Brave

by Natalie Gayle

  “You’re beautiful all the time Eden, but never more than when you’re wild for me, baby. Show me how much you want me.” I ran the tip of my tongue around her ear then sucked her earlobe into my mouth before nibbling it a little.

  Every time my teeth nipped, her hips ground harder into me and she whimpered louder.

  She raised her hips a little to break the contact and I went to hold her against me then I realised what she was doing. She was moving to slide me inside her.

  I held her firm and pushed my hips down away from the most exquisite temptation. “Let me get a condom, Gem.”

  “No. Just slide into me,” she demanded. “I’m on the pill.”

  “You’ve got nothing to worry about from me.” I managed to get out before my brain turned to mush and I released the hold I had on her hips. A split second later she was sliding down over me—encasing me in her warm, wet heat. God, it felt incredible.

  She rolled her hips a few times and I knew she was close. Her walls were starting to really tighten around me and I could feel everything since I was bare. It was the best feeling ever.

  Her hair was everywhere and she had this wild far away look in her half-closed eyes that looked almost drunk with passion.

  Sharp little cries started to slip from her mouth in time to the clenching around my cock. My jaws gritted together almost to the point of pain as I strained to hold off my own release. We were going to do this together.

  The sensations and build were so intense, I knew that I could only hold a few more seconds. My fingers found her clit and I only needed to stroke her a couple of times before she went wild on my cock. Her body jerked and spasmed and it was the most beautifully erotic thing I had ever seen.

  My own release couldn’t be contained any longer and it rushed forwarded to join Eden’s. Every single muscle of mine seemed to be simultaneously wracked with the opposing sensations of intense pleasure and pain. I thrashed beneath her and she planted her palms on my chest and closed her thighs tightly around my hips.

  Finally, our movements became little ripples and eventually stilled. Eden collapsed over me, a complete mess of blonde hair and sweaty skin. Nothing had ever felt better.

  “Whoa that was intense,” I breathed out and nibbled her neck, my dick starting to relax just a fraction inside her.

  “Mmm,” she murmured into my neck. Something told me it would be a while before I got anything intelligent out of her. I didn’t care, knowing that she was as wrecked as I was from what we both experienced.

  “I think I’m exhausted and I haven’t even got out of bed yet. Can I just go back to sleep for a few more hours.” She tickled my ribs and we both started laughing and wriggling against each other like idiots.

  We were so wrapped up in each other that I didn’t even realise what happened next until too late. I was that focused on Eden.

  The door to my apartment pushed open and in walked my dad.

  Eden squealed and I immediately rolled us pinning her under me. Better dad got an eyeful of my naked arse than Eden’s.

  “Busy here, Dad!” I called out over my shoulder, my voice sounding more like a growl.

  “Sorry, son.” His tone was gruff like always, but I swore I heard something else.

  “Give us a few minutes.” The door clicked shut and this time I heard his footsteps retreating.

  I lay on top of her waiting to judge her reaction. Eden’s face was a horrified mask.

  “Didn’t you lock the door?” she hissed.

  “I guess not. In my defence I was walking up the stairs trailing your delectable backside. Not much else was going through my mind at that time.”

  “Doesn’t he knock?” Good point, well made.

  “He’s never had a reason to before. I don’t have women sleep over.”

  “What?” She seemed more surprised by that now, than what had happened.

  “I haven’t had anyone here, Gem. You’re the first serious woman I’ve had in years and I’m liking it.” She could ask me all the questions later. Now we needed to grab a quick shower and go talk to dad.

  I could only imagine what his response would be. Why couldn’t he have stayed in Sydney until all this craziness was over? I didn’t need to deal with him on top of everything else. My own demons were hard enough to manage. I didn’t need him weighing in as well.

  Chapter 21

  Eden

  I was just in the process of fastening my jeans, when I heard Xander’s dad knock on the door to the apartment. Hell, it hadn’t even been ten minutes. We’d both jumped in the shower. Xander first—he liked it hot. Not going there just yet! Thirty seconds later it was all mine and I washed off quicker than I thought possible in the lukewarm water. That was definitely a place we were going to revisit together. Somehow I needed to tackle that fear.

