First and Ten

by Michel Prince

  Rome flexed his hamstring and hip. Sure, he’d been a bit stiff, but winter still had a stinger in the city, biting those who ventured out too long. Ice still floated on the edges of Lake Michigan. He probably just needed a good steam.

  “It’s not a suggestion,” Clark ordered, stopping Rome from stretching. “You need an hour at least.”

  “I’m not really a fan of people touching me.”

  “I’m not really of fan of working with pussies and yet, you’re here.”

  “Get me the best,” Rome acquiesced. Clark wasn’t trying to torture him, he was trying to extend Rome’s career and he needed to nut up and take the advice of his trainer. At five-six, Clark was a gym rat constantly learning new techniques. All his clients towered over him, yet feared his wrath.

  “You’ll thank me.” Clark slapped Rome’s shoulder. “I already sent the details to your phone. Shel had a cancellation so you can get in at six. Haven’t I kept you in the game longer than most?”

  “Fine.” He was speaking the truth. Not only had Rome spent his entire career on the pro-bowl list, being a running back he should be declining, instead he was entering his sixth season strong.

  His uneasiness about touching would have to be put to the side for an hour. It was a stupid phobia to have really. He didn’t mind being in the middle of fifty-three guys and another ten or so coaches jumping and chanting. But one on one was never his thing.

  “Wait, did you say he?”

  Four hours later, Jerome walked through the door of Escape Spa. Light pan flute music played as water gently trickled down a panel of glass on the wall pooling into a small basin. The walls had shelves with balms, candles, teas, and therapeutic products. Behind a glass countertop with a rock face stood a pleasant looking woman with a black coat buttoned on the side. The spa’s logo was embroidered above her left breast along with her name.

  “Welcome,” Saraphina said as her light lashes fluttered around emerald eyes. “How can I help you?”

  “Um,” Jerome shifted uncomfortably. “My trainer sent me…look this place is…”

  “Mr. Speed,” she said with certainty.

  “Yes.”

  “Clark warned me about you. Sheldon is expecting you. I have a few forms for you to fill out.” Saraphina retrieved a clipboard and snapped three forms on it. “This is your first time with us, correct?”

  “Yes, it’s just…” Jerome leaned his elbows on the counter and she met him halfway. “I’m not going to get naked…” he practically whimpered. “You know I’m—”

  “You’d like a guy to buy you dinner first,” a familiar voice came from behind him and he stood up quickly to see Dani standing with her arms crossed.

  Her hair was in one of those misshaped buns that women do as they rush out of the house. With black yoga pants and a Grizzlies windbreaker, she looked ready for a workout, not a massage.

  “You know I’m not one to judge,” he said. “People can live however they like.”

  “You know what makes me smile?” she asked.

  “What?”

  “Never has a woman gone to a masseuse and assumed she was copping a feel.”

  “That’s not why—”

  “You get naked in a shower with fifty plus guys almost every day for months, in college closer to ninety…”

  “That’s not one on one. And none of them ever rubbed my shoulders.”

  “From the way you’re standing, it’s not your shoulders that need rubbing.”

  Her terminator eyes scanned his body and he recalled her hands doing the same thing a few days ago. He hadn’t minded the contact.

  “Now you’re a body expert?” he teased the woman whose hands had been haunting him.

  “I dress people. I can tell when one side is higher than another.”

  What is with this woman? Rome took the paperwork from Saraphina, who checked in Dani then she led them both to their respective locker rooms. Stripping down to his boxers, he tied the robe around himself and sat in the steam room for fifteen minutes. Following Saraphina’s instructions, he took the clipboard with him to the waiting area. Dani sat with a warm cup of tea clutched in her hands and her legs crossed at the knee. He tried not to be mesmerized by her slight tan and shapely thigh.

  She sipped her tea and he looked up to see her staring with sapphire eyes. How he missed those before he couldn’t explain. Even in the dim light of the waiting area they sparkled.

