Last Chance at Forever Love Ch. 05

"I've grown to have feelings for you, Jimmy. I've enjoyed our time together," she said as if she was already saying goodbye.

'Oh, oh. Is this the kiss off? What is she trying to tell me?'

My stomach turned, my heart ached, and my head hurt. I couldn't take it if she was leaving me. I couldn't sleep at night without her naked body warming my bed and hardening my cock. Jack would be devasted for her to take, Blondie, his best friend away.

In the way of the Bachelor and Bachelorette television shows, I was waiting and ready for the other shoe to drop. I was waiting for the prerequisite 'but' word that they say when not accepting someone's proposal for marriage and are ready to give someone the boot. I was waiting for her to tell me that it was over.

"I really like you and you're a wonderful person but—" There it is. She said the but word. "I don't see us continuing in this way," she said already breaking my heart.

Already devastated, I was sick to my stomach. As if ready to puke, I felt nauseas. Trying to keep my composure and a brave face on the outside, prepared for her to tell me that it was over, I was already crying on the inside. Even though I expected her to say that it was over, I really did, but I'd still be surprised, shocked actually, to hear her utter the words that she's leaving.

'Fuck!'

I wished I wasn't so much older than she was. I wished I was younger. I wished she wasn't so damn beautiful. The lowest moment in my life, this was so cruel to have her in my life and to have to let her go.

Why is she leaving? I thought we connected. What did I do wrong? What did I say wrong? What could I have done differently to make her stay? What could I have done better to make her love me? All these things rushed through my mind at once.

I looked at her, listening to what she had to say without interrupting her thoughts, while hoping beyond hope that this was not the end and that I was misunderstanding her meaning. I had a difficult time reading her. As if I had stopped listening, I had a difficult time understanding her. Her lips were moving but, as if I was already in shock, I couldn't hear of make sense of her words.

Perhaps, I feared hearing the words that it was over would kill me. Now, that I've experienced more of her, I didn't want to live without her. Now, that our relationship had moved from acquaintances walking our dogs at the dog park to living together and sleeping naked together, I wanted more. I wanted everything. I wanted it all. Hoping she wanted to continue, I hoped that this wasn't her good-bye speech. I had cold sweats and my stomach soured with the thought of her leaving me.

# # #

"At first, I had a problem with the difference in ages. You're almost the same age as my Dad and are a few years older than my Mom," she said with a chuckle. "If he was to find out that I was shacking up with a man his age, he wouldn't understand. He'd wonder what he did wrong, no doubt, believing that it was his fault, somehow, that I needed a Daddy figure in my life instead of falling in love with someone my own age," she said.

When she said the 'L' word, instead of interrupting her, I allowed her to speak.

"There's no way that he'd believe that I could ever fall in love with an older man," she said with a frown. "He'd be angry with me. He'd be disappointed in my choice. With you an unwelcomed wedge between me and my Dad, he'd try to dissuade me from being with you."

'She said the 'L' word again, I thought.

Only, I didn't know if that was a good sign or a bad sign.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Sophia, but I understand. I'm not surprised. I'd feel the same way if my one of my daughters was having a relationship with a man old enough to be her father," I said not knowing what else to say.

What does she mean by her falling in love with me, an older man? Does she love me? She referred to the 'L' word again. Even though her mouth was moving, after the 'love' word in reference to me, an older man, I didn't hear nor did I understand what she said. I know that I love her and have loved her from the first day that I met her when she appeared from behind some shrubbery with her puppy. Now, I was sick to my stomach with dread. Fearing the rejection, I almost didn't want to hear what more she had to say.

"He'd be pissed at me and livid at you," she said obviously using her father as her excuse to break up with me.

She paused to look at me, while watching how I was receiving all that she had said. Afraid to say anything for fear that I'd start crying like a baby, I remained uncharacteristically silent. I was stunned while waiting for her to finish. My emotions were a rollercoaster of highs and lows.

One minute I was happy that she loved me and the next minute I was certain that she was leaving me. Feeling ten feet tall with the thought and the hopefulness that she, indeed, had fallen in love with me, I felt crushed that she was leaving me, perhaps for someone else, someone younger, no doubt. At least I knew that she wouldn't go back to her old boyfriend. That abusive relationship was over.