  “Just a sec,” Xander called out. He’d emerged from the bathroom first. I’m glad I’d chosen to bring my clothes in here, rather than get dressed out in the open.

  Xander stuck his head in the door. “You ready, Gem?”

  I threw my hands up. “Well, I hadn’t really anticipated meeting my boyfriend’s father this morning. But I guess I’m showered and dressed now, which is something. He’s already seen more of me than I intended. I haven’t tackled this mop yet or done anything with my face but I guess it doesn’t matter. I only really started wearing makeup again yesterday after all.”

  He chuckled and gave me a quick kiss. He tasted of toothpaste. “Thanks for being good about this. Just a warning, my dad’s kind of odd and intense. It’s got nothing to do with you and everything to do with me. Just remember that okay.”

  I nodded and he was gone. I had a real sense of foreboding as I wondered just what this guy was like.

  I pulled a brush through my hair and rubbed some moisturiser into my face.

  Finally I took a deep breath and walked out.

  Xander was behind the bench fixing coffee by the look of things and his dad was sitting on one of the stools. The new furniture had arrived a few days ago and it looked awesome. All except the bed. There was a shipping problem and it was going to be another couple of weeks.

  The place looked a lot more homey, but there was still quite a lot of room for improvement. Some artwork was definitely needed for the walls. Something to break up all the white and bring it together.

  Xander saw me approach. “Dad, this is my girlfriend Eden Sommers. Eden, my dad, Len Todd.” Xander’s dad rose from the stool and extended his hand. I took it in mine and shook.

  “I’m very pleased to meet you Mr Todd.” I could see him assessing my face and like everyone else, he was wondering about it but he didn’t seem too phased. Len was a man about the same physical size as Xander. He had the same dark eyes and bone structure. He also had the full puffy lips but something told me Len didn’t smile as much as his son. His hair was mostly still dark but the silver had started to set in at the temples. In fact, I think there was a good chance Xander would look exactly like his dad in about thirty years time and that certainly wouldn’t be a bad thing. Len was still a very handsome man.

  “It’s Len. Good to see you’ve found a well-mannered one, Alexander.” I wasn’t quite sure how to take that. When Len relaxed his hand we both took our seats again and I kind of looked to Xander for a cue as to what should happen next.

  “Thought you weren’t due back for another week or two?” Xander asked his father as he pushed a mug of black coffee across the bench. I tried to subtly move a little further away. Hopefully, Len hadn’t noticed anything.

  “Umph. I wasn’t. I was going to head back in a couple of weeks but I got a call from Ron. Could barely believe my ears when he told me my son was getting back in the cage. Reason you didn’t bother telling me?” Len narrowed his eyes at Xander.

  Xander merely shrugged. “I didn’t tell you because I knew you’d come right back here and would be crawling up my arse. Kind of like now.”

  “You decide to get in the cage after three years and you
think it’s something you should do on your own? Something you shouldn’t tell me?”

  I was missing something in this conversation, but I had no idea what and it didn’t seem like the time to butt in and ask.

  “It wasn’t a secret; I just didn’t think you needed to cut your trip short. It’s not like you can do the training for me.”

  “No, it’s not. But I’ve always been there…” And then it made sense to me. For some reason Xander wanted to do this fight alone. “But hell, it seems like we’re all being kept out of the loop. Reed didn’t tell Ron, either. Carmen slipped that you were fighting again to Ron. Ron spoke to Reed and finally Reed filled him in on the details. Then Ron rang me.”

  Xander nodded, but said nothing. He poured a coffee for himself, then looked over to me. “Juice, Gem?”

  “That’d be great.” Xander poured my glass and pushed it across for me.

  “Thanks,” I said, smiling at him.

  “Sounds about right, dad,” Xander said noncommittally.

