Rules For Spanking

 

Lucy

 

Lucy entered the small Mexican bar crackling with excitement. She had been there before, yet she had no idea what to expect.

“ID?” A barrel-chested asked just inside the door.

Lucy’s cheeks reddened as she reached down into her clutch. Following Cristiano’s command, she had worn a jacket and short skirt without a blouse or underwear. The cut of her jacket made that clear. And feeling the bouncer’s eyes bathing the delicate skin of her chest, she retrieved her ID and handed it to him.

Lucy had never been an exhibitionist. She had always been a little heavier than her friends causing her to want to cover up. On top of that, she was the daughter of a billionaire. She had been raised to dress to her position.

That was one of the things that thrilled her so much about Cristiano. He pushed her far past her comfort zone. She felt like a different person when she was with him. And about to meet him inside, she collected her ID, lifted her chin, and continued into the richly colored bar.

Lucy scanned all of the occupied tables and bar stools as she walked through. People were staring at her. She wondered how many of them could tell what she was up to. Could they guess the game that she and Cristiano were playing? Probably not, she decided.

But even saying that, she couldn’t help but feel naked and exposed to everyone in the crowded bar. The sensation thrilled her. And spotting Cristiano seated at the bar next to an open bar stool, Lucy’s heart thumped suddenly confronted by what the night would hold.

“Hi,” Lucy said getting Cristiano’s attention.

Cristiano slowly turned around. His perfectly tanned Spanish complexion was as smooth as melted chocolate. His jet black hair spiked in the front and then spread across his head in waves. Built like a world-class soccer player, Cristiano could only be described as mouthwateringly gorgeous. Just looking into his hazel eyes made the flesh between her legs clench. Feeling his strength emanate off of him, Lucy had to do everything she could to prevent her knees from buckling.

“Sit,” Cristiano said barely offering a smile.

Lucy did as she was told finding a glass of red wine in front of her.

“Tonight you will be drinking Pinot Noir,” he told her firmly.

“Thank you,” she said feeling heat waft from her body.

Before Lucy had even said it, Cristiano had turned away. With his hand clutching the Margarita in front of him he was now ignoring her. She needed his attention. But knowing there was nothing she could do to get it before he was ready to give it, Lucy stewed in her desire and took a sip of her wine.

“Tonight, there are three rules,” Cristiano said breaking the silence.

It was then that Cristiano turned and peered deeply into Lucy’s eyes. The force of his gaze made Lucy melt. Cristiano continued.

“After drinking a third of your wine, you will get the first rule. After another third, you will get the second rule. Once you’ve finished the glass, you will get the final. Do you understand?”

“I think so,” she said feeling her body ignite with pleasure.

“Good.”

Not wanting to seem hurried but desperate to get the first rule, Lucy took another sip of wine. It was then that Cristiano briefly lowered his mask.

“So, how have you been?” He asked shifting her knees between his and resting his hand on the outside of her thigh.

Lucy remembered that she wasn’t wearing underwear. She imagined him working his hand slowly between her legs. How many people around them would see it? Would they think that she was his slut? The thought of it turned her on even more.

She was Lucynthia Hollingsworth after all. She could bring a waiter to tears just by suggesting that her steak was overcooked. Having someone who could make her feel weak and vulnerable was more than just her fantasy, it was something she lived for.

“I’ve been good. I told my father that he could screw himself he thinks I’m going to marry Peter just so he has someone to run the company.”

Cristiano smiled. “I don’t understand you and your family.”

“What you mean?”

“First, no one in my family would have ever talked to our father that way. Second, my father would never have tried to marry my sister off as if she was livestock.”

“My family is fucked up,” Lucy admitted.

“That’s what happens when you have too much money. You start thinking that everyone around you is a tool to help you make more money.”

Lucy didn’t like to admit it, but she knew that Cristiano was right. Her family’s money was a double edged sword. She had always gotten anything she wanted but the price her father made her pay for it was always high. Lucy took a big swig of wine allowing it to sit in her mouth before swallowing it with a chug.

Remembering, she looked down at her glass. Excitement overtook her as she realized that she was a third of the way through. She could now ask for the night’s first rule.

“I think I’m ready,” she said shifting her glass.

Cristiano allowed his eyes to dip towards Lucy’s Pinot Noir. As he stared at it, his eyes became cold. Lucy’s heart thundered watching him transform. Suddenly she became scared that she hadn’t drunk enough. Relief washed over her as Cristiano looked up and gave her the hint of a smile.

Seeing him lean in, Lucy did the same. It was then that Lucy felt Cristiano’s thick fingers push between her closed thighs towards the outskirts of her swollen pussy. She suddenly couldn’t breathe.

“The first rule is that once we cross the door to my apartment, you will address me as Sir. You will say, yes, Sir and no, Sir. Do you understand?”

Lucy swallowed losing herself in the moment. With her mouth dry she forced a reply. “Yes, Sir.”

“Very good,” Cristiano said with a smile.

Leaning back, Lucy felt his thick fingers retreat. They didn’t go far settling with a tight grip on the inside of her knee. Anyone seated on either side of them or walking by could see it. She was both embarrassed and aroused. But knowing that tonight she was his to command, she took a deep breath and lost herself in his sensual touch.

“Have you told your father about me yet?” He asked with a lighter smile.

Hearing the question Lucy was snapped out of her trance. Cristiano had never been so direct before. She had certainly gotten the impression that he didn’t like being her secret, but she had explained the delicate politics of her household.

Cristiano was everything she had ever dreamed of in a man, but there were complications. Her father had his sights set on a man like Peter Baron for her. Peter was a cutthroat ivy-league type. Cristiano was not and that was one of the reasons she liked him.

No, Cristiano was what Lucy described as a “real man”. There was nothing secretive or backstabbing about Cristiano’s power. Sure, he was brutish and thick headed sometimes, but when he wrapped his strong hands around her shoulders and gripped her tightly, she knew she was in the presence of a man. She wasn’t the spoilt daughter of a billionaire when she was with Cristiano. She was just a girl in the arms of a strong man.

Taking another sip of wine, Lucy turned her attention back towards Cristiano. “How is your project coming?” She asked hesitantly.

Cristiano smiled at her. “My project? It is coming along well.”

“When will you tell me about it?” Lucy asked as curious about it as about what the night’s second rule was.

“I will tell you about it when it is time,” he said firmly.

Lucy knew that tone. Cristiano never did anything before he was ready. It was another of the frustrating things about him. Everyone else bowed to her will. Cristiano never did.

“I can’t believe that you still won’t tell me.”

“Maybe I just want you to think about what it is. It could be anything. My project could be the answer to all of your dreams or nothing at all.”

Lucy’s mouth dropped open in angered surprise. “You’re terrible. I think you’re just trying to make me suffer.”

Cristiano laughed his deep belly laugh. He could also be quite devious and this was clearly one of those times. Out of frustration, Lucy took two big gulps of wine. Confirming how much was left she placed it on the bar in front of Cristiano.

“Well, I think I’m ready for my next rule,” she said needing to get something from him.

“It looks like you are.”

Cristiano leaned forward again. This time his hand slid up her leg until his middle finger pressed against her swelling clit. It tickled as much as it sent her into ecstasy. He then pushed his finger left and right stimulating her. Her face flush as she fought to contain her response. He really was terrible but in the best possible way.

“Rule number two. Tonight we will have safe words.”

Knowing what that meant, Lucy swallowed. “Okay.”

“If you want me to stop, you will say apple. If you say that, the night will be over and everything will end. If you want me to give you a moment to rest, you will say banana. When you say grapes, I will continue. Do you understand?”

Still feeling the back of his finger flick her clit, she fought for breath and said, “yes, Sir.” She was sliding towards orgasm as he once again removed his hand returning it this time to the edge of her short skirt.

Staring at her lover’s face she knew that she was ready for the night to begin. She wanted so badly to toss back the remainder of the wine and get her final rule but she used every ounce of her self-control to present herself as the lady her father always demanded she be.

A moment of silence developed between them. Whereas Cristiano seemed comfortable in the silence, Lucy needed desperately to hear his voice.

“Cristiano, can you tell me another story about when you were a bullfighter.”

Cristiano looked at Lucy curiously. “I’ve told you, I was not a bullfighter. Bullfighters are people in tight pants dancing around a trained bull. I was a vaquero with a number of aggressive bulls. There were no cheers when I climbed on top of a bull. It was just the life of my fellow cowboys on the line.

“And more than that, we couldn’t kill any of them. But we also couldn’t force them to do anything. They were 400 pounds. We had to make them submit to us. We had to help them see that their only choice was to bend to our will.”

Lucy listened closely. It was no wonder that she felt helpless to his desires. If he could bend the will of an unruly beast, what chance did she have under his seductive touch?

With only a little wine left, Lucy lifted the glass and emptied the remainder into her mouth. With the familiar bitterness still pooled on her tongue, she looked over at Cristiano. Her heart raced knowing that this was it. The final rule would reveal the crux of their game. What would it be? She swallowed scared but needing to find out.

“I’m done,” she announced tingling as she did.

Cristiano looked at the glass pleased. “Then it’s time for your final rule.” As he leaned in again he made no attempt to hide the destination of his fingers. The ease in which they pushed into her told her that she was wet. She couldn’t believe that he was fingering her in the middle of a bar but he was. With his thumb applying pressure on her clit as he did, she leaned forward gripping his leg doing her best not to cum.

“Tonight you will be presented with three toys. You will have to choose one. With each choice comes a different set of circumstances. You will not know what those circumstances are but you will have to choose one of the toys.”

Lucy felt Cristiano’s finger push towards her G spot. She could hardly breathe. She knew that she was supposed to acknowledge his final rule in some way but she could barely think straight.

“Do you understand what I’ve said?” Cristiano said with a pleased look on his face.

“Yes, Sir,” she eventually squeaked.

“Do you think you’re ready for this?” Cristiano asked slowly removing himself from inside of her.

As her senses returned to her, so did her courage. “There is only one way to find out,” she said with a smile.

With that, Cristiano got up, pulled back his barstool and gave Lucy room to get out. As she got up, she felt everyone’s eyes on her. No one had missed the show. She had liked that.

Lucy smiled as she lifted her chin and headed towards the door. Exiting she led the way to her Porsche. Cristiano lived close by but she had driven so what was the point of walking. Feeling Cristiano’s hand on her ass they walked without talking. Planting herself in her car, Lucy started the engine and then looked at Cristiano confused.

“I’m sorry, you’re going to have to direct me,” she told him.

“How many times have you come to my place?” Cristiano asked with a smile.

“A lot, but my mind isn’t thinking straight right now,” she joked.

 “Fair enough,” Cristiano said with a smile.

Cristiano directed Lucy around the corner to his door. Standing in front of it with his keys in his hand, he turned towards her. His demeanor had changed. His eyes were unforgiving. His voice was a bass drum.

“Do you remember the rules?” He asked.

“I think so,” Lucy said beginning to shake with anticipation.

“Repeat them.”

Lucy thought for a moment fighting her swirling mind. “I must call you Sir as soon as we step inside,” she said looking up and getting confirmation. “Apple is to stop, banana is to wait and grapes is to go. And I’m going to have to choose between three toys.”

“Good girl,” he said in a voice that rattled the lips of her pussy.

It was then that he opened the door ushering Lucy inside. The soft beige carpet, the Spanish paintings on the wall, this was all familiar to her. Even so, she wasn’t sure where she was supposed to go.

Cristiano stepped in front of her leading her to the hallway. Entering the bedroom, she noticed something different. On the bureau just past the door was a white silk tablecloth. On top of that were a series of toys.

Staring at each made Lucy’s breath hitch. She couldn’t stop herself from shaking. Her fear and anticipation had become one. She knew she was eventually going to have to speak but at that moment it was hard for her to even remain standing.

Cristiano moved around the room purposefully. After lighting candles, he settled beside Lucy.

“Now, you will have to choose between one of these three toys,” he said pointing to the leather instruments. “The one you choose here,” he said pointing at the leather instruments, “will determine which of these I use,” he said shifting his finger towards a group of blindfolds and wrist straps.

“If you would like the paddle,” he said pointing to a leather object twice as wide as a ruler, “then you will say, please, Sir, may I have the paddle. If you would like the crop, then you will say, please, Sir, may I have the crop. If you would like the flog, you will say, please, Sir, may I have the flog. Do you understand?” He asked in a rumbling tone.

Speechless, she nodded her head.

“Then, decide,” he said leaving her to make her decision.

Lucy stared at the three toys in front of her. She could barely believe what she was seeing. She swallowed thinking about how each of them would feel smacked across her ass. Her pussy clenched at the thought. Her breaths quickened as her pulse increased.

For the first few moments, Lucy barely thought of anything at all. Hearing the music turn on she forced herself to focus. Cristiano would be back in moments and demand an answer. Lucy needed to know what she was going to say.

Imagining the leather paddle struck across her tender rare, Lucy closed her eyes. She imagined having to brace herself. She imagined the sting reverberating through her body. It was erotic.

She then pictured the crop in Cristiano’s strong hands. She thought about the wallop that would follow. It was a long stick attached to a folded leather tab. She imagined the pain as it hit her ass. She thought it would feel magical.

Finally, she imagined the flog. There had to be thirty individual leather straps dangling from its short handle. She tried to think of how each would feel connecting with her bare buttock. It was almost beyond comprehension.

Again staring at the three toys, Lucy felt no closer to making a decision. She badly wanted Cristiano to step in and make the decisions for. She knew he wasn’t going to do that, though.

“Have you decided?” Cristiano said standing so close to her that she could feel his body heat envelop her.

“I don’t know, Sir,” Lucy admitted.

“You will have to decide,” he said firmly.

Disappointed that she couldn’t have all three, Lucy took a deep breath and allowed her mind to settle on what would be tonight’s toy.

“Please, Sir, may I have… the paddle.”

Lucy searched Cristiano’s eyes for whether she had made a good choice. He gave no indication. Instead, he moved to the bed and sat down.

“Stand here,” Cristiano said pointing to the ground in front of him.

Lucy did as she was told. Standing before him she was prepared to submit to him fully. Anything he wanted, he could take. The vulnerability that she felt in Cristiano’s presence was unlike any she had ever felt in her life.

“Undress,” he ordered.

As Lucy undressed, she felt like she was undressing for him for the first time. She removed her jacket exposing her breasts. She watched his eyes for a reaction and got none. She then reached by her side and unzipped her skirt. As it hit the ground and she stepped out of it, she finally saw Cristiano react. His face softened as if turned on.

Cristiano reached out his large hands clutching her waist. Pulling her to him, his lips touched her protruding nipple. As he took it into his mouth, the sensation crackled electricity through her. As he circled his tongue around the pink of her areola, Lucy reached for Cristiano needing his support to keep her on her feet.

Cristiano’s nipple play didn’t last long. Quickly he pushed Lucy back and stood in front of her. Lucy felt small in the shadow of his great height. She also felt naked.

Taking Lucy’s hand, Cristiano led her back to the toys. Without a word, he reached for a wrist strap. Unsure of what he would do with it, she remained still. When he took one of her wrists and buckled the strap onto it, she offered the other.

