by Todd, E. L.
“How did you get these seats?’ I asked.
He shrugged. “I know a guy.”
We sat down and he leaned back. “What would you like to eat?”
“I can get it,” I said quickly.
He smiled. “Cassie, tell me what you want, please.”
He was bossy but sweet at the same time. It was hard to dislike it. “Chili dog with onions, nachos, and a soda.”
Tony nodded. “That’s impressive.”
“You’ll be even more impressed when you watch me eat it all.”
“Do you want a beer?”
“Oh yeah! A beer too,” I said with a laugh. “But I’ll come with you. There’s no way you can carry all of that.”
Tony shook his head and raised his hand.
A man wearing a slacks and a collared shirt approached us out of thin air. “Good evening, Mr. Hannigan. What can I get you?”
Tony smiled at him. “My date will have a chili dog with onions, nachos, a Pepsi, and a beer. I’ll have the same.” He opened his wallet and forked over the cash.
He nodded. “I’ll be back.”
“Thank you,” Tony said.
I stared at him incredulously. “What was that?”
“What?”
“You have a servant?”
He laughed. “He isn’t a servant. He just works here.”
“Does he do that for everyone?”
“No.”
The game started and Tony started clapping. “Let’s get this game going.”
I stared him suspiciously. Something wasn’t adding up.
“Tony!”
Tony turned to a man standing next to him. “Hey, Mike. What’s up?”
“You’re betting on the Rangers?”
“Of course,” Tony said. “They got the best team in the league right now.”
“How much you got riding on it?”
“Fifty dimes.”
Mike whistled. “Good luck to you.”
“I don’t need the luck, but thanks.”
Mike looked at me. “And who’s this?”
“My apologies,” Tony said. “This is my date, Cassie.”
“It’s nice to meet you.”
“You too,” I said politely.
“She’s cute,” Mike said. “What’s she doing with you?”
“I think she’s lost,” Tony said.
Mike laughed. “Keep her lost for your sake.”
Tony nodded. “I will.”
Mike walked away and joined a group of guys in a different row.
“You’re very popular,” I said.
Tony shrugged. “I have a lot of friends who are obsessed with sports.”
“What’s a dime?”
Tony jumped up and clapped when the Rangers scored. “Yes!”
I clapped and whistled.
When he sat down, he pulled his sweater off, revealing his jersey. His body was more prominent under the thin material. I could see the outline of his chest. It was chiseled and hard. Tony turned to me and placed the jacket around my shoulders.
“Aren’t you cold?” I asked.
“No, I’m always hot.”
Literally. “Okay.”
The man returned with all the food. I immediately dug in while Tony tipped him.
“Thank you, sir.”
Tony nodded.
I glanced at his hand and saw the hundred dollar bill. Was he rich? Or was he famous or something?
Tony drank his beer and watched the game intently. I ate all my food then finished off my beer.
Tony stared at me. “Wow.”
“What?”
“You ate everything?”
I smiled. “I wasn’t kidding.”
“That’s—hot.”
I laughed. “You have an odd definition of the word.” I turned back to the game and cheered when the Rangers scored.
Tony stared at me. “You like hockey?”
“I’ve been to a few games with my brother.”
“Do you have a favorite team?”
“No,” I said. “But I like to watch.”
He nodded. “You’re perfect.”
“You said that already.”
“I just have to make it clear.” He turned back to the game and watched the Ranger score.
When he wasn’t looking, I smelled his jacket. I liked the scent. It was manly. He and I had a great time watching the game. We both screamed hysterically when the ref called a foul on the Rangers. And I drank two more beers, which made Tony smile. The date was comfortable and easy. I had the nerves but I felt calm at the same time. And I kept wondering why Tony had all these connections. It was odd. He said he was a sports analyst. How much did people like that get paid?
When the game ended, the Ranger won.
“Yes!” Tony said. “That was awesome.”
“Thanks for taking me along.”
He smiled at me. “Did you have fun?”
“I had a lot of fun. I’m surprised Janet doesn’t bug you to take her.”
He shook his head. “I only take people I like.”
I laughed. “You act like you hate her.”
“I don’t,” he said. “I just prefer spending time with her boyfriend.”
“You love her.”
He shrugged. “I might.” He stood up and pulled me to stand. He didn’t take his jacket back, which I was grateful for. I wasn’t cold, but I loved the smell of it. We left the stadium, bypassing the crowd by taking a different exit. None of the security officers stopped him or even questioned him. It was like everyone knew exactly who he was.
We took a cab back to my place, and he walked me to the door.
“I had a really great time with you,” he said. “A really great time.”
“I did too.”
He didn’t lean in to kiss me. Tony didn’t even touch me.
I kept waiting.
“Can I take you to dinner on Thursday?”
“Yeah,” I said immediately.
“So, was I a freak like that other guy?”
“Not at all,” I said with a smile.
“Good.”
“If we go out again, I should probably talk to Janet.”
“Why? It’s none of her business who I date.”
I sighed. “She’s my best friend. She deserves to know.”
