Worth the fight

by Vi Keeland

  “I’m taking the woman I love to bed to make love to her.”

  “Oh.” His words are like music to my ears.

  ***

  The next morning I wake to a familiar warm hand on my exposed back, rubbing gently up and down my spine. I turn my head to face the man I’ve professed my love to and he smiles at me. “Mornin.”

  “Morning.” I smile back and can’t help that it’s a goofball smile, I feel satisfied and happy and completely and totally in love. I can’t remember the last time I felt so relaxed. Telling Nico about my past has lifted a weight off my chest that I didn’t even realize I was carrying.

  Nico laughs at my smile. “I want to take you out onto the lake this morning before it gets too hot.” He pushes my hair covering part of my face behind my shoulder and kisses my cheek.

  “Okay.”

  “I could get used to this new agreeable woman that you’ve become.” Nico lifts up and kisses my bare back, just above the sheet that is covering me from the waist down.

  “And I could get used to waking up to this.” He trails sweet gentle kisses up from the small of my back all the way to the nape of my neck.

  “Come on, before we don’t leave the bed all day.” He abruptly stops kissing me and I miss the warmth of his body covering my back instantly.

  I groan loudly, very unladylike, “Or we could just stay in bed all day?” I attempt to persuade him with an invitation.

  “Not a chance. There’s a dozen places I want to have you here.”

  “Have me?” Is he saying what I think he’s saying?

  Nico pulls back the sheet, exposing my naked ass, as I still lie face down on the bed. I’ve not yet made any attempt to move. He groans and smacks my ass playfully.

  “I’m going to have you on the little island that’s in the center of the lake. I can’t wait to see you spread eagle in the middle of that patch of grass under the tree.” I begin to sit up and I watch as Nico’s light green eyes turn stormy. There’s no hiding when he wants me and I love it. It’s raw and real and he doesn’t try to mask it for something it’s not. Nico drinks me in and then takes a deep breath before his eyes return to mine. “And maybe even bent over the captains chair before we leave the dock if you don’t hurry.”

  ***

  I expected the lake to be pretty, but nothing I could have imagined comes close to what I see when my eyes first take in the stunningly picturesque scenery right before me. Nico brings me a cup of coffee as I stare out the wall of glass where the darkness hindered my vision the night before, and wraps his thick arms around my middle as he stands behind me. “Beautiful right?”

  “It’s stunning. It doesn’t even look real. It’s all too perfect.” I truly am in awe. It’s not that I don’t stop to appreciate nature, but the times that I do have become few and far between the last few years as I’ve thrown myself into my work and the city.

  “I’m glad you like it.” Nico squeezes me a little closer as he speaks.

  “How could anyone not like it?” The trees are in bloom and the entire perimeter of the crystal clear sparkling lake is lined with tall purple and orange wildflowers. I wonder for a moment if they were planted, but then I think better of it and realize that nothing man-made could possibly be that beautiful.

  Nico sighs, it’s a sound of contentment. Happiness. I know because I feel the exact same way. “Do you come up here often?”

  “I used to.”

  “Why did you stop?” Nico doesn’t respond right away and it makes me think there is a story, something difficult that made him stop.

  “I started coming here when I was fifteen. Preach used to bring me up to fish the lake. Sometimes my brothers would come, once in a while even my mom when she could get a full day off, which was rare.”

  I turn myself in Nico’s arms…sensing the part of the story that made him stop coming was near. I look up at him and he continues with my full attention. “We had a good many parties up here after I won fights.” His face is smiling as he recalls some of the good times. “Preach won’t allow electricity, so my brothers and I used to fill the back of a pickup truck with coolers.” He chuckles at the thought. “We could get a dozen coolers filled with beer in the back of a short cab.”

  I smile watching him, he has such nice family memories. Families coming together to celebrate their success around a lake filled with love and laughter. Something I longed for most of my younger years.

  “So why did you stop coming?”

  Nico’s face drops and I almost wish I didn’t ask, but I want to know everything about this man. What makes him happy or sad, smile or frown…all of it, the good and the bad. It’s all part of what makes the man before me.

