Rocket Science

by Emily Mayer

  He laughed, kissing me long and hard. I sat up when he broke the kiss and watched him hop off the bed, removing the condom and tossing it in the trashcan. So much glorious naked man on display.

  “Let’s get you fed.”

  Food truly was my love language—food and that naked backside.

  41.

  We snuggled on the couch watching Netflix waiting for our food to arrive, me in an oversized shirt and him in his underwear, over strong opposition from me. That man should never wear clothes. His nakedness was a public service to all heterosexual females. Boomer crouched under the coffee table, his tail twitching in irritation, pouting and occasionally taking a swipe at one of our feet. My phone dinged, alerting me that my order from Chang’s Kitchen was approaching. Sebastian got up, heading for the bedroom while I darted into the kitchen to stay out of view. I wasn’t sure how much of a tip would be required to heal the emotional trauma for Jason if he saw me without pants, but I had to believe it would be a hefty sum. Sebastian reappeared in shorts just as there was a knock at the door.

  “I got it,” he told me, eyes dropping to my bare legs.

  “Hey Len—who are you?” Jason accused, sounding surprised. “Where’s Lennon?”

  “Who are you?” Sebastian fired back, seeming more amused by the scrawny teenager than upset.

  “I’m Jason Chang, Mr. Chang’s grandson. Where’s Lennon?” he demanded.

  Sebastian glanced at me, sporting a smirk that screamed trouble. I shot him wide, panicked eyes and shook my head. He turned his attention back to Jason, placing a hand on the door.

  “She’s just in the bedroom. Do you always ask this many questions when you’re delivering food, mate?”

  Jason snorted.

  “Yeah, right. I don’t know who you are, buddy, but I’ve been delivering food to Lennon for almost two years and I’ve never seen a guy before. She’s got a cat. Screw it, I’m calling the police.”

  I raced to the door, lack of pants forgotten, and ducked under Sebastian’s arm.

  “Jason! I’m fine! This is my friend—”

  “Boyfriend,” Sebastian interrupted, letting the arm that was still holding the door drop to my shoulders.

  I rolled my eyes. “This is my boyfriend, Sebastian.”

  “No shit? Good for you. I honestly never thought I’d see the day.” Jason handed me the bag. “You crazy kids have a good night. Oh, and make good decisions!”

  He wiggled his eyebrows dramatically and then sauntered down the hall, apparently mollified now that he was sure I wasn’t in the clutches of a serial killer. Sebastian chuckled and closed the door.

  “I know I should be offended, but I’m honestly kind of touched,” I said, getting two plates down while Sebastian unloaded the contents from the bag. “He was actually going to call the cops on you.”

  Sebastian just chuckled. “I’m mostly concerned about the amount of takeaway you’re eating.”

  We loaded up our plates with food and returned to the couch. We ate in silence for a while. I watched him over a pile of lo mein, a question I’d been dying to ask him for a while on my mind now that my stomach was full.

  “Can I ask you something?”

  Sebastian turned to face me, one eyebrow winging up.

  “That doesn’t sound promising, but all right.”

  “What happened the night we met at the club?” I glanced down at my plate, dreading his answer but needing to know all the same.

  He sighed. “Lennon, I don’t know that you want to hear about it after we just had sex for the first time.”

  That had my eyes lifting back to his. He looked so serious it made my heart ache a little.

  “I do want to know. I need to understand. I hate not understanding things and whatever I’m imagining is probably worse than the truth anyway.”

  “I thought Paige had asked me to the club. As a date.”

  Or not. That was actually a lot worse than I had been imagining. Sebastian had liked beautiful, bubbly, outgoing Paige. She was my opposite in every way.

  “Oh. I understand,” I said, trying to play it cool but fully able to hear how dejected I sounded despite my effort.

  “No, you don’t.” Sebastian set his plate down and then took mine out of my hands, setting it next to his and drawing me into his arms. He nestled me into his lap, my head resting on his chest while his fingers ran through my hair.

