"Good afternoon, Caleb," I say, a very relaxed smile on my face. It may have been a few hours ago, but there is definitely something to say about oral sex starting the day off right."Hey, Tiffany. You have fun at the soccer game last night?" He looks over at me slyly as I grab my mail out of my box."I take it you saw the clip?""Everyone saw the clip." He swivels his chair to look at me. "It's only been running on ESPN for the last eighteen hours.""Well I guess that's one way to put myself on the radar over there.""I guess it's after the soccer game that is responsible for the big smile on your face?""Caleb," I say with a quirk of my eyebrow. "That is none of your business.""Oh, come on. I didn't even know you were dating the guy and all the sudden he's jumping into the stands to make out with you in the middle of the game?" His true journalist instincts are showing, but right now, I'm keeping my mouth shut."Let it go, Caleb.""Can't do that Tiffany.""Yes you can. Or else…""Or
Three rings and my mother's face pops up on the monitor in front of me."Hey, Mam.""Hey, Rowen. How are you feeling?" She settles back onto her chair and takes a sip of her tea."Sore. So, so sore.""Ye should be after that stunt you pulled the other day.""Hi to you, too, Da." He pulls up a chair next to my mam and sits down, looking like he's about to give me a lecture."Care to explain yer behavior?" he asks as he crosses his arms over his chest.It doesn't matter that I'm an adult. It doesn't matter than I'm a professional. To him, I'm still his kid and no paycheck, endorsement or age is going to keep him from ripping me a new one. I sigh in resignation. "I let them get in my head.""It's about that lass, it's it. About that groupie?""Ryan," my mother chides gently, putting a hand on his arm."No," he says. "He was doing just fine until she came along. And now he's throwin' punches and makin' a fool o' himself. What am I supposed to think?""What you're supposed to think is that
The story then cuts away to me sitting on a couch in the PR office. "Rowen!" my mother screeches. "I can't believe you wore that horrible cap on TV!"My dad snickers. "You know I hate my hair, Mam.""Your hair is your trademark!""No, it's Da's trademark. That's why I wear my beanie."She rolls her eyes and stops talking so she can keep listening.The reporter talks about our family and shows some old clips of my dad playing. There's even a couple of pictures of us in one of the European stadiums when I was a kid."Aw," my mom whispers. "I remember that day." She looks almost misty-eyed seeing my dad in his glory days, me a little bitty squirt.And then the story shifts to present day and some of the interview I did yesterday."Mid-fielder," the reporter says to me."Yeah," I answer with a nod."I think a lot of people would assume you would be a striker like your dad.""Yeah, I get that a lot.""So why such a different position?""I think at first I was trying to distance myself from
I love it when Steve is on vacation. Because I, the lowly associate producer, get to be the producer for the night.There's nothing like the feeling of writing the entire sports segment, making sure all the graphics are correct, ensuring all the editing is done, and sitting in the production booth producing my five minute block of a news cast. I smile as I think about the five o'clock show and how smooth it ran. Mannie, our main sports anchor, delivered everything smoothly. The videos rolled on queue. The way I had stacked the stories flowed seamlessly. I'm really proud of myself. And I hope Rowen was watching. He knows how excited I've been about Steve taking a few days off. I hope he's proud of me, too."News Four Sports, this is Tiffany," I say into the phone absentmindedly as I pick up the phone that just rang. I'm scrolling through the sports wires seeing if there are any updated scores on some of the college games we've been following."Fucking groupie whore," the voice on the
Rowen. The thought of his humiliation brings tears to my eyes. He's been so good to me since our fight, despite his reservations about my reputation. But this, this is going to be too much. I remember he sent me a text. CALL ME!That's all it says. I don't know if that means "Call me because I'm worried," or "Call me so I can break up with you". I'm not sure I want to know.I look up as Amy, the news director, Ron, the general manager and Paul, the executive producer all walk into my office. Some lady from HR follows behind them and closes the door behind her. I wedge my hands between my thighs, trying to get as small as possible without crawling under my desk.Caleb is sent back downstairs with explicit instructions to not transfer any calls up here. The phone is turned off and they grab random seats around the room. Amy looks at me with sympathy. "You know we have to run the story, right Tiffany?"I look down and nod. I'm not surprised. The picture and caption have been viewed milli
I head down the stairs into the newsroom. There aren't many people around. Most of the photogs and reporters are still out in the field. But there are a few. I refuse to look any of them in the eye as I walk by. But I also keep my chin up. If I have to go through this humiliation, I will do it with as much dignity as I can muster. Even when all conversation stops as I walk by. Even as I hear some snickers. Even as I am dying of humiliation inside.Making my way into the studio to drop off Mannie's last minute scripts, I overhear the conversation between two of the camera operators."Did you see that picture, though? No way the team isn't hitting that.""Well, I would. I knew she was pretty, but I had no idea her body was so bangin'.""I know what my screensaver is going to be now." They start laughing and I want to die."You're all a bunch of douchebags," the lone woman female camera operator in the group says. "That's your co-worker. Your friend. And this is how you treat her when som
