Pete talked about the bicycles that the organization refurbished and distributed to poverty-stricken women, men, and children around the world at low to no cost. It was then our turn and we answered the same question.
I answered for our team, saying, “Ophelia’s Angels’ mission is to provide the elderly with necessities such as food, water, and medication. We would like to expand to every country in the world. By winning today, we can make that happen.”
The audience clapped politely and then it was time for the game. We all went to stand at our places in front of the huge glowing buttons that said Brain or Pain.
“It’s that time to choose and since Alexandra and Lesli chose last time. We’re going to let Pete and Magnus choose this time. So, fellas, what will it be? Will it be pain or brain?”
Magnus without a thought stepped forward. Pete followed, and they were in agreement. They chose Brain.
Apparently, they were nicer than us women.
“And it’s time for the brain challenges. Ladies, you’re up!”
Magnus and Pete watched from the audience while Dr. Alexandra Joseph and I answered question after question. We were tied by the end of the round. I was just excited that I’d been able to keep up with her.
I said as much to her when we stopped for a commercial break.
She laughed. “Why are you surprised? You were light years ahead of me when you were just a teenager. It was me who was trying to keep up with you during that brain round.”
“You remember me?” I couldn’t believe it.
She smiled. “Of course, I remember you. You were one of the smartest young ladies I’ve ever had the pleasure to teach. And I’m happy to see you developed so much grit and confidence over the years. You’ve grown up to be quite a force to reckon with, but then again, I always knew you would be.”
Before I could say another word, the commercial break was over and our partners were taking our places.
“Good luck,” I said to Magnus, and he just grunted. Yeah, he hated me. My hurt heart at the idea, but could I really blame him?
I turned around to look at the audience, some of them had large handwritten signs in their hands that supported various charities, or the signs were hello to the host. Many read, “Good luck, Ophelia’s Angels!” and one even read, “Magnus Deacon, you’re hot!” I laughed, wondering if Magnus had seen that sign yet and suddenly I had a very, very good idea. Dr. Joseph had said I had been a force to reckon with. And I was going to prove her right.
I signaled for the production assistant Celeste and asked her for exactly what I needed. She looked at me as if I were crazy, but I put my hands together and begged her. “Pretty please, Celeste.”
She grudgingly went away and came back with a black marker and a huge piece of paper that was about half the size of my body. I gave her a big smile and got to work.
As big as I could, I wrote exactly how I felt. Then, I positioned myself near the middle of the audience, right in Magnus’s line of vision.
He was in the middle of answering a question when he caught sight of my sign. He frowned, missed the question and Pete answered it instead.
It lost us the lead and I started to regret my sign, but I saw the unmistakable smile on Magnus’s face as his eyes met mine.
He took his eyes off mine and focused on the next question and to my surprise, he got question after question right. And finally they were tied, but the end of the game was nearing.
“With only ten seconds left in the game, now it’s time for the bonus round,” said the host. “Winner takes all.”
Silence descended over the audience. “Magnus, Pete, the first person to answer this question correctly wins the game. Are you ready?”
The hush over the crowd was deafening and the tension that filled the building was unreal. No wonder Brain Pain was so popular. The drama was more than I could bear.
And finally, the last question was read: “What is the capital of Uzbekistan? Is it Buenos Aires, Tashkent, or Bukhara?”
I knew this one and it took so much self-control not to scream it out.
Both guys hit their buttons at the same time it seemed, but according to the host, Magnus had been faster.
“Is it Bukhara?” he said with a smile, totally confident.
I slowly let my breath out as I sunk into my chair.
“Sorry, Magnus, you’re wrong. Pete, you have the opportunity now to win the million dollars for your charity if you can tell us the correct answer.”
Pete smiled, looking just as confident as Magnus did a minute ago.
“Is it Tashkent?”
The host took a deep breath and then yelled, “Congratulations to our winners, the Cycle Psychos!”
