by Catori, Ava
“If you keep fondling my ass, we’ll never get out of the house,” she grinned.
“Would that be such a bad thing?”
“I wouldn’t be complaining, but you made such a big deal about a date…” she trailed off, teasing him.
“You’re right, you’re right. Nutrition is good; you’ll need your strength.”
“Aren’t you a tiger,” she laughed. Finishing up, she turned toward Reed.
His eyes told her all she needed to know. He liked what he saw. As the relief washed through her, she let go of her critical side for the evening. She hated how she was harder on herself than she should be. So what if she carried a few extra pounds, she was still attractive. She wished she could hold onto that feeling more often.
Heading out to the car, the couple got in and drove to the restaurant Reed had picked out. It was an Italian place Becky was familiar with, but she hadn’t been there in ages. Tuscany Grill offered brick oven pizza and lighter fare for lunch, while their dinners were hearty and sinfully delicious. She loved their veal parmesan.
Walking in, Reed reached down and held her hand, squeezing it gently. That tiny motion made Becky smile. They were here, together, as a couple. It felt surreal, the two of them dating. What had started as a silly crush on her side became a reality.
As the hostess seated them, and lit the small candle at their table, Becky sighed a little inside. This was happening, it was real. Sure, they’d already slept together, but this cemented the fact that there was something more, and it wasn’t a mistake, some one time fling that ended after stars lined up perfectly one night in time.
Reed looked over at his date. Her soft, blonde hair left him wanting to run his fingers through it. He loved how silky it felt on his skin when he played with it the other night. He wondered what Becky was thinking, how things had changed, and if this was something good in her life. She was such a special girl, so down to earth, and was a breath of fresh air.
When she smiled, he couldn’t help but smile back. Her face lit up, glowing with happiness. Her eyes danced with joy, and Reed knew he needed to spend more time with Becky Holgate, both dressed and undressed. Thinking back on their night the other day, Reed’s mind flashed with snapshot images of her voluptuous body, and the thought alone had him feeling things below. There was stirring, and a semi-hardness happening, but that would have to wait.
As the waiter approached with the specials and to get their drink order, Reed shifted, trying to get his growing erection under control.
Ordering a bottle of wine, the couple lingered over their menus before making their selections.
Reaching across the table, Reed took Becky’s hand, and tenderly stroked her fingers with his own. “I’m glad we’re finally doing this.”
“Me too,” she answered softly.
They couldn’t have known, couldn’t have planned it, and as she marched up to the table, clearing her voice, Jessica stood with her hands on her hips, her voice full of hostility. “You’ve clearly moved on,” she spat, and then turning to give Becky a once up and down, her voice changed gears. “Seriously, you could have me, and you’re with someone like her?” She laughed, a cruel, mean laugh, and one that made Becky want to slide under the table. Ignore her, ignore her.
“Jessica, that’s enough,” Reed was short and firm.
“Enough? Yeah, I’ve seen just about enough. First you dump me, and then you end up dating a fat chick? What the hell, Reed?”
Turning to face Becky, “I’m sorry.” Looking back at Jessica, “You’re being rude, and you’re not welcome here. I think you should leave.”
“Oh, I’m not welcome here. The woman you were about to marry, but then decided to break up with months before our wedding is inconveniencing you. So sorry,” she spit out sarcastically. “Don’t let me interrupt your date, because you obviously have something more important to do than say marry the woman you proposed to.”
“You’re making a scene,” his voice got tense. “This isn’t the time or place.”
“I’m so sorry,” she dripped with annoyance. “Please forgive me for ruining your date with Bessy the Cow.”
Her friend was visible perturbed but uncomfortable too. “Jess, come on, he’s not worth your time.”
“You’re right,” she finally said to her companion. “Let’s go eat somewhere else. I’m not interested in a place that feeds losers and fat pigs,” she snapped, before walking away.
Becky was horrified, crushed, and everything inside of her wanted to die. She wanted to slide under the table, become invisible, and pretend that none of this actually happened. Only it did.
