Blooming

by Fletcher, Peyton

  Once she’d had a final rinse in the bathroom, she endured a scalp tingling, de-matting session, that even though Marguerite promised she was going as gently as possible had her wanting to scream to the rafters.

  “Now I can see what I’m working with,” Marguerite crooned some time later.

  “Beautiful,” she said feeling the weight of Jen’s hair. “You are a lucky girl, naturally curly hair and so thick. It just needs a little help.” She took Jen’s face in her hands and studied it, “lucky for your hunk you have an oval face and bangs will suit you well enough, although it would probably not have been my first choice,” she tsked.

  “I’ll cut it so it flows best curly, but today we’ll take the time to straighten it and it will last you a few days. You don’t need to be messing with your hair while those ribs mend mi amiga.”

  In the end she simply took three inches off the length and layered it so it was less weighty, the curls started to spring back even while it was still wet. Marguerite then artfully created a long diagonal sweeping bang that completely camouflaged Todd’s mishap.

  She sang a Spanish love song while she blow dried Jen’s hair with a huge round brush, and then got busy with the straighteners. When she was finally done she steered Jen to her bedroom where she could look in the mirror.

  Jen just stared. For a second she didn’t know which of the two girls was her, since Marguerite was just as small and dark as she. Then she burst into tears sending Marguerite into apoplexy.

  “No don’t get mad I love it,” Jen cried, “I didn’t know my hair could look like this, I’ve never managed to get it so straight and I can’t believe it looks.. manageable! Look,” she said in delight, “I can run my fingers straight through it for a change.”

  Marguerite laughed and laughed. “You are so easily pleased querida, now show me to your make-up and let’s make you fit to drive your man wild.”

  Marguerite left an hour later, having refused any payment as it was taken care of. Jen was puzzled - wondering who of several interferers’ nearby was responsible.

  Now that she’d had her hair and make-up done she felt like she should put some decent clothes on. She was starving too.

  Going into her bedroom but refusing the temptation to look in the mirror again - she rummaged in her drawers and came out with white jersey sleeveless pyjamas. Jen managed to get them on without too much struggle but stuff the underwear – tonight she was not trying that one handed.

  Her phone rang and she hustled through to the lounge. She went to pick it up and then paused, no she should screen it, she didn’t want to know who was there.

  The answer machine cut in. “It’s me, is the coast clear? I have Chinese food.” Todd’s deep drawling voice made her jump forward and snatch the receiver up, “Yes I’m done, come on up.”

  Jen shifted from foot to foot while she waited for Todd’s arrival, nervously fiddling with her new bangs. He didn’t bother knocking because her door was still unlocked, he just barged straight in loaded up with carrier bags. He was showered and changed into low slung jeans and a white t-shirt.

  He damn near dropped everything on the floor when he saw her.

  Chapter 10

  “Oh!”

  Jen’s brows rose up.

  “Oh!” Todd said again, now she was really was nervous. “Does it not look ok?”

  He stalked past her and put all his packages on the kitchen counter, Jen followed behind him her heart dropping to her stomach.

  As soon as Todd’s hands were free he spun towards her and his hands were in her hair, marvelling at it, running his fingers through it. The hair that swept her forehead brought focus to those strong brows and deep navy eyes, it made them look like huge deep pools. Soft silver shadow was on her lids and her eyelashes looked longer than any false ones he’d ever seen.

  He stepped back again to get a hold of himself; he couldn’t tell if her hair was any shorter because straightened out like that it still fell near her waist. But it seemed darker than ever and layers fell from below her chin and shoulders and everywhere in-between, drawing little attention points all over her.

  “Todd?”

  “I love it!”

  “God, give me a heart attack why don’t you!” she exclaimed.

  “Well now you know how I feel, my heart can’t take many more surprises. It just seems like with every incident that occurs you get more beautiful and I liked the way you looked to start with.”

  Jen looked at him like he was nuts.

  “Let’s just eat while I can still stop myself ravishing you.”