I clapped politely, but felt terrible for Magnus and more so for Ophelia’s Angels. I was sorry it had come to this. We had failed.
I saw Magnus hug Dr. Joseph and shake Pete’s hand. The host said goodbye to the audience and then Magnus made his way to me.
I was suddenly nervous, and I wanted to hide behind my sign. Speaking of which, he stopped in front of me and reached for my sign.
“Nice sign. It was very inspirational.”
“Not inspirational enough. It distracted you, otherwise, you would have easily won.”
He shrugged. “It’s not every day that a woman tells you that she loves you in front of a live studio audience.”
I looked down at my sign, written from the heart. It simply read, “I love you, Magnus.” He pulled the sign out of my hand and pulled me toward him.
Nervously I licked my lips and said, “I’m sorry you lost.”
He pulled me closer to him, wrapping me in his arms. “I didn’t lose today. As far as I’m concerned, because I have you in my arms, I won.” And with that, with the production assistants and stragglers from the audience still remaining, he leaned down and kissed me and what followed was deafening applause.
Epilogue
“Have you seen Elvis? Has anyone seen Elvis?” Lacey asked us as she walked back and forth. I knew she was a second from going into panic mode, so I quickly stood up to help her with her search.
Elvis was their new puppy. They had named him Elvis because Las Vegas was where Elvis Presley impersonators frequently performed, and Las Vegas held a special place in Jude’s and Lacey’s heart. Even though Elvis was a whopping ninety pounds, he could still hide himself very well. I found him a second later with baby Sebastian, who wasn’t quite a baby anymore, hiding next to the bed. They were both eating cookies. Peanut butter cookies....
“They’re here... both of the little troublemakers,” I added. Sebastian giggled and then jumped up to hug me around my legs. He was almost four years old. I couldn’t believe how fast time had gone by.
“Auntie Lesli, Elvis is bad.”
“Oh, is he?” I laughed.
Sebastian nodded seriously. “He’s real, real bad. He ate my cookies.”
I frowned, ready to playfully scold Elvis, but then laughed as Elvis rolled over for a belly rub.
“Uh oh, someone wants belly rubs,” I said bending down and Sebastian joined me, both of us giggling as Elvis’s tongue lolled around and he leaned his head back in blissful abandon.
“You two,” Lacey said, shaking her head. “How am I going to get any work done with you two stealing cookies?”
“Not me, Mommy,” said Sebastian. “It was Elvis.”
Lacey winked at me and then turned back to Sebastian. “So Elvis went into the pantry and took those cookies?”
Sebastian nodded so hard that the bangs on his forehead bounced up and down. He was so cute and looked just like his mom.
“Hmm... I guess I’ll have to give Elvis a timeout, right?”
“Yep,” Sebastian said with a giggle.
I decided that Lacey could take it from there and I made my way back to the sofa and seated myself between Oliver and Kat.
They were arguing over wedding invites. Oliver had finally worn Kat down and got her to say yes. The only st
ipulation is that they would get to maintain separate residences. After all, Kat didn’t want to lose her sense of independence. I hoped that I was like Kat when I reached her age.
Sitting across from us was Magnus and Jude. Strangely enough, Jude had been really into helping plan his dad’s wedding. I think he wanted to see his father happy.
Speaking of happiness, I couldn’t help but stare at Magnus as he slowly organized the wedding invitations by color. He was great. I was discovering new things about him almost every day, it seemed. And I was finding out new things about myself as well. It was safe to say we were growing together.
“Are you ready to head out?” I asked him. We’d been there since early morning. I reached for my bag and remembered that I had something special to give to Sebastian. “Give me a sec,” I said to Magnus.
I found Sebastian sitting on his bed trying to read a book. “I have something for you,” I said reaching into my bag. I pulled out Mr. Boo and handed him to Sebastian.
“For me?” he asked, hugging it tightly.
