Rocket Science

by Emily Mayer

  He didn’t answer my question, just gave me one of those wide smiles that made those crinkles I was so fond of appear. My stomach chose that moment to let out a very loud grumble that seemed to echo in the empty space. I could feel the heat flooding my cheeks, but I just shrugged and forced myself to maintain eye contact. Hunger was a normal part of the human experience, and I couldn’t help it that my stomach got a little dramatic about it.

  “I feel like such an ass for keeping you waiting.”

  I didn’t hear the words that followed as the elevator doors opened, revealing an absolute dream of an apartment. I supposed the actual term for this space was ‘penthouse,’ but whatever you called it, it was unreal. Windows made up one entire wall, revealing the lights of LA leading to the hills in the distance. The open-concept space allowed my eyes to roam from the kitchen, equipped with gorgeous stainless-steel appliances, to the living room with its one wall of paving stones surrounding the fireplace. The living room had a huge wrap-around leather couch that faced the windows, and a gigantic flat screen TV mounted over the fireplace. My eyes immediately found the enormous bookcase, which was filled with books and other knick-knacks. It was the only sign that the apartment was actually lived in. I turned to face Sebastian.

  “This is really amazing. The view is incredible, and that bookcase is a dream.” I set my purse down on a table by the door, where he had set his keys, and made a beeline for the bookcase. My hand trailed over the spines as I read them. “Where did all these come from?”

  “I like to read.” Sebastian’s voice was so close it startled me and I turned around to face him. “I know I should switch to an e-reader, but there’s just something about being able to hold a book in your hands. They’re one of the only things I brought with me, actually.”

  I wanted to pinch myself, or him. I couldn’t accept that this man was even real.

  “Do you ever bend the corner of the page to save your spot? You know, instead of using a bookmark,” I asked, one hand gripping the edge of a shelf waiting to hear his answer.

  His eyebrows, dipped forming a deep V. “No. I can’t say I’ve ever done that.”

  I nodded my head, simultaneously trying to keep myself from tackling him. Just when I thought I couldn’t possibly be more attracted to this man…

  I was in so much trouble. So, so much trouble.

  “Are you okay?” He took a step closer, visually inspecting me for signs of distress.

  “Yes,” I squeaked out. “So fine.”

  He gave me a questioning look. “Okay, dinner is in the oven already, but the fridge is full of stuff if you want to grab something real quick. I’m going to hop in the shower, so make yourself at home. I’ll be right out.”

  More aggressive head-nodding because I honestly didn’t even care about food anymore. That’s how far gone I was. I watched as his hands grabbed the hem of his shirt and lifted the edge up slowly, revealing a swath of skin as he took a step back toward the hallway. He stopped, giving me a questioning look, before turning his gaze downward to where both of my hands were tugging the hem of his shirt downward. I swallowed, refusing to loosen my grip.

  “Lennon, what are you doing love?” His voice held that mix of slight confusion and more than a little amusement—a tone I was getting more and more familiar with every time we talked.

  “Umm, I’m… it’s just that… I thought you were going to take off your shirt,” I explained, pausing when he still wore the same confused expression. “Right here. Where I could see your chest. Naked.”

  I wanted to shrivel up into nothingness. I closed my eyes, momentarily horrified by the ridiculous explanation I’d offered. When I opened my eyes, I kept them on the hardwood floor visible in the gap between our feet.

  “And that would be bad?” he asked, one hand resting under my chin, forcing my head up so our eyes met.

  I searched his gaze, wishing I could read minds. Be brave, be brave, be brave played on repeat in my head. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, fortifying myself for whatever came next.

  “I don’t think there would be any going back for me if I saw you without a shirt on, Sebastian. I’m already having such a hard time convincing myself that we’re just friends, and that your friendship is enough.”

