Lover, Not A Fighter

By Cindy

I could not wait to arrive in New York and meet the other chicas. I had not been lucky enough to attend any of the conventions so meeting the wonderful people behind the initials and names was just like unmasking Zorro! It was not only the air of anticipation of meeting the other chicas but what was in store for all of us when we arrived in New York that excited me so.

The success of our Kiss stories had reached an epic proportion, so much so that we were asked to pioneer a new Virtual Reality project. We were told we could enter any movie of Antonio Banderas, and had the option of entering at any point in the film. The project also gave us the capability to change the outcome of anything in the movie. The other chicas and I went into a room that consisted of many doors. Each door had the title of one of Antonio's characters and a movie.

As I entered the room there was Ahmad's door right in front of me and next to his was Miguel's, my were the chicas lining up for that door! I hope they knew how dangerous that could be. I finally spotted the door that I had been thinking about since I found out about this adventure. It was difficult for me to think of what I would like to change in an Antonio movie, (besides the fact I would like to be cavorting with him instead of Rebecca De Mornay, Salma Hayek, and Victoria Abril.) Peeking down the hallway, I spied the room I was looking for. As I was turning the doorknob, an attendant quickly asked me if I needed anything in the dressing area, "No, thank you," I replied. I am staying in present time. Besides, where I am going anything goes." With that I opened the door and entered Antonio's world.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself standing in the middle of the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. No longer was I Cindy devoted chica and Kiss writer, now I was a beautiful, investigative reporter for the New York Times. This is where our story begins.

"This bout is a draw!" Cesar could not get those five words out of his head no matter how hard he tried. He was sitting with his eyes closed in a corner booth in the cocktail lounge at the Mandalay Bay Hotel. Cesar was determined to drink as much as necessary to forget the last 24 hours. "The last time I drank this much was after the fiasco in Madison Square Garden five years ago," he muttered to himself. Cesar slowly opened his eyes, the twinkle had all but disappeared and was replaced by a redness, which was a mixture of tears and dried blood. Grabbing his drink with both hands, he stared at his reflection in his glass. A tear found its way down Cesar's cheek and into his glass. He took the back of his hand and wiped his cheek just as a young, buxom waitress brought him another drink.

As the waitress set the drink down she pointed to a young woman and said "compliments of the blonde at the bar." As Cesar handed the waitress a generous tip, she walked away from his table. Just as the waitress left Cesar raised his glass and feigned a smile as he mouthed "thank you" to the mysterious woman at the bar. "She either doesn't know who I am or she feels sorry for me, " Cesar thought. The last thing Cesar wanted right now was other people's pity. "I have enough pity for myself right now thank you! Cesar concluded in an inebriated stupor. He was sure she felt sorry for him, after all everyone in Las Vegas knew about the outcome of the fight by now. Everyone in the world probably knew-it was being broadcast in 110 countries! Cesar's worst fears started to come true; the woman started to walk over to his table.

"Excuse me Mr. Dominguez, I was wondering if I could speak with you. My name is Cindy Porter. I work for the New York Times, and I was wondering…" Cesar would not even let her finish her sentence he abruptly cut her off.

I cannot believe you people, you are worse then I thought! I have barely been out of the ring for three hours and you are already circling me like bloodthirsty sharks. Well, here's the blood," Cesar said pointing to some dried blood on his face. To think you are writing for the New York Times! I truly expected more from your employer." Although much of what Cesar said was in anger, the reporter realized that a lot of it was the booze talking.

"Please hear me out. I am here to help you. I know you must be upset after tonight's fight, but I think you will like what I have to say," countered Cindy.

"I will give you three minutes Ms. Porter. But I really don't think anything you have to say to me tonight will make me feel better," Cesar leaned back in the booth and took a big breath as he looked at his watch and said, "start talking, your three minutes have begun."

"Mr. Dominguez, five years ago I was with the New York Times but I was a sportswriter. I was at the Garden the night you fought Volario. As it looked like Cesar was about to interrupt her she gently put her hand on his forearm and quietly said, "Please let me continue. "It was only my second year on staff, and because I was young, new, and a woman I did not have the sources that my older male colleagues had. I had to develop my own sources. Something that proved helpful later. Anyway…" Cesar interrupted.

