Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ All Star Dreams (Ver. 3) ❯ Chapter Seven ( Chapter 7 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: bekka_mouri_hibiki 
Unable to sleep, Betty goes downstairs for a glass of water and is startled to find Robert awake as well
Miscellaneous: Original Stories Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Sports / Romance / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 04.16.2009 | Pages: 6 | Words: 4.9K | Visits: 142 | Status: Completed
Unable to sleep, Betty goes downstairs for a glass of water and is startled to find Robert awake as well
Miscellaneous: Original Stories Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Sports / Romance / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 04.16.2009 | Pages: 6 | Words: 4.9K | Visits: 142 | Status: Completed
All-Star Dreams: Chapter SevenBy Bekka Mouri-Hibiki
(c)2007 Bekka Mouri-Hibiki
Betty stared at the ceiling; unable to sleep though it was four fifteen in the morning. She tried to convince herself to make the best of it but she was still nervous. She was also uncomfortable because her borrowed clothes were twisting around her each time she moved. She may have been big but Branslav was just enough bigger that his clothes were too large for her.
She sighed, deciding to go get a drink of water. She was feeling hot and thirsty, figuring it was the alcohol that had made her that way. She slipped out of bed and went to the door. She opened it a crack in case it squeaked then opened it enough where she could slip out into the hallway.
She carefully descended the back stairs, trying not to make any noise for fear she would wake Branslav. She didn't want to disturb his rest since he had to play that night. She was also careful as not to bother Robert. She had picked up on the fact something was wrong by the way he was behaving but she couldn't bring herself to ask what.
She hadn't got around to asking about his injured hands. Though they were together most of the night, Branslav had also been there. He had stayed extremely close to them the entire night, making it hard for Betty to ask Robert anything about how he was. Talking was completely out of the question at the club since the music was so loud and they were all too busy dancing.
She felt bad that Robert had paid so much attention to her when she was supposed to be on a date with Branslav but she had paid just as much attention to him. She was starting to feel a little ashamed that she had been so rude towards Branslav. She was also starting to regret the way she had behaved. She hoped she hadn't given Robert the wrong impression by letting him dance with her like he had.
She sensed Robert needed someone and didn't want to snub him when he seemed so hurt the last time she saw him. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt him again especially since he seemed so happy to see her. Though she barely knew him, she felt herself starting to care for him. She couldn't bear to see anyone in pain, stranger or friend.
She got to the dim kitchen, the moonlight pouring in from the skylight providing the only illumination. She went to a cabinet, looking for a glass to drink from.
**
Robert had found it difficult to sleep. He was hot and uncomfortable, so much so he had throw the blanket Branslav had given him in the floor. ~I shouldn't have drank so damn much, ~ He scolded himself. He knew the alcohol was to blame for his predicament.
Another thing that left him restless was sobering mind going over and over everything that was bothering him. The alcohol had done well at keeping his mind off of Pauline's betrayal but his mind returned to it as the booze's effects started to wear off. Robert was also worried about Alex and how the child would be affected when he found out that Robert was leaving. He was the only father Alex had ever known and he was pretty certain the child would be devastated.
Robert credited the child with saving his life. He had been quite the hell raiser in college, partying and doing more freelance anatomy studies than his course work. He did just enough work to keep his grades up so he wouldn't lose his spot of the team. Though his perfect grades got him out of high school a year early and earned him the full scholarship, he turned out to be a mediocre college student.
He was frustrated by that. He had always been the smartest kid in class until he went to college. When he decided he couldn't do anything to please his professors, he just let go. He did the minimum amount of work and the maximum amount of partying he could handle, which he got away with for almost three years.
It was then it all threatened to come crashing down on him. The near-genius seventeen year old that he had been had been replaced by skirt-chasing drunken twenty year old that could barely show up to a game without being hungover. He was on final warning about his grades and behavior. He had resigned himself to the inevitability of expulsion when Pauline showed up at his dorm room, claiming she was pregnant with his child.
It had been a real wake up call for him, making him change his ways almost overnight. He cut way back on his partying, brought his grades up to straight A's and began to play harder. His game improved greatly, playing at a near professional standard. At one of his last games of his senior year, he had been approached by a scout for a prep league team based in Reno, Nevada.
The team was only a year old but they offered him a nice package if he played for them. Being in desperate need for money to support Pauline and Alex, he accepted. The day after graduation, he packed up everything he owned and headed for Reno. Pauline hadn't been happy to leave Colorado but she got over it once Robert got his first paycheck.
Though the salary for being a prep-league player looked like pocket change compared to a big league player's salary, it was enough to keep money problems at bay. In fact, it was enough to get them into a nice but tiny house instead of a cracker box apartment. They were actually making it for once and Robert felt like his worries were few and far between. He was happy for the first time in forever and thought the only way he had left to go was up.