I finally feel like I can breath now that she's in my arms. It's been one hell of a day.So far, I've been called into a meeting with my coach, HR and the PR department. I've talked to mother twice. I've disabled all of my social media accounts. I've avoided almost all calls to my cell. And I've ignored lots of derogatory remarks about my girlfriend from random people on the street who seem to think this whole thing is funny.But worse than any of it has been my worry over her. I can't even imagine the betrayal she feels right now. Listening to her sobs confirms to me that my girl who is usually so confident and self assured has been broken. It breaks my heart."It's okay," I murmur into her hair as I rub her back and kiss the top of her head. "We're gonna get through this.""I can't believe you're not breaking up with me." She sounds muffled with her face in my chest, but I hear her words loud and clear."Why would I break up with you over this?" I genuinely don't know how she came to
She groans. "Oh god. I can't take Geni right now. Please tell me she's not going to be there.""I doubt it. I was with Daniel with the news broke. He had to talk me down from beating anyone in the gym that saw it. So I'm pretty sure he knows how volatile the situation is right now. With me, anyway.""Where are we going to stay, though? I thought she only had a two bedroom. We can't stay in the baby's room.""They're going to Daniel's.""With the baby?""Yeah, he said he has some sort of portable playpen thing Chance can sleep in.""Okay," she finally says. "We really need to swing by my place first though. I don't have anything with me.""Already been there, babe," I say as we change lanes. "I packed a few things for you. That's how I know you don't need to go home."I can feel her looking at me like she knows I'm hiding something. "Did people knock on my door, too?"I sniff and try to take a moment to think. I don't want to tell her the truth but don't see any way around it. "Just one
"Oh my fucking… uuuggghhh… You are never allowed to give me a blow job again this is so much better…" My words are practically incoherent. There's nothing I could possibly say that could even describe how it feels to make love to my wife."Rowen," she whispers and her breath catches. I realize she has tears in her eyes. I immediately still."What's wrong, baby," I ask as I kiss the tears that begin sliding down the sides of her face. "Why are you crying?"She tries hard to hold in a sob, but she can't hide the emotion from me. "Nothing's wrong. Don't stop," she says and I start moving slowly again. "I just never knew it could be like this. This… connection.""Oh baby." I smile at her. "This is what it's supposed to be like."A laugh bursts out of her and I kiss her again. I kiss her while I thrust in and out of her, feeling her hands touch me everywhere. I kiss her while I feel my orgasm building, and building quickly."Tiff…" I groan. "I want you to come with me. But I don't think… o
I groan deep in my throat and wrap my hand around the back of her neck, pulling her closer to me. After several minutes of a lewd make out session that we'll see pictures of later, courtesy of our photographer, we break way and catch our breath."Are you ready for me to de-flower you?" she asks with a grin. I smile back."I've been waiting for it my entire life."We say our goodnights to the photographer and make our way back to our bungalow. She gives us a knowing smile as we walk away. Normally, I might be embarrassed by someone knowing what Tiffany and I are up to. But not tonight. Tonight, I'm going to make love to my wife.As we walk through the doors, I turn to close them. And if I'm honest, I'm trying to keep my hands from shaking with nerves. I want this to be good for her. Will she compare me to the others?No. There is no place for them here. She is my wife. She is mine. I turn around and see her standing next to the bed. Her long dark hair flowing over one shoulder. She lo
"This… " I say pulling it out of the box. "…was my grandmother's engagement ring. She wore it for fifty-seven years, until she passed away. And now, I'm hoping you'll wear it for fifty-seven more."She slowly moves her sunglasses to the top of her head, like she doesn't want to make any quick movements. "Tiffany, I love you. So much," I continue. "I love your brain. I love your beauty. I love your resting bitch face." A giggle bursts out of her and she quickly slaps a hand over her mouth. "I love your strength and your wit and your love of sports. I love that you work so hard at your job because you love it so much. I love your loyalty. I love your heart.""I… how did you get this ring?"I smirk. "My mam sent it te me a few weeks ago. When I told her I wanted to marry ye. My Maimeó gave it to her a few months ago, before she passed away, so I could give it ye."She looks up at me. "Your accent is coming out.""I'm a little nervous.""Why are you nervous?""Because I don't want ye to t