"I know my Dad would want me to be happy. He never liked my ex-boyfriend. He thought he was a prick and if I ever told him that he hit me, he'd kill him with his bare hands," she said with a proud smile. She paused while thinking and before looking up at me. "My Dad would like you and would be happy for me to know that you have treated me well, with respect, and with kindness. I could see you being friends, good friends, with my Dad."

She walked over to where I was sitting and sat on the arm of the chair and took my hand in her lap. She mindlessly played with my fingers, as she thought of what next to say. I tensed trying to read her. Was her sitting beside me while playing with my fingers a good sign or a bad sign. I didn't know. I hoped that with her relaxed body language and with her touching me, it was a good sign. Then, what she said next floored me.

# # #

"Tonight, when we go to bed, I want to make love," she said while making eye contact with me to read my reaction to her words.

'Make love,' I couldn't believe what I was hearing? 'I couldn't believe what she said. She wanted to make love with me. So, that's what this was about.'

I was ecstatic. I was in Heaven. She gave me such a soulful look that I had the urge to scratch her ear and pet her head. I've been around the dogs way too much and don't think she would have understood or appreciated if I suddenly said what I was thinking.

'Good girl,' I thought while controlling myself from scratching her ear and/or petting her head.

"I never have intercourse with anyone unless I have strong feelings for them," she said giving me a look that melted my heart. "I stopped having intercourse with my boyfriend months before we ended it at the dog park. For me, it was over long before that day that when he hit me for the last time. I would have left him long ago but I had no place to go," she said lifting my hand to her lips and kissing my fingers. "I'm ready to take the next step with you, Jimmy, that is if you're ready to take the next step with me."

'If I'm ready? Are you serious? Pinch me, I'm dreaming,' I thought. 'What time is it, 4pm? Can we go to bed now? Suddenly, I'm very tired, sleepy, actually. I can barely stay awake.'

I wanted to yawn, but didn't. I didn't want her to think that I was bored and not interested in all that she said. All of these thoughts flashed through my mind like an electrical current, but I didn't dare utter any of them. I didn't want to make light of the seriousness of our relationship and at this moment with levity as I always do when saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.

"Sophia, I couldn't be happier. Yes, of course, I want to see where this will go." I looked up at her and smiled. "I have feelings for you, too, deep feelings."

I couldn't resist making a sexual gesture. I grabbed my cock and we both laughed. I couldn't help but inject some humor. With her being so serious in her mood, it was suddenly feeling a bit melodramatic.

"I'm so happy, Jimmy," she said giving me a kiss.

I returned her kiss with my kiss.

"In the short time that I've known you, you've touched my heart." I put my arm around her waist. "At first, my attraction to you was physical because of how gorgeous you are and because of how young you are. I've always been attracted to younger women while knowing that nothing would ever come of an older man with a younger woman. Then, when we became friends, I was flattered to think that someone as beautiful and as young as you would be interested in an old man like me."

I coughed while pretending that I was feeble and she laughed. I loved her laugh. She has such a melodious laugh. As much as I loved hearing her laugh, I loved making her laugh.

My hand lightly massaged her back moving from the back of her bra to the top of her panty, as I formulated my thoughts. I loved feeling her underwear beneath her clothes. I found it so erotic to outline her bra and trace her panties with my fingertips knowing what pure pleasure lies beneath those thin layers of silk, satin, and cotton fabric.

"Now, everything is so right with you and with us, I'm so happy. Everything is so natural. I can't imagine you not being part of my life. I can't imagine you getting up and thanking me for my hospitality and leaving suddenly for another man, a younger man," I confessed. "That would kill me," I admitted.

She gave me a smile and a kiss.

"That will never happen, Jimmy. You're stuck with me," she said with a laugh. "I'll never leave you. I'll never leave the man that I love."

I returned her smile with my kiss.

"Well, if having you in my life is being stuck with you, I'm glad to be attached to you at the hip." I stood and grabbed my car keys. "This is an occasion to celebrate. I'm going to drive to the liquor store in town and pick up a bottle of champagne."

She beamed me a bright smile.

"Oh, goody," she said clapping her hands. "I love champagne."

