Vel Vel

It’s the party of the year. The summer party of the year. The WWE party to kick off SummerSlam. A huge pool party with all the wrestlers who want to come. Family members are invited too. My brother Corbin invited me as well. His wife Rochelle will be there too. I really like her. If anything happens, I can always go to her. Just like back when Grayson and I broke up. That was almost a year ago now. Knowing that he’ll be at this pool party too makes me nervous. After all, I haven’t seen him since then. He’d texted me every now and then, but I skillfully ignored it. It hurt to find out from someone else that he’d cheated on me. Corbin was about to punch him in the face back then. Grayson kept trying to explain to me that what that woman told me wasn’t true. She was a fan of his, or still is. I feel sick. Grayson and I were together for almost two years. Why did I believe her more than him? Because she had a photo as proof, which she sent me on Instagram. It hurt me so much that I broke up with him right away. Austin also tried every now and then to convince me that it was nonsense and that Grayson would never be the type to cheat. Supposedly, the two of them were together at the time.

“Y/N, are you coming? We have to go,” Rochelle calls up from downstairs.

“Yeah, I’ll be right there,” I call back.

Right now I’m staying with Rochelle and Corbin—just temporarily, since I have water damage in my apartment. But I’m happy to be with them and their adorable daughters. I love being their aunt. Today I’m wearing a black bikini with a little lace. Over it, a black lace beach cover-up. I slip on my flip-flops and head downstairs. The two of them are already waiting impatiently for me in the hallway.

“It’s about time, Madame,” Corbin says, giving me a reproachful look.

I just roll my eyes.

“Yeah, yeah.”

——————————————————————————————————

Once we arrive at the party, I head straight to the bar to get a drink. Rochelle and Corbin go inside to say hello to a few people. I’ve met a few people through Corbin and Grayson. As the waiter hands me my non-alcoholic cocktail, I turn around. My gaze lingers on Grayson. Shit. The way he’s standing there, with the drink in his hand. Wearing nothing but his swim trunks. God, how I’ve always adored that part of him, when his pants let his hipbones peek out slightly. I catch myself biting my lip. I shake my head to snap out of my thoughts and turn back toward the bar. He’s talking to a few other wrestlers there. I hope he didn’t notice me. I look down at my drink when someone stands to my left and orders a drink.

“Hey, Y/N. Long time no see.”

The voice sounds familiar, but it’s not Grayson. So I turn my head. To my surprise, it’s Alex Shelley. I’m happy to see him, and we hug right away.

“Man, Alex. What are you doing here?” I beam at him.

“I ended up here through a few connections,” he admits cheerfully.

He thanks the waiter as he receives his drink.

I met Alex back then at a TNA show when I was in the audience. After the show, we ran into each other again, and things just took their course. However, nothing ever happened between us except for a kiss, during which we both realized that we felt nothing for each other but friendship.

“You look great,” he tells me with a sincere smile on his face.

“Thanks,” I say, looking down at the floor, “I’d be happy to return the compliment.”

“What are you doing here? I mean, Grayson’s standing back there. I thought he’d be the last person you’d want to run into here,” he nods toward Grayson.

I look in his direction too. He’s standing there alone with Austin now.

“Corbin talked me into it,” I roll my eyes.

“Oh, that evil big brother,” he winks at me.

It’s slowly getting more crowded here. Alex and I decide to go inside, where it’s a little quieter. We’re in a room with a pool table.

“I saw how Grayson was looking at you. Especially that nasty glare he shot my way.”

Grayson never liked Alex. He was always the extremely jealous type. But I never let him stop me from being friends with Alex. That was also one of the reasons why I never told Grayson about our kiss, even though it all happened right in front of us.

“Yeah, unfortunately, he never liked you. He was always jealous of you. For whatever reason.”

I plop down in one of the armchairs. Alex is leaning against the pool table.

“I can totally see why he’d be jealous of someone like me. I mean, look at me,” he gestures down at himself and laughs.

I throw a pillow at him, which he catches skillfully.

“Want to play a game?” he nods toward the table.

I nod and stand up.

“I have to admit, though, I haven’t played in a long time.”

“No problem, the billiards champion will show you how it’s done,” he winks at me.

I roll my eyes, amused. He hands me a cue.

“You go ahead and start, Y/N.”

I try to hold the cue as skillfully as possible while he laughs.

“What is it?”

“Come on, I’ll help you.”

He stands behind me and wraps his hand around mine to show me the proper swing. Just then, the door bursts open. We both jump. Who else but Grayson.

“What the hell is this?! What are you two doing here?!”

Grayson is furious. Really furious. He walks up to Alex and grabs him.

“Were you trying to fuck her?!” he yells at Alex, “Keep your hands off Y/N! I knew I couldn’t trust that guy!”

Grayson is getting louder and louder. I try to step between them.

“Grayson! Let go of Alex!” I yell.

“That bum tried to grab you! I’m gonna take him down!”

