by J. L. Ryan
The reality was she cared about Braden and what he thought of her. The times they spent talking was a big part of that. He was a kind and sweet guy, despite his obvious fetish for big girls. It wasn’t that he never came back that night. The fact was he had never come back at all, until yesterday. She hadn’t actually seen him, just that his lights were on and music was playing inside. How he could just ignore her now was the brunt of the pain.
She wished for a moment that she had the strength to march over there and demand an answer, but it was better off left alone. She glanced at the clock and headed out to go grocery shopping. As she did, she heard the door open next door and she cringed. The last thing she wanted was a run in. She turned around and it was a woman, a very thin, very hot blonde woman. The blonde in question gave her a wave and she straightened her shoulders and left.
Braden had cancelled the rest of the afternoon and made the decision to try. He had to explain, and most importantly, he had to tell her the truth. He drove to her place and waited. He saw her car, he knew she was there, but for the first time since he was a child, he was scared. He was a nationally known bike racer and had been with more than a few women all over the world and this one woman had him questioning everything about himself. He felt the guilt like a punch in the stomach. Not just for leaving her like that, but for not telling her the truth about who he was. He finally got out of the car and went to the door.
She heard the knock and frantically made her way to the door. She found a solution to her financial woes and was moving in a roommate. To say the mess from what had once been storage was everywhere, would be putting it mildly. She climbed over the final boxes and pulled the door open. There he stood.
“What do you want Braden, I am really busy.” She hoped the nonchalant way she talked to him would fool him.
“We need to talk Chloe, really talk.” He sounded serious and she finally made eye contact. Still gorgeous, he looked rough. He looked tired and she knew something was wrong. She moved out of the way and he came inside.
He felt a sense of panic at the mess. “Are you moving?” He glanced around.
“No, I found a roommate. Nice guy, good job.” She crossed her arms in front of her and waited. She would let him speak, but she wouldn’t make it easy for him.
Braden felt a rush of anger. He would be damned if some “guy” was moving in here. “There are some things I need to tell you and explain. I need to know you will let me explain it all and then we will talk about this “guy” you think is moving in here.”
He made his way to the living room and she followed. Her arms were crossed again and her eyes were flashing fire. Even now, he wanted her.
He turned the channel to ESPN and turned to look at her. “This is the best way I know how to explain.”
She sat there stunned watching sports news, which she didn’t even know existed. Some bike racer had a house that burned down and, wow, he was local. She suddenly felt sick. He was everywhere, pictures and stories and she knew. He turned it off.
“Oh my God Braden, are you ok?” She looked at him and touched his hand.
“I’m fine, my house is gone though. That’s where I have been. That’s why I didn’t call.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were famous? It would have made our fling that much more memorable for me.” She gave him a half smile.
“Stop it Chloe, I don’t look at you like that and I know you don’t either. It's more than that and you damn well know it.” She moved off the couch and towards the door. He caught her hand as she went by, standing up in the process. He kissed her forcefully, only letting go when they needed air. It was then he noticed her tears. He kissed her eyelids and wiped them away.
“Don’t cry Chloe, please, I’m so sorry for everything.” He pulled her into his arms and buried his head in her hair.
He kissed her face and then her mouth again. It started so simply, wanting to comfort each other, and soon they were lost in the moment. She pulled away from him and went up the stairs, and he followed. Once there, he took the lead, grabbing her hand and pulling her with him into the room. Their actions frantic now, they undressed each other. He turned her around to face away from him. She felt him unzip her dress and trail his fingers down her spine as the dress slipped to the floor. He reached around to cup her breasts, which overflowed in his hands. He pulled her back against him and she felt the hardness there.
“Don’t ever question what you do to me Chloe, feel what you do.”
She did just that, taking him into her hand and feeling the length of him. He pushed her over towards the bed and she climbed into it and he stopped her. She was half on and half off the bed when he moved behind her. He filled her suddenly and quickly, and she gasped at his entry. He moved his hand up to her hair, winding his fist in it and bracing himself as he plunged into her faster, and deeper. They moved together both seeking and searching for something. She was the first to reach her peak and she moaned out his name as she did so pushing him over the edge as well. He pulled her to him spooning behind her. She was his, and she always will be. Suddenly she stood.
“You should go Braden.” She pulled her dress over her head and stood. He stood as well and she was once again reminded of how perfect he was.
“Chloe please.”
“Braden this…. this was a mistake. You know it as well as I do.”
“No, it’s not a mistake, how can you even say that after what just happened?”
“We come from different worlds, Braden, you’re... famous for God’s sake and I am just some…”She trailed off. “You lied to me, Braden.”
“I know, at first I just wanted you. I was driven by a need to be inside you, loving you. Then things changed.”
“No, they didn’t Braden… …you should go… now.”
He saw the firm set of her jaw and knew she was serious. He took one last look at her before he left. Chloe waited until she heard the front door shut and she locked it before crumbling to the floor and gave over to the tears.
