HotTango

by Sidney Bristol

  “Tell me if I’m too rough,” he said into her ear.

  Tanya grasped the spindles on the headboard and shifted her legs, welcoming her husband into the cradle of her body. He guided his cock to her entrance and pushed in.

  Her back arched at the drag and feel of flesh on flesh. She held Cole’s gaze and gripped the headboard as tightly as she could. They panted in time, joined in body and soul, heart and mind.

  He eased in and out of her pussy, allowing Tanya to adjust, but she didn’t want slow. She wrapped her legs around him and pulled him deeper, closer.

  Cole thrust harder, giving her what she asked for. What she craved. Again and again he thrust, delving into her heart and soul to places somehow untouched. He grabbed her thigh and hooked his arm under her knee, opening her up to a deeper physical penetration.

  “Ohmygod,” she chanted, voice pitched higher as he hit her G-spot. Each thrust rubbed against that secret inner button.

  Tanya came apart in a wail. Her vaginal muscles spasmed, tightening around his cock as he continued the steady rhythm, ratcheting her up even higher, prolonging the orgasm. She dug her nails into the wood, spine arching, the pleasure saturating every fiber to the point of almost-pain.

  Cole groaned over her, his breath hitching before he went rigid.

  Their bodies eased and he relaxed over her, still in and around her.

  “Just so you know, this goes beyond, ‘’til death do you part.’ Don’t ever think about leaving me, or else I’ll really handcuff you to the bed.”

  Tanya sputtered and giggled. “Promise?”

  “I do. ’Til the world ends and time stands still.”

  Tanya was pretty sure she could handle that, with or without the handcuffs.

  Epilogue

  One Week Later

  Tanya stood in the long line of derby girls under the bleachers. Between Go-Go-Randy and the fans, it was deafening.

  Instead of adrenaline rushing through her veins, she felt something different. Roller derby would never be the same. Maybe this memorial game would help them all move on.

  For a moment the crowd calmed and Go-Go-Randy’s voice rose clear as a bell above everything else. It was a wonder what he sounded like sober, but the Olympic Committee had balked at the use of beer in roller derby. The team had agreed to leave the beeramids out and bring a sober Randy.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, Olympiads and, well, the rest of us. Welcome to tonight’s memorial re-bout between the Sin City Rollers and—your—Metro—City—Derby—Dames!”

  The crowd erupted. People stomped on the stands overhead, there were the familiar sounds of foghorns, technically illegal by Olympic standards, coffee cans with rocks in them, yelling, bells and all the usual roller derby sounds.

  Times five thousand people.

  The stadium reserved for the game was sold out.

  When Tanya had peeked outside, there were people sitting in lawn chairs outside ready to watch it on big screens.

  It was overwhelming.

  The sound just got louder as the opposing team was introduced, each player sprinting out onto the track and skating laps until the entire team was accounted for. Save their three girls injured in last week’s game who were sitting on the bench.

  A hand squeezed her upper arm.

  “Deep breath,” Goldie whispered behind her.

  Tanya nodded just as the sounds of We Will Rock You blared over the stadium sound system.

  “Now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for. Let me hear you cheer for your—Metro—City—Derby—Dames!”

  The energy in the ready area was palpable. As much as this was a redo game, it would also count for the flat track association standings. And they wanted to win just as badly this time around as last time.

  The line in front of Tanya shrank until she stood at the opening, fans on either side of the tunnel leaning over, snapping pictures and cheering. She rolled up to her toe stops and hunched forward in the typical starting position.

  “You know her face, but we know her name. She’s one Hot Tango!”

  Tanya sprinted forward, her world narrowing to the track in front of her and her teammates. The volume of the cheering was so loud she could barely think.

  Just put one foot in front of the other.

  She hit the track at top speed and blazed around the outer perimeter of turns three and four.

  “Hot Tango! Hot Tango! Hot Tango!”

  The crowd was chanting her name.

