His Curvy Beauty by Lana Love
Chapter 3
Mandy
Oh, no…I don’t think about Trevor…” Grace says, nearly falling on the floor because she’s laughing so hard. “Mandy, babe, you should hear yourself. I don’t need a polygraph to know you’re lying when you say that!”
“Well…maybe,” I finally concede. “Okay, maybe a lot. But you know how it is! He’s on TV, he’s in the paper, he’s in magazines. Like chunky me would ever have a chance with him. As if!”
I drain the rest of my beer and motion to the bartender to bring us two new beers.
“Again, with the lies! Don’t think I’ve forgotten how he chased after you in high school or how you teased him. He wanted you bad and I know how hard you crushed on him.”
“You of all people know how much I wanted him back then. But he was so busy having everyone else and was so famous for never dating a girl for more than one or two weeks.”
I look away from Grace and lose myself in the memories from high school. Me, being the ‘girl with a pretty face,’ but not ‘the girl that every guy wants to date.’ It’s not that I was even that much overweight, but that I wasn’t as skinny as the popular girls. And for that, I was never fully part of the in crowd. I wasn’t with the outcasts or the loners, but I was in that weird middle ground of ‘not quite good enough.’
Aside from my work, most of my life has felt like ‘not quite good enough.’ I’ve certainly felt that way with men, who inevitably dump me and said cliché things like “you’re really pretty” or “I’m just not ready for a relationship” or “you haven’t done anything wrong.” And then I run into them six months or maybe a year later and what’s the status then? They’re engaged. They’re recently married. It always leaves me feeling like shit.
“Girl, I think you did the right thing in high school. He was too popular for his own good. Despite how much he obviously wanted you, he would’ve broken your heart like he did with all the other girls.”
“Maybe you’re right. But I’m still the same. Since he went pro, all he’s had are a string of flings or high-profile girlfriends. And we both know that I can’t fill those kinds of shoes. Or rather, I can’t fit in those kinds of dresses.”
“I don’t know, Mandy. You shouldn’t be so down on yourself.” The look in Grace’s eyes changes to the look of concern that she gives me every time the subject of me and men come up. Her telling me how beautiful I am and how amazing I am, in an attempt to boost my self-esteem, is a well-worn talk that I don’t believe anymore. It’s not like I don’t know these things, but it’s hard to believe them when I have yet to meet a man who feels the same way.
“I know what you’re going to say, Grace, and I love you for it, I really do. But I’ve just been dumped yet again. So, yeah. My self-esteem has taken yet another beating.”
Sadness and anger flip across Grace’s eyes as she watches me. “Are you okay? You didn’t even tell me that you were dating anyone.”
I sigh and silently curse how beer loosened me up enough to admit this. My mind immediately plays the highlights reel of my short relationship with Robert. We had our good moments and he knew how to make me laugh, but he didn’t like taking me out with his friends or with his coworkers.
“Things weren’t always great between us. I liked Robert, but I think I probably knew that it would never work out with him, but I still hoped. When I asked about his corporate Christmas party, he got all weird and said they couldn’t bring dates. I think he just meant he was embarrassed to be seen with me.”
“What a bastard!” Grace is suitably outraged on my behalf and as much as I didn’t want to tell the story, her having my back and denouncing Robert does make me feel a little better.
“Pretty much.”
“Have I mentioned he’s a fucking asshole? Oh!” Grace exclaims, her eyes glittering with calculation, “that just means that now is the best time to have a fling. And who better to have a fling with than Trevor Collins? I’d bet my right arm that he would make you feel ah-mazing. I saw how he was looking at you last night. He couldn’t take his eyes off you.”
“There’s way too much history there. He’s my brother’s best friend and I’ll definitely see him in the future. I don’t need to add to my future stress. Plus, you know I’m not the type to have flings with men.” A hazy lust-dream settles in my mind – Trevor, naked and smiling in my bed, his hand outstretched to me in invitation, me taking his hand, and then me losing myself in him and making every sexual fantasy I’ve ever had a reality.
“And that there is a damn shame, Mandy Hunter.”
“No fairthat you get the pro football player on your team!” I yell at my brother, pretending I’m upset.
