To Love a Man (36 page)

“I never said that and don't put words in my mouth.”

“I'm just saying it's about time you dumped the girl with the lumps for the girl in the pumps. Kim has that sexy J-lo vibe going on and the booty to match. You a smart dude.”

Ramón lunged for Rick as Aj tried to pull him back. The rest of the team came up and surrounded them as Ramón pushed Aj off of him and walked out the door. Aj walked after him.

“Ramón come on you can’t let him get you upset. This is the dude who cried when the spice girls broke up.”

“Desiree left because of that stupid story.”

“Dude it's what she does she may have just went to blow steam.”

Ramón stopped and turned towards his best friend.
“Aj she packed all her clothes and left. She left me and I can’t do this without her. I love her. I need to make this right.”

“If she left then you she’s the one who loss.”

Ramón walked over to the bench in front of the gym and felt tears come to his eyes. “I lied to her. I told her I hadn’t seen or talked to Kim since before the accident.”

“Why would you do something stupid like that?”

“Because I am an idiot. Aj I don't care if no one approves on my choice to have made her my wife. But I love her and I don't know how I can get through the rest of the season without her. I only lied because I knew she would be upset if she knew Kim was still trying to hang around.”

“What if I talk to her?”

“Like you did before no thank you she still thinks you think of her as a gold digger.”

“But I don't.”

“Dude you piss a woman off and even if you were joking it will still come back to bite you in the butt.”

“It’s going to be alright. Look at what you can do for her if not at anything else. What woman would give up a man worth as much as you? But then again you didn't sign a prenup so she will be just as rich as you.”

“She doesn’t want my money she has made that clear.”

“Look we need you out there
with your head on your shoulders so we will fix this ok?”

“Yeah good luck. She is as stubborn as a mule.”

Ramón walked away.

***

Desiree sat on her loveseat tears streaming down her face. She wanted to stop the tears but she couldn’t. She couldn’t stop the constant rip in her heart with every beat. Desiree was so thankful to Nikki for staying with her for the week. Nikki walked into the room.”

“Desi.”

“What?” she moaned.

“Rachael is here.”

“I don't want to see anyone.”

“Well she wants to see you.”

Rachael walked in and Nikki walked out. Rachael sat next to Desiree and held her.

“I am so sorry this happened.”

“Me too?”

“I never wanted you to get hurt in anything.”

Desiree hugged Rachel letting the tears fall. “I don’t know why I thought this could work.”

“What happened? I know he loves you so much.”

“You haven’t heard the news story? You are about to be a grandmother again.”

“I heard. You don't think it's true do you?”

“I don't want to believe it but he has been lying to me about him and Kim and I just don't want to be in a marriage like that. I let my guard down I trusted him and now after all this I have to tell Zack that his new life is in jeopardy.”

“I think you both just need some time. Time to get things in order. You need time to learn to trust him again and he needs to clear up this whole Kim situation.”

“If he did sleep with her and got her pregnant then I don't want him back. I don't need that drama.”

“Do you love my son?”

“I do.”

“So trust him. I promise you the truth will come out and when it does I know you guys can work this out.”

“I want to believe that I do but I have been burned so many times that I think it's just better if I stay away.”

“You can’t mean that.”

Desiree stood up.

“But I do.”

She walked around the room.

“I have been thinking about this all day and I think it's best if we just stay apart.”

“I thought you said you didn't plan on divorcing him.”

“And I didn't. He is the one keeping things from me. I gave him my heart and my son and in his words what goes on between him and his daughter is on him not us. So why would I want to be with a man who won’t even share his life with me.”

“You’re right you are, but marriage is new for him. He doesn’t understand what's yours is his and his is yours.”

Rachael grabbed her hands.

“All I want is for you both to work this out. He has been so miserable.”

“Doesn’t seem that way. He is playing better than ever these last few weeks. I think I was the problem. He seems to be more focused and more determined.”

“Of course he is determined. He thinks if he plays hard it will fill the void he has in his heart. He misses you so much and he wishes that you would just come home.”

“Thank you for bringing the kids.”
Desiree walked out the room and Rachael followed her.

“So are you staying or leaving?
Because as much as I want you to work this out not only for yourselves but for the kids if you don’t feel you can be with him then I will understand.”

“I don't know yet. But what I do know is I will be alright. I just gotta keep the faith.”

“I know you guys can work this out.”

“It’s not just up to me to work it out.”

“I know so will you talk to him please.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean just what I said he wants to talk to you.”

“I don't know.”

“Please for me can you just talk to him? He’s at home.”

“I don't think so.”

“Please. I think it would do you both good to talk.”

“The kids just got here.”

“Nikki already agreed to help me with the kids until you get back. So I suggest you go get dressed and head to the house please. Don't make me beg.”

Desiree stared at Rachael for a moment then shrugged.

“Fine.” She huffed.

Desi
ree got up and walked into the bath room. She stared at herself in the mirror. She didn't like what she saw. The tears fell and she had to fix herself. She didn't want Ramón to see her like that. She washed her face and took a breath she needed to stay strong no matter the situation.

As she arrived to the house she once called home she heard thunder clap and it startled her. She walked to the door and knocked. She put on a brave face knowing that she was only there to talk but once Ramón opened the door all her anger went out the door and was replaced by a new emotion. Hot passionate lust.