“Grayson! You have no right to do this! What the hell do you think you’re doing? We’re not even together anymore. And even if Alex had wanted to fuck me, I can sleep with whoever I want!”

I freeze. Shit, I shouldn’t have said that. And then it happens: Grayson shoves me aside and punches Alex. He falls to the floor, his nose bleeding immediately.

“Hey!” Corbin bursts in, “What the hell is going on here?”

He takes a moment to assess the situation before realizing what’s happened. I’m now crouched next to Alex, holding him. Tears in my eyes. Corbin grabs Grayson and throws him out of the room.

“You better get the hell out of here right now! Do you understand!?” he yells at Grayson.

Grayson looks at us one last time. I see pain in his eyes. Then he reluctantly disappears.

“What happened here?” Corbin wants to know.

He takes a few tissues and hands them to Alex.

“We just wanted to play pool, and then Grayson came storming in like a madman and went after Alex. He accused him of trying to sleep with me,” I explain to Corbin.

Alex dabs his nose.

“That guy hasn’t changed a bit,” Corbin says dismissively.

——————————————————————————————————

A few weeks later, I’m at SmackDown. Corbin has a really important match today, and since Rochelle couldn’t make it because of the kids, I’m backstage giving him moral support. Or at least I’m trying to. Because I have to make sure I stay out of Grayson’s way. After what he did to Alex the other day, I really don’t want anything to do with him today.

Just as I’m at the catering area to grab something to eat, I hear a voice behind me.

“Y/N.”

Shit, it’s Grayson. I close my eyes and turn around.

“What do you want?” I cross my arms over my chest.

He’s visibly nervous. But I try to stay tough. He scratches the back of his head with his hand.

“Talk to you. Can we maybe do this somewhere where there aren’t so many people?” He looks around.

I glance around too and see that some people are already staring at us. I start walking to signal to him that we can talk somewhere else. He follows me. When we reach Corbin’s locker room, we go inside. I turn to face him.

“So?”

“I’m sorry for what I did to Alex,” he admits.

I tilt my head. My arms are crossed over my chest again.

“You never really gave me a chance to explain myself back then,” he looks down at the floor, then back up at me.

“What that bitch was going around saying never happened. Y/N, you have to believe me.”

He takes a few steps toward me. I take a few back to keep my distance.

“I was with Austin the night that was supposed to have happened. We were at a bar. And I didn’t meet anyone there. After that, I went home, alone. I swear to you,” he sounds desperate, “I miss you. I miss your laugh, the way you used to lie next to me in the morning. God, Y/N. I miss everything about you.”

He comes toward me again. But this time, I don’t step away.

“Please, believe me. If only I could somehow prove to you that everything she said was a complete lie.”

He puts his hand on my arm, but I pull it away.

“Then please explain to me how that photo came to be. You asleep in bed and her naked next to you?” I feel tears welling up in my eyes.

It’s crazy how much this still gets to me. He looks at me desperately. He’d probably love to just hold me in his arms.

“I don’t know either. But I swear to you, I didn’t drink anything that night! Austin can confirm it.”

Just then, Corbin walks in. He looks at Grayson, then at me.

“What’s going on here again? Didn’t I tell you to stay away from her?!”

Corbin walks toward us. He grabs him by the collar and drags him out of his cabin.

“Y/N, please! Believe me! I love you!” he calls out to me quickly before Corbin slams the door in his face.

He comes over to me and pulls me into his arms. Tears stream down my face and I can’t help but sob. Corbin strokes my head.

“Everything will be okay again, Y/N,” he gives me a quick kiss on my hair.

——————————————————————————————————

A few weeks later, I get a message on Instagram from the bitch who cheated on Grayson back then.

Hey Y/N,

I’m sorry about that photo from back then. Nothing ever happened between Grayson and me. I’ve never even met him in real life. I’m sorry. I know there’s no making up for it. To be honest, I can’t even tell you myself why I did that. Maybe I was just jealous. I don’t know. Austin found out it was me. He told me I’d better set the record straight. I created that photo back then using AI. Shit, that was stupid and childish of me.

I’m truly sorry.

My phone falls to the floor. I start crying. Why would anyone do something like that? How can someone be so mean? Ruin a relationship between complete strangers?

“Y/N? Is everything okay? I heard a crash.”

“No, nothing is okay,” I look at Corbin through tear-filled eyes.

“What’s going on? Grayson?” he asks, slightly annoyed, and sits down next to me on the floor.

I hand him my phone and show him the message. He reads it, and I can see in his eyes how angry it makes him.

“What kind of bitch is she, anyway?” he asks, more ironically than seriously. “Are you going to talk to Grayson?” He puts his arm around me and pulls me close.

“I have to. He told the truth from the start, and I never believed him,” I wipe away a few tears.

“You couldn’t have known. She made that photo look damn real.”

“I’ll talk to him. But not for a few days. I need to process this news first.”