  He started unpacking cartons and too hungry to wait for him to unpack properly, Jen started gorging on a spring roll, “Oh this is lovely; I feel like I haven’t eaten in a month.”

  “Go find something to watch on TV, I’ll plate up and follow you through,” he smiled - handing her a coke.

  Jen got comfy on the couch pulling her feet up under her, and started flicking through the channels. Todd joined her a minute later and handed her a brimming plate.

  “Good grief,” she said wide eyed.

  “Don’t think I haven’t noticed you’re still thinner than you were when you moved in,” he said sternly.

  “I wasn’t complaining.” She was so hungry she forgot to be polite and started cramming it in. Todd laughed at her - she’d managed to eat twice as much as him already, “pace yourself or you’re going to fill up too fast.”

  “I think I’m getting there already.”

  She put her plate down to rest her tummy a minute, then was distracted when a trail for the local 7 o’clock newscast flashed up.

  “Tonight on Bloomington Live, the round up on the scandal surrounding former boxer Todd Baker, who was arrested for assault following his capture of the man dubbed the internet rapist. We’ll have a look back on the footage captured at Silvio’s restaurant and comment from citizens who witnessed events live. Join us then.”

  “Oh my God, should we watch it?” Jen flapped.

  “I think we need to know what’s going on,” Todd’s face was grim and he set his plate down. Jen shifted closer to him, her knees were knocking she was so nervous.

  The news came on and Todd sat further forward. “Turn the volume up.”

  The anchor introduced the footage taken at Silvio’s and unfortunately due to being filmed in digital high definition, there was no mistaking the two of them. They were clearly visible behind Grandma’s party table, as they came back from the dance floor.

  Jen’s cheeks heated up at the look on Todd’s aroused face as he followed close behind her to the table, his hands skating down her hips. The pair of them left the frame briefly and then flashed back into view when Todd yelled her name - then the footage showed him trying to catch the table before it fell on him.

  At this point it seemed the camera owner decided to keep the entire focus on them. There was a brief snippet of her storming up to Lorenson and grabbing him, before Todd’s broad back filled the frame and blocked her from view temporarily. Then every minute detail of Todd’s punishing blows could be seen, Jen’s mouth dropped open at the chaos that erupted around them, and then as if in slow motion she heard her own voice, much higher than normal before she jumped onto Todd’s back.

  “Oh my,” Todd gulped at the sight of Jen’s surprisingly long silky legs wrapped around his waist. There must have been a brief tiny glimpse of her butt cheeks but it was pixellated out, and then her arm locked around his neck. “It looks a lot sexier on TV than it felt at the time!”

  Jen’s knees started knocking louder and Todd put a hand on one to steady her.

  He grimaced at the sickening thunk of her arm breaking and then the pair of them laid out on the floor, Jen’s legs akimbo and him blacked out on top of her.

  “Is it wrong of me to find that really hot?” Todd said scratching his head, he felt like a massive pervert.

  Jen’s hand came on top of his, but she stayed silent. The footage moved on then and they showed edited clips of the
m being carted off by separate ambulances, followed by interviews with some of the restaurant patrons - some of whom pronounced them as raving lunatics. Admittedly they were the ones covered in blood spatters; others proclaimed them as either heroes or vigilantes. One comedian called them Batman & Robin.

  Following on was a brief summary of the press conference where the chief of police confirmed that Neil Fitzpatrick aka Philip Lorenson aka several other false names was now charged in connection with 6 rapes, and conspiracy to rape the woman he was with on the night in question.

  “Wow I never thought about the woman he was with Todd, we probably stopped him from assaulting her,” Jen said in awe.

  Film came on then of Todd taken at his last professional fight. Jen grabbed a throw pillow not knowing if she could watch. After she spent a minute wincing in apprehension she realised she needn’t worry because Todd was like a machine his opponent barely landing a glove on him. And then, watching him like that, she got really turned on and her hand started squeezing his where it rested on her leg. “Oh God you really were good weren’t you?”

