Fighting Wrath

by Jennifer Miller

  Just as I round the corner and make a beeline to my car, I look up and do a double take, stopping in my tracks. I’m surprised to see Tyson leaning up against his truck, parked right next to my car. He’s tapping on his phone and doesn’t see me immediately, so I take a moment to enjoy the view. It’s already warm out, but he looks cool in his jeans, tight over his thighs, and a random band t-shirt. He’s sporting a very sexy five o’clock shadow and it gives him an edge. His hair is artfully messy and he looks mouth-watering. As if hearing my thoughts, he looks up spotting me. His eyes roam my body, and when he smiles, I swear my heart flips over in my chest. He tucks his phone in his pocket, but waits for me, crossing his arms over his chest, making his biceps bulge. Smiling, I start walking quickly, anxious to reach him.

  He stands erect when I’m close, and I drop my bag and jump into his arms making him laugh. “This is a nice surprise,” I tell him right before I put my mouth on his and waste no time sweeping my tongue inside. He tastes like peppermint and smells like spice. After making a sound of surprise at my enthusiasm, he kisses me back with fervor. His lips are addictive and I lose myself in his taste, smell and touch. Being with him makes me easily forget everything else. When one of his hands, previously at my waist, journey’s to my ass, all I can think about is how I want him to move his hand a little more toward my center – I ache for it. When I hear a car door slam close by, it penetrates my naughty mood, and I’m ripped back into awareness. Pulling back, and letting my legs drop so I’m standing once again, I smile and note the twinkle in his eyes. “Sorry,” I murmur, “I guess I kind of attacked you.”

  “Mmm, I like it.”

  “How did you find me?”

  “I’ll always find you.”

  “I’m serious,” I laugh.

  He shrugs, “It was easy. I drove around all the parking lots on campus until I found your car.”

  “There’s like five parking lots and a ton of buildings.” He merely shrugs again and I stand on my tiptoes to give him a quick peck on the lips. “Not that I’m not happy to see you, but what are you doing here? You mentioned you’re working on a car today and we would see each other tonight.”

  “I just finished up at work, but still need to get in some time on the car at my garage. I was hoping maybe you’d like to come with me? Keep me company while I work?”

  “Sure, I love watching you work under the hood,” I smile lifting my eyebrows over and over suggestively making him laugh.

  “Truth is, I just couldn’t wait to see you,” he admits. He looks away at his words as if he’s afraid I won’t return the sentiment and doesn’t want to see it on my face.

  With a gentle nudge, I make him turn his face back to me, wanting his eyes looking into mine. “I’m so glad you’re here, I missed you too.” He smiles and it’s a beautiful sight and I take pleasure in knowing I put it on his face. “Before we go, can we grab some lunch at the café? I was going to eat at home, but I’m starving,” I confess and as if that’s all my body needed to hear my stomach growls loudly making him laugh.

  We head over to the café and each grab sandwiches and a drink. We select seats and dig in. “What do you think she’s studying?”

  “What?” I ask wiping my mouth with a napkin.

  “That girl there,” he discretely gestures to the girl he’s talking about. “What do you think she’s studying?”

  “Hmmm…” I take in her hurried pace, the hair that’s falling out of her ponytail and the open pockets in her backpack, like she was in too much of a hurry to zip them up. “Well, given her obvious organization and need for balance and serenity in her life, you know, based on her very calm nature,” I say trying not to grin, “I’m going for a Feng Shui Consultant.”

  Tyson rubs his chin while he nods as if agreeing with my guess. “I can see that.”

  “What about him?” I ask looking at a guy just as he walks by. We look at his dirty sweatpants, untucked shirt, untied shoelaces and I’m pretty sure his fly is down. He looks like he rolled out of bed and threw on whatever was lying around.

  “Well look at that style. He’s clearly going to be a professional shopper at Nordstrom.

  I snort, “I can’t believe you even know what a professional shopper is. Don’t all guys hate shopping?”