——————————————————————————————————

A few weeks later, Elimination Chamber is coming up, and Corbin is on the match card. I’ve decided to take the opportunity and fly to Australia. Grayson and I kissed for the first time back in Australia. So far, we haven’t run into each other. I’m watching the show from Corbin’s dressing room. The segment with Grayson, Austin, Cody, and Seth is coming up now. I watch the action with bated breath. The closer the segment gets to the end, the closer the conversation with Grayson gets. Corbin promised me he wouldn’t come into his dressing room until the end of the show so I can talk to him in peace.

When the segment ends, I send Grayson a message.

Please come to Corbin’s dressing room.

It’s not even 15 minutes before there’s a knock at the door. My heart is racing.

“Come in.”

Grayson opens the door. He’s buttoned his shirt up a little in the meantime.

“I was supposed to come here?” He closes the door behind him and looks at least as nervous as I am.

“Yes, um, please sit down.”

He takes a seat next to me on the couch. He’s resting his arms on his legs and nervously rubbing his hands together.

“Grayson, I, um…” I stammer. Damn, I’m nervous. “I believe you,” I say, pressing my lips together.

He looks at me, completely taken aback.

“What?”

“I believe you,” I repeat, a little louder.

“Why all of a sudden?” he asks.

“That woman messaged me again and told me how she created the photo using AI.”

“Why is she coming out with this all of a sudden?”

“Austin must have found her and told her to set the record straight.”

Grayson is shocked. His lips form a shocked “Wow.”

“Does that mean that if you forgive me, we’re… well, back together?” he asks me, visibly nervous.

I think for a moment before nodding in agreement. I see the joy on his face. His smile spreads.

“God! Finally!”

He cups my face in his hands and gives me a deep kiss. Then he pulls away from me, his hands still on my cheeks.

“I’ve missed this so much,” he says, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear.

“I love you, Y/N.”

“I love you too, Grayson.”

The next morning, I wake up. Grayson isn’t there. Oh no, did he run off? Was it just a one-night stand after all? I start imagining the worst. Then I hear a noise coming from my kitchen. I get up and slip on a robe. When I walk into the kitchen, Grayson is standing there, apparently making breakfast. I’m pleasantly surprised. He notices me and turns toward me. He’s not wearing a shirt, just his jeans. He’s to die for.

“Good morning, beautiful,” he smiles at me, frying pan in hand.

“Good morning,” I smile back and feel my face getting all warm.

“I hope you don’t mind that I’m making breakfast for us here.”

He puts the eggs and bacon on plates. There’s already some fruit on the table. The orange juice looks freshly squeezed. I smell coffee.

“I didn’t have any of that stuff in the kitchen,” I point out, gesturing at all the fruit.

He chuckles softly.

“No, I went out to do some shopping.”

I blink a few times in disbelief. What a guy. Am I still dreaming? Can someone pinch me?

“Sit down,” he says, gesturing to the seat at the dining table.

I take a seat. Then he brings the plates and sits down across from me.

——————————————————————————————————

We have a really great conversation over breakfast. We’ve never exchanged so many words before. I can hardly keep the smile off my face. He tells me a lot about his world of wrestling, and I tell him about my world of dance in return. After breakfast, we both get dressed and get ready.

“I have to go now, Y/N. I have a house show tonight.”

He grabs his things and I walk him to the door. I open it for him and he steps outside. Then he turns back toward me.

“Y/N? That was a really nice evening.”

Before I can answer him, he’s already kissing me passionately. I feel that tingling in my stomach again. Then he slowly pulls away from me.

“I thought it was really nice, too. And thanks again for breakfast,” I smile shyly and look down at the floor.

“You’re welcome,” he says in a slightly hoarse voice.

Then he takes my chin in his hand again and kisses me on the mouth once more.

“I’ll be in touch,” he says.

And then he leaves. I close the door and let myself slide down it, my back against it. I’m crying, but I think they’re just tears of joy. Joy that it went so well. That the morning after was so great. And that he seems to be interested in me after all. After a little while, I pull myself up off the floor and go back to the kitchen. I completely forgot that I’d put my phone on silent.

I see a few unimportant messages, but also one from Graziano.

Hey Y/N, how did it go with Grayson? Did he get you home safely?

I smile at the screen and call him.

“Hey, sweetheart,” he greets me cheerfully.

“Hey, Graziano.”

“I hope you’re calling to give me a detailed account of exactly what happened last night,” he teases me.

“Why else?” I laugh.

I tell him in detail what happened. Well, I’m not going into the sex part in detail right now, but he knows we had some.

“I’m really happy for you that you’ve apparently finally met someone who’s genuinely interested in you. Now let’s just hope he’s more serious about it than your ex.”

I look down at the floor.

“Yeah, I hope so too,” I whisper almost inaudibly.

“I have to hang up now, Y/N.”

“Okay, see you later.”