  A second later something funny struck her and she started laughing fit to bust, holding her ribs in simultaneous agony.

  “Todd,” she croaked trying to get a hold of herself, “where is all your body hair?” She pointed at the screen where his beautiful and usually hairy chest was as smooth as a baby’s bottom.

  Todd stared at her and he didn’t know whether to laugh or get offended, “ha ha, very funny, so I used to wax, it wasn’t my idea.”

  “Oh God Todd, it’s not just your chest, you waxed your legs!”

  “Do you mind not laughing, you have no idea how fucking painful that was.”

  “I do, I do, but I feel much better about it now!” she chortled.

  “Lots of boxers wax, it looks better and you can see the muscle definition.”

  “That sounds like something Sean would say.” Jen wheezed, finally getting a grip and wiping her eyes on a napkin.

  “I didn’t mean to laugh, you looked amazing, seriously, it just took me by surprise. I like you much better with body hair, and you definitely had way too many muscles before.”

  Todd looked only slightly mollified, and Jen smiled at his pouting lip. It was about time he was the one off kilter.

  The phone started ringing in his apartment below them, and Jen asked if he wanted to leave and deal with it. Todd groaned, “It’s only going to be a ton of people who want to talk about the newscast, it can wait. Luckily my address is unlisted so hopefully the press won’t catch up with us here, but I’ve a nasty feeling we might have to lay low for a while.”

  “What’s going on with the charges against you?” she asked anxiously.

  “Well in the end they decided not to make anything official yet, they released me under my own cognisance. I think since so much more has come out about Fitzpatrick, they have enough to be dealing with. Seb doubts I’ll get in any real trouble.”

  “I’m glad; I was really worried about that.”

  “Of course I guess he could sue me himself, I did break his jaw and several ribs.”

  Jen gasped, “Seriously – you did?”

  Todd nodded with great satisfaction, then he stretched out on the sofa pulling her down onto him gently, his hands roamed her soft cotton top and bottoms relishing the lack of underwear beneath them, he cupped her ass gently.

  “Todd where are you going to sleep tonight?” she asked softly.

  “Well I can sleep in your spare...” then he realised, “Aargh this is the one bedroom apartment isn’t it, I keep forgetting that.”

  He eyed the sofa about him and realised there was no way he could spend all night on there.

  “You could share my room if you like?” She wasn’t quite able to say the word “bed” he noticed. Todd had a flashback to the previous night and knew he couldn’t cope with a repeat performance of that.

  “Jen what are you asking me?” He was curious to hear her say it.

  “I guess I’m asking if you want to sleep with me.” She mumbled into his chest leaving a hot breathy trail that made his nipples tighten.

  He shook his head, “It’s not sleep I’m interested in - that’s the problem and there’s no way I’m having sex with you until your ribs are better. I’m not sure I even want you to have a cast on your arm for our first time but I won’t rule it out. I’m not sure I can wait 6 whole weeks,” he smiled ruefully.

  “I don’t know whether to laugh or cry, it’s like a stalemate and I don’t know whether to be relieved or upset.”

  Todd gave her the full benefit of his deep green eyes, “We can play,” he said tantalisingly, “Want to play with me Jennifer?”

  Jen looked up at him, big eyes wide and wary. “What were you thinking of?” she asked with a dry mouth.

  “How about a tiny bit of reciprocal scrutiny along the lines of last night - although I’m not sure it would make the game equal seeing as I’ll end up in exactly the same condition I was before.”

  “I wasn’t playing with you last night, I wouldn’t do that - play games I mean. I’m just anxious and I want to get comfortable with seeing you and touching you.”

  “I know that.”

  “Why did you tell me you didn’t have sexy pyjamas, I find these very alluring,” he said while pulling the elastic on her waistband.

  “They’re plain white jersey!”

  “Anything soft and vaguely form fitting that also clearly reveals a lack of underwear, is highly sexy to any man not in a coma. I’d like to peel you out of them - how do you feel about that?”