It wasn't long after that Robert met Branslav. He had been playing for a local team in Slovenia when another scout for the Supernovas talked him to signing with the team. Robert could see the gangly nineteen year old was scared shitless about being a stranger in a stranger land and befriended him. It was soon after that they found they could play on pretty much the same level, becoming an almost unstoppable duo for the two years they played together.
During that time, Pauline had developed more expensive tastes and demanded Robert ask for trade to another team that would pay him more. He was still madly in love with her at that point so he bent to her will. When Martin Richardson found out Robert wanted to change teams, he made his life a living hell. Robert ended up taking a deal from the Turquoise just so he could get out of Martin's control.
The deal paid him enough to satisfy Pauline so he didn't feel it was so bad. The only thing he regretted about leaving the Supernovas was abandoning Branslav. He made up for it though, spending as much time with his friend as he could. His visits had tapered considerably though when Alex starting having problems with his health.
His sobering mind jumped to Alex, about how nothing about the child looked like him. He wondered how he could have been so stupid to believe Pauline's line about how all the first children in her family look like their mother. He had been young and naive enough to believe it when he was twenty but now he was starting to see the light. He then thought about the other things she could have lied to him about.
His mind skipped again to the suspicious car that had been there the night he left. He knew better than to call Pauline about it. She would probably just yell at him and hang up the phone if she answered at all when she saw it was him calling. The strange car had frightened him a little but had faith the police checked it out.
A noise from the kitchen caught his attention and he rose up enough to see what the disturbance was. He caught his breath when he saw it was Betty going through the kitchen cabinets. He put his head down a bit so she wouldn't see him as he watched her over the back of the couch. He could see in the moonlight that she was looking for something.
As he watched her, he noted how the moonlight made her look unearthly. Her creamy white skin seemed to glow in the effulgence, making her look like some kind of moon goddess, bathed in shadow and light. Even her lustrous black hair looked magical in the milky white light. He continued to watch her as she found the object of her quest.
She nimbly plucked the cup out of the cupboard she had found it in and walked to the fridge. Her steps were light and silent, almost like she was gliding across the floor. Robert licked his dry lips, his heart pounding in his ears as Betty filled her cup with water from the door. The way she was standing gave Robert a perfect side view of her body.
The way Branslav's shirt clung to her he could imagine what she looked like naked. As he took in her form, he realized she wasn't wearing a bra under the shirt. He could detect the delicate peaks that were making the fabric stick out just enough to make their presence known. Before he could stop himself, he started to think about her in a way he hadn't thought of anyone in a long time.
His fingers flexed involuntarily against the leather of the couch as he wondered what it would be like to fondle her ample chest, to have those peaks harden against his palms. He fathomed how it would be to have her yielding to his touch as he massaged those fleshy orbs as he plundered her full beautiful lips. He grabbed the couch harder, the mental images becoming almost too much to handle as a surge of lust ran through his body. He stifled a gasp, hoping Betty wouldn't hear him.
She put the cup to her lips and started to drink, brushing her hair over her shoulder as she did so. He watched as she drank, the pale column of her throat looking soft and inviting. He imagined what it would feel like to brush his lips along the skin there, to kiss it and nibble at it. He thought about how she would react when he found that sensitive place behind her ear that most women seemed to have.
He let his eyes stray further, following the curve of her rear as it turned into the long line of her shapely legs. He desperately wanted to look away because the longer he stared at her the more he wanted her and the harder it was to fight off arousal. He had never liked tall girls before but those girls hadn't been as beautiful as Betty. Something else was drawing him to her besides her stunning looks and he decided it had to be her sweet nature.
She filled her cup again, glancing towards the living room as she did. She let out a surprised gasp when she saw Robert watching her, the cup slipping from her hand and hitting the floor. She let out another gasp when the cold water hit her bare feet. She looked around frantically and grabbed a dishtowel to clean up the mess she made.
Robert got up from the couch, walking slowly towards her as she knelt down on the floor. She looked up as he approached so he decided to speak. " I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I heard a noise... "
Betty immediately set her gaze to the floor when she saw Robert was wearing nothing but his boxer shorts. She continued to wipe up the water, finding the dishtowel wasn't nearly absorbent enough to get all the water. " It's okay, " She said as Robert came to her side, making her even more nervous. " Could you wring this out please? "
Robert took the dishtowel when Betty held it up to him. He walked over to the sink and wrung the towel out. He brought it back, " Here. "
Betty reached up and took it, still not looking at him. Her hand trembled a bit but she tried to stop it. " I'm really sorry if I woke you up, " She said as she finished wiping the water up. “ I didn't mean to, “ She apologized.
" I wasn't sleeping. It's okay, " Robert knelt down next to her. Betty took a sharp breath when Robert reached over and took her chin in his hand. She let him pull her head up so she was looking at him in the eyes.
" Oh, " Her voice trembled a bit as she spoke. The way he was looking at her made her take a sharp breath. There was something in his gaze that mesmerized her, making her freeze where she was.