Reed was apologetic, but like a schoolyard bully, Jessica had already done her damage. Becky could barely muster the courage to paste a smile to her face, to pretend like it didn’t bother her, but she desperately wanted to run to the ladies room, lock herself inside one of the stalls and cry her eyes out.
What had started as an unbelievable experience, a date with a guy that felt leagues above her world, left her spinning in the gutter, wanting to vomit and hide.
“Maybe we should leave,” Becky finally got out. The words were stuck in her throat, and she had to force them forward. She was choking on her misery, her complete embarrassment, and the humiliation appetizer his ex-girlfriend had just served.
Reed simply nodded and asked for the check. He couldn’t undo this, couldn’t peel away her pain, couldn’t unsay the words that were said, and Becky realized in that moment, that maybe this wasn’t meant to be.
Her vulnerability crumbled beneath her, and took her soul with it.
She was silent in the car, as Reed apologized over and over again. What was meant to be a magical evening had turned into a nightmare, and one Becky wouldn’t soon forget.
Getting out of his car, he walked her to the door. Leaning in to kiss her goodnight, Becky stopped him. “I don’t think this is going to work out. I know it wasn’t you, but there’s still a lot of stuff for you two to work out.”
Reed was frustrated. “There’s nothing for me to work out, and I’m sorry you had to sit through that, but I want to be here. Don’t think for a minute that this changes anything for me.”
Becky looked at Reed, and he saw it in her eyes. The slow painful death she felt tonight. “I’m sorry,” she said and let herself in, closing the door on the man that she thought would be joining her in bed tonight.
Becky was numb. Kicking off her heels, she walked to the sofa and curled into a ball. In the privacy of her home, with no eyes on her, she cried her eyes out.
The sting of the words, the embarrassment of it happening in front of Reed, and the anger at Jessica for not only taunting her, but making a scene and ruining her date all tangled together into one large heap.
Letting go of Reed meant Jessica won, but she was too horrified to spend time with him. Not now, maybe not ever. He’d always hear her words, calling her Bessy the Cow and a fat pig, and he’d always know that he was shunned for dating a big girl.
Becky cried for her size, hating herself even more than usual in that moment, and felt pathetic and lonely. When her anger finally kicked in, she started to feel better for a few moments, but it didn’t last long. She bathed in her self-pity and lingered in the sorrowful feelings.
It wasn’t until she was buried under her covers in bed later that night that she started to realize that Reed chose her. He had Jessica, but he chose her. Why couldn’t she see that earlier? She’d already won. If Becky walked away from Reed, that was letting Jess win, and there was no way in hell she’d let that bitch ruin things for her.
Becky adored Reed, and she’d be damned if some mean lady was going to get in her way. Becky deserved better, and letting the bully win wasn’t the answer. Sure she had a little extra weight on her body, but since when does a number on the scale dictate who you are? She was a smart, fun, and good person, and that should count for something. And she was pretty, so what if she carried a few extra pounds, she was still a pretty girl, a
nd Reed had certainly let her know he was attracted to her.
She was more than her body, she was a complete package. No way in hell was she going to let Jess get under her skin. Sure she got to her, broke her down, hit her vulnerability, but Becky was going to come back stronger. Push me down little bitch, but I’ll stand right back up. Fuck her. She was better than that, and she refused to let her win. She might have ruined their date, but she didn’t have to ruin their relationship.
Finding her courage and strength once again, Becky called Reed. “I’d like a redo.”
“A redo?”
“Yes, I’d like another date,” she said quietly. “Could we try again?”
“You’re sure?”
“Very.”
“I’d love to take you out again. I’m so sorry she ruined the evening.”
“You don’t need to apologize for her actions.”
“Would you like to try again tomorrow?”
“Very much.”
“I’m glad you called,” he said.
“Me too.”
Becky went to sleep feeling one hundred times better than she’d felt earlier that evening. She fought back and she won. There was no way she was going to let a bully dictate her relationship.
