Center Courtship (33 page)

“No, she drives it till it dies and then prays she finds another one, otherwise Steve or I have to take her ass to work,” said Colette. “I keep telling her to buy a car that's decent and store it half the year but she won't listen to me.”

“Listen to Colette,” said Elsu. “That's not safe. I don't like it.”

I was feeling smothered by all of the eyes in the room. “I'll be fine, I've been doing this for years.”

Elsu shook his head. “When I'm not here, you can drive my Escalade.”

“No, I couldn't do that!” I said.

“Why not? No one else is using it. It's better than you driving a junker.” I was starting to feel closed in.

“You don't even know anything about the car, it looks decent enough. It just needs a little T.L.C. to make it work for what I need.”

“If there is ANYTHING wrong with it, I don't want you driving it,” said Elsu.

I scowled at him, grabbed our mugs, and went to the sink. I wasn't going to get in a fight over this. No, I was going to state my piece. It was too early in this ‘whatever-it-was' to not. I spun around and stared right into the huge eyes of an orange and black owl. Elsu leaned over, putting both hands on the counter on either side of me. “I can't be controlled, Elsu. It's not going to happen. If you tell me not to do something, I can promise you I will do it. It's who I am.”

“So, if I tell you go get that car and drive it, you're going to drive my Escalade?”

“It doesn't work that way,” I said as I tried unsuccessfully to avoid looking into his gorgeous eyes.

“Mae, I need to know that when I'm not here you're safe. I can't be distracted thinking you could be in a ditch somewhere because you're too stubborn to take something someone is offering you.”

I saw his point of view. I also saw his hypnotic eyes. So much for avoiding them. “Fine, but what if you're home and using the Escalade?”

“Then I'll have Millard take you to work if I need it. Or, I'll ride with one of the other guys. We'll figure it out. I just need you safe.”

I rolled my eyes. When I bought my truck, Bart wouldn't let me drive it because he was embarrassed to be dating a girl who would drive something that hideous. His control never came
from a place of concern for my health or safety. Either way, it was control, but was I able to trade one kind for another?

I looked at the full room and saw Colette and Arnold eyeing me like
I
was the crazy one. How did they not see this controlling behavior as a bad thing, too?

“Ok, I will let you all know how the P.O.S. runs once I get a look at it on the rack on Monday. Millard, would you like me to text you too? Since it seems everyone else in here is preoccupied with my inability to be a responsible adult?”

Millard looked at me. “How did I get in the middle of this?” he asked. “But yes, I'd like a text.”

“You are KIDDING me!” I threw up my arms and took everyone's empty mugs and put them in my dishwasher.

“You're important to Elsu, therefore your safety is important to me doing my job well, ma'am.”

“Can you
please
not call me ma'am? It makes me feel old.”

“Miss Mae,” he corrected quickly.

“Miss Mae? Fine!” I conceded.

I quickly ushered Colette and Arnold out of my apartment. Arnold had important Arnold things to do. I had stopped trying to imagine what he did in his apartment alone all day years ago.

“So, did you get your mail?” I asked Elsu as we sat down on the couch.

“Yeah, got a few contracts signed and put back in the mail.”

“What kind of contracts? I mean, you don't have to tell me your business. I'm just being cur…”

“Mae, ask me anything you want. I will answer you. You don't have to be shy around me.”

“I just don't know what I have the right to ask you.”

“The right? Wow, he really messed you up, didn't he?”

“Who, Bart? Yeah. I guess.”

“You have EVERY right to do or say whatever you want. If you ever ask me anything I don't feel comfortable answering I'll let you know. But I can't think of anything you'd ask that would be wrong. I love hearing your voice. You could read me the phone book and I'd be mesmerized.”

I swatted his ribs. I heard the door to my apartment open then close. We looked back and saw that Millard had left the room. “He doesn't like me,” I said as I stared at the door.

“Don't worry about him, he'll come around. Besides, I like you.”

I smiled again.

“So, you asked me about the contracts. There was one for Kellogg's, Nike, some protein shake wanted me but I told them no.”

“No?”

