“Yo.” He laughed. “It’s funny because I wanted to ask you to come up here, but I didn’t want to ask you to get on the road in that Friday traffic. I swear I almost asked. We fly out around lunch tomorrow, so I have to be at the field in the morning. But if you’re down, I want you here. Iwantyou here.”
Even with the knot in my belly, his words gave me butterflies. “Okay, I’m going to put a bag together. I’ll call you when I’m about to leave. I’m looking forward to seeing you.”
“Mm, you have no idea.”
22
“This is niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice,” I mumbled under my breath as I pulled into the gated community.
It was half past seven by the time I arrived at Lamar’s townhouse. I parked, and then I sat there for a few minutes. Closing my eyes, I said a quick prayer that I wouldn’t embarrass myself, and then I headed to the door.
Taking in a deep breath, I rolled my shoulders back.Here goes nothing.
The seconds ticked by, and anxiousness crept back up my neck. Looking down at my white tennis dress with my colorful sneakers, I had second thoughts. While in my closet, the casual yet cute dress had seemed perfect. But as I waited, I felt like I was doing too much and not enough at the same time.
Before I had time to pull out my mirror from my handbag to give myself one last look, the door swung open.
“God, you’re beautiful,” Lamar greeted me, taking a step back. “Come in.”
With my cheeks flushed, I tugged at my pleated skirt. “Thank you,” I murmured, eyeing him in his basketball shorts and white T-shirt.
It didn’t make any sense for him to look that good.
“I’m glad you’re here,” he said, checking me out as I entered his garage.
“I’m glad to be here,” I said nervously. Taking another deep breath, I prepared myself to launch into my speech. “I—”
My sentence had barely begun when he scooped me up in his arms and hugged me close.
I gasped before melting into him, wrapping my arms around his neck. He held on to me tight, and closing my eyes, I squeezed him back. He kissed the top of my head and whispered something I couldn’t hear.
And he just held me.
Having his body pressed against mine erased any and all worry, doubt, anxiety, and fear. The longer we stayed in that embrace, the easier it was for everything to fade away.
It was just me and him.
He dropped his head, nuzzling his face against mine. “I got you,” he whispered against my skin.
A shiver ran down my spine.
I lifted my head, and as soon as our eyes locked, warmth washed over me. My heart thumped loudly while his face hovered over mine. It was as if he were seeing me, reading me, and I was fully exposed. I inhaled shakily, and my knees felt weak.
Nodding as if answering a question I hadn’t asked aloud, he leaned down, and his nose met mine. He paused momentarily, searching my face, and then when his lips brushed mine, time stopped.
His mouth moved over mine with slow, dawdling kisses that cleared my mind but flooded my body. I wasn’t thinking at all, just feeling. The way his beard tickled my face as he overpowered me and the way his hands ran up and down my back so slowly was soothing. The way his tongue danced with mine and the way he grunted his approval when I sucked on his bottom lip was so sexy. But it was the way he seemed to sense that I needed him to be there for me first and then to desire me second.
It had been only a couple of minutes, and I’d cycled through distress and had arrived at desire by the time we pulled apart. My nipples were hard, my panties were damp, and my plan completely flew out the window.
He cupped my face with his hands. “Can I show you around before we talk?”
I nodded, unable to find my words.
He placed a sweet kiss against my lips and then grabbed my hand. “This is the garage.” Pulling me past a four-door luxury sedan, he walked me through a door. “And this is the den…”
Looking around, my eyes were wide. “Oh, my goodness. This is so cool.” A big-screen TV, football paraphernalia, and brown leather furniture created a footballer’s dream space. “Is this where you watch the games?”
He chuckled. “Yeah. Or movies.” He pointed to the bar in the back and showed me the bathroom around the corner. “If I have anybody over, this is where we chill.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Excuse me for a minute.”