Braden was not himself. His driving was awful and he couldn’t connect with the course. He normally would love the flowing hills of Virginia, but he was officially not on a streak anymore. He angrily threw his helmet into the seat of the car and made his way to the crew. They all knew to avoid him when he was like this. Braden angry was a rare thing, but it usually had a quick turnaround. This time he was like this all day. He was angry, and worried. Chloe refused to respond to any messages he sent her and he missed her. She was so damn stubborn and it hurt that she didn’t feel the same way.
Braden made his way into the hotel and caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He was dirty from the race, but he was changed now. He spent his entire adult life alone until this one woman came into it and now he was worried about someone else. He knew she had been struggling, in more ways than one. She shared her situation with him, told him her secrets, and he lied to her. He knew she was hurting, but couldn’t she see how he felt? He frowned. How did he feel exactly? He got into the shower to wash away everything from the long day. He had to do something, and soon.
He met up with Mike for dinner that evening who put it all in perspective for him.
“You’re in love with that chubby girl back home aren’t you?” Braden stood and towered over him.
“Don’t ever say that about her again, do you understand me?”
“Whoa, whoa buddy calm down. I didn’t mean anything negative about it. I am just telling you man, you got it bad. The whole damn crew is afraid of you the way you’re tearing things up all the time. Not to mention you lost your streak, you need to see her and make it right. Either let her go or marry the girl.”
Braden sat back in his chair and thought about what he said. Marry her? The thought gave him a start of panic, but the idea of coming home to her, all the time was one he could love. He ran his hand through his hair. He hoped she and Charile were okay, if only she would answer his damn calls. He suddenly had an idea, one that might make her
call him after all. He pitched his idea to Mike, who chuckled and started to make the call.
Chloe was frustrated. The roommate was an ass and he left his things all over her house. More importantly, he was indifferent to Charlie. Treating him like a bug in his way all of the time. Last night was the final straw. He came home drunk and groped her, and she was finished with it. She took a deep breath before knocking on his door. She had to do it repeatedly before he finally yelled something and stumbled to open it.
“What Chloe?” He moaned as she pushed the door open wider.
“You have to move, Josh. I can’t have this kind of environment for Charlie.”
“You can’t just kick me out, Chloe. I have rights. Besides, you like it when I touch you, don’t even try to lie.” He took a step towards her and grabbed her again. This time she pushed at him and scratched his face. He gave her one blow to the face and she staggered backwards. She rushed to the living room calling for Charlie and the two of them made their way out to her car.
Mrs. Anderson watched the little car pull away with a shake of her head. That was a bad man in there, she saw her holding her face when they left. She pulled out her phone to call Mikey and tell him the plan couldn’t work now. After Mike hung up the phone, it took him a minute to turn around. He knew once he told Braden, he would lose it. There was nothing he could do but to tell him.
“Well, what did she say?” Braden was eager to hear Chloe was ok.
“Seems like she is gone man, I mean she had a couple bags and she and Charlie left.”
“What the hell do you mean they left?”
“Sit down man I’ll tell you everything.”
Braden did, only because he knew he wouldn’t get any information otherwise.
Twenty minutes later, Braden called the airline and booked a flight to Texas. The sonofabitch was going to pay and he would be the one to do it. Mike tagged along, mainly because he didn’t want Braden to end up in jail. They took the direct flight and Braden was full of tension and ready to fight the entire time. Finally on the ground, they picked up a rental car and made their way into the city. He was practically out of the car before it even stopped. He made his way to her house and when the door opened, he let the first punch fly.
Mike glanced down at the man on the floor. The guy didn’t even have a chance. Braden knocked him out with two hits. Braden made his way upstairs and checked to make sure she had yet to come back. He wasn’t sure where she would go, she had a few friends, but no one she spoke about enough to give him any clear direction to head in. He walked back over to Mike's and sat in the chair by the window so he could watch and wait. He glanced up at Mike.
“Give me your phone.”
“Why?”
“Just trust me, I’ll give it right back.”
He took the phone from Mike and sent a text to her from his number. He visibly relaxed when he got a response. It was wrong, but it had to work. She would be furious, but he would at least get to look at her and make sure she was ok.
Chloe was concerned. The message said that she needed to come home right away. She wasn’t even sure who sent her the message, but she had to find out what was going on. She dropped Charlie off at a friend's house and made her way home quickly. She had so much to figure out and she was exhausted. She glanced at herself in the mirror. It had only been a number of hours, but her right eye was purple and bruised.
She couldn’t go back in there. He was horrible. What had ever possessed her to let him move in in the first place? Money, always money. She wanted to keep Charlie in one place with his friends, something she never had, and this is what happened. She pulled into her parking lot and got out of the car. She would wait out here. She couldn’t go in there alone ever again. It was then that the door next door opened and she saw him.
It was only a couple of months, but he was perfect. He took a few long strides to get to her and before she could say a word, he wrapped himself around her and picked her up. He literally picked her up. She heard him whisper her name and she closed her eyes against the emotional overflow she felt inside her. Why was he here? She pulled away and he stood back looking her over. When he looked at her face, he swore.
