“Of course, and you, sir?” She turns my way.
“I’m good, thanks,” I tell her as I reach for a slice and place it on my plate. I top it with some parmesan before I take a large bite. The server was spot on when she suggested we get their famous pizza.
“Holy crap that is good,” Carmen says after her first bite.
“Yeah, it is.” I take another large bite, cramming in half of my slice in the one bite.
We both focus on eating our pizza, our conversation set aside due to how good it is. Once we’ve both devoured a few slices each, I bring us back to the conversation at hand.
“I understand your concern about the work aspect, but I don’t really see it as a deal breaker. It isn’t against the rules, from what I remember,” I tell her, pausing to take another bite. “And if we decided to see where things could go and we realize that it isn’t what we’re hoping for, I don’t see why we can’t both be adults about it and part as friends. No one needs to lose a job over a breakup.”
“I don’t know, Lucas,” Carmen interjects, worry filling her expression.
“What if I suggested keeping it casual, just between the two of us. Nothing public for a while. It would give us time to get to know one another on a deeper level.”
She looks across the table at me and I can tell her mind is spinning at a hundred miles an hour as she thinks over my suggestion.
“So, you want me to be your booty call?” she deadpans, rolling her eyes at me. “Yeah, that isn’t happening. I’m not into the friends with benefits scene.”
“Not friends with benefits. We’d be exclusive, but just keep it between us or whoever you’re comfortable knowing that we’re dating. I’ll be up front that there is no way I’ll be able to hide it from my sister. She already figured out that something happened between the two of us just by talking to me today.” I smirk, thinking back to my conversation with Tiffany.
“Not to be rude, but have you ever had an exclusive relationship?” she asks.
I can’t help but laugh at her question; I mean, I get it. I’m not known for relationships and have been in the news more for my strip club shenanigans, then the baby daddy accusations. I don’t paint the best image for her to latch on to. “I had a serious girlfriend for two years in college until I walked in on her and one of the football players. I swore off relationships for a long time after that, not wanting the distraction or possibility of getting my heart broken again. I really thought she was the one, but I was sorely mistaken. Apparently, she was sleeping around with lots of jocks, and I was just in the dark about it.”
“I’m sorry,” Carmen says, reaching across the table and placing her hand on top of mine. I appreciate the gesture and warmth of her hand on mine. “No one ever deserves to be cheated on, I know what it’s like to have that happen and it makes you wonder if you’ll ever trust another person again.”
Knowing that she’s been cheated on, as well, has my blood pressure rising and wondering if I can find the man that hurt her so I can punch him in the face, or maybe I need to buy him a drink for fucking things up so I have the chance at winning her over.
“Going back to your original argument, I’m definitely not opposed to settling down, I just want it to be with the right woman. Seeing my sister become a mom and then being around my nephew whenever I can be, made me realize that I do want kids of my own. So, don’t count me out on those matters. I also think it’s sexy as hell that I could be dating an older woman.” I wink at her, and love watching her skin pinken at my words.
“I still don’t know, Lucas.” She bites that god-damned lip again and my cock twitches to life in my pants.
“What if we gave ourselves two months to see how things go. If at the end of that time, it isn’t what you want going forward, then we part as friends and I won’t say another word about it.”
“How can you be so confident that if we part ways that we can do so without broken hearts and hurt feelings?”
“Because I don’t plan on that happening. I want to see where this connection between us can go. I want to see it blossom and grow. Carmen, you are an incredible woman. You are confident. You are sexy. You are what I see in my future and I want to be the man who stands beside you to be your confidant and support system when you need it, and your biggest cheerleader.”
“Wow,” she says a little breathlessly. “You sure know how to win a woman over with words.” She smiles at me.
“So, does that mean you’ll agree to dating me?” I ask, slipping my hand from under hers and linking our fingers together. I don’t think she even realized she still had her hand on mine.
“I guess so,” she says, and I want nothing more than to pull her into my arms and kiss the fuck out of her. But we’re in public and have a table between the two of us, so it’ll will have to wait.
“Ready to get out of here?” I ask, looking down at the time on my phone. The bus to the stadium doesn’t leave for another two and a half hours, which gives us plenty of time to make it back to the hotel and for some time alone in one of our rooms.
Fourteen
Carmen
I can’t wipe the smile from my face, nor can I believe that I just agreed to date Lucas. The way he poured out his heart trying to convince me had me melting into a puddle. He’s surprised me the last few weeks, and especially the last twenty-four hours. When I woke up this morning, I was panicking that I’d fucked up. Sleeping with him on a whim is not my normal. I don’t just go sleeping around. I don’t necessarily have a specific rule to when I’ll sleep with a guy, but I can say that last night was a first for me.
Lucas waves down the server and gets our check, handing over some cash before she can even leave the table. “Keep the change, and thanks for the suggestion. The pizza was as good as you said it would be,” he tells her before we both get up. His hand settles on my lower back as we walk through the crowded restaurant and outside onto the sidewalk. I need for us to keep this on the downlow, so as much as I want to slip my hand into his and feel his warm skin on mine, I slip them into my pockets as we walk back to the hotel.
“Do you have to do anything before leaving for the stadium?” he asks as we walk back.
“Nope,” I tell him, popping the p. “I’m free until then.”
“Good.” He smirks and lowers his face until his lips are next to my ear as we wait at an intersection for the crosswalk to change. “I’ve got plans for you, then, your room or mine?” he asks, nipping at my ear.
His voice is deep and gritty as he asks, and it has my core clenching at the thought of what he has planned.
“Mine,” I tell him. “It isn’t near any of the players’ rooms, so we’ll be less likely to be seen together,” I tell him, but also think to myself about people possibly hearing us if things get as loud as they did last night.
“You’ve got it,” he says before standing back to his full height. His hand is still against my lower back as we cross the street and enter into the hotel. I don’t really pay attention to who might be in the lobby or bar, we head straight for the elevator. I swipe my card and press the button for our secured floor.