We hang up. I sit down on the couch and try to gather my thoughts a little. I let everything that’s happened run through my mind.

I come to the conclusion that I’ve definitely fallen in love. Whether we’re a real couple now, though, I can’t tell. I actually wanted to text Grayson, but then I remember that he was going to reach out to me. So I decide against it and put my phone away again.

——————————————————————————————————

It’s already 11:00 p.m. The show should be over by now. Unfortunately, I still haven’t heard from Grayson. I get ready for bed and decide to text him once I’m in bed. Several times I type a few sentences and then delete them again. In the end, I text him the following:

Hey Grayson, too bad you didn’t get back to me. I hope you’re doing well.

Then I hit send and put my phone on the nightstand. I toss and turn, from left to right, from right to left. Sometimes I lie on my back, sometimes on my stomach. I just can’t fall asleep. My thoughts keep circling back to Grayson. I look at my phone. No message. It’s already 3:00 a.m. I’m worried. Worried because I don’t know if something happened, or worried because I’m afraid he was just messing with me? I spend a little while more wondering what could be going on, but then I finally fall asleep.

He slides a little closer. I can feel his penis getting harder against my butt. I haven’t felt this tingling sensation in my body in so long. He’s now caressing my stomach with his whole hand. Both of our breaths are getting heavier. His hand wanders deeper down my stomach, over to my hip. He grabs it firmly and presses his penis lightly against my butt. “Mhm” is all I hear from him. He starts kissing my shoulder. His hand continues its exploration. The temptation leads it under my T-shirt, up to my breasts. He caresses them carefully and gently, kneading them lightly. “Mmm,” I let out as well. It feels so incredibly good. My body is exploding with sparks.

“I’m sorry, Y/N, but I can’t help myself,” he murmurs between kisses on my shoulder.

“Please don’t stop,” I whisper back.

I turn around. We look deep into each other’s eyes. He takes his hand and holds my cheek, caressing it. Then we kiss deeply. The fire ignites between us. The fireworks have finally exploded. We let our feelings run wild. He helps me out of my shirt. My breasts are exposed, and he gazes at them with lust in his eyes. Then he turns me onto my back on the mattress. He braces himself on either side of me and looks down at me.

“You’re so incredibly beautiful,” he says, almost in a whisper.

I feel embarrassed. He notices and kisses me deeply again. Then he trails kisses down my neck while one of his hands explores my nearly naked body. His head moves downward between my breasts, leaving a trail of kisses. Once he reaches my lower body, he pulls off my panties. Now I’m naked. I feel a little ashamed. It’s been so long since I’ve been with a man.

“Please don’t be ashamed,” he tells me, looking into my eyes.

I feel myself blushing.

“I have to confess something to you, Grayson.”

“Hmm?” He looks at me.

“I haven’t been with a man in a long time.”

I see a smile on his face, despite the dark room.

“Just let yourself go.”

He lowers his head again. Right between my legs, which he bends. He holds my thighs firmly with his hands while he gently runs the tip of his tongue along my inner thighs. I get goosebumps. I’m already letting out soft moans. It seems to please him, because I notice him starting to smile as he works his way up my thighs. Then he moves closer to my private area. He’s now running the tip of his tongue over my clitoris. God! I let out a loud squeal. He chuckles softly.

“Please don’t laugh at me,” I say, raising my hands to my face.

He looks up at me.

“I’m not laughing at you, Y/N. I’m just happy that I have this effect on you.”

I pull my hands away. He continues with his tongue. It gets faster and more intense little by little. I let out a moan every now and then. I can feel my climax slowly getting closer and closer. Then he suddenly stops. He lies down between my legs and kisses me. I can’t wait any longer. I pull off his shirt. Wow, what a body. I run my hands over his upper body. He’s very warm and soft. He kisses me again. I feel his cock between my legs, still trapped in his boxers. I run my hands down his body toward his shorts. I stroke his bulge. He moans. Now I roll him onto the bed. I kiss his chest with countless touches. I move my head down to his belly button. Then I pull off his boxers. His penis pops up. He’s well-endowed. I take him gently in my hand. I move my hand up and down. Slowly at first, then I pick up the pace. I look up at him. His eyes are closed and his mouth is open. I smile. I’m glad he seems to be enjoying it. When I start taking his stiff penis into my mouth, he moans loudly.

“God! Please keep going, Princess.”

I pause for a moment. Then I continue. I move my head up and down faster. I can feel his gaze on me.

“I want to feel you, Y/N,” Grayson says.

I stop giving him a blowjob. I kiss him on the mouth.

He whispers in my ear.

“Are you on the pill?”

I look at him and nod.

“Yes, but I’d still like to use a condom.”

He strokes my face.

“Okay.”

