Braden Davenport was on cloud nine. Even now, as he pulled off his helmet, he felt great. He was on a streak and this was going to be his best season yet. He brushed his hand through his jet black hair and smiled at the people around him. It was nice having fans. They were the only constant in his life, always there to cheer him on. The problem was, they didn’t really know him.
That’s not to say that it isn’t great doing what you love for a living. He was able to buy his first house at the age of 23, and at 29, he owned three. He liked to have a nice place to stay whenever he was in his favorite places. Racing was a dangerous sport, but it was in his blood, a part of him. Being here in Austin for the MotoGP race had been a fluke, but a happy one. He was a last minute add in and he was happy he said yes.
He would always rather be racing than home alone or out with some nameless girl that didn’t know him very well. For now, he was home in Texas, at least for the next two months. It was the place where this all began and he was happy to be there. He loved the dry air and the open grounds in the hill country, and the city life in Austin. His next race was in Vegas and he was happy for the break. The win today would put enough money in the bank that he could live off forever, but it was never enough. Having lived such a hard life growing up, he liked the better, secure, lifestyle he had now.
He basically lived his life in an orphanage. He never knew his father, who left his mother soon after he was born. His mother was heartbroken and soon became an addict. He still remembered what it was like finding her there when he was 7. She made the wrong person mad, and they gave her some bad stuff. He found her unresponsive, lying on the living room floor. They didn’t have a phone, but fortunately he was able to run to a neighbor and they called the police for him. He still carried around the guilt because he couldn’t save her. He eventually left the orphanage and made a few friends. He had a difficult time trusting people, getting close to anyone.
He got his first job at the thrift store in town. He learned the hard way that life was about making the right choices or you end up with nothing. Over time, he managed to secure a room, and that’s when he met Gerald and Abbie Smith. Older, they were frequent shoppers where he worked, and they always amused him. At 80, Gerald was a big bear of a man. Abbie was a tiny little thing at 77. Abbie would tell Braden he looked too thin, and Gerald would pull him aside and talk cars with him, something he always loved. After a year or so, they invited him to dinner. At 19, he still seemed like a kid to Abbie. She was always fussing over him and making sure he actually ate when he came over.
Gerald was the person who taught Braden to race. He owned many bikes, he was a collector of sorts, and the moment Braden rode one, his life changed. He maneuvered them like a pro. After some help from Gerald’s contacts, he quickly became successful and was able to secure himself a lucrative future in racing. When Braden was 21, Gerald passed away, and Abbie followed a year later. He moved in to help her after Gerald's passing, and held her hand when she died.
That was seven years ago now, and he could still remember it like it was yesterday. He shook his head, remembering, and smiled. He made sure his bike was always in tip top shape, and made frequent visits to his trusted mechanic and best friend, Mike's house. They met in his early years of racing, and had been friends ever since.
The most important thing that Gerald taught Braden was that the bike is your money and the only way you can ride it safely is if you have a hand in what goes on with it. The bike was his family, and he protected it as such. He finally set off for the hour drive to Marble Falls, where Mike lived.
Mike was always a party guy. One girl to the next and one disaster away from an addiction. What he did have was a nice house, and a serious garage behind it. It was the one thing he always took care of. His mother would come over once a month and clean up for him. As he pulled into the parking lot of the townhouses, Braden noticed the changes. The place next door was vacant the last time he was there, and he wondered if Mike even knew that someone had moved in.
He was taking the next few weeks to run off with his newest girlfriend and had given Braden the key so that he could drop some things off, and pick up some things for the bike. He noticed her the moment he pulled up. He watched amused as a woman was desperately trying to get her key to work in her door knob.
“Damn it.”
She was angry and she was beautiful. She finally kicked the door and turned to go to her car. She stopped when she saw him watching her. She gave him a half smile before pushing her hair back and squaring her shoulder.
“I’m not usually so easily flustered. My key broke off in the door… now I am rambling sorry… so yeah, I should go.” She turned to go again and he finally said something.
“I can probably get that out of there if you want me to try.” He crossed his arms as she gave him a half smile.
“That would be… well… yes, please.” She smiled at him again and he went to the truck.
