He asked where I wanted to go but considering how amazing last time turned out (except the people who followed us of course), I just said that I wanted it to be a surprise again. I did warn him, however, that I will be wearing high heels so he should avoid the walking part somehow. I was excited to be dating again, there was something so fun about that part of a relationship - even though we had long gone over to the other side of the relationship, we had shared way too much of our lives with each other, we were so damn close, it was still nice to be able to go back a bit and enjoy the simple things.
When we got out of the car he asked me to close my eyes and grabbed my hand. He was leading me somewhere and I just had to hope that he would hold me well enough and I would not fall and hurt myself, I was wearing high heels after all.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
“Yes!” I replied and I was not just ready, I was excited.
He told me to open my eyes and when I did it was like a movie. There was a table decorated with beautiful flowers, wine bottles and a fantastic smelling meal on the table. Behind it was another table full of all kinds of sweets, I love sugar. I couldn’t believe how great it looked, I am pretty sure my mouth was open because I was so surprised and finally surprised in a good way instead of bad.
“Where are we?”
“Red Rose Restaurant, I rented it for the night, it is all ours.” Just as he said that romantic music started playing and the lights were going around on the dancefloor, the whole dancefloor was just for us and the whole night was ours as well. I liked the privacy, I preferred it to a crowded restaurant where we can’t even hear each other.
“This looks amazing,” I said and looked at him. He could definitely see in my eyes how excited and impressed I was. After all of that, we really deserved to have a good date together.
“Did you prepare the food?” I asked while sitting down on the table.
“Nah, it was the chef, they made the food right before they left, I didn’t want to poison you with my cooking.” The fact that we could joke about things now was a sign that everything was slowly starting to be ok again.
He had accepted the loss of his mother and I was proud of him for being so strong, there was nothing wrong with mourning over a loss, but it was also good that he didn’t let that loss rule over his life forever. It was time to move on. All that had happened was a lot to take in, he lost his powers and his mom in such a short time. I helped him with everything that I could and it felt good to know that my help had actually been of use to him. He was standing strong and continuing his life.
When we sat down the rest of our evening included wonderful conversation, laughter and a lot of sexual jokes, I liked his humor, it was a bit dark and dirty but that was exactly how I wanted it to be. Spending time with him was more than amazing and even though he had no powers anymore, he was still incredibly interesting. He had so many stories to tell me, I couldn’t stop listening to him, then I got to share some of mine and he was paying the same interest. I felt like I was hanging out with my best friend, although in this case I was insanely attracted to that friend.
While I was taking a bite off my tiramisu cake, he took out some small package from behind the table. It was beautifully decorated in pink and I had no idea what it could be.
“What is that?” I asked excited.
“It’s for you.” It was a gift.
“No, I can’t take it, you’ve already made all of this happen, this dinner is amazing.”
“Look, Lana…,” He grabbed my hand over the table and put the box in it. “Please accept it for me, I could never have done this without you, you give me a reason to live, you excite me and you are everything that I could dream of, you deserve this and so much more.”
I knew that I was blushing, that was so nice to hear my heart started beating super-fast.
I started opening the box and gasped when I did. It was a beautiful necklace with flowers shaped on it, it was in silver and the little flowers were gorgeous like diamonds. It was so wonderful, both simplistic yet lovely.
“Thank you,” I said and looked at him. He got off his chair and walked up to me, he took it and started putting it around my neck.
“You know there is a reason I got you this necklace,” he said as he gave me his hand as if he was asking me for a dance. I got up and looked at his beautiful face. “The flowers can always remind you of our first date and of our adventure.” He smiled and hugged me. I loved the gift even more now, not only because it was incredibly beautiful but because it was also thoughtful. He had put a lot of thought in it and that is what counts the most. It isn’t just jewelry, it is a reminder that I can always have with me, because even though everything that happened wasn’t easy or always pleasant it was how our story began and for that we should always remember it.
We got up and decided to dance together. Slow music was playing and he was holding my body close to his, I could feel the scent of his cologne and it was amazing. He kissed me and I felt like I was flying once again, every little kiss that we shared together was more than amazing, it was perfect. Having just one kiss with him, however, was impossible. Our kiss turned into a big make out session and before I could realize it we were on the ground making out.
It got from romantic to hot in a few seconds. I unbuttoned his black shirt and started kissing him all over. He lifted my dress and started touching me. His hands all over my body was the best thing I had felt. I loved the way he touched me, it was electric.
Not after long our clothes were at the other end of the dancefloor, the music was playing and we were playing with each other while using the rhythm to guide us. I couldn’t stop moaning and I really hoped that nobody would walk in because then we wouldn’t be able to rent out this place ever again. This time was even better than the last because we had nothing to worry about, we were free to explore each other and our bodies for as long as we wanted to and I knew that I never wanted to stop exploring. I was more in love than I had ever been, I knew in that moment that he was the right person for me and I knew that we would have a lot of moments like this in the future. I was ready to have a life with him and excited because I felt like I would never have to go through anything alone.
