More Than Words – By Crystal Perkins #4
“Damn, you know that prosthetic leg thing really did happen at a game in Vegas,” I tell her.
I swear I hear her mumble that her ovaries have just exploded, but when I raise an eyebrow, she ignores me. “Get your clothes on and I’ll set another place at the table.”
“As you wish,” I tell her with a slight bow as she swats at my arm.
Bel
If you’d asked me before tonight if I thought Oscar read hockey romance, I’d have laughed you out of my library.
But he does. Not only did he participate in the lively discussion about the hot hockey player and the sexy firewoman, he also gave up tips on which other ones he loved and which to avoid.
He said popularity doesn’t mean good hockey info when it comes to books.
I also didn’t know he knew these ladies I’ve come to love almost as much as my real family.
I know he’s surprised as well, and he finally asks about it.
“How did this book club come together?”
“The old owner of the company was a long-time friend. When he decided to add a library and hired Bel, we came out to meet her. Of course, we loved her right away. The book club was just a natural way for us to get together once a month. Sometimes, my daughters-in-law or other friends Reina and Tegan work with come out, too.”
“And I had no idea,” Oscar says.
“Why would you?” I can’t help but asking. “You wanted to shut me down when you bought the company.”
“I would’ve hurt you,” Reina warns, making me smile.
“I would say something about being in my building and threatening me, but you’re even scarier than your husband, so I’m going to just be glad I saw the error of my ways about this amazing space.”
“And its amazing librarian,” Jane adds.
He shakes his head, and sighs. “You miss nothing.”
“You were naked on a couch. It was pretty obvious,” Tegan reminds him.
We all laugh, but it’s my eyes Oscar meets.
He's been funny and charming tonight in a way I haven’t seen from him before.
I think it’s because I’m seeing him with people who know him well, and he isn’t trying to impress.
Not that he wasn’t looking for approval when he was giving his input on the book, but it was just on his opinion and not him.
He knows they accept him, and I do, too.
Honestly, I love that he was trying to re-create that sexy scene from my story for me. If we’d been alone, we’d both have much less clothing on. So I’m actually glad his plan was interrupted. I already know how sexually compatible we are. It’s good to see him socially outside of that.
“We have to get going, but we’ll see you next month,” Maggie tells me.
“Or sooner,” Reina tells her with a wink.
“Ahh, yes. Hopefully.”
I am thoroughly confused, but I just go with it. We all hug goodbye, and then it’s just Oscar and me. He helps me with the minimal clean up from the desserts and wine we all shared.
“You looked lost a few minutes ago. Care to share with the class, or just me?” he asks, pretending to look around for other people.
“Idiot,” I tease. “I was just thinking about how nice it was to hang out with you.”
“Does that mean you’ll go on a date with me tomorrow? I have tickets to the Sparks game.”
“Ooh, they’re playing against the Aces, aren’t they? I’ve only seen them play once. I am a total A’ja, Chelsea, and Jackie fan. I’m sure I’ll love Jewell, too!”
“Wait, you’re an Aces fan, and you live here? You can’t sit with me!”
“Seriously? I like the Sparks, but yes, the Aces are my team. I’ve loved A’ja since she played for Dawn Staley. She’s magnificent.”
“True, she is. Okay, you can sit by me. As long as you let me kiss you for the Kiss Cam.”
“I’m counting on it. Maybe we should practice now.”
“Good idea,” he says, dropping the recycle bag he’d been holding and pulling me into his arms.
It’s a great kiss, but neither of us takes it any further. I think we both know we need to go backward a little to go forward.
Oscar
We survive the game, with lots of trash talking between us. And that Kiss Cam kiss. I want to fuck her so badly, but I know we need to go a little slower. She deserves to be treated like the queen she is. So my right hand and I get to know each other even better than usual.
Every morning, there are peonies waiting for her on the checkout counter in the library. And there are new hockey romance recommendations waiting for me on my table there whenever I can make it down. Things are ramping up with a dream deal for me, and I don’t get there as often as I’d like.
But over the next two weeks, we spend almost every night together.
We both have friend groups, and we haven’t merged them yet.
I think her friends from the public libraries around the city would get along great with my hockey friends, but having time apart is good for us.
We still haven’t done more than kiss and touch, but it’s honestly been the best two weeks of my life.