  The confession was little more than a whisper. Both his hands covered mine as he gently pried my fingers off his shirt, ignoring the sound of protest I made. In one fluid movement, he pulled his shirt over his head. There was a real possibility that I momentarily lost consciousness. My eyes greedily ate up the expanse of skin now on display, trying to memorize every dip, every crevice. Then, his hands were back on mine, slowly moving them to rest on the bare skin of his chest. His flesh felt like fire under my palms. My gaze traveled up all the intricately inked flesh to meet his eyes, filled with an intensity that made my heart pound impossibly faster.

  “What—”

  His lips crashed to mine before I could finish my question. Not slow or gentle like the kisses he had pressed to my cheeks and forehead—his mouth moved over mine with a hunger that silenced all the questions in my head. I groaned into his mouth, his tongue sweeping past my open lips. His fingers pressed into my hips so hard that I knew they would leave bruises. I felt my back hit the bookshelf as his lips traveled across my jaw to a spot just below my ear. I leaned my head back, granting him easier access to that previously uncharted territory. He nibbled the spot again, his tongue soothing the slight sting his teeth left behind. A moan escaped from me—or him, it was impossible to tell.

  His mouth traveled back the way it came until it found mine again. This time his mouth moved over mine slowly like he was savoring the taste with every pass of his lips. My hands suddenly remembered they existed and traveled up his chest to wind around his neck, the ends of my fingers gently tangling in the soft hair at the nape of his neck. This time I was sure the growl that I felt in my chest, rather than heard, came from him. He gently pressed his mouth to mine once, twice, before he pulled away. I kept my eyes closed for a few heartbeats, trying to calm down. When I opened them, they took in that so-handsome face, which was wearing an expression that was almost more devastating to my heart than his kisses.

  He smiled, easing the tension in my chest.

  “You’ve no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.”

  “You did?” I searched his face, trying to judge his sincerity.

  He nodded, his hands moving to straighten my glasses before cradling my face between them, his thumb outlining the curve of my jaw.

  “Yeah. How could you not know?”

  I chewed on my lip, my eyes moving between each of his. “I thought… I don’t know what I thought. I’m honestly still trying to wrap my head around the idea that you want to be my friend.”

  He leaned forward, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

  “I still want to be your friend… and so much more.”

  I nodded my head, because my mind was so busy trying to process this new information that words didn’t seem possible. I glanced down and grimaced. All that glorious skin was still on display and my hands were still exploring it as if the secret to world peace were written in Braille on his chest and abdomen—but judging from the bulge in his athletic shorts, he wasn’t too upset about my roaming fingers. He turned his head toward the kitchen before stepping back, finally severing the contact. My poor hands stayed in the same position, hoping beyond hope they would be reunited with the wall of muscle they were just getting to know.

  “I’m going to go take that shower.” His gaze swept over my face. “Are you going to be here when I get back?”

  My ovaries screamed, “Yes! I’ll come with you so you don’t have to worry and I’ll even wash your back! And your front! I will wash all the things!”

  I nodded mechanically, blushing furiously at the directions my thoughts had gone. Sebastian chuckled like he knew exactly what I was blushing about and walked away. I stood very still, listening for the sound of a door closing. When I finally hear
d the soft click of the door, I let out a gust of air and finally lowered my hands, then proceeded to do a happy dance, bouncing around in a tight circle while squealing softly (I hoped). What in the world, Carmen San Diego? Sebastian kissed me and I kissed him back! Even I had to admit that this was pretty conclusive evidence that he had feelings for me that went beyond friendship, and although my brain was still furiously trying to catch up with my libido, I was pretty sure he had even confessed to as much.

  I did one more bouncing circle move before I pulled myself together. With my luck, Sebastian would bust me dancing around his room like I was possessed.

  I took in some more of the books lining his shelves, impressed by the variety and more than a little ashamed that I had labeled Sebastian as nothing more than a professional athlete. I found the full collection of The Watchmen and smiled. He appeared to be a big fan of biographies, which I hated, but the discovery made me smile instead of panic at finding yet another difference between us.

  I moved to look out the huge windows. The sun was setting, casting an orange glow over the city. It looked like the entire city was laid out below me.