  “This why you don’t work on Tuesday nights? A standing massage appointment?” he questioned, feeling his agent had worked hook-up magic again.

  “Nope, Tuesday nights are mine and each week I do something different.”

  “Like what?”

  “Last week I splurged on a meal at La Femme.”

  “That is a splurge.”

  “I ate off the dollar menu the rest of the week when I was out, but it was worth it.”

  “And this?”

  “Was a deal I found on Groupon,” Dani confessed. “It seemed like a Tuesday Treat.”

  “So there is no way my trainer knew you’d be here?”

  “Unless he works for the CIA or something, none at all. My phone goes off at five and doesn’t come back on until midnight.”

  “Danika,” a woman in a polo and khakis said as she came into the calm room, followed by a big man.

  “Jerome?” the man said and Jerome turned to Dani.

  “Guess I’ll see you after we’re both done.”

  Dani placed her mug on the table and replied. “Maybe.”

  Chapter Three

  Dani let her breath out slowly, not even registering what the masseuse was saying. She did notice the woman had pointed to a hook before she walked out of the room. Right, Dani shook her head to get it on straight. Stripping down to just a pair of panties, she hung her robe on the hook then turned to pull the sheet back when the door opened.

  “I’m not ready,” she said quickly, covering her chest.

  “I’m sorry,” a deep baritone replied. On instinct she turned around and snapped back, snatching the sheet to cover herself before turning back to confront the interloper.

  “I didn’t see anything,” Jerome said as he held one hand out and had another over his eyes. “I swear. I’m sorry.”

  “Mr. Speed, you can see a two-foot hole in the middle of chaos. Don’t play me for a fool. You at least saw my ass.”

  “Guess we both got a Tuesday Treat.” He lowered his hands and Dani held in the smirk his comment induced. “I guess I’ll have to sign a contract with you now.”

  “I don’t have an opening for you.”

  The comment caused a tingling and tightening in one particular opening in desperate need of filling. Warmth exploded on her cheeks and Jerome arched an eyebrow at her. Could he smell her desperation or the fact she couldn’t be around him for two minutes without imagining her hands exploring his body? She wondered if Speed could really kill. If so, it would be the only way she’d want to go.

  “Is it because I’m black?” he asked and her heart sank. “Because I noticed you only had white clients the other day, but then you gave me advice like you were there for an interview.”

  “I’m busy, that’s all.”

  “Or you realized Daddy might find out you’re dressing a black man and—”

  “I have black clients.”

  “Let me guess, some of your best friends.”

  “Wow, you went there,” Dani growled with her arms crossed. “How about tucking the race card away in your back pocket and save it for a real situation. I’m busy… I have a life.”

  “Busy, with massages and…you only work a few days a week. What else do you do?”

  “Excuse me,” her therapist said as she came in the room. “I really need to start Danika’s session.”

  Jerome looked at Dani, who tried to not get lost in his coffee colored eyes.

  “Fine,” Dani caved more to remove the smell of testosterone sending her hormones into overdrive. “I’ll send the contracts
to Randall and we’ll have an initial assessment.”

  “Don’t do me any favors.” He left and Dani sat back on the massage table. What the hell?

  After the least relaxing massage in her life, Dani yanked on her clothes as if they had somehow mistreated her. While Dani drank from a custom water bottle for the salon, she wandered through the back hallways with the pan flute music above irritating her more. The need for pounding dance music burned in her.

  Damn Jerome Speed and his chocolate eyes and body. He opened the door to his room causing Dani to jump back. He’d just pulled his shirt over his head and her eyes caught sight of the last row of what she assumed was a six pack…mmm maybe eight.

  The combination made her jump then snap to. What if he thought it was because he was black that she jumped and not from the unexpected noise?

  “I don’t have any issues with you being black,” she stated plainly as she crossed her arms. “Not everything is a race issue.”