He stands up briefly and goes to get a condom from his jeans. I resist the urge to ask why he carries a condom around with him. He unwraps it and slips it over his cock. Then he comes back over to me and lies down between my legs. Even an outsider could probably sense the erotic tension between us. It’s unbelievable the effect Grayson has on me and my body. He kisses me. Takes my cheek in his hand. Then he takes his penis in his hand and carefully guides it into my hole. I moan. He does the same. Slowly, he begins to move his hips back and forth. Over time, he gets faster and faster. We both enjoy the intimacy. Clinging tightly to each other, we moan into each other’s ears. We’re both getting closer and closer to orgasm. He gives it his all one last time with his hips. Then it happens—he cums inside the condom, and I reach orgasm too. It feels unbelievably good. We’re both breathing heavily. He collapses next to me on the mattress, takes off the condom, and throws it in the trash. Then he lies down next to me again. We cuddle under the blanket.

“That was seriously amazing,” I admit, a little embarrassed.

“Too short, but amazing. Next time I’ll take more time with you. But right now, I just couldn’t hold back any longer,” he says, stroking my shoulder.

I look up at him, hardly able to believe what he just said. Still, I let it go, and after a little while I fall asleep on his chest.

“Good mor..” He cuts himself off as he looks at me and sees what I’m wearing.

I’ve just walked into the kitchen wearing nothing but one of his shirts and underwear. The shirt comes down to just below my butt. He’s already standing there in his UBCS uniform, leaning against the counter with a cup of coffee in his hand. I can smell the aroma all the way over here. I pause for a moment and look at him. I see him sizing me up, trying to hide his grin behind the coffee cup. I glance down at myself and then back into his eyes.

“Good morning,” I greet him with a slightly cheeky grin on my face.

He looks so irresistible in his uniform.

“Good morning, princesa,” he raises the cup in my direction and nods slightly.

I walk toward him. Right next to him, I stop in front of our wall cabinets and open the door. I deliberately reach all the way to the top of the cabinet, where our smaller cups are kept, so that the shirt slides over my butt and he has a perfect view of it. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see his gaze drifting to my butt, and he leans forward slightly to get a better look before leaning back against the counter.

“Can I help you?” he asks with a piercing gaze.

I snort, because unfortunately I really can’t reach the cups. We absolutely have to hang those cabinets lower. He pushes himself away from the counter and stands right behind me, so I can feel his crotch against my butt. My breathing quickens a little. Even though we’ve been together for a while, it still feels as exciting as it did on the first day. I close my eyes and press my lips together. He reaches past me to grab a cup from the cabinet. Just as I’m about to press my butt against his crotch, he pulls away from me and pours me a cup of coffee.

“Here you go,” he smiles at me and hands me the hot cup.

I look at him sheepishly and take the coffee cup.

“Thanks.”

We both take a sip from our cups at the same time. Then he places his cup in the sink. He steps in front of me to cup my face in his hands and give me a tender kiss on the lips. I savor every second of the kiss, because Carlos has to leave on a mission again today for a while. Which means I won’t see him again for a few days—or maybe even weeks. Every time, I’m afraid he might not come back. That I’ll get a call saying he didn’t make it. I know Carlos takes care of himself. So far, he’s never come home with any serious injuries, just a few scrapes here and there. But still, I worry. He tries to give me updates every now and then and keep me in the loop, but sometimes I don’t hear from him for hours.

“I have to go now, princesa,” he says, kissing my forehead.

He doesn’t take his hands off me yet. He keeps them on my cheeks. They feel a little rough through his gloves. I look into his eyes, and he immediately notices my sad expression.

“Don’t worry. I’ll write to you as often as I can. And when I come back, we’ll make up for why you were just trying to seduce me,” he winks at me with a smile.

I can’t hide my grin. He takes his hands off me. I reach for his vest. He doesn’t have any weapons or anything else in his pockets yet. I move my palms to his muscular arms and stroke them. He watches my every move. Then he looks down at me. He looks like a giant next to me. Especially with all his gear. He has such beautiful brown eyes.

“Believe me, if I weren’t already running late, I’d pick you up right now and fuck you on the kitchen counter,” he whispers, almost in a murmur.

My body tingles at his words. I love it when he talks dirty. With his accent, it all sounds even more seductive. I’m getting hot. How am I supposed to hold out until he gets back? Once again, he cups my face in his gloved hands and presses a wild, intense kiss on my lips. With a smacking sound, he pulls away from me.

“I love you,” he says to me one last time.

“I love you too,” I whisper.

Then he grabs his bag and keys from the hallway and walks out the door.

——————————————————————————————————

Later that evening, I’m lying on the sofa, wrapped up in a wool blanket. The TV is on. I’m watching a horror movie. My steaming cup of tea sits on the coffee table. I’ve lit a few candles. Still, it’s relatively dark in the living room. Only the candlelight, the moon outside, and the TV bring light into the darkness. As always, my thoughts are on Carlos. Is he okay? Have they arrived in the area yet? Is he thinking of me too? What a question—of course he is. Suddenly, my phone vibrates. I pick it up and smile when my hunch is confirmed.

