AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“So…” He wagged his head. “Does that mean you and me can rekindle our little thing?” His tongue went out across his lips. Looking like LL Cool J on his best day. “Officially?”
“Before I answer that, there’s something I want to say.”
The bulge in his eyes was evident, but his hands didn’t leave my waist.
I took a deep breath. “It may sound crazy though.”
“Okay.”
My heart thumped harder, and I moved my hand from his arm. Took a few steps to the other side of the room. From his bedroom window I could see down into the backyard. “Considering everything that has happened this year, it feels strange to be here. Now.”
“Shit. You don’t want to leave, do you?”
“No.” I turned over my shoulder and shook my head. “Quite the opposite, actually. And that’s the thing.” I took a long, deep breath in, and my chest pounced when I released it. “It feels like it’s too soon to feel this connected to you.”
“Come here.” He crooked his head toward me and I obeyed. “Don’t fight it. Let it flow.”
“Let it flow,” I repeated. It wasn’t something I’d done with ease in the past. I wanted everything to go as expected. Checking off each thing as it happened like my life was some sort of task list. That everything would go according to plan like a well-organized project. If I learned anything, it was that sometimes my plans, no matter how put together, could fall apart in a blink. “I think I can do that.” Then I smiled and said, “Let’s make this official.”
His long leg kicked the door closed, and he warned, “Damn, I should have gotten that hotel.” There was little time wasted before his lips were on mine. Devouring me like Corinne wanted to devour her meal.
As his bulged stretched against my stomach, I pulled away. Wiped a hand over my head then said, “We should get downstairs. They’re waiting on us to eat.” The moistness in my panties made me feel like I could skip dinner and the pie I poured my heart into. “Your sister will kill us if we take too long.” I joked, “She already threatened me before coming up here.”
He nibbled my bottom lip then said, “Hangry? She would try.” He laughed. “Come on.”
With my hand in his, we walked down the stairs. Before reaching the table he announced, “Allow me to reintroduce you to Gianna. Gigi. My girlfriend. Officially.” He held my hand in the air like he was presenting me to the court.
Corinne looked up from the table and said, “If you and yourgirlfrienddon’t sit down so we can eat.” We all laughed.
ChapterTwenty-Eight
Angelo
Volunteering at the children’s hospital was an easyyes.The coaches didn’t have to convince me it was good publicity for the team. Or that buzz surrounding it would strengthen our commitment to the community. As soon as I heardchildren’shospital, I was on board.Sign me up.
In college we did similar events, meet and greets with little kids who aspired to be us one day. Talking to them always made me more grateful for what I was able to do on the field. Not to mention, kids were funny as hell.
Walking into the children’s hospital with bags full of toys was a different vibe though. The kids there weren’t telling us, “I want to play football one day.” Most of them wanted to escape the four walls of their room, enjoy sunshine. Run wild and free like other kids their age. It made the hugs and fist bumps I passed out more meaningful.
“He watches every game.” A mom of one of the kids cornered me as we walked into the room. The little boy laid on a pillow, his skin pale, and eyes sunken. “For those couple of hours, he forgets he is here.”
“Thanks for sharing that. Do you know…” I didn’t know how to ask the question that bounced around my mind. “How long he’ll be in the hospital?”
Her eyes glistened and she sniffed. “Unfortunately, no.”
“Sorry to hear that,” I mumbled. The guys surrounded his bed, and the smile on the kid’s face brightened the entire room. “Glad we could be here today.”
“Me too,” she said with a smile.
I walked to the bed, and the kid who couldn’t be more than seven looked up at me. “Angelo Isaac. It’s you.”
I leaned down beside him and said, “It is. I hear you watch our games often.”
He nodded. “I do. I love watching.” Then his smile disappeared. “If I wasn’t here I could play too.”
I didn’t want to promise him anything I couldn’t guarantee. “I pray one day you’ll be able to.”
After a few pictures, we left his room. Tree walked beside me and mocked, “Angelo Isaac. It’s you.” He huffed, “What am I? Chopped liver?”
