All You'll Ever Need

by Sharon C. Cooper

  Before Zack could respond, Randy said, “Don’t do it, man. Cincinnati needs you. Besides, you’re still somewhat young. Why give up the game now when you’re in your prime?”

  Glad that the dining tables were spread far apart enough for others not to hear their conversation, Zack explained. “Between us Randy, I haven’t made any definite decisions. I won’t lie and say I haven’t been thinking about retirement. When I leave the game, I want to leave while I still have my faculties and the ability to walk off the field on my own.” He rubbed his jaw and chin. “You know how it is, man. I’ve been at this ten years. As a running back, my body won’t be able to continue to take the pounding that it gets every week out on that field.” Zack stopped speaking and looked at Jada, who was studying him carefully. He rapped his larger hand around her smaller one that rested on the table. “Besides, I have to start thinking about my future. Getting married and starting a family.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Jada almost fell out of her chair and puddled to the floor at Zack’s words. His crystal blue eyes didn’t stray from hers, and she had no doubt he was serious about what he said. Sure, he had asked her to move in, but he hadn’t said anything about the possibility of marriage.

  Zack removed his hand from hers, and she immediately missed the warmth that his touch always radiated through her body.

  “With all that said, I haven’t made any definite decisions,” he said to his friend.

  Randy gripped Zack’s shoulder. “I have mad respect for you, man. Whether you stay on with Cincinnati or leave, you’ve had one helluva career.”

  The server came over, and Randy said his goodbyes, promising to see them before they left. The server left the table after taking their drink orders.

  Zack reached for Jada’s hand again and leaned in close. “I hope I didn’t embarrass you a few minutes ago. I shouldn’t assume that we want the same thing.”

  For the first time in a long time, Jada didn’t know what to say. How many times had she imagined a man including her in his plans that possibly led to marriage?

  She squeezed his hand. “I think we do want the same thing.”

  Those dimples of his that always made her heart flutter appeared, and he moved even closer to her. “Is that right?”

  She grinned and nodded. He lowered his head and captured her lips in a kiss that made her toes curl. She didn’t think she’d ever get used to his sweetness and the touch of his mouth against hers.

  Once the server took their order and left them with warm bread, Zack shared stories of him and Randy from when they were back in college. Jada couldn’t believe some of the pranks they’d pulled and the type of trouble they got into their freshman year. Zack explained that when the school administrator threatened that Zack would lose his scholarship if he didn’t straighten up, he and Randy didn’t hang out as much. Zack put most of his energy into his schoolwork and left the rest out on the football field.

  “So what did you major in?”

  He laid the slice of bread that he had just bitten into on a small plate and wiped his mouth. “Finance for my undergrad and I have my MBA.”

  “Wow. That’s wonderful.” Jada thought of Zack as just a pro football player, forgetting he had a college education. “How or when did you get your MBA since you started playing pro football right after you graduated with your bachelors?”

  “I did an accelerated MBA program, completing some of the courses online and attending classes during the off season. It was supposed to be accelerated, but it took me about two and a half years because of my football schedule.”

  “I’m impressed.”

  Jada pushed down the anxiety churning in her stomach. Over the years, she had had plenty of time to continue her education, but hadn’t. Going to college wasn’t one of her life goals, but now she wondered if she should rethink her goals. Would Zack one day feel the same as Dion had – claiming that all she had to bring to the table were her good looks and a tight body? Granted the two men were very different people, but she couldn’t help but wonder.

  “Growing up in one of the roughest neighborhoods in Columbus, I had vowed that I was going to make something of myself. I knew I wanted to play professional football, but I also knew there were plenty of other guys that were just as talented. The competition was steep. So I had to get an education or take up a trade. I—”

  He stopped speaking when the server brought their food to the table. Jada wasn’t very hungry, but her mouth watered when the steaming hot plate was set before her. Crab stuffed shrimp and one of her weaknesses, mashed potatoes. Glancing at Zack’s plate of bourbon glaze salmon, she was tempted to dig her fork into the fish for a taste.