  “The view is what sold me on this place.”

  I whipped around, startled by Sebastian’s voice. He was standing right behind me in a pair of grey sweatpants and a black V-neck T-shirt that showed a few of the tattoos on his chest. His damp hair had been casually brushed back with his fingers, the path they’d traveled still visible. I turned back to face the window solely out of self-preservation.

  “It would be impossible to pass up this view.” Then I gave voice to my thought from moments earlier. “It looks like the whole city is laid out below us.”

  A beep from the kitchen drew our attention away from the view. Well, half of my attention. The other half was appreciating the beauty of a pair of grey sweatpants. Sebastian took my hand and led me into the kitchen. He hit a button to turn off the timer, slipping on a pair of oven mitts. Sweet Baby Yoda, have mercy on me. I might not survive this dinner.

  He bent slightly at the waist, opening the door to pull one dish after another out of the oven, setting them on the stove as he went.

  “I feel like I should confess that I’m not responsible for actually making any of this food. I have a meal service, and I called this one in. I will take full credit for the menu, though. That was all me.”

  The smell of the food combined with my current view had my mouth watering so much that I had to swallow before I could respond.

  “I promise not to hold that against you. Everything smells delicious.”

  Cue obnoxious noises coming from my abdomen. Sebastian looked over his shoulder and smiled.

  “Why don’t you go sit at the table? I’ll bring everything over.”

  I shook my head. It felt wrong to sit and wait to be served while Sebastian did all the work, especially since he had rushed home from practice.

  “Let me help. You’ve already gone to enough trouble. I’m feeling a little useless, especially since you wouldn’t let me bring anything.”

  He nodded to the table.

  “Go. Sit. I’m wooing you.’

  My first reaction was to chuckle, because Sebastian Kincaid had used the word ‘woo,’ but the meaning of his words set my feet in motion. There was absolutely no way I was going to stand in the way of a good wooing. Also, I was absolutely starving and slightly concerned that arguing would slow down the getting-to-eat part.

  I walked to the large dining table, remembering our first meal together when Sebastian had told me he hadn’t actually eaten at his table yet. Now it was set with fancy place settings and candles. I ran my fingers over the silverware, amazed at how much thought he’d put into this evening. I took him to a movie marathon and he planned a romantic dinner. Same thing.

  I slid into one of the chairs and tried to figure out what to do with my hands. I folded them in front of me, placing them on the table. It looked like I was praying. I slipped my hands onto my lap, tapping my fingers on my thigh.

  Sebastian placed a plate in front of me and I actually moaned. Steak in finishing sauce with mashed potatoes and a cheesy pasta that looked like mac and cheese on steroids, and not a vegetable in sight! My stomach did its own happy dance. If it had a vote, Sebastian’s woo game was a winner. My eyes darted to his face.

  “I feel like I’ve used this phrase at least a dozen times tonight, but Sebastian this looks amazing. I can’t believe you did all of this.”

  He dropped a kiss on my head and mumbled something, heading back into the kitchen. He reappeared, carrying a bottle of champagne. When he was close enough that I could read the label, I held up my hand to stop him from pouring the liquid gold into my flute.

  “That is a very expensive bottle of champagne.” My hand moved to grip his forearm. “I don’t think you should open it.”

  Sebastian looked momentarily startled, his face the picture of confusion. “Why not? This is a celebration dinner. Celebrations call for champagne.”

  I released his forearm to throw my hands up in exasperation, almost whacking him in the process.

  “I figured out a problem at work, not won the Nobel Prize!” A very large part of me was screaming at me to shut up and let the man woo me with his delicious food and expensive champagne. “This is too much.”

  “It’s not too much,” he said. There was an emotion in his voice that I didn’t understand, but it almost sounded like gratitude. He poured me a glass and then filled his own. I stared at the golden liquid, trying to convince myself that the bottle didn’t actually cost more than my rent. “Lennon, I can hear you thinking from over here. Talk to me.”