  “I agreed to the trade because I was tired. I’m getting old.” He hushed my protest. “I’m getting old in professional athlete terms. I don’t know how many years I have left. My knee kills me after every game and practice isn’t much better. The reality is that my body doesn’t bounce back like it used to.”

  He was quiet for a moment, working his fingers through a tangle. I stayed silent, content to give him the space he needed.

  “When I first started, I lived the hype on and off the field. I’m not proud of a lot of it, if I’m honest. Most of the women I was with were using me for the status or to be able to say they were with a footballer—which was fine, since I was using them too. It got old, though, not knowing when someone was genuinely into you. I was tired of it all. I love the game but everything else was weighing me down. So I took the trade. I needed a change and the space to get sorted.” He paused again, shifting me in his arms. “You already know I met Paige during her classes. She didn’t know who I was when we met, and she didn’t seem to care when I told her. It was so refreshing. I admit that I didn’t handle it well when I found out she was just trying to set me up. It felt like another person using me for something. You’ll never know how sorry I am for it.”

  I listened to the steady beating of his heart, drawing comfort from the sound.

  “Just one more question, and you don’t have to answer it. I know it’s not really any of my business. Did you go home with one of the girls from the club that night?”

  “No.” He answered without hesitation. “I felt like an absolute ass when I saw you leaving. I finished my drink and left alone. I kept seeing your face. I couldn’t get you out of my head. There was just something about you.”

  I smiled, tunneling closer to him. “I’m sorry too. For doubting you.”

  He placed a kiss on my head. “You have nothing to be sorry for, love.”

  “I couldn’t understand how you could be interested in me. We seemed so different. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but you’re incredibly hot. I still wonder how you could possibly want to be with me sometimes, but I’m in too deep to care anymore.”

  He laughed. “It isn’t exactly rocket science, Lennon. You’re so beautiful and you walk around having no idea. You’re so smart and kind, and you’re always finding new ways to amaze me. You are one of the most genuine people I’ve ever met and you own me for it. I don’t deserve you but I’m still a selfish bastard, after all.”

  I swallowed, trying to get my emotions under control before I spoke.

  “You’re like my own personal gamma ray burst.” I looked up, seeing the question on his face. I tried to explain. “They’re one of my favorite phenomena in space. They’re the brightest electromagnetic burst events in the universe—that we know about, anyway. Gamma ray bursts result from the most cataclysmic and spectacular events in the cosmos, like two neutron stars colliding. The event results in high radiation energy being released in a huge burst, which appears as a flash of really beautiful, colorful light.”

  Sebastian curled one of those long fingers under my chin, lifting my head enough to kiss me. Later that night, tucked under the covers, Boomer sneaking onto the pillow next to Sebastian, I fought sleep. I wanted to take in this feeling. My last thought as I drifted off to sleep was that my heart felt so full.

  42.

  It was strange how quickly something that seemed so unbelievable such a short time ago could become such an important, almost necessary, part of your life. Sebastian and I settled into an easy routine. We spent most nights at my apartment, even though it was much more cramped than his pe
nthouse. His belongings were scattered all over the small space. His biographies were mixed with my science fiction books, and I finally broke down and cleared out a drawer for him. Most nights we spent curled up on the couch reading or watching TV. When he was traveling for away games, we made good use of video calls. It was still mind-boggling how things had gone from ‘mine’ to ‘ours’—and how much I loved it.

  I had attended most of his home games, sitting in the WAGs box, proudly sporting my Kincaid jersey. Brooke had been right about my new best friends. She, Lindsey, Maggie, Gretchen, and Tony had quickly become my guides to the foreign land of the WAGs—and my friends. I even managed to plan a girls’ night that included Janie, Paige, and Kay.

  I hadn’t been lying when I told Sebastian he had come into my life like a gamma ray burst—but instead of creating a new element, he had created this beautiful life with me that I couldn’t have imagined before him.