  “That’s all you’ve got to say?” Len demanded, obviously pissed at Xander.

  “What is there to say? I was offered a big fight and I decided to take it. Yes, I haven’t fought in a cage for over three years. I’ve just got to knuckle down and train, be the best I can—like always. Weren’t you the one that kept calling me a pussy for not getting back in the cage? I thought you’d be pleased, but you sure don’t sound it.” There was an edge to Xander’s voice and I knew there was animosity between these two about something.

  “I don’t know how I feel about it. My son’s taken the biggest fight of his life and hasn’t spoken a word to me, even though he’s been out of the MMA scene for three years. How should I feel? Because right now I have no idea? Why are you doing this now, Alexander?”

  Xander was pulling fruit out of the fridge and pushing it across the bench to me. Then came two cartons of eggs. He already had a massive poacher heating up on the stove.

  He pulled a container of rolled oats from the pantry as well. “I’m doing this dad because I need to. I can’t live a lie any longer.” I watched Len’s eyebrows draw closer together as he studied his son, and then he looked at me.

  “We’ll talk about this later.” And I knew Len meant when I wasn’t around. He obviously thought I was the reason he wasn’t getting anything useful out of his son.

  “Umm, I can go for a walk or something…”I offered hastily, because it seemed these two really needed to talk.

  Xander pinned me with a look that said so many things, but mainly frustrated. “Stay right where you are please, Eden. Dad, we’ll talk about this now as it seems so damned important to you that you burst into my place at seven am in the morning while I’m in bed with my girlfriend. Bloody knock in future, will you!”

  Len at least had the good graces to look a little embarrassed and mumbled a “Sorry about that! She’s got a great arse by the way.”

  “Dad!” Xander roared and just about leapt across the bench.

  A little nervous giggle sort of slipped out from my throat. I didn’t know whether to be horrified or flattered.

  His father held up his hands. “Didn’t mean anything by it. Just speaking the truth.”

  I heard Xander mutter something that sounded like “Fuck me.” I could also tell he was angry, annoyed and a little embarrassed.

  “I just don’t understand, why now? I thought there was no chance you’d ever do it again. You were adamant that it wasn’t an option. Then out of the blue you take the biggest fight of your career. I don’t get it.” I almost felt a little sorry for Len. He was obviously concerned and worried for his son.

  “There’s nothing to get, Dad. It’s just something I need to do. I can’t keep pushing everyone else to fight their demons and be better people if I can’t do the same. Hell, you taught me that, and Ron drummed it in just a bit further.”

  Xander poured oats into a massive bowl, mixed in almond milk and placed it in the microwave to cook.

  Len looked at him sceptically. “I want to know what made you change your mind. When I left to go to Sydney six weeks ago, I would have sworn you weren’t getting back in that cage. Then yesterday morning I get a call from Ron and here I am wanting to know the answers.”

  Xander cracked eggs into the poacher and I sliced fruit, not quite knowing which way to look.

  “We do have those things called telephones, Dad. I spoke to you the day before yesterday remember?” It was the first time I’d ever heard Xander sound like a smart arse. It was quite funny, but I managed to bite my cheek to stop the giggle from slipping out.

  “Yeah yeah, smart arse. And that’s exactly my point. You had plenty of time to tell me on the phone what was going on. You chose not to, so I got in my truck and here I am. I figured face to face, you’d have to tell me.” The more they spoke, the more it was all starting to make sense. Any man who would get in his truck and drive over a thousand kilometres in under a day to get some answers, couldn’t be all bad. He had to care.

  “Can you pass me a plate, please, Xan, for this fruit?” I asked quietly using the tiny lull in conversation to slide in my request.

  Xander looked totally frustrated as he passed me a plate. I knew there was a lot he wasn’t telling his father or me. I know what I saw that night when he went a little wild downstairs.