  Jerome ran his hand over his face, then took his own bottle of water from his masseuse who looked at both of them and headed for the hills. With droopy eyes, Jerome turned and walked toward reception.

  “I’m talking to you,” she spat.

  “You want a cookie,” he grumbled. “An Oreo or an un-oh the ones that are white cookies with a chocolate filling.”

  “You ruined my night off. Instead of a relaxing massage, I spent the whole time arguing with you in my head.”

  “And the best you could come up with was ‘I don’t have an issue with black people?’” he mocked in a high voice.

  She followed him to his steel gray Expedition. A quick beep flashed his lights.

  “No, but you—surprised me.”

  “Did I?” he asked as he slid on the black leather seat. “I’m sorry, how exactly should I have acted? Do you have a script I could follow?”

  Dani was more flustered than before as she reached for words only to find none. The way the lights haloed him, his jawline shimmered with every muscle movement. Her breath caught as she watched him bring the bottle of water to his lips and surround the top. When their eyes locked, her body warmed.

  Jerome arched his eyebrow and smiled around the bottle before setting it down.

  “What were you going to do after this?” he asked and Dani worked to unthaw her brain. “You did have a plan, didn’t you? You seem to plan out every minute of your life.”

  “Not true.”

  “Then hop in, I need food.”

  “In your car?”

  “This isn’t my car,” he said with all seriousness.

  “Who’s is it?”

  “I don’t know, the door was open. I was about to hotwire it and implicate you in grand theft. You know how us black folk do.”

  “I saw you unlock the door.”

  “You saw the door unlocking.”

  Dani replayed the moment then shook it off.

  “Where were my hands?” The lips formed the words and his bright red tongue flicked against his teeth and her knees weakened. Working for Jerome Speed was not an option. “Get in,” he ordered and she obliged as if it were a privilege and not an order. “You hungry?”

  “Famished.”

  “Where were you going to eat?”

  Dani blushed as she thought of her favorite hot dog vendor who stayed open late. She intertwined her fingers and looked down. She didn’t like second guessing herself. That was the last person she’d ever been.

  “Go to Fairbanks and East Chicago.”

  “Alright.” He turned left and up Michigan Avenue. When he reached the corner, Dani hopped out.

  “How hungry are you?” she asked.

  “Very,” he replied.

  “Circle the block.”

  Rome scanned the street and gave her a worried look.

  “I can’t just dump you on a corner.”

  “You’re not. You’ll be back. Now go.”

  “Hey, Dani,” Tom the vendor smiled. “The usual?”

  “Times six and give me a couple of waters.”

  “You know these will negate your workout.”

  “Not all for me, Tom, but thanks.”

  She shared a few more pleasantries as he loaded up the hot dogs, Chicago style with pickles, tomato, onion, and mustard. She balanced the dogs in her hands as Jerome pulled up. Climbing in the car, she settled her dinner and blew a kiss to Tom before turning to Jerome.

  “Now how about hitting the beach.”

  “The beach? It’s late.”

  “Are you saying you can’t protect me?” Dani asked with a slight challenge to her timbre.

  “I’m saying I didn’t bring my gun to the massage.”

  “You have a gun?”

  “It’s legal.”

  “Okay, then let’s go to the Hancock.”

  “Are we going to eat?” he asked as his stomach rumbled while the aroma of hot dogs filled the truck.

  “Not yet.”

  Jerome took her directions and pulled into the parking ramp. Not too many tourists were ahead of them in line as they bought their tickets. He reached for the hot dogs only to receive a sharp smack to his hand, making it tingle a bit. Dani attempted to buy the passes to the floor but Jerome set down his bankcard first.

  She’d already picked up dinner, he wasn’t about to totally lose his man card tonight. It was obvious she’d been here before because the usher who was supposed to make them watch a movie just smiled and sent them on the fastest elevator in the world. At least that’s what the recording said. Ninety-three floors in less than a minute.

  “Why not Willis Tower?” he asked as they exited to the glassed in observation deck.