Ramón opened the door wearing his basketball shorts and sweat. His body glistening from the moon light. She stepped back and bit her lip. He was so sexy with a look in his eyes that had so much determination she just wanted him. Ramón wanted to smile when he saw Desiree but he didn't know if seeing her was a good thing or a bad thing.

She was so beautiful even in the Mickey Mouse shirt and Bermuda shorts. Her hair was in a ponytail and all he wanted was to pull her to him. They stood in silence for a moment and Desiree
moved further back. She frowned glancing up to his shocked face, as the evening sun went down he seemed even more handsome. She felt powerless at the outburst of affection she felt for this man.

“This was a mistake.”

She turned to walk away and was overtaken by a down pour of rain. She fumbled for her keys but dropped them. As she bent down to pick them up Ramón ran over to her and pulled her into the house. She held onto him and felt heat rise within her as he put her down.
Her heart beating fast, she lifted her face to his standing on her toes and met his lips with hers.

Desire consumed her as he tasted the sweet lips of his runaway bride.
He lifted her to him and at that moment she knew no one could ever make her feel as he had.

She moaned as his hands caressed her body and pulled at her damp clothes. As he slid his tongue into her moist mouth she felt
her center throb and her body quiver. He lifted her to him and carried her to the bedroom going from her lips to her neck hitting the spot just below her ear that sent flames up her body. Removing her shirt he laid her on the bed. Ramón kissed her stomach and she shuttered with pleasure.

“Baby I have missed you.”
He said pulling his shirt over his head and tugging at her shorts. Ramón kissed a trail up from her stomach to her lips. In one solid moved his pants were gone and Desiree knew she needed him. The passion being too much to bare she opened her legs as he pushed himself inside her. She wrapped her legs around his back as he moved deeper inside her.

She couldn’t contain
cries. She felt so overwhelmed with emotion that by the time she was ready to reach her climax she had tears spilling from her eyes. As she erupted Ramón finally released his own pleasures and his arched back slumped over her. As they lay panting and catching their breaths Ramón leaned over to her and smiled.

“Hi.”

Desiree sat up and frowned immediately knowing she made a huge mistake.

“
This is not what I had in mind when I came over here.”

“I know but seeing you just brought back all the reasons I love you and all the reason I want us to be together we fit so well together baby.”

Desiree sat up got out of the bed as she started to look for her clothes.

“Desi what’s going on?”

“This is not right.”

“When it comes to us it is right.”

“Ramón nothing has been settled we are both just here going off the passion we feel for each other.”

“Why is that so bad? We are very passionate.”

She began to get dressed “Passion has never been the problem for us it's the lies and secrets that did us in.”

“Please I don't want to lose you.”

“Then why the lies? Why did I have to find out that you were still talking to Kim from the kids who saw it on TV?”

“I admit I handled things poorly.”

She walked out of the bedroom in search for the flip-flops she lost. Ramón grabbed his shorts and followed her. She waved her hands at him. “Poorly? You didn't handle them at all.”

“Desi Please.”

“I love you I really do, so very much but I don't want to be like this. You have been doing so great you have two and a half months until the finals keep your head on straight look for the open man and get the one thing you have always wanted.”

“I want you.”

“I should go.”

“Please don't go.”

“Thanks for letting me keep Maddie while you’re on the road. Good luck on your upcoming games.”

Desiree grabbed her keys and walked out the door into the pouring rain. She got into her car and felt the tears come to her eyes. She loved Ramón so very much but she knew it wasn’t meant to be. She had to let him go.

***

Four
weeks later

Desiree sat in the doctor’s office.

“Sorry about the missed appointment I haven’t been feeling well.”

“I understand is it under control now?”

“Yeah I think it was just a cold or something.”
She said placing her hair behind her ear.

Doctor Shaw smiled at her.
“Well you know the drill we just need to take some blood do a pregnancy test and we can put that IUD right back in.”

“Oh good ok.”

“So the nurse will be in for you and in a minute.”

As Doctor Shaw walked out the door and Desiree took a deep breath. Twenty minutes later Doctor Shaw returned holding a file in her hand.

“Ok Mrs. Norris so I went over your blood test and the pregnancy test and we should talk.”

She looked up to h
er and frowned. “We should talk? What does that mean?”

“We are unable to replace your IUD.”

“Why not?”

“You’re pregnant.”

“I'm what now?” she stood gripping the gown and shaking her head. Dr. Shaw smiled at her.

“You are pregnant.

“That’s not possible.”

“Oh but it is.”

“No it's not you took it out a month ago I haven’t done anything but look for a job in that time there is no way…”

Her voice trailed off as she remembered her visit with Ramón.
This was just what she needed, to be pregnant with his child. She felt tears come to her eyes and she suddenly felt overjoyed. She hated all these emotions. Dr. Shaw cleared her throat.

“Now we are gonna need to run some tests and do a sonogram make sure everything is in order.”

Desiree ran her left hand over her hair and sighed deeply. This was not a part of her life plan and how was she gonna tell Ramón. How was she gonna handle any of this. She looked down at her stomach and decided that she would keep it to herself for now.