  The hint of nervousness in his voice was enough to snap me out of it.

  “I think you’re doing a great job. With the wooing,” I clarified. “Everything is perfect. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” His smile was as soft as his voice, and I thought that particular combination might be more dangerous than the sleeveless shirt that showcased his biceps. My eyes drifted down and widened when they saw his plate.

  “You forgot to put any of the good stuff on there. It’s all meat and vegetables.” I couldn’t keep the frown off my face. “Is that quinoa?”

  What kind of person passed up garlic-and-chive mashed potatoes for broccoli and squash? I don’t know if I could be in a relationship with that kind of person. They probably stole candy from babies and replaced it with carrot sticks. Wait, were we in a relationship? I was so lost in my head that I almost missed his answer.

  “I try to cut out carbs and simple sugars during the season. Most of my diet is high protein and vegetables with some healthy grains. Occasionally I indulge with some Chinese takeaway.” He winked at me. “But I’m generally pretty strict about it. I’m getting too old to bounce back from a bender.”

  This poor, poor man. While I couldn’t argue with the results of this diet from Hades, I couldn’t imagine having a job that required me to cut out every food group that brings people joy.

  “Did you know that many evolutionary biologists believe that our ancestors’ protein-heavy diet is responsible for our brain growing? Our big brains gave us a huge advantage over predators and the environment, because our temporal cortex was one of the areas that grew, allowing us to gather and interpret more information. So your diet might actually be making you a better player in more ways than one.”

  “I did not know that. Does that mean you want some of my vegetables?”

  “Nope. Nice try, though. I’m very comfortable with my brain size.”

  We ate, sipping champagne and talking about our days. I was finding Sebastian’s schedule kind of fascinating. It was a whole new world that I had so much to learn about and I loved how patient he was answering all my questions.

  I heard my phone ding with an incoming text from my bag. I sighed, setting down my fork.

  “I’m sorry. I need to check my phone really fast. Paige was going to stop by to feed Boomer. I just want to make sure he hasn’t escap
ed or burned down our building or something.”

  Sebastian’s laughter hit my back as I hurried to grab my phone. It was a message from Paige. I said a silent prayer that everything was fine, and let out the breath I was holding when I saw the picture Paige had sent. It was a selfie of her and Boomer. She was wearing a huge smile, Boomer smashed up against the side of her face looking furious. One arm was sticking straight out at the camera, claws fully unsheathed. Everything about his body announced he was already plotting his revenge.

  Paige: Fed your demon cat. Look how much he loves his Auntie Paige!

  I laughed, walking back to the table with the phone in my hand. I passed it to Sebastian, sliding back into my chair, and smiled when I heard his chuckle.

  “You couldn’t have gotten one of those perfectly nice-looking cats on the website?” His smile took the sting out of his words. “He looks like he’s one hug away from snapping.”

  “Don’t let his face fool you. He’s really a snuggly ball of love wrapped up in a demon. He actually loves hugs.”

  “If you say so.” He didn’t sound at all convinced. “But I’m still going to watch my shins around him.”

  “That’s fair.” Boomer was still regularly trying to use Sebastian as a human jungle gym. “Destruction is his love language.”

  I took another sip of the champagne, letting the bubbles play across my tongue. I was never going to be happy with my grocery-store-sale booze again. This man was going to ruin everything for me.

  “I wanted to ask you something,” Sebastian said, one hand twirling the stem of his champagne flute. “But I don’t want you to feel any pressure to say yes.”

  I leaned back in my chair, patting my stomach contentedly.

  “This would be a really great time to ask me for anything. Literally anything. I would give you a kidney right now. Or part of my liver. It’ll grow back.”

  “I’m good on organs.” He took a breath, his shoulders unusually tense. “We don’t have a game this weekend, so the team is having a picnic. It’s at a teammate’s house. Nothing fancy. He has a pool, so there’ll be swimming and probably a dozen kids hopped up on sugar. There will also be hot dogs.”