Robert moved his hand to her throat and could feel her heart pounding under his fingertips. He savored the feel of her soft skin under his fingers, finding it much softer than he even imagined. He rubbed it a little as he said, " I gave you quite a scare didn't I? "
" I wasn't expecting you to be awake, " Betty replied. His touch making her skin tingle as he stroked it. " I just wanted a drink of water. "
Robert let his hand fall away from her throat. " I saw that. Did the booze make you thirsty? "
Betty nodded then looked around, " I dropped the cup. Where did it go? "
Robert picked up the cup where it had landed just a little bit behind her. " Good thing this one was plastic huh? "
Betty looked a little confused then realized what he was getting at. " Uh yeah, " Betty chuckled nervously. " That would have been a real mess. "
Robert rose to his feet then put his hand out to Betty. " Let me help you up. "
" But your hand, " Betty said. " I don't want to... "
Robert offered her his hand again, " You won't hurt me. Let me help you up. "
Betty took his hand and looked down at the floor again. She was careful not to put too much pressure lest she re-open his wounds with her grip. She didn't know where the wounds were and she didn't want to hurt him. She let him help her rise to her feet then let go of his hand as she took a few steps back.
" Thank you, " She said as she still looked at the floor.
" No problem, " He said. He smiled at how shy Betty was acting. He found it very cute. He sighed, " Look at me Betty. "
Betty looked up to look him in the face but ended up staring at his body instead, something she had desperately tried to avoid doing. She had never imagined that Robert could have looked so good under his semi-baggy clothes. She had been expecting a skinny guy under the loose fitting attire he usually wore but was coming to the realization that she was wrong. What faced her now could only be described as pure perfection.
Robert was very muscular; the light danced across the ridges and valleys of his physique. His arms, chest and legs looked as though they had been sculpted from stone, each line expertly crafted. His chest was covered with thick dark blonde hair that became denser along his mid-line and traveled downward; dividing his six pack in half. She looked away when she realized his boxers were riding quite low and exposing the start of his pubic hair.
Robert furrowed his brow. " Are you okay? " He asked with a bit of a kidding tone. He knew she had been checking him out but wanted to see what she'd say.
Betty blushed and looked away, " No. I mean yes... I mean no. I didn't mean to stare at you like that. "
Robert took her hands in his. He gave her a little smile, " It's okay. You can look. I don't mind. "
" No. It's not okay, " Betty still wouldn't look at him as she shook her head. " I shouldn't stare at you like that. You're married. "
Robert frowned and looked away. He was tired of hearing her stock excuse. He decided he'd let her know the truth, " I'm not going to be married for much longer. "
" What? " Betty sounded surprised. She looked at him and turned her hands so she could hold his. " What was that? "
" I said I'm not going to be married for much longer, " Robert let go of Betty's hands and walked over to the counter. He put his hands on it and leaned forward, " I didn't want to talk to you about this in front of Branslav. I didn't want him thinking I was hogging your attention. "
" Oh, " Betty whispered. She clasped her hands in front of her for lack of something to do with them " I knew something was bothering you but I was too scared to ask. I really didn't have much of a chance to either. "
" It's okay, " Robert shook his head. " I ruined your date enough just by being there when it was supposed to be you and Branslav. I would have totally wrecked it if I had cried on your shoulder all night. "
" You didn't ruin it, " Betty walked over. She looked at Robert's back as she spoke. It too was muscular and perfect but she tried not to stare at it. She had to stay focused on his need for her to listen.
" You don't think so? " Robert asked as he stared at the white tiled counter top. He was pretty sure Branslav felt just the opposite. He could tell just by the way Branslav had acted the whole night until he was too drunk to care about anything.
" No. You needed your friend so I don't think it was ruined, " Betty said. She took a step closer, " Do you want to talk about it? "
“ Don't want to weigh you down with all this shit, “ Robert said. “ You've already been more than gracious by listening to me after the game the other night. We barely know each other and I don't want to impose. “
Betty looked at the floor, “ Isn't it better to get advice from than an neutral third party in a situation like this? “
Robert thought about it then said, “ Yeah I guess so. “
“ Then don't worry about it, “ Betty said. “ You'll feel better if you talk about it. “
" We'll see, " Robert hoped she was right.
" So what happened? " Betty asked quietly. " Did you go home? "
He sighed, " Yeah but Pauline was still pissed. She kicked me out and I've been crashing at Jakob's. "
" Oh, " Betty nodded. " So is that when you decided to divorce her? "
Robert shook his head, " No. I decided that today... I mean yesterday. Yesterday was Thursday right? "
Betty nodded, " Yeah. But why? What made you decide to do it? "
Robert sighed after taking a long moment to decide if he would tell her the real reason why. " It's my boy... "
Betty cocked her head to the side as Robert took a deep breath. " Take your time. "
Robert felt a lump rising in his throat. It still cut him like a knife to think the sweet little boy he had known since birth wasn't his child. He forced the huge lump down, " My boy is supposed to have his tonsils out Tuesday. They were supposed to be taken out two weeks ago but he got sick again so they had to reschedule. "
" Okay, " Betty continued to listen.
