Shifting Gears: The Complete Series (Sports Bad Boy Romance) (83 page)

“Oh God! Paul!” I panted the words out.

“Yeah baby, come for me.”

My back arched and my body stiffened. I
clamped down on that bottom lip to keep from screaming and Paul just kept doing
what he was doing as I came. My body convulsed and I released the pressure on
my lip and sounds that were not even intelligible escaped through my lips.
Finally, he slowed his pace and I collapsed down into the water and back
against his warm body. I could feel how hard he was against my back as I let my
head roll back and my tongue reach out and swipe along his bottom lip.

He moaned again and caught my lips with
his. He kissed me hard as he slid both hands up and captured my breasts. After
a few minutes, when I had to break the kiss so that I could breathe, I rolled
over so that I was facing him. I just lay there for a few minutes, letting the
soft flesh of my belly slide up and down against his throbbing erection. He
reached down and grabbed my ass and as he held it tightly in both of his hands
he urged me up and down, stroking himself against my belly. On one of the
upward strokes, I spread my legs wider and slid up so that I could grasp his
face in my hands and kiss him on the lips. As we kissed, I pulled my hips up
and reached down between them and found his hard cock. I guided it to my
opening with my eyes locked into his the entire time. As the head of his cock
began to enter me, he wrapped one hand behind my neck and tangled it up in my
hair, pulling my face into his and sucking my bottom lip in between his
clenched teeth.
 

I slid down further and took him all. I
put my hands on his strong shoulders and gasping against his hot mouth I began
to rise up almost all the way and then slide back down as far and as fast as I
could take it. I was whimpering and he was moaning and our kiss had turned into
some kind of wet, sloppy, teeth and tongue and lips wrestling match. He moved
his hands to grasp my hips and I sat up straight and braced my hands firmer
against him as he urged me up and down harder and faster. I could tell by the
way he was breathing that he was getting close. I pulled my knees up and drew
my thighs in tighter and rode him. He pulled me back down and kissed me again,
tangling his tongue up with mine and stroking it in time to our rhythm below.

I felt his muscles begin to stiffen just
before he said, “Baby, I’m not going to be able to last much longer. You’re so
fucking hot. You’re so fucking sexy. I love you Jessie.”

“Ahh! Oh Paul! Oh God! You’re the hot one
baby. God you feel so good. I’m going to come again. Come with me baby.” I
started pumping faster as I felt it boiling to the surface. Just before I
exploded again, I had to grip the sides of the tub and with no regards to hotel
neighbors, this time I did scream.

I think that uninhibited scream put Paul
over the top. I felt him grip my hips tighter, almost painfully and shove his
cock upwards until it was buried so deep inside of me, I couldn’t have taken
any more if I tried. He groaned and pumped up and down like that, hard and fast
before he finally let out a loud cry of his own and came inside of me.

Paul collapsed back against the tub and
pulled me up so that I was lying on his chest with my head cradled against his
arm. He held me and stroked the skin on my back with his fingertips until we
both calmed down and could actually breathe. I was still shaking all over when
he said, “I think we got some water on the floor.”

I lifted my head and glanced over the side
of the tub. “Some” was an understatement. I put my head back against his chest
and giggled. “Hopefully it doesn’t drip and cause them to send someone up.”

“If they would have knocked on the door
during that, all they would have gotten is ignored anyways. Nothing could have
stopped me from ravaging you.”

PROLOGUE

Spring had burst onto the scene and the
branches of the trees that stood sentry in the park were bursting with tight
wads of green buds that tried to stretch out and reach the warm rays of the
sun. The wind had lost its bite, it had become congenial, lightly blowing
across the branches and tousling the hair of the wedding guests who sat outside
around the little pond and waited for the ceremony to begin.
 
Daffodils and bluebells could be seen here
and there, as if Mother Nature had sensed the need for a burst of color to
lighten up the solid green hues of the grass and the leaves. Big puffy clouds
lingered above but the sky was bright and the weatherman said that it wouldn’t
dare rain on my wedding day.

I had woken up with a singular thought…My
wedding day is finally here! This week would be one year to the date since Paul
and I took a swim in the little pond in the park. That was the day I began to
realize how dangerous Mitch could be.
 
Today, we will stand at an altar in front of all of our friends and our
family and say the vows that would join us together, forever. I was standing
inside the little tent that the wedding planner had set up for the bridal
party, dressed in my wedding gown and trying to peek out and see my handsome
groom.

“Jessie honey, someone is going to see
you. It’s bad luck.”