  Tanya stood up straighter, letting herself coast, and stared into the grandstands. There were glittering signs, banners and even a row of people with her name spelled out on t-shirts. She clapped her hand over her mouth, shocked by the display of support. Most of these people hadn’t even heard of roller derby before last weekend. Hell, the foreigners didn’t know what to make of them, which had been apparent during their guest visit to the Olympic Village yesterday to meet some of the athletes, but they all appreciated what Tanya and the other roller derby girls had done.

  She lifted her arm and waved at the crowd, taking another full lap before Go-Go-Randy announced Goldie Fuckers. The league hadn’t budged where the derby girl names were concerned though the Olympic officials had tried. There were some things that were so derby, to remove them would cheapen it.

  One by one the members of the Derby Dames travel team were called out onto the court, but none of them were given the same kind of entrance Tanya received. It was enough to make her eyes water, but since she’d gone all out with makeup and let another girl talk her into false eyelashes, crying was not an option.

  “All rise for the playing of our national anthem by the Mistress of Penalties.” Go-Go-Randy gestured to the woman wiggling her way to center rink.

  The Mistress of Penalties had gone all out in a PVC mermaid-style dress that glistened under the lights and made one wonder whether it was possible to wear anything under the gown. Regardless, she took the mic, flipping her long black wig over one shoulder.

  Every derby girl removed her helmet, holding it over her heart.

  Tanya was still off-kilter, but she felt little pieces of herself coming back, fitting together. The biggest pieces Cole had fixed. Their love was the glue that kept them going the last week, through the circus that was their life.

  The mood as the Mistress of Penalties finished the Star-Spangled Banner was somber. Tanya kept her helmet off and her eyes on the screen between the flags that had been raised for their game.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, we will now observe a moment of silence for the twelve lives lost from last weekend’s tragic events,” Go-Go-Randy said over the speakers. A graphic with the Derby Dames logo across from the Olympic rings faded into view with the words We Will Remember across the screen.

  Thirteen.

  Silence had been killed on the spot. One bullet to the head. He might be a terrorist, but he’d also been a victim. Days after their bout, a Navy SEAL team attacked the location Ali Saed’s terrorist cell had holed up in. What they’d found were not hostages of Nicolas and others who’d come forward after the botched attack, but active terrorists. The cell had used its members as leverage, targeting their family in America to do their dirty work.

  Nicolas’ grandmother was not in life-threatening danger. She was a terrorist herself.

  Tanya forced herself to take long, even breaths. The slideshow came to a close, and the stadium was so quiet she could hear the officials rustling through paper, picking up their clipboards.

  “The Olympic Committee and the mayor of Metro City will now join me. Please give a warm, derby welcome.” Half the audience hooted and shook their noisemakers while the other half merely clapped.

  The mayor took a microphone from Go-Go-Randy. To his credit, he didn’t bat an eyelash at the banana-yellow track suit or faux mullet or the oversized, rhinestone-encrusted sunglasses. The handlebar mustache was totally real though.

  “Thank you, Randy and the Derby Dames, for having us here tonight.” The mayor of Metro City was
an older middle-aged man, well dressed, trim and clean-cut. His voice was warm, comforting like a blanket on a cold night. Tanya could understand why he was mayor. Hell, if he ran for office again she’d vote for him now that she didn’t travel as much.

  “We here in Metro City are proud and honored by our citizens. The loss of life is a grievous thing, and we will hold the hands of our mourning families and continue to help them. To the Derby Dames in particular, we want to say thank you. Reports about the efforts of your volunteers, staff and players are a testament to your honor. We are all familiar with the video footage of the Derby Dames volunteer security ushering people out in those first moments. They usually have a staff of off-duty officers on-site, but because of the Games, husbands, boyfriends and fathers stepped up to fill that hole. Players served as emergency nurses, treating the wounded, finding bandages and saving the lives of three patrons. And then there’s the face we’ve all come to recognize.”

  Tanya had been warned, or more accurately the mayor’s office had requested this, and who was she to say no? She pasted on as big a smile as she could, but it wavered at the corners.

