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I put her foot in my lap and gently rubbed her ankle. “It doesn’t feel swollen.”
“It just gets stiff.”
“Did you break it before?”
“No, I just sprained it,” she replied. “I used to play soccer in high school. I rolled it pretty good. It’s never been the same.”
“I’m sorry,” I said.
“You don’t need to be.” She shrugged. “It’s just one of those things. I think it’s worse when it rains. I guess I’m getting old.”
“You are not old.” I chuckled.
“I’ll probably need a wheelchair at forty,” she joked.
My eyes went back to the TV while I gently massaged her ankle. We were both focused on the Celtics doing their thing against the Lakers.
To my surprise, she let out a whoop when the Celtics scored. I turned to look at her and saw that her face was lit up with excitement. It was a side of her I hadn’t seen before, and I couldn’t help but find it incredibly attractive.
“You’re a fan?” I asked, a smile on my lips.
“Of course!” she replied, grinning. “I love basketball. I used to play that as well in high school, before I messed up my ankle in soccer.”
“You should come play with me some time,” I said, still massaging her ankle. “I’ve got a court in the backyard. It’s not regulation size, but it’s good enough to shoot some hoops. I didn’t realize you were an athlete.”
“I wouldn’t say I was an athlete, but I like to stay busy.” She looked away, like the thought brought up a bad memory. I suspected there was a story there, but I wasn’t going to pry—yet.
“No offense, but you’re pretty tiny for basketball,” I said.
She laughed and took another drink. “Small enough to avoid attention and wiggle my way around the other taller girls.”
“Ah, a little sneaky thing,” I teased.
“I’m very good at being invisible.”
“I doubt that,” I said. “You command a room.”
“I do not.” She laughed.
“You could,” I told her.
She pulled her foot from my lap. I couldn’t say what came over me, but my arm went around her and pulled her against me. She didn’t resist. She leaned into me, her head resting against my shoulder.
We said nothing. We watched the game and enjoyed the peaceful night. As the game progressed, I couldn’t help but notice how her curves fit perfectly into my side. Her breathing was steady and rhythmic, and I could feel her chest rise and fall with each breath she took. The sound of her breathing was calming, and I felt myself begin to relax in her presence.
“I want to thank you for all you did for Lily today,” I said on a whisper. “You made her happy. I can’t explain how happy that makes me to see her smiling like that. Did she laugh? That crazy, high-pitched, uncontrollable laugh?”
She grinned, slightly nodding. “Oh, she did. I accidentally knocked her flat on her ass—butt.”
“We’re alone,” I said. “You can be free with your words.”
“I slipped and ended up taking her down,” she said. “She went flat on her back, giggling like a little maniac. I thought maybe I hurt her, but she was absolutely thrilled. I thought she was crazy. On the way out of the park, she found a mud puddle. She scooped mud and tossed it at me. We got into a bit of a mud fight.”
“I wish I could have seen it. I bet she was having a great time.”
“I think she was,” she admitted. “It was fun.”
Suddenly, she turned her head toward me, her eyes meeting mine. There was a moment of hesitation before our lips met in a gentle kiss. It was soft and sweet, but it quickly deepened as our tongues met in a passionate embrace.