“Yeah, no. I don't use protein shakes. I'm not going to promote something I don't use.”

“That makes sense.”

“Oh, can you believe someone wants me to make a cologne? I told them no.”

“No?” I leaned over and sniffed him. He smelled amazing. “What do you wear?”

“Nothing as far as cologne. Just soap and deodorant.”

“Well, if they can make something that smells like you wearing nothing, they'd be have a goldmine. I quite like how you smell.”

“Well, tell me if you feel the same way after a game.”

He thought I'd be grossed out by the thought of him all sweaty. The thing was, I was getting turned on just thinking of it.

“Enough talking about my stink.” He touched my face gently and soon his lips found mine.

I wanted to go slow. That was yesterday. I opened my lips slightly and pressed my tongue to his lips. He pushed back and looked at me. “Slow.”

I shook my head. “We can put a little gas on the pedal,” I said as I lightly touched his lips with my thumb.

“Are you sure? You'll let me know if I go too far?”

“How far? I'm not ready for sex.”

“I'm not talking about sex. I want to kiss you the way you deserve to be kissed.”

I shook my head. “Then do it.”

He grabbed my ponytail and lightly tugged my head back so he could get a better angle on my mouth.

We kissed. His tongue entered my mouth first and found mine. They danced, intertwined, wrestled. It was magical.

I ran my hands through his hair. Silky, black, wavy hair. Just long enough to wind my fingers through. He pulled my body to
his and hugged me close. I soon found myself sitting on his lap. “Mmmm.” The feel of his hard body against mine was nearly too much. If I wasn't mistaken, I could feel his excitement stirring. I pushed away, my eyes betrayed me as they went straight to the front of his pants. Elsu lifted me from his lap and placed me on the couch next to him. Was he embarrassed?

“I'm sorry,” I said.

“For what?
I'm
the one who should be sorry. I just can't seem to be able to control myself. I want to take it slow for you, but my body has other ideas.”

“So I really did
that
to you?” I asked as he adjusted himself.

“That's nothing compared to what you've done to my mind, Mae.” He hugged me again.

I laid my head on his shoulder and smiled.

“So that was ok? The kiss, I mean.”

“Perfect.”

“You'd tell me, right? If I ever hurt you I'd never forgive myself.”

“I've been hurt before. I'll be ok.”

“No. Mae, hurt is not an acceptable part of this relationship. It shouldn't even be part of the equation. It shouldn't even be in the same state!
Please
if I ever even get close to hurting you…tell me.”

“Wow,” I said as I touched his cheek. “I promise.”

He kissed me again and I scooted back onto his lap where we continued to make out. His kisses left my lips, went to my cheek, across my jaw, and down my neck. It was then that I realized he had to be close to the mark left by Casper.

“Stop,” I said as I pushed him away.

“What! Did I do something wrong?” he asked.

“Nothing, Elsu. But I don't want your lips there.” I covered my neck.

“Oh,” he looked at my hickey then touched it lightly with his thumb. “Does it hurt?”

“No,” I said. “I just don't want your lips where his were.”

“Ok, I understand.” He kissed my lips again and then gave me a quick kiss on my forehead. “I have to get going. I'll see you later, Sweet Mae.”

“Good luck,” I said as I hugged him tight one more time. “I'll see you after the game?”

“Yeah, it's going to be late, there will be lots of press since it's the first game.” He kissed and hugged me once more, then left me alone in my apartment.

Once I found a parking spot in the deck at Brothers Arena I made my way to the main gate. I handed the ticket from Aaron to a man who was sitting in a folding lawn chair where the party was happening on the other side of caution tape. Classy, Massillon, classy.

Blow up slides and bouncy houses for the kids were off to the side and a few basketball hoops were set up for various kinds of competitions. All of the money raised today was being donated to the city's schools. It was nearing 3:30 and the tours of the arena were officially over. I saw a huge form covered in a white tarp in the middle of the entranceway. Below it I saw a bunch of reporters from different TV stations gathered around someone as they pushed for attention. I got close, but stood back enough to not be engulfed in the throng of cameras and reporters. I then realized who it was they were trying to get info from. Aaron.

