Free Second Chance 3: Ask Me Again 3: David's Story by Theresa Hodge

a mere man for Christ-sakes. My eyes took in what was offered, before common sense kicked in and propelled me to act at once.
    I quickly marched around the desk to pick up her coat to drape over her bare shoulders and cover her naked body. I would be lying if I said her body wasn’t beautiful. It truly was. God knew what he was doing when he designed the woman’s body, I thought to myself. But it was only one woman’s body that had the desired effect on me. The woman standing before me had no effect on me, none whatsoever. My heart and body belonged to one woman and her name was Ava Madelyn Stowe.
    “Put your coat back on this instant. This is a place of business and you have disrespected me and yourself, as well,” I said attempting to help her get her arms in the blasted coat.
    “David, are you in there?” The door suddenly opened a crack. “Your secretary wasn’t at her desk so I…” Madelyn’s voice trailed off as she walked fully into the office. She had a bag in her hand with her cookie shop’s logo on it. The freshly baked cookie smell filled the room as she stood as still as a statue with a dismayed look glued to her pretty features.
    Memories flooded into my being as I remembered a similar situation of years past. Alyssa had walked into this very office and caught me between the thighs of this very woman. I was guilty as charged back then and deserved the karma I received. But I'd be damned if I got charged this time. I was an innocent man this time around.  I would not let Rachael mess up the best thing that ever happened to me.
    My hands quickly dropped from Rachael’s shoulders. “Madelyn, I know this looks bad as hell right now, baby, but you have to trust me,” I pleaded with my eyes for her not to jump to any conclusions on my part. “Rachael Simmons has come here without an invitation from me.  I was just insisting that she leave.”
    “Oh! Was she leaving while your hands were all over her naked body?” Madelyn questioned with a hurt look that darted between Rachael and me.
    Rachael looked amused as she slid her arms back into her coat before belting it tightly at the waist. “I assume this is the little bitch that has your attention for the moment,” she said snidely sending Madelyn a look of disdain.
    “Wait one damn minute! Who are you calling a bitch? You don’t know me, bitch,” Madelyn replied angrily. She put the bag down on the floor and marched over to confront Rachael. I caught her around her waist and held her firmly in place.
    She was a feisty thing, but I kept that thought to myself as I held on to a squirming Madelyn. Rachael wasn’t worth my sweetie breaking a nail over or messing up one strand of hair on her pretty head.
    “Rachael, I think its best that you leave and never contact me or darken my office again. I won’t stand for you disrespecting the woman that I love and one day hope to marry. Like I told you just before Madelyn arrived, what we had is in the past. This beautiful woman right here is my present and my future. I won’t let you or anyone else mess up what she and I are building,” I stated this in a matter of fact tone that didn’t brook any argument.
    Rachael face drained of all color, leaving her pale with a listless look to her face. Madelyn instantly stopped struggling in my arms after my confession. All fight left her body as she melded into my arms. She faced a distraught looking Rachael before speaking. “You heard my man bitch. Leave before I kick your thirsty, disrespectful ass out of here.”
    I bit back a triumphant smile as my sweetie handled her business. Her man. I really liked the sound of that and felt proud to hear the words slip from her lips.
    Rachael quickly walked passed us on unsteady legs and left without saying another word. There wasn’t anything left for me to say. My little tigress had staked her claim in no uncertain terms. My eyes sparkled at the gem of a woman that was in my life. She was as priceless as they came