by E. L. Todd
He chuckled and turned to the table where the gifts were waiting. “Yes. You’ve said that about ten times tonight.”
“But you are!” Jessie said. “And so hot!”
Zeke smirked and pulled a chair up for her. “Alright. You need to sit down too.”
Rae raised her glass. “So goddamn hot! Woo!”
Zeke immediately flinched when he heard Rae shout that for the entire world to hear. He watched her down her drink, his eyes focusing on her expression for nearly a minute. He finally shook it off and grabbed the first present he saw. “Here you go.” He handed it over.
Rae dropped it on the ground. “Whoops…” She leaned into Jessie and giggled like her accident was particularly funny.
Kayden leaned toward me, her hand moving over my ass in my jeans. We were in the corner, so no one could see us from behind. “Everyone is so drunk no one would even notice if I gave you a hand job right now.”
This woman was killing me. “Save it for when we get home, alright?”
“Why would I want to save anything when I can have you now?” She leaned dangerously close to me, almost placing a kiss on my lips.
I smacked her ass playfully. “Behave yourself.”
She giggled into my ear. “How am I supposed to behave myself with your big hand on my ass?”
I couldn’t believe this was the same Kayden who always had her nose in a book. She used to be shy and timid. Now, she was a behemoth of sexual desperation. “I’m gonna have to spank you when we get back to your place.”
“Excellent.”
Rae opened all of her gifts, getting an assortment of gift cards, clothes, and jewelry. She handed the extra bags and boxes to Jessie, who did a horrible job organizing everything because she didn’t know her face from her ass.
“Alright.” Zeke handed her a box. “This one is from me.”
“Ooh…” Rae took it and held it to her chest. “Is it Operation?”
“No,” Zeke said with a laugh. “And I’m not a surgeon.”
“You’re kinda like a surgeon when you pop pimples,” Rae teased.
Zeke might normally be annoyed with a comment like that, but since Rae said it, it was perfectly okay. His only response was a smile. “Open it, and you’ll see if you’re right.”
Rae ripped off the wrapping and tossed it at Jessie. She kept going until she got to the cardboard box underneath. She had to pull the flaps hard because of the tape, and she couldn’t get through. “Someone have a pocket knife?”
Zeke snatched the box away from her and opened all the sides so she wouldn’t stab herself in the eye like an idiot. He handed it back. “You should be good now.”
She opened the lid of the box and looked down inside. “Sweet! A new basketball!” She pulled it out and felt it in her fingertips. “Mine was getting so worn out and dirty. This is perfect.” She stood up and started to dribble.
“No!” Zeke grabbed the ball after it hit the ground once. “It’s not to play with.”
“Then what’s it for?” Rae asked blankly.
Zeke turned the ball over and showed her something on the surface. Scribbled in black ink was some kind of writing, probably an autograph.
Rae squinted her eyes to make it out, but it took her a moment to piece it together. Then her eyes snapped open, and she gripped her chest like she might have a heart attack. “Oh my fucking god! Michael fucking Jordan?”
My jaw dropped.
She took the ball away from Zeke and stared at the writing with shaky hands. “Oh my god…oh my god…I can’t breathe.”
Zeke stared at her with the biggest grin I’d ever seen.
“How the hell did you get this?” she screamed.
Jessie leaned over. “Let me see. Let me see.”
“That’s so sick.” Tobias peered over her shoulder. “That’s really his signature. I recognize it.” He read the message out loud. “To Rae, my biggest fan. Michael Jordan.” Tobias gripped his skull and stepped back. “Greatest birthday gift ever.” He bowed to Zeke. “You are the king, man.”
Rae pulled the ball to her chest and looked at Zeke with tears in her eyes. “How on earth did you get this?”
“It’s a long story. But basically, I went to a game with a few friends from work, and he was there. So I asked him to sign it.” Zeke hadn’t dropped his grin once since Rae opened her gift.
“Did you get one too?” she asked.
“Well…no.” He shrugged. “But I know you’re a much bigger fan than I am.”
“I don’t know what to say…” She handed the ball off to Jessie before she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. “It’s the best gift I’ve ever gotten, Zeke. Thank you so much.” She rested her chin on his shoulder as she stood with her chest pressed against his.
Zeke held her by the waist, his face resting near hers. “You deserve it, Rae. You’re my best friend.”
They held each other for nearly a minute, Rae closing her eyes as she clung to his neck. Zeke stared at the floor as he kept his arms around her waist. Neither one of them said anything as the embrace continued.
“That was so thoughtful of Zeke,” Kayden whispered.
“Yeah…really thoughtful.” I knew I shouldn’t be surprised, but I was. Zeke was happy with Rochelle but some of his feelings for Rae would never go away. He would look at her differently than the rest of us.
Forever.
***
Rae was hammered by the end of the night, and I knew it would be my responsibility to take her home. Because…you know…I lived with her.
“I’ll take her,” Zeke said. “I’ve got my truck, and I can put her stuff in the back.”
“You sure?” I was looking for an excuse to take off with Kayden.
“Yeah.”
“What about Rochelle?”
“Rochelle won’t mind.”