I turned and looked at my mom. She was so
pretty in her champagne lace dress. It fell to just under her knees in a
scalloped pattern and the neckline was rounded and tasteful. She had on heels
that matched and her shiny red hair framed her face and rested on her
shoulders.

“I’m sorry,” I said, “I’m just really
excited…and I miss Paul.” I heard Marie laugh. “What? I did miss him.” Keeping
with tradition, we had spent last night apart.

“I’m sorry, sweetie, I’m sure you did…it’s
just hard for me to imagine,” she winked at me. “He’s my little brother. I’m
not supposed to be able to imagine it. Seriously though, I’m so glad he found
you. You’ve been so good for him. I’ve never seen him so happy.”

“It could be because he’s a champion,” I
joked.

Marie grinned and said, “Yes, knowing my
brother and his incredibly large ego…I’m sure that has something to do with it.
But I’ve never seen his eyes light up the way they do when you walk into a
room, Jessie…not even when he looks at the octagon.”

Laughing I said, “Good to know who…or what
my competition is.”

“Oh and thank you for not making me wear a
weird dress,” she said. “I always pictured Paul marrying some girl who would
want me to walk down the aisle with her in pink taffeta.”

“God forbid,” I said. “Where did Victor
go?”

“He went to sit with Justin until the
wedding starts. He said he looked lonely out there.”

“Oh, he’s so sweet.”

“He really is. He inherited his uncle’s
good heart. Justin is pretty sweet too.”

“I’m so glad you’re happy, Marie. After
all you went through, you deserve it.”

“Thank you,” she said, “I am happy,
deliriously so.”

“We’re here!” Debbie and Victoria came
racing in the tent. They were dressed in their bridesmaid dresses. Marie was
maid of honor so she had the same dress, but hers was cut just a little
differently. I wanted everything to be light so the bridesmaid dresses were
light green and made mostly out of lace with a silk underlay. The three women
wore braided straw halos with orchids attached to it. Mine was similar, only I
had a veil as well.

“Hi ladies, so glad you could join us,” I
said.

“It’s her fault,” Debbie said of Victoria.

“It is not. It’s Sam’s fault.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s true. He couldn’t
find his tie. He was panicking a little bit. But then Vicki decides to take the
405…”

“It’s really fine,” I told them. “You’re
all here. That’s all that matters. I’m so glad that you could all be here.”

“Oh my God, Jessie, you look gorgeous!”
Debbie had been in the tent for a full five minutes and she’d just now noticed
my dress.

“You like it?”

“I love it!” she said.

“Me too!” Vicki said. “Where did you get
it?”

“I got it when we were in Barcelona. There
was this shop on the beach where the lady made all her dresses by hand. I love
it.” I went with a classic white dress. The top of it was bandeau style with a
lace overlay and tiny little spaghetti straps. She created the skirt by using
layers of vintage and recycled fabrics and laces which was the part I thought
was the coolest. They’re all different shades of white and the sash that ties
just under my breasts is a light gray silk. The dress is completely lined in
silk and it was all fit and tailored just for me. The other great part, I
thought, was that it cost less than half of what something comparable would
have been in the U.S. I loved it so much that I almost couldn’t bear the
thought of only wearing it once. I was holding out the hope that someday Paul
and I would have a little girl and she could grow up and wear it at her
wedding. I do wish her luck with ever getting married though…with Paul as her
dad.

“I have champagne!” The wedding planner
brought a bottle in that she told me she set aside especially for the bride and
her “attendants” to toast with before the wedding began.

She poured five glasses, but when she
tried to hand one to Mom she said, “I don’t drink, but I have water I’ll toast
with. Thanks.” I smiled at her and she smiled back. She’d come so far this
year. We all had, really.

Debbie raised her glass and said, “To
Jessie and Paul, may your lives always be full of love.”

They all toasted to that and drank. Marie
held hers up next and said, “To Jessie and Paul, may your lives be better than
those examples set before you.” I knew she was talking about her parents, but I
think she suddenly realized what it may sound like to my mom and she added, “Or
may you at least be wise enough to seek out help and make changes.” We all
drank to that as well. I was sipping, I started out this relationship with Paul
drunk and in wrinkled clothes…I really didn’t want to go into our marriage that
same way.

“Okay, here we go! Where’s the mother of
the bride?” The music had started and Jeff was at the tent to pick up mom and
take her down the aisle.

She kissed me on the cheek as she passed
and said, “I’m so proud of you I can hardly stand it. I love you Jessie girl.”

