“Tell me what's on your mind. I know I ain't your mama, but Normani is gonna be my daughter-in-law soon and you're stayin’ with her brother, so technically you're almost my daughter-in-law too,” she says smiling.
“Thank you,” I laugh, “I think my life would have been a lot different if I had you as a mother, that's for sure.”
“Mamas have the most important job on this earth, but you know that. We do what we can and sometimes it ain't enough. You're a great woman, Alessandra, so strong. Raisin’ a baby on your own ain't easy.”
“I know it's not, but you did it so well, so young and two of them,” I say throwing my hands in the air. “I tried so hard to do the right thing, be the best mother I can to Peter, but I was so naive.”
“Hey!” Charlotte says getting out of her chair and coming around to sit on my side of the desk. “He's two years old, Ali. You still have plenty of time to make up and I don't even know what you really need to make up for. He's polite, well-mannered and just as happy as all our kids. Don't sell yourself short. You may have been a little older, and only had one, but I had help from my parents. From the way you're talkin’, I can guess you had none.”
“Not the kind if help I needed, no,” I say shaking my head.
“Well then, pat yourself on the back girl. Don't be afraid to praise yourself once and awhile. We're always our own worst enemies.”
“Thank you, Charlotte. Really. I think I am gonna head out actually and spend some time with Peter. Does it ever slow down?” I laugh. “I swear he just popped his first tooth and now he's trying to dress himself.”
“No, it doesn't I'm afraid. I was just chasin’ Bells around the livin’ room floor when she started crawlin’ and now she's chasin’’ her own babies. Too fast I tell ya.”
I walk around the other side of the desk, grabbing my purse and Charlotte walks out with me, locking the door behind us.
“Take care of yourself tonight, Alessandra. Run a bath, read a book...do somethin’ for you, okay? I'll see you tomorrow.”
I nod and Charlotte wraps me in a hug, a hug I've never needed so much in my life. Reassurance that I am worthy of this second chance. That I'm strong enough to do something with it.
That I am not alone.
-----
I walk into the apartment and immediately hear laughter from the living room.
“Let's go Sheriff Thompson. Time to book this bad guy and send him straight to jail!” Miguel says grabbing Peter's teddy bear from the couch.
He takes handcuffs from his back pocket and slaps them on the bear as Peter laughs.
“Bad guy! Bad guy!” Peter laughs pointing at the bear.
I put my hand over my mouth to stifle a giggle as I watch Miguel grab onto his belt loops and take giant, exaggerated steps towards Peter.
“You gonna bring him to jail, Sheriff?”
Peter nods and carries the bear to the corner where four pillows are arranged in a square. Peter puts the bear in the middle and then runs to Miguel giving him a high five.
“Job well done, Sheriff Thompson! Time for a nice cold one!”
Miguel hands Peter a glass of Milk as he takes his own and they clink glasses. Peter watches Miguel take a sip first, then takes a hesitant one himself. I couldn't get him to drink milk even if I bribed him.
“Proud of you drinkin’ your milk, bud,” Miguel says motioning towards Peter’s cup.
Peter nods and finishes the glass, setting it back on the table. I take this as my cue to interrupt, so I walk into the living room.
“Which one of you boys let a criminal in here?” I say smiling crossing my arms over my chest.
“Mama!”
Peter runs over to me, jumping up in my arms and Miguel gets to his feet.
“Thought you were workin’ late tonight.”
“It can wait. Haven't missed a tuck in for a while now. Couldn't start that again,” I say kissing Peters forehead.
He snuggles up to me and Miguel smiles.
“Right. I'm gonna head to bed then. Night y'all.”
I give Miguel a silent wave as Peter hops off my lap and wraps Miguel in the tightest, cutest hug I've ever seen.
“Night, night,” Peter whispers.
“Night bud.”
I watch as Miguel walks down the hallway and my brain, heart and body are all fighting for control. Which one is going to win out? Which one do I want to win?
Chapter 8
Alessandra
“Charlotte invited us to Thanksgiving at her house,” I tell Miguel as I stir the rice and he chops peppers.
“Yeah, Mani told me. You okay with that? We could do somethin’ small here if you want, don't matter to me.”
“Now why in the world would we do that? It's your first Thanksgiving with your niece and new nephew and I haven't had a normal Thanksgiving in...well ever.”
“Okay,” he says smiling.
I smile too and we continue making dinner together, like we've been doing it for years instead of just months.
We're both still avoiding the tension brewing between us, but I would be lying if I said it was easy. We're keeping things civil though, making it work somehow.
I hear my phone buzz next to me on the counter and glance down.
“Alessandra Thompson,” I answer.