  “Is there anything else I can get either of you?” the server asked, looking from Jada to Zack.

  “Everything looks amazing.”

  “This looks great.”

  Zack and Jada spoke at the same time, eliciting a laugh from the server.

  “Well, enjoy your meals and let me know if you need anything else.”

  Jada dug into her mashed potatoes. She felt like such an underachiever compared to Zack. As the youngest in her family and the only girl, her parents supplied her with whatever she wanted. She hadn’t really thought much about her future. It was not until she decided that she didn’t want to go to college did things change in their household. Her parents gave her an ultimatum. Either go to college or find a job. She couldn’t live under their roof without one or the other. Becoming a sheet metal worker wasn’t in her plans. It was not until she found out how much money construction workers made did she decide to pursue a career in the trades.

  They ate and talked, enjoying each other’s company. This was what Jada had been missing with their previous dates. She had longed to get dressed up and go out on the town with Zack. Not just to be seen with a handsome man, but needing to have what she referred to as a real date. Their conversation flowed easily, and it was refreshing to be with a man who didn’t talk about himself the whole time.

  “What made you pick this restaurant?” Zack cut into his salmon. “Have you been here before?”

  Jada shook her head, having just bit into one of the shrimps. “No, I’ve wanted to come since it opened. So when I thought about us going out for a nice dinner,” she shrugged, “this was the first place I thought about. What’s your excuse for not coming here sooner, especially since you know the owner?”

  “No special reason. Only that I’m not a big fan of large crowds or popular, hotspots. This place has been getting rave reviews and is listed as one of the top ten places to be on the weekend in Cincinnati.” He plopped a piece of the fish into his mouth and moaned. “Damn, this is good.” He wiped his mouth. “You’ve been eying my plate ever since the server sat the dish in front of me. Do you want some?” He held his fork, loaded with salmon, in front of her.

  Jada couldn’t resist. She opened her mouth and the moment the succulent fish touched her tongue, she closed her eyes and moaned. The women in her family were excellent cooks, but this had to be the best salmon she had ever tasted.

  “Oh my goodness, you’re right.” She opened her eyes, still chewing, only to find Zack staring at her, his eyes glittered with desire. She swallowed hard as he moved his chair closer to hers.

  “Sweetheart, you can not moan like that and not expect to have an effect on me. Come here,” he said, his voice raspy.

  No more words were spoken. With his hand at the back of her head, he gently pulled her to him and covered her mouth with his. Jada didn’t ever think she’d get tired of kissing him. Each time his lips touched hers, everything in her yearned for more. His tongue tangled with hers, and she placed her hand on his chest, his hard muscles contracting beneath her touch. When he increased the pressure of their kiss, longing shot through her like a rocket launching into interplanetary space. She squeezed her thighs together to control the sweet, torturous throb between her legs. She wanted him like she’d never wanted any other man and tonight she couldn’t
wait to get him home.

  Jada saw a flash and lifted her head. When she and Zack pulled apart, they both noticed a man standing about ten feet from their table, his cell phone in his hand. He snapped another picture.

  “What the fu…” Zack bolted from his seat, knocking over his chair before Jada could stop him. He grabbed the man by the front of his shirt. “What the hell are you doing?” Zack snatched the cell phone out of the guy’s hand and held it out of his reach.

  “Hey, give me that back!” The man flailed his arms trying to reach his phone as Zack maintained a death grip on the guy’s shirt, keeping him at arm’s length.

  “Zack, you’re making a scene,” Jada whispered, trying to get him to calm down. “Just give the phone back to him. It’s not that serious.”

  “The hell it isn’t,” Zack growl. “You’re going to delete every damn picture you took of us.”

  “It’s a free country—”

  “What’s going on here?” Randy and someone from his security team came up to them, separating the two men. Security held the other patron, while Zack backed away until he was near their table.