" Well they wanted me to donate some blood for him for the original operation date. You know, in case anything went wrong they'd have it for a transfusion, " Robert turned to face Betty.
" That's common these days, " Betty nodded. " They prefer to have blood from a family member. It cuts down on the chances the patient will get something in case some bad blood slipped through the screening process. "
" Yeah I know. The doctor explained all that to me, " Robert nodded. The lump threatened to rise again but he couldn't push it down, tears slipping from his eyes as he said the words he didn't want to say, " They told me I wasn't a match. "
" Oh my goodness, " She put her hands on his shoulders. " Maybe you just don't have the same blood type. Maybe that's all it is. "
" No, " Robert sobbed. He took another deep breath to steady his voice. " I had a DNA test done and they called me yesterday to tell me why I wasn't a match. “
“ Uh oh, “ Betty knew where it was going from Robert's body language. She could see he was trying to keep it together but it wasn't working. His lower lip trembled and his shoulders began to shake. “ You don't have to say it if you don't want to. I think I...“
“ The test results said I'm not his real father, " Robert choked out as his last shred of control vanished. He clenched his fists at his side and wanted to hit something. He had felt the same way when he had trashed the hotel room but he couldn't see anything he could get away with breaking since it was Branslav's house.
Betty moved forward swiftly, putting her arms around him since it was the only thing she could think of doing. She held him as he started to really bawl, something about her embrace probably telling him it was okay to let go. She put her left hand on the back of his head when he leaned onto her shoulder. She stroked his hair as she whispered, " I'm so sorry. "
" That bitch has been leading me on for the last five years, making me think that boy was mine and he's not, " Robert sobbed over Betty's shoulder. " Do you know what that means? "
Betty nodded. " You're going to lose him when you divorce your wife? "
" Yes, " Robert cried. " That child is my whole life and it was all a lie! "
Betty tried to think of something to say to comfort him, to make him feel better but she couldn't. " I don't know what to tell you, " She continued to stroke the back of Robert's head.
" I know you don't, " Robert unclenched his fists and put his arms around Betty. He held her closer, " You don't have to tell me anything. Just hold me and let me cry. "
Betty tightened her arms around Robert, " Let it out. I'll hold you for as long as you need me to. "
Robert cried for several minutes as Betty stroked his back and hair. He held her, taking comfort in her compassion. She barely knew him but she offered her comfort so readily. He wondered if she were attracted to him or if she was just that nice of a person. He could feel her pulse racing against his cheek and her breathing was rapid, making him wonder all the more.
She smelled beautiful and felt wonderful in his arms. Her breasts were pressed against his chest and he could sense she was either aroused or cold. The kitchen was a little chilly so he tried to convince himself it was the latter. She was offering him her comfort out of the kindness of her heart and he didn't want to cheapen it by letting his brain go to his balls.
Betty felt a little uncomfortable holding Robert for so long but he needed her. His world seemed to be falling in on him and he needed something solid to hang onto. To push him away would only wound him more and that was the last thing she wanted to do. He was already hurting and he didn't need to be hurt any more.
She tried not to let any signs of her agitation show. Having him so close was making her heart race and had made her mouth go dry. She could detect hints of his cologne, the scent of it making her want to melt on the spot. She tried to fight the feelings though for she could not allow herself to be attracted to a married man, even if he was on the verge of divorce.
Robert sensed she was getting uneasy after a while so sniffled and pulled away from Betty's shoulder. She pulled back, giving him a puzzled look. " What? " She finally asked.
" You're a good person Betty, " Robert gave her a terse smile. He started to feel a little better after letting it all out. He also felt like he could get some rest. " I feel much better now. "
Betty blushed, " Thank you. "
" No. Thank you, " Robert said as he leaned closer again. Betty took a sharp breath as he kissed her lightly on the cheek. He pulled away, " That's for being here for me. "
" Oh, " Betty said as her heart pounded in her head. She nearly passed out when Robert's lips touched her skin. She wasn't used to being held or getting kissed so she didn't know how to react.
" You okay? " Robert brushed her bangs out of her face. Her reaction made him curious. It was like she didn't get touched often, reacting like an inexperienced girl instead of a woman.
Betty nodded, " Yeah. You just surprised me. That's all. "
" Oh, " Robert slowly took his hands off of Betty and yawned. " Damn. I need some sleep. All that crying really took it out of me. "
Betty smiled then stifled a yawn of her own, " Sleep sounds pretty good. "
" I can walk you up to your room if you'd like, " Robert offered. He wanted to spend just few more minutes with her.
" You don't have to, " Betty put her hand up. She felt like she needed to get away from Robert before anything else happened. She was confused and needed to be alone to sort it all out. " I can make it on my own. "
Robert smiled, " Okay. "
Betty took a couple of steps back and headed for the stairs. Robert watched her go up them before heading back to the couch. He lay down, still able to smell Betty's scent on his skin. He sighed as he thought about how she felt in his arms.
