Chapter 13
“I want you to meet my son.”
Aranda’s eyes widened as she looked up from her phone. “Umm, are you sure?”
It was Friday night, and we had a home game this weekend, so it was the perfect opportunity for me to rent another Airbnb in Ravenstown. We couldn’t spend much extended time alone, so we had to take advantage of the opportunity.
Sometimes, it felt like we were in a long-distance relationship because we spent so much time texting and on FaceTime, but all of that would be over very soon.
We’d showered, eaten dinner, and were relaxing on the couch while I rubbed her feet.
The plan was to watch a movie, but my face would end up between her legs very shortly.
“I’m positive.”
“How is that gonna work? Based on what you’ve shared about him and what I’ve heard in the background when we’re on the phone, he’s a bright little boy. We can’t ask a five-year-old to keep our secret.”
“If I tell my parents, he won’t have anyone to keep our secret from.”
“Tell your parents? Oh, you’ve clearly lost your mind. Did you get hit in your head with a stick at practice today?”
“My parents are cool, and I trust they’d keep our secret. Honestly, I think it’s time we tell both our parents.”
“I thought we agreed?—”
“I know, but…come sit on my lap. I need you close.”
She left her phone on the arm of the couch and crawled onto my lap.
“Is something wrong?”
I shook my head. “The only thing wrong is I can’t tell the world I’m in love with you.”
“Huh? You—what’d you say?”
“Baby, I’m in love with you. I can’t tell the world yet, but the least you can do is let me share it with the people who mean the most to us.”
“Niko, I…wow! I don’t know what to say.”
“Tell me we can tell our parents, and I don’t need to hear anything else?”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m positive. I would’ve told them the moment I began to fall, but?—”
“No, that’s not what I’m talking about. Are you sure you’re in love with me?”
“Shit. I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life.”
She was quiet for a few minutes, and I let her sit with her thoughts without disruption.
“How do you know you’re in love with me?”
“You don’t believe me?”
“I just want to know how you know.”
“It’s a feeling deep in my soul. I don’t just miss you when we can’t be together like this for weeks.
My heart longs for you. I yearn to be in your presence, to caress your skin, and to inhale your scent.
The thought of us not working out makes me sick, and I’m willing to do anything to secure your heart. ”
“I—”
“I’m not done. The moment I knew you had my whole fucking heart was when I started praying for you and talking to God about you. My parents raised me to be spiritual, not religious. I’ve never gone to God about any woman I was dating. That’s how I knew you were the one.”
She nodded as if she were processing. “I’ve never claimed to be in love, but I can say with one hundred percent certainty that I’m in love with you.”
I smiled as I cupped her chin and kissed her lips. “You want to hear something funny?”
“Sure.”
“A few weeks ago, you were talking in your sleep and told me you loved me.”
She gasped as her eyes widened. “I did not!”
“You did. At first, I thought it was a fluke, but you kept saying it.”
“Niko, I don’t talk in my sleep.”
I picked up my phone and went to my videos. When I found the video I was looking for, I pressed play and gave it to her. The video was dark, but her voice was loud and clear.
“I really do love you, Niko.” Pause. “I love you so much.” Pause. “I would marry you in a heartbeat.”
She looked at me with surprise, then covered her face in embarrassment.
“This isn’t me. Did you use AI or something?”
“Why would I do that? Besides, you just confessed your love for me, so why deny it?”
“Do I talk in my sleep often?”
“Unfortunately, we haven’t spent enough nights together for me to answer that question.”
“No one else has ever mentioned it.”
“That means you’ve never been comfortable enough with another man to release all your inhibitions.”
“I’m sure that’s not a proven fact, but you can have it.”
“Back to our previous conversation.”
She sighed. “You don’t want to hold off until the end of the season?”
“It’s unnecessary.”
I patiently waited for her to give me the okay, even though, in my mind, it was a done deal.
“Okay. When do you want to do it?”
“Tomorrow night. My job can cater the dinner, and I can pick it up on the way home from our game.”
“You got it all planned out, which makes me feel like you’ve been thinking about this for a minute.”
“I have. Now that that’s settled, I’m ready for my dessert.”
That night, we never made it to the bedroom, making love on the couch before falling asleep wrapped in each other, only to wake up and do it again. When the alarm went off, it seemed like Aranda had just let me release my seeds down her throat.
I stood and stretched before finding my phone which had fallen to the floor during the night. We had to get up earlier because we were further away than usual but still didn’t have much time to spare.
“Baby, we gotta get moving.” I gently tapped her shoulder, and she rolled over.
“Please tell me we didn’t sleep on the couch. Oh my God! You’re probably stiff and sore.”
“I’m good, baby.”
“Are you sure? Oh God! I feel horrible. If you don’t play well, I’ll take all the blame.”
“Calm your pretty ass down, baby. I’ll be fine. Let’s shower before we’re late.”
“If I shower with you, we’ll definitely be late.”
“You right. You go first.”
“Nope, because all you’ll do is join me. I’ll wait, and you go ahead.”
I laughed. “You know me too well. I’ll be quick.”
Forty-five minutes later, we were in separate cars but headed to the same place.
These niggas were playing like trash, and I was ready to fuck some shit up.
We were down three goals with five minutes left in the game and one timeout.
I looked on the sideline, and Aranda was pacing back and forth with her arms folded across her chest. This was the first time this season we’d been down more than one point this late in the game.
The opposing team had the ball, and we prepared to face off. I didn’t want to add another loss to our record, so I had to make some shit shake. I gave Reid and Patrick the signal, and we waited for the referee to blow the whistle. It was our ball, and we had no time to waste.
Unfortunately, everything moved in slow motion after the whistle was blown. Patrick and Reid both missed easy shots, while I scored one goal. When there was no time left on the clock, we were still down by two and gained our second loss of the season.
Aranda usually gave us a post-game talk before we left the field because she chose not to enter the locker room.
Today, however, she led the team to the locker room after shaking hands with the opposing team.
Before everyone was inside, Coach Crawford threw his clipboard at a wall and let us have it.
I heard every word he shouted, but I focused more on Aranda standing beside him. Her arms were still folded across her chest, and her expression was one of anger and disappointment. Regardless, her beauty continued to shine bright.
“Kemper, did I say something funny?” Coach Crawford asked.
“Huh? Oh no, nothing is funny, Coach.”
“Why the fuck are you smiling?”
“I wasn’t smiling.”
“I’m not blind. If you got something funny to share, the floor is yours.”
I shook my head. “Nah, Coach. You got it. My bad.”
Aranda stepped forward, and Coach Crawford let her have the floor.
“Coach Crawford failed to remind you that they are the worst team in our conference. Every single one of you should be embarrassed. If we were a fucking charitable organization, giving away games would be cool, but we ain’t that.
If they were a team of equal caliber, we wouldn’t be so pissed.
You let the worst in the division outplay you, out-hustle you, and out-score you.
We’re too close to the end of the season to play anything like what I saw out there today. ”
She turned toward the exit and took a few steps before stopping and looking at us again.
“If I find out any one of you niggas was out clubbing last night, prepare for hell at Monday’s practice.”
I watched her until I couldn’t see her anymore, and when I looked at Coach Crawford again, his eyes were on me.
“Kemper, if you don’t wipe that smile off your face, I’m gonna come knock it off myself!” he threatened. “What the fuck is so got damn funny that has you grinning like the fucking Chesire Cat?”
I couldn’t tell him that when Aranda bossed up on the team like that, it made my dick hard, and the thoughts of what I planned to do to her later filled my mind. I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face if I tried. Luckily, his question was rhetorical, and he returned to his rant to the whole team.