When Lauren turned to me, she was breathing hard and blood streaked from her temple down her cheek.
......
She flinched ad I dabbed at the cut with a wet towel.
"It's okay" I said softly.
"I know" she muttered, rubbing the back of her head where she'd hit the building.
Kneeling between her legs, I gently cleaned the blood as she sat in my bathroom, "Does it hurt?"
"No"
I shot her a doubtful look, "Not even a little?"
"Not even a little" she said, but the expression on her face told me otherwise when I wiped off the last drop of blood. I reached for the Neosporin, applied some to the cut, and then opened a Band-Aid, pressing it gently along her temple.
"There" I said, "You look totally rugged now"
She managed a small laugh as I rose, dusting her other cheek with a kiss. Handing her two Advil and a glass of water, I said, "For your head"
She swallowed the pills and gave me the cup. I set it down on the sink, "Now let's get you out of your clothes and you can rest"
"I'm not resting" she said, rolling her eyes at me.
"You need your rest"
"It's only a cut. I've been cut worse at my gym" she said, and I knew she was trying hard to be the big, tough woman. I was having none of that. She'd gone to the mats for me, and I was going to take care of her until she was no longer bloodied and bruised, and even then some.
"I don't care" I said, parking my hands on my hips and giving her a sharp stare. Then I bent forward and began unbuttoning her shirt.
"You're not taking off my shirt to go make me lie down in bed" she said roughly, trying to swat my hand away. I grabbed at her hands and stilled her moves.
"Oh yes I am" I said sternly, "Watch me"
I worked my way down her shirt, unbuttoning the fabric, spreading it open and gently taking it off, trailing my fingertips along her chest as I did. She moaned low and husky as I touched her, "Don't get any ideas, Miss"
"It wasn't a funny idea. More like a dirty one" she said with a sly grin.
I reached for her hand, "Come on. Bed. Now"
"Bed for other things" she said, but she let me lead her out of the bathroom and into my bedroom. I unbuttoned and unzipped her pants, then she stepped out of them. After laying the clothes neatly on a chair, I turned around to find her already in my bed, boxer briefs on the floor.
"You're fast"
"Zero to undressed in no time" she said in a tired voice.
"We'll add that to your skillset"
"Come here" she whispered, resting on her side under the sheets, "Let me unzip you"
I moved to her, perching on the edge of the bed. She reached her hands up the back of my dress, those same hands that had defended me and protected me, and gently lowered the zipper on my dress, her knuckles softly grazing y spine as the dress fell to my waist. I shifted my body so I could watch her. She smiled faintly as she unhooked my strapless bra. I stood and turned to face her, sensing she needed to show she could take care of me, even when she was the one hurting. I placed her hands on my hips, guiding them to slide the dress down my legs. Off came the shoes then I curled up next to her in bed.
"Thank you" I said, gently tracing her other cheek with my i=finger, "For doing that"
"Camila" she said, pulling me in close, "I can't believe that's what you've been dealing with"
I sighed, "Yeah. That's my life"
"This needs to stop. You're not safe" she said, concern thick in her voice.
"He's usually not the one assigned to me. My regular has the flu or something" I said, flashing back to Squirrel's pale face and peaked look earlier that day.
"You can't keep doing this" she said firmly as the shadows from the moonlight streamed across the bed, casting the room in a blue midnight light, "So, this is what I didn't get to say in the car. I play every week. With actors, clients, colleagues and some friends. It's not a rigged game. It's a real game with real stakes and real money. Come to California next weekend, and join us. Play for real. Play in a game that's not set-up here you're not hustling. And take us down. Win on your own terms" she said, and the idea took hold instantly, planting roots inside me. I craved that feeling - win on you own terms.
Her offer was so alluring, like a faint scent of something delicious trailing through the air. But then, did I still know how to win on my own terms?
I scoffed out of the self-preservation, "What if I lose?"
She scooped the hair off my neck, nuzzling me, "Where is my badass woman?"
"Huh?"
"What if you lose? I thought you were a poker shark? Don't lose. Come to California. Play your ass off. You're a card player. You don't come to lose. You play to win. So play, and win fair and square" she said, and there was something immensely appealing about her offer.
I quirked my lips in consideration, "It does sound like fun" I admitted, "Austin already told me he wants me there"
"There. Austin can't have you. You're going to play with my friends. And if you lose - which you wont - let me pay him off" she said, her eyes locked on me the whole time. The look in them was intense, and true - she wanted this. She wanted to help. I had always known she had this side, but now I was seeing it in action, and the gesture was slinking its way around my heart, loosening yet another layer of my stubborn woman-against-the-world attitude.
