Silk Encased Steel

She was exhausted, in every way possible. She had had a horrible day considering she was supposed to be on holiday with her boyfriend soon to be fiancé Todd. Though the soon to be part was definitely questionable after the fight they had. They had rented a cute little cabin outside houston texas, though the saying everything is bigger in Texas was not a misnomer and the cute little cabin ended up being 1500 square feet. She walked down the grocery isle for the 3rd time, not knowing what she was going there other than she had needed to escape.  She had been through the ringer, a long day of sightseeing in the heat had made her ache in a bone deep way that was only too familiar. They had finished the day with a nice dinner and she had really been expecting a ring after all the conversations and plans they had made, but instead got a confession of infidelity as a precursor to the proposal. She could still see Todds face, his pouty punchable face as he told her how ‘the pressure of getting engaged made him do it, but wow does he appreciate her more now! And if she can forgive him.. blah blah blah... God she couldn’t stand even remembering it. She felt pathetic, wandering the isles of the grocery store randomly putting in junk food to bring back to her motel since she refused to go back to the cabin she paid half of. It was a bad day, fatigue made her clumsy under normal circumstances but it was worse tonight with the anger and sadness that had been heaped on. When you think of it, tripping over nothing and having your groceries fly across the sidewalk was a fitting end to the day. As she crouched awkwardly muttering obscenities, giving up on keeping her thick dark hair out of her face, and regretting the day Todd and she ever met, she felt close to giving up. “Can I give you a hand ma’am?” A deep voice asked from somewhere above her, before she could respond a hand the size of a dinner plate reached out to pick up a bag of cheetos. Her gaze went to the feet as he crouched across from her, and the legs like tree trunks that were attached to the feet. All she could think was Big big man. She seriously hoped as they finished collecting the rest of the food that this was an act of southern hospitality and not a mugging. Cause she stood no chance against a giant. “Thanks, I don’t know what happened there...” She said straightening up slowly. He stood along with her and she was forced to keep looking up until she had to take a step back because her neck was bent in a weird way, “Not a problem. Though just so you know this is a family establishment.” He replied with humour. The ball cap he had pulled down on his large head shaded most of his face, and was really unnecessary now that there was no sun out. But she made out the small amused smirk on his lips. She must have looked confused but the fact was this giant of a man seemed familiar and made her a bit tongue tied, “Family?” He laughed quietly, “My granddad was a sailor in the navy and even I haven’t heard some of those curses you were throwing at the sidewalk.” “Todd” she corrected. He tilted his head slightly, thoroughly amused at the situation, she was a beautiful girl, in an honest, no make up, kind of way that was refreshing to see, “You named the sidewalk Todd? Seems more like a Bert to me.” She waved her hand dismissively, “No that would be crazy, Todd is a person, I was cursing Todd. Worse than a sailor, really?” He nodded, “You were very creative.” He gestured to the bags, “Health nut I see? Need some help getting it to your car?” She narrowed her eyes, “Don’t judge the cheetos, they are wonderful.” She warned. He laughed again, pretty sure this crazy woman was going to be the highlight of a shitty day for him. “I am not judging the cheetos, I promise.” “I know you.” She finally blurted out, “Where do I know you from?” He shrugged massive shoulders, “Pretty sure I have never met you, do you need help to the car?” He asked trying to deflect. “Don’t have a car, I’m down the street at the motel.” She stared, ducking her head slightly to try to see under the hat. “JT Brodie! You play for Houston.” She said finally as it clicked. He looked around uncomfortable, “Well now it’s just unfair since I don’t know you.” She crossed her arms, “You guys lost bad today, I was at the game.. Hey I always wanted to know how you guys aren’t laid up for days after all that hitting.” “It hurts, it’s the adrenaline though, it rides you and you feel nothing for awhile. The trainers tend to help too.” He answered easily. “Houston fan?” He asked. She winced, “well...” He threw his hands up, “Really New York?? I’m hurt I just helped you out.” He picked up her bags, and steered her in the direction of the parking lot, “I’ll give you a ride to the motel, it’s more than just down the block.” She stopped, “I shouldn’t have told you that, my mother taught me better than to let a stranger know where you are staying...” JT chuckeld, “Professional Football player here, I think you are safe.” “Have you even seen the news on your fellow players in the league and their criminal woes? The fact that you are a celebrity definitely does not inspire trust.” JT