Even going to Disneyland on a busy summer day was fun, although I have to admit I enjoyed wandering through the Getty and taking in a show at the Hollywood Bowl much more. But I’d do anything with her.
She’s easy to talk to, and there’s no persona to put on with her. We just get each other, she likes me just for me, and I am falling hard for her. It scares me a little, and I don’t know if I even know how to tell her, but it’s happening.
My phone rings before I can keep thinking about what this all means. I look down and smile.
“Hey, asshole.”
“Takes one to know one,” Scott Griffin fires back.
“Truth.”
“What time are you getting into Vegas on Friday?”
“I’m hoping to get out of here early. I set the flight time for three. So we should touch down around four.”
“We?”
“I know your mom and the rest of the busybodies told you about Bel.”
“Busybodies? You are one brave motherfucker if you’re calling those women that.”
“You won’t tell them,” I say, but ask at the same time, too.
“Not if you stay on my good side.”
“Do you even have a good side?”
“Haha, funny guy. In all seriousness, though, I’m glad to see you found someone to put up with you. Bel is pretty damn awesome. And that library is insane.”
“You’ve met her?”
“Um, yeah. All the women in my circle love her like a sister. Of course I’ve met her.”
What he’s saying should make me happy, but instead I’m feeling uneasy about this party.
Not just because I haven’t asked her to go with me, but because of the deal I’m trying to make.
Scott and other friends of his and mine have been playing a specific video game for years, decades even.
While he is happy to build his own stuff and just keep playing it, I want in.
I want to design a story. I’ve been meeting with the owner of that company for a long time, before I left hockey.
He seems to finally be taking me seriously, and I’ll see him at the Griffins’ annual charity gala.
Having Bel by my side would settle me, but also make me nervous.
I can’t afford any kind of missteps, and I tend to block everyone and everything else out when she’s around.
“Yeah, right. Um, listen. I have to go. I’ll let you know when we take off.”
“Cool, see you soon.”
He hangs up, and I take a deep breath before standing and heading down to the flower shop. I want to ask Bel to the gala , even if that freaks me out, at the same time. I think I should do it with some flowers and maybe a stuffed animal, too. Who says romance is dead?
Bel
Oscar comes by the library with flowers and the cutest little giraffe stuffed animal.
He says he wants to talk to me about something and mentions dinner at Providence.
I know he can drop his name for a reservation, but it still feels decadent for a weekday night.
I’m not going to say no, though. I don’t want to say no to anything he asks me, but he hasn’t been asking for what I really want.
I know he’s trying to be respectful, but if he really wants to respect me, he’ll respect my wish to be fucked by that nice, big dick of his. I think I’m going to have to initiate.
I decide to wear an inexpensive—but expensive looking—dress I got in London last year.
It’s white on the top and bottom, but the middle looks like black smoke swirling around.
I pair it with black earrings and pumps.
A bright red lip and clutch complete the look.
I’ve tamed my curls into a sleek bun, and am ready to go when the doorbell rings.
Oscar takes my breath away when I open the door. He has on a suit that fits his body like a glove. He’s forgone a tie, and his silver shirt is open a couple of buttons. I almost suggest we stay in, but I also can’t wait to go out.
Traffic isn’t bad and we make it from my apartment in WeHo to the restaurant in under an hour.
I am familiar with the restaurant, so once we’re seated and given menus, I’m not shocked at the Tasting Menu prices.
I don’t plan on any extras, because I’m not taking advantage of the billionaire sitting across from me.
“You better order what you want. I know you’re looking at the prices. I also know you want to try those prawns. I’ll order them if you don’t.”
“Are you getting the oysters?” I challenge.
“Is that your way of asking if you’re getting lucky tonight? Because if it is, you don’t have to worry about me being aroused by you. Just the thought of you makes me hard.”
“Yet you’ve done nothing about it.”
“I was trying to be respectful and show you how much you mean to me.”
“Respectfully, I want you to fuck me.”
“What if I want to make love to you instead?”
The waiter chooses that moment to appear, so we pause the conversation to order.
My heart is hammering in my chest as I order the prawns along with the monkfish for my main.
Oscar orders the Wagyu, and I know we’re going to share.
We’ve shared our food on every date up until now.
I don’t expect anything to be different tonight.