He rolled his eyes. “Women are so weird.”
“Don’t you think it’s odd that she never introduced us before? We totally get along. Why would she have hid that? There has to be a reason.”
Tony was quiet for a moment. “I have no idea what that reason would be.”
“Maybe she doesn’t want her friends to date her brother.”
“That’s too damn bad.”
“Well, she’s my best friend. I can’t piss her off.”
“I’m her family and I have no problem doing that.”
I laughed. “Because she has to love you.”
“I guess that explains why she still talks to me.”
I grabbed my keys and held them in my hand. “Would you like to come inside?”
His eyes shined a little brighter. “I would love to.”
I opened the door and he followed behind me.
“Can I make you some coffee?”
“Sure.”
“How do you take it?”
“Black.”
“Okay.”
I made it for him then brought it to the living room. He sat down and took a sip.
“That’s good.”
“It’s Ethiopian.”
“I’ll have to get some.”
“I found it at the farmers market.”
Tony nodded. “I’ll have to stop by.”
I took off his jacket and mine.
He glanced at my body for a moment before he looked away. “You have a nice apartment.”
“Thank you.”
“Do you live alone?”
“Yeah.”
“I live alone too.”
I turned toward him
and stared at his face. His fair skin was bright and beautiful. He had a good complexion for a guy. He didn’t seem scarred and rugged like most other men. His chin was hairless but I could see the faint growth underneath. Through the cut of his jersey I could see that he didn’t have any chest hair, which I preferred. Now I wondered what the rest of him looked like.
“What are you thinking?” he asked.
“Huh?”
“What are you thinking?” he repeated.
“About the game,” I lied.
“You seemed pretty lost in thought.”
“I’m pretty serious about sports.”
“My kind of woman.”
“So…”
“So…?”
The tension hung in the air. I wanted to say something but I couldn’t think of anything. I suddenly became very nervous. I wasn’t sure why. He stared at me and I waited for something to happen, for him to kiss me, but it never came to pass.
“Where did you go to college?” he asked.
“NYU.”
He nodded. “Good school.”
“My parents weren’t happy when I decided to major in art fashion.”
“Fuck them,” he said bluntly.
I smiled. “You don’t care what other people think, do you?”
“Never.”
“Well, they paid for my education so I understood their objection.”
“That still doesn’t matter,” he said. “Now you work for a fashion magazine and you can afford this apartment on that salary. Obviously, you didn’t make a mistake. You are a successful young woman. They should be proud.”
“I wish they felt the same.”
“Well, I’m proud of you,” he said. “Tell them that.”
“I think I will.”
He rested his hand on his thigh.
I watched it for a moment, wondering how it would feel to squeeze it.
“Well, thank you for the wonderful evening,” he said. “I should probably go.”
“Oh,” I said sadly.
He caught the look. “Unless you want me to stay…”
“I would love it if you stayed, but you can go if you want.”
“I just didn’t want to overstay my welcome.”
“You didn’t,” I said quickly.
“Cool,” he said with a nod. He stayed on his side of the couch.
I never wanted to be kissed more in my life. Most of the time, I had the opposite problem. I wanted the freaks to get away from me. I wanted Tony to kiss me, slip his tongue inside my mouth. I could tell just by looking at him that he would be a good kisser. Then I imagined what he would be like in bed…I stopped the thought. I hadn’t gotten in laid in over a year. I was going through the worst dry spell ever. I really liked Tony and thought he was a sweet guy. I wanted to take this slow but I also wanted to jump his bones.
He grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. “Let’s see if there’s anything good on.”
I sighed in frustration. I moved closer to him on the couch and sat right beside him.
He picked a channel with a college game on. We watched it together and shouted when his team scored. He didn’t grab my hand. Maybe he didn’t kiss me because he thought I didn’t want to be kissed. I turned toward him so my face was near his. If that wasn’t a clear signal, I didn’t know what was.
He still didn’t take the bait. He leaned back and drank from his coffee. When it got really late, he turned off the TV. “I should get going.”
“Yeah,” I said. “I have work.”
He stood up and grabbed his sweatshirt, pulling it over his head. It messed up his hair but it still looked sexy. I walked him to the door and leaned closer to him.
“I can’t wait to see you on Thursday.”
“Me too,” I whispered. I stared into his face, waiting for him to embrace me or kiss me. Something.
He opened the door and walked out. “Goodnight.”
I closed the door, sighing in frustration.
4
“He didn’t even kiss you?” Orlando said when we had lunch.
“Nope,” I said in annoyance.
“Okay, he has to be gay.”
“You think everyone is gay.”
“And I’m always right.”
“I know he isn’t gay,” I said. “But I don’t know why he didn’t do anything.”
“Did you make it clear you wanted to be kissed?”
“Very clear,” I said. “I’m so annoyed.”
“Did he at least hug you?”
“Nope.”
“Is he Mormon?”
I laughed. “I don’t think so.”
“Why didn’t you just kiss him?”