  He had some serious demons chasing him. Since that night he’d been focused on what he had to do to win that fight. He hadn’t described what his fears or issues were; only that he was going to face them. I wasn’t going to push him either. For some reason I was confident he’d tell me when he was ready. Just like when he told me about that experience he’d had when he was younger.

  “You want to know what changed my mind, Dad?” I could feel the frustration coming off Xander from here. I knew that feeling. So many times I’d been where he was; people asking me to strip bare when it was too raw for even me to understand. People didn’t seem to get it. Understand that it wasn’t that you didn’t want to talk to them about something, but it was more that you didn’t know how. Sometimes putting feelings into words was really hard to do. The emotion just seemed to swallow you. This was one of those times.

  I tried to catch his eye. I really wanted to go and give him a big hug to let him know I understood his pain and what he was struggling with, but I couldn’t think of a way that wouldn’t be considered weird. Finally, he looked at me and I tried to push as much understanding into my expression as I could.

  His eyes softened a fraction and I knew he was reading me and understanding what I was trying to convey.

  “That’s the whole point of this, Alexander. I’d rather be in bed, too. It was a bloody long drive!” Yeah his father was just as frustrated.

  “The answer is right beside you, Dad.” Len glanced at me and looked confused. “Eden’s the reason I’m fighting.”

  Now I really did feel sorry for the poor man. If he looked confused before—there was no doubt he actually was now.

  Xander stared at his father for a second and then turned back to the microwave that was beeping. Len kept staring at me and I wondered if I should say something or keep my mouth shut.

  Then he looked back to Xander, then me again. “Would someone care to explain?”

  I dropped my head and cut up the rest of the melon I was working on.

  I could feel Xander’s eyes on me. “Eden?” he said quietly and I knew he was asking if it was okay for him to speak about me. How did I feel about Len knowing stuff? I felt for him because the poor man was obviously concerned and confused about his son. What would I even tell him?

  Then before I’d even made a conscious decision, my mouth kind of started to move. “I’ll tell him, Xander. If he’s upset then it should be me he’s upset at.”

  “You don’t have to Eden. It’s not anyone else’s business but ours.” Xander was looking to defend me but I could only imagine what Len must have been thinking coming home to all this.

  I finished chopping the last
of the melon and placed it on the plate pushing it across to Xander. Then I turned to Len.

  My instinct was to keep my head down but Len deserved to see my eyes. “I’m sure you’ve noticed my scars by now.” I motioned to my face and Len nodded.

  “I’ll give you the abbreviated version for now. Just over five years ago I was in a house fire. I got burned pretty badly getting my younger sisters out. The burns extend right down my right side to my hip. If you didn’t already see them this morning.” I gave him a little eyebrow raise, and he shook his head no. “I spent about a year basically in hospital, then another two doing rehab. With lots of hospital stays.” Right about now I realised I hadn’t even told Xander any of this and I gave him a look of apology. I felt awful about this. He should have been the first to know. He nodded to me letting me know it was okay—that he understood.

  “Then I spent some time finishing my higher school education and now I’m at university studying accounting and IT. They’re the facts, of what happened but they don’t really tell the story. You see, when the fire happened, I’d just signed with an international modelling agency. I had shows and work booked in New York and Paris.” I saw the look of genuine surprise cross Len’s face.

  “My whole world and my future career, my dreams, it was all based around my appearance. I went from being…well you know what models look like, to this. By the time I was physically fit enough to face the world I’d retreated so far mentally…I just couldn’t do it.”

  I sucked in a breath and felt the tears prick the backs of my eyes. I didn’t want to be a blubbering mess, but I could see Len needed to understand. His son was suddenly going to be doing something very dangerous. I took a sip of the juice and gathered myself to go on.

  “It’s only been during the last twelve months that I’ve had the guts to go out in public. I know it might not seem much to you, but let me tell you, it’s kind of indescribable when you wake up for the first time and you see this face looking back at you. What hurt me even more was the desertion. People I thought were my friends, my boyfriend even, they all just disappeared. I didn’t even hear from them again.”