The train comes to a stop, and Raul helps Chloe off. They head back up to the street level and toward the Olympic Village. Chloe has a firm grip on Raul’s hand as they walk up to her building. She catches Raul yawning next to her and fights her own.
The way up to the room feels like it takes longer as Raul continues to yawn on. Chloe finally lets one of her own go and leans her head against his arm. The doors open, and the couple heads to Chloe's room, where Chloe unlocks the door.
“You get yours first,” Raul declares.
Chloe nods and climbs onto her bed, stomach down. Raul sits down next to her and starts at her shoulders, kneading his hands around and down her back. Chloe is moaning softly as her muscles are relaxing under his hard touch.
The touch gets lighter and lighter, then finally it stops. Chloe flips over and finds Raul asleep in a sitting position. She moves her way around Raul and pushes him down onto the bed. He just mumbles under his breath.
Chloe laughs at the sight of Raul sleeping soundly in her bed after she beat him in a race. She pulls out her phone from her bag and snaps a photo of Raul.
Chloe nearly dies laughing when Raul lets out a snore and begins speaking in Portuguese. Chloe then shifts her phone to video and records the man talking in his sleep. After she has a few minutes of his sleep talk she sends it in a message to Kylie.
There is an immediate reply of a set of laughing emojis. Chloe stifles another yawn before climbing into bed with Raul. His arm instinctively hugs her into him. She settles in and lets the deep sleep drift over herself.
Chapter Eighteen
Chloe lets the cool water wash over her body as she slices through the water. She times her breathing around her strokes, making sure to stay focused on her own skills and not those around her.
The waves crash over Chloe, making it hard to stay on track. Chloe looks up to see her kayak keeping time with her, watching to see if she is in distress. Chloe thinks back to her practices and counts out her next couple strokes, letting some other muscles take the forefront for a little while.
Something briefly touches her leg before yanking it backward. Chloe takes a gulp of saltwater and loses her focus for a few seconds. Another swimmer pulls in front of her, and Chloe knows that she was purposely pulled back.
Chloe works twice as hard and pulls just a little in front of the other swimmer again. The finish mark is just further up ahead, and Chloe does not want to lose this one to a cheater.
Picking up the pace, Chloe pushes that much further ahead. The cheering from the crowd can be heard as Chloe nears closer and closer to the finish. Chloe breaks through and finishes the race. She looks up to see that she came in third and just won the bronze medal.
All the winning swimmers are hugging each other and Chloe has tears stoning at her eyes. She accomplished a dream she had. Chloe never even expected herself to medal, let alone get a bronze.
“Good job,” Natalie says from behind Chloe.
Chloe turns around and smiles at Natalie.
“You too,” Chloe chimes.
“Sorry I pulled you a couple times,” Natalie admits.
“It was just more of a challenge for me. You helped me prove that I am going strong. It was nice racing with you again, Natalie.”
Chloe turns away and heads onto the beach. Raul, Kylie, and her parents are sitting there waiting with the flag and signs. Chloe's mother and Kylie are both ready eyes and Raul has the biggest smile ever plastered on. Chloe runs straight to Raul first. He hugs her close for a second before releasing her to her family.
“My little girl has a medal,” Chloe's father sings out.
“You did it, Chloe,” Kylie screams.
“I am so proud of you, honey,” Chloe's mother whispers behind her tears.
“Thank you, all of you, so much,” Chloe manages.
The speakers are calling for the racers to head to the podium, and Chloe turns to leave. Raul stops her first and swoops in for a deep kiss. Chloe feels herself go weightless for a moment as Raul congratulates her.
“Go get your medal,” Raul commands.
Hope turns away and heads to the podium. She goes through the pomp and circumstance, getting her medal and flowers. Finally, the National Anthem plays and Chloe puts her hand over her heart. She lets her tears of joy fall down. This is a moment she will never forget, even in her old age.
The ceremony ends with all three medaled swimmers hugging each other and taking pictures. Chloe keeps her eyes on Raul and her family. They are discussing something deep, and Chloe is curious about how well they are really getting along.
“Chloe,” Kylie calls out.
Kylie rushes at Chloe and brings her in for another hug. She starts jumping up and down, celebrating with her best friend.
“We are going out tonight,” Kylie declares.
“I was thinking of spending it with Raul,” Chloe admits.
“You still can, but I want to buy you a drink to celebrate. Please? Just for an hour?”
Chloe nods and receives a squeal of joy from Kylie. Raul saunters over with the flag and drapes it over her shoulders. Before he can say anything, Chloe shoves her flowers to Kylie and gives Raul a kiss.
Just before the race he told her to focus on nothing but the water and to not think of anything but winning. She did, and now she has a bronze medal to prove it. Raul needs the proper thank you as well.
The couple only ends their kiss after a cough from Chloe's father.
“I thought, after Chloe changes, we could all go get dinner tonight,” Chloe's father interjects.