Chloe closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She was standing here rambling like an idiot. It always happened when she met a guy, especially an attractive one. Attractive didn’t even begin to describe this one. He was, by far, the most attractive guy she had seen in a long time. He had black hair and dark eyes and just enough stubble on his face to give him that mysterious look. She never even kissed a guy like that and she never would. It certainly didn’t hurt to watch him though. He was all muscle, and it was obvious he worked out. She blushed as he came back towards her, hopefully he hadn’t seen her looking him over like that.
He smiled as he worked on the door. She was looking him over and it made him smile. The fact that she blushed when he looked at her made him like her even more. He finally broke the broken key out and he turned to look at her again. It was her eyes that struck him first. Deep blue and full of life, they contrasted the abundance of red flowing hair. She was a big girl, he liked that about her. She had curves in all of the right placed and he wanted to touch every single one of them. He glanced at her hand and didn't see a ring, which was a good first step. He handed her the broken pieces of the key, and when his eyes met hers, he saw her blush again.
“It should be fine now, I had to put some lube in it.” He gave her a half smile.
“What… oh thanks.” She gathered the pieces up and headed towards the door. “Thanks again…”
“Braden… my name is Braden.” He held his hand out to her and she shook it.
“I’m Chloe, nice to meet you.”
“Perhaps I can get you to have dinner with me sometime, Chloe?” He watched the myriad of emotions cross her face.
“Sure, that sounds like fun.” She turned to head back in again and he smiled.
“Chloe, can I get your number?”
“Oh, sorry.” She wrote it down and turned to go again.
She was a flighty one, but that was part of the excitement for him. He watched her go inside and he left, heading for his place in the hills. She was timid, something he would remedy. Even now he thought about her curves and how they would feel under his fingers. He rarely ever lost at this and he didn’t intend to start now.
Chloe shut the door with a thud. That was very sweet of him, offering to have dinner with him. It was typical of some guys, nicer ones anyway, to offer to take the big girl out. She didn’t need to get paraded around and everyone’s opinion of him go up because he did her a favor. Still, he seemed genuine. She made her way into the house and took a good long look at herself in the mirror. She had been working hard to lose weight, to be in better shape. She was down 20 pounds but she still hated the way she looked. Aside from her friends and her little brother, she was alone. In some ways it suited her. She’d had one serious relationship and that left her ready to just put the idea of love and romance behind her for good.
After, she made her way into her room to throw on pajamas and spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning until Charlie got out of school. At 12, he was more than a handful of energy. In a week, he would be gone with friends on vacation, and she would really be alone all summer. He had been living with her a year and a half now, but some days it seemed like only yesterday that he had moved in. She was 22 and ready to tackle the world when she got the call. Her parents and her little brother were in an accident.
Like most people, she didn’t think anything could happen to her. She rushed to the hospital, but her parents were both gone, leaving Charlie, with her. It was a rough start, but they were good now. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t get lonely sometimes though. He kept her busy, one activity to another. Motherhood at her age was not part of her plan, but she was lucky they had each other. That thought brought her back to Braden. She wondered if he had a family. He seemed like a nice guy.
She never had an opportunity to meet her neighbor. As far as she knew the little lady that came in and out on occasion was the only one who visited that house at all. She sighed, she had rambled on and on about nothing, he must have thought her a complete idiot. Finally, she sat down to calculate how to pull off everything this month.
She was a local teacher, well she was a substitute. She was still in school part-time but she was determined to finish. Most of the time she worked enough days to just barely pay the bills, but having a 12 year old with numerous after school activities put a dent in things. Not to mention the rent on this place was out outrageous. Since her parents were renting as well, their place was too much for her to take on.
They were always like the traveling circus, always moving and changing. Chloe didn’t want that for her little brother. She lived that life and he needed stability. She would simply have to cut out some things, but first she would have to find what those things were.
Braden walked into his house, well Gerald’s and Abbie’s house. They left it for him in the will. No children of their own, they took him in and loved him as if he were theirs. He didn’t live here, it didn’t feel like he should, and to be honest, he didn’t want to take over. He liked being able to walk in and see their things as they left it. It gave him a sense of peace. Deep down, he knew it wasn’t healthy, he should sell it, but for now he couldn’t let go.
