by Kristen Echo
The next was a group photo. In the center stood Martin with one arm wrapped around Sylvie’s shoulder and the other hugging his ex. The women couldn’t have been more different. Beside her stood Renny. His short curly hair and devilish smile did not bring tears to her eyes. The anger and the sadness had given way to a new numbness. It surprised her.
She clicked through the entire album and not one tear fell. Progress. She closed that folder and clicked on another album. Pictures of hockey players and a few men she didn’t know filled the screen. Martin played with some attractive men and she wondered how they had so many hotties on the same team. By the time she'd finished snooping another hour had passed and her stomach growled.
Martin had organized and labeled the contents of his fridge. Everything was healthy and portion controlled. Mostly greens and various proteins. Nothing looked remotely appetizing. She didn’t want to spoil her dinner, but she hadn’t eaten since the early morning pre-flight bagel. He might not appreciate her choice, but she ordered a pizza for delivery. Once upon a time, before regiments took over, Martin loved meat pizza with extra cheese.
After placing the order for food, Sylvie went back to the laptop and checked on work. Being self-employed had plenty of perks like being able to work from anywhere. She answered a few emails and touched base with her team. She liked developing websites. Assisting businesses with their search engine optimization and marketing was more fun than work. It paid the bills. Her company had grown over the past year.
Her phone buzzed and a devilish grin and crystal-clear waters flashed across the screen. Renny. For some unknown reason, most likely to torture her, he'd called once a week since the break-up. She never answered, and he never left a message. A week after he left, he sent a selfie with an ocean background. She’d been unable to stop crying since he’d walked out the door, and the dickwad sent a smiling picture of himself to taunt her. She’d saved it as a reminder he was no longer part of her life. Today was the first time she didn’t stare at the screen afterwards for another hour, clinging to the stupid phone like he might offer her some scrap. She needed a drink.
At least Martin had a fully stocked bar and wine in the cupboard. She popped the cork on a Shiraz and poured a large glass. Clicking through another folder helped pass the time. Her face filled the screen far too many times. She expected to find naughty pictures or something to make her blush. But there was nothing unexpected in the folders and she didn’t push her luck.
She responded to an email and sent a quote for new work while she waited for the pizza to arrive. The screen saver displayed Martin and two of his hockey buddies at the beach. All drool worthy; she sent the picture to herself. Martin’s body had filled out nicely since high school. Those four years had gifted him with inches in all the right places.
The pizza came fast, or she’d lost track of time. Either way, she sat down and clicked through more pictures as she ate and polished off her glass of wine. She had always been a bigger girl, but she rocked her large frame. Sylvie didn’t mind being plus sized when she had the confidence to back it up. Her weight had never been an issue and still wasn’t. Her beaten and battered self-esteem was the reason she couldn’t flirt. She hated Renny for making her second guess her own self-worth. It would be wrong to delete all the pictures of him from Martin’s hard drive, but she contemplated it. She also debated tossing the entire device on the ground and smashing it to bits. She didn’t.
Her phone buzzed again. She checked the display and there was her ex, as if he knew she’d been thinking about him. Once again, there were no tears. She felt nothing and that made her smile. Twice in one day was a first for him. She exhaled when he didn’t leave a message. It was better that way. Nothing he could say would erase the months apart. Nothing.
Soon Martin would return and they’d be going out to meet his friends. She couldn’t believe he planned to pick her clothing. She showered and applied her makeup. Not knowing what to expect, she styled her hair in loose curls and went with heavy smoky eyes and false lashes. Martin was unpredictable. He could make her wear anything from a tutu to a ball gown. When she returned to his room, wearing a towel around her torso, she spotted a few stray cards on the floor. She bent to pick them up and noticed a large plastic box under the bed. Her curiosity won out. It was heavy. She lifted it onto her lap and opened the lid.