“I wasn’t sure if he wanted me to,” I said. “I mean, if I was making it clear I wanted to be kissed, why didn’t he take the shot? He obviously didn’t want to.”
“I’m sure there’s a reason.” Orlando sprinkled the sugar into his coffee then sipped it.
“Maybe he isn’t attracted to me.”
“Shut up!” Orlando rolled his eyes. “I may be gay but I can guarantee that isn’t why.”
“Then what?”
“Maybe he’s old-fashioned.”
“He doesn’t seem like it. And I think he’s rich or famous.”
“Why?”
“People were treating him like he was VIP at the game. And they were talking about betting dimes or something.”
“Dimes?” Orland asked.
I took a bite of my sandwich then wiped my mouth with a napkin. “He said he bet fifty dimes. Like fifty cents?”
Orlando’s eyed widened. “In betting, a dime is a grand.”
I dropped my sandwich. “So he meant fifty grand?”
Orlando nodded. “You got yourself a sugar daddy.”
My mind was racing. “So he is rich?”
“He must be. That’s the only explanation.”
“I guess that makes sense. If he is rich, he’s very humble about it.”
“This guy sounds like a catch,” Orlando said. “Are you sure he isn’t gay?”
I glared at him. “What about Stewart?”
He rolled his eyes. “He’d understand. He would leave me for Anderson Cooper any day.”
“But that guy is old,” I said.
“He doesn’t care. Cooper is on his list.”
I laughed. “You guys are funny.”
“We have an odd relationship.”
I finished my sandwich while I thought about Tony. I still couldn’t figure out why he was so distant with me. I guess I could just ask him next time I see him. And I wondered why Janet had never introduced me to him. He and I hit it off immediately. Tony was sweet, successful, funny, and gorgeous. Why would she hide him? Then it hit me.
“Janet didn’t tell me about him because of his money,” I said.
“What?”
“My best friend kept her brother a secret because she probably assumed I’d only date him for his cash.”
Orlando shook his head. “That doesn’t sound like something you’d do.”
“I know it isn’t.” I sighed sadly. “I’m hurt she would ever think that.”
“Don’t jump to conclusions,” Orlando said. “You have no idea. Maybe it’s the other way around. Maybe she didn’t think Tony was good enough or you.”
“I highly doubt that,” I said. “He’s the perfect guy. I haven’t had a date go that well in my entire life. Orlando, he’s so sexy. You have no idea.”
“I wish I had an idea.”
I laughed. “I’ll try to snap a picture.”
“If you guys get serious, we should double date.”
“That’s an idea,” I said. “But I don’t want you and Stewart fighting over him.”
Orlando rolled his eyes. “He’s straight. We get it. Don’t get all jealous on me.”
I smiled. “Sorry.”
We left the café and went back to work. When we walked into the office, Charli, the receptionist approached me. She was carrying a large va
se with dark red roses. It was huge, almost too heavy for her to carry.
“These are for you,” she said.
I took them from her, almost dropping them on the floor. “Are you sure?”
“It says Cassie on the card.”
“Thank you.”
Orlando smiled at me. “Let’s go in your office.”
We went into the studio and I put them on the table. Orlando clapped his hands while he watched me open the card.
“What does it say?” he said excitedly.
I read it aloud.
Cassie,
I had a wonderful time with you the other night. I’ve never met such a cool chick that loves sports, beer, and food as much as I do. You’re my dream girl. And I’m sorry I didn’t kiss you. I won’t make the same mistake on Thursday.
P. S. I hope this will hold you over.
A chocolate kiss was sitting inside.
Orlando practically screamed. “That is so cute!”
I stared at the letter again, my heart racing. “The flowers are beautiful.”
“I told you he wanted to kiss you.”
“I guess you were right.”
Orland hopped on his toes. “He sounds so dreamy.”
“He is pretty amazing.”
“I’m so jealous,” he said. “Stewart and I used to be that way. Now we fart and burb in front of each other.”
I laughed. “That’s pretty romantic.”
He sighed. “I know.”
“But I’m jealous of you.”
“How do you mean?”
“You’re with someone that still loves to be around you all the time. Even if that heat isn’t as strong, that love is even stronger.”
He smiled. “You do have a point.”
I smelled a rose and sighed. Now I couldn’t wait until Thursday.
5
Since Janet had become serious with Scott, they started running together every morning. Therefore, our gym sessions were over. But I didn’t mind. I knew she was happy with Scott so I was happy for her. And she said they had morning sex in the shower after every run, so I definitely couldn’t hold that against her. I missed having sex. I couldn’t even remember what it felt like anymore. Had it changed since I was last in the game?
When I thought about Tony, the idea of sex wasn’t far behind. Having sex with him seemed like it would be easy and enjoyable. I couldn’t explain why, but I was innately comfortable around him. I liked him as a person, and I liked him as someone in the bedroom. That was a first for me. I never liked someone’s personality and was insanely attracted to them at the same time. It was usually one or the other. Perhaps that was why my last boyfriend left me. I didn’t like thinking about it. I pushed the thought away.
