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"Wait," he stood up just as I did and grabbed my arm. "Don't go."
"I don't want to ruin your evening as well. Do whatever you're here for."
He looked around again as if searching for someone else, then turned back to me. "There isn't anything I need to do, Coconut. Nothing is more important than making sure you're okay. Let me join you for dinner. I really want to see how you sound when you try the conch here."
Snorting a little, I shook my head in disbelief and knew I was once again falling for Tripp Maddux's charm. "I don't eat conch."
"Did you say conch or….?" Tripp waggled his eyebrows and winked, finally getting a loud and genuine laugh out of me.
"I said conch," I made sure to enunciate. "I prefer to just suck on the other thing you are thinking about."
"Oh fuck," Tripp held a hand to his heart and dramatically sat back down in the seat I had saved for Hunter. "You're dirty."
My face turned a bright shade of red, but it felt good to catch him by surprise. Sitting down again, I recomposed myself while he smiled at me. "Are we going to just stare all night?"
"Does that mean I can be your date?"
"As long as you don't make me eat conch."
"Promise, Coconut. But we aren't counting out that other thing, right?"
If there was a shade brighter than bright red, that was what I felt my cheeks were exuding. It felt like an Inferno, if you will. My heart was beating so fast, and my skin started to sweat. Being around Tripp was a cure I didn't realize I needed. Because the second he reached across the table and took my hand, I forgot Hunter existed.
At least until Tripp said something. "Sorry you got stood up."
Shrugging, I kept my hand in his as he caressed my knuckles with his thumb. "Just trying to see what's left."
"Well, I'm glad I ended up being here tonight."
"Why are you here? Are you alone?"
"I was supposed to be meeting someone, but I'd rather be here with you."
"Don't tell me you're standing someone up, too."
"Not really," he laughed. "A friend of mine just mentioned his friend would be here and before I saw them, I saw you."
Taking a glance around, I wondered who he was talking about, but he didn't seem to even bother. He had decided he was only interested in me, sitting in front of him and holding his hand the way he was mine.
"Should you at least say hi?"
"No," he snorted. "They'll be okay."
They? "Don't do to them what I had done to me, Tripp. It's not fun."
"Hey," he said softly, ensuring I looked into his eyes. "It's not like that. It was just some twisted shit my friend had going on. Not my problem. I promise."
Nodding a little, I let his words sink in, and within minutes, I was no longer worrying about anyone but Tripp and me. "I saw your game yesterday. Well, some of it."
"Ouch," Tripp blew out in exasperation. "Let me guess, you think we should have scored one hundred goals? Maybe I should have had fifty goals and fifty assists?"
He was joking, but he wasn't. "Was the media hounding you?"
"Like I was a dog," he sighed. "Everyone thinks that if we lose Friday, I'm headed back to League One, or another team. God forbid if I have some off-the-field issues to tend to, then they would oust me so fast I wouldn't be able to think straight."
"I hate that. The entire season shouldn't come down on your shoulders like that."
"That is just the nature of being everyone's third favorite. But let's not dwell on that, because it's not going to be an issue. Friday, we play Los Angeles and I have every intention of kicking their ass."
