“No need to complain about being sore. To quote my boyfriend, ‘You can always tell me what you want’,” she smiled in return.
He pulled her down and kissed her lovingly for a very long time. He rested her on her side and held her face gently with his hand. The sweetness of the moment left Erin with the sensation of flying. His lips and tongue moved with hers for what seemed like forever.
The hint of stress from their conversation the night before was completely gone. Their arms wrapped around each other when the kiss finally broke. He held her against his chest and kissed her curly hair.
“I think my muscles could use a hot shower. Join me?”
“Of course,” she smiled.
When the two of them came downstairs nearly an hour later, they brewed coffee and Erin fixed scrambled eggs and toast. Marcus filled her in on the little bit of research he had gotten done on his self-defense class plan.
“I even went to a session across town on Thursday before I went to the gym. The instructor gave me some pointers and told me about organizing the class. He gave me the name of a book to check out and a few other things,” he said.
“That’s great. You can do a lot of good with that,” she said.
Marcus noticed, however, that she worked too hard on her smile. He walked over to her at the stove and wrapped his arms around her from behind.
“What is it, Erin?”
“Nothing, I guess. It’s just that when I think about the need for a self-defense class it reminds me of everything,” she said quietly.
“As wrong as it is, there
is
a need. You can’t bury your head in the sand,” he said as he rubbed her arms. “All that strength you feel now will have a little physical back-up as soon as you learn some of this. Focus on the good side. Look forward. Can I try to teach you one thing after breakfast? You could be my guinea pig.”
She looked up at him over her shoulder. He saw a sad look in her eye. Causing her to dwell on her fears was not his intention, but he knew once she got going on the self-defense, she’d only feel stronger. He wanted that for her so much.
“I guess so,” she said with her sad smile. Then she squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. “Yeah. I can do that. Let me clean up first.”
He loved to see her tapping back into that place of confidence. There was his butterfly again. “Do you care if I move your coffee table out of the way?”
“No, go ahead,” she said, still willing herself to be open to the mini-class she was about to attend in her living room. She loaded the breakfast plates and juice glasses into the dishwasher and then joined Marcus in the center of her living room.
“Ok, the first thing I’m going to do for the class is talk about soft targets. From what I know so far, it’s the most basic part of self defense and some of the easiest. You ready to gouge some eyeballs?”
“Seriously?”
“Well, please don’t
actually
gouge my eyeballs, but I’m going to show you one way to do it.”
“Ok,” she said hesitantly.
“Come on, Erin. Own it. Confident women take what they want, remember?”
She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders again at his encouragement. “Ok. I’m ready. What do I do.”
“If an attacker has your throat or is coming at you from the front, one of the things you can do is gouge with your thumbs. Like this,” he said. Marcus gently laid his fingertips along her temples and rested the pads of his thumbs over her eyelids. “All you have to do is push. No matter how much muscle a guy has, his eyelids are never getting any stronger. Soft target. Get it?”
“Yep. Ok. Thumbs in the eyeballs.”
“Now put your hands on my face just like I showed you.”
Erin complied and pressed gently with her thumbs. “That’s not too bad,” she said.
“Do you want to move on? You could try while my hands came at you. I’ll go slowly,” Marcus offered. He wanted to show her more, but that would involve him playing the role of attacker with his hands at her throat. He wasn’t sure she’d be up for that, no matter how softly his hands rested on her neck or how much she trusted him.
“I think I’ll wait for the real class if you don’t mind,” she said softly. Even more quietly she continued, “I don’t think I’m really scared right now, but I don’t want to get that way. It hasn’t been that long since Aaron cornered me. I still feel a little jumpy.”
“Ok. I get it. But do you see how simple some of this is going to be?” Erin nodded and Marcus pulled her in for a loving hug. “You’re going to do great. The class is still going to be a few months away by the time I get everything set. You’ve got time to get yourself ready.”