She gasped and dumped the contents onto the carpet. The magazines spilled out and naked bodies covered the floor. Every guy had a porn collection, that didn’t surprise her. But she had no idea Martin was into big girls with huge breasts. Marianne had been skinny; almost rail thin with small boobs. All the other girls she’d seen him photographed with were all model types. None of them looked like the women bared in these publications.
This secret collection featured women who had her body type. Big beautiful women lined the pages in all sorts of poses. Sylvie flipped through a few and blushed from head to toe. The ache and wetness between her legs returned. Thinking about him skimming these pages turned her on. These women were sexy, sultry and displayed the confidence she’d once had. She had to get that feeling back.
“Honey, I’m home!”
Crap.
He chuckled from the entry as she scrambled to clean up. “I’ve always wanted to say that. Sylvie, where are you?”
She stacked the magazines and stuffed them back into the container. “I’m in the bedroom. There’s pizza on the counter. So, help yourself,” she yelled, shoving the box back under the bed.
As she stood, the towel loosened from her torso and fell to the ground. It must have gotten caught under the box. She reached down and pulled it free just as Martin opened the door. She froze, facing him full on. Her eyes widened with panic, but his were wider, taking in her naked form. She’d seen him and now he saw her. All of her.
She should have been embarrassed, but seeing all those nude women made her proud of what she had. He didn’t take his eyes off her. It seemed as though something passed between them, and she gave him another moment to look just as he had given her. When his stare landed between her thighs he licked his lips and she closed her eyes. “You need to knock,” she said, using the towel to cover herself.
He’d already seen everything. “I’m glad I didn’t. These are for you.” He stepped into his room and presented her with three large plastic bags. “Here.”
“My hands are full at the moment. Put them on the bed.”
Martin smiled and placed the bags next to her. “I can stay and help if you’d like?” His eyes roamed her body again and every inch of her skin heated. He stood close enough for her to smell his clean from a shower scent.
Her nipples puckered when his gaze lingered on her chest. Luckily, the towel hid her reaction because her body was primed for attention. This wasn’t supposed to happen; Martin was her friend. She pointed to the door. “Out. I can dress myself. Are we leaving right away?” The sexual tension filled the air, making it tougher to breathe.
Martin finally moved his eyes away and stared at the ground. “Yeah. Um… Sylvie, about what I said earlier—”
“I’ll wear what you bought. Even if I hate it. And I’ll be my charming self around your friends. We’ll have fun tonight. Now, get out of here so I can put this on and we can get drunk.”
He laughed, and the tension eased. “Okay. I can’t get drunk, but you can. I’ll be in the living room. Don’t keep me waiting too long.” He stepped out of the room but didn’t close the door.
Her legs trembled, and she sank down onto the mattress. She looked over at her bag and cursed herself for not using her vibrator when she’d had the chance.
Since when did they look at each other in that way? If she didn’t know better, she’d think the attraction wasn’t one sided. The wine, the prairie air and lack of sleep messed with her. There was definitely something wrong with her. She needed to get her emotions under control and squash her new attraction before it became an issue.
Chapter 4
Beautiful. There
was no other way to describe how Martin’s clothing choices made her feel. She’d expected him to pick something comical. An outfit that would make her stick out in a crowd, and not in a good way. She’d once been forced to wear a pirate’s patch and bandana to a party when it wasn’t Halloween. All night people snickered. But she wore it proudly like a good loser and made the best of it.
Her retaliation for his next loss involved him wearing a bright red garter belt and matching pantyhose during a hockey game. This happened before he got a contract. She’d stood outside the locker room and overheard the catcalls as the guys watched him dress before the game. Martin rarely blushed, but he was redder than a fire truck when he walked out of there that night.
All their games and pranks aside, his selection tonight touched her. It wasn’t meant to shame or poke fun, but to uplift her spirits. He'd succeeded.