He checked on things here and then headed to the place he lived in the hills. He called ahead the week before so that it could be opened up and aired out. He hadn’t been here in months and knowing it would be ready was one of the many luxuries he enjoyed. He had a house manager and a housekeeper, both trustworthy friends, and he compensated them well for the work they did for him.
Once he was there, he made his way inside and he poured himself a drink, leisurely making his way to the large windows overlooking the city. He wanted her. The thought crossed his mind and he smiled. Chloe, there was something about her that struck a nerve, and he wanted to figure it out. He thought at first it had been her coy and shy personality, but he had played that game before and knew that wasn’t it.
There was a depth to her, and he wanted to know more. Women were always around, throwing themselves at him and offering him their charms. It came with the business… and the money. It was rare he felt connected to someone who didn’t know about either of those things. She felt the connection too, but she simply dismissed it, and he wanted to know why. He suddenly smiled as an idea came to mind. She had no clue who he was or the money he made. Even in her wildest dream, would she ever guess that he was a billionaire. He pulled out his phone and called Mike.
Braden pulled up to Mike’s townhouse once more with a renewed spirit. Mike had given him the green light at least for the next few weeks. That would be plenty of time to figure Chloe out. He glanced over at her place before heading inside. Much like his penthouse, the place hadn’t been lived in in months. Everything shined and gleamed. “Thank you Mrs. Anderson.” He said under his breath.
She was a sweet woman, often quiet and reserved, but she could clean the hell out of this bachelor pad. He decided there was no time like the present to start pursuing his curvy neighbor. He made his way over to her door. It wasn’t late, so he gave it a knock. She opened the door in a flurry, and as soon as she saw him, she looked shocked.
“Braden hello.” She smiled at him and he felt the heat rising in him. Her hair was pulled up on top of her head and she was wearing a t-shirt and sweats. Casual and damn near the sexiest thing he had ever seen.
“Hello Chloe, thought I’d see if you were up for a chat? It’s just that I’ve been out of town and it’s hard to get resettled.” He gave her a smile and gauged her reaction.
She was just a little intimidated. She assumed he would move on and let her be, but here he was, in his tight jeans and arms that looked ready to rip out of his shirt. She gulped slightly, what was wrong with her? She usually had more control over herself than this. She gave him a half smile.
“I wish I could. It’s just that my little brother is here and is sleeping.” There, that should put him off.
“Oh, I see. Maybe we could sit on the deck?” He shoved his hands in his pockets and she mechanically nodded a yes. He smiled at her again and she moved to let him in.
She must be completely out of her mind. What was she doing? She didn’t even know him that well and she just let him walk right into her house. He could be a crazy person or something. She sighed.
“I’m not a killer or anything, if that’s what you’re worried about.” They had made it to the sliding door and he leaned in behind her, whispering it in her ear.
She felt the heat of his breath on her ear and shivered. It had been a long time, very long, and she was just sensitive that’s all. They moved out to the deck, and as she shut the door and turned towards him, he was directly in front of her.
“Are you married Chloe?” He leaned towards her as he said it, propping his arm against the sliding door beside her head.
“You're very forward aren’t you?” “No, I’m not, said Braden, are you?” She ducked through his arm and made her way over to the wrought iron chairs on the deck. It was dark out there. Having forgotten the deck lights were blown, she silently cursed. She turned around again, and this time he walked over to the rail. She joined him there, waiting and suddenly he turned towards her.
“No, I’m not.” He put an arm on either side of her and rested against the railing. As he did so he leaned into her breathing in the scent of jasmine.
She was lost in that moment, He was inches away from her and her only thought was that he must be really desperate to be here with her. More than anything else, she didn’t want to look like a fool, it's happened before and she didn’t want to go through that again. She dipped below his arm and faced the trees again. She could hear his chuckle, and she frowned.
“You are something else Chloe, you know I want to kiss you, but you keep running, why?”
She looked at him, surprised by his admission. “Why do you want to kiss me? I’m sure you have plenty of other women to kiss, besides, I don’t even know you, Braden.”
“What better way to get to know me, Chloe.” He stood and gave her a smile.
There was something about the way he said it that left her wondering if he was serious or simply out of his mind. She shook her head and turned back around.
“Don’t be ridiculous Braden.”