Rochelle was talking with Jessie and Kayden across the room, fitting in with the girls like she’d been around since the beginning. She said something funny, and the other two girls busted up laughing. She wasn’t paying any attention to us.
“A Michael Jordan basketball?” I turned my eyes of accusation on Zeke. “Seriously?”
“What? I knew she would like that.”
“You have to admit that gift is ridiculous. And I can only assume what that means…”
Zeke kept up his indifference. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I thought you were over her? What about Rochelle?”
“I am over her,” he snapped. “And I’m happy with Rochelle. She’s amazing.”
“Then what the fuck, Zeke? Why didn’t you just get her a banner that said ‘I love you’ on it?”
He eyed the girls and made sure they weren’t listening before he turned back to me. “I got that ball eight months ago. Obviously, when I got it, I was still in that place. It would be stupid for me not to give it to her now just out of principle. Shit, it has her name on it.”
When he gave me that explanation, I realized I was overreacting. “Sorry for jumping down your throat.”
“It’s okay. I probably would have gotten her a gift card to Mega Shake or something if I didn’t already have that.”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
He clapped me on the shoulder. “Are you coming with us?”
I tried not to look at Kayden. “Nah. I’m gonna stay out for a while.”
“Alright. I’ll see you later.” He went to Rae’s side and pulled her to her feet. “Can you walk?”
“Bitch, I can run.” She snapped her fingers then swayed on the stoop.
“That’s a no…” Zeke scooped her into his arms, and the second he did, her head fell on his shoulder and she was asleep. “Damn, she’s really wasted.”
Rochelle grabbed a box of her things. “At least she had a good time.”
Kayden grabbed a large bag containing the rest of her presents. “But she won’t have a good time tomorrow…”
Rae mumbled against Zeke’s c
hest. “Basketball…”
“Yes, Rae,” Zeke said. “We got the basketball.”
“I don’t want to lose it,” she whispered. “It’s my favorite.”
“I have it,” Rochelle said. “Don’t worry.”
“Oh good,” Rae whispered incoherently. “Rochelle will take care of it…”
Zeke laughed then carried her toward the door. “We’ll get you home, and you can snuggle with that ball, alright?”
“Okay.” She hooked her arms around his neck. “I’ll sleep with that ball every night…”
Chapter Three
Rae
“I think I’m gonna die…” I couldn’t get out of bed. My head was pounding like a winter storm, and my insides were turned inside out from the level of alcohol they had to process and eliminate.
I hadn’t felt this terrible in a long time.
“You aren’t gonna die.” Rex was dressed and ready to leave. He wore jeans and a sweater with his face cleanly shaven and his hair styled. “You’re gonna be fine. Just take some aspirin and drink some water.”
“Where’s the aspirin?”
“I already threw you a birthday party. I’ve got to do that too?” Rex marched into the kitchen and grabbed the bottle before he returned. “Alright, I’m heading out. Don’t call me.”
All I could do was lie there with my big dog beside me, feeling and looking like shit. “Have fun…”
“I will.”
“Are you gonna bring me back some food?”
“You know where the fridge is.” He walked out of my room and down the hallway. I heard the front door open and then voices in a conversation.
“How is she?” Zeke’s deep voice traveled down the hall and into my open bedroom.
“So fucking messed up,” Rex said. “She looks like hell.”
“Does she need anything?”
“She’s fine,” Rex said. “I’m on my way out.”
“Where are you headed?”
Rex faltered before he answered. “I’ve got some errands, and then I’m supposed to meet up with an old friend at the bar.”
“You aren’t going to stay with Rae?”
“Hell no. I already threw her a surprise party. I’ve got to wipe her ass too?” Rex must have walked away because he didn’t say anything else.
The door shut, and I assumed I was alone.
Zeke’s heavy footsteps sounded in the hallway, and I knew he was coming my way. He rounded the corner and looked at me through the open doorway. “Hey.” After a single look, he knew I was in terrible shape. “You look…tired.”
“I look like hell. Rex was right.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Oh, shut up.” I rubbed my temple. “Yes, I do. Let’s not sugarcoat it.”
He watched me with his unreadable eyes, refusing to say I looked terrible because he was too nice. “Need anything?”
“No. Go enjoy the beautiful day.” I grabbed the aspirin but couldn’t get the top off. It had that stupid pressure mechanism so kids couldn’t get into it. Since I felt like shit, I didn’t have any patience for it.
“Let me.” Zeke walked into the room and took the bottle of pills. He opened it without any problems then dumped out a few onto the nightstand. “How many?”
“Ten.”
The corner of his mouth rose in a smile, and he placed two inside my palm. Then he handed me a bottle of water. “Two should be plenty.”
“Alright, Dr. Zeke.” I sat up and swallowed them with a gulp of water.
Zeke immediately pressed the back of his hand against my forehead to feel my temperature.
“Dr. Zeke is checking on me…”
He grabbed my wrist next and pinched a section of skin.
“Ouch. What’s that for?”
“You’re dehydrated. That’s why you feel terrible and have a migraine.”
I drank at least twenty cocktails last night. I was pumped with liquids. “Not possible. With the amount I drank last night, I’m plenty hydrated.”