We’re on our way to the area. With any luck, I’ll be back in a few days. Miss you.

I can’t help but smile even more as I read his message. I reply right away.

I can’t wait for you to come home so we can pick up right where we left off. I miss you, too.

I hit send. Even without seeing him, I know he must be smiling at my message. Less than twenty seconds later, a reply comes.

Then head to the kitchen in plenty of time and wait right where I unfortunately had to leave you standing today. And don’t you dare not be wearing exactly what you had on this morning.

I can’t help but grin even more. I imagine him whispering those words in my ear with his accent. Why is my vagina throbbing like this right now? It just goes to show what an effect this man has on me—I’m already ready, even though he’s miles away. I bite my lip. I flinch when a scream suddenly comes from the TV. I’d completely forgotten about the movie. I use the remote to turn the volume down. It occurs to me that I had an erotic photo shoot done a while back. I haven’t told Carlos about it yet. I open my gallery and pick out a picture. I find one pretty quickly. I open our chat again and add some text to the picture.

I can't wait for you to come home.

We’ve never sent each other pictures like this before. Nervously, I press a button on my phone to turn the screen black. I press it against my chest. My heart is racing. I take a deep breath as the phone vibrates again.

Oh my god! Princess! Damn bad timing.

I lick my lips at the message. Then another message pops up.

You have no idea how much I’d love to spank your ass. If the guys weren’t here right now, I’d grab my crotch and look at the picture even longer and more closely.

I’m grinning more and more. I’d love to send him even more pictures. But I’ll save those for another time. My phone lights up again. It shows that Carlos has sent me a picture. My eyes widen. What on earth could it be? After all, he’s still sitting in the car with his colleagues. Or have they maybe arrived by now? I take a deep breath before opening the message, and my breath catches in my throat.

As a little payback.

I’m speechless. This guy is just so hot.

I took advantage of the fact that the others had just gotten out. But unfortunately, I have to go now. Enjoy the picture. I’ll take a closer look at yours later when I have some time. Love you!

I bite my lip and reply one last time before he heads off on his next mission.

Take care!

He inserts the key into the ignition. Then he turns toward me and pauses briefly before speaking.

“Who decided I should drive you home?”

“Austin.”

He turns back toward the steering wheel. And mutters something under his breath.

“What did you say?”

“Oh, nothing. Never mind.”

“You already know where I live,” I smile sheepishly.

He looks over at me.

“Yeah.”

Then he starts the engine and drives me home. We don’t exchange a single word the entire ride. Why is everything so awkward between us? Have I built an invisible wall around myself because I don’t want to get hurt like that again? Does he notice this wall? Is that why he’s so distant? Or maybe what Austin said to me earlier isn’t true after all?

Once we arrive home, he turns off the engine and rests his hands in his lap while looking out the car window. I unbuckle my seatbelt.

“Thanks for driving me home,” I say, fidgeting nervously with my hands.

It’s now or never. I have to finally overcome my fear. Otherwise, I’ll be alone forever. I have to!

And just then, I feel Grayson turn toward me, cup my face in his hand, and kiss me. I’m so shocked that I don’t even close my eyes at first. After a few seconds, I close my eyes and just enjoy this unbelievably good kiss. My heart is racing. I can feel him breathing faster. His His lips feel so good against mine. I don’t want the kiss to ever end. But then he pulls away from me. His hand is still on my cheek, and he’s looking into my eyes.

“I’ve wanted to do this the whole time,” he admits.

I press my lips together.

“Me too.”

Everything, absolutely everything inside me is tingling like crazy. There are those butterflies in my stomach again. Butterflies I haven’t felt in ages. I’ve really fallen for him.

“I, um, have to go inside now.”

I move my hand to the doorknob. Y/N, don’t mess this up now. If I just leave now, there’s a good chance things will be awkward between us again. I turn back to him.

“Would you like to come in with me?” I’m afraid of his answer.

He pulls the key out of the lock.

“Sure,” he smiles at me.

——————————————————————————————————We’re both acting like two totally shy teenagers. We’re sitting on the couch, trying to strike up a conversation. I’m afraid our shyness is going to get in the way. It’s only now, as I glance at the clock on the wall, that I realize how late it actually is.

“Oh, it’s already past one. The day just flew by today,” I say with an embarrassed smile.

He looks at the clock too.

“Yeah, that’s true. Maybe I should start heading out.”

Something in my stomach tightens at his words. I don’t really want him to leave. He stands up.

“Grayson,” I stand up too.

“You’re welcome to stay the night. Only if you want to, of course,” I take a deep breath in and out. Afraid of what he might say. Then he smiles at me.

“I’d love to.”

I immediately feel the knot in my stomach turn into something positive. What is this man doing to me?

“I’m glad to hear that. If you’d like, you can sleep in the bed.”

“I’m not going to steal your bed,” he laughs.