She said it simply and he realized she meant it. He frowned as he thought about it. Maybe she wasn’t attracted to him. There was only one way to find out. He slid over to the right and grasped her hand in his and pulled her towards him. He saw the look of surprise on her face as he put his hand against the back of her head, pulling her into his arms as his mouth crushed hers.
She was on fire and he did nothing but add fuel to it. She felt his mouth nip at her lips and then dive deeper. She opened her mouth to him, unconsciously meeting his kiss eagerly. As their tongues danced, she felt the fire inside begin to build and grow. It had been so long, and he was very good. She felt his hands then start to move. First, slowly he ran them down her back and over the curve of her hip, pulling her even closer to him. She felt his mouth slowly leave her lips and trail down her neck and he nipped her collarbone. He moved his hands up her hips and his mouth found her again. The kiss was passionate and full of promise. She felt his hand slip under her shirt and she panicked, pushing him away.
Braden stood frozen, what the hell was wrong with him. He planned on sweet talking… maybe steal a kiss, but this… He ran his hand through his hair and walked to the deck to calm himself. One thing was for sure. She wanted him just as badly as he wanted her, she couldn’t deny that now. He looked over at her, she was stone-faced and looked almost sad. He frowned, that was not what he expected to happen, but why would it make her sad?
“Chloe, I’m sorry." I didn’t mean to get so carried away.” She looked down and then back up at him, a smile now sitting on her face.
“I understand. Like you said, you haven’t been home in months. I’m sure you're just tired.” She moved to walk back to the door leading to the house. She whispered to herself “Plus it's dark out here, I’m sure that helps.”
“Helps with what?” He was beside her, he was like a cat the way he moved.
“Nothing sorry, just rambling as always. I should get to bed, I have to be at work early.” She smiled at him, but he knew something was wrong here.
“Sure, I understand.” He turned to go and then spun back to look at her. “I like kissing you, Chloe. I won’t lie about it, and in fact, I want much more than that. I wanted you to know I plan on trying to make sure you know that regularly.” He walked down the front steps whistling. She stayed there until she heard his door shut. She leaned her back against the door to try and calm her racing heart.
The days went by quickly, they would often pass each other in the front yards or as they came home. Both of them caught up in work. He consistently asked her to come over for dinner, but she always had reason to say no. He never made any other move to kiss her or otherwise, and she relaxed more around him. They spent two different afternoons sitting out front talking about life, where each time she was sure they had an audience at all times. One afternoon she opened up more than she planned.
“So, Charlie?” Braden asked as Charlie was throwing a ball with a friend in the parking lot.
“My parents were killed in an accident, he was with them, but survived. That was almost two years ago now.” She watched Charlie playing. “He is a good boy though.”
“That has to be hard on you, suddenly having a 12 year old.” Braden watched the expressions changing on her face.
“It took some adjusting, for all of us.” She took a sip of water from her glass.
“Why aren’t you married?” He asked it very matter of factly, but with a deeper tone to his voice. She turned to look at him.
“I almost was once, actually.”
He sat up at her admission. So she had loved someone, being close to them. “You know you have to tell me now Chloe?”
“No, I don’t Braden.” She stood up, brushing off her skirt as she did and headed into her house. He stood and followed.
She noticed him standing in the doorway. “Really Braden, following me into my own home? Even for you that’s a bit much.” She started folding the towels on the table in the kitchen. He didn’t say anything, but methodically started helping. She paused to look at him and he simply grinned at her. She rolled her eyes.
When they were done, he finally spoke. “Why don’t you want to talk about it?”
She put her right hand on her hip. “Because it doesn’t matter Braden, that’s why.” As she turned to go he grabbed her forearm and pulled her to him.
“It does matter Chloe, it certainly is part of why you are the way you are.”
“What the hell does that mean “the way I am”?” She felt the sting then. She was different. Why did people always feel the need to point it out to her?
“Wait a minute Chloe what do you think I am talking about here?” He took another step closer, never letting go of her arm.
“Let me go Braden.” Her eyes glittered dangerously.
“Not until you tell me.”
“Fine.” She yanked her arm free. “I was engaged, he seemed to accept me.” She gave him a glance. “He was always sweet and kind and then when my parents died, he never made it to the funeral. He apologized, and I was stupid enough to believe him. When Charlie moved in, he tried to force me to send him away to a boarding school of some kind.