"Ms. Porter, thank you for telling me your life story but I fail to see how that affects me at all. Unless, you were the one who printed that I took a dive - and another vicious rumor, which I do not even want to speak of. Did you do it to get a by-line because you were new," accused Cesar.

"Mr. Dominguez, I wasn't the one who accused you of taking a dive. In fact, I did everything I could to make sure that story was not run. I did not think we had all the facts," railed Cindy. "I could not do anything at the time. As I mentioned to you earlier, I am now an investigative reporter. I have a little more time and a lot more sources to poke around in stories then I did when I was a staff writer for the Sports section. Something about that fight had always bothered me, so when I was doing a piece on Organized Crime some of the same men's name that were involved in that fight kept creeping up. Mr. Dominguez, I found out that the fight in the Garden was fixed. The instigator of the operation was Joe Domino. He paid off the judges, the referee; he even paid off Volario! His family has connections to the mob. Therefore, he had many contacts to undertake such an operation.

"Cesar," Cindy whispered, when he went to Philadelphia to offer you the opportunity to fight in the Garden- he knew you would not refuse, He was aware that you were a great fighter, but you were still young and green. He counted on someone like you. I have the proof; I faxed it to my editor. They are going to go over it. I hope that it will be in tomorrow's paper. Do you know how many people read the Sunday New York Times? Cindy said gleefully. Between that retraction and tonight's fight you will be in demand again!"

"I am not sober, so tell me again. Are you telling me that tomorrow the New York Times will show, for all to see, that what I have been insisting for the last five years is true? Cesar questioned. Cindy smiled and nodded yes. All the effort and time she put in on this project was worth that smile of Cesar's.

"This is tainting the Boxing Commission a great deal. They will probably call a re-match in Madison Square Garden for you. It will most likely be a title fight against Campus," Cindy continued enthusiastically.

"No, Ms. Porter. I do not know if I can step back into the ring. I thank you so much for clearing up that whole situation in the Garden. You gave me my reputation and self-respect back. I have lost my passion for boxing. Boxing has hurt me too much. I just lost one of my dearest friends. I loved that man I just fought in the ring today. I fought him for money. I did not think of our history, and how special and good he has been to me," Cesar was surprised he was pouring out his soul to a woman he had just met in a bar. On top of that, she was a reporter. He would be in real trouble if she were not an honest one.

"Losing, someone you love is difficult. I just broke up with my fiancée so I know the pain. Your friend's name was Vince, right. How long were the two of you lovers?" questioned Cindy to a surprised Cesar.

Cesar got that twinkle back in his eyes, and for the first time that evening he smiled as he started to laugh that infectious laugh of his. "You thought that Vince and I were gay? I thought you were an Investigative Reporter. Where would you get an idea like that? If Vince could only hear what the New York Times is saying about him now. He always believed in publicity-but not this kind." Cesar said laughing.

Cindy was a little upset with Cesar and his questioning of her abilities as a reporter. After all, look what she had just done for him. "Mr. Dominguez, the way you were talking about him, I just assumed that he was one of your friends," Cindy had a hard time getting the last few words of the sentence out. She immediately changed the topic. "I have to go up to my bedroom to check my fax machine. The edited copy should be coming through of my story on Joe Domino anytime now. Would you like to come up and wait? I have a copy of the story in my room. You can read it if you like," offered Cindy. "Oh, and please call me Cindy," she added.

Still a little shaky from all those drinks Cesar got up and accompanied Cindy to her room. She turned the fax machine on and then sat down with Cesar on the small love seat in the bedroom. "Sorry, but the Times doesn't spring for luxurious accommodations unless you are an editor. Reporters like me, well we need to take coach and standard rooms," smiled Cindy.