“The couch would be fine for me.”

What are we even doing here? We were just kissing in the car a moment ago. Telling each other how long we’ve wanted to do this, and now we’re just fumbling around here. Enough is enough! Y/N, you take the initiative now.

“You know what, Grayson? We can both sleep in the bed. It’s more than big enough for the two of us.”

Grayson’s breath catches, but then he smiles.

——————————————————————————————————Once we’re in the bedroom, both changed and ready for bed, I show him which side he can sleep on.

“I’d rather sleep by the window. If that’s okay with you.”

I walk to the side of the bed by the window. He goes to the other side. He looks even hotter in just his boxers and T-shirt. I’m wearing nothing but a slightly longer shirt and shorts. We both stare at the ceiling, the blanket pulled over our bodies. My heart is racing out of control. I can tell he’s nervous too. I turn toward him.

“Good night, Grayson.”

He turns toward me as well.

“You too, Y/N. Sleep well.”

“You too.”

We both smile at each other. I can’t do this. Look at him like this. He’s driving me crazy. His blue eyes. His perfectly shaped face. His beard. His scent. Everything about him is enough to drive me mad. My eyes are getting heavy, and I turn away. I hear him take a deep breath in and out. Then I feel him moving through the mattress. Is he getting up? Is he turning away too? But then I feel him wrap his arm around me. His hand rests on my stomach. Shit, my butterflies are going wild right now. I can tell he’s nervous. I try not to move, just want to enjoy the moment. I’m just enjoying his touch right now. His big, strong hand on my stomach. I feel his breath on my hair. His hand moves. His thumb strokes my stomach. I swallow hard.

Will it end the way I think it will? Am I really ready for that?

The next afternoon, I meet Graziano for coffee.

“Hey, sorry I'm late,” I greet him with a hug.

“Hey Y/N, no problem at all. I've already ordered us some coffee.”

We sit down. And I take a deep breath first, as I'm still totally out of breath from the race.

“I can't stop thinking about yesterday. It was so much fun,” I tell him with a big grin on my face.

“I have to agree with you. It was a really great experience,” he replies.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see that I've received a message because my phone screen lights up. Graziano notices me glancing at my phone.

“Go ahead and answer it,” he rolls his eyes and leans back in his chair.

I pick up my phone and read the message:

Hey Y/N, Wanna go bowling tonight? Mariah, Grayson, you and me?

The message is from Austin. Why did I kind of hope it was from Grayson? I smile.

“Who's texting you?” Graziano asks, a little curious.

“It's Austin. I already told you about him.”

“Oh, the wrestler you already went on a date with,” he winks at me.

“It wasn't a real date!” I roll my eyes. “Anyway, he asked me if I wanted to go bowling with him, Mariah, and Grayson tonight.”

“Sounds good.”

“Would you like to come along?”

“Sure. If they don't mind? I haven't been bowling in ages.”

Hey Austin, of course I'd like to. Can Graziano come along too?

“I've asked him now.”

Graziano smiles at me.

“Hey, Y/N, could it be that you're in love?” He rests his head on his hand as he eagerly awaits my answer.

I take a deep breath in and out. Before I answer him, I swallow.

“Yes, maybe,” I rub my fingers on my coffee cup.

“Maybe?” he presses.

“I'm not sure. I really like him. And for some reason, I find myself thinking about him half the day.”

A new message pops up.

No problem. Everyone agrees. So tonight at 7:00 p.m. it is. See you then!

“Good news, you can come with me,” I smile at him.

“Cool. Then I'll get to meet Mr. Unknown,” he teases me.

“Graziano!”

——————————————————————————————————

Later that afternoon, Graziano picks me up in his car to drive to the bowling alley. We're a little early, but we're not the first ones there. Mariah is already there and waves us over.

“Mariah, this is Graziano. Graziano, this is Mariah,” I introduce them to each other.

They shake hands.

“Have a seat,” Mariah points to the benches.

“I'll go get us some shoes.”

“Thanks.”

As he walks to the counter, Mariah sits down next to me.

“Handsome man. Is that your dance partner Austin told me about?” she asks curiously.

I laugh softly.

“Yes, that's him.”

“Is he still available?” she looks over at him.

“He's single, yes.”

He comes back.

“Here you go.”

He hands me my shoes and I put them on. Shortly afterwards, Grayson and Austin appear. My heart is racing. I look at Grayson. With his ripped jeans and his slightly unbuttoned shirt. Wow! Graziano nudges me and clears his throat. I catch myself biting my lip. We all greet each other.

“May I introduce you? This is Graziano, my dance partner for life,” I joke.

He shakes hands with Austin and then Grayson. I see Grayson's eyes narrow slightly. Austin claps his hands.

“So! Shall we get started? Ladies first?” Austin enters our names on the display. Mariah gets to go first. Then it's me, Graziano, Grayson, and then Austin.