"Lauren" I chided softly, lightly running my fingers along her full chest, "I don't want you paying for my debt"
"All the more reason for you to play hard"
I stared sharply at her, determination in my eyes, "I always play hard"
"I know you do"
"If I do this, you can't make it a rigged game. Don't make it fake"
"I would never do that"
"I want to win for real. Because I'm good"
"You're going to kick unholy ass. And if for any reason the game ends, and you're not in the black, I will take care of the debt. Deal?"
"I really don't want you paying it off" I said, grabbing her wrists for emphasis, "Promise me it's a real game, and we go to the end of the night. We play until everyone else folds"
"I promise"
"I don't want to have to take your money. I want to prove that I can do this"
"And you will. I offer it as insurance. That's all. And that's why you'll win. because you want to do this on your terms. Because the thought of anyone paying your way makes you dig your heels in like a batter at the plate swinging for the fences. Come to the plate. And hit it out of the park" she said, as if she were making a motivational speech.
A damn powerful one.
I wanted to say no, to insist on doing it my way. But she'd taken a hit for me. And she was offering me a way to fall in love with poker again and to win on my terms. She was offering to be there with me, for me, not to own me, but to help me. With every move she made, I was falling harder and harder, and I was sure there'd be no turning back from this woman. I'd been so closed-off from the start about letting someone into my world. Now, she was all the way in, and the only thing I was afraid of was her not being a part of my world.
So I did the thing I'd never have imagined doing a mere month ago. Hell, a week ago, "Then we have a deal"
"Good" she said with a happy, woozy smile as she lay flat on her back, pulling me on top of her, angling up her hips. She was growing hard already, "Now I'm tired and I'm wounded and I could use a little -"
I cut her off, "There's only one true cure for a wounded person" I said, and went under the sheets. I stroked her to a full erection, then dropped my mouth onto her.
She groaned as I wrapped my lips tightly around her cock. She pushed back the sheets so she could watch. I looked up at her, wanting her to see the desire in my eyes. Hers went dark and hazy as she stared at my mouth moving lovingly along her shaft. I tucked my knees up under myself, getting into the perfect position for giving her the blow job she deserved.
I took her in deep, the way she liked, and used my hands too, touching her stomach, squeezing a small, dark nipple, causing her to jerk her hips up hard into my mouth.
I moved my hands lower, down her body, stroking her muscular thighs, settling deeper into the space between her legs. She parted them, giving me room to get cosy, and I thrilled inside at how she gave her body to me, trusting me with her pleasure just as I had with her. I drew her into my warm mouth as far as she could go. I sucked hard and passionately, wanting her to feel flooded with sensations that bolted out any of the lingering pain from the fight.
Cupping her balls in one hand, I slipped another hand under her ass, squeezing a cheek hard in my palm.
She groaned loudly in response, and the sound sent heat flowing through my body.
"I'll take another hit to my head for this" she murmured, her voice both weary and thoroughly needy. She reached for my head, threading her hands tightly in my hair.
She gripped hard, tugging my hair over to the side, yanking my head so she could stare hungrily at my face as I licked and sucked the full length of her fantastic cock.
"So fucking gorgeous" she said, outlining my lips with a finger, tracing the edge of my mouth as I held her tight and deep, swirling my tongue along her shaft the way she loved.
I was sure she groaned louder than she ever had as I worked her over with my hands and mouth, touching her in all the ways that drove her crazy. Her boy was a playground for my fingers, and I ran them along her thighs, over her ass, and in that spot just under her balls that drove the woman wild. She gave herself over to me, rocking her hips into my mouth as I travelled to her favourite places. A pinch there, a touch here, a squeeze of those sexy cheeks: I was showing her that I knew how to control all her pleasure too. Then, as I gripped her firm ass in my hands, I fucked her cock with my mouth until I felt the shudders roll through her body.
She grappled at my hair, her breathing turning wildly erratic she she gripped my head, thrusting and calling out my name as the taste of her release slid down my throat.
Minutes later, I nestled myself next to her. With her arm wrapped around me, I kissed her neck, her sharp jaw, her tender cheek, "You like it when I let you control me, and I like it when you lose control for me" I whispered.
"Mmm" she murmured, "We are a good combo"
"The best" I said as I closed my eyes, feeling like we were partners in everything at last.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
wow... i finally updated, im so sorry its well past due date, work has been crazy at the moment, but here you go.. enjoy