“Hi Alessandra, my name is Xavier Roberts. I was told to call you about an upcoming event I'm boxing in. Can we meet? I'm actually at the studio the event is being held at.”
“Yes, yes of course, Xavier. I remember Charlotte mentioning something to me, I wasn't aware it was today,” I say scrambling out of the kitchen.
“It's not, I apologize for the inconvenience, but I do have to get back home to Colorado for the weekend. Family emergency.”
“No problem at all. I actually live right above the studio, so let me just get changed, I'll see you in five.”
“Take your time.”
I turn back towards Miguel in the kitchen and wince.
“I'm so sorry. It's a client and he's downstairs in the studio. I shouldn't be long; can you finish dinner? Or I can help you when I come back up.”
“No worries. I got it.”
He turns back towards the stove and I see his jaw flex. I ignore it, walk towards my room and quickly change into a simple black dress and clip my wavy hair back behind my head. I put my heels on as I hop down the hallway and Miguel looks up, his brows furrowing.
“You're goin’ to the gym like that?”
“It's a work meeting. I don't really think it's appropriate to wear a sports bra and leggings to meet a client. Why? What's wrong with it?” I ask standing straight up on my heels.
“Nothin’. Dinner will be done when you come back up.”
He turns back towards the stove and I roll my eyes. I walk down the stairs to the gym slowly and look around for Xavier. I'm not exactly sure who I'm looking for until my eyes land on a tall, muscular man with dark blonde hair in a tank top and shorts leaning against the hallway wall to the back offices.
“Xavier?” I ask walking over to the man.
“Alessandra, nice to meet you. Wow you look beautiful, that was a fast wardrobe change, but pure beauty doesn't need that long,” he says smiling at me.
He's handsome, really, really handsome and I smile back, I'm sure a nice shade of pink tinting my cheeks. The awkwardness takes over and I clear my throat.
“Let's head back here to Miguel's office to talk,” I say motioning to the door.
“Ladies first,” he says opening the door for me.
I nod a thank you and walk inside to the other side of Miguel's desk. I take out the folder Charlotte gave me on Xavier.
“I was planning on looking at this over the weekend but of course plans always change. I know we’re going to be hosting an event here, but I have to be honest, I haven't looked much further into it.”
“No worries. I really just wanted to get a lay of the land and touch base with you, see if there was anything you needed from me before I
go off the grid for a couple of days.”
“I'm sorry you're dealing with a hardship. I probably won't be needing much from you, maybe just a social media post about a month out and then updated ones every week. We can handle the rest, commercials, our own social media announcements, your affiliation with GNC is going to be a big one too.”
“Okay, great. You're making this very painless, Ms. Thompson.”
“Call me Alessandra, please, and there really isn't much to it. This is actually my first time holding a fighting event. We're usually big with baseball.”
“Well I'm excited to be your first,” he says smirking.
I laugh like a nervous school girl then clear my throat.
“So, I'll type up the plan and email it to you by tonight, if that's good?”
I stand and so does Xavier and he smiles at me and winks.
“I could always get it from you in person tonight over dinner?”
I stop and look up at him, his confident smile and sparkling eyes. How easy would it be to say yes to dinner and then probably end up back at his apartment and scratch this itch that's been here since I've met Miguel. New Alessandra needs to keep things professional though, stay in control and I give him a tight smile.
“I...actually have plans tonight, but maybe another time.”
“Fair enough. I have your number, I'll hold you to that.”
He walks closer to me and leans down as I hold my breath. He places a soft kiss on my cheek and then walks out of the office and I'm stunned in place.
After a few seconds I compose myself, walking out of Miguel's office and lock it behind me. I walk upstairs in a daze replaying the whole scenario over in my head. God, why didn't I accept his invitation to dinner? There are no rules about not dating clients. I open the apartment door and Miguel's stare is the answer to that exact question. He's the one that I need to scratch this itch, dammit.
“Had a nice date?” he snaps.
“It was a work meeting. What is your problem?”
I put the folder on the side table as I walk towards my bedroom to change.
“Work meetings usually end with a promise of a date?”
I whip around and furrow my brows.
“You were spying on me?”
“I have cameras in my office, Alessandra. It's not spyin’, you know about them.”
“Well looking at them when you knew I was bringing a client in there is!”
“Xavier is a piece of shit and you should stay away from him. He wanted to fuck you on my desk, I could read him like a book.”
“Jesus Christ, you're so crass. I'm a grown woman, Miguel. Despite my previous employment, I don't fuck men I just meet! Have some faith in me and by the way, it's actually none of your business!”
I usually don't curse because of Peter but that slipped out. I'm so angry with him!
