Harley smoothing out, and this woman comes up to me and asks me for a ride, I’m a warm blooded man, and she was hot as hell, why would I say no?”
“Because her boyfriend would start pummeling you, and it would end up all over the internet?” His manager offered sarcastically.
“Thanks Rob, as if I didn’t know what the outcome was, but how was I supposed to know she had a boyfriend? She came up to me.”
“Well, I’ll agree to that, but you couldn’t just walk away when he started trying to bait you?”
Mark bent down to touch his toes, and he let out a deep breath. “I suppose I could’ve, but really, the guy was asking for it.”
Rob sighed on the other end of the line, and Mark could picture him fumbling around for a cigarette in his pocket. In fact, Mark had a feeling Rob wasn’t a smoker until he met Mark. Managing him was a lot more stressful than he thought, and this was his way of venting.