I nodded and smiled. Lacey peeked in and said, “Mr. Boo? You’re giving up Mr. Boo?” She knew how much the toy had meant to me as a child.
I nodded. “Mom sent him to me in a big box of all my childhood things. But I think this is a better home for him. What do you think, Sebastian?”
“I love Mr. Boo,” he said sweetly.
“Yeah, I had a feeling that you would…” I felt myself tearing up and didn’t want to embarrass myself by crying in front of a preschooler. I didn’t know why I was so emotional. I guess it was because giving my childhood toy away was less about the action and more about what it represented. It represented how I was finally able to move on, to grow up, to become the person I’d dreamed of being.
I gave Sebastian a parting hug, said a final goodbye to Mr. Boo and headed back into the living room where Magnus stood, looking handsome, waiting for me.
“You ready?”
I nodded.
He said goodbye to everyone and as we left said, “Call us if you guys need any more help.” He reached for his jacket and together we headed out.
It was a chilly day, especially for South Florida. It was in the low sixties. I liked it and was enjoying the change of weather. Other South Floridians probably disagreed with me as they walked around wearing scarves and down jackets as if it were ten below. I thought it was funny.
I had moved in with Magnus almost six months ago and I didn’t regret the decision at all. Waking up next to him every morning was my favorite part of the day.
Not that the rest of my day wasn’t also great. I’d taken Maya’s job once she was promoted to a new director position that was made possible by an anonymous donation of a million dollars to Ophelia’s Angels after we’d lost Brain Pain. It was hard to tell who’d gifted the amount. I figured it was Magnus, but Oliver was equally generous. Neither one would admit to it, so I guess it would always stay a mystery. I could have been way off base though, as it could have just as easily been Misha’s husband, Erik. I forgot that my life was now full of billionaires.
I never thought about their net worth, because at the end of the day, they were my friends and my family, not a number. And they were the most down to earth people I knew.
I got into the updated version of Magnus’s car and he surprised me by driving to the park where we’d had our first non-date.
“What are we doing here?” I asked surprised.
“We’re going to feed the ducks. I think they miss us.”
“Miss us? They tried to kill me.”
“They were just a little overenthusiastic. Come on.”
I followed him, but not happily. The ducks could feed themselves for all I cared. We turned the corner and I noticed that rose petals lined the way toward the pond.
“What happened here?” I wondered out loud. “Did someone have a wedding near the pond?”
And just as I said that I noticed that the gazebo where the teenagers had filmed my disgrace was covered in what seemed to be a million flowers, exotic tropical flowers, romantic roses, and delicate lilies.
He took my hand and pulled me toward the entrance of the gazebo.
“Umm... what’s going on?”
I was in awe of how the gazebo had been turned into a little bit of paradise. And then it dawned on me as Magnus lowered himself onto one knee what exactly was happening.
“Oh my God....”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring. “It was my great grandmother’s,” he said. He laughed wryly. “It was the one thing my mother didn’t just give away.”
“I’m glad she didn’t,” I couldn’t help but say as I reached for the ring, “Yes, of course, I’ll marry you.”
He laughed. “I didn’t get a chance to ask you yet.”
“Oh my gosh. I’m so sorry. Ask me now. Ask me now.” I was practically bouncing with excitement.
He couldn’t help but laugh again. “Lesli Cabot, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
“Yes! Yes! Yes!” Now I was jumping up and down. He stood up and gathered me in his arms.
“I love you,” he said softly against my ear.
“And I love you,” I whispered back.
I’d left West Virginia to seek an adventure and I realized that with Magnus, every day of my life with him would be not only an adventure, but an adventure full of love.
Bonus Sex Scene
He sat in the chair across from the bed watching me as I undressed. I figured he would want to undress me himself, but I was wrong. He just wanted to watch.
My hands shook a little, not in fear, but in excitement as I slid my shirt off first. Then I let my shorts follow, stepping out of them with one smooth motion.