The merlot colored dress had long sleeves, a scoop neckline, and it flared mid-calf. He paired it with high heeled, knee-high black boots and the most elegant matching undergarments she’d ever touched. The garter belt and red stockings gave her a good laugh. She added a crimson lipstick to complete the look.
Martin was chewing a bite of pizza as she walked into the room. His dark jeans and dress shirt gave nothing away about their plans. He stopped and stared. She twirled around with a smile as he swallowed his food. She felt like a princess and judging by his expression she looked the part.
“The lady at the store suggested an A-line dress. You look… Wow. Sylvie Lamont, you are stunning.”
“You say that like you’re surprised. I suppose you look okay too.” He looked smoking hot, but she couldn’t tell him that. Before, she would have joked around about his good looks and how he could make a paper bag look good. But as she took in his casually striking appearance, all those jokes seemed wrong. She still wasn’t sure what had changed between them, but things felt different.
A sexual energy surrounded them that had never been there before. She felt flirty and feminine in her new clothes. More daring than she had when she woke up that morning. More confident too. She lifted the hem of her dress to reveal the top of the garter. “I like the choices you’ve made here too.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed. “It was meant to be funny, but I’m not laughing anymore. Want to show me more of that matching set?”
She laughed, but the naughty suggestion made her insides clench. “Depends how drunk you get me,” she said with a wink.
He didn’t make fun of her this time. In fact, he bolted from the living room and grabbed two pre-filled wine glasses from the counter. “Bottoms up.”
They clinked glasses, and she took a sip. Unable to meet his heated stare, she sat on the couch. “I thought you only ate healthy these days and weren’t drinking?”
“I’m not getting drunk, but I can enjoy a few indulgences.” His eyes lingered on her lips.
She leaned forward and his gaze dropped to her cleavage. Inadvertently, she took a big breath and her chest expanded. His pupils dilated, and she crossed her legs. “What are we doing… tonight?” There was a double meaning in her question, but as his lips parted to answer, a knock on the door interrupted him.
Whoever arrived had poor timing. She stood and followed Martin. He opened the door and standing there was none other than Joe Larson. The NHL’s notorious bad boy. Sylvie followed hockey and recognized him without an introduction. Though, they’d been introduced on previous hockey trips when the team traveled to Montreal. She knew Joe was the biggest player of the bunch. He was also one of Martin’s closest friends.
“Well, well, well. Who have we here?” Joe walked in, never taking his eyes off Sylvie’s body. He slapped Martin on the back. “Holding out on me, Bro, I thought we were tighter than that?”
“It’s nice to see you again, Joe.” She held out her hand for a shake.
Joe took her hand and kissed the back. The gesture was charming, and any other girl might have swooned, except for her. He didn’t release her hand. “I bet it is,” he said, staring at her breasts. His good looks were unfortunately marred by his arrogance.
“Your reputation precedes you Mr. Larson. I’ll take my hand back and go wash it. I don’t know where your lips have been this evening,” she snapped, pulling her hand free. She took a step back, adding some distance between them.
Martin laughed and Joe stole his wine glass. “Damn, sexy and sassy. Sylvie you’ve won my heart. Let’s ditch this guy and run away together.” He swallowed the contents of the glass and wiped his lips with the back of his hand. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me she was visiting.” He put emphasis on the word she.
Martin stepped next to her and draped his arm over her shoulder. “Fuck off Larson and keep your mitts to yourself. I told you I had company.” Martin had never been the possessive type, and she liked this new side of him. Liked it a lot.
“Touchy. That time of the month, Thomas?” Joe needled him, making everyone laughed.
The guys loved to bust each other’s balls. “I don’t remember inviting you out tonight.” Martin ran his fingers down her arm, leaving behind a trail of goosebumps.
“You tagged onto my plans, loser. Now I’m glad you did, so I can spend time with my east coast girl. The rest of the crew can wait while the lovely Miss Lamont tells me she’s finally come to her senses. What do you say? Come to my place for dessert first.” He shook his keys and dipped his shoulders suggestively.