I had a thought of what else I could do to make this night special.

"Tell you what; I'll stop by the market and pick up a couple of lobsters, too. Let's make this a night to remember."

# # #

With that, I was out the door, and on my way, to buy all the fixings to celebrate a new beginning with a new woman in my life. I was so happy.

In the excitement, I inadvertently left my wallet home. I didn't realize that I didn't have it with me, until I was standing in the checkout line ready to pay for the champagne. Normally, forgetting my wallet and having to drive home and all the way back to town would put me in a foul mood. Yet, I was in such a good mood that I didn't mind the drive home to get it.

Even the thought of the return drive back to the liquor store didn't bother me, as it normally would have. Normally, just thinking about driving back and forth would have made me angry and tired. Now, with her in my life, nothing could upset my day. Suddenly, as if injected with steroids or a massive dose of vitamins, I felt younger. I didn't feel as beaten down as I did before. Suddenly, life with Sophia in it was good, all good and couldn't be better.

There was an old, battered pickup truck parked out front, when I pulled up to the house. The dogs were in the backyard barking. With Jack having Blondie to keep him company, they never bark. Even when they do bark, not wanting to bother the neighbors, Sophia would never allowed them to bark for this long.

We lived at the end of a cul-de-sac and I knew every car and truck in the neighborhood and this one didn't belong. I don't know why I did, but I sensed something wrong and instead of pulling in the driveway, I parked the next house down. The trees in front of my house gave me plenty enough cover to sneak around back where the backlight was on and where I heard voices.

It was him, her damn ex-boyfriend pleading his case and wanting her to take him back. How he found where I live, I have no idea, but it took him more than two months to do it. Maybe, he followed us home one day from the dog park. Needing to know if she was still interested in him, I stood there listening to them.

"Sophia, I know I screwed up. I treated you like shit and called you names. I hit you. And I'm sorry for that too. I'm sorry, Sophia. I'm so very sorry. I really am sorry," he said.

As if he was an intruder and he was, the dogs didn't like him and they continued barking in the background. He was just inside the back porch with one foot on the top step. He was standing with his back to me and she was standing in front of him with his body blocking her view from seeing me peeking around the tree. I was glad that she didn't allow him in the house. I figured he must have come around back when she saw who it was and didn't answer the door.

"I love you. I'm lost without you. Please, come home. Please give me another chance. Please, give it another try. I promise to be better. I promise never to hit you again. I love you, Sophia," he said again. "I love you."

She gave him a look that if looks could kill, he'd be dead.

"I'll never go back to you," she said sternly and without emotion. "I don't love you. It's over between us. You hit me for the last time," she said with anger. She stared at him as if she suddenly hated him. "You kicked my dog. You kicked Blondie. You hurt my dog."

In the way that she said all of that, so cold and detached, I believed her. Only, in the way that she said that, I hoped I'd never hear those words from her lips. Then, she said what I was hoping to hear.

"I'm happy with Jimmy. He's good to me. He makes me laugh. He makes me happy," she said smiling. "I love him."

When she told him that she loved me, it sent goose bumps down my arms. She loves me. As if I was flying, I was so happy. When she told him that she loved me, I could see him suddenly getting angry.

'Roses are red and violets are blue, Sophia loves me and I love her, too,' I thought. 'She really loves me. My life can't possibly get any better than this.'

# # #

When she confessed her love for me while looking away from him, the look on her boyfriend's face was instant rage. Sophia didn't see it, but in the way that I was angled behind the tree, I did. He covered himself almost immediately with his sincere, trusting, and apologetic face but I saw the real him. This guy was a sick bastard, a real psycho.

"Sophia, I'll be good to you," he said taking a step closer to her. "I'll treat you better. I'll treat you with kindness and respect. I promise that I'll never hit you, again. I promise I'll never kick Blondie. I love that dog," he said lying.

She moved away from him to close the door.

"You'd better leave, Paul, before Jimmy gets back," she said practically growling at him while trying to close the door on him. Not allowing her to close the door, he moved up another step. "He's not going to like you on his property. And I can't be responsible for what he does to you, especially after I told him that was not the first time you hit me."

Paul. His name is Paul. As if he was already gone from her life, funny how she never mentioned his name before and I never asked.