  “Exactly. That’s why we know about these things.” His eyes scan the people around us looking for another victim. “Okay, what about her?” He gives a jerk of his head indicating a woman at a table next to ours. She’s talking on the phone and has a very high-pitched voice. She’s telling someone on the phone that if she were them, she wouldn’t be able to take it and would give up.

  Tyson and I look at each other and I giggle. “Clearly she’s a motivational speaker.”

  He nods his head and I’m impressed with his ability to keep a straight face. Before I can ask him another one, he says, “What about that guy over there, surrounded by all the women?”

  I turn around to look at the person he’s talking about. The guy has a huge smile on his face and teeth so white they actually seem to glisten, and I would wager they could glow in the dark. His hair is perfectly coifed and he’s literally surrounded by giggling girls. He’s got player written all over him. “I’m going with dog food tester.”

  Tyson laughs. “Oh yeah?”

  “Yep. He’s got the ladies surrounding him now, but pretty soon they’ll realize the dog he really is, I betcha.”

  “I think that’s a pretty good bet.”

  “Why thank you,” I say with a smile. “Okay, that’s enough of our lame stereotype game. Although, it’s definitely been amusing.”

  “It has,” he agrees. “Especially since the lot of them are probably future astronauts, physicists, teachers and one will probably cure cancer.”

  Laughing together again, we throw away our trash, and then make our way to our vehicles. He has me follow him to his place so I can drop off my car, then jump in his truck so we can drive to his garage. Apparently, he rents one specifically for working on the cars he rebuilds.

  We listen to music while he works and chatter about random topics. I find myself watching his hands as he uses them to repair what’s broken. I watch his lips move as he talks and smiles about what he’s doing and why. When something is tough to tighten, lift or remove, he bites his bottom lip and I find myself licking mine in response. My thighs clench as I watch his muscles move hypnotically under his shirt, and while we continue to make idle talk I don’t really hear any of it.

  My breaths start to come faster and I can’t stop picturing myself ripping his clothes off right here, right now. I’m extremely wet between my thighs thinking about touching him, kissing him.

  “You okay?” Tyson’s looking at me with his brow furrowed and I’m not sure what he’s said to me.

  “Huh?” I ask eloquently, not able to move my eyes from his chest.

  “Are you okay? You look flushed.”

  “Oh, yeah. I’m fine. It’s okay.”

  “I’m sorry. I’m sure this is boring. I’m about finished.” He closes the hood. “Let me just put a few things away and we can go.”

  I nod absently, my mind already considering something incredibly naughty. Do I dare? Before I can think twice about it, I begin quietly removing my clothes. I’m just wearing simple denim shorts, a tee, and underclothes, so I have them off in no time. He’s concentrated on cleaning his tools and putting them away in the cabinet next to him, so he’s not even paying attention to me. I hurry while his back is turned, and then as quietly as possible sit my ass on the hood of the car, and rest my feet, legs open on the front fender.

  I have a moment of apprehension, wondering what the hell I’m doing. It isn’t like it’s a private rental place. We’re alone right now, but who’s to say his garage neighbor isn’t going to pull up any time? This is crazy. But even thinking those things, I don’t move. Instead, I lean back on my elbows and toss my hair over my shoulders.

  He scrubs his hands at the sink, using a nailbrush t
o get underneath. Taking a paper towel from a roll sitting on the tool bench and drying his hands, he turns toward where I was last standing. “Okay, beautiful. That’s everything. We can go-“ when he finally looks up, his words get lost immediately and his eyes widen in shock. The paper towel he was holding in his hand drops to the floor. He swallows – twice – and looks me up and down. “Holy. Fuck.”

  When he reaches up and rubs his eyes as if trying to clear them, I giggle because I can’t believe it myself. “Is this fucking real?” he asks. “Because it’s like all of my fantasies just came true, so I know I’ve got to be dreaming.”

  “Oh, it’s real.” He stares into my eyes as if seeking permission. “Fuck me, Tyson.”