Chapter 18
Their second date went much smoother, and this time when Reed went to kiss Becky goodnight, she invited him in. Every time he kissed her, she melted. She loved being in his arms, feeling his sweet lips against hers. Walking in, they barely made it through the door, when they were back together, sharing in intimate moments. Closing the door, Reed pressed Becky to it, pulling her hands up over her head. His mouth worked over her neck, with soft caressing kisses, that had Becky wanting to strip off her clothing.
Breaking apart only long enough to head toward her bedroom, they stopped midway, stopping in their tracks.
“Oh crap,” she said, staring at her sassy cat who was now lovingly or not so lovingly humping Mr. Bunny, a stuffed rabbit Becky had tucked on a shelf. Not only had the cat gotten up to the shelf, but he assaulted Mr. Bunny by knocking him to the floor and was now flagrantly making passionate love to the stuffed rabbit. The bunny was a silent partner, not really participating. His happy little sewn on smile was still on his face, almost making him look like he was enjoying it.
“Oh Bella,” Becky moaned, “Scoot, you,” she said, chasing the kitty off of the plush rabbit. “I’m sorry you had to see that,” she said flatly.
Reed could only laugh. “I think you’ve managed to break it up, allowing your stuffed rabbit to keep some of its dignity.”
“Mr. Bunny has no dignity,” she grinned. “He’s a total slut, but I prefer that my cat doesn’t hump him in front of company. Mr. Bunny actually likes it, and has on many occasions spent the evening with the horny Bella.”
“So you’re saying that Mr. Bunny wants it?”
“Hey, Bella can be quite a dick tease, all flirty and sexy, bathing in front of Mr. Bunny. I’m just saying I think it goes both ways, but I do expect them to refrain from that kind of activity when there’s company.”
Reed pulled Becky into his arms, his face wearing a smile, “You’re a piece of work.”
“A good piece or work, or like a slightly twisted, bent out of shape piece of work?” She teased.
“Slightly? Oh, I’d say a very twisted, tangled, and a messed up piece of work. Have I mentioned that’s my favorite kind?”
“You have not,” she said, eyes opened wide, feigning shock. “What a coincidence.”
“A wonderful coincidence if you ask me.” Reed kissed Becky, saving small talk for later.
She whispered, “Breathless, you leave me breathless.”
“Aroused is what you do to me,” he answered, taking her hand and placing it on his firm erection still safely tucked away in his pants.
“I believe I shall take you to bed,” she grinned, and pulled him behind her.
“Bed is a good place to be.”
“Especially when it’s with you,” she grinned.
Naked and under the covers, the couple made love.
In the afterglow of the moment, Becky slipped, “I love you, Reed.” Her hand shot up to her mouth, clasping over it.
Reed heard the words. His head spun toward Becky in slow motion. What should he say, how should he react? He cared about the girl, but he wasn’t ready to go there, and in a heated moment of panic, he stroked her cheek and said, “That’s sweet.”
**
“That’s sweet?” Sam whined into the phone. “That’s all he said.”
“I blew it; I didn’t mean to say it. Sure it’s okay to think it, but it’s too soon. We both know it’s too soon, but I was high on endorphins, drifting on the afterglow of an orgasm, and before I could stop myself, the words came out. I mean, I’m pretty sure I love him, and before I could even contemplate it anymore, it was a done deal.”
“What did you say after he flubbed? I wonder what he was thinking.”
“He probably freaked the hell out is what he did. He didn’t flub, I did. I was in a panic and apologized, trying to take it back, but there it was sitting between us like dead air. I totally made the experience weird.”
“Sorry Beck, I’m not sure what to tell you. And holy shit, what’s with Jessica? What a bitch.”
“I know. I wanted to call you that night, but I didn’t have it in me. I was like a wilted flower, all sobbing uncontrollably and curled up under the covers.”
“I don’t blame you, though I would have been pissed. Don’t you dare let her win, not a bitch like that.”