He said this was not the future he planned and that Charlie was not his problem. So I refused, and he slept with my friend. I caught them in my friend’s house. The worst part was, it had been going on for a long time. She was one of those model-thin blondes. I should have known better.” She looked over at him finally and he was in shock. He moved towards her again and she stepped back.
“I’m sorry that happened to you Chloe, he was an ass.”
“Thanks.”
Her voice was clipped and short now. He knew she was reliving it and it was his fault. He looked at her, she was sad and hurting and it had left something scarred in her. He felt that same feeling when he was put in that home. Like no one understood him or cared to. He didn’t want that for her, for her to feel that way. He reached out and grabbed her again and pulled her to him. They stayed that way for a long time, just standing close with him pressed against her until Charlie came running in breaking the spell.
“Chloe, look what I found, a frog!” He happily made his way over to her and she shrieked backing up.
Charlie glanced at Braden, rolling his eyes. “Girls.” Braden couldn’t help but laugh at the scene before him.
“Well, I have to get going, Chloe. I expect to finish this conversation later.” He ruffled his hand in Charlie’s hair. “You be nice to your sister.” He gave him a smile and he headed out. He had a tremendous amount of paperwork to sort through at his place.
The next week went by uneventfully. She would glance at his place when she went to work, subconsciously hoping to see him. He was a good friend of Charlie, and that was all. School would be out in two days. Finally, it was Saturday, and Charlie was leaving. She knew the Bakers were picking him up at 11 and she started helping him to move his things outside as they waited. He was smiling at her and she finally asked him why.
“You are gonna have a whole lot of time to spend with your new boyfriend next door when I am gone, Sis.” He started laughing. She swatted at him.
“Charlie, that’s not funny. Keep your voice down. He is not my boyfriend, he is our neighbor.”
“Okay, so why is he always asking you out?” He looked up at her and started to laugh again.
“I don’t know. Maybe he feels sorry for me because my little brother has such a big mouth.” She pushed him as she made her way down the stairs.
“No, he likes you Chloe, I like girls at school… that’s how he looks at you.” He shrugged at her glare and went back to moving things.
“No, he doesn’t, guys like him don’t like girls… well like me. That’s just the way the world is. It’s up to younger guys like you to make the world better.” She threw a pillow at him and he scrambled to catch it before it hit the ground. Finally, they noticed the Bakers coming up the side street, and after some time, he was loaded and leaving.
She waved at him, feeling a little sad at the prospect of spending so much time alone. Once it had been easy to fill her time, and now, she was like a mom, and without him, she wasn’t sure what to do. She turned around and Braden was there watching her. She gave him a wave and headed back to her house.
He watched her go. It was the longest week of his life and all he wanted to do was touch her. Between issues with the races, complaints from other drivers about a leak, and his manager trying to set him up on random surprise dates at dinner time, he just wanted something normal. He wanted her. He heard what she said and it made sense to him now. “Guys like him and girls like her.” She had no idea what he wanted, but he was going to tell her. He took long strides to her door and rang the bell. He felt the anticipation curling up. When she opened the door, he practically fell through it.
“Braden hello...” He cut her off, pulling her to him and covering her mouth with his. He bruised her lips with his attack and she felt her defenses slip away. She thought of nothing but him for a week.
They moved together in the living room and she leaned back on the couch as he pushed her down. She felt the length of him against her and it was perfect. His hands were everywhere and as he unbuttoned her shirt he felt her freeze.
“Look at me Chloe. I want you, all of you just as you are. Stop fighting me.” She was still frozen and he knew he had to convince her. He pinned both of her arms above her head with his left arm as he moved his right hand over her curves. She was rounded and smooth, and he loved it. She was aware of every nerve ending in her body, as his hands reached around and under each breast, lifting her bra slightly so that the nipples were exposed. He cupped each globe lovingly until he reached the pert nipple that had hardened under his touch. He pulled and tugged on them, creating a deep ache deep down, soon covering each one in succession with his mouth.
Chloe was lost in the sensation. No one had ever taken time with her like this, ever. His hands were lighting her on fire with every movement.
