Page 120 of Against The Boards

“S’okay. Did you know my parents came to see my game?”

He nodded, but he was being shifty. There was something he wasn’t telling me. “Yeah, they wanted to surprise you.”

“We’re gonna do dinner with them tomorrow.”

He smiled big at me. He then eyed my parents, who gave him a thumbs up. What was that about?

“Love?” I asked.

He looked back at me, and I noticed Benny looked nervous. What did he have to be nervous about?

“Can’t wait. But I really want you tangled up in my sheets right now,” he said with a grin.

“Your place or mine?” I asked.

Benny frowned at my question. “I want to show you something. Will you ride with me?”

“But my car’s here.”

“Okay, follow me then?”

I nodded, but I was still suspicious, especially when I looked back and saw my parents give Benny a look of encouragement.

What was going on? Shit, was he proposing? I didn’t want to get married, and neither did he. Right? No, he wouldn’t do that. He would talk to me about it first. Wouldn’t he?

I shook my thoughts away and climbed into my car. I followed Benny’s SUV out of the parking lot. At first, I thought we were heading back to his place since we were going to Old City, but then we took a different turn. When he parked, I went around the block to find a parking spot elsewhere. He must have jogged to find me because he was waiting on the sidewalk outside for me when I got out of my car. He took my hand in his, and we walked up to a condo building and went into the lobby.

I didn’t know what was going on. Maybe this was one of the other guys’ places and we were going over for drinks? That didn’t make sense if he said he wanted to show me something.

I should have been suspicious when the front desk concierge waved to Benny like he knew him. He pushed the elevator button, and we went up to the fourth floor. I followed him to a door before I finally made him stop.

“Okay, what’s going on?” I asked.

He produced a key and opened the door. He opened it to a mostly empty but new-looking condo. We walked into the hall with a kitchen to our left that had granite countertops and Sub-Zero appliances. There was a lot of open space, which I assumed was the living area, and there was a little balcony outside in front of us. I walked further into the room and noticed there was a small staircase. Benny nodded at me, and I walked up to find a bedroom with an en-suite bath. His bed was set up in the bedroom, as well as his dresser, but not much else.

I looked at him in confusion.

“What do you think?” he asked.

“Nice, but I’m confused? Why’s your bed here?”

He crossed the room to me and put his hands on my hips. “Because I bought this place.”

“Oh! Oh, that’s good. You shouldn’t still have a roommate.”

“See, that’s where you’re wrong. I would very much like to have a roommate.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Okay…” I trailed off, still not sure what he was trying to say to me.

“One to share my bed with. Maybe a Lily-white Canadian girl with sexy tattoos and a dirty mouth.”

I gaped at him. “Wait…are you asking me to move in with you?”

“Angel, we aren’t marriage people, but I love you, and I think you’re my forever.”

“What?” I asked in surprise.

“I know it’s hard with me being on the road all the time. But I want you here when I get home and there in the morning when I wake up. I want to build my life with you as my partner.”