I slid my panties down next, feeling the wetness of my crotch evident on the silk of my panties. I took off my bra then. It joined my panties on the floor and I walked to him, naked and confident, and extended my hand toward him.
He took it and I led him toward the bed. He took a moment to rub his hands across my behind and buried his head in the crook of my neck as he reached around my body and started to fondle my breasts. He squeezed my nipples and I gasped as he released them to cup my breasts.
His touch was warm, smooth, intoxicating. I felt myself growing wet, so wet that I could feel the wetness on my thighs. And then one of his hands found its way to my sex and he started stroking me there. He took his time while nibbling my ear, all the while playing with my clit.
I was breathing heavily and writhing my ass against his throbbing sex when he abruptly stopped and gave me a little shove toward the bed.
I looked at him in confusion and he wordlessly laid down next to me, unzipping his pants. He took his thick cock in his hand and started to stroke it, up and down as he looked at me. His eyes devouring my breasts, my belly, my femininity.
I reached for him then and he took my hand and brought it to his mouth. He lowered himself to his elbow and began to plant little kisses up my arm, the inside of my elbow, before abandoning my arm to kiss my lips.
His kiss was warm, and it held promise. Promise of what? I didn’t know, but for a moment time felt suspended as our lips pressed together.
He slowly pulled away and I protested. He laughed gruffly and said, “I want to see you play with yourself.”
His request sounded so dirty. So wanton. I was instantly turned on.
I did as he said. I laid down and parted my legs and watched him stroke his dick as he watched me touch my clit.
He licked his lips and I fantasized that those lips were brushing against my femininity. That his fingers were separating the folds of my sex. So I parted my legs wide and began to penetrate myself with one finger as I played with my nipple with the other hand. I became impatient, wanting his hands on me. Wanting his lips on me.
“Kiss me,” I said, as he watched me finger myself. He kissed me, starting at my neck and moving forward toward my ears.
I gasped as his lips finally met min
e and he stopped stroking himself to grab my breast. I began to draw circles around my clit as he kissed and fondled me. And without warning, I began to come as my sex quivered and my hips shot up on their own accord.
He kept kissing me as he climbed on top of me and slid into me without preamble. He rode me hard, pumping in and out of me, as he continued to hold my face and plant kisses all over my cheeks, my forehead, my chin.
And then when I thought he was about to come, he surprised me by pulling out of me. He slid down my body and began to kiss and suck my sex. He rubbed his face against my pubic area, inhaling the scent of me.
“God, you smell good...” he said softly as he licked my folds, tasting me as if I were some sort of delicacy. As he began to suck my clit, I fondled my own breasts. I squeezed my nipples hard and my thighs shook as he pressed them further apart. The feel of his tongue sliding between the folds of my pussy and circling around my clit was too much to bear. I came quickly, gasping his name. I let go of my breasts and grabbed his head, keeping him still as I bucked against his mouth. I came against his face and he lapped at my wetness greedily.
And then finally, when he was done, he turned me over. Exhausted, I stretched my arms across the bed and kept my face pressed against the mattress, trying to catch my breath.
I was surprised at how long he had been hard already as he pushed into me again. I was so wet that he slid in easily. Between the wetness of his mouth and the wetness of my sex, my entryway was primed for the taking.
He surprised me by stretching forward and pinning my hands with one of his above my head as he fucked me hard from behind. Each one of his thrusts pushed me forward and I began to scream from pleasure as each of his thrusts stretched me, filled me to the point I thought I couldn’t accommodate anymore of him. I knew he was long. I knew his cock was thick, but in this position, it felt even bigger, even wider.
At that point, it was like my sex was made for his. And I happily let him have his way with it, moaning as he buried himself inside me, pulled out and thrust back in slowly, stretching me.
And finally, when I thought I couldn’t take anymore, he began to speed up and I knew this was no longer about me. It was about him, his pleasure. He was ready to come.
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