"Fuck him," he yelled allowing his rage to get the better of him! "Who the fuck does he think he is? You're my woman," he said as if he owned her.

Instantly, he turned from the apologetic boyfriend to the raving, lunatic artist that he really is. I was so glad that she saw through him and realized who he really was, a real prick. Some people will never change. Some people deserve a good beating.

"You'd better go, now. Jimmy will be here any minute."

He laughed out loud like the lunatic that he was.

"Jimmy? So, what? Let him come. He's an old man. What's he going to do to me? Bleed on me? He got lucky that day when he hit me. I wasn't expecting that. He sucker punched me and if he ever tried that again, I'll kill him." He took a threatening step towards her; actually, walking onto my back porch. Trespassing now, he was on my property. He tugged at her arm and pulled her out the back door. "You're coming home with me, now," he said with rage.

Now the dogs were barking even more and clawing at the fence trying to get out and trying to get to him. With the dogs barking their heads off in the fenced in backyard, he never saw me come out from around the tree. He never heard me walk up behind him.

# # # 

Ready to take care of him once and for all, I stood directly behind him. With him so focused on hitting her, when he lifted his arm to slap her, something I should have done at the dog park, I broke his arm. It was a loud snap and he fell to the ground writhing in pain.

'Snap!'

"Ow! Ow! Ow," he screamed like the little girl that he is! "You fucking bastard," he yelled in pain while cradling his broken arm! "You broke my arm. I'll sue you. I'll own your house," he said.

Once he was on the ground writhing in pain, giving Sophia the justice and the closure that she deserved, I pummeled him with kicks to his head and torso until he forced himself to get up. Had he not gotten up, I would have kicked him unconscious while breaking more bones. He took a wild swing at me with his unbroken arm and missed. Then, missing again, he tried to kick me to no avail.

I assaulted his face with punishing blows that knocked him senseless. Blood exploded from his nose, when I broke it. Then, when I served him with a final uppercut, I heard his jaw break, too. He collapsed to the ground like the sack of shit that he is.

Had I been younger and stronger, I would have killed him. Thankfully, I didn't. No doubt, he'll be drinking his food through a straw for a while. It will be a long while before he'd be painting with that arm.

I had every legal right to not only protect Sophia from him kidnapping her and beating her again, I had the right to protect my property and my dogs from him. Especially with her telling him to leave and with him trying to take her against her will, he had trespassed on my property. He was lucky I didn't take a tire iron to his head or shoot him.

I was so angry. How dare he come to my house? How dare he hurt my Sophia? No longer his woman, not that any woman literally belongs to any man but, with her the love of my life, she was my Sophia now. No one was going to hurt her, especially not him. He's hurt her enough. In the way that he's hurt her, I took pleasure in hurting him.

Only, careful not to kill him which I easily could have done, he wasn't worth spending the rest of my life in prison. The punishment that I gave him was payback enough for all the times that he hit Sophia. I was glad to have her see a real man give him the beating that he so deserved. I took pleasure in beating the crap out of him for all the times he belittled her and hit her.

Yet, somehow, I managed to stop myself before I crossed the line and mortally wounded him. I hadn't given someone such a beating, since I was in a barroom fight, when stationed overseas in the Marine Corps half a lifetime ago. He had no idea who he was messing with when he wanted to play tough guy by hitting a woman.

'Once a Marine, always a Marine. Semper Fi. Always faithful. Semper Fi. Always loyal. Semper Fi,' I thought. 'Oorah!'

# # #

After I beat the crap out of him, with him still screaming in pain, I picked up his lifeless body by his broken arm and balls, stuffed him back in his truck, and called the police. For good measure, I went in my house and grabbed an opened and half consumed bottle of whiskey. I filled his screaming mouth with alcohol, poured some on his clothes, closed the bottle, and tossed it on the floor on the passenger side.

The police arrived within five minutes and arrested him for trespassing, assault on a woman, attempted kidnapping, and drunk driving. The cop who took the call was an old friend and wrote in his report that I was protecting my property and defending my girlfriend from being physically assaulted and kidnapped. The next step was to take out a restraining order on his ass, which we planned to do on Monday.