She had been warm and soft, her embrace comforting him but also making him want more. He wanted to hold her for much longer but he didn't want to scare her. The way she reacted at the slightest touch still puzzled him, wondering just exactly why she acted that way. He decided it was because she was just shy.
He sighed, pulling the blanket back over himself and shutting his eyes. The crying really had drained him and he fell asleep almost instantly.
(c)2007 Bekka Mouri-Hibiki
Betty stared at the ceiling; unable to sleep though it was four fifteen in the morning. She tried to convince herself to make the best of it but she was still nervous. She was also uncomfortable because her borrowed clothes were twisting around her each time she moved. She may have been big but Branslav was just enough bigger that his clothes were too large for her.
She sighed, deciding to go get a drink of water. She was feeling hot and thirsty, figuring it was the alcohol that had made her that way. She slipped out of bed and went to the door. She opened it a crack in case it squeaked then opened it enough where she could slip out into the hallway.
She carefully descended the back stairs, trying not to make any noise for fear she would wake Branslav. She didn't want to disturb his rest since he had to play that night. She was also careful as not to bother Robert. She had picked up on the fact something was wrong by the way he was behaving but she couldn't bring herself to ask what.
She hadn't got around to asking about his injured hands. Though they were together most of the night, Branslav had also been there. He had stayed extremely close to them the entire night, making it hard for Betty to ask Robert anything about how he was. Talking was completely out of the question at the club since the music was so loud and they were all too busy dancing.
She felt bad that Robert had paid so much attention to her when she was supposed to be on a date with Branslav but she had paid just as much attention to him. She was starting to feel a little ashamed that she had been so rude towards Branslav. She was also starting to regret the way she had behaved. She hoped she hadn't given Robert the wrong impression by letting him dance with her like he had.
She sensed Robert needed someone and didn't want to snub him when he seemed so hurt the last time she saw him. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt him again especially since he seemed so happy to see her. Though she barely knew him, she felt herself starting to care for him. She couldn't bear to see anyone in pain, stranger or friend.
She got to the dim kitchen, the moonlight pouring in from the skylight providing the only illumination. She went to a cabinet, looking for a glass to drink from.
**
Robert had found it difficult to sleep. He was hot and uncomfortable, so much so he had throw the blanket Branslav had given him in the floor. ~I shouldn't have drank so damn much, ~ He scolded himself. He knew the alcohol was to blame for his predicament.
Another thing that left him restless was sobering mind going over and over everything that was bothering him. The alcohol had done well at keeping his mind off of Pauline's betrayal but his mind returned to it as the booze's effects started to wear off. Robert was also worried about Alex and how the child would be affected when he found out that Robert was leaving. He was the only father Alex had ever known and he was pretty certain the child would be devastated.
Robert credited the child with saving his life. He had been quite the hell raiser in college, partying and doing more freelance anatomy studies than his course work. He did just enough work to keep his grades up so he wouldn't lose his spot of the team. Though his perfect grades got him out of high school a year early and earned him the full scholarship, he turned out to be a mediocre college student.
He was frustrated by that. He had always been the smartest kid in class until he went to college. When he decided he couldn't do anything to please his professors, he just let go. He did the minimum amount of work and the maximum amount of partying he could handle, which he got away with for almost three years.
It was then it all threatened to come crashing down on him. The near-genius seventeen year old that he had been had been replaced by skirt-chasing drunken twenty year old that could barely show up to a game without being hungover. He was on final warning about his grades and behavior. He had resigned himself to the inevitability of expulsion when Pauline showed up at his dorm room, claiming she was pregnant with his child.
It had been a real wake up call for him, making him change his ways almost overnight. He cut way back on his partying, brought his grades up to straight A's and began to play harder. His game improved greatly, playing at a near professional standard. At one of his last games of his senior year, he had been approached by a scout for a prep league team based in Reno, Nevada.
The team was only a year old but they offered him a nice package if he played for them. Being in desperate need for money to support Pauline and Alex, he accepted. The day after graduation, he packed up everything he owned and headed for Reno. Pauline hadn't been happy to leave Colorado but she got over it once Robert got his first paycheck.
Though the salary for being a prep-league player looked like pocket change compared to a big league player's salary, it was enough to keep money problems at bay. In fact, it was enough to get them into a nice but tiny house instead of a cracker box apartment. They were actually making it for once and Robert felt like his worries were few and far between. He was happy for the first time in forever and thought the only way he had left to go was up.
It wasn't long after that Robert met Branslav. He had been playing for a local team in Slovenia when another scout for the Supernovas talked him to signing with the team. Robert could see the gangly nineteen year old was scared shitless about being a stranger in a stranger land and befriended him. It was soon after that they found they could play on pretty much the same level, becoming an almost unstoppable duo for the two years they played together.
During that time, Pauline had developed more expensive tastes and demanded Robert ask for trade to another team that would pay him more. He was still madly in love with her at that point so he bent to her will. When Martin Richardson found out Robert wanted to change teams, he made his life a living hell. Robert ended up taking a deal from the Turquoise just so he could get out of Martin's control.