With both of her wrists strapped he retrieved two more straps and kneeled in front of her. As he strapped the other two to her ankles she became acutely aware of the heat from his face as it poured onto her throbbing pussy. She wanted so badly for him to lean in and touch her growing clit with his tongue. She longed for it but didn’t get it.

Instead, Cristiano got up, led Lucy to a railing that was attached to the wall and clipped her wrist straps to straps tied around the wood. Although they were just clips, Lucy knew that she didn’t have the strength to get away. She had no choice but to submit to Cristiano’s will.

Feeling vulnerable, Lucy looked back. Cristiano was getting undressed. He slowly unbuttoned his shirt revealing his muscular chest and rippling abs. He unbuttoned and unzipped his pants allowing them to fall to the floor. He wasn’t wearing underwear so his large cock popped out.

Cristiano was already fully aroused. Her body had excited him. It aroused her even more to think about. Standing against the wall unable to escape, Lucy felt the burning desire to be touched. It could be his large hand or his unforgiving leather paddle. At that point, she didn’t care which.

It was the paddle that touched her first. Rubbed lightly against her ass, Lucy desperately wanted more. Cristiano quickly accommodated. The first smack was startling. It wasn’t that it hurt. It was the sharp crack the leather made as it kissed her delicate skin. Lucy winced and then quickly wanted more and wanted it harder.

Smack! The second was louder and left a warm spot on her ass. It felt like heaven. When Cristiano struck again it was harder still. This time the heat pulsed down her leg and up her side. It took her breath away.

As much as it hurt, she also knew that she needed more. The feeling of pleasure was overwhelming. She hadn’t known anything like this. Lucy wanted Cristiano to control her body. As Cristiano let loose with a flurry of swats, Lucy knew that he already did.

Giving her a break, Cristiano pushed his naked body against Lucy’s back. He rubbed his hard cock along her spine. She wanted to feel him inside of her but not yet. When she heard his sultry voice whisper in her ear, she knew that she would get what she wanted.

“Say, please, Sir, may I have another.”

Lucy swallowed. “Please, Sir, may I have another,” she asked hesitantly.

What followed was a smack harder than she had yet felt. Its sting radiating heat across her ass and body. It felt fantastic. Gaining courage she said it again.

“Please, Sir, may I have another.”

He struck again still harder.

“Please, Sir, may I have another.”

Smack!

“Please, Sir, may I have another.”

Smack!!

“Please, Sir, may I have another,” she repeated being rewarded every time that she did.

The swats came in a flurry after that. There seemed to be no end. No longer able to control her body, Lucy dropped to her knees bouncing back up.

“Please, Sir, may I have another.”

Cristiano paddled her ass until it was red. When she was sure that she couldn’t take anymore, Cristiano instinctually stopped. He wasn’t done yet, though. Detaching her wrists, he escorted her to the bed. Not having noticed them before, she spotted a chain extending onto the mattress from its four corners.

“On your back,” Cristiano demanded.

Easing backward onto the bed, her tender ass brushed against the maroon satin sheets. It was a tantalizing reminder of what Cristiano had just done. When her head neared the head of the bed, she watched as her master circled to her right wrist and clipped her to the chain pulling it tight.

She hadn’t known what the ankle straps were for but now she knew. Quickly strapped down by both her ankles and wrists, Lucy lay spread eagle on the bed. What was Cristiano’s planning now? She didn’t know but she couldn’t wait to find out.

Cristiano climbed on top of her parking his knee just short of her throbbing pussy. With the paddle in hand, he moved the leather to her sensitive nipples. With just enough pressure to let her know the paddle was there, he smacked her breast. It was almost too much. But when Cristiano leaned down and found her clit with his tongue while he did it, Lucy felt like she was on fire with pleasure.

He circled his tongue around her button applying pressure. It was hypnotic. Switching his paddle to her other breast, Cristiano continued. She spiraled quickly towards orgasm but before she did, he released her nipples and her clit, climbed on top of her, and slipped his thick manhood between her dripping pussy lips.

Lucy swallowed him like she had been filled by a missing part. He stretched her to capacity. The thick stem of his cock pressed against her G spot bringing her quickly to orgasm. The rolling pleasure washed through her. She wanted desperately to hold him but restrained, she couldn’t.

Instead, he fucked her longer and deeper again bringing her to the edge of orgasm. About to enter the state of no return, Cristiano pulled out his thick cock, shimmied down her body, and then returned his tongue to her still wanting pussy.

Having already orgasmed, Lucy’s clit was on fire. With every touch, she felt ready to blow. He teased her maddeningly. Circling her clit at a great distance, he occasionally circled in. Her body jumped as he did. She felt out of control and helpless to Cristiano’s will. Subject to his mercy, she moaned as his tongue took a final pass on the outskirts of her clit and then focused entirely on her pleasure spot.

Her second orgasm was powerful and unyielding. Every muscle in her body clenched refusing to let go. Her mind lit up with bright lights. Electricity crackled through her body as her overwhelming orgasm ebbed and then flowed.

“Ahhhh!” She cried out.

She didn’t know she was doing it. She was lost in the moment. When her orgasm crashed, she thrust her hips from side to side. She couldn’t take anymore and he was refusing to stop. She needed to breathe. She had to bring this to an end.

“Apple,” she barked remembering his code.

Hearing that, Cristiano immediately stopped. Without hesitation, he reached down unbuckling her ankle straps before moving onto her wrists. As soon as her hands were free she clutched her pussy. It was boiling. She still felt lightheaded. All she could do is lay there trying to catch her breath.

As if instinctually knowing what she needed, Cristiano crawled on the bed beside her. Lucy, who needed to feel his strong arms around her, rolled onto her side. Cristiano moved in close spooning her.

With his large body pressed against her back, she could feel his cock. It was still very hard. Lucy knew that Cristiano would be content to end the night although he hadn’t orgasmed. This was designated to be ‘her night’. On ‘his night’ Lucy would be sure to give him exactly what he needed.

Lucy’s mind danced as she lay with her man’s arms around her and her hands cupping her still throbbing pussy.

“Did you enjoy that?” Cristiano asked in a rumbling low tone.

“Couldn’t you tell?” Lucy asked astonished.

“I like to hear you say it.”

“That was amazing. I had no idea I could enjoy that so much. How did you come up with all that?”

“I just listened when your body told me that you would enjoy this.”

“Then my body spoke the truth. I liked it a lot.” Lucy spun around allowing her to look directly into Cristiano’s eyes. “You are so amazing,” she said not wanting to be anywhere else in the world.

“You are too,” he told her. “You are the most beautiful woman that I have ever seen. I think about you when I wake up, when I go to sleep. When I don’t dream about you I miss you and my heart breaks.”

Lucy’s heart melted. Reaching up she touched his cheek. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” Cristiano said without an ounce of doubt.

Cristiano’s eyes darted between each of Lucy’s. His brow bent as if he were searching for something.

“What?” Lucy asked curious.

“I just realized something.”

“What’s that?”

“That I don’t want to spend another minute without you.”

Lucy’s heart thumped hearing his words. What was he saying? Was this leading to where she thought it was? It couldn’t. They had only known each other for a few months. She hadn’t even told any of her friends about him. He was just her pleasant little secret.

Yes, the sex was mind blowing and he was everything she had ever dreamed about in a man. But that wasn’t what their relationship was supposed to be about.

“Lucy, I want to spend the rest my life with you. I don’t know where our lives will lead. I know how different we are. But I also know that if I were given only one wish for the rest my life, I would use it to be with you.

“I don’t think people know just how special you are. I’m sure they see your nice clothes and fine jewelry and think they know you. What you are goes far beyond that, though. You are the most exciting and adventurous person that I’ve ever met… even if no one knows.

“Lucy, I’m sure it won’t be easy but I’m asking you, will you marry me?”

Lucy had been listening stunned. She couldn’t believe how Cristiano saw her. Lucy had never been proud of herself.

Her father had wanted her to join the family business. She had declined instead choosing an heiress’ lifestyle. It was decadent and self-involved. Truth be told, Lucy found it unfulfilling. But who in their right mind would choose hard work over a life of leisure?

The problem now, though, was that she no longer thought of herself as a very good human being. The idea that Cristiano, the man who best knew her innermost desires, saw her the way he had described, moved her. She wanted to be the woman Cristiano saw her as. It was for that reason that Lucy looked up into Cristiano’s eyes and cried.

“Yes, Cristiano. I will marry you. Yes.”

Lucy had never seen Cristiano so happy. He wrapped his arms around her. Immediately she knew that she had made the right decision. Cristiano was the best thing to ever happen to her. He might not fit into the mold of what her father had in mind, but he fit into how she saw herself. Screw anybody who couldn’t see why they should be together.

Lucy couldn’t imagine herself any happier. The only thing that could bring her down would be thinking of how she would tell everyone about her surprise engagement. That wasn’t today’s problem, though. Right now Lucy felt like the happiest woman alive and nothing else mattered.

Lucy suddenly gasped. “What about a ring?” She asked without thinking the question through.

“I thought about that. I could have gotten you something but I’m not sure if it would be something that you would want to show off to your rich friends. I thought that perhaps we should shop for your ring together.”

Lucy thought about what Cristiano had said. He was right. Cristiano was a bartender. Before that, he was a cowboy in Spain. There was no way that he could afford the type of ring that her heiress friends were going to properly fawn over. For him, that type of ring would be three-years salary. But that’s okay. That was what her massive trust fund was for.

“We can go ring shopping tomorrow,” Lucy suggested excited about the possibility.

“That sounds perfect. Do you have an idea of what you want?”

“I have some idea,” she said with a smile.

The truth was that she had been thinking about her ring since she was a little girl. It wasn’t so much marriage she fantasized about. It was the ring itself. It was also organizing a wedding and having dozens of people cater to her every whim. It was being treated like a princess.

When she imagined it, her husband was no one like Cristiano, though. Cristiano was a thousand times better. Things were so simple with him. He was a man and he treated her like a woman.

There was no conniving or social climbing like there was with every other man she knew. Cristiano wasn’t after her money or her father’s company. Cristiano was someone who Lucy could trust.

Closing her eyes, Lucy snuggled deeper into Cristiano’s arms. In spite of all the times they had gotten together for sex, Lucy had never spent the night. Tonight would be different. Tonight she was spending the night with her fiancé. There was nowhere else she would prefer to be.

“By the way,” Cristiano said as Lucy got comfortable. “The project that I told you I was working on, that was it. It was to get you to marry me,” he said with a smile.

Lucy looked up at Cristiano and smiled back. “I liked your project,” she told him more relaxed than she had ever been.

Falling asleep and sleeping soundly, Lucy woke up to the smell of bacon. With her eyes closed, she reached across the bed. There was no one there. Opening her eyes and looking around, she found herself alone. Wrapping the sheet around her naked body, she got up and followed the smell.

Lucy found Cristiano standing naked in front of the stove cooking breakfast. His profile was incredible. He was somewhere in between very toned and rippling with muscles. His magnificent cock hung generously past his massive balls. And although she was sure that he had gotten out of bed looking this way, Cristiano’s hair was perfect.

Lucy understood why men who wanted to climb the social ladder liked her. But she didn’t understand why a man as perfect as Cristiano would.

“Good morning,” she said capturing Cristiano’s attention.

Cristiano turned around and gave her a glowing smile. “Good morning, beautiful.”

Lucy blushed. “Whatcha cooking?”

“I’m making my fiancée breakfast. Eggs, bacon, and pancakes,” he said cheerfully.

“Smells delicious,” Lucy said before stepping behind him and wrapping her arms around his body. She loved holding him. Touching him made all of her worries disappear.

“Sit down, I’ll serve you breakfast,” he said placing the last of the bacon onto a big serving plate.

The two ate breakfast before returning to the bedroom for another session of sex. This time they didn’t worry about whose turn it was.

Cristiano lifted her up and supported her as they both fell onto the bed. With his lips locked onto hers, he entered her. Rising onto his knees he gripped her waist and arched her back. With him thrusting powerfully within her, she jiggled like a ragdoll. And cumming as quickly as she did, Cristiano collapsed onto her body exhausted before both drifted off for a quick nap.

Excited about her ring, when they were both again awoke, Lucy got dressed and kissed Cristiano goodbye. She had a lot of things to do before shopping for her diamond. She needed to redo her nails changing them to an appropriate ring shopping color. She had to do her hair. And she had to pick out the perfect engagement ring shopping outfit. The perfect outfit clearly wasn’t going to pick out itself.

Arriving home Lucy turned her phone back on. She had always turned it off when she was with Cristiano paranoid that someone might be able to track where she was. It wasn’t that she was ashamed to be with Cristiano. It was more that she wanted to avoid having a complicated conversation with her father.

Engaged, there was no avoiding the conversation now. Cristiano was about to become her husband. Eventually her father would have to be told that he had a son-in-law.

As if on cue, Lucy looked at her phone and found a message from her dad. Her exchange with her father hadn’t quite gone how she had described to Cristiano. She had told him that she wasn’t going to marry Peter but she wasn’t as firm as she could have been.

She had tried to imply that there was someone else in her life but her father had refused to hear it. Her father was a very powerful man. He wasn’t easy to say no to. Lucy wasn’t the first person to try and fail.

“Lucy, this is your father. Peter tells me that you stood him up at the Vanderbilt party. That is no way for a Hollingsworth to behave. You weren’t just representing yourself there, you were supposed to be a representative of our family.

“I expect you to send a formal written apology to the Vanderbilts and I expect you to call up Peter and apologize personally. If you want to keep your allowance then you must keep up with your obligations. Nothing in this world is free, my dear. Don’t forget that.

“Now, let’s put all of this unfortunate behavior behind us. I am inviting Peter over for dinner on Thursday. I expect you to be there and I expect you to be on your best behavior. You can call my assistant for the details. I’ll see you there.”

As great as she had felt moments ago, hearing her father’s voice changed everything. Lucy thought about how little of her life was hers to control. Sure, she got trips around the world and beautiful homes in every major city, but all of it came with a catch. She was chattel. She was a pawn that her father could use to maintain her family’s wealth.

Lucy decided it was time that she put an end to all of that but hesitated imagining what the fallout would be. Would her father cut her off? If he did, she would only have her trust fund to depend on. This was a trust fund that her grandfather had set up. It was her father who had turned their family fortune into billions. Her grandfather’s trust fund was barely enough to buy a house in the major city much less to live the rest of her life.

After thinking about how badly things could go, Lucy decided that Cristiano was worth the risk of disinheritance. Cristiano was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. She was sure of that. She was also sure that her father wouldn’t like him. That didn’t matter, though because she did.

Having made her decision, Lucy considered what she should do next. She was engaged. Did she call her father with the news? Her other option was to wait until after she got the ring. What did a ring matter, though? Her father was too busy to meet with her before the meeting. It would have to be done over the phone and that didn’t require a ring.

Her heart thumped as she realized what she needed to do. As she stared at her phone her face flushed. Was she actually going to do this? She had to, she decided.