“That asshole.” He started walking towards her place and she went after him.
“Braden wait.” She went behind him and they made it to the door. She grabbed his arm. Suddenly there was another man there. He pulled Braden away.
“Calm down man.” Braden turned towards her as the police pulled up out front.
“Oh no, Braden the police?” She walked towards the car again. She felt his hand on her arm.
“Yes, the police Chloe. Look at your face and what he did to you.” She tentatively touched her face with her fingertips. She saw the rage fill his face again and she touched him. “I’m fine Braden, really.”
He watched her go speak to the police and he glanced at the front door as it slowly opened. Josh came staggering out and Mike once again grabbed Braden by the arm, preventing him from going to jail. The police made their way over to Josh and cuffed him. After they were gone, Braden turned to face her.
“We need to talk Chloe, now.” He went inside and she soon followed, but not before Chloe saw the blond from before walking hand in hand with Mike. So she was never with Braden. Somehow that helped to make her feel a little better. At a wave from the two of them, she made her way inside where Braden was waiting.
“Braden, nothing has changed. I love that you came here to help me, I do, but we are still so different. Everything we do is…” She stopped as he kissed her. She closed her eyes, even if they couldn’t be together, she could enjoy the way it felt when he kissed her, even just for another moment. She relaxed in his arms and he felt it. He pulled her even closer to him and ran his hands over her curves.
She was everything, and he wanted all of her. The kiss intensified and he undid the back of her dress pulling it to the floor. She was lost in him, his touch and felt the coolness of the air against her skin. She trusted him unlike she had ever trusted anyone else. He pulled her into the living room never stopping the kisses he trailed down her neck. When they made it there, she stopped him. She could be herself with him, for the moment. She walked around him and shed the rest of her clothes. She walked to the couch and laid back on it, fully unclothed and waiting. He watched her, his mouth hungry to touch her, but reveling in the way she was with him now.
She was no longer concerned about if he was attracted to her, or if he wanted her. She believed in him and how much he wanted to touch her. He finally moved towards her, gently moving his mouth down her chest, stopping to kiss and run his tongue over each crested peak. He buried his face in her breasts pulling on them and kissing every inch of them. She had her hands in his hair now pulling his head back up to kiss her deeply. He moved his hands along her curves and she arched up to meet them.
She moaned at the sensation and was aching for him with a need deep down. This is how he wanted her, how he needed her to be with him. He moved his fingers over her, working to a fevered state and he watched the expression on her face as she became more demanding of release. He wanted to give her more and he slid down, burying his face in her and tasting her.
He felt her hands in his hair as she grinded into him and finally he felt her reach that ultimate peak and he knew it was time. He raised above her, his excitement evident and she stood to touch him. Sliding her hands down his body over his chest and further until with a swift intake of breath, she held him in her hands. She slid to the floor, and when he saw her look up at him, it was almost too much. He pulled her up to him and kissed her deeply before pushing her to the couch again.
He mounted her swiftly, pushing into her depths. He reached the full hilt of himself and stopped. He wanted to just feel her surrounding him like this. He looked up at her face. She was flushed from her climax and eager for more, but he wanted to watch the expressions as he moved her. He moved slowly now stretching her to her limits and testing himself, his ability to
prolong the inevitable.
He felt her hands on his chest as he looked down at her and he watched her curvy body move with his. He wanted her, always. He pulled out and slammed back into with a force that shook them both to the core. It had never been this good, this satisfying. The need was far too great and they both were aching to reach that final release. He moved faster now, steadily grinding into her and she was almost whimpering, and calling for him. He loved her like this, with abandon.
He increased his speed and was both grinding and pounding into her at the same time. It was good, too good. She called his name as her body moved on its own. She was no longer in charge of it and she felt the orgasm start low until it shuddered through her entire body, leaving her spent and breathless. Her explosion rocked him to the core and he couldn’t hold back any longer. He slid his hands under her and lifted her off the bed slightly as he plunged into her again and again until he shared in her release. He buried himself inside her as far as he could. He wanted her to know he had given it all to her.
They lay there holding on to each other. Both afraid to speak, afraid to break the beauty of what they had shared. He knew she would run from him now, but he wouldn’t let her. He was in love with her and he couldn’t imagine life without her in it. She was the first to move, raising her head to look at him.
“Braden.” She whispered and he gently kissed her lips. He held her that way, the two looking at each other waiting for the other to say something else. She was what he had been missing his entire life, she was family.
She raised up, suddenly self-conscious of her nakedness. He knew the person she was in the throes of passion was not who she was every day. It was a part of her she shared with only him, and he loved her all the more for it. He pulled her dress from the floor and helped her into it. He noticed she relaxed some and glanced at him sheepishly as she did it.
“Chloe, before you say anything, I need you to know something.” He moved the strands of hair that had fallen into her face as she moved. She waited and looked up at him.