Cindy could not keep her eyes off Cesar. Sure he had a few cuts and bruises, but he was a perfect specimen of a man. The great artists of our time could not improve upon his body. As serious as she was about telling the story to Cesar, she kept staring at his fantastically sexy body. Was she sexually deprived since she broke up, or was he that gorgeous of a hunk that she wanted to jump into bed with him right now? Oh well! Single girls lament, all the good ones are married or gay.

"Cindy, do you mind if I use your shower? I showered downstairs briefly after the fight but I think I need another one. You see I do not have a room." Cesar then looked at her and said, "I will not take offense if you say no. After all, you just met me and you are a single girl." Cindy quickly finished Cesar's statement..

"Cesar, please go in and use it as long as you like. There are fresh towels. The hotel provides shampoo and soap, but I like mine much better." While Cesar walked into the bathroom Cindy went to her train case to look for her toiletries. She heard the shower start to run. "How do I get these to him now," thought Cindy. "Maybe if I call him I will see if he wants to use them." "Cesar, Cesar" Cindy called his name four times and still no response. Oh well. That shower door has smoky glass for a reason, hopefully he will not mind. With that decision in mind, Cindy opened the bathroom door and there standing naked in from of the mirror was Cesar! All of a sudden he turned around and faced Cindy. "I am sorry, I heard the shower running, and I assumed you were in it and -well I thought you might like to use these," stammered Cindy turning around leaving the bathroom while tightly shutting the door behind her.

Cindy sat down on her bed and started to shake. Was she shaking from embarrassment and nerves or was she shaking from seeing such a vision of loveliness and knowing she was not able to have him. She had always been a calm and cool reporter. She was able to look at things objectively and never get involved with her emotions. In fact, that was probably one of the things that let to the breakup with her fiancée, her utter detachment. No one could accuse Cindy of being unemotional and detached now. While she was still shaking Cesar walked out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. She could not believe it but he was smiling.

Cesar sat down on the bed next to Cindy, droplets of water dripping from his hair to his nipples. Cindy tried to look the other way, but Cesar gently pulled her head towards him. "Please, do not be embarrassed I am not. It excites me when I can excite a beautiful woman," Cesar took Cindy in his arms and held her tight and Cindy started to cry.

This was the first time that Cindy not only felt vulnerable but she looked vulnerable. "You are a very beautiful man Cesar Dominguez, and I am thinking things no one should be thinking about. I will lose my objectivity. Anyway, we are not shall I say compatible," Cindy said referring to Cesar's sexual orientation.

"Cindy, there is no reason to repress feelings that are coming naturally. When you say we are not compatible, are you talking about sexual orientation?" smiled Cesar. "Unless you are a homosexual there are only heterosexuals in this room," smiled Cesar. Cindy looked up at Cesar quizzically. "Five years ago when I was in New York to fight in the Garden I made some bad choices. For about a year I experimented and tried men, you know there are many homosexuals in boxing. I was not proud of what I did. It was a stupid thing, just as joining up with Domino was a stupid thing to do. You, Cindy, have helped me regain my self-respect back. This is a lot to ask of you, but would you also help me feel like a man again?"

Cindy turned and hugged Cesar resting her head upon his shoulders. She slowly took off her blouse and skirt, after which she removed her bra displaying two beautiful firm breasts. Cesar then lovingly and slowly removed her pantyhose and shoes. Soon she was wearing nothing but her panties. When Cesar got up from the bed the towel around his waist dropped to the floor displaying the biggest penis Cindy had seen. Cindy gasped as she saw it, hoping Cesar did not hear her. However, her hopes were dashed when Cesar spoke to her.

"Don't worry I will be very gentle, I will not hurt you. With that Cesar lifted Cindy onto the bed, and soon joined her. They started what would be a night of passion and would last into years. Cesar never stepped into a boxing ring again. Cesar also never even thought of men in any way except for friends. As a wedding gift Cindy bought Cesar a wedding ring and it was inscribed, "love, you are a lover, not a fighter."

Cindy never did go back to New York to help evaluate the Virtual Reality. Although she felt she owed a lot to the technology that brought her to Cesar, she felt she could not leave him. Every once in awhile she wondered how many of the chicas came home and how many stayed with their beloved in paradise. She knew she was home now.