“You know why I can’t.” She drags out her words, and it reminds me of the way my teenage nephew is when he’s annoyed with my sister.
I reach forward and slide a section of her soft blonde hair between my finger and thumb. “I know. Doesn’t mean I like it though.”
“Soon. I promise.” She leans in and brings her arms around my neck, pulling me in for a kiss. “Maybe I can find a way to make it up to you.”
I grin against her lips and pull away. “Before we get to that, I have something for you.”
Her shoulders slump. “Tell me you didn’t.”
I hold my hands up. “I know we said we weren’t going to exchange gifts, but this is as much a gift to myself as it is to you.”
“Somehow I doubt that,” she mutters.
I reach behind the couch cushion, feeling around for the box, and pull it out.
Kelsey crosses her arms as soon as she spots it. “You said it wasn’t a big deal, but that looks like a jewelry box.”
“Just open it and see.”
I hold it out and she accepts it after rolling her eyes. She rips off the paper and lifts the lid of the small case. Her mouth drops open and her gaze flicks from the necklace to me and back.
Inside rests a gold necklace with a diamond pendant. The number twenty-seven in diamonds hangs from the chain, my jersey number.
“It’s beautiful.”
“I thought you could wear it under your clothes. No one would know but us that it’s there.” I shrug like it’s not a big deal, but the truth is, it feels like a big deal to me.
“I love it. Thank you.” She leans in and kisses me, pulling back before the kiss has a chance to deepen. “Will you put it on me?”
“Of course.”
She makes quick work of getting the necklace out of the box and passes it to me. Then she spins in her spot, so her back is to me.
It takes me a few tries but after wrapping it around, I clamp the necklace. Then I lean in and place a kiss where the chain is at the base of her neck and shoulder. She shivers.
When she turns around to face me, it does something to me. Seeing my number rest between her breasts sends a warm feeling of pride through my chest.
“Hang on, I have something for you.” She bolts up off the couch and heads to the front door where her bag is.
“You were giving me shit, but you got me something, too?” I call out.
“It was just in the event that you got me something, and I’m glad I did. I would’ve felt like an ass otherwise,” she shouts back, then appears back in the room carrying what’s obviously a wrapped record. “It’s no diamond necklace, but I think you’ll like it.”
I take the package from her and unwrap it like a kid on Christmas. I collect all my favorite artists on vinyl, which she knows since she hangs out here so much and I always have something playing. I’d been to my favorite vinyl shop downtown a few times looking for this album with no luck.
“Oh my god!” In my hands is the Rüfüs Du Sol, Solace album. I’d mentioned offhand that I’d been trying to track down a copy, but it’s hard to find.
“You were right, this was hard to find. But I searched all over and called a bunch of shops up and down the coast and finally found one who had it and was willing to ship it.”
I set the album on the coffee table and pull her into a kiss.
“Thank you.” I tuck her hair behind her ear and stare into her baby blues. “I can’t help but feel like I’m spoiled this year.”
She tilts her head. “What do you mean?”
“You, obviously. I’ve got you. What more could I want?”
She runs her fingertips down my cheeks and looks at me with the intensity I crave from her.
“I’m gonna put on my favorite song from the album so you can hear it.”
She nods and I take the album over to the turntable. When I find the song on the album, I set the needle on it and walk back over to Kelsey.
“Treat You Better” starts playing through the speakers and he speaks of wanting love from someone and wanting to treat them better.
I haven’t uttered the L word to Kelsey yet. Not because I don’t think I’m falling in love with her, but because I fear it might send her running.
One step at a time. First, we need to go public with our relationship. Then I’ll tell her I’m falling in love with her.
12
Kelsey
It’s Valentine’s Day and after a lot of begging on my part, Brock agreed to let me be the one to plan how we celebrate.
We’re still not ‘out’ as a couple, though we’ve almost been caught a few times. Thank God, all the speculation and gossip about us died down before Christmas. I get the sense that Brock might be growing tired of having to hide our relationship, but I’m enjoying the little bubble we’re in.
Sure, it sucks not being able to talk to my friends about how amazing he is or how much I’ve fallen for him, but we’ve created this little world for ourselves where it’s just the two of us and I can’t help it if I don’t want to ruin that. I like what we’ve got going and I’m afraid to lose him.
I wasn’t sure what I was going to plan for us. After months of spending all our time together at either his or my place, we’ve done a lot of what there is to do. And I wanted to do something different and fun, something special.
Last week when I had drinks with the girls, Lennon was talking about how she was planning to do naked sushi for her husband Jasper and since Brock loves sushi, I decided I’d do the same. But now that I’m buck naked, lying on my dining room table and arranging sushi all over myself, I feel sort of stupid.
Hopefully Brock will appreciate the effort.
The only thing I’m “wearing” is the necklace Brock gave me at Christmas. I never take it off. And I’ve seen the way his eyelids dip when he spots it nestled near the top of my breasts, so I know he loves when I wear it.
Just as I’m staring down at my chest while I place the final piece of sushi, I hear the door to my condo open.
I told Brock just to come in because I’d be busy putting everything together.
“Hey, babe. Where you at?” I hear him set his keys on the front table and his boots hit the mat at the front door, probably because it’s raining out tonight, then the sound of footsteps in my direction.
I turn my head to the side to see him stop in his tracks when he spots me. A slow grin forms on his face as he steps up to me.
“Sushi?” He raises an eyebrow.
“Even better—naked sushi.”
His smile widens. “My favorite kind.”
He sets his jacket on the back of one of the chairs and takes a seat so he’s positioned at my waist. Then he picks up the chopsticks I left for him at the table.
“I hope you’re hungry,” I say.
“Famished.”
My face heats because he looks right at the juncture of my thighs when he says it, which makes me want to clench my thighs together. But fear of all this sushi falling off holds me in place.
He reaches out and uses the chopsticks to take the first piece from me, no surprise, opting for the one placed directly over my nipple.