The Body #2: Lucio and Janie

Chapter 19 (Lucio): The Games

Copyright © 2024 by GroveltoHEA

As Body men, we're trained not to show impatience, to never show that an answer or a negotiation mattered to us. We were always impassive, always impossible to read. We gave nothing away because reactions could get us and our men killed. Being readable could cost us lucrative deals.

But never in my life had I felt the seconds tick by so slowly, never had I felt that so much was riding on an answer. My wife held herself still in my arms, pondering the options I'd given her, while my thumb continued to slowly stroke over the soft skin of her stomach.

She had to know.

My little ghost had to know that, no matter how good she was, she couldn't beat me. Even if I hadn't been her fighting equal, the hundred pounds I had on her and the foot-difference in our heights would make it next to impossible for her to defeat me. Movies liked to make it seem possible, but in reality, it was highly unlikely.

"Do you promise I can ask for anything?" she asked. "I have your word on it?"

"Anything except for a divorce," I corrected.

"Then I agree to the terms. I break free in two minutes, I get anything I ask for excluding a divorce and if you win, you get to kiss me for five minutes."

"I get to kiss you for five minutes however I want," I clarified.

"Fine. Agreed."

She must have wanted something very badly. I called out to Siri to set a timer on my phone. "Timer's going, Janie. You have two minutes."

I tightened my arms around her and she continued to hold herself still. I wasn't fooled -- she was trying to make me drop my guard, and I wasn't going to fucking let up because as much as Janie wanted to win, I wanted to win more. And the most dangerous person to face, even more than a strong opponent, was a smart and sneaky opponent, and my wife was both. She was clever, she was intelligent, she was agile and, although I didn't know the full extent of her combat skills, I knew they were extensive.

She went limp in my arms, but I'd been expecting a move like that because her options were limited. But then, once again, she surprised me and arched up against me and bent over, her feet braced, enough to move my feet off the ground for a brief moment, and the second they did, she lifted her feet, and as we fell, I barely had time to keep from landing my full body weight on top of her as we headed to the ground. With one arm still wrapped tightly against her, I threw out my right arm as if I were doing one-handed push ups and let my arm stop the fall just before we would have crashed into the mat.

Twisting my body, I rolled to my back, both arms tight around her arms, my legs wrapping around hers, holding them in place.

"Time's almost up, Janie," I warned her softly.

Instead of answering, she pushed up a bit in my arms, lifted her head and almost smashed it back against my face. At the last moment, I moved my head aside so her head hit my shoulder. My phone started buzzing, signaling the two minutes were up. Opening up my arms, I let her go and she rolled off me and jumped to her feet. 

"Let's get this over with," she demanded, and I bit back a smile.

No one made me want to smile like my wife did. But while she might want to get this over with, I wanted to savor the five minutes of her in my arms. I'd been biding my time with Janie, wanting her to get used to me before I moved for anything physical between us.

"Come with me, Ginevra," I said, walking past her on the way to the living room. I sat down on the couch and patted my lap. "Sit here."

Her eyes were a bit hostile, but she straddled my lap so she was facing me.