Mariah rolls the ball and unfortunately doesn't hit all of them. But at the end of the day, at least for me, it's all about having fun.

We all take our turns one by one. Here and there, someone gets a strike. Grayson keeps glancing over at me and Graziano. Graziano notices too.

“He's into you, Y/N. You can tell,” he whispers in my ear.

I look at him.

“Are you sure?”

He just nods.

How do I deal with this? How can I get closer to him? How can I find out if he really likes me? It's my turn to bowl again. I concentrate fully on the ball and throw. My first strike tonight. I'm so happy that I hug Graziano. Suddenly, Grayson gets up and leaves. We all look at each other questioningly.

“I'll go see what's wrong with him,” Austin says and follows him outside.

Once outside, Austin has to look around a bit before he finds Grayson on one of the benches. He's sitting there, arms resting on his legs, head hanging down.

“Grayson, what's wrong?” Austin sits down next to him on the bench.

He just shakes his head slightly and exhales heavily.

“Come on, tell me. Is it because of Y/N and her dancer?”

“I'll never have a chance with her. The way they look at each other, the way they talk to each other, the way they hugged. Man, they dance together!” Grayson sounds desperate.

Austin pats him on the back.

“Grayson, I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but you're partly to blame.”

Grayson looks at Austin with narrowed eyes.

“Excuse me?”

“Well, let's be honest. Have you tried asking her out on a date in any way? And I mean without Mariah or me being there?”

Grayson exhales deeply.

“You're right. But how am I supposed to do that? Austin, this woman is in a completely different league than me,” he slumps back on the bench.

“Just ask her after bowling.”

“How am I supposed to do that? They're always hanging out together.”

“I can tell you one thing, they're not a couple. So make sure you seize your chance while you still have the opportunity. Remember, in her job she meets new men all the time.”

Grayson nods slightly.

"Yeah, you're probably right. "

“Now let's go back inside before they continue playing without us.”

The two get up and go back inside.

“Well, look who's back. Has the bitch calmed down?” Mariah jokes.

Austin looks at her with a serious expression.

“Sorry, I didn't mean it that way, Grayson.”

He, in turn, skillfully ignores her.

We finish the round we started, then decide to go to the bar next door. We sit down at a table with benches. Mariah and Austin on one side, Graziano, Grayson, and I on the other. My goodness, sitting right next to Grayson makes me nervous.

“So? Graziano, how long have you been dancing with Y/N?” Austin asks curiously.

Graziano and I look at each other.

“Since we were 13 years old.”

I nod in agreement.

“Wow, that's a really long time,” Mariah admires us.

“And you two never got closer?” she asks curiously, resting her head on her hand.

Graziano and I laugh.

“No, never,” I reply.

“Hard to believe with such a handsome man,” Mariah winks at Graziano.

I notice how red he is getting and can't help but grin. Grayson looks tense.

“Enough with the grilling. It's our turn now. So, how long have the three of you been wrestling?”

“Well, I officially joined a promotion in 2019,” Mariah tells us.

“I actually started in 2016,” says Austin.

Everyone looks over at Grayson and waits for his answer until Austin apparently kicks him under the table with his foot. He looks up, startled. Apparently, he was lost in thought.

“How long have you been in the wrestling business?” I ask him, smiling.

“Oh, um, since 2017.”

That's all he says. I see Austin looking at him with wide eyes and pointing in my direction. Grayson looks first at Austin, then at me.

“I, um, used to be a history teacher.”

I'm surprised by his statement.

“Oh, wow. Really? That's kind of cool. From teacher to wrestler,” I look at him and smile.

I think I see a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth.

“And what did your students say about it back then?” I ask eagerly.

“They thought it was pretty cool,” he smiles.

We chat for a little while longer before we all say goodbye to each other.

“How are you getting home, Y/N?” Austin asks me.

“Oh, Graziano is giving me a ride again,” I point in his direction.

“Isn't that a detour for him? If I understood correctly earlier, he lives in the other direction.”

“Yes, actually, but he always says he doesn't mind,” I look over at Graziano, who is already leaning against the car waiting for me.

Austin glances briefly at Grayson, who is also waiting for him by his car.

“Go with Grayson. I'll get Mariah to give me a ride,” Mariah smiles in agreement.

I look at Grayson, our eyes meet, then I look over at Graziano.

“Trust me, Y/N, he's into you as much as you're into him,” Austin winks at me and hugs me again goodbye. Mariah does the same.

I walk over to Graziano.

“I'd like to ride with Grayson, if that's okay with you.”

He looks over at him.

“Okay. But please be careful,” he says, probably alluding to my past.

We hug goodbye as well. Then I walk over to Grayson.

“Why is Austin leaving with Mariah now? I thought I was supposed to take him back.”

“You're supposed to drive me home now,” I smile at him.

I walk to the passenger side and get into his car. Impressive ride. But I've never been into cars anyway. He stands there perplexed for a moment before finally getting in.