8 months later…The warm breeze blows through the open balcony doors, making the sheer white curtains billow out. It looks like a picture you would see in a magazine. But I barely notice. My focus is on the beautiful, naked creature in my bed.Tiffany is sound asleep on her stomach facing me. Her beautiful brown hair fanned across the pillow her head is on. I can't stop staring at her, listening to the puffs of breath coming from her as she sleeps peacefully. This is what we needed. To get away from everyone and everything. The season had been stressful. Not just on me, but on Tiffany as well. After the picture scandal broke, she couldn't sit in the stands anymore. Anytime she did, people would surround her, taking pictures and making comments. It'll eventually die down, we hope. But soccer fans never forget anything. It'll take some time before she will feel comfortable in Section 100 again.In the meantime, she sits in the box with Quincy and the other WAGS. She says it was a little
"I promise, Mom, I'm doing great," I say into the phone as I grab my last minute script changes off the printer to take downstairs. "It was rough at first and I still have my moments. But I feel stronger every day."She sighs. "I just wish you had come home instead of gone to Detroit. I would have taken care of you.""I wouldn't have even gone to Detroit if Rowen hadn't practically man-handled me into the car." Grabbing my head seat, I make my way to the stairs and the newsroom. "Besides, I didn't want you to see me like that. I was too ashamed.""Honey, you should never be ashamed around me.""That's easier said than done and you know it. I never wanted you to find out those things, Mom. I know you and I have a good relationship. But some things your mother never needs to know.""I know, I know. Just promise me you'll come home soon to visit. It's been too long.""I promise. But hey, I have to go. I've got about five minutes until my show starts.""Okay dear. I love you.""Love you, t
We spent four more days in Detroit. Tiffany rested and relaxed. I, on the other hand, got my ass kicked by my Da on a regular basis. I was grateful, though. I had royally fucked up and let down my team. I wanted to be in tip-top shape when I got back on that field to make up for it.I discreetly monitored the sports news while we were there. I didn't want Tiffany to see anything that would throw her back into a tailspin but I needed to know the worst was over. Things got very quiet, very quick. It actually surprised me who fast it was over. The biggest news after Daniel's interview was Shivel's suspension and subsequent demotion to the practice team.I wanted to laugh at the mess he's created for himself. His skills were already declining. If he'd wanted to stay on top, he needed to spend less time worrying about sabotaging others and more time working on his game. But he didn't. And it caught up with him.We finally made it home about a week ago. A rode out my last days on suspension
"Absolutely not. And neither did Ryan. We would never violate Rowen's trust like that. Or yours. Actually," she says as she throws some butter into the potatoes, "I never look at those pictures when they are leaked. If I'm going to subscribe to the belief that it's a violation of someone's privacy, I need to give anyone in this situation the same kind of respect."I clasp my hands together in my lap and look up at her, tears in my eyes. "Thank you," I say quietly. She smiles.Suddenly the back door opens and the guys walk in, faces flushed from the cold."Hey! Close that door! You're getting my food cold," Denise scolds.Ryan slams the door behind him, stalks over to her and wraps his arms around her. "Bangers and mash," he says as he kisses her on the neck, making her squeal from the chill. "I knew there was a reason I kept you around, Mo grá."She smacks him on the arm. "I didn't do it for you, I did it for your son.""Then he needs to come home more often.""How was your work out?"
I stretch my arms over my head and realize I've been asleep. Really asleep. No nightmares, no interruptions. I feel a lot better.I reach my arm to the other side of the bed and find it empty. I wonder how long I've been out.I rifle around in my bag until I find a light jacket and pull my pants back on. Padding down the stairs and to the kitchen, I find Rowen's mother cooking again."Good morning," Denise says brightly as she drains some potatoes in the sink. "Did you sleep well?""Yeah, I really did. How long was I out?""Uh, I'd say about four hours.""Really? I haven't slept that well in a few days.""That means you feel safe here. That's good."She sets the pot on the stove and begins mashing the potatoes. There's a sauce simmering and I can smell some sort of meat cooking as well. "Can I help you with anything? It looks like you've got your hands full.""Oh I'm doing just fine, but thank you. Why don't you have a seat? Do you want something to drink?""I really could use some wa
Da lets out a deep belly laugh. "Yer mam is right. Yer getting' married."I throw a napkin at him as my mom laughs."What did I miss?" Tiffany asks as she walks back into the room."Nothing. My dad just thinks he's a funny guy." I push back my chair and stand up. "Come on. It's only five thirty our time. Let's go take a nap."We trudge up the stairs and I take her to the guest room because my old room still has a single bed in it and this one has a queen."Your parents are okay with us sharing a room?" she asks."This time, yes." She furrows her brows at me in question. "Normally my mam would object because she wants to make sure we don't 'have any temptations we can't control'." I use my fingers to make the quotations marks and Tiffany begins to giggle. "But they're making an exception under the circumstances. Come here."She steps over to me as I sit on the bed. I put her hands on my shoulders to steady herself while I undo her shoes and take them off. Her socks and pants go next. Fi