I was wrong about you

"And Jason?''

His brown eyes never stray from mine. They're boring into me, persuading me to say exactly what he wants me to say. And I say it.

''Fuck Jason.''

His mouth claims mine again and I feel him pull me away from our silent audience.

''If you two aren't out in four minutes I'm coming in.''

Darryl calls after us.

Our mouths remain pressed together until my back is pressed against the cold concrete. I open my eyes and pull away. We're in the shower, the men's shower. It looks exactly like the women's bathroom...go figure.

''Say it again.''

Jake moans, kissing my neck and making my head bob.

''I'm going to Denver with you.''

I say, emphasizing the words. His tongue slides against my skin, igniting the blood beneath it. I've missed him so much even though he dropped me off at home before going to the gym this morning. I happily run my hands down her wet, slick body, around her neck, over her shoulders and down her arms, eliciting a moan from the base of her throat. He places a soft kiss on the tip of my nose and rests his forehead against mine.

''What made you change your mind?''

I subtly revel in the feel of his hot breath on my face. I don't want to tell Jake what my father said. Dad isn't the type to express his thoughts that way and I want to keep them in their purest form straight from the source. I feel that if I repeat it, he will lose his feeling.

'''Let's just say a little bird helped me decide what's important.'''

I slide down his body until my feet are firmly on the ground.

''I'm honored that your dad thinks so highly of me.'''

Jake knows I was at the hospital with my dad this morning and I guess he put two and two together. I shrug, trying not to laugh.

''Beauty and intelligence, that's weird. Maybe it was mom.''

She laughs once.

''No, your mom thinks I'm the big bad wolf.''

"No, she doesn't...

Yeah. I'm not convincing anyone. For a housewife, Mom's pretty aggressive.

''Anyway, I'm glad you decided to come with me. Now I can stop driving myself crazy with plots.''

"Plots?

''Yes.''

He smiles, dropping his shorts to shower in the open room. The heat mixes with the blood under my cheeks.

''I've been trying to think of ways to get you to come to Boston. Some were silly, some were strange, and some were just plain illegal.'''

His words rip a laugh out of me and I watch him as he walks to the far wall and turns on the shower. Water pours over his body and soon steam engulfs the room.

''Won't you join me?''

he asks with a mischievous grin.

''I want to. I want to get naked and feel his hands on me, but there's no way I'm showering outdoors. Not when there's a room full of boys next to us.''

I shake my head.

''I'm fine just watching.''

I pull my phone out of my back pocket. Jason will hate what I have to say. Jake's fight is in six days. I dial Jason's number and he answers right away.

"Sandra? Hi. How's your dad?''

"He's doing great. They're letting him go home today.''

Darryl pokes his head into the bathroom, relieved to see us on opposite sides. I feel myself blushing because Jake is so exposed, but none of the men seem to mind. Darryl snags a blue towel on a towel rack and with a quick nod leaves.

''How are you feeling?''

Jason asks.

Jake shuts off the shower and walks over to his towel. I admire his body as he walks. He is perfection. Every muscle-clad limb is perfectly tight, shaped and muscled. He runs the towel over his head, chest and arms before wrapping the towel around his narrow hips.

'He's... he's... I'm fine.''

I stutter, getting nervous for Jake. I feel like an idiot. He won't even touch me and my brain is foggy. Jake notices my hiccups and smiles his trademark smile at me.

''There's something I need to tell you.''

"I'm listening.

Jason responds cautiously.

''I'm going to Denver and I need some time off.''

Quiet.

''And after that, assuming things go as planned, I need more time off to go to Las Vegas.''

Silence.

''Jason?''

''Yes, I heard you.''

He exhales.

''You're going to put his career ahead of yours?''

''It's not really a career, I mean, I'm just a receptionist.''

Jason's tone darkens.

''Just a receptionist? What business runs smoothly without a receptionist? As far as I'm concerned, you have the most important job in this practice and what about your dad? He'll need your support.''

I don't want to tell Jason everything. He's my boss. When an employee asks for time off, the only role an employer has is to say yes or no. None of this digging through the garbage of personal information.

''My dad's the one who talked me into going to Denver.''

"What if I say no?''

There it is.

"Then I have no choice but to quit...''

"Really? Like this?''

I nod, aware that he can't see it. Jake leans against the wall next to me, crossing his arms over his chest.

''You know, I was wrong about you. Here I was thinking you were a mature adult, but you're far from it. You'll risk your job just to follow your new boyfriend, you're actually immature. You're so afraid he'll cheat on you, that's why you're going? Because he's an animal and can't keep his dick in his pants for five fucking seconds?''

Jason's tone is icy and sends cold terror through my ear and into the pit of my stomach. Strangely, I feel an urge to cry pushing at the base of my throat, but I press my tongue against the roof of my mouth to stop it. It's not about Jake. I know he wouldn't be unfaithful to me. Sure his promiscuous past makes the odds stack up against me, but they're invisible to me. I want to cry because I've upset Jason so much. It's not his fault he's so angry. I've really screwed him up in the last few weeks and it's been beyond his ability to cope. That amount of stress would affect anyone.