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Taken Deep
A Sports Romance
Danielle Weir
Taken Deep
Copyright 2016 by Danielle Weir
First electronic publication: July 2016
All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal.
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to person, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Warning: Due to mature subject matter, such as explicit sexual situations and coarse language, this story is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18. All sexually active characters in this work are 18 years of age or older, and all acts of a sexual nature are consensual.
Taken Deep
Chapter 1 – Alex
Alex hit the Gas pedal as soon as the signal turned green. He checked his watch for the fifth time while swerving to avoid a taxi moving at a snail’s pace. He was late. He was never late. Impatiently, he waited at another long red light. On rare occasions when he was late, it felt as if the whole universe was working hard to put obstacles in his path.
When he finally pulled into the parking lot, the clock read 8:59. He slammed the car door and
entered the academy that had been his second home since he was 5. JnM MMA Club was a sprawling six story building with tinted blue windows and brown brick walls, giving it a touch of ancient and modern at the same time. His dad had built the academy some thirty years back and it now ranked as the biggest and most popular club in the USA for MMA, Karate, Jui Jitsu, Taekwondo and several other arts which Alex never paid attention to. On the second floor was Alex’s private training and ring hall. It was an expansive room with a ring in the center. On the right corner was a shelf filled with training equipment and gear. There was a corner dedicated to weights; big, small, heavy, light. There were around thirty of them. On the left corner hung several punching bags of different sizes, weights and materials.
Alex threw down his bag and pulled out his MMA gear. There was still a good two hours before his coach arrived. Plenty of time to work on the striking technique he couldn’t master yesterday.
An hour into his practice, the bell to his door rang. Not once or twice, but four times in a row. Confused, Alex hopped over the ring and onto the practice mats surrounding it. He was breathing heavily from the punches he was throwing at the striking pad. Opening the door, he was surprised to find a tall blonde leaning against the door. Without saying anything or waiting for an invitation, she pushed past him and into the room.
“Hello to you too,” Alex said, sarcastically, shutting the door behind her.
Carlotta stood before him in a high waist black pair of jeans and a white tank top which complemented her tan skin and ash blonde hair. She was tall, lean and beautiful.
“I thought I’d stop by and say hi,” she said, flinging down on the couch next to the equipment shelf.
“That’s…considerate of you,” Alex said, clearly not happy to see her.
“You never answered my calls,” Carlotta continued. “So I thought I’ll miss my classes today to meet you.”
Carlotta was a senior at UCLA. He had first met Carlotta when she was a freshman. He had been a senior back then. They had clicked instantly and had been friends on more than one level.
“I’ve been busy,” he lied, sitting down next to her.
“Well, I’ve missed you,” she said. Without warning, she pulled him towards her and kissed him. Alex let her kiss him before pushing her away gently.
“Not now, Car,” he said. “I’ve got training.”
Carlotta pouted but relented. “So later, then?” she asked.
“Car, I’ve told you I don’t have time for this.” He was getting tired of the blonde’s advances every time she saw him. Once upon a time, he had found Carlotta alluring. Now, he went out of his way to avoid her.
“Can I at least come over?”
“Sure,” he said reluctantly, knowing full well what ‘come over’ always led to.
He walked her to the door, listening idly to her chatter about college and senior year. Before saying their goodbyes, she kissed him again. This time, he kissed her back, more to avoid further talk than anything else.
He was relieved when she left.
Chapter 2 – Jules
“Well done, Juliana,” Mr. Tuner seemed pleased.
“Good work,” agreed Mr. Parker. “Let’s review the recommendations with the lead team.”
Jules collected her flashcards and placed her laptop in her hand carry. She was pleased with today’s presentation and was already running through a list of things she needed to complete before lunch break.
“Juliana, I want you there at the conference call with our advertising agencies. You’ll be discussing the ongoing and upcoming digital ads and overall communication priorities. Give me a report beforehand so we can be on the same page.”
“I’ll do it right away, Mr. Parker,” Jules smiled.
Mr. Parker was her immediate boss and a reasonably good natured man. He was the Senior Brand Manager of Mondelez. Jules had been working with him for the past 2 months since she joined the Brand Representation Department.
She walked to her office, chatting with Mr. Parker about the online marketing trends they had observed that morning. Some of their brands were showing an all-time low following on Twitter, which needed to be taken care of. Mid conversation, Mr. Parker received an excited phone call from his granddaughter. Jules could hear her voice from the speaker. She’s training in Taekwondo, Parker explained after he hung up. She just won her first tournament. Jules smiled, reminiscing back to the days when she was somewhat of a Karate Champion in her district. She had been 10 when she won her first tournament. Her opponent had been taller and leaner than her. She remembered the suffocating feeling of intimidation when her opponent towered over her. But Jules had learned to use her small height and light weight to her advantage. She had gone to get her brown belt, before the tough studies at UC Berkley and a mother suffering from cancer, in need of constant care, had forced her to quit Karate. It had been almost 5 years since Jules said goodbye to her nearest and dearest hobby. Jules bid Mr. Parker goodbye and walked slowly back to her desk. She held her fist before her, wondering if it still had the same strength it once had, knocking off opponents stronger and bigger than her. Her kicks had always been extremely flexible. Her blocking techniques had been quick and decisive. But now, all her trophies and accolades reflecting the fighter that she used to be lay in a box under her bed, long forgotten.