This was more than just about her engagement. This was about wrestling control of her life from her father’s grasp. Lucy paused when she realized that it was also about something else. The news was going to break her father’s heart. Her father really liked Peter Baron.

Peter had never loved her, though. Lucy was sure of that. From the first time they had been introduced, Peter had looked at her like all of the other ambitious guys at the company had. Lucy may as well have been a 18th-century spinster with a dowry. In those men’s eyes, Lucy was an acquisition needed to take over the world. Peter had always been the worst of them all.

During the times they had been alone, the two of them had barely spoken. When Peter did open his mouth, it was to brag about his time at Harvard or whatever yacht trip he had recently taken. Once Lucy had even made it clear that she didn’t want to marry him. He responded with such venom that he left no doubt that he didn’t care about her or what she wanted.

“Women were to do what their men told them to do,” was Peter’s response. Those weren’t his exact words but they may as well have been.

Lucy couldn’t believe it. Who the hell did this guy think he was? And what did her father see in him in the first place?

Lucy had had no intention of letting Peter get away with saying what he had. Since then she took every opportunity she could to destroy his life. Subtly placed comments and a joke or two were all that was really needed. It didn’t take Peter long to catch on with what she was doing. The battle became two-sided after that.

Still, though, he continued on with her father’s sham of a possible marriage. Maybe he was doing it to not lose any face at work. Lucy had no explanation for it but she found it pathetic. There was no way that she would ever marry a man like Peter. In fact, she wished she could see the look on Peter’s face when he found out that she was already engaged.

What would Peter think when he saw her fiancé and realized that Cristiano was twice the man he would ever be? That was the thought that inspired Lucy to make the call to her father.

“Dad?” she said when he answered the phone.

“Sweetheart, how are you?”

“Engaged,” She said apprehensively.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“I’m engaged, dad.”

“You and Peter?”

“For the final time, no, dad. I told you I was seeing someone else. That’s where I was last night. That’s why I didn’t go to the party.”

“You’re saying that you’re engaged to a man that I’ve never met?”

Lucy thought back to the day she had met Cristiano. He had been one of the bartenders at a catered party at their house.

“Actually, you have met him,” she admitted starting to sweat.

“I have? Who is he?”

Lucy considered what she was about to tell her father, one of the richest men in the world. How could she admit that she was about to marry a cater waiter? She could barely believe it herself.

“It doesn’t matter. We’re engaged and you’ll meet him soon.”

“This is absurd. What about Peter?”

“Dad, if you love him so much, why don’t you marry him?”

“Don’t be facetious, Dear. It doesn’t become a Hollingsworth.”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I love Cristiano and I want you to love him too. I know that’s going to be a lot to ask, but I want you to try. Can you do that for me, Dad?”

“If he is a man worthy of my little girl, then he will get my blessing. But if he is not, you can’t expect me to welcome some degenerate into our home.”

“He is not some degenerate.”

“Then tell me, what does he do?”

Lucy felt heat pulsing from her chest. In her circles, this was the question that would determine the rest of her social life. Every friend that she had ever had was maniacally obsessed with what people did. The wrong answer to that question would cause whispers to start as soon and any head was turned. Twelve-year-old junior high girls were thought to be vicious, but the torment of the worst queen bee couldn’t hold a candle to the treatment that followed the wrong answer to that question.

“He’s an artist,” Lucy said trying to be as vague as possible.

Lucy thought about her response. Was it really a lie? Cristiano could have been an artist. As far as Lucy knew, Cristiano could be a world-famous painter traveling the continent looking for inspiration. Lucy didn’t know. His art skills weren’t something that came up during their many love making sessions.

But as much as Lucy told herself that that could be the case, Lucy quickly realized the truth. The truth was that she had betrayed the man that she loved at the first opportunity that she got. Her heart hurt thinking about it. Lying was the only way she was going to get through this conversation, though. Personal details could be cleared up later, but it was impossible to make a second first impression.

“An artist? You want to waste your life with an artist? Who am I supposed to pass our company along to? You certainly don’t expect me to give it to an artist.”

“I don’t care, Dad. I’m not going to marry someone just because you need someone to give the company too. I am not a prized cow.”

“Of course you aren’t, Dear. But our company has been in the family for three generations. I wanted to pass it along to my kids like my father did to me.”

“And then you were cursed with me,” Lucy said admitting what she had always thought to be true.

“I have always been proud of you, Dear. It’s just that you don’t apply yourself. You could be this company’s greatest CEO but all you care about is wasting money on trips and doing God knows what with artists.

“This company needs an heir. If it won’t be you, then at least give me a son-in-law who can keep you in the lifestyle that you have become so accustomed.”

Lucy’s heart broke hearing her father’s request. Although self-centered, it wasn’t completely unreasonable. None of it mattered, though. Cristiano was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. And as long as he would have her, that was exactly what Lucy planned to do.

“Dad, I can’t live my life based on what’s right for the company. I need to be happy. You want me to be happy, don’t you?”

Lucy’s father paused. “I do, Sweetheart. But we all have obligations. And if you can’t live up to your obligations, then you can’t reap the rewards. If you want to marry this artist, you can but you will be cut off. No one gets anything in his life for free, not even a Hollingsworth. Are you really willing to give up all of your traveling and trips to the spa for this artist?”

“If that’s what’s necessary, then yes.”

“Then, you’re cut off. Last month’s allowance was your last.”

“What am I going to do for money?” Lucy asked nervously.

“Well, you could always get a job. I know a company that’s hiring.”

Lucy paused hoping that her father was joking. She quickly realized that he wasn’t.

“Oh, and by the way,” he said continuing, “congratulations on your engagement.” With that, he hung up the phone.

Stunned, Lucy lowered the phone from her face. She couldn’t have imagined the conversation going worse. Her father had cut her off. She couldn’t believe it. How had it gotten to that?

Lucy tried to shake the conversation out of her head by reminding herself that the most amazing man she had ever met had asked her to marry him. Together they would figure things out. He loved her and always acted as though he would do anything for her. As long as she had his love, all things were possible.

She would never regret her decision to choose Cristiano over her inheritance. And Lucy went about the rest of the morning focused on what was important, mainly the shade of nail polish that best matched a 14-carat white diamond engagement ring.

Touching base with Cristiano at a little after noon. Their plan was for Cristiano to meet her at her place at three. From there they would go ring shopping. When at 2:45 an unknown number appeared on her phone, she had no reason to expect the worst.

“Hello?” Lucy answered.

“Hello. Yes, this is Cedar Sinai hospital calling for Lucy Hollingsworth.”

The blood suddenly drained from Lucy’s face hearing those words.

“This is Lucy,” she hesitantly admitted.

“Yes. Do you know a Cristiano Rivero?”

“Yes, Cristiano. He is my fiancé. What is this about?”

“I’m calling from the emergency room. I’m sorry to tell you that your fiancé has been in an accident.”

The room seemed to dip and sway around her as she struggled to remain on her feet.

“Is he alright?”

“You should probably come to the hospital.”

“I will. But please, tell me. Is my fiancé alright?”

“Ms. Hollingsworth, what I can tell you is that Mr. Rivero has seemed to have lost his memory. He doesn’t remember who he is and when you arrive you shouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t recognize you either.”

Unable to hear anymore, Lucy fell. Missing the couch she landed hard on the floor. What had she just heard? Cristiano might not recognize her? That couldn’t be true. She had to go to him.

Scrambling to her feet Lucy grabbed her keys and rushed out the door. Hurrying to her car she could think about nothing except going to him. What she didn’t know, however, was that her life was about to change forever.

 

 

Lucy

 

Lucy rushed into the hospital scanning the room for the reception desk. The place was busy. Anxious people lined the walls as nurses helped patients back and forth through the swinging door.

“I’m looking for Cristiano Rivero,” Lucy said to the sturdily build woman behind the desk.

“And you are?”

Lucy hesitated before answering. “I’m his fiancée.”

For a moment, Lucy wasn’t sure she had the right to call him that. After all, they had been engaged for less than twenty-four hours.

“Please take a seat. Someone will be right with you.”

“But I’m told that he lost his memory. I need to get back to him now.”

“We will get to you as quickly as we can. Can you please have a seat?”

“But, you don’t understand…”

“I said have a seat!” the woman said sternly.

Lucy’s mouth dropped open shocked by how the woman had spoken to her. Didn’t she know who her family was? Her family could buy this hospital and then fire her just out of spite.

Lucy reveled in the thought of it until she remembered that her father had just cut her off. It was then that she looked around for an open seat and went to sit down.

Feeling like just another face in the crowd, her conversation with her father suddenly became very real. What did it mean that she was disinherited? Was the only life she had ever known truly over? Would she no longer be able to get reservations at restaurants? Could she even afford to go out to eat now that she was cut off?

The gravity of the situation was beginning to weigh on her when the woman behind the desk called her name.

“Yes, that’s me,” she said hurrying back to the sturdy woman.

“I will need you to fill out these forms,” the woman said handing a clipboard to Lucy.

“What’s this?”

“You said you were his fiancée, right?”

“Yes.”

“Well…” The woman said as if she had already said everything she needed to.

Lucy took the clipboard unsure of what was going on. Heading back to her seat she looked at all the forms. There were questions she knew the answer to like his name. But there were others she didn’t.

Certainly she knew how to get to his apartment but what was his actual address? Not knowing, she wrote down her own. The form then asked for his family’s information and his medical history. That was something that Lucy didn’t know.

At Lucy’s request, theirs was almost entirely a sexual relationship. She had always felt it best to gloss over certain details. Their sexual arrangement was very hot. Why ruin it by talking too much about the minutia of life?

As Lucy moved on to the second page she couldn’t answer, the reality of the situation began to set in. She had just gotten engaged to a man that she certainly loved but knew nothing about. How much did she even about him past the details of his naked body?

She could probably describe his mannerisms and attitude, but she didn’t know where he went to college. Did he even go to college? Did he finish high school? Lucy had no idea about any of this and she had just given up her entire life for him.

It was then that Lucy considered resting the clipboard down and quickly leaving the hospital.

“Ms. Hollingsworth?” The woman behind the desk called.

Looking up Lucy caught her eyes. There was no way that she could leave now. Regaining her courage, she stood up and returned to the desk.

“I didn’t know a few of the answers,” Lucy admitted embarrassed.

“The most important part is the insurance. Were you able to fill that out?”

Lucy thought about her own insurance. It wasn’t something that she knew much about. She remembered her father telling her something about being under his coverage because she was twenty-five. But did it cover someone like a fiancé?

Lucy was beginning to realize that there was a lot that she did know about a lot of things. What had she done getting engaged? She fought back the urge to cry as everything overwhelmed her.

The woman behind the desk watched as Lucy’s round face twisted into tears. “Don’t worry about that,” the woman said trying to comfort her. “That’s not something a girl tends to know until marriage.”

“But I’m his fiancée. I should know these things,” Lucy said unable to hold back her tears. “I barely filled out anything at all.”

The woman took the clipboard from Lucy and flipped through the pages. “The most important thing is that you put down his address. That’s good enough for now. Why don’t you go back and see your fiancé. He’s on the second floor in room 215,” she said pointing towards the elevator.

Lucy had no idea why she would think that simply putting the address down was enough but she wasn’t about to argue the point. “Thank you,” Lucy said slowly regaining her confidence.

Taking the elevator to the second floor, Lucy exited and searched for his room. Circling the hallway she eventually found it. Room 215. Behind that door would be Cristiano. He had been in an accident. What type of condition would he be in? Would he be wrapped in bandages? Was he now disabled for life?

Lifting her hand to open the door, Lucy realized that it was shaking. Withdrawing it she wiggled her fingers to get it to stop. It worked a little but there was no calming her down.

Marching forward, she pushed open the door and stepped in. Terrified by what she would find, she quickly scanned the room. It was empty. What had happened? Had she entered the wrong room? She went back outside and checked. No, this was it.

It was as dark thoughts entered her mind that she heard the bathroom door click open. Although her heart was beating a thousand beats a minute, suddenly she couldn’t breathe. As Lucy stood frozen a man walked out. Seeing Lucy stare at him, the man stared back and then continued to the bed.

“I had to go to the bathroom,” he explained thinking that Lucy was a nurse.

Lucy watched Cristiano as he got into bed. There was not a bandage or scratch on him. He was just as beautiful and perfect looking as he had always been. If it wasn’t for the fact that he was wearing a hospital gown, she might have mistaken Cristiano for a visitor.

“Cristiano, it’s me, Lucy.”

Cristiano squinted at her hearing her words. “Lucy?” He asked with a hint of familiarity.

Lucy got a rush of excitement as she hurried to the side of his bed. “Yes. Yes. It’s me, Lucy,” she said reaching for his hand.

Cristiano quickly recoiled not wanting her to touch him. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know who you are. I was told that I was in an accident. I don’t remember much before that.”

Lucy’s heart broke with a resounding crack. The man she loved didn’t recognize her and had recoiled when she had tried to touch him. Standing there, Lucy suddenly felt very alone. She longed for his touch, but what she wanted most was to see a flicker of recognition in her love’s eyes.

“Hello, I’m Dr. Harstad. I’m told that you are Ms. Hollingsworth,” a Middle Eastern man said as he entered the room staring at a clipboard.

“Yes. I’m Ms. Hollingsworth. I’m Cristiano’s fiancée.”

“Fiancée?” Cristiano asked surprised.

The level of his surprise was a dagger in Lucy’s heart. “Yes, don’t you remember? You proposed to me this morning. It was so beautiful.”

Cristiano looked at her doubtfully. Lucy’s heart wrenched.

“Don’t worry Ms. Hollingsworth. Memory loss is common in accidents like the one Mr. Rivero had.”

“How long does the memory loss last?” Lucy inquired.

“It’s tough to say. Sometimes it lasts an hour or two. Other times a few days. More commonly, it lasts a month. And in a few rare occasions, the memory loss is permanent.”

Lucy could barely breathe listening to the doctor’s prognosis. “So he may never get back his memory?”

“That is the worst case scenario. Much more common is that once the patient is around things that are familiar, slowly their memory returns.”

“And how long does that take?” Lucy asked feeling desperate.

“It depends on the severity of the injury. There is no definitive way to tell.”

“Can’t you put him in one of those machines that look at your brain? Can’t you find out what type of injury he has?” Lucy implored.

“Listen, Ms. Hollingsworth. I can assure you that this is one of the finest hospitals in Los Angeles. We have done everything we could possibly do. All we can do now is observe him to make sure nothing unexpected happens and then release him to your care.”

“My care?” She asked looking at the doctor and then back at her confused fiancée.

“Yes. You didn’t list any other relatives on his forms. I assume that you will be the one taking care of him. Was I mistaken?”

Lucy looked back at Cristiano. His brow was furrowed as if disturbed by what he was hearing. “No, I’ll be taking care of him. Of course I will. I’m his fiancée.” She turned back to the doctor. “Will you all be providing a nurse for him or anything?”