  “I’m not very sure,” raw honesty making her voice hoarse.

  Todd pulled her gently so she was draped out on top of him, and he kissed her softly as his hands slid under her top and stroked her spine, “are you comfortable?” he whispered.

  “Not quite I don’t think I can stay laid on my front like this.”

  Todd sat up and turned her onto her back, pulling her head and shoulders into his lap - then he scooped her hair from behind her and laid it in a thick cloud over one shoulders. When he propped his legs up on the coffee table it pushed Jen’s face closer to him and he resumed kissing, stroking his tongue deep inside her mouth, wandering and caressing, moaning in delight when she responded by grappling him with her own tongue. He pulled back and nipped her lower lip, worrying it gently between his teeth, and she chuckled nervously.

  “Turn your face,” he ordered, licking and sucking her neck when she complied. Then he trailed his left arm under her top stroking her ribs softly, tracing the bones until she thought she’d go mad. His breathing deepened as his hand closed over her breast and squeezed more firmly than she expected.

  “Oh,” Jen’s body jerked, but he kept going.

  “You ok?”

  “Um yeah,” God she looked fantastic he thought as her back arched, thrusting her up into his waiting palm.

  He teased her nipple with his thumb and watched her face intently; her eyes were screwed tightly shut, god he’d go mad if he didn’t see all of her.

  Without giving her chance to think, he lifted her top up and over her head, her cast only snagged momentarily and it was his turn to gasp.

  The scar was there and couldn’t be ignored, but she also had acres of soft white skin and lovely upturned breasts that were the perfect size with beautiful generous rosy nipples, she was slender and her ribs were clearly delineated but she was in no way scrawny. He loved looking at her straight shoulders, her toned arms and that long pretty neck.

  Todd ran his palm all over her, learning her body. Over her ribcage to her waist which was so neatly defined, he stroked her ever so slightly rounded tummy and all the while he watched her, hoping she’d hold her nerve - willing her all the way.

  “Jen, open your eyes, I want you to look at me.”

  Those luminous eyes opened up wide and dark as he tapped her scar gently. “If you want to hide this from other people, that’s your business, but you never ever need
to hide it from me, it’s a part of you and I love it. Are you hearing me?” he said gripping her chin forcefully.

  “Yes,” her eyes swam into focus and she saw the sincerity in his and her heart swelled hopefully.

  He grazed the back of his fingers over the side of her breast - up to her underarm, lifting her arm over her head, asking for her surrender.

  Todd’s hand slowly trailed down to her waist and pulled her bottoms down to her ankles in one smooth move. He swallowed hard, taking in her jutting hip bones, her pretty little “innie” navel and her dark pubic hair. He began to stroke and knead the muscles in her legs.

  Jen, her heart thundering in her ears, was wildly aware of his erection pressing against her bare lower back, the fabric of his jeans only amplifying the sensation. She quashed the errant urge to rub against him as she didn’t want him to think she was teasing again. If it had been an unintentional game before, it felt deadly serious now.

  Todd’s hand wandered further up her thigh and then he flattened his palm over her pubis and cupped her, nothing more - no pressure in his touch.

  Lazily he picked up her hand and separated two of her fingers, then mimicking her actions of the night before he sucked them deep in his warm mouth, only he chose to slip his tongue between the digits at the base, sending erotic mental images of what might be to come, straight to Jen’s brain.

  Releasing them, he said in his rich sexy voice, “If you ever do that to me again, I’m going to expect you to be ready to go all the way, do you understand me?”

  “Yes,” she whispered.

  While he still could, Todd pulled her pants up, and then eased her top back over her head.

  He was thrilled at how relaxed Jen had become in his arms - surrendering to him so easily. He cupped her face in both hands and kissed her deeply, licking inside her cheeks, tracing over her teeth, mapping her, teaching her how to respond. She was his and he fully intended she would only ever be his.

  Todd stood up effortlessly, with her still in his arms and carried her through to her bedroom; he tucked her in and kissed the top of her head.