The deal paid him enough to satisfy Pauline so he didn't feel it was so bad. The only thing he regretted about leaving the Supernovas was abandoning Branslav. He made up for it though, spending as much time with his friend as he could. His visits had tapered considerably though when Alex starting having problems with his health.
His sobering mind jumped to Alex, about how nothing about the child looked like him. He wondered how he could have been so stupid to believe Pauline's line about how all the first children in her family look like their mother. He had been young and naive enough to believe it when he was twenty but now he was starting to see the light. He then thought about the other things she could have lied to him about.
His mind skipped again to the suspicious car that had been there the night he left. He knew better than to call Pauline about it. She would probably just yell at him and hang up the phone if she answered at all when she saw it was him calling. The strange car had frightened him a little but had faith the police checked it out.
A noise from the kitchen caught his attention and he rose up enough to see what the disturbance was. He caught his breath when he saw it was Betty going through the kitchen cabinets. He put his head down a bit so she wouldn't see him as he watched her over the back of the couch. He could see in the moonlight that she was looking for something.
As he watched her, he noted how the moonlight made her look unearthly. Her creamy white skin seemed to glow in the effulgence, making her look like some kind of moon goddess, bathed in shadow and light. Even her lustrous black hair looked magical in the milky white light. He continued to watch her as she found the object of her quest.
She nimbly plucked the cup out of the cupboard she had found it in and walked to the fridge. Her steps were light and silent, almost like she was gliding across the floor. Robert licked his dry lips, his heart pounding in his ears as Betty filled her cup with water from the door. The way she was standing gave Robert a perfect side view of her body.
The way Branslav's shirt clung to her he could imagine what she looked like naked. As he took in her form, he realized she wasn't wearing a bra under the shirt. He could detect the delicate peaks that were making the fabric stick out just enough to make their presence known. Before he could stop himself, he started to think about her in a way he hadn't thought of anyone in a long time.
His fingers flexed involuntarily against the leather of the couch as he wondered what it would be like to fondle her ample chest, to have those peaks harden against his palms. He fathomed how it would be to have her yielding to his touch as he massaged those fleshy orbs as he plundered her full beautiful lips. He grabbed the couch harder, the mental images becoming almost too much to handle as a surge of lust ran through his body. He stifled a gasp, hoping Betty wouldn't hear him.
She put the cup to her lips and started to drink, brushing her hair over her shoulder as she did so. He watched as she drank, the pale column of her throat looking soft and inviting. He imagined what it would feel like to brush his lips along the skin there, to kiss it and nibble at it. He thought about how she would react when he found that sensitive place behind her ear that most women seemed to have.
He let his eyes stray further, following the curve of her rear as it turned into the long line of her shapely legs. He desperately wanted to look away because the longer he stared at her the more he wanted her and the harder it was to fight off arousal. He had never liked tall girls before but those girls hadn't been as beautiful as Betty. Something else was drawing him to her besides her stunning looks and he decided it had to be her sweet nature.
She filled her cup again, glancing towards the living room as she did. She let out a surprised gasp when she saw Robert watching her, the cup slipping from her hand and hitting the floor. She let out another gasp when the cold water hit her bare feet. She looked around frantically and grabbed a dishtowel to clean up the mess she made.
Robert got up from the couch, walking slowly towards her as she knelt down on the floor. She looked up as he approached so he decided to speak. " I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I heard a noise... "
Betty immediately set her gaze to the floor when she saw Robert was wearing nothing but his boxer shorts. She continued to wipe up the water, finding the dishtowel wasn't nearly absorbent enough to get all the water. " It's okay, " She said as Robert came to her side, making her even more nervous. " Could you wring this out please? "
Robert took the dishtowel when Betty held it up to him. He walked over to the sink and wrung the towel out. He brought it back, " Here. "
Betty reached up and took it, still not looking at him. Her hand trembled a bit but she tried to stop it. " I'm really sorry if I woke you up, " She said as she finished wiping the water up. “ I didn't mean to, “ She apologized.
" I wasn't sleeping. It's okay, " Robert knelt down next to her. Betty took a sharp breath when Robert reached over and took her chin in his hand. She let him pull her head up so she was looking at him in the eyes.
" Oh, " Her voice trembled a bit as she spoke. The way he was looking at her made her take a sharp breath. There was something in his gaze that mesmerized her, making her freeze where she was.