I smiled at him but he didn't see me. He was busy trying to answer questions. Apparently this was going to make a human interest piece in more than one market. I stepped away and scanned the crowd. The weather was nice with a cool bite to it, a beautiful cloudless sky blessed the day and the smell of autumn was in the air. I had left my jacket in Little José to avoid extra baggage during the game but was starting to regret my decision. It was getting chilly. I rubbed my arms as I continued to look for any familiar faces.

“Cold?” I heard as hands rubbed my arms.

I turned to see Greg smiling at me. “Yeah, a bit,” I said as I watched the crowd around Aaron start to disperse.

“Take my jacket,” said Greg as he started to remove it.

I stepped back. “I can't,” I said. I walked up to Aaron and waited for the last reporter to finish up before I made my presence known.

“MAE!” he shouted, his blond hair glowing in the afternoon sun. “I'm so glad you came!”

I smiled, I was still surprised myself. The crowd was spread out enough that I was ok with the current situation. “So, what's it look like?” I asked as I pretended to take a peak under the tarp.

“Eh, eh, eh, Mae. Only two people have seen it. Me and Kevin. And he's sworn to secrecy.”

“Here,” I said as I started digging in my purse. “This is your ticket for the game. In case we get separated.”

“Oh, thanks!” He looked at it. “You weren't lying when you said they were ‘primo' seats! GEESH!”

“Who knew having a nephew get hit by a car had its benefits,” I said with a smile. “He should be here with Max. Elsu got him handicap seating so he can at least see the game.”

“So how is your hunky ball player?”

“He's good. I ended up at breakfast with Elsu, his PR guy and his assistant and then Saraya showed up. Put on a show and left. She's a piece of work.”

“A show? She's such a nice person.”

“I will not let you believe that, Aaron. She is not a nice person. She's a chick with multiple personality disorder who is part devil, part fake bitch,” I said. “Apparently she's been calling him. She's trying to get Elsu back.”

“Oh no!” cried Aaron. “What did she say?”

“Basically told him that I was too fat for him, and that I wouldn't have fit in the clothes that were lost in the fire. I told her I wouldn't have worn them anyway because I didn't like to dress like a hussy.”

“You did not!” said Aaron as he put his hands over his mouth in shock.

“I did.”

“You're not fat, by the way,” said Aaron.

“Aaron, don't you start. I know what I see in the mirror. I'm never going to look like Saraya.”

“You better not look like her, she's a bean pole. You're a curvy hot chick!”

“Curvy, every fat girl's favorite word.” I rolled my eyes.

“Shut up! You're gorgeous!” said Aaron.

“Hey big guy,” said a voice from behind me and I turned to see Scott with his camera bag slung over his shoulder. He shook Aaron's hand and then looked at me. “Mae.”

I rolled my eyes at him. “Scott.”

“I'm going to take some pics of it while it's still in the tarp, just for the hell of it. Then once the reveal is done, I can get a picture of you with it,” he said in a business-like tone. “I've got to go get my place on the court after I'm done here. I'm the paper's sports reporter.” He flashed us his press pass and eyed me like he thought I would be impressed.

Aaron and I stepped out of the way and walked toward the vendors that had set up in the walkway. “Popcorn?” I asked. “My treat.”

“Can you afford it?” he laughed as we eyed the twenty-five cent price.

“It will be tough,” I said as I handed the lady a dollar and told her to keep the change.

“AUNT MAE!!!” I was attacked from behind with a vice-like grip around my butt.

I turned around to see Mitchell looking up at me. “MITCHY!” I yelled as I picked him up and quickly remembered five year olds are heavier than they appear.

“There you are!” I heard Gina as I saw her pushing a wheelchair with my other favorite nephew in it. One arm and one leg were in casts. Both were decked out in the signatures and drawings from the team. I noticed he had a bandage below his ear and around the back of his neck. I quickly put Mitchell down and gave Brandon a hug. I handed Brandon my bag of popcorn to share with his brother. They were all decked out in their Whoopster's gear.