Chaz watched in amazement how Jimmy peeled veggies and fried the meet and cut in the onions. Jimmy was good in the kitchen and Chaz found it so inspiring. Chaz sat with the pack of frozen peas against her eye. It had already turned a lovely shade of blue and purple in the last 2 hours since the incident.
"You okay there, honey?" Jimmy called to her.
"I’m fine, sweetheart." Chaz dropped the bag onto her lap and stroked Charma’s ear who was lying on the other side of her on the couch.
"I am more emotionally hurt than physically. I can’t believe he had the nerve to insult you guys like that. He could only wish to be as brilliant as you are and not to mention the team. They are pretty amazing too." Chaz complained.
"Oh, he was just a drunken ass that had nothing better to do than pick a fight." Jimmy spoke as he hustled around the kitchen.
"Honestly, I wouldn’t worry about it if I were you. What I would worry about was getting my backside off the couch and opening us a bottle of wine while I finish up the cooking."
"Funny man hey, my backside was very comfortable where it was; thank you very much." Chaz laughed at him as she got up off the couch. She headed to the cabinet and took out a bottle of wine from the stock they kept. She felt like white wine tonight so took the first one on the shelf and moved towards the counter to dig for the opener.
Her mind kept playing back the evenings events as she was opening the bottle and she wasn’t paying attention to what she was doing, which resulted in her getting a fright when the cork came out and knocking the bottle over and messing half the wine on her clothes.
"Well, there’s a reason I chose white and not red tonight." Chaz sighed as Jimmy got to her side.
"Are you okay, pumpkin? I have never felt you so shaken up before." Jimmy was rather concerned about her.
"I’m okay, really, I just wasn’t looking at what I was doing. And I’m tired as hell tonight. Let’s eat then I’ll go jump into bed. I’m sure I’ll feel better in the morning." Chaz touched his cheek as she turned away towards the table.
They ate a quiet dinner. Chaz excused herself as Jimmy started to clear up the table.
She kissed him goodnight and headed towards the bedroom.
Jimmy was worried about her. In all the years they had been together, she had always been the pillar of strength, the one who never got put down and fought to keep her head high. Tonight she was different. Her attitude felt like she had given up the fight for some reason. Maybe she was just tired but Jimmy would reassure her as best he could that the fight was not lost. He and the guys from the team are not a lost cause and that everything she does is worth while.
He climbed into bed next to her and stretched his hand out and gently started feeling for her. He found her hip and moved his hand up towards her arm then her cheek, gently touching her face then running his hands through her hair. She moaned and moved closer to him then snuggled in his arms.
The next two days went by in a blur for Chaz. She ran from one meeting to the next and collapsed in exhaustion at night, but before they knew it Thursday had arrived and it was time for basketball practice. Every one except Chaz was in high spirits and the boys could feel the tension in the air.
"Come on, Leon, block his path so he can’t get to the basket. At the rate you’re playing, they’ll score 5 baskets to your 1. Step it up. Marcus defense please. Chris stop clowning around or I’ll bench you. Now let’s play!" Chaz blew the whistle and the game continued. She was angry at how lazy the team was tonight. They were all fooling around and that so close to the tournament.
An hour later Chaz blew the whistle again and signaled everyone to come in.
They were all drenched in sweat and exhausted from the game.
"We need to stay focused, guys. This weekend will be the most important tournament of the season. I want you all to try your hardest and have the will to win. We want to bring the cup home, don’t we?" Chaz was surprised when the whole team shouted at their loudest.
"Yes, we do!"
"So then, let’s give it our best. Hit the showers and see you all in the pub." They high five'd each other and headed towards the showers. Chaz picked up the balls and headed to the storeroom. She was so deep in thought she hadn’t heard Jimmy come in. He grabbed her from behind in huge bear hug and planted a kiss on her cheek.
"Hey beautiful, didn’t you hear me calling you?" he asked turning her and putting her face in his hands.
"Sorry. I was miles away, love." She smiled and stared at his sightless eyes they always had a calming effect on her and she momentarily forget why she was miles away and what was bugging her.
Kissing him deeply, she wanted more but this wasn’t the place or the time. Jimmy didn’t feel her body to have sex like the typical male would. He explored her body with his hands to know her to imagine what her body looked like, to feel every curve and know every bump on her. It drove Chaz crazy because it made her want him so much more.
"So, what do you say instead of going to the pub for a drink we head home and have a bubble bath?"
"Sounds like fun, sweetheart. I think we should. Let me tell the boys then we get out of here." Chaz smiled, the tension releasing from her head slightly.
She walked out the storeroom with Jimmy holding her elbow and Charma against his side.
"Let me go tell the boys and I’ll be right back." Chaz said. Jimmy let go of her elbow and started heading for the door.
As Chaz approached the changing room, Chris was coming out. "Hey Chris, I’m sorry I yelled so much at you tonight. It’s been a hell of a week. Listen, tell the guys I’m not hitting the bar tonight. Jimmy and I are going to do a bit of R&R at home."
"Judging from your smile, it’s going to be a good R&R. Well, you need it and don’t worry about the yelling. We all know you’re an Ogre and that’s how we love you." Chris laughed.
Chaz swatted his shoulder with a friendly slap. "An ogre? I’ll have you know that I am the most..."
"Hey, hey, hey, it was only a joke country girl." Chris teased her again.
"Yeah, sometimes you say it’s a joke but you mean every word." Chaz answered back at him.
"Me mean every word? Honey, I don’t even mean it when I say ‘last drink’ at the bar. Or even I love you after the previous 20 drinks I had. So don’t take me to heart." He smiled at Chaz, wondering what was eating at her like this.
"Will you let the boys know? Not too much partying tonight. They have the tournament to play this weekend and I need them well relaxed and saved."
"Yes, ma’am! I’ll enforce your order," Chris said as he saluted her.
She laughed out loud and in between the spurts of laughter said her farewells.
She was still giggling to herself when she got to the door where Jimmy was waiting.
"What is so funny?" he asked her smiling.
"Oh, sweety, these guys just know how to punish me when I have been so rude to them." She laughed again the shock her head.
"Oh dear, well shall we go?" she asked him he nodded and then told Charma to lead the way. He wrapped Chaz in the crook of his free arm as they walked the few blocks to their apartment, chatting about how their days were. They enjoyed a beautiful bubble bath. The entire house was dark except for the candle light from the bathroom, just enough light so that Chaz could see. Jimmy started to explore her body. First her fingers from the tips to the hand, then her palm to her wrist, her wrist to her elbow. His fingers found her neck and he moved his head forward so that his lips could find her neck. It was easier to find something when your fingers had already been there, that way you could judge the distance to the object. His mouth found her neck and he started to plant soft kisses there up to her ears lobes, all the time his hand trailing the surface first before his mouth did. She was aroused and turned herself around in the bath tub and started to rub her toes up and down his chest, he caught her foot and started to kiss her toes, Chaz getting extreme pleasure from it. Luckily they were finished washing because Jimmy couldn’t wait any longer. He got out the bath and picked up Chaz, he knew the apartment like the back of his hand but 4 out of 5 times he would still knock something if he misjudged the space. This time it was her foot he knocked on the door post.
"Ouch," she moaned.
"Oh, I’m so sorry miss. Here, let me get that for you," he said as he laid her on the bed and started to rub her foot. He kissed it and caressed it and moved his way up her leg to her thigh and eventually found her sweet hiding place.
He made passionate love to her that night like no night ever before. Chaz was floating on cloud 9.
Neither of them realizing they were being watched…..
To Be Continued…..