  A photograph of Cole and her at a picnic faded onto the screen. She wore a yellow eyelet sundress and he had on his uniform gray SWAT t-shirt and jeans. They were smiling at the camera, their hands joined across the blanket. Other images filtered across the screen. Cole in uniform, her planting trees in the park, them taking a hike. Normal images.

  “Tanya Westling behaved with courage and selfless heroism. She served as a secondary negotiator and, with her help, through text messaging and pictures, gave our team invaluable information that led to the safe recovery of over a thousand hostages. Her husband, Sergeant Cole Westling, has been a member of the SWAT team for five years, and we credit him for putting the city and civilians before his own family.”

  A large, rough hand closed around her shoulder and Tanya breathed a sigh of relief. She’d know that touch anywhere.

  Cole pulled her against his side and kissed her temple.

  “Will the Westlings please join me?” The mayor turned in a circle, searching the lines of players for her.

  Cole took her hand and together they made their way out onto the track. He was wearing his uniform, not because he was on duty but because of this honor.

  The mayor shook both of their hands.

  “We won’t keep you long. I know how excited everyone is for tonight’s game—bout, that’s what you call it, isn’t it?” The mayor chuckled.

  “Yes sir.” Tanya smiled and nodded.

  “Oh behalf of Metro City, I would like to give you our Superhero Award. For those in the audience not familiar with our history, Metro City began as a theme park town that celebrated superheroes. Those first industrious families who put down roots here never expected us to grow into the metropolitan hub of activity, but we have, and our citizens carry that spirit with them. The spirit of heroes.” The mayor took two medallions on ribbons, one in each hand, and extended them to both Tanya and Cole.

  They each accepted their award. On Cole’s a man with a cape posed as if he were flying. On Tanya’s a woman stood in a ready stance, as if she were about to begin fighting.

  There were other words being spoken, the mayor was talking to the audience and the Olympic Committee was finally off their mute button. The spotlight wasn’t focused on them, so Tanya took the moment to wrap her arms around Cole and hug him tight.

  Go-Go-Randy took the center rink once more. “Ladies and gentleman, tonight’s bout will also be a charity event. One hundred percent of the proceeds from the bout will go to a survivors’ fund to benefit those who were injured or lost the lives of family members. So please, buy a beer, noisemaker, t-shirt or snack, and know that it’s going to a good cause.” He slapped his thigh. “It’s time to get this party started!”

  As if someone flipped a switch, the crowd erupted into cheers.

  Tanya handed Cole her medallion and kissed his cheek.

  “Hit ’em hard, babe,” he said.

  “Will do,” she promised and skated to her team’s bench.

  Go-Go-Randy launched into his introduction of the sport as if he were reading it from a script. “We’re going to explain the way modern roller derby is played, and how you’ll see it done tonight. Each team gets five players on the track—”

  “Hot Tango, you’re pivot,” Aaliyah said, tossing the helmet panty at her.

  Tanya caught it and skated out to the starting line. The Sin City pivot was already in place. She was an Amazon of a woman, tall and wide through the shoulders. The player held out her hand and Tanya took it automatically, shaking it.

  “Thanks for what you did, but I’m still going to kick your ass,” the pivot said with a smile.

  Tanya grinned back. “You can try.”

  * * * * *

  Cole sat on the edge of his seat.

  The score was seventy-seven to seventy-five in favor of Sin City, and there was a minute and half on the clock. Two injuries to staple Derby Dame jammers had taken them out of the game and the Dames lost their lead.

  Tanya skated to the jammer line for what felt like the hundredth time that night. The crowd went crazy every time she stepped foot on the track, and it made him swell with pride. Now he was caught up in the excitement with everyone else.

  “Come on, Hot Tango,” Aaron bellowed next to him. Every SWAT member who had the night off had come to the game—bout. Hell, they had reserved seating.

  “You can do it, babe,” Cole muttered.