The doctor chuckled. “It’s not that type of injury. Mr. Rivero will be fine. He will be able to do all the things he could have done before. It is just a matter of him regaining his memory. So, do the things with him that you always have. It’s routine and familiar circumstances that will allow him to return to the man that you knew,” the doctor said with a smile.

“When will I be able to take him home?”

“We want to keep him overnight for observation. If everything checks out as normal in the morning, you can take him then. And don’t worry Ms. Hollingsworth, everything will be alright.” It was with that that the doctor turned around and left the room.

Alone with the man that she loved but who didn’t know her name, she turned back and looked at him. She suddenly felt very insecure. It was a miracle that someone as good looking as him would have fallen for a round girl like her to begin with. Without his memory of their experiences together, what did he think of her now?

“So, you’re my fiancé?” Cristiano asked confused.

“Yes, don’t you remember? We were lying in bed last night and you proposed to me,” she said forcing a smile.

“You’re not wearing a ring.”

Lucy held up her hand and looked at it. “That’s because we were supposed to go ring shopping today. You were supposed to come by my place at three and we were going to go from there. Does any of this sound familiar?”

Cristiano shook his head frustrated. “Nothing does. All of this is very…”

“Frustrating?” Lucy asked.

“Scary,” Cristiano replied to Lucy’s surprise.

It was then for the first time that Lucy saw the look on Cristiano’s face in its entirety. Yes, he did look frustrated. But more than anything else, he looked scared. It wasn’t an emotion that she often associated with him.

He was strong and confident. He was her cowboy, her master.  That was the man she had fallen in love with and that man was never scared.

“It’s all right. Everything will be okay. I’ll take you back to my place and you’ll get your memory back in no time,” she said forcing a smile.

Cristiano stared at her with a confused look on his face. “I’m sorry. What did you say your name was again?”

It broke her heart to hear it. “Lucy. Lucynthia Hollingsworth, but you always called me Lucy.”

“Lucy,” he repeated clearly trying to lock it into his memory. “Okay, I got it.” He again looked up at her as if he didn’t believe everything that he had been told. “And you said that I asked you to marry me last night?”

Lucy squirmed with heartache but tried not to let it show. She was sure that it was her size that was giving him doubt. After all, why would a guy like him fall for a girl like her?

Lucy was a chubby girl. She knew that. And that was how she knew that all of the other guys had simply been after her family’s fortune. There was no way that guys like Peter Baron could really fall for a fat girl like her. That was what made Cristiano so special.

Not only had Cristiano been uninterested in her family name or her money, but he seemed to love her without knowing anything about her. He had seemed to fall for her for who she was.

How did he feel now meeting her again for the first time? Did her size make a difference? Had he really cared about her money and had simply pretended like he didn’t?

He had always told her that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Did he still think so? As much as it pained Lucy to admit it, everything about the way Cristiano was reacting was telling Lucy that he didn’t.

“Yes. You asked me to marry you last night. It was so beautiful. You told me how much you loved me and how much you wanted to spend the rest your life with me. You talk about how I completed you and how you couldn’t see your life without me,” Lucy embellished. “Don’t you remember any of this?”

Cristiano stared at Lucy looking even more confused than before. “I don’t. I’m sorry.”

Lucy reached down and took Cristiano’s hand. “Well, you don’t have to worry. I’ll take you home and take great care of you. Your memory will come back soon. You’ll see. And once it does, you’ll remember just how much we meant to each other. Everything will be perfect,” Lucy said barely able to smile.

“Meanwhile, why don’t you get some rest. I’ll come by and pick you up tomorrow.”

“Where are you going?”

“There are a few things I need to do at home to get ready. Don’t worry. Everything will be all right.”

Hesitantly, Lucy bent forward to give Cristiano a kiss. It was his subtle flinch that made her change her mind. Awkwardly she stood back up.

Squeezing his hand again she let it go and headed for the door. Once back in the hallway, the dark wave of reality hit her. The man she loved and had given up her entire life for not only didn’t remember her but recoiled from her touch. He didn’t even want her to kiss him.

Overwhelmed by it all, tears streamed down her face. When the full weight of the moment hung on her, Lucy sobbed. She had no idea what she was supposed to do now. She had never felt more alone.

 

 

Lucy

 

Lucy led Cristiano into her condominium. Although he had only been there a few times she hoped that he would find the place familiar. As his brow furrowed and a confused, doubtful look spread across his face, it was clear that he didn’t. Lucy had hoped that he had found his stays special enough to jog his memory. They hadn’t.

“Anything?” Lucy asked as Cristiano moved around the room picking up the glass figurines she had gotten during her travels.

“I’m sorry. Nothing.” Cristiano looked at a crystal dolphin that Lucy had gotten during a trip to the Bahamas. After a moment Cristiano turned to her and held the dolphin between them. “Is this mine? Did I buy this?”

“Why? Does it seem familiar?”

“No. I just have a hard time imagining that I would purchase this.”

Feeling self-conscious, Lucy walked over to Cristiano taking the dolphin from him. “No, I got this. It goes with my collection.”

“I see. So what here is something I bought?”

Lucy looked around the room knowing what she would find. Everything here was hers. Although they hadn’t talked about it, Lucy had imagined that he would be moving in. Part of her thinking was that his memory would come back while he got comfortable living in her condo.

Besides, it wasn’t like it was some crappy one-bedroom place south of the 10 freeway. This was a multimillion dollar condo in West Hollywood. Most people dream of living in a place like this. Lucy wanted Cristiano to get used to having the best although she still wasn’t sure how she would be able to keep the place now that she had lost her allowance.

“Well, umm…” Lucy looked around trying to think. “Oh, I got it,” she said as she led Cristiano into the bedroom. Opening the closet she showed Cristiano a section of his clothes. “Do you recognize any of these?”

In preparation for bringing him here, Lucy he collected a few of his essentials from his apartment. Clothes, bathroom supplies, a few snacks from the kitchen. Lucy hadn’t thought to bring any of his books or the art that hung on his walls. Frankly, nothing he had went with the décor. But now she realized how compromising a little might have made Cristiano feel more at home.

Cristiano took out a shirt from the closet. Holding it in his hand he stared at it. Rubbing the soft cotton between his fingers, he then held the shirt to his nose and inhaled. Though fighting desperately for a connection, nothing came.

“I don’t remember this at all. Is there anything else?”

Grasping for straws, Lucy led him into the bathroom. “What about these?”

“Do you mean the toothbrush and razor?”

“Yeah,” she said guiltily.

Wanting to make a connection, he retrieved the toothbrush doing everything he could to jog his memory. “No, nothing,” he said not masking his frustration.

“The doctor said it might take time.”

“But what if it never comes back?”

“It will. I’m sure of it,” she said taking his hand in hers.

Cristiano looked at her strangely. He seemed like he was about to withdraw his hand when he relented to Lucy’s touch. “I want to remember you. I do. But for now, let’s take things slow.”

Lucy felt more hurt than she could express. She could feel him pull away from her, not just physically but mentally. What if he never remembered her? Even worse, what if all of the things that he had said he felt for her wasn’t real?

If he had found her so beautiful like he had said, wouldn’t he find her the same now, memory or not? Lucy’s heart hurt standing with the man that she loved knowing that he didn’t want her to touch him. Everything she was going through was torture.

“I understand,” she said slowly removing her hands.

“It’s just that I want to remember you. You were obviously very special to me. But for right now you are just a stranger. Maybe you can tell me something about our life together that might help me remember.”

Lucy searched her mind for an appropriate story.

“Well, the first time we met was at a party.”

“What type of party was it?” He asked craving the details.

“It was my father’s Christmas party. I remember that you were dressed in a tuxedo. You looked so handsome,” she said with a smile.

“Was I there with someone? How did I know your father?”

The smile fell from Lucy’s face. “You weren’t really a guest. You were working as a bartender.”

“Oh. Okay,” he said disappointedly. “So I was working at your father’s party?”

“Yeah. And I came over and asked you if you could make me a slippery nipple. You laughed and then said you could. After I tasted it I was impressed. Most people don’t know how to make it. You did. I then asked you what other special skills you had. You told me that I should give you my number and find out,” she said with a nostalgic smile.

“So I picked you up at a Christmas party I was working at?”

Lucy’s smile immediately disappeared. “I guess that’s one way of saying it. It was super sexy, though. We met at a bar the next day and a lot of hot times followed.”

“Okay. But I had asked you to marry me. We have to have had a lot of memories together that didn’t involve sex. Can you tell me about my family? Where have we traveled to together?”

Once Cristiano asked, Lucy could no longer ignore the truth of the matter. She certainly did love Cristiano and she definitely wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, but she barely knew who he was. Their relationship was almost entirely based upon their ravenous sexual desires.

Confronted with their reality, Lucy accepted that that was mostly her fault. For so long she was hung up on the idea of dating a bartender that she wanted to keep their relationship on the down low. How could she explain who he was if her friends saw her at ‘Nice Guy’ or ‘Bar 1320’?

“Our relationship was very physical. We didn’t get much opportunity to take vacations together or travel to Spain to see your family. But now that we’re engaged I was expecting that we would do a lot more of that. Maybe we could build new memories together. That would be nice, wouldn’t it?”

Cristiano looked at Lucy disappointed. “Yes, I’m sure it would,” he said obligingly. “I’m hungry. Do you have anything to eat?”

Lucy’s eyes lit up. “Yes. In fact, I have something that I’m sure you’ll like.”

Lucy led Cristiano to the kitchen where he watched her prepare a Spanish dish with sardines, pasta, and a fried egg. He had made this for her many times and knowing that he would enjoy it, she had brought the ingredients from his apartment. As he ate he gave her the first smile she had seen since the accident.

“This is good,” Cristiano confirmed.

“Does it make you remember anything?”

“No, but I definitely like it. Thank you,” he said with another smile.

Lucy knew that it wasn’t much but it was a start.

 

Over the next few days, Cristiano made almost no progress with getting his memory back. As frustrated as he was, Lucy was more so. Nothing about Lucy’s feelings for Cristiano changed, but it was getting harder for her to be without his affection. She hadn’t realized how much she had come to depend on it. Always being so close to him without being able to touch him was torcher.  

Sharing the same bed, Lucy considered jumping him in the middle of the night. What guy would turn that down, right? The distance he put between them in bed, however, stopped her from doing it.

She was beginning to feel like, sexually speaking, he wanted nothing to do with her. It was all wearing her down. Lucy wasn’t sure how much longer she could stand it. The continuous rejection from the man she loved was tearing her heart apart.

“Would you like to go for a walk?” Lucy asked after three days of being stuck in her condo with someone who acted like a complete stranger.

“Is that something we typically do?” Cristiano asked with his brow furrowed.

“No. But I thought we might try something new. Besides, it’s a really nice day. It would be nice to get outside.”

Lucy packed a picnic backpack containing a bottle of wine, biscuits, cheese, grapes and a few finger sandwiches she picked up from the grocery store. Together they walked down towards Sunset Boulevard and passed all of the gay establishments in bustling West Hollywood. Lucy watched Cristiano as they did. Again his brow furrowed.

Lucy wasn’t sure but she was getting the impression that Cristiano didn’t like being around so many gay men. The topic had never come up between them but Lucy could certainly guess where his dislike came from. He had described his hometown as small and rural. He has spent much of his young life as a cowboy in Spain. Spanish culture was very traditional and Lucy assumed that that meant it was a little homophobic. Certainly Cristiano couldn’t be blamed for a gut reaction. At least, she wasn’t going to blame him.

Lucy, however, had chosen to live in West Hollywood for reason. She could party with gay guys all night. And it didn’t hurt that so many of them were so freaking hot. Cristiano’s closed-minded attitude was eventually going to have to change. First things first, though.

The couple found a spot on the grass at West Hollywood Park and sat down.

“Would you like some wine? It’s a burgundy. It’s your favorite.”

Lucy had learned that Cristiano usually responded positively whenever she mentioned that something was his favorite. Considering that those moments were among the few positive reactions she got from him, she could be excused for embellishing from time to time.

For example, he had never told her that Burgundy was his favorite wine. Once while at his place, she had gone to the kitchen to get something to drink and had spotted a bottle on the counter. So, it might not have been his favorite but he had to like it enough to have purchased it. Considering that Lucy was struggling to make a connection with Cristiano, purchasing a burgundy was close enough.

With the bottle gone and the finger sandwiches eaten, Lucy stretched out laying her head on Cristiano’s waist. She laid tentatively waiting for him to pull away. He didn’t. In fact, he rested his hand on her head and slowly stroked her hair.

“I always love it when you do that,” she said honestly.

Lucy didn’t look at him but she knew the implication of his automatically stroking her hair. This was a sign that at least a few of his memories were coming back. Lucy considered that and then entertained a thought that wouldn’t go away.

There was still one thing that Lucy hadn’t told Cristiano and it was something big. Lucy hadn’t told him that he had his own apartment filled with stuff.

Yes, Lucy had considered that being surrounded by all of his possessions might have sparked his memory. But the doctor wasn’t definitive. He had said that anything might bring back his memory. So if anything could, why not keep him close and not give him an easy way to leave her?

And yes, Lucy also realized how self-centered this was. She knew she was taking a gamble. But if his memory came while he was living at her place then her decision would be no harm done.

If it didn’t, however, and he learned that there was something obvious she could have done to help him, he might get quite upset. Now that three days of living with her hadn’t brought anything back, Lucy was thinking that it was time to come clean before too much time had passed.

“You know, there’s somewhere else I can take you that might help to jog your memory.”

“Really? Where is that?”

Lucy didn’t have to look at him to know the affect her suggestion had on him. Anything that promised a link to his past always drew his full attention.

“You have an apartment that’s separate from mine,” she admitted casually.

Cristiano’s response wasn’t as casual. He pulled himself from under her forcing her to sit up and look at him.

“I have my own place?” He asked confused.

His intense excitement worried her.

“Yes.”

“Then why haven’t you taken me to it before?”

Lucy wasn’t sure what to say. ‘Because I’m a selfish bitch who’s scared of losing you,’ she imagined herself saying. “Because the doctor said that I should take care of you and my place should have sparked as many memories as your own,” she lied.

“But, still, how could you keep that from me?” He asked getting upset.

“I wasn’t keeping anything from you. I didn’t want to overwhelm you. What if I had taken you there on the first day and it caused you to take a step backward?”

“A step backwards from what? I already couldn’t remember my own name. How much further back could I get?”

Lucy saw that he was upset and that she was in trouble. She didn’t know how to fight against that. “I’m sorry. I made a judgment call that I thought was right for us. I can take you there now if you want. I have the key.”

Cristiano thought about it a moment and then, to her surprise, shook his head. “No, maybe we should go tonight.”

Lucy stared at Cristiano. “Are you remembering something?”

“I’m not sure. I just think it might be better if we went later.”

“That’s not a problem. We could definitely go later,” she said feeling relieved that he wasn’t desperate to go right away. “Would you like another cookie? These are your favorite,” she told him having no idea if they were.

Cristiano looked at Lucy suspiciously. Taking the cookie he popped it into his mouth. Chewing it he examined all of the flavors as they danced over his tongue. He gave no smile of recognition and instead furrowed his brow in doubt.