Murmurs of assent go throughout the group as they move along. Chloe holds onto Raul's hand and leans her head against his shoulder.
“Thank you, Raul,” Chloe whispers.
“It was all on you,” Raul responds.
Chapter Nineteen
The moon is the only light on the beach as Raul leads Chloe along the shoreline. He is holding onto Chloe’s hand and swinging it as they walk. Chloe is smiling out to the water that brought her to her victory just a few days before.
“Chloe, I think we need to talk,” Raul says.
Chloe looks over, feeling like her heart is about to break at the thought that this could very well be the end of her relationship with Raul. She releases his hand and moves to stand in front of him, ready to plead her case that they should give it all a shot.
“I think,” Raul starts, “that we should keep this going.”
Chloe’s plan goes out the window. A smile spreads its way across her face as she nods along. Before Raul can really read her face, Chloe turns around and starts walking again.
“Of course we were going to keep this going. Did you think that after spending all this time with you that I would just go and give up on the first real relationship that I have had in years?”
Raul watches Chloe’s back as she walks on, and Chloe can feel his gaze. She swings her hips a little more to catch his attention, and it works. Raul comes racing down the beach and hugs onto Chloe from behind.
“You are a sneaky one,” he whispers.
“I was hoping the whole time that you wouldn’t end things here.”
Raul spins Chloe around and makes her look at him. He touches Chloe’s chin lightly, rubbing his knuckles along her jawline.
“Did you really think that I could just give up on everything that we started building? You are actually the first girl I have ever felt true emotion toward.”
“Even that first day on the beach?” Chloe asks.
“Are you going to hold that against me for the rest of our lives?”
“Is there going to be a rest of our lives?”
“That will only happen if you play your cards right and love me everyday,” Raul declares.
“You just had to bring up that word,” Chloe mocks.
“Of course.”
Raul stares at Chloe expectantly. She knows that he wants her to tell him that she loves him, but Chloe just wants to watch him worry for a little bit,
making him be the first one to tell her the he loves her.
“Are you going to say it?” Raul impatiently asks.
“Say what? Perhaps you are asking me to say how wonderful the breeze tonight is or how happy I am to be an Olympic medalist.”
“I get it, Chloe,” Raul concedes, “I will say it. Chloe, I love you and probably have since I saw you pick up that gun and rescue us all.”
Chloe beams a huge smile at Raul before giving him a quick peck on the lips. She pulls back quickly and looks down at the sand.
“It’s my turn,” Chloe whispers, “to say that I love you.”
“Since when?” Raul gasps.
“Since you looked at me with your deep brown eyes at the police station.”
Raul pulls Chloe back to him, hugging her closely.
“Too bad we won’t be able to tell our children it was love at first sight,” Raul laughs.
“Who says we are having children together?”
“Considering you are a teacher; chances are you like kids.”
“That doesn’t mean I want to raise my own mini, arrogant, Brazilian children. Do you know how many gray hairs I would develop?”
“They could turn out with your sarcastic mouth and love for putting me down,” Raul admits.
“Would that really be any better?” Chloe asks.
“Probably not, but I want to try anyway,” Raul admits.
Chloe playfully smacks Raul chest and turns her back to him again. She looks out to the water and guides his hands around her waist. Raul lets his head rest on her shoulder.
“Where would we live?” Chloe asks.
“We could live here?” Raul tries.
“Too much violence, and I can’t teach here.”
“Then, maybe we could live in Minnesota. They have pools, right?”
Chloe pinches Raul’s arm and leans her head back.
“Of course they have pools, where do you think I train in the winter?”
“I thought you were an ice queen impervious to frozen water.”
“And to think, I fell in love with a cookie that doesn’t have any chocolate chips in it.”
“What does that mean?” Raul asks.
“It means; your joke was not that cute or smart.”
“I am usually smart, though.”
“Sure,” Chloe mocks.
Raul squeezes her tighter, making Chloe giggle at his tantrum. It feels right being in his arms and getting to spend her last night in Rio with him.
“Will you come visit me in Minnesota soon?” Chloe asks.
“Probably in about three weeks. Need to get everything in order here so that I can leave the country and get a visa.”
“So technical, it really turns me on,” Chloe jokes.
“Should I start telling you about how the sun doesn’t revolve around me, but that the Earth revolves around the sun?”
“Keep talking, Copernicus,” Chloe breathes.
Raul releases Chloe and breaks into a fit of laughter. She turns around and sees him hunched over, grabbing at his abdomen.
“Do you really know that guy’s name?”
“Heliocentricism is nothing to joke about, Raul,” Chloe admonishes.
“I’m sorry,” Raul says.
Raul straightens back up and moves closer to Chloe. Her heart is pounding in her chest, knowing that life feels easy around Raul and that she can finally be herself with him.
Chloe lays her head against Raul’s chest and listens to the beating of his heart. Raul rubs his hands up and down her back, caressing her butt every once in a while. Chloe can feel the air grow thicker around them and her heart beating faster. Then she gets an idea.