  “Zack, let’s just go.” Jada grabbed hold of his muscular arm while he pushed buttons on the man’s cell phone, apparently deleting the photos himself. “Zack.”

  “Give me a minute,” he said distractedly.

  “What happened?” Randy asked Jada, who was still holding onto Zack’s muscular bicep, trying to ignore all of the stares. “What did the guy do?”

  “He took photos of us kissing,” Jada explained, glad to see that Zack was finished.

  “Get him out of here,” Randy said to security and followed behind them.

  “Hey! What about my phone?” the man yelled as they escorted him out of the main dining room.

  Jada normally enjoyed being the center of attention, but with the anger seeping through Zack’s pores, all she wanted to do was get out of there. She had to admit, a stranger taking pictures of them was a little creepy. The last thing she needed or wanted was for someone to post pictures of them on the internet.

  With the cell phone still in his hand, Zack tossed enough money on the table to cover the meals and a sizeable tip. They headed to the lobby, and she could tell by the grip he had on her hand and his clenched jaw that he was still mad.

  “Zack, I’m sorry about all of that.” Randy stopped him in the lobby, near the hostess stand, his hand on Zack’s shoulder. He directed them to the far corner of the large space for privacy. “I feel bad about what happened. At least let me take care of your dinner.”

  “It’s not your fault.” He handed Randy the cell phone he’d taken from the other patron.”

  “Yeah, it is my fault. Anyone who steps foot in my restaurant should be able to have a nice dinner without being harassed by some misguided fan.”

  “Shit like this happens more times than I can count.” Zack released Jada’s hand and wrapped his arm around her, his hand resting on her hip. “I’m sure I could have handled it differently and maybe I would have if it were just me here.” He glanced at Jada. Normally when he looked at her he was smiling. This time she couldn’t read his expression. “I won’t tolerate that type of disrespect when she’s with me,” he said to Randy. “By the way, the food and the service were excellent. All the best to you, man.”

  They said their goodbyes and Zack quickly texted the driver, but still hadn’t said anything to Jada. Normally he seemed totally in control, but witnessing the way he sprang into action moments ago, surprised her. Maybe this incident was why he hadn’t taken her to places like Zydeco for their dates. If this was what he went through whenever he was around people, she could see why he would shy away from public appearances.

  With his hand at the small of her back, he guided her outside. Hundreds of people were lined up to enter the nightclub, which had a separate entrance. Jada was curious about the club, but not enough to talk Zack into checking it out with her.

  “Zack Anderson!” someone yelled and Jada groaned.

  “Nice game last week, Zack!”

  She felt him stiffen next to her, not understanding why people calling out his name and expressing their love for him bothered him so much.

  Suddenly a bright light flashed, temporarily blinding her and then another. She lifted her hands to block the lights and leaned into Zack, who had a tight hold on her, moving her quickly along the sidewalk.

  “Zack, who’s the new woman?”

  “Are the retirement rumors true?”

  Questions came from all directions. Jada felt as if they were on the red carpet for an award’s show instead of hanging out at a restaurant.

  An aggressive paparazzo stepped in front of them. Zack cursed under his breath. He winced in pain when he turned suddenly, taking her in a different direction, keeping her close by his side.

  “Zack, your ex, Leslie Dunkin, just announced her engagement to Yuko Arizu.” Someone shoved a microphone in his face, close to Jada’s head, and she stumbled. “What do you think about–”

  Zack grabbed the guy’s wrist and shoved him. “Back the hell up!” he growled, holding Jada tighter, shielding her from the people blocking their path and the assault of camera flashes. That didn’t stop the onslaught of questions. Jada kept her head burrowed into Zack’s chest until he whispered. “There’s Frank.”

  The driver parked a few feet away and jumped out of the car. Rounding the vehicle, he yanked the back door open. As soon as Jada breathed a sigh of relief, someone grabbed Zack’s arm.

  “Hey, how about an autograph?” Zack shook the guy off and released Jada.

  “Get her in the car!”