sighed, “And yet, here is my car and you will get in so I can be the good guy my mother raised me to be.” He opened the door and put the groceries in, “I also have your junk food and will keep it hostage if I have to.” He smiled at the dirty look he got, she was cute and tiny as she glared up at him. “I refuse to ride with anyone I don’t know the name of though.” He added crossing his arms and leaning against the car. “First of all, this is not a car this is a monster truck. And second my name is Valentina. And third I have had a really crappy day and would not want to be anyone who got in between me and my comfort food.” She thought his laughter at her ire was rather rude. She knew she wasn’t a giant like him but she was a respectable 5’3 and could be just as scary as he could. “Very nice to meet you Valentina, now will you be needing a boost into the car so we can get going or are you going to continue to be paranoid about possibly being kidn*pped?” She climbed into the front seat refusing the help, “You are a giant, a almost three hundred pound defensive beast of a player who crushes people for a living. I should not be getting in the car with you that is just logic. But I don’t care anymore. Death in a monster truck would at least keep me from having to answer all the questions when i fly home tomorrow.” JT really felt like he should be offended with her insistence that he was a killer but he let it go. He was more than twice her size and he had two nieces who he would kill if they got into a car with a stranger that looked like him. He understood it, and had a feeling she was missing that internal filter that kept most women from saying the exact same things. “ Wanna talk about it?” He offered as the truck, a perfectly normal large scale SUV, drove in the direction of the motel. Valentina shook her head, “There isn’t much to say, Todd is an asshole and I’m flying home tomorrow without him. Though I am glad he waited to show me how much of a d**k he was until after the game. I’ve never been to a game before.” He got that uncomfortable feeling again, that one that after years of being in the spot light he had developed and honed, “So you a football fan or a football player fan?” “Football. Not a fanatic.. i know all the stats and know the rule book inside and out. But a fan for years, though every hit makes me cringe and wonder how you guys survive it and don’t break more bones. No offense, its not like you guys aren’t also great to look at but i’m tiny and try to stay away from giants who can crush me in their sleep.” He laughed at her insistence that he was a giant, at 6’6 and two hundred and ninety five pounds of muscle he still had moments of feeling like the small kid on the feild with some of the other defensive linemen. “You like to put it all out there don’t you?” He caught her shrug, “Where are you from? You don’t have to be specific, your momma probably also taught you to never give away your address to men like me.” She hit is arm before she could catch herself, “Don’t mock my survival skills!” JT shook his head, “Never!” “Canada, born and raised.” She answered vaguely, “Thanks for the lift, I didn’t mean to be ungrateful.” She said taking her seatbelt off as he parked. JT motioned for her to stay and got out to open her door, “Are you swooning over my gentlemanly ways yet?” He teased as he helped her out. She stared up at him, knowing part of the reason why she couldn’t seem to keep her mouth from saying ridiculous things was he was kinda gorgeous. Better looking in person than on tv and he looked really good on tv.. blond, blue eyes, square jawed. “do you regularly rescue damsels in distress and request swooning as payment?” He scratched his neck, “You are the first in a long time.” He admitted. “bullshit.” He laughed at her outburst, “Bad words are your thing aren’t they Valentina?” He grabbed her bags and let her lead the way, “As a rule I do not rescue damsels, those kind of things are often misconstrued in my profession. Suddenly the media is convinced you are either dating or are accused of stalking by a woman scorned. But I am always a gentleman.” He walked behind her enjoying the view of her body encased in the simple long sundress, she was short but curvy in his favourite places. He took in her limp absently. He couldn’t really say why he was going out of his way with her, she was pretty but he was constantly surrounded by stunning, he usually went for taller too. But there was something with the dark long thick hair and dark eyes, that spoke of latin ancestors. The mouth was driving him insane though, the minute he saw her walking with her bags out of the store, those lips captivated him, full sensuous lips that looked amused even though she was clearly upset. He hadn’t wanted to grab and kiss a stranger in years, the legal and PR teams tended to frown upon that kind of thing. JT was happy helping her out, it had given him an excuse to talk to her, to see her up close. He wasn’t sure if her indifference to his profession was real or an act though. He had seen the act before, it quickly turned into what could he pay for and shouting their business from the rooftops. To say