“It is when it comes to you,” he growls grabbing onto my upper arm.
I scowl at him and pull my arm free.
“Don't put your hands on me,” I snap.
“I…I'm sorry I shouldn't have-”
“No! You shouldn't have. You know what Miguel, you really have some nerve be-”
He cuts off my rant with his lips and I gasp, my body not sure how to respond to such a foreign touch.
He breaks away studying my expression.
“I…” I touch my lips, my voice long gone.
“I'm sorry. I...I don't know what came over me but-”
I stop his declaration of that kiss being a mistake with my own, my lips moving against his like they've been doing it for years. How long has it been since I kissed a man? Way too long as my body responds, thankful for the bliss I've been denying it.
Our lips move frantically against each other as Miguel's hand goes to cup my breast, lightly pushing me into the wall.
“So beautiful,” he whispers.
“Miguel, I...yes, that feels amazing.”
He pinches my nipple through my dress, and I arch my back, my head hitting the wall.
“Wait….Peter,” I moan as his lips devour every inch of my neck.
“Asleep,” Miguel grunts as his hands slide down in between my legs and connects with my panties.
I slide my hand inside his shorts, wrapping my hand around his thick length. The soft skin of his cock has me groaning into his mouth and I pull his shorts down further, making him pop free.
I break the kiss and look down and my jaw is on the floor. Jesus Christ what a cock. I wrap both hands around it as I stroke him, kissing up his neck.
Fast.
This is too fast, but I can't stop. My body has officially locked my brain in a cage, and it isn't coming out anytime soon. The months of abstaining from his touch have been agony and finally my body can embrace this heaven.
Miguel's breathing picks up and his fingers slip inside my thong.
“Fuck, Alessandra. Wet for me, or that asshole?” Miguel growls.
“You,” I pant against his lips. “I...couldn't say yes to him when I would be thinking about you.”
I stroke his shaft faster and pull it between my legs, rubbing him against my panties, my breath frantic. God, what is happening to me?
He groans and curses and then pushes against my shoulders. My hand drops to the side as he steps back.
“W-what are you doing?” I ask breathlessly.
“We can't do this, Aless. Me and you...we can't ever be anything I...”
He shakes his head and pulls his shorts back up, covering his erection as he stomps down the hall to his bedroom and slams the door closed.
“What the actual fuck?” I whisper throwing my head back against the wall.
It takes me a second to register what almost happened then I turn and head towards my room to change and calm myself down a little bit. I almost just had sex with Miguel in the hallway of the apartment and he turned me down.
Reckless, that was so reckless. His touch shut off all rational reasoning and I didn't even care. Three years I've kept myself in check only for it all to be dismantled by Miguel.
His jealousy turned me on but in the next breath I want to smack some sense into him. He doesn't want me but doesn't want anyone else to have me either. He can't have it both ways. Damn that man.
------
The next morning, we head to Charlotte's house in silence. I took Peter to breakfast this morning needing to get out of the house and Miguel was nowhere to be found before we left.
I'm so done with his back and forth, wanting me one minute then not the next. I wanted to confront him, but by the time he finally came back home, Peter followed him around all morning and wouldn't let Miguel out of his sight.
We walk into the house with Peter still attached to Miguel and greet everyone. We laugh and eat and enjoy everyone's company in the house and a few hours later the “grandparents” volunteer to watch the little ones while the older kids sit by the fire pit in the backyard.
Miguel and I walk down to the backyard together but take separate seats.
“Happy Thanksgiving people,” says a voice from behind us.
I cringe at the familiar voice and see Lance walking over to the group, carrying a six pack of beer. I didn't know Nico and his group regularly hung out with him and I try and not let it affect me.
He stumbles towards the fire, taking the chair next to me and I stiffen.
“Heard my girl was here, so I crashed,” he slurs.
His hand lands on my thigh and I furrow my brows. What a dick.
“Lance, please take your hand off of me,” I say sternly trying to move my leg away from him.
“Cut it out, Lance,” Nico says loudly.
I push his hand off my thigh, but he doesn't let up.
“Come on, baby. Don't act like you weren't just bouncing in my lap a few months ago. I've missed you,” Lance says putting his hand back on my thigh.
I flinch at the reminder, trying not to show the embarrassment I feel. Everyone knows about my past but hearing Lance's words
now, make me sick. I push all that shit down and straighten my back instead.
“I don't do that anymore, Lance. I'd appreciate if you stopped touching me.”
Nico gets ready to stand but Miguel is there ripping Lance's hand off my thigh, his jaw tight, just like it was yesterday.
Last Round (Double Play Series Book 6) Page 7