  Refusing to take his eyes from me, he begins to remove his clothes. Hurriedly. Shoes first, then he slides his jeans down his legs with his briefs. His cock springs free and proudly points long and thick, into the sky. He kicks his pants aside, then takes his t-shirt off in one quick move. Stepping toward the car and me, he stops just shy of touching me, and I sit back up anticipating his next move.

  He leans forward, and kisses me first. He tangles his hand in my hair, pulls my head back and ravages my mouth. His kiss is all tongue and teeth and I feel a rush of wetness between my legs at the blatant possession he takes of my mouth.

  Ripping his lips from mine, he looks at me again for a moment, and then starts kissing my neck. Licking and biting his way to my breasts, I arch my back when he takes a nipple into my mouth and I sigh, “Yes.”

  Jerking in surprise when I feel a sharp bite to my nipple, he laughs, and the sound is husky and full of desire. “Your tits are so huge, more than a handful. Someday I’m going to come all over them.”

  Lost in lust, I nod absently as he hungrily makes his way down my body, lower and lower he kisses, sucks and bites, until he reaches his intended destination. With a growl, he pushes my legs further apart and buries his head in my wetness so enthusiastically it takes all I have not to fall back on the hood, lost in sensation. “God, I love tasting you,” he lifts his head to tell me, a wicked smile on his glistening lips, “I will never get enough.”

  Groaning and panting as he brings me to the brink of no return, I let out a long groan in frustration when he suddenly stands, picks me up off the car, turns me around and presses the front of his body into the back of mine. He uses one hand to palm my breast and tugs at my nipple, while his other hand finds my clit and continues to rub. “God, yes,” I beg.

  Pushing me forward until the top half of my body is lying on the car, he uses his feet to push mine apart again, then bends down behind me, burying his tongue inside of me once more. This change in position and sensation has me coming almost instantaneously. I pant at my release, and he continues to suck, helping me ride out the last of my orgasm. Doing my best to stay on my feet, I half hear the crinkling of a wrapper, and then he’s there, pushing into me. When he’s all the way inside, he curses under his breath. “You feel so fucking good. Mine. All mine.”

  After pushing in and out, slowly and easy, as if getting me acclimated to his size, he goes faster. Harder. The sound of our flesh smacking together reverberates in the garage and I feel an orgasm stirring once more. He becomes so enthusiastic with his pumping that my feet actually leave the ground a few times. When he reaches a hand forward again and rubs my clit, I explode around him again. “Oh! Oh! I’m coming,” I tell him, as if he doesn’t already know.

  With a guttural suppressed roar, he comes too, and collapses on top of me. We lie like that pressed together, breaths coming quickly, and sweat glistening on our bodies until we calm down. He pulls out of me and after he cleans up, and I’ve turned around, he walks to me, still naked and kisses me. Tongue exploring and sweeping, he bites my bottom lip as he pulls away. “That was amazing,” he murmurs.

  “Mmm,” I agree.

  Tucking my hair behind my ear with a smile, he pulls away from me, gathers my clothes and hands them over. We get dressed in silence and then I’m in his arms again. He stares intently into my eyes, and opens his mouth a few times as if he wants to say something, but then closes it. I just wait it out excitement and hope, mixed with a sickly feeling of trepidation and fear, making me remain silent. Finally with a smile he says, “Stay with me tonight.”

  A feeling of disappointment and relief emits from me in the form of a sigh.

  “Please?” He asks with a question in his eyes.

  “I thought you’d never ask,” I say with a smile.

  We close up the garage then get in his tuck. He holds my hand the whole way to his place and even brings it to his mouth to kiss off and on. It’s sweet, and romantic and I’m so over the moon for him. Looking at him, seeing the curve of his lips as he drives, I know it’s past time for me to tell him the my story – the whole sordid truth.

  This needs to stop. I need to stop. Initially, these fights were helping. They were a way to eradicate the demons that sit so heavily on my lungs, at times I struggle to breathe with their weight. But, the crazy thing is, I’m realizing that this no rules, beat the shit out of each other fighting, hasn’t helped at all. It’s only given my demons fuel, leaving them desperately addicted to wanting more - taking more. Truth is, I don’t know how much of me will be left if I keep going. Besides, the most unexpected thing I could have ever imagined has begun vanquishing them. Making them disappear little, by little.