  I turned the key in the lock pushing open the door to my apartment. Sebastian was staying at my place again. I had worked late because I was leaving early in the morning for a two-day conference in Phoenix. I smiled when I saw him asleep on the couch, ice pack on his knee and Boomer passed out cradled in one of his arms. Lucky cat. Boomer cracked open an eye when I set my purse on the floor, leisurely stretching out a leg and letting out a yawn. I made my way to the couch, careful not to step on the open book laying on the floor. I bent down to pick up the book and set it on the coffee table. I took a minute to admire Sebastian while he slept before placing a kiss on his forehead. He opened those not quite green eyes and smiled sleepily at me.

  “Hey baby, what time is it?”

  “A little after seven,” I answered, squeezing into the space between him and the edge of the couch.

  He kicked the ice pack to the ground and shifted to accommodate me and Boomer, who was busy stretching out all four of his legs to keep me from being able to lie down. My cat was also more than a little in love with Sebastian. One arm slung over my waist, he dragged me in closer until my body was completely pressed against the length of his, Boomer’s tail wrapped around my neck. I pretended like he was affectionately tightening it around my throat in his own version of a hug.

  “Are you all ready for tomorrow?” Sebastian asked, his thumb making small, soothing circles on my back.

  I sighed. “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be to present to a room full of people, but I am excited to show off the modifications we made to the first-stage engine designs.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?”

  Sweet baby Yoda, I loved this man. I needed to tell him soon. Clearly, the whole bravery thing was still a work in progress, but it was getting harder and harder to keep my feelings in.

  “I’m sure. You can’t miss two days of practice just because I’m nervous. You have a game Saturday.”

  “It’s just one game. I’ll live if I don’t play.” He placed gentle kisses along the curve of my neck, lifting Boomer’s tail as he went.

  “Thank you for offering, but I’ll be fine. It’s just nerves. I can always call you for a pep talk. Plus, we can’t have phone sex if we’re both in the same place.”

  I laughed as he flipped me over without warning, shifting on top of me and sending Boomer flying off the couch.

  “You little deviant.” His hand slid up my shirt, cupping my breast with a gentle squeeze.

  “I thought you were completely knackered,” I said in my best British accent—which sounded a lot like the old man in Monty Python.

  “I got my second wind when you started talking about phone sex.” He rolled his hips to prove his point.

  I groaned. “Okay, you talked me into it. Orgasms, then food.”

  Three orgasms later, my limbs were limp noodles and I didn’t care about food for quite possibly the first time in my life.

  I shot up when my alarm blared right next to my ear, frantically hitting the snooze button on my phone. I rubbed my eyes, completely disoriented. My body might have been awake but my brain was still struggling to come to terms with it. It felt like I had just fallen asleep. I decided that it had to be the middle of the night and my alarm had just malfunctioned. I lay back down, snuggling up to the warm body occupying the other half of the bed. Sebastian rolled over and groaned.

  “Did they have to book a seven thirty flight?” His voice was still rough with sleep.

  I just whimpered in response, sitting back up and throwing my legs over the side of the bed. We both moved like zombies, brushing our teeth and pulling on clothes. I’d hated Sebastian for forcing me out of bed and into shower last night, but this morning I silently conceded he was right. He pointed out my mismatched shoes at the door and I dragged myself back to the bedroom to change. Through an unspoken agreement, we moved down the hall toward the elevator, Sebastian dragging my suitcase behind him.

  We didn’t speak more than three words the entire ride to the airport. Sebastian parked in the drop-off lane outside LAX, expertly navigating through the traffic to find an open spot. He moved around the car, grabbing my suitcase out of the trunk as he went. I stood on the curb, actively reminding myself to continue breathing.

  “Do you have your computer?” Sebastian asked, setting my suitcase down.

  I nodded, patting my carry-on. “Yep, and the flash drive. I left my will to live in bed though.”