he was weary after 5 years in the professional league was putting it lightly. “Thanks again JT,” She said opening her door and looking over her shoulder at him. He couldn’t help the cynical part of him thinking, this is where she invites me in or goes for the more overt come on. He wouldn’t mind this time, he really wouldn’t. “You’re welcome, glad i was around to help.” The entire walk from the car, up the stairs to her second floor room she had just been praying she could keep it together. So when she felt herself stumble when she opened the door, felt the dull pain flair she cursed knowing there was no stopping herself from going down again. She was so tired. JT’s reflexes had him reaching out and catching her before he really understood what was happening. “You okay?” He asked supporting her with the one arm still, she nodded, keeping her face averted. He half wondered if she was on something, that wasn’t something he wanted to be a part of. But she wasn’t acting like she was drunk or stoned. “Just need to sit. You can go.” She got out, trying to disengage from him. He put her bags down and helped her over to the bed thinking if it was a come on, it was the weirdest he had seen in a while. He knelt in front of her and took the hat off, their height difference meaning he was at eye level, “You sure you’re okay?” “JT please just go. I’m fine, just a clutz.” She said still not looking at him, he moved her hair out of her face and recognized the look all the well. That tension in the face that came with pain was familiar, injuries were common in football, and she was in pain. “Aspirin?” He offered. She stared at the ceiling in exasperation, “You aren’t going to go away are you?” He smiled and shook his head, “Gotta help the damsel first Valentina.” He answered. She pointed to the bathroom and he got up and walked into it to find the aspirin for her. He caught another giant remark under her breath and smiled again. Valentina absently rubbed her leg while he was gone, JT the beast Bodie, was in her motel room. And he consumed it, it was a tiny room to begin with, cheap and tiny was fine for her for the night. But he filled it quickly, she hadn’t missed how he ducked his head to get in the door. His house probably had 10 to 12 foot ceilings just so he didn’t feel claustrophobic. She had almost swallowed her tongue when his hat finally came off. She did not want to be shallow buy, wow, he was a very hot man. “Here you go.” He said pulling out of a coke from one of the bags and handing it and two pills to her. She took them, thankful for once that her darker skin meant she didn’t blush like a lobster. “I’m fine, you can go. I’m sure i’m taking up your time, you must be tired after the day you had. Can’t be energizing losing that badly.” She said mischievously. JT narrowed his eyes, “Just mean!” he added sitting beside her, “If you want me to go I will go, as long as you will be okay.” She really wanted him gone so she could get comfortable and pig out on the junk that she would regret tomorrow. But how often did a girl have JT Brodie doting over her, hell even giving her the time of day. She knew she wasn’t hideous. Most guys found her pretty, some would hit on her pretty aggressively at first, but she just wasn’t JT Brodie level. Guys like him, just did not look at her like that. Guys like him looked for perfection, height, models, actresses, cheerleaders. Not Valentina Rodriguez. “You should go, I have a flight at 9am, have to fit in all this food before then. And that won’t be a pretty sight.” She answered lightly. JT looked her over, “You won’t finish it all. You are too small for that.” Valentina stared down at her can, “Look I can’t get comfy with you here, and it’s been a long day. And frankly i’m not the woman you spend this kind of time with, never mind that i’m 4 years older than you are. You are JT f*****g Brodie! Anyway you probably have a girlfriend waiting at home for you in something very skimpy ready to make you forget about your loss.” He chuckled, “I really wish i lived the life you are imagining right now. No girlfriend waiting, i could probably have gone out with the rest of the guys and found a groupie to help me forget but I am kinda tired of that. It’s fun the first few years true.” He added with a sigh, “I will go and let you get your rest, I think I would regret it though if you don’t let me kiss you.”  She looked at him startled, and found herself being kissed. “That wasn’t very gentlemanly,” She muttered. JT kissed her again, he let her pull away and scoot a foot away on the edge of the bed, “I can go now, if you want.” She took him in, the hands the span of dinner plates, he looked too big for the bed, “I’m not this girl, i’m not the one night stand with some famous guy in a seedy hotel person. No offense meant, this just isn’t me.” JT shook his head, “It’s not me either, I’m glad I met you though. As long as you will be alright?” She held her hand out and he helped her to her feet, she was honestly only planning on walking him the three strides to the door but instead ended up being kissed again and not stopping him this time. “ I need to get off my feet.” She said finally