Robert moved his hand to her throat and could feel her heart pounding under his fingertips. He savored the feel of her soft skin under his fingers, finding it much softer than he even imagined. He rubbed it a little as he said, " I gave you quite a scare didn't I? "
" I wasn't expecting you to be awake, " Betty replied. His touch making her skin tingle as he stroked it. " I just wanted a drink of water. "
Robert let his hand fall away from her throat. " I saw that. Did the booze make you thirsty? "
Betty nodded then looked around, " I dropped the cup. Where did it go? "
Robert picked up the cup where it had landed just a little bit behind her. " Good thing this one was plastic huh? "
Betty looked a little confused then realized what he was getting at. " Uh yeah, " Betty chuckled nervously. " That would have been a real mess. "
Robert rose to his feet then put his hand out to Betty. " Let me help you up. "
" But your hand, " Betty said. " I don't want to... "
Robert offered her his hand again, " You won't hurt me. Let me help you up. "
Betty took his hand and looked down at the floor again. She was careful not to put too much pressure lest she re-open his wounds with her grip. She didn't know where the wounds were and she didn't want to hurt him. She let him help her rise to her feet then let go of his hand as she took a few steps back.
" Thank you, " She said as she still looked at the floor.
" No problem, " He said. He smiled at how shy Betty was acting. He found it very cute. He sighed, " Look at me Betty. "
Betty looked up to look him in the face but ended up staring at his body instead, something she had desperately tried to avoid doing. She had never imagined that Robert could have looked so good under his semi-baggy clothes. She had been expecting a skinny guy under the loose fitting attire he usually wore but was coming to the realization that she was wrong. What faced her now could only be described as pure perfection.
Robert was very muscular; the light danced across the ridges and valleys of his physique. His arms, chest and legs looked as though they had been sculpted from stone, each line expertly crafted. His chest was covered with thick dark blonde hair that became denser along his mid-line and traveled downward; dividing his six pack in half. She looked away when she realized his boxers were riding quite low and exposing the start of his pubic hair.
Robert furrowed his brow. " Are you okay? " He asked with a bit of a kidding tone. He knew she had been checking him out but wanted to see what she'd say.
Betty blushed and looked away, " No. I mean yes... I mean no. I didn't mean to stare at you like that. "
Robert took her hands in his. He gave her a little smile, " It's okay. You can look. I don't mind. "
" No. It's not okay, " Betty still wouldn't look at him as she shook her head. " I shouldn't stare at you like that. You're married. "
Robert frowned and looked away. He was tired of hearing her stock excuse. He decided he'd let her know the truth, " I'm not going to be married for much longer. "
" What? " Betty sounded surprised. She looked at him and turned her hands so she could hold his. " What was that? "
" I said I'm not going to be married for much longer, " Robert let go of Betty's hands and walked over to the counter. He put his hands on it and leaned forward, " I didn't want to talk to you about this in front of Branslav. I didn't want him thinking I was hogging your attention. "
" Oh, " Betty whispered. She clasped her hands in front of her for lack of something to do with them " I knew something was bothering you but I was too scared to ask. I really didn't have much of a chance to either. "
" It's okay, " Robert shook his head. " I ruined your date enough just by being there when it was supposed to be you and Branslav. I would have totally wrecked it if I had cried on your shoulder all night. "
" You didn't ruin it, " Betty walked over. She looked at Robert's back as she spoke. It too was muscular and perfect but she tried not to stare at it. She had to stay focused on his need for her to listen.
" You don't think so? " Robert asked as he stared at the white tiled counter top. He was pretty sure Branslav felt just the opposite. He could tell just by the way Branslav had acted the whole night until he was too drunk to care about anything.
" No. You needed your friend so I don't think it was ruined, " Betty said. She took a step closer, " Do you want to talk about it? "
“ Don't want to weigh you down with all this shit, “ Robert said. “ You've already been more than gracious by listening to me after the game the other night. We barely know each other and I don't want to impose. “
Betty looked at the floor, “ Isn't it better to get advice from than an neutral third party in a situation like this? “
Robert thought about it then said, “ Yeah I guess so. “
“ Then don't worry about it, “ Betty said. “ You'll feel better if you talk about it. “
" We'll see, " Robert hoped she was right.
" So what happened? " Betty asked quietly. " Did you go home? "
He sighed, " Yeah but Pauline was still pissed. She kicked me out and I've been crashing at Jakob's. "
" Oh, " Betty nodded. " So is that when you decided to divorce her? "
Robert shook his head, " No. I decided that today... I mean yesterday. Yesterday was Thursday right? "
Betty nodded, " Yeah. But why? What made you decide to do it? "
Robert sighed after taking a long moment to decide if he would tell her the real reason why. " It's my boy... "
Betty cocked her head to the side as Robert took a deep breath. " Take your time. "
Robert felt a lump rising in his throat. It still cut him like a knife to think the sweet little boy he had known since birth wasn't his child. He forced the huge lump down, " My boy is supposed to have his tonsils out Tuesday. They were supposed to be taken out two weeks ago but he got sick again so they had to reschedule. "
" Okay, " Betty continued to listen.
" Well they wanted me to donate some blood for him for the original operation date. You know, in case anything went wrong they'd have it for a transfusion, " Robert turned to face Betty.