  He chuckled, pulling me into a hug. We said goodbye to each other all the time. He had away games that meant he sometimes spent half the week away from home. But I found my heart squeezing tight anyway, not wanting to step out of the strong arms banded around me. I rested my head on his chest and closed my eyes, wanting to savor this last minute. I felt him shaking me lightly by the shoulders.

  “Lennon, did you just fall asleep?”

  “Hmmm? I don’t know. Maybe?” I responded sleepily.

  He chuckled, giving me a kiss and then physically turning me around to face the door of the airport.

  “Text me when you land. Don’t forget to eat something before you get on the plane.”

  “I will. I love you,” I tossed over my shoulder, too tired to realize what I had just said. I took a step toward the door but a hand on my arm stopped my slow progress. I turned around to find Sebastian looking at me, the tired expression he’d wore moments earlier long gone.

  “I love you too.” He closed the remaining inches between us, kissing me again and placing my hand on the handle of the suitcase I had left sitting by him. “And you forgot your suitcase.”

  I gave him one last smile and headed into the airport with a sudden burst of energy that sustained me until I found coffee. Mornings were wild.

  43.

  Our presentation went off without a hitch. I felt like the engineering version of a superstar. People were coming up to me to introduce themselves and ask questions. I couldn’t even make it through lunch without an interruption. I silently mused that this must be what it was like for Sebastian all the time. The rest of the team looked like they were also enjoying the attention. I had opted for an earlier flight than everyone else, because I had no desire to mingle at the mixer that night. One mixer a week was my max.

  I changed out of the suit I had worn for the presentation and slipped into comfortable clothes for the journey home. The concierge called a cab for me and I was back at the airport in under an hour waiting for my flight home. Because I always insisted on being at least two hours early, I had plenty of time to kill. From a semi quiet bar I found near my gate, I called my mom to let her know that the presentation had gone well. Since the cardiologist incident, I had been making more of an effort to call her during the week. It was nothing; I already knew the tests were fine, but I had forgotten to make the appointment to go over my care plan for the next year. I knew I had scared her, though.

  I talked to her while I ate dinner and sipped a glass of wine. One glass of wine turned into two as I finished eating while half-listening to the local news. Entertainment News Tonight started just as I heard t
hem announce that the boarding process was starting for my flight. I still had time, so I sipped my wine and scrolled through my emails while I waited for the bartender to bring me the check. My eyes shot to the television when I heard Sebastian’s name.

  “It looks like Sebastian Kincaid is back to his old ways,” one of the anchors said. “And ladies on two continents are breathing a sigh of relief.”

  “That’s right, Gwen. He had been rumored to have settled down with an astrophysicist he met through a mutual friend. I mean, can you imagine?”

  Both women laughed, making my stomach turn sour. I wasn’t even a freaking astrophysicist! I mechanically dug my debit card out of my wallet and handed it to the bartender, not even bothering to look at the check. My eyes were glued to the television.

  “But last night, Mr. Kincaid was spotted with a new woman outside Scene Six,” Gwen reported with pursed lips.

  The screen flashed to a picture of him with his arm wrapped around a tall blonde woman I recognized from the sleezy tabloid in the grocery store by the small tattoo visible on her shoulder. The next picture was of him helping her into his car. Time slowed. I couldn’t stop watching even as I signed the check.

  The screen flashed to a picture of him with his arm wrapped around a tall blond woman. I recognized her by the small tattoo visible on her shoulder—it was the same woman he’d been pictured with in that sleazy tabloid in the grocery store. The next picture was of him helping her into his car. Time slowed. I couldn’t stop watching even as I signed the check.

  The other anchor chimed in. “The very same woman was spotted outside Kincaid’s house this morning, wearing what appears to be the same outfit she left Scene Six in last night.”

  Sure enough, a slide show of pictures flashed across the screen showing Sebastian in sweatpants and a T-shirt hugging the same woman from the night before. Then he was kissing her cheek and putting her into a cab. It looked like nearly identical to the scene from the pictures in the magazine.