  Love.

  Who would have thought that something so pure, something so simple, would be a tougher fighter than my own fists? An amazing girl has stolen my heart. She somehow manages to wipe my past away with a look, a touch, and a smile. So much so, that the need for these stupid fights is gone. She’s managed to make the parts of me that are filled with anger and despair, disappear. In their place is a hope, a dream that has become bigger than any demon.

  Do I love Sydney?

  Standing here in the middle of an abandoned warehouse waiting for a fight to begin that I don’t even really care about, I daydream as her beautiful face comes to mind. I see the way she bites her lip or twists her hair when she’s reading, how she unconsciously tucks her long golden locks behind her ear when she’s embarrassed or smiles at something. I’ve picked up on her habits, and at times assist her with the tucking. I can’t seem to help myself.

  Underneath it all, a feeling exists – perhaps apprehension or hesitation or anxiety- that she tries to keep hidden behind her eyes. I’m not sure what put it there as she has not yet dared to talk about it, but it becomes obvious at various times, and I hope that whatever it is, she will trust me with it and let me make it disappear the way she’s helping me. Because around her, with her, next to her, inside of her, that’s become much more important than any shit that still vilifies me from a past life I don’t even want to think about anymore. So what is it? What is this feeling, this constant companion I experience when I’m with her that’s replaced everything else? I know exactly what it is.

  Smiling to myself at the realization, I consider taking off and forgetting about this stupid fight. I want to find Sydney, hold her, kiss her, and tell her how I’m feeling. For the first time I feel free. Free of my past, free even of the co-dependent relationship I’ve always had with Rowan. It isn’t that it’s been a bad thing of late. I love my sister, but she’s happy. She has Jax, and he’s there to protect her and take care of her now. And we’ve finally got to a point where we can live independently and be okay – apart or together – as adults, as friends. While she’ll always need me and I her, she no longer requires me to take care of her basic needs, and hanging on, would only make it hard for both of us to let go. No, it’s time for me to keep moving forward, and I have, I am. Without needing to plan for it, or seek approval for it, or intellectualize about it. And it’s good. It’s healthy.

  “What are you smiling about?”

  Like a needle scratching on a record, the music behind my thoughts and the smile on my face fall when I hear Nikki’s voice. “None of your business.”


  Turning my head away from her and looking around, I hope my body language conveys I don’t want to talk to her.

  I should have known better. “I sure hope it isn’t over that skank you’re dating, because she’s not worth your time and energy.”

  “Nikki, your jealously is showing. I mean, have some self-respect. I don’t know how to make it any clearer that I’m not interested.”

  The look that crosses her face is one of pure contempt and I swear there’s something evil shifting behind her eyes, “So you’d rather waste your time on someone that doesn’t even give a shit about you?”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  I turn away fully and begin making my way toward Eli seeing him standing next to Ryder. Stopping when I feel a hand on my arm, I look back. Brow raised and with what I know is a pissed off look, I snap, “What?”

  “Ask her who she’s running off to see all the time. Ask her about the other man in her life. The one she’s spending every spare minute she has to go see. I dare you.”

  “That’s enough,” I pull my arm out of her grasp. “You don’t know anything.”

  “I know more than you think I do.”

  “And how is that?”

  “We have mutual friends.”

  Laughing, I reply, “I don’t believe you.”

  “Then there’s no harm in asking her is there?”

  She walks away, but not before sparing me one more look and smirking when she sees the obvious effect her words have had on me.

  Walking the rest of the way to Eli and Ryder, I pause when Eli slaps me on the back. “You ready for this?”

  Nodding absently, I stand still and scrutinize my opponent standing across the circle from where our fight will be taking place.

  “You okay, Ty?” Ryder asks me. Turning to look at him, I see the concern lining his face as he looks me over. “Something wrong?” he asks again.

  “No man, it’s cool.”