  “Everyone goes there,” she sighed and sat down on a set of steps looking out over the city.

  Families and couples walked around reading information and flashing cameras, but Dani relaxed as tension melted from her frame. Jerome envied her calm.

  She passed him a few hot dogs as his body protested sitting down on such a hard surface. But soon he understood the draw. People were so enamored trying to make out the three states at once no one noticed them. Sitting in silence, they could enjoy their hot dogs and veg out.

  In front of him, lines of red and white lights outlined the streets and showed the travelers. Although he knew down below honking and yelling was rampant, in this moment there was silence. Dani closed her eyes and stuck her long body out, crossing her legs at the ankles.

  “This place is pretty cool,” he admitted after they’d soaked in the atmosphere. “I’ve never come here.”

  “Want to see the best part?” she asked as she crumpled up the remnants of her hot dogs and tossed the paper in a garbage can.

  “Sure,” Jerome copied the action then followed her to a door.

  Fear gripped him as she opened it and a blast of air hit. There was a screen on an open air observation deck. About twenty feet long and six feet deep.

  Dani walked out as if she were window shopping. A guard looked at him.

  “In or out?” he asked and Jerome slipped in, but kept his back against the glass wall.

  A cool strong wind blew across his face as he reached for Dani’s hand. He pulled her back, but she stood fast and turned to him, taking his one hand in both of hers. They were dainty and just covered his. Wow, he was going to have to drop his man card over the edge of the building. His massive mitt must have crushed her hand.

  Taking a step backwards she tugged lightly, but he refused to step closer to the screen. No sir, he was not made for heights and he wasn’t even sure how she got him up here. It just seemed all she had to do was make a suggestion and it all made sense.

  “This is why I came up here,” she explained. “We are over a thousand feet in the air with the wind blowing through my hair.”

  Jerome reached for her and caught the binder for her hair. Removing the binding caused her dark hair to cascade from her misshapen bun. Thick locks tumbled over her shoulders and framed her face.

  “Now it’s b
lowing through your hair,” he said huskily as his finger brushed the hair back and cradled her face.

  She stepped closer to him and the reaction hit his groin. Catching her sky blue eyes, he saw them dilate and her lips plumped. Jerome’s instincts had been right. She didn’t want to work with him because she wanted him.

  “Oh my God,” a woman screamed as she rushed to his side and slapped his arm. “You’re my husband’s favorite player.”

  Dani walked toward the corner of the deck, leaving his scared ass stuck with the uber fan.

  “Don’t go anywhere,” the woman ordered with a pointed finger. Jerome balled his fist on the opposite side of the woman. “He’s inside. He’s going to freak.”

  Jerome smiled and looked at Dani silhouetted by the lights of the city as she rested her forearms on the bar. Wind kept her face clear as her hair blew behind her. Biting her lips, she looked back at him as he took pictures with the man and shook his hand, not even acknowledging his existence. On the field he could register a dozen players, but keep his focus straight ahead on the end zone.

  Danika Albright was quickly becoming that thick white line. In those yoga pants thickness was in more than one area. And thickness was his weakness. Dani had curves most black women would kill for, though he’d found white women felt they were obese once their clothing size hit double digits.

  “Man, I’m totally putting you on my fantasy team next year,” the man said, slapping his shoulder. Jerome balled his fist again from the contact, but breathed out and smiled.

  “I’ll help you win,” he said, walking toward Dani.

  Looking directly ahead, he could focus on the top floors of buildings but each step brought the city streets into view. A gust of wind blew and his long reach caught Dani’s bicep as he yanked her back. Cradled in his arms, he felt better, like she was his security blanket.

  “You’re scared of heights?” she giggled.

  “Can’t prove it,” he replied and rested his head on hers.

  She took a giant step forward and he couldn’t keep his balance without going with her.

  “I think it’s pretty easy to prove.”

  Snatching her back, they quickly fell against the glass wall on the side and she rolled out of his arms.