“Thanks,” she said in her quiet voice against his broad chest.
He rubbed her back and pulled her onto the couch to cradle her like he had so many times before. They rested together for a short while before Marcus had to leave.
“I promised George I’d help unload the delivery today before I go the gym. The truck will be there in a little bit,” Marcus said while he pulled the coffee table back in place. “I probably won’t see you this week until my fight on Saturday. I’ll miss you, baby.”
“I’ll miss you, too,” she said lovingly. Their snuggle time on the couch had obviously erased her negative thoughts brought up by the self-defense lesson. She sounded like herself again. “Good luck at the gym this week. I’ll see you at the fight.”
“I got a seat for Cassie, too, so you won’t have to worry about not knowing anyone. She said she’d call about arranging rides.”
“Thank you. I love you,” she said as she walked him to her door. “See you Saturday. Tell George I said hi.”
Erin went across the street to
Wings Joint
on Monday for her annual performance review. Her immediate superior, Scott Merchant, led her to a table in the middle of the pub and held her chair for her. She almost laughed because she knew he wasn’t necessarily a gentleman, but he knew how to play the role very well.
Erin had always been immune to his blue eyes and dimple, which is probably why they got along so well as coworkers. When they met on her first day at the firm, she was too far in her shell to be impressed. Now that she had Marcus and understood what true character was, Scott’s antics only served to amuse her. She didn’t have to be impressed and therefore had an easy working relationship with him.
“Let’s eat before we get to the review,” Scott offered. “I want to hear more about your boyfriend. Marcus, was it?”
“Yep. Marcus Walker.”
“How long have you two been together?”
“Well sort of since May and sort of since August,” Erin smiled.
Scott laughed and Erin explained about the notebook and all the months of getting to know each other before actually meeting.
“That is quite possibly the best couple-story ever,” he said with his dimpled grin.
“You don’t have to suck up, Scott,” she laughed.
“Ok, maybe not the best, but it’s a good one,” he conceded, still with his kind-but-flashy smile.
Erin enjoyed the chance to talk about Marcus. Her only girl-friend at this point was Cassie, and she already knew the whole story. Scott played the role of good listener and let Erin talk about their relationship throughout lunch.
“Yep, I’m going this Saturday to watch him fight. It’ll be my first MMA experience,” Erin said after telling the rest of her story. “So what about you? Anyone special in your life?”
“Ha! And keep all this away from the rest of the female population? That would just be wrong,” he grinned. He still sounded like a college boy sometimes, but he could work the boyish charm well enough to get away with it.
Erin rolled her eyes at him as the waitress came to clear their plates. “So I suppose we should get to the review part,” she said. “How’d I do this year?”
Scott morphed into professional businessman, pulled some forms out of his messenger bag, and started going over point by point all Erin’s goals from the past year. They sat for about a half hour more through the paperwork and then discussed upcoming career objectives and promotion schedules.
“It looks good for you in January,” Scott said. “The partners have taken notice of you, especially now that you’re out of your shell. With current growth, there’s room for another tax manager. You’re in good position to get it. If not January, then almost definitely September with the new hiring class.”
“Really? That’s great,” Erin smiled. “Thanks, Scott.”
“Hey, thank yourself. You wouldn’t be up for the promotion if you didn’t earn it.”
“I was worried that after the mess with Aaron Mercer and Marcus going off on him that I might not look so good around the office.”
“I think everyone understood and took the situation for what it was. Aaron had the problem, not you. You’re not a drama queen and the partners know that. Don’t think a thing of it.”
“Thank goodness. Are you heading back to work?”
“Yeah. You’re not?”
“I am, I just have to make a quick stop first,” she said with a grin. “Our notebook is out of space. I need a new one.”
Erin smiled when she got to her desk and reached for the new book. This time she picked an ice-blue journal with an iridescent geometric pattern on it. The cover was subtle, but a little more bold than the purple one. Her grin couldn’t be contained. She grabbed her favorite pen and started to write. The compilations on her desk could wait a few more minutes.