  Frank hustled her into the backseat and then jumped to Zack’s defense just before Zack’s fist made contact with a reporter’s face, who had shoved the microphone at them earlier. “Let’s go!” Frank yelled, pulling Zack back and shoving him into the vehicle.

  “Dammit!” Zack pounded his fist against the interior of the car door. “That shit gets on my nerve!”

  Adrenaline soared through Jada as she tried to catch her breath. Normally something like that scene would excite her but seeing the effect it had on Zack, made her wary. She couldn’t imagine going through this every time she went out.

  “Are you okay?” He cupped her chin with one hand, looking at her with concerned eyes. The tension radiating from him was freaking her out a little. Never had she seen him so riled up, yet the way he took charge was a serious turn on.

  She nodded. “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Are you?” She heard the quiver in her own voice and was sure he hadn’t missed it.

  “I’m cool. I just don’t like them getting in our face like that, especially in your face. I’m used to their aggression, but I never wanted you to have to experience it. Some of the media are not as considerate as the others and will stop at nothing, to get an answer or a reaction out of you.”

  “Like making you take a swing at them,” Jada cracked. She watched him almost punch someone, which seemed so out of character for him.

  “I’m sorry you had to witness that, but I won’t apologize for wanting to knock the crap out of him.” Snuggling up to Zack, she looped her arm through his and kissed him on the cheek. “He was too damn close to you with his microphone. I couldn’t tell if he’d bumped you with it or not.”

  “He didn’t and I’m fine. Thank you for taking care of me back there.”

  He placed a kiss on her forehead and slipped his arm out of her grasp, wrapping it around her shoulders. “I will always take care of you.”

  Frank cleared his throat. He had been driving, but Jada realized that they hadn’t told him where to go.

  “I’m sorry, Frank. We’re going to call it a night. Drop us off at my place.” Jada’s shoulders drooped. She couldn’t believe they were skipping the theater. When her gaze met Zack’s, his eyes searched hers as if making sure she was okay with his decision.

  Jada didn’t say anything. She knew he’d had enough for one night and as long as they were t
ogether, it really didn’t matter where they went next.

  Zack lowered his head to her ear. “Are you okay with this?”

  She nodded slowly.

  “I’ll reimburse you for the tickets and I promise I’ll make this up to you.” He placed a soft kiss against her lips. “And I really am sorry about all of that back there. I try never to lose my temper, but...” His voice trailed off as if he couldn’t come up with a good reason for losing his temper.

  “How do you think they knew we were there?” Jada straightened in her seat so that she could look at him better.

  Zack moved his arm from around her shoulder and released an exhausted breath, running his hand over his short, spiked hair. “I’m not sure, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Randy called them.”

  “What? Why?” Randy seemed like a nice guy. Jada couldn’t see him doing anything so underhanded.

  “Randy is trying to put his restaurant and night club on the map. If he can get some free publicity, I’m sure he’ll do whatever it takes. What better way to draw more people out than to show them the professional athletes, actors, and models who patronize his establishment? Lines of people wrapped around the block waiting to get into the nightclub doesn’t hurt either.” Zack shrugged. “The commotion tonight will draw the grocery store tabloids, and people love drama. People will be clamoring to check out his spot. More money in his pocket.”

  “But you guys are friends. He’d do something like that to you?”

  “If he did make a call, I know it’s not personal. It’s business … for him.”

  Jada mulled over their conversation and decided that she couldn’t see putting one of her friends through some mess like that.

  The magic of Alex Bugnon’s talented fingers skimming over piano keys flowed through the speakers and Jada rested her head against Zack’s shoulder and shut her eyes. Tonight felt like a real first date with him, despite the drama.

  ***

  The next morning, Zack kissed Jada on the top of her head, and peeled himself out of her grasp. He climbed out of bed and stumbled into the master bathroom. He loved when she stayed the night, but leaving her in his bed sleeping was getting harder and harder. He wanted nothing more than to stay snuggled beside her, but duty called. The Cougars were scheduled to meet earlier than usual to lift weights.