Sylvie burst out laughing. Joe was a piece of work, but he meant well. “I had forgotten how over the top you are. Do those lines actually work?”
“You’d be surprised,” Martin mumbled.
“I don’t use lines, baby; I speak honestly. You’re not turning me down. Are you?”
“Enough. Don’t you have a date tonight?” Martin kept his arm around her shoulder as he guided them towards the couch. “Quit hitting on Sylvie. She’s not your girl or your anything. She’s mine… um, friend, and she only arrived today. Give her some room to breathe.”
Her breath hitched when he said mine. She was reading too much into his closeness and his words. The energy from earlier still vibrated between them. Seeing him naked had thrown her for a real loop. His tone was demanding and nothing like the jokester she knew him to be.
“How long are you here for?” Joe asked, sitting on one of the couches.
That was a good question. She still didn’t have the answer yet. “A while. Not too long… I wouldn’t want him to get sick of me.”
Martin smiled and hugged her closer until her breasts mashed against his side. “I’ll never get sick of you.”
She closed her eyes and hugged him back, trying not to melt into a puddle at his words. But how could she not? His flirting seemed so real. She was too out of practice to be around these charmers.
“Adorbs.” Joe patted the seat next to him. “Martin, get me a glass of whatever you were drinking. It tasted good. Sylvie, tell me what’s new since I last saw you. Other than what I already know. Like you’re single. Your tits are bigger and better than ever. It’s taking all my willpower not to motorboat the shit out of them.”
Martin stiffened. “What the fuck did I just tell you?”
“I am not hitting on her; I’m stating facts. It’s not like she doesn’t know her rack is spectacular. Fine I’ll stop, but only because that vein in your forehead might pop soon if you don’t relax, man. By the way, Sylvie that ex of yours was a piece of shit. Never liked him, so you dodged a bullet there.”
This time she stiffened. Joe’s statement didn’t surprise her. Renny didn’t get along with many people. He was all academic and looked down on those he considered having more brawn than brains. The first time they met, Renny called Joe an idiot for getting the Lieutenant governor’s name wrong. She was fairly certain no one at the pub knew the answer, other than him. “Um thanks. I’d rather hear about your date. Tell me where you met. Is it serious?”
Both men laughed. “Not serious. She’s Theo’s girlfriend’s roommate. T
hat’s a mouthful. Becky or Beth. Shit, what’s her name, man?”
“You should ask Carly. If you don’t want issues with that little redhead you’d better keep your zipper up tonight. She’ll kill you if you hurt her friend.”
While she was single for the first time in her adult life, others had coupled up. “Right, Theo’s got a new woman. And Nico’s engaged. Are they coming out tonight? I’d like to meet these women,” Sylvie said, while disentangling herself from under his arm. All this talk about relationships reminded her of how much love sucked. Lust, on the other hand, was alive and well and taking over her internal temperature regulator. The room was too hot, she was near combusting. She picked up her wine off the table and downed it. That should’ve helped, but it didn’t. She could barely think straight with his scent, heat and body so close.
“We’re going to see Caroline’s band play later. That’s Ivarsson’s chick, in case Martin neglected to tell you. I doubt the young ones will be there since Carly’s got a paper due and Theo’s attached at her hip.”
Sylvie giggled. “I saw their engagement video and downloaded the band’s new single.” She left out the part where she balled uncontrollably the first three times she watched it. The couple on the stage looked so in love and happy, reminding her how lonely she’d become. How she might never be happy again. “I’m looking forward to meeting her.”
They finished the bottle of wine and the conversation flowed. They kept it neutral for the most part. As neutral as Joe would allow. That man had a one-track mind, but it didn’t bother her. It was like old times again, except for the side glances and occasional touches she got from Martin. Each one more heated than the last, sending her skin blazing as if she were lying in the hot summer sunshine.