" That's common these days, " Betty nodded. " They prefer to have blood from a family member. It cuts down on the chances the patient will get something in case some bad blood slipped through the screening process. "
" Yeah I know. The doctor explained all that to me, " Robert nodded. The lump threatened to rise again but he couldn't push it down, tears slipping from his eyes as he said the words he didn't want to say, " They told me I wasn't a match. "
" Oh my goodness, " She put her hands on his shoulders. " Maybe you just don't have the same blood type. Maybe that's all it is. "
" No, " Robert sobbed. He took another deep breath to steady his voice. " I had a DNA test done and they called me yesterday to tell me why I wasn't a match. “
“ Uh oh, “ Betty knew where it was going from Robert's body language. She could see he was trying to keep it together but it wasn't working. His lower lip trembled and his shoulders began to shake. “ You don't have to say it if you don't want to. I think I...“
“ The test results said I'm not his real father, " Robert choked out as his last shred of control vanished. He clenched his fists at his side and wanted to hit something. He had felt the same way when he had trashed the hotel room but he couldn't see anything he could get away with breaking since it was Branslav's house.
Betty moved forward swiftly, putting her arms around him since it was the only thing she could think of doing. She held him as he started to really bawl, something about her embrace probably telling him it was okay to let go. She put her left hand on the back of his head when he leaned onto her shoulder. She stroked his hair as she whispered, " I'm so sorry. "
" That bitch has been leading me on for the last five years, making me think that boy was mine and he's not, " Robert sobbed over Betty's shoulder. " Do you know what that means? "
Betty nodded. " You're going to lose him when you divorce your wife? "
" Yes, " Robert cried. " That child is my whole life and it was all a lie! "
Betty tried to think of something to say to comfort him, to make him feel better but she couldn't. " I don't know what to tell you, " She continued to stroke the back of Robert's head.
" I know you don't, " Robert unclenched his fists and put his arms around Betty. He held her closer, " You don't have to tell me anything. Just hold me and let me cry. "
Betty tightened her arms around Robert, " Let it out. I'll hold you for as long as you need me to. "
Robert cried for several minutes as Betty stroked his back and hair. He held her, taking comfort in her compassion. She barely knew him but she offered her comfort so readily. He wondered if she were attracted to him or if she was just that nice of a person. He could feel her pulse racing against his cheek and her breathing was rapid, making him wonder all the more.
She smelled beautiful and felt wonderful in his arms. Her breasts were pressed against his chest and he could sense she was either aroused or cold. The kitchen was a little chilly so he tried to convince himself it was the latter. She was offering him her comfort out of the kindness of her heart and he didn't want to cheapen it by letting his brain go to his balls.
Betty felt a little uncomfortable holding Robert for so long but he needed her. His world seemed to be falling in on him and he needed something solid to hang onto. To push him away would only wound him more and that was the last thing she wanted to do. He was already hurting and he didn't need to be hurt any more.
She tried not to let any signs of her agitation show. Having him so close was making her heart race and had made her mouth go dry. She could detect hints of his cologne, the scent of it making her want to melt on the spot. She tried to fight the feelings though for she could not allow herself to be attracted to a married man, even if he was on the verge of divorce.
Robert sensed she was getting uneasy after a while so sniffled and pulled away from Betty's shoulder. She pulled back, giving him a puzzled look. " What? " She finally asked.
" You're a good person Betty, " Robert gave her a terse smile. He started to feel a little better after letting it all out. He also felt like he could get some rest. " I feel much better now. "
Betty blushed, " Thank you. "
" No. Thank you, " Robert said as he leaned closer again. Betty took a sharp breath as he kissed her lightly on the cheek. He pulled away, " That's for being here for me. "
" Oh, " Betty said as her heart pounded in her head. She nearly passed out when Robert's lips touched her skin. She wasn't used to being held or getting kissed so she didn't know how to react.
" You okay? " Robert brushed her bangs out of her face. Her reaction made him curious. It was like she didn't get touched often, reacting like an inexperienced girl instead of a woman.
Betty nodded, " Yeah. You just surprised me. That's all. "
" Oh, " Robert slowly took his hands off of Betty and yawned. " Damn. I need some sleep. All that crying really took it out of me. "
Betty smiled then stifled a yawn of her own, " Sleep sounds pretty good. "
" I can walk you up to your room if you'd like, " Robert offered. He wanted to spend just few more minutes with her.
" You don't have to, " Betty put her hand up. She felt like she needed to get away from Robert before anything else happened. She was confused and needed to be alone to sort it all out. " I can make it on my own. "
Robert smiled, " Okay. "
Betty took a couple of steps back and headed for the stairs. Robert watched her go up them before heading back to the couch. He lay down, still able to smell Betty's scent on his skin. He sighed as he thought about how she felt in his arms.
She had been warm and soft, her embrace comforting him but also making him want more. He wanted to hold her for much longer but he didn't want to scare her. The way she reacted at the slightest touch still puzzled him, wondering just exactly why she acted that way. He decided it was because she was just shy.
He sighed, pulling the blanket back over himself and shutting his eyes. The crying really had drained him and he fell asleep almost instantly.