  “Preach brought me up here after I tore apart my gym last year. After the fight.” He doesn’t need to explain which fight, it’s just the fight. “It was ugly. I couldn’t sleep without nightmares without the meds and I spent days trying to outrun the memories. It sucked. But Preach wouldn’t leave me, no matter how many times I threatened his life and pushed him around.”

  I wait for him to continue, but nothing more comes. “And you haven’t been back since?”

  Nico shakes his head.

  “So what made you bring me up here?”

  He looks down at me and smiles. “I love this place. Some of my best memories are here.” He kisses me chastely on the lips before continuing. “I’ve wanted to come back, chase away the haunted memories with new ones. Ones that will make me forget the bad ones.”

  God, the man is beautiful. And not just on the outside…on the inside too…and he doesn’t even have to try. It’s just who he is. Underneath 220 pounds of tattooed hard muscle that screams trouble is the most sensitive and beautiful soul I’ve ever met. For the first time since I was eight years old I feel like the luckiest girl on the planet.

  ***

  The island in the center of the large lake is small, maybe the size of a house. But it’s beautiful, with pristine sand, a small patch of grass, and a few simple weeping trees that look like they’ve been plucked off of a postcard that reads “Hello from Paradise.” Sitting in the center of the lake emphasizes the enormity of its size... it’s more than one hundred acres in size. Nico tells me that Preach saved for almost twenty years to buy the property and the lake. His father had owned a small piece of land and he’d loved the area since he was a kid. The reasons why are obvious.

  “Let’s go for a swim.” Nico suggests.

  “I don’t have my bathing suit on.” For a second I answer as if he might not realize I’m not wearing one. But then I see his smile. The dirty one that shows his deep creviced dimples and I’m sure he’s had many women drop their panties without further effort.

  “Don’t need one.”

  “But what if someone sees.”

  “Do you think I’d let anyone get a glimpse of that fantastic ass that belongs to me, Babe?”

  He has a good point. He’s possessive and protective and there is no way there’s a chance that anyone might see me naked if he’s suggesting we swim without suits. I’ve spent fifteen years being conservative, it’s time I lived a little. I don’t respond with words. Instead, I stand from the blanket we’re sitting on and take a step back, giving Nico a better view. He leans back, stretching out his long body, his elbows supporting him as he positions himself for my show with a lazy grin on his face. Slowly, I pull my t-shirt over my head, revealing a pink lace bra. Nico doesn’t move, but his eyes rake over me with appreciation I can actually feel on my body. It’s like a blanket of warmth and it covers me and fuels my nerve to keep on going.

  I unbutton my shorts, slowly pulling the zipper down, allowing my thumb to reach up and graze the skin underneath the zipper that is still hidden. I’m not touching myself anywhere intimate, but it feels sexy and intimate just the same. With an exaggerated bend, I lean over and shake my hips suggestively, allowing my shorts to skim my legs and fall to the ground.

  I stand, clad in only pink, lacy boy shorts and a m
atching demi cup bra and watch as Nico’s eyes go dark. He begins to push up from his elbows, but I raise my pointer finger and motion no, I want to give him a show.

  “Are you trying to kill me?” Nico’s voice is husky, but he stays put as requested, even though I can see he’s working to keep himself seated.

  I reach behind me and undo my bra, slipping it off slowly before I speak. “No, I’m trying to give you new memories that will make you forget the bad ones.”

  Nico blows out a deep breath loudly and settles back on his elbows again. He’s going to listen to me and let me do this for him. I stand before him in only my lacy panties and I’m not ready to take them off. I want to give him something to remember, something that will really sear into his brain and make him forget the last time he was here.

  Reaching up, I slowly trace my breast with one hand, lazily allowing my fingernail to lightly scratch at my skin. I’m nervous, but I want to do this, so I close my eyes and try to surrender to the moment.