 

Later that night when the two arrived at Cristiano’s apartment, Lucy opened the door ushering Cristiano in. He walked in slowly. Looking around, he wasn’t sure what to make of what he was seeing. Nothing looked familiar but he had a sense of familiarity he never got at Lucy’s condo.

“What do you think? Is anything coming back to you?” She asked hoping that she hadn’t been the cause of his continued amnesia.

Cristiano didn’t answer. Instead he walked to the far wall and stared at a painting.

“You told me you got that in Mallorca. The bull is a symbol of Spain and the seashells in the outline of the bull are supposed to represent that Mallorca is an island.”

“I think I remember buying this. I seem to remember an art gallery.”

Lucy felt bad for feeling relieved by his faulty memory. “Actually, you told me about when you purchased it. You were very proud of the story. You told me that you were looking for a painting while you are traveling and on the last day of your trip, you were in Mallorca.

“You said that you were walking up the stairs of the famous church and there at the top was a painter selling his paintings with his wife. You said you fell in love with his work immediately and purchased five paintings on the spot. You might have been embellishing on the story when you told me but I don’t think you got them in a gallery.”

Cristiano turned and stared as Lucy with surprise. He almost looked relieved. “So I told you about this trip?”

“Yes. Here are the other paintings you purchased.” Lucy guided him around the walls of his apartment. “You always said that this one was your favorite.”

Cristiano stared at the paintings mesmerized. “This was my favorite? Why?”

Lucy smiled. “To be honest, I don’t know. To me it just looks like a ripoff of Picasso and Salvador Dali.”

“Who are they?”

“They’re famous Spanish painters.”

“Oh, okay. What else can you tell me about the stuff here?” Cristiano asked looking around hopefully.

“Ummm…” Lucy looked around the room. “Oh. I can tell you that you made the frames for those paintings. You also made that bench,” Lucy said pointing to a dark wood, 8-foot long bench that stood against the wall opposite the kitchen.

“So, I’m a carpenter?”

“I don’t know if you would consider herself to be a carpenter. But you are very good at working with your hands. You can fix practically anything and you’re always very excited to tackle something new. You are very much a man’s man,” she said with a smile.

Her last statement didn’t elicit a smile back from Cristiano. In fact, a look of doubt once again overtook his face. Lucy didn’t know what to make of that.

She was being honest. One of the things that had impressed her about him was just how much of a traditional guy he was. He used to work as a cowboy for goodness sake. How much more of a man’s man could anyone be?

“What else here can you show me?” He asked dismissing her comment.

Lucy looked around the room trying to think of anything else. Cristiano didn’t have a lot of knickknacks sitting around. There was a standing lamp, a TV dinner tray, and a few items on the dining room table that looked to come out of a small engine of some type. There were pots on the stove and dirty dishes by the sink. Lucy opened the cupboards and fridge hoping something would come to mind but nothing did.

Instead, leading Cristiano to the bedroom, Lucy entered and looked at the bookshelves. Cristiano followed behind her and retrieved one of the books.

“Did I read this?” Cristiano asked leafing through the pages.

“I’m not sure. We never talked about it. I’ve never seen you read anything,” she told him. And although it was true, what was also true was that their relationship was mostly sexual. At no time did Cristiano stop fucking her to retrieve a book and retire to the living room.

“I’m not sure but I think I read this book.”

Lucy approached him taking hold of his hand to see the cover. The title was in Spanish.

“What is the book called in English?” She asked.

“It means something like a magician. It’s someone who can turn anything into gold.”

“Hmmm, what’s the book about?”

“I don’t remember. But there’s something about it that seems familiar.”

Having heard that, Lucy suddenly felt insecure. The last thing she wanted was for him to think that she had kept him from so many familiar objects. She needed to prove that she was someone who knew and cared about him. Scouring the bureau and then opening a few drawers she found nothing that would help.

Next moving to the closet she spotted something that she had a connection to. “I bought you this shirt,” she said pulling it out and showing Cristiano. He made no move towards it. “You look very good in it,” she said eliciting no response from him.

Putting it back she went looking for something else. In the back of the closet she found a large black bag. It looked like a bag that one would get at an expensive leather store. Withdrawing it she found things that were all too familiar to her. She blushed as she looked back at Cristiano.

“What is it?” He asked intrigued by her reaction.

Lucy picked up the bag and placed it on the bed. She was unable to stop smiling. “It looks like our bag of toys.”

Cristiano stepped over and went through the bag. The first thing he pulled out was a crop. He held it firmly knowing exactly what to do with it.

“Toys? How do you mean?”

Lucy couldn’t help but feel turned on by the image of Cristiano holding the crop. It had been days since they had had sex and it felt way overdue. She moved next to him allowing her breasts to brush against his arm as she explained.

“We like to play games,” she said with a smile.

“What type of games?”

Lucy was feeling bolder. “Games where you would tell me to get naked and then you would discipline me for being a bad girl.”

Cristiano looked down at the crop and then up at Lucy. “Are you a bad girl?”

Lucy felt the space between her legs tighten. She was excited, not just sexually but with anticipation. What always made the sex with Cristiano so much fun was that she never knew what to expect. Now, here they were as if they were strangers dancing around a first sexual encounter. Was this leading to something more? Lucy didn’t know but she hoped so.

“Yes, I’m a bad girl.”

“And, what happens to bad girls?” He asked as if it wasn’t a question.

“They get spanked,” she said needing to swallow mid-sentence.

Cristiano’s face was stern. He looked around the room scanning everything at his disposal. With a full accounting, he looked back at Lucy who stood ready to submit to his will.

“Undress,” he commanded.

Lucy’s breath quickened as she did what she was told. First removing her shirt she quickly reached around her back to unlatch her bra. Lucy watched Cristiano closely as the garment hit the ground. She was looking for recognition or delight. She got neither getting instead his unyielding glare.

Unbuttoning her pants she unzipped it and pulled it down to her ankles. Stepping out of them she stood in front of Cristiano looking for approval. She felt like a little girl standing in front of her teacher.

“Undress,” he repeated in a deep booming voice.

She complied by sticking her fingers under the waistband of her panties and pushing them down. Once completely naked Cristiano gave her a look of satisfaction. It wasn’t much but it excited her to see.

Cristiano turned seeing the railing extending from one of the bedroom walls. “Grab the railing and bend over,” he ordered her.

Lucy’s heart beat uncontrollably. She didn’t know what was going to happen next. Again doing what she was told, her shaking hands took hold of the railing and she spread her legs extending her ass.

Cristiano took his time moving over to her. Standing beside her he rested his hand on her shoulder. It was with his full irresistible strength that he pushed her down leveling her back to the ground. Still dressed, he touched the crop’s leather to the tender skin of her lower back. Slowly moving it around, the cool leather descended settling on the meaty part of her rump.

“Have you been a bad girl?” He asked his voice unwavering.

“Yes, Sir.”

Cristiano lifted the crop and returned it with a smack. The concentrated force sent a bolt of electricity through Lucy’s body. She was both unprepared for it and quenched by its tantalizing bite. She yelped in reply.

“Have you been a bad girl?” He asked again.

“Yes, Sir,” she said more confidently.

He smacked her again and this time harder. The sensation took her breath away. She wanted more of it even as the sting pulsed across her ass.

Cristiano stretched his free hand under her chest and wrapped his large fingers around her breast. Leaning down he placed his lips next to her ear.

“Since I have lost my memory, have you ever lied to me?”

Lucy, who had closed her eyes, popped them open with surprise. Leaning over naked with her legs spread she felt more vulnerable than she had in her life. What was going on? She didn’t know, but having submitted to his will all she could do was be honest.

“Yes,” she said suddenly repentant.

When the crop left Lucy’s ass it’s returned with force. Suddenly this didn’t feel like a game. She felt scared, not for her safety, but for her future with the man that she loved. Unexpectedly, her fear turned her on even more.

“You said that that cookie was my favorite. Was it?”

Lucy swallowed. “No, Sir.”

The crop returned to her ass with great power. Lucy instinctually moved to stand up, but Cristiano’s free hand pushed her back down.

“Do you know what my favorite cookie is?”

“No, Sir,” she said before getting spanked again.

“Did we have plans to move in together once we got engaged?”

“We never really talked about it, Sir,” she said receiving another smack.

As Cristiano disciplined her, he also returned his hand to her breast. He massaged it. The pleasure of his touch blended with the pain of his crop sending her body to sensual heights.

“Did I actually ask you to marry me?” He asked his hot breath washing over her ear.

“Yes, Sir.”

He gave her another swat. “Did I?”

“Yes, Sir. I promise.”

Cristiano brushed the leather across her ass in reply. It was as soothing as she was turned on.

“Then, tell me, why is it that you don’t know very much about me,” he asked massaging her breasts and caressing her ass.

Lucy didn’t know want to say. The crop disconnected from her and returned with more force than it had all night. She squealed as her knees buckled. Bouncing up and down, she stopped when she felt the tip of the crop pin her in place.

“I said, why is it that you don’t know very much about me?”

Lucy sweat overcome with indecision. She didn’t want to say. The crop hit her ass again.

“Tell me,” he ordered.

“Because all we ever did was have sex. It was all I ever wanted to do,” she admitted as her body shook with fear.

“Do you mean that all I did was fuck you?” He asked coldly.

“Yes, Sir.”

“Is that what you like? You like to be fucked?” He rumbled in her ear.

“Yes, Sir,” she said burning for his cock.

The crop left her ass and she heard his zipper lower.

“You mean you like to get fucked like this?”

With that, Cristiano’s large hand left her breast and slid around gripping her waist. The large knob of his cock quickly found her dripping opening. He started by slowly prying her lips apart, but once his head had entered he thrust himself into her mercilessly.

Lucy flinched trying to stand up but Cristiano forced her back down. With her knees wobbling, Cristiano withdrew his thick member and slammed it back in. She felt helpless to his will and the feeling set her loins on fire.

Reaching forward Cristiano wrapped his hands around her neck. It made his thrusts more powerful. Lucy felt like there was nowhere she could go and nothing she could do to resist him. He possessed her. Feeling his groin slapped continuously against her now tender ass she slipped towards orgasm.

Without warning, Cristiano released her neck and wrapped both of his large hands around her round waist. As she held onto the railing, he lifted her legs off the ground. He never removed his cock from her pussy. As a big girl, Lucy wasn’t used to being picked up so easily. She couldn’t believe that he could carry her and in response refused to release the railing.

“Let’s go,” Cristiano demanded.

Lucy unclenched her hands and enter into the air. As if she weighed nothing, Cristiano lifted her and carried her to the bed. He dropped her on the mattress allowing his thick cock to pull out of her. Wondering if he would abandon her, her question was quickly answered as he joined her on the bed and forcefully rolled her onto her back.

Staring up at him, Lucy’s heart raced. He clutched her ankles and pushed her legs onto her chest. His rigid cock found her pussy. Entering her, he felt thick. Lucy purred as he filled every inch of her. It was more than she could stand. The spankings, his forceful touch, it all ebbed before her toes curled and she crashed into a cascade of orgasms.

Moaning, she felt Cristiano push her ankles behind her ears. In an instant, he was on top of her. His rigid cock found her pussy and increasing his thrusts Cristiano grunted before being washed away in orgasms of his own.

With his hard, thick cock still buried in her pussy, Lucy’s body continued to flinch and twist with pleasure. Her orgasm seemed endless. When her spasms started to stretch further apart she allowed her legs to relax. Slipping out of Cristiano’s once tight grip, her thighs slid down her lover’s body and hit the mattress with a thud.

She could still feel Cristiano’s cock pulsing inside of her. When that finally slowed to a stop, her lover withdrew himself, climbed off of her, and lay on his side facing the other way.

Needing to hold the man that she loved, she turned to his back and wrapped her arms around him. His body felt so warm. His familiar broad back laid perfectly within her grasp. And resting her cheek against his shoulders she was ready to let go of life and slowly drift to sleep.

She felt the reverberation of his back before she understood his words.

“I want you to go,” he told her in a deed, god-like voice.

Lucy was too satiated and weak to react. Not wanting to leave, she laid against him confused. He repeated himself in a deeper more commanding tone.

“I said, I want you to leave!”

Fighting the intoxication, she spoke. “But why? I don’t understand.”

“You lied to me. I don’t know who you are and I don’t think I can trust you. You need to go.”

Lucy’s heart sank hearing his words. This wasn’t a joke. This was what she had feared. With him now comfortable in his own bed, he didn’t want her anymore.

She had been trying to make herself indispensable to him. She should have known that that wasn’t in his nature. One of the reasons she had loved him so much was his seeming independence. How did she expect him to respond to the cage she had created?

“Go!” He demanded removing any thought that she might have had a choice in the matter.

Slowly Lucy removed herself from Cristiano’s body and slithered away. Getting out of bed she found her underwear and put them on. Dressing, she looked over at Cristiano. All she saw was his back.

Putting on her pants and shirt and then her shoes Lucy looked again at her lover and fiancé. She wondered what she could tell him that would make a difference.

“You loved me and I loved you,” she said getting no response. “I know that you can’t remember that now but I’ll help you to remember. I promise. We were once so happy together. As soon as you remember, we will be again. I love you Cristiano and I believe that you loved me too.”

It was with that that Lucy made the lonely walk through Cristiano’s apartment and into the night. She felt like she had been run over by a dump truck. Fighting to keep herself together, she entered her car and let go. Locked within, she cried.

What had she done? Would Cristiano ever forgive her? Would their relationship ever be the same again?

 

 

Cristiano

 

Cristiano woke the next day feeling lost and alone. He knew that it wasn’t a smart decision to ask Lucy to leave but what choice did he have? From the moment she first spoke to him he had gotten the impression that their relationship was a lie. There was something about her and what she told him that didn’t feel real.

So often she had pretended like they were in an amazing relationship but when pressed she barely knew anything about him. How could he have fallen for a woman who hadn’t taken the time to learn anything about him?

And why had she continuously lied about stuff being his favorite? After the first time, he had simply thought his tastes had changed. After the second and the third, he had questioned her motivation. By the fourth time, he no longer believed anything she told him.

Why would she lie about something so basic? And if she was willing to lie about things that were so unimportant, what else was she lying about?

And more important than that, why didn’t Cristiano feel attracted to her? It wasn’t about the way she looked. He thought she was pretty. It was something more fundamental than that. It was like there was something inside of him that was missing. It was like he was incapable of feeling anything for her.

Cristiano couldn’t explain it. He just knew that he didn’t feel drawn to her like the way he felt he should have been. Perhaps it was just his having lost his memory. Perhaps it was something deeper.

Now with no one to help him navigate his forgotten world, Cristiano felt scared to even leave his bed. There were so many things that he didn’t know. The only saving grace was that all of his essential survival skills were still there.

Somehow he still remembered how to cook. He remembered how to speak both English and Spanish. And although he couldn’t recite the ingredients in a mixed drink, he could still make a darn good slippery nipple using muscle memory alone.