We’re choosing sides for our annual flag football game. The sun is as high in the sky as it gets in December, but it’s the prettiest, clearest day I’ve seen in weeks. Bright blue skies, a not-too-cold breeze, no hint of rain or snow in the air. It’s perfect.
“You gave me first pick. What did you think was going to happen?” He puts his hands on his hips and smiles gleefully at me. “Besides, I’m not an idiot. I know how fast you run!”
“Are you saying you want me?” Trevor teases, walking over to me. I jump when he slides his hand down my back and dangerously close to my ass.
“What gave you that idea?” I faux-pout at him as I dance away from his hand and the warmth of his tight body. Trevor’s caress triggers a fresh wave of desire in me and I really want to tackle him…naked.
At halftime, Jimmy passes around a couple of thermoses filled with rum-laced hot chocolate. The alcohol warms my body and helps me to relax a little. Every time I get close to Trevor, I fumble and stumble because I’m so distracted by his tall, muscular body. No matter how much I tell myself to stop with all the fantasies, I can’t deny that I’m more attracted to him than I was in high school – and that’s saying something!
“Alright! For the win!” Jimmy dances around on the field, celebrating that he and Trevor are up by ten points.
“Yeah, yeah. Just you wait,” I taunt, putting my hands on my hips. “Grace and I are going to destroy you.”
Jimmy looks at Trevor, and then busts out laughing. “Yeah right, little sis. You’re playing against two pro football players!”
“Two? I think you’re mistaken there, dear brother. Because from where I’m standing, I only see one pro.”
“Fine. If it wasn’t for this damn shoulder, I would’ve been a pro player too. You know that.”
“Coulda woulda shoulda.” I laugh in the cool breeze, walking over to where Trevor and Jimmy are standing, ready to start the second half of the game.
Jimmy lowers his eyes at me and I know he’s going to come at me hard. We start the second half and Grace and I nearly tie up the score.
“Just admit it, Mandy,” Trevor says joining in with Jimmy and heckling Grace and me. “You know we’re going to win.”
We’ll see about that. The play starts and Jimmy sprints with the ball. I chase after him as fast as I can, but Trevor steps in front of me suddenly and blocks me. I slam into his body and we both go flying onto the ground, and I land on top of his strong body.
“Oof!” The air goes out of my lungs and it takes me a hot second to realize that I am lying on top of Trevor Collins. A million thoughts run through my mind, namely that I must be crushing him. “I…um… Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to tackle you. But you just got in my way.”
I squirm to try and move away from him and stand up, but he grips my arms so that I can’t move.
“I was just doing my job and blocking you.” Then in a quieter voice, he adds, “but if this is what it takes to get close to you, then I’ll step in front of you every time I see you. You can tackle me any time. Any time at all.”
“I think you should let me get up, so that we can continue the game,” I say, flustered. Of all the ways I imagined being body to body with Trevor, this isn’t what I imagined.
“But what if I don’t want to let you go? I’ve always wanted you. You know that.”
The tone of Trevor’s voice gives me pause. There’s a seriousness to his voice that I’ve rarely heard, and even though the warning bells in my mind are telling me to run away, I just want to sink into something with Trevor — preferably a bed.
“I don’t know…” There aren’t many times in my life where I’ve been at a loss for words, but I can’t think of anything coherent to say. I can hear Grace and Jimmy laughing and talking, but I can’t register the actual words. Right now, my whole world is what Trevor is saying to me and the way his body feels under mine.
Trevor and I stand up, but we can’t stop looking at each other.
“Are you okay?” Trevor’s voice is gentle and it sends a whole new set of emotions in motion for me. He’s always been brash and arrogant, but there’s a tenderness right now that hits deep inside of me.
I look away as I brush off my clothing. “I think so, yes. How about you? Did I crush you?”
“I’ve never been better,” he says, looking deep into my eyes. “Let’s go for a beer after the game. Just you and me.”
A million thoughts race through my mind. I know what he’s asking and I know that I should say no, but my body and my self-esteem need this. Maybe I need to abandon my fear of flings and just have a fling with him. I ignore the voice that says “what about when you see him in the future” and smile at him.
“Yes.”