“I know; that’s why I got over myself and called him back, which landed me in this mess.”
“What’s the big deal, so he knows you have strong feelings, it could be worse.”
“I’m just afraid he’ll feel trapped. He just got out of a long term relationship, and I’m already throwing I love you his way. I didn’t mean to, it just slipped. Now he’s going to hear that every time he looks at me, and I can’t take it back. I mean, sure I could say it was a mistake, but I didn’t say it was a mistake in that moment. Shit Sam, it was only our second date, and the first was ruined.”
“Okay, so technically it was your second date, but you’d gotten together before that, and you’ve known him for a while. It’s not like he’s a total stranger. Do you love him?”
“Yeah, I think I do. I mean, I guess. It feels like love, but maybe it’s just lust. But yeah, I think I’m in love with the guy.”
“How do you know it’s love, and not just infatuation? You were kind of blown away when he said he was interested. Maybe it’s more fascination and hero worshipping.”
“Hero worshipping, seriously, work with me here. I mean, it feels real.”
“Okay, so let’s figure this out. What kind of real is it? Like you want to have his babies real, or like if he lost a testicle, didn’t have a job, and couldn’t have sex anymore because he gained five hundred pounds and his asthma stopped him from having hot sex, you’d still be by his side real?”
“What kind of question is that?”
“You know what I’m saying, don’t be coy. If you just want babies, it’s still infatuation. If you’d sit by his side as he got his testicle removed and gained a bunch of weight and couldn’t find his dick to put it inside of you anymore, would you still want him?”
“Sam!”
“What? It’s a legitimate question. You don’t have questions like that to measure things?”
“Not that extreme.”
“Seriously, there’s a method to my madness. Picture this, he can’t find his winky anymore, it’s hidden between his legs, he can’t reach, he’s out of breath when he tries, and the most you can do is blow him, like that’s it. He might diddle you time to time so you aren’t feeling too hopeless in the sex department, and he doesn’t want you straying. Would you still be there?”
Becky sighed, going with the flow of the conversation. “Fine, yes, I’d still be with him. He’s more to me tha
n some hard body to have sex with. I really like the guy. I like talking to him, laughing with him, and learning more about him.”
“Nice. I think you may very well be in love, Becks. Now if you could find me a guy like that…”
“The one that can’t find his wiener, or someone to love,” she laughed.
“Hey, I’ll help him find his wiener if he’s awesome.”
“There’s some guy named Jonathon that I believe you thought was pretty great, but you couldn’t spend time with him because you didn’t like his laugh.”
“You’re right, I’m shallow. I totally want someone who can find their winky and laughs like a guy. Not like a girl, Becky. I swear to you, it’s a little disconcerting.”
Becky laughed. “Fine, but I think you should give the guy another chance. You had a good time.”
“You’re not listening. I had a good time until he laughed. I had visions of teenage girls in my mind because his laugh sounded like a schoolgirl giggling, not exactly sexy. What part aren’t you getting?”
“And yet you still slept with him.”
“I’m a lost cause,” she sighed.
“Not totally lost, because I’m going to steer you in the right direction. Go out with Jonathon again and try giving him another chance.”
“Come on, Becks, that’s not fair. Besides, he’s not exactly banging down my door to see me again.”
“Maybe he thinks you laugh like a guy,” she teased.
“Great, we can be a freak show together, that’s what you want for your best friend? Oh my gosh, I totally don’t laugh like a guy, do I?”
Becky rolled her eyes, “Sam, you’re a twisted one.”
“I thought that’s why you liked me.”
“I think it’s our history. I’ve known you too long and you know all my secrets.”
“I’ll never tell anyone, they’re safe with me, unless of course you set me up with a guy that laughs like a girl.”
“Fine, I’ll drop it. Anyway, I’ve got to go.”
“Hey Becks, sorry things didn’t go how you wanted.”
“Thanks, it’ll be fine. He’ll dump me and I’ll be forced to settle for guys that laugh like girls.”