Gaining confidence as he thought about it, Cristiano convinced himself that he needed to get up and figure shit out. He got up and headed to the kitchen. There were enough ingredients in the fridge to a scramble himself some eggs and make a cup of coffee.

After breakfast he found a computer and hopped on hoping to determine who the hell he was. Going through his documents folder he found a lot of emails to people he didn’t know. A number of them had a signature that included the name of a bar. Typing that name into Google he discovered that the bar was close by.

With no better ideas, Cristiano got dressed and walked to the bar. Nothing new came to him as he crossed the streets. As he walked he considered how weird it would be if he had walked the streets dozens of times before. Logically, he knew that that was probable. But the thought of it was frustrating.

Was this going to be his new life? Going through life walking streets unsure if he had walked them before? The idea of it wrenched his heart in a way that made him want to give up. Fighting the urge he shook the thought and forced himself to continue on.

Arriving at the bar, Cristiano found it closed. Seeing that it wouldn’t open for another hour, he looked around. He needed to find somewhere he could kill some time. Across the street was a coffee shop. He wondered how many times he had visited it and whether anyone there would recognize him.

Pushing open the door Cristiano scanned the coffee shop waiting for someone to meet his eyes. No one did. Disappointed, he worked his way to the counter. The young woman in the green T-shirt smiled and gave him her full attention.

“Good morning. What can I get you today?”

Cristiano stared at her wondering about her greeting. Today? Had she recognized him from previous visits?

“If I were to say to you that I would like the usual, you wouldn’t know what that was, would you?” He asked with a disarming smile.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I get so many people in here I can never keep track of everyone. What can I get you?”

“No, that’s fine. I was just seeing something. Don’t worry about it. Just give me a coffee, black.”

“You got it. One coffee, no cream, no sugar. Coming right up.”

Cristiano paid for his drink and collected it a minute later. Still needing to kill fifty-five minutes, Cristiano sat at a table near the window. There he watched the busy pedestrians hustle by. A few would inevitably come in, order a coffee, and head out. All of them seemed to be in a rush but as it got closer to noon a few of them lingered and a few others sat down.

It was around 12:30 when something snapped Cristiano out of his mindless gaze. Someone had entered the coffee shop. It was a man with a toned build. He had an angular face, well-coiffed blonde hair, and he was dressed in a suit.

Without question, the man was good looking but Cristiano was sure that that wasn’t what had drawn his attention. Staring as the man stood in line, Cristiano couldn’t shake the impression that he knew him from somewhere. Could it be possible? Was this his first spark of memory?

Cristiano knew that he shouldn’t stare but he couldn’t help it. He needed to know if the stranger recognized him as well. Staring at him until the good looking man looked back, their eyes met. Both men stared at each other until the stranger looked away.

Having lost the man’s attention, Cristiano wondered what the exchange had meant. The man didn’t seem to have a look of realization on his face. Did that mean that the man did recognize him? If that was true, did it mean that he had just stared down a stranger?

But if he was a stranger, then why was it that Cristiano felt so drawn to him? He had to have known him from somewhere, didn’t he? Looking back at the man who was now occupied at the counter, Cristiano was no longer sure of anything.

Deciding that he had made a fool of himself, Cristiano turned back around and stared out the window. The bar across the street was open. He could certainly leave now if you wanted. He didn’t, though. What was keeping him there? The answer came when a male voice drew his attention. Hearing it, his chest tightened.

“Hi. How are you doing today?” The good looking man asked him sporting a pleasant smile.

Cristiano’s heart beat frantically. “I’m good. How about you?”

“I’m not bad.” The good looking man paused for a second and then gestured towards the empty chair on the other side of Cristiano’s small table. “Anyone sitting there?”

“No. Go ahead,” Cristiano said giving no hint to the turmoil he felt inside.

“My name’s Pete,” the good looking man said holding out his hand.

“Cristiano,” he replied clasping hands.

Pete stared at Cristiano still smiling. Cristiano was beginning to realize that he didn’t know Pete at all. But if that was the case, then why was he so drawn to him, Cristiano wondered. It had to be something.

“I’m sorry, do I know you?” Cristiano finally asked.

Pete chuckled.

“I mean, have we met before. It’s just that you seem so familiar to me.”

“Well, I don’t know. Do you work at Fedco Investments?”

“I can’t say that I do.”

“Do you play much tennis? Which gym do you belong to?” Pete asked casually. “Clearly you belong to a gym.”

Cristiano opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. How was he supposed to answer any of those questions?

“Listen, I’m going to be honest with you. I was in an accident recently and I’ve lost my memory. I think I work at the bar across the street and I was just grabbing a coffee hoping that I would run into someone who might be able to shed a little light on who I am.”

“You lost your memory? Like, all of it?” Pete asked fascinated.

“Well, not all of it. I can still make you a pretty good drink if you need one. But who I am and anything I did before three days ago is a complete blank.”

“So, when you saw me…?”

“There was something about you that felt familiar.”

Pete laughed. “So that wasn’t you trying to pick me up?”

Cristiano’s face heated up hearing Pete’s words. They excited him. Why had this stranger thought that he was hitting on him? That didn’t seem like anything that Cristiano would normally do.

Then again, he did find Pete very attractive. But didn’t Lucy say that they were engaged? Finding a guy attractive wouldn’t make sense. He couldn’t be attracted to men, could he?

“I’m sorry, no. I wasn’t hitting on you. It is just that you seemed very familiar. You still do. Are you sure that we haven’t met before?”

“Hey, maybe we have. Listen, I don’t have much time now. I just came down to grab a coffee. But why don’t you give me your number? What you’re going through sounds dramatic. If there is anything I can do to help you out, I’d be more than glad to. And, who knows. Maybe it’ll turn out that we do know each other,” Pete said with a smile.

“Yeah,” Cristiano agreed. “That sounds good. Only thing, I don’t have a phone. Or maybe I do and I just don’t remember,” Cristiano said humorously.

Pete laughed. “Then how about if I give you one of my cards. You can call me, text me, whatever. You do remember how to use a phone, don’t you?”

“It’s that big screen in front of my couch, isn’t it?” Cristiano said with a smile.

“That’s exactly it,” Pete confirmed sarcastically. Retrieving a card from his wallet he handed it to Cristiano. “Seriously, call me,” Pete said with a final devilish smile.

“Okay, I will,” Cristiano agreed feeling his heart race.

Cristiano stared at him as he walked out and Pete looked back as he left the shop. Watching the good looking man as he disappeared out of sight, Cristiano wondered what the hell he was doing. He might have forgotten everything about who he was but he could still recognize flirting when he saw it.

Pete was definitely flirting with him and more surprising than that, Cristiano knew that he was flirting back. The idea both excited and terrified him. It was immediately after that that Cristiano left the coffee shop. As he left he wondering if the folks behind the counter were now going to remember him as the man who was flirting with another man.

Cristiano crossed the street approaching the bar. Nothing about it seemed familiar. Opening the large dark wood door he entered. The room was empty. There wasn’t even anyone behind the bar.

Cristiano wondered around the space taking everything in. It was a Mexican bar with small colorful tiles lining the arched ceiling. The walls were lined with portraits of Mexican wrestlers painted on velvet. Cristiano wasn’t sure what to make of the place. It wasn’t quite a dive bar but it also wasn’t upscale.

Spotting a menu sitting on the bar he opened it. The first half page was nothing but margaritas. He had proven that he could still make a slippery nipple. He wondered if he could still make a margarita.

“Cristiano?” A man said drawing his attention.

Cristiano looked up at the stranger like a deer in headlights.

“Cristiano, where the hell have you been?”

“I was in an accident,” he replied reflexively.

“Shit! Are you serious? When?”

“About three days ago.”

The dark skinned man walked up to him putting his hand on Cristiano’s shoulder. “Are you all right, man?”

“Yeah. But the only thing is that I’ve lost my memory.”

The guy looked at Cristiano suspiciously and then gave him a broad smile.

“See, you had me going for a moment there. But that has got to be the worst excuse I have ever heard.” The man walked away and headed behind the bar to start his prep work. “What? Did you take that girl of yours on a trip somewhere? Or better yet, did she take you?” He said with a wink.

Cristiano had no idea what he was talking about. “No, seriously. I was in an accident. I can’t remember anything before three days ago. The only reason I knew about this place was that I saw the name in a signature in an email. From what was written I got the feeling that I worked here so I came by to check it out.”

The man stopped what he was doing suddenly believing Cristiano. “Wait, are you saying that you remember nothing?”

“I remember a few things. Like, I remember how to speak English and I remember how to use the computer. But names and faces and anything that I might have done or liked, it’s all gone.”

“Shit! I’m so sorry, man. Wait, does that mean you don’t know who I am?”

“No, sorry.”

“No, don’t be sorry. My name’s Wesley. I manage the bar. Yeah, you work here. You’ve worked here for about two years.”

“Two years?”

“Yeah. You used to work about four or five days a week. You were my best guy. I can’t believe you lost all of your memories. What do your doctors say about when you’re gonna get them back?”

“They don’t know. All they said was that I should surround myself with things from my old life. He says that could trigger a memory that brings it all back.”

“Shit!” Wesley slumped as he took in the information. “That’s tragic, man. I’m so sorry to hear that.” Wesley paused. “So you’re saying that you can’t remember how to make drinks anymore?”

“Actually, I seem to remember some drinks. I don’t know which ones. All I know is that when I hear a drink name, my hands move towards certain bottles and a drink comes out.”

“Wait, seriously?”

“Yeah.”

“So if I were to say to you to make me blood orange margarita, you could make me one?” Wesley asked intrigued.

Cristiano pointed behind the bar. “Can I?”

Wesley gestured inviting Cristiano in. Once there, Cristiano reached for a bottle of tequila, margarita mix, grenadine and an orange. When he was done there was a concoction in front of him that looked delicious. Wesley picked it up and took a sip.

“That’s good. What about a gin and tonic?”

Cristiano picked up the bottle of gin and measured out a precise quantity before adding a precise amount of tonic.

“And a Long Island ice tea?”

In less than a minute a tall glass of Long Island ice tea sat in front of them.

“That’s amazing.” Wesley looked at him slyly. “So your doctors said that you should be around things from your old life, huh?”

“Yeah. Places I’ve been, people I know.”

“Well, you know me and you been to this place enough times, God knows. How about if you come back to work?”

Cristiano wasn’t expecting this. All he was hoping for was someone who would know who he was. How could he possibly handle a full day at work?

“Seriously? I lost my memory.”

“Yeah, but you remember the drinks. Think of it like your first day at a new job. You don’t remember anyone’s name, you don’t know how to do anything, but no one expects you to.”

“But, I don’t understand. Why would you want someone who can’t remember their own name to work behind the bar?”

“Okay, here’s the thing. Tina, do you remember Tina? What am I saying? Of course you don’t. Anyway, Tina quit two days ago. I’ve been scrambling trying to fill her shifts on top of yours. You might not remember my name or anyone else’s, but hiring you would be a hell of a lot easier than finding and training two new people while filling shifts until I do.”

Cristiano had sympathy for Wesley situation. He wasn’t sure if it was because they had been friends or because he had been in a situation like that in his past. Either way, Cristiano saw this as a great opportunity to reenter his old life and maybe spark some memories.

“You know what? I’ll do it. You’re going to have to train me from scratch, though. Seriously, I don’t remember anything,” he said to a relieved Wesley.

It turned out that Cristiano remembered more than he thought. Just like making drinks were a part of his muscle memory, so was working the cash register. All of the prep work seemed pretty obvious given the situation and in a few minutes, Cristiano felt more confident than he had since his accident.

Deciding that his first shift would be the following day, Cristiano headed for home with a smile on his face. Not only was he now employed, but a very good looking guy had given him his number. As he walked home he debated whether or not he should call him. His body seemed to tingle as he thought about it. He couldn’t explain why but the idea of calling him made Cristiano excited.

Back home Cristiano scoured his place for anything else that would be a clue to who he was. He also looked for his phone. Not only did he not find anything else as helpful as the email signature, but he couldn’t find a phone anywhere. What type of apartment didn’t have a phone?

Cristiano was digging through his closet when he heard a doorbell echo through the apartment. He froze. Who in the world could that be? Apprehensive, he crossed the hallway entering the living room. Looking out of the window before opening the door he saw someone familiar.

Opening the door, he asked, “Lucy, what are you doing here?”

“I felt really bad about what I did, so I thought I could make it up to you. You were right, I don’t know what your favorite food is. So I drove around to every Spanish restaurant in Los Angeles and got dishes from your region of Spain. Since neither of us knows your favorite foods, I thought we could rediscover them together,” she said holding up five plastic bags.

Cristiano was moved by her gesture. In spite of everything she had done, this was genuinely very sweet of her. “Come in,” he said gesturing in front of him.

“I also remember you telling me about one of your favorite movies. I looked it up. It’s available on Netflix. I thought maybe we could Netflix and chill,” she suggested with an impish smile.

“What’s Netflix?”

“It’s a way to watch movies. It’s not important,” she said dismissively. “Why don’t you just sit and relax. I’ll take care of everything.”

Taking her suggestion, Cristiano sat on the couch and watched Lucy circle the kitchen. When she was done there seemed like an endless number of plates on the coffee table in front of the couch.

“Okay,” Lucy began. “These dishes here are from northern Spain. These are from central Spain. And these are from southern Spain but I’m told that they’re popular everywhere,” she said with a smile.

Cristiano was very impressed. Not only had he not expected anything like this from Lucy, but the food really was very good. As he ate he found some of the flavors familiar. He couldn’t say from where but they did conjure a warm feeling within him.

The movie was also very good. He had to trust Lucy that it was really his favorite but from a pure entertainment perspective, he was engrossed from beginning to end.

“Did you enjoy it?” Cristiano asked Lucy once it was done.

“I don’t actually speak Spanish,” she admitted after sitting through a two-hour Spanish movie without subtitles.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked a little embarrassed. “We didn’t have to watch this. I’m sure we could’ve found something else.”

Lucy put her hand on Cristiano’s forearm. “No, we were watching this movie for you. The only thing that’s important is whether or not you enjoyed it.”

“I enjoyed it very much. What did you say it was called again?”

“Y Tu Mamá También,” Lucy said butchering the pronunciations.

“I must remember that. Thank you.” Cristiano looked at Lucy softening to her. “So, what do you suggest we do now?”

Lucy blushed. “Well, we just watched Netflix, maybe we should chill.”

“Do you mean we should relax on the couch?”

Lucy looked at Cristiano unsure if he was being daft on purpose. Either way, she decided it was better to take things slow.

“Yes. I was saying that we can relax on the couch.”

With Lucy in his arms, Cristiano thought again about Pete, the man who had given him his number. Although he had to remember to ask Lucy about his phone, Cristiano decided that he wouldn’t be calling the good looking man. There was more to Lucy than his first impression of her. Perhaps he could have a future with her after all.

 

 

Cristiano

 

After hinting that he wanted to get some sleep, he woke up the next day alone. It had been a nice night.