M~
Had my performance review today. I might get a promotion in January! Partners like my new confident self. You should get my promotion right along with me.
How are your muscles and your new trainee?
~E
E~
I like the new book. What are you doing with the purple one?
Congrats on the good review. I have no doubt you shine there just like you do everywhere else, you adorable badass butterfly.
Muscles might just fall off my body. Thank goodness for the few days I get to recover before my fight. I need them and it will give me a chance to work some more on the self-defense stuff.
As for Luke, his ego still needs taken down a peg or two. Tomorrow he’s on clean-the-locker-room duty. Can’t wait to fight him over that one. I have no doubt he’ll go off about it. Should be fun to see if he’s learned anything yet.
btw, how was shopping on Saturday with my sister and her friend? You never told me about it this weekend.
~M
M~
I’m keeping the purple one forever. That beautiful book changed my life. I plan on reading the entire thing tonight after work, just so I can fall in love with you all over again.
Oh, and I talked to my parents last night. They said hi.
Shopping on Saturday was a blast. Cassie was her typical awesome self. I can’t believe some of the outfits she puts together. She’s got a style all her own, that’s for sure. I love that girl. Jenna was great, too. She’s fun like your sister but not as blatantly obnoxious about it. I would describe her as a total sweetheart.
I had such a good time being out with them. They even drove me by the clinic to show me where they work. They really made me feel like a part of their friendship. It meant a lot.
~Badass Butterfly
Adorable
Badass Butterfly~
You felt that way because you
are
a part of it. Cassie can’t stop talking about you. She texted me twice about you just today. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she was the one in love with you. Good thing she’s not into girls or I’d have to fight her for you.
As for the notebook, I want to read it again when you’re done. It changed me just as much.
~M
M~
I love you. And don’t worry about your sister — no competition. (And OMG, I can’t believe you said that! I about fell out of my chair.)
~E
p.s. “Adorable Badass Butterfly” is too much to write every time I leave you a note. You’ll have to settle for the traditional “E”)
Saturday afternoon Erin and Cassie were making one more trip into the world of Atlanta thrift shopping before fight night.
“We have to find you something to wear tonight,” Cassie said heading toward the clothing racks of their current shop. “We want you looking hot for my brother. It will get him all worked up and he’ll fight even harder. Don’t you think?”
“Uh, no. Definitely not,” Erin said with her hands up in front of her.
“Why not?! Come on! We’ll find something with sequins or zebra stripes. It’ll be fun!”
“Cassie, whoa, please,” Erin said, getting serious.
Cassie stopped smiling and looked at Erin. “What’s wrong?”
“Look, I’m actually really scared about tonight. I’m wearing these jeans and a brown sweater so I don’t get noticed, ok?”
“Come here, honey,” Cassie said pulling Erin in for a hug. “I get it. Average it is, but you don’t have to be scared. What is it you’re worried about?”
“I still don’t like big groups, and I can only imagine what kind of men will be around. Plus I have
no
idea what to expect. I don’t know what the place looks like, whether or not I’ll even get to see Marcus, or how bad it’s going to be watching someone try to beat him up.”
Erin was almost in tears by the time she finally confessed how nervous she was. “Do you realize how new all of this is for me? I’m not scared like I used to be, but tonight is a huge stretch. I wish I hadn’t agreed to go.”
“Ok, here it is. I promise you’ll do fine,” Cassie said with a warm smile. Her obnoxiousness took a rest while she helped Erin through her nerves. “Marcus would never let you in the place if you could get hurt. As for the people there, you will see about one of everyone at the fight: wanna-be thugs who like to watch guys get a beat-down, all the way to rich people wanting a chance to feel like they’re living dangerously. Plus, you’ll see an obnoxious group of skanky girls trying to throw themselves at your man.”