By the time Jules was back in her office, she had forgotten about her reminiscing already. She was busy evaluating market trends and preparing for the conference call when lunch break started. She had a lunch date with her colleague and friend, Davis which she was looking forward to. When the elevator door opened, she found a girl of about 6 inside, wearing a black Taekwondo uniform and looking extremely excited. She was clutching the receptionists’ hand who was apparently assigned to take her to her grandfather.
“Jules, where’s Parkers office?” Mary asked. The receptionist looked haggard, trying to control the enthusiastic girl.
“First door to your left in the second corridor,” Jules replied automatically.
Jules watched the child walk towards the office. She made up her mind. Glancing at her watch, she figured Davis didn’t expect her for another 15 minutes. She rushed back to her office and opened her laptop. Searching “Karate clubs in California”, she clicked on the first link that came up. Jackson and McKinnon MMA Academy had a nicely designed website. On the front page was a picture of several MMA fighters. The most prominent seemed to be a man called Alexander McKinnon. He was built, with a prominent jaw and messy hair.
‘UFC heavy weight champion, gold medalist at The International MMA Champions League, ranked no. 2 in California district’ read the description under his picture. Below that, there was a detailed list of all the medals and tournaments he had won. Other MMA fighters had similar descriptions.
Jules clicked the Karate section and signed up for an intermediate Karate class. She figured that an intermediate class was suitable for a brown belt that had been out of practice for 5 years. She printed out the class schedule and smiled, feeling the same contentment she used to feel when she won a good fight.
Chapter 3 – Carlotta
Carlotta felt the soft glow of sunshine touch her face as she stirred. She didn’t want to wake up. She wanted to stay in this moment of serenity forever. She turned her face and opened her eyes sleepily. Alex was already awake, sitting up and typing away on his laptop. She took a moment to appreciate how beautiful he looked with his hair disheveled from sleep. He had pulled on a white T-shirt which hung to his body, revealing the strong muscles of his torso.
“Good morning,” she said cheerfully.
“Hey,” he replied, continuing his typing.
“What are you doing?” she inquired.
“Needed to sort out some logistical stuff for the club,” he replied, vaguely.
Alex was a stakeholder in JnM MMA Academy. Since as long as Carlotta remembered, MMA had been a huge part of Alex’s life. He scheduled everything else in his life around his MMA timetable. Even
when she had been his girlfriend in her freshman year, she always came second to his training. It used to put her off but it was also incredibly sexy to see him so dedicated to his art. She loved watching him practice. She loved the way the muscles in his arms became more prominent when he punched during his training. She loved watching his tournaments, his quick and decisive techniques that left him undefeated, always.
She closed her eyes, thinking of the previous night again. It had been amazing, as always. Except they weren’t together anymore and hadn’t been together for the past 3 years, ever since Alex had graduated. In the course of time she had met Alex, they had been everything from friends to partners to friends with benefits. She wasn’t sure of what they were at this point. Alex didn’t seem to want anything more than occasional sex from her. She knew she shouldn’t allow that but she was helpless when it came to him; he was her weakness.
Alex had always been extremely loved amongst the ladies. Before she started dating him in her freshman year, she had seen several girls leaving Alex’s room at odd times of the day. She used to live across from him so he was never too far. Carlotta still believed she could win Alex back if she tried hard enough. He was everything a girl would want. Strong, good looking, smart and rich. Carlotta had dated many guys after him but none could satisfy her mentally and physically like Alex.
She opened her eyes again as she heard him sigh and close his laptop. He sat up and stretched. Carlotta sat up too, reaching across to touch him. She kneeled behind him on the bed and began to massage his shoulders, wanting to help him relax. Unable to resist, she bent down and kissed his neck. He didn’t object, which encouraged her. She wanted another round of their adventure last night. Sometimes, she got mad at herself because of how much she wanted Alex, at all times of the day. The duvet covering her slipped as she adjusted her position to kiss him. Alex kissed her back, turning around to face her. She felt it a little unfair that he had put on a shirt while she was still naked. Carlotta pulled him down on the bed, so that he was lying on top. Her hands closed around his hair as his tongue traced her bottom lip. She began to pull up his shirt but he smiled, caught her arms and held them to the sides of her head. “I’ll be late for practice,” he murmured, his lips torturously close to hers but denying her the kiss she was anticipating. And suddenly, he was standing and retreating to get ready for his training. Carlotta took a deep breath, trying to recover.
Romance: The Bad Boy Affair: A Second Chance Romance Page 79