Lucy had promised to drop off his cell phone before he headed to work. It turned out that the hospital had given it to her when she had checked him out. Cristiano made clear that he didn’t want to spend the day together and Lucy had seemed okay with that. Expecting that they would get together the following day, everything began to feel all right in Cristiano’s world.

That night when he went in for his shift, everything also went well. There was some awkwardness when he had to explain to his fellow bartender that he didn’t remember who she was. Her reaction made him think that there once might’ve been more to their relationship than just being co-workers. Cristiano couldn’t be sure, though. All he could do was focus on remembering her name and doing the job that seemed to be second nature to him.

It was later in the night after Cristiano hit his stride that something unexpected happened. As he was making drinks and having conversations with the folks at the bar, his eyes darted to the door. Someone familiar had entered. It was the good looking man from the coffee shop. What was he doing here? Heat prickled across Cristiano’s face as he watched him.

Spotting Cristiano behind the bar, Pete smiled. Unsure of what to do, Cristiano smiled back. That brought Pete over and with an open bar stool directly in front of Cristiano, Pete slid in and made himself comfortable.

“You’re here. I wasn’t sure that you would be,” Pete said joyfully.

Suddenly very nervous, Cristiano did his best to seem as casual as possible. “Yeah, I didn’t expect to be. When I came in I found out that they were short staffed. I could still remember how to make drinks, so…” He said with a shrug.

“Well, I’m glad to see you. You didn’t call.”

Cristiano looked at Pete taken aback by his directness. “No. I couldn’t find my phone.”

Pete smiled. “Did you forget where you put it?”

Cristiano smiled back. “Something like that.”

Pete ordered a drink and the two talked for the rest of the night. Cristiano was amazed by how his body was responding to Pete. As the night went on, he found himself getting hard every time he would return to their conversation. All of this was unexplainable to Cristiano. He was engaged to Lucy. At least, that was what she told him. Could all of that have been a lie? Could his true feelings be for men like Pete?

“So, you lost your memory and woke up with a fiancé you don’t know?” Pete asked repeating Cristiano’s story.

“That’s the gist of it.”

“And, do you love her?”

“I don’t know her. How can you love someone you don’t know?”

“Well, when you’re with her do you feel… passion?”

Cristiano’s mouth slowly opened about to speak. Grateful to find someone at the bar in search of a drink, he tabled the thought. “How about if I get back to you on that,” he said stepping away from Pete.

How could he answer that question, he wondered. They had had sex together and it had been very hot. But his body didn’t have the visceral reaction to Lucy that it did to Pete. Did his feelings for Lucy count as passion? Cristiano didn’t know.

What he did know was that he was beginning to have very strong feelings for Pete. He wanted to touch his body and strip him naked. He didn’t know what this said about him but there was no way that Cristiano could deny the truth.

“So, what do you say? Do you have passion for her?” Pete asked as soon as Cristiano returned.

“Lucy is great. There were a couple of times when I felt she wasn’t being completely honest with me. But I wonder if it has something to do with the way she was raised.”

“What do you mean?” Pete asked curiously.

“I think she’s some sort of heiress.”

“Heiress?” Pete asked surprised.

“Yeah. Lucy Hollingsworth. I think her father owns some big company or something. She doesn’t like to talk about him much. I don’t think they get along.”

Pete stared at Cristiano with his mouth hanging open.

“What?” Cristiano asked. “Do you know her?”

Pete paused for a moment. “How would I know her?” He said gathering himself. “Girls who come from money, they’re usually more trouble than they’re worth.”

Cristiano considered that. “Maybe.”

It was then that Cristiano’s bar mate approached him and stretched up to whisper into his ear. “It’s last call,” she said to Cristiano’s dismay.

“So, it’s last call,” Cristiano repeated to Pete.

“So soon?”

Cristiano chuckled. He knew the feeling.

“What are you doing after this?” Pete asked.

Cristiano felt his heart pound in his ears. “Afterwards? I’m just going home. But I have a whole bunch of stuff I need to do here first. At least I think I do. I can’t remember,” he said with a smile.

Pete smiled back. “Okay. Then, hurry up and get your work done. You had to work hard tonight. You had to talk to me all night,” he said jokingly.

“Actually, that was the easiest part,” Cristiano said feeling his face turning red.

Staring at Cristiano with a devilish look in his eyes, Pete got up, tapped the bar with his hand, and walked out. Pete leaving felt abrupt. After talking for so long, Cristiano was at least expecting a goodbye.

Was Pete upset about something? Should he have not told Pete about Lucy? He got a little weird after he had brought her up. Did Pete now think that he wasn’t interested? Because, truth be told, Cristiano was. He hated having to admit it but he was definitely interested.

The question now was how and when he was going to talk to Pete again. He still had his number so that wasn’t a problem. But the way that Pete had left things had made it awkward. Perhaps he should call him tonight, Cristiano thought. Would that be too soon?

Cristiano rolled the thought around in his head as he ushered the last patron out and did his part to clean up the bar.

“You did pretty well for someone who can’t remember their own name,” the other bartender said playfully.

“Yeah. I guess there are some things you just don’t forget.”

“And I guess there are some things that are just forgettable,” the woman said with a mask of a smile. “But maybe your tastes have changed.”

Cristiano looked at her confused. “What do you mean?”

“I saw you talking to that guy. What’s up with that?”

Cristiano felt panic confronted with her question. Who had he been before? Was his attraction to Pete completely out of character?

Back at Lucy’s place he had done online research on memory loss. Apparently, it was possible for people to develop unrecognizable personalities after they lost their memory. Was this what was happening to him? Did he begin the car crash straight and end it gay?

The idea disturbed him. If this was true then what did it say about his potential future with Lucy? The only thing he could be sure about was that he was attracted to Pete. In fact, he had to stop himself from immediately running home and calling the good looking man. There was no denying the way he felt about Pete. And judging by the way his cock throbbed in his pants, there was no resisting it either.

“I was just being friendly to a customer,” Cristiano told his coworker in answer to her question.

“Friendly, huh?”

“Yeah. I had met him yesterday across the street. Hey, I only know four people’s names. It’s not like I can afford to lose friends,” he said humorously.

The woman looked at Cristiano unsure of what to believe. Eventually, she conceded. “Oh, okay. And I’m really sorry to hear about your accident. That must really suck.”

“It’s not fun,” he replied glad to be free of her previous line of questioning. “Anyway, I’ll head out if everything’s good here.”

“No, feel free to go.”

Dismissed, Cristiano’s thoughts returned to Pete. When should he call him? Was tonight too soon?

Cristiano exited the front of the bar and took a step to his right when he heard a man’s voice call out from behind him.

“Cristiano?” The voice said drawing his attention.

When Cristiano turned around a cold chill crawled across his body. It was Pete. He had waited for him. Why had he done that?

“I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye,” Pete said hurrying to him. “You said that you wrecked your car, do you need a ride anywhere?”

Cristiano considered Pete’s offer. It was a nice gesture. “I live close by. It’s probably easier if I walk.”

“Then how about if I walk with you?” Pete asked with a smile.

Cristiano could barely believe this was happening. Or, was it happening? What the hell was happening? Cristiano wondered as he slowly lost his will to resist.

“Yeah, you can walk with me.”

For the first block and a half, both men were silent. The sexual tension between the two was inescapable. Cristiano wanted so badly to reach out and touch him. How could he do that, though? His heart thumped as he tried to figure it out.

“So, where’s your place?”

“It’s right up here,” he said gesturing. ‘Wait a minute,’ he thought. ‘Was he expecting to be invited in? Did Pete think that this was a hookup?’

Cristiano was sure that Pete could hear his thumping heart beat as the two walked. Cristiano didn’t know what he would do if Pete asked to come in. He had to refuse him, didn’t he?

He again thought about Pete’s hands touching his naked body. His hard cock throbbed uncontrollably. Cristiano peeked over at Pete. He wasn’t looking down. Maybe he didn’t notice how hard Cristiano was.

“So, this is my place,” Cristiano said turning to Pete.

It was in that moment that Pete step forward grabbed the sides of Cristiano’s face and pressed his lips against Cristiano’s. Cristiano had been unprepared for it. It took him a second to adjust to what was happening but once he did he gripped the back of Pete’s neck with one hand and his taut back with his other.

Taking control, Cristiano spun Pete around pressing his back against the apartment’s front door. The heat that wafted between them was second only to the sound of the two men stealing breaths during their kiss.

Cristiano pushed his hard cock against Pete’s feeling like he was on fire. Cristiano could have fucked him right there and then if he wasn’t interrupted by a thought of Lucy.

“No, wait. We can’t,” Cristiano said peeling himself away.

“Why not? Because of Lucy?”

“Yeah. I need to resolve that first. I owe her that much.”

“What do you owe her? Didn’t you say that she lied to you?” Pete asked desperate to kiss Cristiano again.

“It’s not about what I owe her exactly. It’s about the type of man I wanna be. I don’t know who I was. I don’t know how much I’ve changed. But I do know how I want to treat people. I need to talk to her first. Maybe, after that…” Cristiano let his words drift off but he was sure that Pete knew what he was thinking.

It was difficult and both men were frustrated, but Pete respected Cristiano’s request and released the mocha-skinned man from his desirous grasp.

“Okay. You know what’s best. But please, no matter what, call me. Do you understand?”

Cristiano smiled. “I promise, no matter what, I’ll call you. And this time I have a phone to do it with.”

Pete smiled and tapped Cristiano’s chest like he had tapped the bar before he left. “I’ll talk to you soon, then.”

“I promise,” Cristiano said still burning with desire for Pete.

Pete made a gesture as if he were going to kiss Cristiano goodbye but then changed his mind and walked off. Cristiano watched him go. It was only after he was out of sight that Cristiano looked around to see who might have seen what had just gone on.

All of the windows looking out onto Cristiano’s porch were dark. Maybe he had gotten away with his brazen affection for another man. Perhaps he could pretend like it didn’t happen and no one would be the wiser. Was that what he wanted, though? Cristiano had to talk to Lucy and find out.

 

 

Cristiano

 

When Cristiano woke up the next morning he knew what he had to do. Knowing what he had to do and doing it were two different things, however. Whatever his relationship was with Lucy, Cristiano knew that he needed space to explore whatever was happening with Pete. It would be unfair to Lucy if they continued on with him having the feelings that he did. After all, it was possible that the accident had made him gay.

Rolling out of bed at eleven, Cristiano fixed himself something to eat and stared at his phone. He didn’t remember whether or not he had done it but Lucy’s number was very easy to find in his contact list. She was under Lucy, Hollingsworth, fiancé, and hot girl. This didn’t feel like something he would do. But from what he knew about Lucy, this had her fingerprints all over it.

Grabbing an early lunch, Cristiano thought about what he was going to say. It was then that he learned that he wasn’t great with words. He just needed to call her and get it over with. But considering that they had been engaged — supposedly — he would have to do it in person.

Picking up the phone there was a part of him screaming for him to stop. The part that screamed for him to continue was louder and came from below his waist. That was the part that won.

“Lucy, do you think that we can get together and talk?” He asked her nervously.

“Of course,” she said cheerfully. “Would you like me to come over?”

“How about if we meet for coffee. I discovered this great coffee place across the street from where I work. I think it’s called… Starbucks. Have you heard of it?”

“Starbucks? Yeah. I think I’ve heard of it,” Lucy said amused.

“Then how about we meet there at three?”

“Sure. I’ll see you then,” she said before hanging up.

Cristiano wasn’t sure why he had set it for so far in the future. Maybe he wanted more time to think about what to say. Maybe he was just being a chicken shit and trying to delay the inevitable.

Whatever the reason, he now had three hours to kill. He spent it doing his favorite pastime, searching his computer for hints to who he was. It was hard for him to keep Pete out of his mind as he did it, though. Cristiano was amazed by the effect that Pete had on him. It seemed unexplainable but maybe the answer lay in his forgotten past.

When the time came, Cristiano gathered himself, took a last look in the mirror and then headed to the coffee shop where he had met Pete. He had an uneasy feeling in his stomach. Was he doing the right thing? He had to have been. Wouldn’t it have been worse to pursue whatever it was with Pete while doing it behind Lucy’s back? There were no great solutions here. This was the best of a bad lot.

Entering early, Cristiano found Lucy already there. He hadn’t expected that. She waved to him calling him over. In front of her sat two large cups.

“Hey! I got you something. I think it’s your favorite. I just said think,” she emphasized playfully.

“What is it?” He asked.

“It’s a latte.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s like a coffee with a lot of milk.”

Cristiano shifted his eyes from Lucy to the large cup in front of him. He slowly took a sip. It wasn’t great. His instinct was to get his coffee black and this was the opposite. It was a sweet gesture on her part, though, no matter how completely wrong it was.

“Thank you,” he said graciously.

Lucy smiled joyfully. “I’m glad you like it.”

Cristiano fell silent trying to figure out what to say next. When he spoke it seemed sudden. “Lucy, I think we should stop being engaged.”

“What?” Lucy said seeming blindsided.

“Yeah. I don’t know if it’s fair to you or to me if we keep doing this even though, I’m sorry, but I don’t know who you are.”

Tears rolled down Lucy’s face. “But can’t we try to get to know each other again?”

“Well, that’s just it. I don’t think we ever knew each other. I guess you said that it was the sex. Was that what kept us together? That’s great, but it isn’t a whole hell of a lot.”

“So you want us to break up? You don’t even want to try and fix things?”

“I’m not saying that we should break up. I’m just saying that we should no longer be engaged. How about we date, see how it goes, and just take it from there?”

“I don’t understand,” she said starting to lose her composure. “Where is this coming from? Is it because of the things that I said were your favorites? I told you, I’m sorry about that. I promise I won’t try anything like that again.”

Cristiano hung his head. “It’s not that.”

“Then what is it? Did you meet someone else?” She offered as a preposterous explanation.

Cristiano looked up.

“You met someone else?” Lucy asked stunned.

“Yeah,” he confirmed.

“When? How? You only moved out of my place three days ago.”

“It happened suddenly. I don’t know how to explain it. I’ve been struggling to try. But the truth is that I have met someone, my feelings are strong, and it would be unfair to you if we continued to be engaged with me feeling the way I do.”

That was as honest as Cristiano knew how to be. He couldn’t bring himself to go into great detail but she got the gist of it. He had met someone else, he had feelings for them, and that was all that mattered.

“I can’t believe it. I knew that if you had the chance to meet someone else, you would leave me. I can’t believe that I gave up everything for you?”

“You gave up everything?” He asked unsure what she was talking about.

“Everything! My father made me choose between you and my allowance and I chose you,” she said with an exasperated smile. “How stupid was I?”

“You weren’t stupid at all. I’m not saying that this is permanent. If I can just get my memory back maybe everything could return to the way it was. But for right now, I can’t pretend about what I’m feeling. And you have to believe me, what I’m feeling isn’t fair to you.”

“So is this it, then?”

Cristiano thought about the question. Would it be easier on her if he told her that this was it instead of dragging it out? “Yes, this is it,” he confirmed feeling the echoes of a broken heart. “I don’t want to lead you on. And seriously, what I’m feeling is unfair to you. This is for the best. I’m sorry.”