  The players assembled behind their lines. He could tell by the lagging speed and sloppy hits the players were exhausted. Then again, he wasn’t sure he could maintain such high speeds for a full hour.

  One whistle blast and the pack skated off the line. There was new speed to their movements, as if they knew this was a make-it-or-break-it moment.

  Two whistle blasts and Tanya shot off the line. The other jammer was a second behind her. Together they sprinted forward. The Sin City jammer hadn’t skated as much as Tanya. She slowly eased abreast of Tanya. Cole saw her skate come forward to make a movement to step in front of his wife and—BAM!

  Tanya hit the other jammer full force, knocking her out of bounds and sending the smaller woman sprawling to the ground.

  The crowd went wild, screaming and cheering.

  Tanya tucked low and shot forward with all the speed she had left in her.

  The clock ticked down to one minute.

  “Hot Tango! Hot Tango!” people chanted.

  Players jostling each other about, but at the back of the pack, two powerhouse players were ready for her. Spanish Rose shouldered the Sin City players aside. Tanya held out both hands and the woman grasped her wrists, propelling her forward in a whip.

  A Sin City blocker came from the outer track, sweeping in. Cole tensed, sensing the coming impact. The blocker hit Tanya, hip-first as many of the players did, but Tanya shouldered the woman. They remained locked in position until Goldie Fuckers practically sat in the Sin City blocker’s lap, forcing the woman to put on the brakes or ram into the blonde woman.

  “Ten!”

  Tanya swooped to the outside of the track, the Sin City pivot tracking her every move. The rest of the Dames had their hands full holding back the other Sin City blockers, which meant Tanya was on her own against the Amazon.

  “Nine!”

  Cole caught sight of the opposing pivot’s jersey.

  Slamazon was emblazoned across her shoulders.

  Great.

  “Eight!”

  Slamazon hit Tanya the moment Tanya dropped her shoulder to hit the other woman. They locked limbs, battling it out in a show of brute strength and skating skill.

  “Seven! Six!”

  Tanya gave Slamazon a push with her hips and the woman bobbled.

  “Five!”

  Cole jumped to his feet along with half the audience.

  “Four!”

  Tanya dropped just a tiny bit, then thrust up and into her
opponent. She did a swivel motion with her hips, and the woman went flying into the inner track.

  “Three!”

  Go-Go-Randy was jumping up and down at center rink. “Ladies and gentlemen—”

  “Two!”

  “Your—lead—jammer!”

  Tanya threw her arms up in the air and the impossible volume of the crowd only got louder. The final countdown was lost amidst a chorus of screams, cheering and noisemakers. People rushed out of the stands, pushing Cole with them.

  He was one of the first to reach Tanya, who was staring around her as if she were a lost deer.

  Cole grasped her face and pulled her in for a kiss. She was sweaty, smelled to high heaven and he didn’t care. He loved her.

  “We won,” she squealed.

  “You did!” He grinned back.

  People were slapping her on the shoulder, other players were calling her name.

  Cole grabbed Aaron, who was right behind him, and they hauled Tanya between them. He thumbed toward the ceiling and Aaron grinned in return. They didn’t warn Tanya. Where was the fun in that? They just hoisted her up on their shoulders.

  “What are you doing?” she shrieked between laughter at them.

  “Taking you on your victory lap,” Cole yelled back.

  The crowd seemed to catch on and audience and players alike began what had to be the slowest victory lap in Olympic history, but they did it together.

  Tanya. Cole. Everyone.

  But the only person who mattered to Cole in all the world was his wife.

  His Hot Tango.

  About Sidney Bristol

  It can never be said that Sidney Bristol has had a “normal” life. She is a recovering roller derby queen, former missionary, and tattoo addict. She grew up in a motor home on the U.S. highways (with an occasional jaunt into Canada and Mexico), traveling the rodeo circuit with her parents. Sidney has lived abroad in both Russia and Thailand, working with children and teenagers. She now lives in Texas, where she divides her time between a job she loves, writing, reading and belly dancing.