“Are you wearing SpongeBob again?”
Raul presses himself against Chloe and starts kissing on her neck. She melts into his embrace, loving the way he knows just where to kiss to make her feel beyond amazing.
“You will just have to wait and see,” Raul murmurs.
Chloe feels her body grow excited at the prospect of them having sex again. Last time they fell asleep after the massage; this time Chloe plans to make Raul never want her to leave him. She turns around in his grasp and meets Raul eye to eye. Her hands find his belt and undoes it as he keeps eye contact.
“Last time you didn’t get the chance to have someone play with you until it was time. You get to go first.”
Chapter Twenty
One Year Later…
Chloe spots Raul next to her parents in the stands, waving a poster with her name plastered across it. She speeds up her final stretch, gaining on the man in front of her. Chloe just nearly passes him and takes second as she crosses the finish line. She can hear Raul yelling out over everyone else in the crowd.
The air feels cold as Chloe walks out of the lake, but it doesn't last long because Raul is right there with a towel. He wraps her up and plants a kiss on her lips. Chloe smiles up at him and wraps her arms around his neck, getting his shirt and shorts wet, too.
“Who would have thought you were better than male distance swimmers too?” Raul jokes.
“Well, I wanted to make sure you felt really inferior,” Chloe flirts back.
“It worked,” Raul admits.
Chloe is soon pulled from Raul and into the embrace of her parents. They are jumping in a circle and pull Raul into the celebration. They are a happy little bunch until Chloe pulls away to go to the award ceremony.
It is a swift ceremony and Chloe is handed her award for second place, causing the loudest cheers of the day to come from the man she loves and her family. Chloe's face turns red because of them, but she has a smile slitting her face open.
“Congratulations,” Chloe says to the two men on the stage with her.
They all shake hands and Chloe descends into the arms the waiting Raul. He sets her down after spinning her in a circle. He then immediately drops down onto a single knee in front of her.
“What are you doing?” Chloe asks.
“I am about to ask you to marry me.”
“You better say yes,” Chloe's mother calls from off to the side.
Chloe laughs and, currently speechless, nods her head in agreement.
“Can I have a verbal answer please,” Raul jokes.
He pulls a small box from his pocket and opens it to reveal a diamond encircled by small sapphires. The ring fits perfectly onto Chloe’s finger as she breathes out her answer.
“Yes, Raul, yes.”
It doesn't take long for the crowd around them to break into applause and for Chloe to grow instantly embarrassed, but her excitement about the day outweighs everything else.
“We are going out tonight to celebrate,” Chloe's dad announces.
Chloe is ignoring him while she hugs onto Raul and plants her own kiss onto his lips. Raul mimics her actions and holds onto her tightly.
“I suggest we get changed. Wet clothes are not that fun,” Raul laughs.
Chloe release her fiancé and they all head toward the cars. Chloe can't stop looking at the ring on her finger, amazed that just the year before she was winning bronze at the Olympics and now she is engaged to the asshole she met there.
“You know, Kylie is going to be upset she wasn't here for this,” Chloe admits.
“True, but I had your dad record it so we can send it to her.”
“She may still be angry that you did not coordinate this with her schedule.”
Chloe pulls her wetsuit top down to reveal a bikini top and bottoms. She finishes drying off at the car and slips a pair of shorts and event shirt on. Raul stares at her throughout the process, making Chloe blush.
“You do know you get to see me for the rest of your life, right?” Chloe mocks.
“Yet, I still cannot get enough of the love of my life.”
Chloe hugs Raul and gives him a final kiss in the lips before jumping into the passenger seat of the car.
“I love you, too,” Chloe chimes.
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A Girl Worth Fighting For
Chloe Martel
A Girl Worth Fighting For
Copyright 2016 by Chloe Martel
First electronic publication: August 2016
All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal.
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to person, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Warning: Due to mature subject matter, such as explicit sexual situations and coarse language, this story is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18. All sexually active characters in this work are 18 years of age or older, and all acts of a sexual nature are consensual.
A Girl Worth Fighting For
Chapter 1
Bradley wasn't new to being a SEAL. It was something he'd been doing now for about six years—since right out of high school. At first, it had been really hard, and he'd wondered if it was something that he was going to stick with past just being a job for a few years. But now, he liked it.
While the rest of his peers from high school had gone on to live in party towns where they drank until all of their social relationships were destroyed and left empty save for the cloying smell of stale beer, he had been forging his body and mind in fires they could never imagine. His peers, in Bradley's mind, had taken a road that had been preordained for them. They really hadn't given it much thought, or really looked at the larger picture as to what would really pay off for them. Sure, maybe some of them would go on to land a job at some firm that would actually treat them well for the long haul, but that was a pretty big maybe. For most of these kids, college was just something to fill the time.
Romance: The Bad Boy Affair: A Second Chance Romance Page 110