“Right back at you mom. I love you too.”

I peeked out and watched her and Jeff walk
slowly to the harp music that was playing. He helped her take her seat up front
and then he went to take his place near the groom, my groom…my man…Every time I
had that thought, I had to stop what I was doing and smile. Victor came back
into the tent and Marie helped him straighten his tie and find his ring pillow.
He looked so cute in his little navy blue suit. After he was on his way, Sam
was at the door of the tent. He and Debbie started down the aisle and when they
were halfway there, Victoria and Jeff started their ascent. My stomach was
suddenly full of butterflies. I knew I had nothing to be nervous about…I was
marrying the man of my dreams. Everything was perfect.

“Hey, you ready to do this?”

“Hi Greg, I’m ready.”

Greg Madison held out his arm to me and
when I took it, he kissed me on the cheek and said, “You look really pretty,
Jessie…but are you sure you want to marry a fighter?”

I laughed, “I guess I have to. I wrote the
vows around that theme already.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re stuck then,” he
said, “They probably wouldn’t work for another kind of athlete.”

Laughing again I said, “Have I told you
lately that you’re the best boss ever and I’m really lucky to have you?”

Greg looked like he was thinking about it
and then he said, “Not lately,” with a smile. Then he said, “Have I told you
lately how much I appreciate you as a worker and a friend?”

“Not lately,” I said. “Thank you for
everything.”

He smiled again and said, “Thank you for
letting us be a part of your life.”

I heard the wedding march begin. Greg and
I stepped to the edge of the opening in the tent and watched as all of the
wedding guests rose to their feet. Greg and I began our walk down the path
towards the altar. It was the walk towards my future and I couldn’t wait to get
there. Once I was outside where I could see, my eyes found Paul. He was
standing there all dressed up looking like every woman’s fantasy man, and I
still sometimes had a hard time believing that he was all mine. I can’t even
begin to imagine how I got so lucky but I will be eternally grateful that I
just happened to work at the gym that my soulmate was going to walk into.

When we reached the altar I heard the
guests behind us take a seat as Greg lifted my veil and kissed my cheek again.
“I love you, kid,” he said.

“I love you too.”

He smiled through the tears that had
sprung up in his eyes and turning slightly, he gave my hand to Paul. Paul took
it and wrapped his fingers through mine. The pastor from the church where Mom
did her NA meetings was performing the ceremony. He did the whole “dearly
beloved” and “who gives this woman?” yadi yada and then he turned it back over
to Paul and I for our vows. We had written part of them together and then each
of us had also written our own part to read to the other. We did rock, paper,
scissors the night before to see who had to go first. It was a very diplomatic
process, I thought. Of course I had won and that meant Paul had to go first. I
may not have thought it so diplomatic if I’d lost. Paul looked a little nervous
as he cleared his throat and turned towards me.

With my hands in his he said, “Jessie, I
promise as your husband to be spontaneous and to cherish each moment we have
together and to always be fair and willing to try new things. I promise to
witness your beautiful life to always take time for us, to dream with you, to
fight for you, to always be in your corner and never take another side. I
promise to be your biggest fan and while you chase your dreams I promise to
encourage you and to love you with my actions and not my words.”
 
God, I love this man. I was crying and my
make-up was probably running and I didn’t even care.

“Paul, I promise to laugh at all of your
jokes, to appreciate you always, to hug you just because and to never forget
how to play just for the sake of playing. I promise to never leave your side no
matter where life takes us. I will always be ready to do battle for you. I will
watch UFC on pay per view with you; I will go to everyone of your fights and no
matter how strong the impulse is I will never throw in the white towel. I love
you so much, Paul. I feel like my life has just been hanging around all of
these years, waiting for you.”

My big, tough fighter had tears in his
eyes.

We both had to dab at our eyes before we
went on to do the next part together, “I Jessie” and “I Paul” take “Paul” and
“Jessie”
 
to be my partner, sparring or
championship, to love what I know about you and trust what I haven’t yet
discovered. I eagerly anticipate the chance for us to grow together getting to
know the people we will become and falling a little bit more in love every day.
I will love and cherish you through whatever life may bring.”

The pastor picked it up from there and
asked for objections…there were none which was good because I may have gotten
my dress dirty, kicking their ass. Then, he let us slip on the rings and say,
“I thee wed,” before finally at last pronouncing us man and wife. We turned
towards our guests who were now on their feet as he said, “I’d like you to meet
Mr. and Mrs. Paul and Jessie Delport. What God has joined together, may no man
put asunder.”

The
End

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