“You know better than that, Rae. Alcohol makes your body release more water in your urine. In turn, it makes you lose more water than you keep.”
Actually, I did remember that from physio.
“So you need to drink lots and lots of fluids.”
“Okay, Dr. Zeke…”
“Just Zeke.” He pulled the blankets farther up my body then patted Safari on the head. “You need anything?”
“I’m okay. Go do something productive with your day.”
“I don’t mind staying if you need me. Rex clearly has plans.”
“No…I’ll be fine. I’ll order a pizza or something.” I tried to sit up, but I felt dizzy so I collapsed back on the bed. “Next time I drink that much…just stop me.”
“You want me to be the drink police?”
“Please.”
“You got it.” He tapped my thigh. “I’m gonna put you on the couch then get you something to eat.”
“You really don’t have to do that…”
Zeke picked me up without further argument and carried me into the living room. He sat me on the couch, along with the comforter I’d been holding. He propped up a few pillows and made sure I was comfortable. “I’m going to Mega Shake. I’ll be back in about twenty minutes.”
“You don’t need to do that.”
“Is there something else you could possibly want?” Zeke knew me better than almost anyone, and anytime I had the choice of where I wanted to eat, it was always Mega Shake—every single time.
I looked away in response.
“That’s what I thought.”
***
Zeke returned with the burgers and fries and spotted me on the couch with my basketball. “If you wanted something to snuggle with, I could have gotten you a stuffed animal.”
I squeezed the ball to my chest. “I would much rather snuggle with this rock-hard ball with Michael Jordan’s signature than any girly stuffed animal. This is a relic.” I turned the ball and stared at the signature, unable to believe my biggest icon had even touched this ball with his bare hands.
Zeke set the food on the coffee table then sat beside me. “What are you going to do with it?”
“What do you mean?”
“Put it in a case? Sleep with it every night?”
“I don’t know. I love touching it, so I’m not sure I could put it inside a case.”
“But you definitely aren’t going to play with it, right?”
“God, no.” This treasure wouldn’t touch the dirty pavement. “I still can’t believe you got this for me. It’s…the most badass gift ever. When did this happen?”
“Remember when I was in Chicago for that convention?”
I jogged my memory and realized I did recall what he said about that game. “I remember you said you saw Michael Jordan in the stands.”
“Yep. And he was sitting two seats away from me.”
“That was like a year ago. I’m surprised you kept this ball from me for so long.”
He bit into his burger and wiped the sauce away with the pad of his thumb, somehow making the activity of eating attractive. “I knew it would be a great birthday gift, so I decided to wait.”
“And it was the best birthday gift. First, Rex throws me a party, and then you get me this…” I shook my head. “Man, I’m so lucky.”
“I’m glad you feel that way.” He put my food on a plate before he turned on the TV. A game was on, so he left the station on while he ate his food.
“Was Rochelle jealous?”
He stopped eating and forced himself to swallow even though he clearly wasn’t ready to. “Jealous of what?”
“Jealous that you met Michael Jordan. She’s a sports fan, right?”
“Oh.” He downed his soda to clear his throat. “She prefers football. Her family are all big Seahawks fans, so she was kinda born into it.”
“Okay, good. Because I’m really glad you gave the ball to me and not her.”
“Well, that
would be weird since your name is on it.”
“Oh yeah…” I finally put it off to the side and dug into my meal. I made sure the ball was tucked away so I wouldn’t accidentally swipe it with my greasy fingertips. Safari eyed the ball but knew better than to wipe his long tongue across it. “Do you have any plans tonight?”
“Rochelle wants to try this new Thai place that opened.”
“Chop Stick?”
“Yeah.”
“I went there with Jenny the other day. It’s bomb.”
“You say everything is bomb,” he teased.
“Look, I like food. And I like to describe the things I like appropriately.”
“How would you describe it if you loved food?”
“Fucking bomb.”
He drank more of his soda. “Then I guess it’s not that good.”
I stuck my hand into his tray of fries and stole a handful. “You know what? That’s what you get.”
“You’re stealing my food? Who do you think brought it here?”
“Serious crimes need serious punishments.”
Since I was concentrating on my fries, he snatched my burger and took an enormous bite out of it.
“How dare you!”
He spoke with his mouth full. “Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time.”
“Give it back to me.”
He gave me an arrogant look before he took another enormous bite.
“You little bitch.” I dove off the couch and collided with his chest. He fell back to the floor, and the burger went flying. Safari immediately chased after it in the hope he would get it first. “Oh, I don’t think so.” I reached right to grab it, but Zeke pulled me away.
“Nope,” he said. “That’s what you get.”
Safari ate the burger in a single bite then licked his lips.
My lunch was gone, and now all I had were fries. “No!”
“Too bad, so sad.” Zeke sat up and moved me effortlessly. The muscles of his core contracted, and he felt like a wall of steel. He set me on the ground beside him.
I was still in shock. “What am I supposed to eat?”
“You should have thought about that before you messed with me.”
My stomach growled, so I pouted my lips in his direction.
Zeke sighed before he grabbed his burger and tore it in half. He handed me one piece then took a bite of the other.