  With my eyes still closed, I drag my fingernail over my swollen nipple and it swells even more under my touch. Slowly, I raise my finger to my mouth and suck, wetting my fingers before returning to my engorged nipple and coating it with my own silky fluids. It feels good, but I need more. Firmly, I grasp my own nipple between my thumb and forefinger and pinch. I feel it straight down to my toes and the sensitive skin between my legs tingles with anticipation. Another pinch, this time with more pressure and I feel wetness between my legs and I gasp at the sensation it sends through my body in a jolt.

  I’ve touched myself before, but it never had such an effect on me. I need more, more friction, and I need it fast. My hand travels down my flat stomach and slips into the front of my panties. They’re lace, so even though I’m still wearing them, there isn’t much that Nico can’t see.

  “Fuck.” Nico’s gravelly voice vibrates through me, raising my arousal to a new high. I find my clit and gently rub it, making slow small circles. My head falls back and a low moan escapes my lips as I feel a familiar feeling build within me. And then he’s on me. Touching and feeling and grabbing and biting, we go at it like wild animals. I’m not even sure when he undressed, but I’m insanely grateful that there aren’t any clothes between us. I feel every ounce of his rock hard body, it feels so good that I think I may find my release before we even get started.

  Nico growls as he takes my stiff nipple into his mouth and bites down hard. Pain, just shy of too much, shoots through me and my body begins to pulse on its own. He releases my aching nipple, but only enough to suck it back into his mouth and tease me. He swirls his tongue around, gently lathering it with attention, begging it to forgive him for the pain inflicted just moments ago.

  He sucks his way from my breast up to my neck and eventually finds my mouth. His tongue leading mine in a dance that leaves me panting heavily when he turns his attention to my ear. “I need inside of that pussy you made so wet for me.”

  His words set off a moan that comes from deep within me and I feel my body begin to contract. I need him inside of me too. Now. So badly. “Please.” I don’t even care that it comes out as begging. I have no shame when it comes to the pleasures of this man.

  He lifts me up into his arms before dropping down on one knee, gently positioning me on the grass. Two seconds ago we were biting and grabbing and now he is so gentle with me. He takes care of me first, makes sure I am okay, putting his own desire on the back burner to tend to me. It’s one of the things that I love about him, something that’s hard to put into words and explain to your girlfriend when you’re on a rant to explain why you’ve fallen in love with a man. He just puts me first. Always.

  I expect to feel his warm body on top of mine, but it’s not, so I open my eyes to see what’s taking him so long and find him looking down at me. What I see takes my breath away. I try to speak, but I have no words. He’s mentally searing the moment into his brain, capturing it forever like an artist with a brush. I can feel it. It’s adoration and lust and love and every other heartfelt emotion rolled up into one perfect man who loves me and couldn’t hide it if he tried.

  Unable to speak, I’m so filled with emotions that I can only reach up and offer him my hand. He takes it without a word and gently steadies himself on top of me, propping himself up on his arms, his muscular forearms on either side of my face. “I love you.” I finally find the words for the perfect moment he’s given me.

  His head comes down and he kisses me as I feel his thick head push into me. I deepen the kiss as it smothers my whimpers as his thick cock fills me. I know we should go slower, but I can’t wait any longer. It’s a tight fit normally, but without the slow ease in that Nico usually controls, it’s snugger than usual. But it feels so good, so right. I’ll worry about being sore tomorrow.

  With the base of his hard length pushed up against me, Nico steadies himself. He wants to give me time to adjust, but I’m not waiting anymore. I buck up the little that I can move underneath his weight, tilting my pelvis ever so slightly, but it allows him to sink even deeper. A gasp slips from deep within me.

  “Fuck, Babe. Are you okay?”

  “I will be if you would stop treating me like glass and get that tight ass of yours going.” I dig my nails into his ass to accentuate my need.

  Nico’s eyebrows raise in surprise, but I’m going to get my way one way or the other. I reclaim his mouth and bite down hard on his bottom lip, so hard I’m surprised I don’t taste blood. But it gets his attention and it’s the attention that I want. He pulls almost all the way out and then slams back into me…hard. I moan. It’s exactly what I need.