She was all fire, just like he knew she would be. He was almost in pain with the need to rip off her clothes and bury himself inside her, but he wanted to go slow, wanted it to be good for her too. She was laid out on the couch, her hair, a red flaming swirl around her head and yet he could still tell she was nervous. He moved lower to make a final step in making her his.
Her eyes flew open as she felt him slide his hand under her and lift her off the bed as he loved her with his mouth. She couldn’t move, couldn’t do anything but feel the way he felt against her. She felt the tension fade away and the mounting pleasure begin to spiral out of control. Her legs were shaking as she climbed that ultimate peak to release. She let go of her resolve and fears and put her hands in his hair and let go.
He felt her release, and the way her legs were trembling made him ache for her more. He moved above her and watched her face as he moved to push inside her. She was tight, and it took more than one pushed to fully envelope himself within her. With a final push, he was exactly where he needed to be. He pushed her knees up and over his shoulders as his movements became more frantic, more demanding. Soon, he stood back from her, one hand holding each knee as he pounded into her relentlessly. He heard her moans, and knew she was sharing in the intensity. Her hips moved with his, and the explosion was powerful as he pushed into her one last time and release came.
They both lay there, trying to breathe and trying to make sense of what just happened. For Chloe, it was unlike anything she ever experienced. She looked up at him and he was smiling down at her. He leaned in and kissed her lightly before he stood up. She once again marveled at his chiseled body. He saw her glance and smiled at her. Hopefully she knew that he found her sexy and he enjoyed touching her. He made his way to the kitchen and Chloe quickly redressed. What had she done? She felt the blush rising up her face. He had seen her, all of her. No one ever had. She made her way into the bathroom and then followed him in the kitchen.
His phone rang and she turned to look at him and he frowned as he listened.
“Chloe, I have to go. I’m sorry, something came up.”
“Sure it's fine go ahead.” She felt the same fear from before, he would leave now.
“Chloe look at me.” She did. “I will be back, I promise. “ He kissed her quickly on the head and left.
To say he was worried was an understatement. The twenty minute drive took him 12. He pulled into his lot and stared up at the flaming mess. His penthouse was on fire and all he could do was watch. He found the house staff and was happy they were okay. The three of them watched as the fire department did their best.
The next few days Braden spent sifting through what had once been his home. His home hadn’t been saved and very little else had either. He had to meet with the investigator today and then the adjuster. The police assumed this was an accident, but he wasn’t as sure. He was staying at a nearby hotel, trying to hold it all together, but barely. He made sure the staff had rooms and that they were well taken care of. Most of his time was spent on the phone or on conference to various media networks and the racing team. He thought about Chloe, her smile and her sweetness. He missed her. Everything he put into proving he liked her the way she was vanished the night he left, and hadn’t come back. He promised, and now she would never trust him again.
Chloe knew she was a fool. She spent that entire night waiting for him, as if she believed in his story, or that he would come back. She waited, and the joke was on her. Life had, inevitably gone back to normal. As a teacher, she threw herself back into the work of planning for the next school year. She found that by journaling a lot, she was able to keep her heart from hurting too much.
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.
“I am in love with you.” I know you don’t know how this will work, but I know you have feelings for me too. I know you worry about everything, from yourself, to Charlie and money, and this house.”
“Braden” she started, but he held up a hand to her...
“I’m not finished. The last few months have been the worst kind of hell for me. I found my mother dead on my living room floor when I was twelve, and aside from a loving couple who gave me a family for three years, I have been alone my whole life. I didn’t even know what I was missing until you and Charlie. I love you. Chloe. I want you with me… you and Charlie. I have more money than I can ever spend and I want to share everything with you.”
“Braden… I love you too.” He relaxed with her words and pulled her closer to him. She was worried about life with Braden, what she never considered was how awful life would be without him. She smiled up at him and asked.
“Will you miss all the models and thin girls? Can I really satisfy you, Braden?
“Chloe, what we have is better than anything I have ever done in my whole life. You are sexy and gorgeous, and ALL I want is you.” She smiled and a giggle escaped.
“What’s so funny?”
“Charlie said you liked me even before any of this. Now I have to tell him he was right.”
“I love you Chloe.”
He kissed her again, and for the first time in her life, she believed it.