With that, Cristiano got up took his latte and walked back home. He didn’t look back.

As heartbreaking as that all was, the further he got from the coffee shop, the more he thought about Pete. Cristiano had done the right thing and now he was free to do whatever.

His pulse increased thinking about the things that he might do. When the door of his apartment was in sight and he knew that the remains of his previous life were behind him, he retrieved his phone and called Pete.

“Hello?” Pete said to the unknown number.

“Pete. This is Cristiano.”

“Cristiano?” He said smiling through his voice.

“I am no longer engaged. I’m a free man.”

“Really?” Pete said anxiously.

“Yeah. I was wondering, would you like to come by?”

There was silence on the phone for only a moment.

“I’ll be at your place in ten minutes,” Pete said slowly drowning in lust.

“I’ll be here,” Cristiano said sure about what would happen next.

When Cristiano opened the front door finding Pete there, Pete marched forward grabbing Cristiano by the collar. Pressing their lips together the two men were animals grabbing and clawed at one another. Shirt buttons exploded and clothes ripped as Cristiano tore off anything between him and his lover’s naked body.

Pushed against the wall, Pete rolled knocking over the television. That didn’t stop either of them. When Cristiano grabbed Pete’s hair and yanked his head back, he wiped his face across his lover’s neck and inserted his tongue into Pete’s ear.

Not stopping there, Cristiano yanked at Pete’s pants. He could feel Pete’s hard cock within. It was large. It stretched across his waist and poked out past his hip. Cristiano couldn’t wait to get at it. Undressing him, Cristiano pushed him down the hallway until he tripped and landed on the bed.

Stunned for a moment, Pete turned and focused on Cristiano. Tearing his shirt off and pulling at his belt, Cristiano’s rippling abs glistened with sweat. Cristiano was perfect looking in every way and when his hard cock popped out from beneath his shorts, Pete couldn’t resist but to grab his lover and toss him onto the bed beside him. Climbing on top of him, he took Cristiano’s beautiful cock into his mouth.

Cristiano had never felt anything like it, at least he didn’t think he had. Pete’s juicy mouth covered his cock with warmth. Stroking him, Pete circled the edge of his head with his tongue. Cristiano grabbed the sheets and lifted his chest in ecstasy.

If Cristiano didn’t stop him he knew that he would blow right there. He didn’t want that so instead, he grabbed Pete by the hair, tossed him onto his stomach and then spread his legs preparing him for Cristiano’s cock.

Not having to be told, Cristiano spit in his hand and rubbed it onto Pete’s asshole. As he did, he shoved his thumb in. Pete yelped.

“Shut up,” Cristiano ordered. “Do you want me to fuck you?” He asked moving his lips inches from Pete’s ear.

“Yes,” Peter whispered with desperation in his voice.

“Yes, who?” Cristiano demanded.

Pete paused. “Yes, Sir?”

“Good boy,” Cristiano said before perching his cock on Pete’s hole and thrusting into him.

Pete groaned under the force of Cristiano’s sex. Cristiano was merciless. The sound of Cristiano’s groin slapping against Pete’s ass echoed across the room like gunshots.

When Cristiano rolled Pete onto his back, grabbed his legs and forced his knees into his chest, he looked down at the overwhelmed Pete with disregard. Shoving his cock into his lover again Cristiano watched as Pete’s expression went from exasperation to ecstasy. As it did Cristiano grabbed Pete’s huge cock and stroked it vigorously.

Feeling the tingling shoot up his legs, Cristiano’s breaths quickened. An explosion was coming. Pete’s rigid cock flinched and froze just as Cristiano’s balls jumped and shot a gusher of cum. As Pete felt the juices layer his insides, he screamed and released a rainbow of cum of his own.

Cristiano could barely see after that. The rush that came with his explosive ecstasy had taken away his sight. With pleasure washing through him he knew where he wanted to be. Dragging his still hard cock out of Pete’s tender ass, he climbed his lover’s body and locked his lips on Pete’s.

Their two tongues touched. Still barely able to catch his breath, Cristiano tried to pull Pete’s mouth into his own. Cristiano felt drunk and stoned all at once. He couldn’t imagine anything more pleasurable than this. And when he finally let Pete’s mouth go and instead wrapped his arms tightly around Pete’s body, Cristiano did everything he could to stop himself from crying.

There was something painfully unfamiliar about this feeling. It was something that Cristiano was sure that he had never felt before. Why hadn’t he, though? Why in God’s name had he waited so long?

 

 

Lucy

 

When Lucy left the coffee shop, she was devastated. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she did her best to not sob profusely. Her world had been ripped apart. How had all of this happened? In one moment she had a guy that loved her and had wanted to marry her and in the next, she was alone and brokenhearted.

What made the situation worse was that there was no transition. When relationships ended there was usually a lead-up. Perhaps there were a few more fights. Perhaps there was an unspoken tension that a partner could sense.

In this case, there was nothing. There was no warning that there would be a car crash. There was no warning that he would pull away and immediately find someone else.

Driving home Lucy cried uncontrollably. She couldn’t take the pain. Everything was too intense. She knew she had to escape what she was feeling and arriving at her condominium she hurried to her condo and typed on her computer.

A flight to Mexico was leaving in two hours. The cost of the ticket would be $3000 but she didn’t care. She needed to get out of there. She needed to pretend like none of this was happening.

Dragging out her suitcases she began loading them with clothes. She couldn’t think straight so she packed everything. Not knowing how long she would be gone, she had clothes for all occasions. It was more clothing than she could possibly need.

Calling a taxi, in an hour she was gone. Two hours later she was on a flight to Cancún. Four hours after that she was landing at the airport and tipping someone generously to carry her bags to her taxi.

From there she went to Le Blanc Spa Resort. It was the only place that she could see herself staying. And, of all of the times in her life, it was now that she most needed a little bit of luxury to make everything feel all right.

Checking into the penthouse suite, she looked out of the sliding glass doors at the soft white sand and incredibly perfect blue water. Staring at the couples on the beach she thought about Cristiano. Her heart wrenched and tears soon followed.

In the lap of luxury, she collapsed onto the floor unable to hold herself together a moment more. Bellowing with agony, Lucy felt like there was a knife in her heart. Thoughts of Cristiano twisted it. How would she be able to carry on after this? Was her life even worth living?

Lucy laid on the cold marble floor for what felt like hours. Exhausted and dehydrated from crying, she peeled herself up and stumbled across the room to the bed. Unable to sleep she found the room service menu. Calling the kitchen, it was closed.

Calling the concierge next, she had him find the closest restaurant and order the first five entrées no matter what they were. Price was no concern, of course. She just didn’t want to have to think or make any decisions.

She figured that when the food arrived she would pick at one of the plates and throw the rest away. When the food arrived, however, none of it went to waste. Stuffed, she fell into a food coma and slept until late the next morning.

The next day was much the same as the last night. Unable to get herself to leave her room, she spent much of the morning crying in bed ordering room service. This went on for the next three days. When she finally had the strength to leave her room, it was for a two-hour spa appointment. It was the massage that she most looked forward to. As vulnerable as she felt, she really needed to be touched.

Alberto was her misuse. He was a powerfully built man with large hands. He reminded her of Cristiano. No one was quite as good looking as Cristiano, but if she closed her eyes, she knew she could turn Alberto into the man who had broken her heart.

“Please get undressed to your comfort level and lay face down on the table. There is a towel on the stand. I’ll be back in a few minutes,” he told her in his subtle Spanish accent.

Knowing what she wanted, Lucy got naked and set her clothes aside. Retrieving $1000, she placed it on a side table and fanned it out so that Alberto would see it. She then laid face down on the massage table completely nude leaving the towel where it was.

Lucy laid with her face in the face pad and her eyes closed. Alberto re-entered without a word. Her heart thumped wildly. She didn’t want to have to explain anything and she couldn’t take another rejection.

Luckily, she wouldn’t have to. Alberto shuffled for a moment out of sight and then approached Lucy who lay on the table. Terrified by what she would find, she forced herself to open her eyes. She could see his legs. Whereas before he was wearing something that resembled nurse scrubs, his legs were now bare. He had undressed. Lucy was about to get what she needed and the thought of it almost brought her to tears.

Alberto’s strong hands pushed and squeezed Lucy’s ample flesh. He really knew what he was doing. Slowly working his way down her body, she parted her legs. Alberto accepted the invitation and slid his fingers between her thighs and onto her pussy. The lotion was warm. As it tickled her lips into blooming, he used his other hand to firmly massage her ass.

Using more and more pressure, Alberto’s finger found Lucy’s loosening hole. Varying the pressure, his finger slipped into her. Lucy inhaled deeply. It felt so good to feel someone inside of her again. And when she imagined it was Cristiano’s fingers entering, her pulse quickened and she made a motion to roll onto her back.

Alberto released his grip on her and allowed her to roll over. Facing the ceiling with her eyes still closed, she felt a pair of hands grab her breasts. They squeezed firmly. Cristiano had never been so gentle.

Still being massaged, Lucy felt a large body climb on top of her. She imagined Cristiano’s eyes peering into her own. He was gorgeous. His strong cheekbones, his buttery-smooth, darkly-tanned skin, Cristiano was perfection. Then when she felt Cristiano’s cock rub against her clit and push into her pussy, she opened her mouth welcoming Cristiano’s tongue.

As she lay there imagining her ex, she thought about how different her ex’s movements felt now. Usually, he had long strokes. This time they were shorter and more deliberate.

This time Cristiano’s hands never stopped moving. Even when one of them left her breast it reappeared circling her clit driving her towards ecstasy.

In her head, she heard Cristiano speak. “I love you,” he proclaimed. “I will never leave you. You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he declared making Lucy feel so good inside.

When Lucy felt that she couldn’t feel any better, she felt Cristiano’s lips and cock pull away from her. Cristiano was slowly kissing a trail down her body. Stopping briefly on her nipples, he carried on.

Kissing her under her breast and then her belly, Cristiano’s lips crossed her waistband and kissed her bush. Quickly after that, he found her clit. Moving like he had never moved before, his tongue dragged Lucy to the edge and pushed her off the cliff into orgasm.

Lucy moaned not caring who heard. This felt so good. Grabbing his hair she pushed his tongue against her. Her body was becoming sensitive but that didn’t stop her. She would have pushed Cristiano into her body if she could. She couldn’t, though. So after her climax peaked and started to decline, Lucy released her fantasy allowing her proxy for Cristiano to get up and get dressed.

Never having seen who had entered the room, Lucy chose to believe that it wasn’t just a man who had reminded her of Cristiano. It was Cristiano himself. Sure that he had made a mistake in ending things between them, he had flown to Mexico and had stepped into the room just when she needed him most. That was what she was choosing to believe, and with her eyes closed, there was no one who could tell her that that wasn’t what happened.

After Lucy had been alone in the room for a while she opened her eyes. The lights had been dimmed. She laid there thinking about what had happened.

She thought about Cristiano and what he had said. She still wasn’t sure how she was going to go on but in that moment it seemed possible that she could. She still had no answers but washed in the waves of orgasm, she felt a little better. She couldn’t imagine ever completely getting over what Cristiano had done to her, but she imagined this to be a start.

Eventually getting dressed, Lucy left the room not looking anyone in the eyes. Feeling a little stronger, she next went to the restaurant to get something to eat. The food was good. The dessert was even better.

From there she went to her room and got into a bikini. Being a big girl she usually didn’t feel comfortable in a two-piece. Today she didn’t care.

 

For the next ten days, Lucy’s life consisted of waking up in the penthouse, grabbing breakfast and then retiring to a beach cabana for the remainder of the day. It was all she could imagine herself capable of. It also gave her a lot of time to think.

Although she had genuinely loved Cristiano, she had made mistakes. She shouldn’t have hidden him to begin with. Why had she been so embarrassed by him? Cristiano was a great man no matter what he did for a living. More important than his job was the way he had made her feel.

And perhaps if she hadn’t treated him so much like a secret, she would have known more of his favorites. Perhaps he would’ve felt more at home in her condo. Perhaps he wouldn’t have been in his car the day of the accident. And perhaps none of this would have happened.

Lucy was beginning to imagine the role she could have played in all of this when, out of nowhere, she received a call on her cell. The name of her bank appeared on the caller ID. Why would her bank be calling her?

“Hello?” Lucy asked a little concerned.

“Hello. Yes. Can I speak to Lucynthia Hollingsworth, please?” The woman said.

“This is she.”

“Yes, this is a courtesy call from your bank. I’m calling to confirm certain charges that have caused your account to be overdrawn.”

“Overdrawn?” Lucy asked confused. “How could I be overdrawn? I’ve never been overdrawn in my life.”

“Before I answer that, can I confirm a couple of charges?”

“Sure,” Lucy said starting to feel nervous.

The charges that needed confirming were for her Cancún vacation. Apparently, she had already spent $130,000 on her trip. That plus a few monthly charges had put her into arrears without the deposit of her usual allowance. She couldn’t believe it. She was broke. Technically she couldn’t even afford to pay for dinner.

“I don’t get it. What am I supposed to do?” Lucy asked the unsympathetic banker.

“Since you are one of our preferred customers, we can extend you a line of credit for an additional $10,000 if you would like.”

Having been told the cost of her penthouse suite, she knew that that wouldn’t be nearly enough. That would barely cover another night’s stay.

“Could you perhaps extend me a little more than that?” Lucy asked again feeling her world crumbling.

“I’m sorry. If you would like to get a loan for more, I can put you in contact with our personal loans department. That might take a few days, though. I would sooner recommend that you consider cashing in any stocks that you might have. As a preferred customer, we would be more than happy to help you with that.”

Personal loans? Cashing in stocks? This was all getting too much for Lucy. She knew what the problem was. It was her father. He had cut her off. She needed to talk to him and convince him to put everything back to the way it was.

He had gotten his wish. She had broken up with Cristiano. She still wasn’t going to marry Peter, but her father was just going to have to accept that.

“Lucy, we all have responsibilities in life,” her father told her over the phone. “I did my best to teach you that. Perhaps I didn’t do a good job. Well, that all ends now. You’re right. You’re your own woman. You’re not a child anymore. Children get allowances and adults get jobs.

“If you would like to be an adult, then come work for the company. I have a position for you. You can learn the company and eventually inherit it from me.”

“Dad, I’m not like you. I don’t know how to do any of that stuff. I can’t run a company,” she admitted.

“Do you think I knew what I was doing when I took over from her grandfather? Do you think he knew what he was doing when he to over from his father? No one is born knowing these things. We learn.

“My one disappointment with you is that you have always been so smart yet you have always wasted it. You could run the world yet you’re so quick to throw away your life for a man who’s clearly not worth your time.”

“Cristiano was a good man?” Lucy demanded.

“Peter Baron is also a good man. The world is full of good men. So why not choose one who can also give you the life that you deserve?”

“Dad, do you know why I wasn’t interested in Peter? It’s because Peter really wasn’t interested in me. He’s interested in the company. All of the men that you say I should be with are. They don’t want me, they want your money.”

“Honey, that’s not true.”