  And then he does it again, this time swiveling his hips on a forceful draw down and he hits that sensitive place on the inside. I tremble as my body begins to convulse around him. But he keeps on going, pumping in and out, in and out, each time rubbing me within an inch of my orgasm until we are both within seconds of climax. Nico reaches between us and strokes my pulsating clit with his wide thumb and it’s enough to push me over the edge. I moan his name as my body begins to climax, pulsating wildly as wave after wave of bliss rolls over me. I feel the heat of Nico’s release pour into me and I think I’m about to hit bottom, but I keep falling, his release prolonging my own.

  ***

  By the time we leave the next evening, there is no doubt in my mind that we’ve replaced Nico’s memories with new ones that he won’t soon forget.

  Chapter 45

  Elle

  The last few weeks have been, without a doubt, the happiest weeks of my life. I’ve found a balance between my work and my time with Nico, and Lawrence actually seems happy that I’m working fewer hours these days. His own health issues have been a soft reminder of life’s priorities and it seems to have spilled over into how he is managing the office. The timing couldn’t be more perfect.

  I still think about my past, but I haven’t had another nightmare since I told Nico. It’s odd, sometimes it feels like I’ve lightened what I carry around with me, but only because Nico is sharing the weight. We talk about it openly now and it seems to help. Each day it gets a little bit easier.

  I can’t remember the last time I saw the delivery man for dinner. Nico’s in training for his big fight and he seems to love to feed me. We alternate between our apartments, but we’ve slept in the same bed almost every night since we came back from Preach’s house on the lake. I thought we had hit a high note, and things would have nowhere to go from there, but I’m finding I like the day to day ordinary with Nico almost as much as the special times. I’m in a domestic bliss of sorts, a place I never thought I’d find. A place that just didn’t seem in the cards for me. But here I am…and I couldn’t be happier.

  I leave work a little early, it’s an important day for Nico. He finally finds out who he’ll be fighting in the championship fight. Not that the name will mean anything to me, but I want to be there for him.

  I hit traffic on the way to the gym and barely make it there before the live announcement that
is going to be made on T.V. The gym is full, but it’s not humming with its usual bevy of men hitting things or lifting poundage that exceeds my body weight. Instead, they’re all gathered around the T.V. that hangs from the corner of the cardio area. The sound is loud and the scene is upbeat and jovial. As always, Nico clocks me the minute that I walk in. He’s talking to an up-and-coming young fighter I’ve seen around before, but he watches every step I take. I wonder if the poor guy even notices he’s lost Nico’s attention.

  “Love the suit.” Nico wraps his arm around my waist possessively the second I approach. I wore his favorite red suit, knowing I would be leaving the office early to go straight to see him. The hem is a little shorter than most of my others, but I barely made it out of it the last time I wore it, so I thought he might have taken a liking to it. I was right. I love that Nico finds me sexy in a suit. Some men would be intimidated by a woman dressed for business, but not Nico. Instead of intimidated, he finds it arousing.

  The newscasters come on and we join the others around the T.V. The announcer talks for a little while about Nico’s career, footage plays on the screen from the fight. Nico’s grip on my waist tightens as they discuss the death of his former opponent, I’m only grateful that they didn’t decide to replay the blow that ended the fight.

  Finally, the President of the MMA Fighting Association comes on the screen and reminds everyone that one week from today the championship fight will take place. He then makes a big to-do about opening an envelope that contains the name of the challenger, as if he didn’t already know, and the name is announced. Trevor Crispino. The room falls silent. Apparently I’m the only one that the name means nothing to. I scan the room for some indication of why Mr. Crispino’s name is met with such empathy, but everyone seems shell-shocked. Especially Preach. I vaguely remember Nico telling me he thought it would be a fighter named Caputo.

  Nico disappears before I can ask him what is going on and suddenly the quiet room erupts in chatter. There’s lots of “no fuckin way” comments and a few “this is bullshit, he’s not even a contender” remarks, but I’m still lost. I make my way through to Preach, who’s still staring at the floor. His reaction is making me feel even more panicked.