Mark
Amber was supposed to come home today. Do you think I care? That would be a big fat no. I don’t care that I’m not going to be at the airport. I don’t care that she’s going to come home and find what little stuff I had at her apartment gone, and I really don’t care that she’s going to discover the fact that I’m spending my day with Toni. I may or may not have left a message on her voicemail stating that I was going to a game with my partner. Am I being childish? Probably. Do I care? Nope.
“So, anything I need to know before we meet this brother of yours?” I mused as we walked from my car toward Wrigley Field. Toni had asked if I could give her a ride. Her brother, Jeovanni, was flying in this morning and going straight to the field.
“Not really,” she shrugged. “I mean,” she nibbled her lip like she was nervous before blinking up at me, “he’s probably going to give you a hard time. He thinks you’re my boyfriend,” she shrugged as she began to walk faster.
I stumbled slightly and jogged to catch up, “What do you mean ‘he thinks I’m your boyfriend?’.”
“I kinda told the family I was dating someone so they’d leave me alone,” her face began to turn pink as she tried to avoid my stare.
“Wait,” I grabbed her by the elbow. “Did you tell them we were dating?”
“Maybe,” she grimaced. “They don’t know we’re partners. I needed them to stop trying to fix me up,” she shrugged again. “It’s just one day. How bad could it be?” she backed up and began walking backwards away from me. “Please?” she pouted.
I sighed as I stood there and stared at her. This had ‘bad idea’ written all over it. Pretend to be her boyfriend? Lie to her brother? Lying is part of my job, but I’ve never done it to someone that might end up meaning something one day.
“What happens six months from now when they want me to come for the holidays?” I nudged her in the side.
“I’ll tell them we broke up,” she shrugged.
“Better not make me the asshole,” I warned, causing her to blink up at me. I waited a few beats before laughing. “I’m kidding. Make me the asshole if it makes things easier for you.”
We finished our trek up to the main gate, and paused as we waited for her brother. We had his ticket so there was no going ahead inside. In a few minutes, I’d have to put my skills to the test and play the role of loving boyfriend.
“Show time,” Toni whispered as she pointed out a man weaving through the crowd. He looked like a male version of her, only taller. He had a blue Mets shirt on along with a hat. He smiled as he waved at us, and Toni bounced beside me. “I haven’t seen him since Christmas. We were always the closet among the siblings. Oh, and he cheers for the wrong team,” she giggled.
“How come you never talk about your family?” I glanced down at her. This was the most she’d ever said, and it struck a chord with me.
“I don’t want to be judged based on who I’m related to. We come from a police family. People hear my dad’s name and treat me different.”
I reached for her hand and laced our fingers together. If we’re supposed to be dating, it needed to look legit. She jumped at the contact, but I leaned down and whispered in her ear, “We’re supposed to be dating. I have to make it look real.”
She nodded subtly before grinning and waving at her brother. “Jeo!” she waved furiously.
“T!” he laughed as he eyed her. She looked like a little kid on Christmas with her excitement. I couldn’t help but stare and get lost in the fantasy that we were creating today. “I’m Jeovanni,” he held out his hand to me.
“Mark,” I shook it, noticing the iron grip he gave me. Gonna play that game? Ok, I can do this too. I squeezed back just as hard and saw him slightly nod in appreciation before he turned his attention back to Toni.
“How’s the new partner treating you, Sis?” he slung his arm around her shoulder as we made our way to the gate. I trailed behind them, just appreciating the view. I was curious as to what she’d say about me too.
“Oh, you know men,” she rolled her eyes before glancing back at me. “They think women can’t hold a gun like them. We’re too delicate and shit,” she giggled as her brother chuckled beside her.
“Take him to the range,” Jeo hooted as he tossed his head back. “It’ll shut him right up.”
“Nah. I think he knows now,” she glanced back at me and I tried to seem unfazed but the idea of her and I at the shooting range did something to me. It did something that I didn’t want to happen, and my brain kept telling me not to let it affect me. “You going to join us, or stare at my ass all day?” she teased as she pulled the tickets out of her pocket and handed us each one.
“It’s a nice ass,” I murmured as I took it from her.
“It’s too big,” she grumbled.
“No, it’s not,” both Jeo and I echoed at the same time.
My eyes met his and appreciation shone back at me. “I like you,” he clapped me on the shoulder. “Be nice to him so he’ll stick around,” he narrowed his eyes on Toni.
Once inside the stadium, we found our seats and got comfortable. I managed to flag down a beer guy, and Jeo insisted on buying us Chicago Dogs. It was a warm day for April, and as the sun beat down on me, it only increased my awareness of Toni sitting so close.
Her Cubs shirt pulled snugly across her chest and a small bead of sweat teased me where it slowly crept down between her breasts. “I need another beer, want one?” I groaned as she shifted, causing the bead to fall below her neckline.
“That would be great, honey. It’s hot in here,” she tugged at the fabric as she smiled at me. She played the girlfriend role perfectly, as if she’d done this many times before. Her hair was up in a ponytail and when she turned, it would brush my shoulder.
“Jeo! Want one?” I lifted my empty cup.
“Thanks, man,” Jeo nodded as I stood and shuffled between the seats as I made my way to the end of the row. I stood there for a minute watching her as she fanned herself. I don’t think she had any idea how truly beautiful she was, and this faking it for the day was killing me. If we were really together, I would have forced her to come on this beer run with me, and we’d be in the family restroom right now. I’d have her screaming so loud that she’d be heard over the crowd, and begging me to take her home.
“Shit!” I hissed as I tried to think of anything to made my dick go down. It only took seconds of thinking about her to get me hard. My grandma naked, the men’s locker room, catching my parents in bed… there, that did it. I’d be traumatized from walking in on my parents for the rest of my life. I was fifteen when that happened, and it’s been burned into my brain since.
I walked around to several concession stands before I found one that didn’t have a long line. I ordered three beers and then grabbed a pack of Twizzlers. I’d seen Toni munch on them at her desk many times. I knew she liked them and knowing this fact would help build my role as boyfriend.
After paying, I made my way back to our seats. The game was between innings and several people were out on the field giving away various prizes. The crowd roared a few times trying to be the section that was the loudest to win some cheap t-shirt as I inched down the row to our seats. I stopped at Jeo first, handing him his beer before squeezing in my spot on the other side of Toni. “Here, baby,” I handed her the beer and grinned when she looked shocked at the Twizzlers. “I thought you’d want some,” I winked. Oh yeah, I was laying it on thick. This was fun. Wrong, but fun. I was in so deep right now.
“Thanks,” she swallowed thickly as she took the candy from my hand. Her fingers fumbled with the wrapper for a few minutes before she was able to get it open.
“Need some help?” I chuckled. It was fun seeing her flustered and a little rewarding to know what I could affect her too.
“Friends, Mark. We’re friends,” she hissed under breath and then glanced at Jeo to see if he was paying attention to her.
“Mmm hmm,” I mused as I slung an arm around her shoulders and leaned in. “Good friends,” I pecked her cheek and she paused in her movements with a Twizzler halfway to her mouth.
I left her alone for a little while after that as I got lost in the game. It was a close game and the Mets were putting up a good fight. I took a little pride in the fact that my Cubbies were winning though. I wasn’t sure how that would bode with Jeo since he was a Mets fan.
When the seventh inning stretch came along, the Kiss Cam came out. This was perfect. Wrigley Field had just started doing this last season, and the big board in left field was flashing with their giant red heart. “Kiss Me” started playing on the sound system, and couples were beginning to appear on the board. “Please don’t come over here, please don’t come over here, please don’t come over here,” Toni chanted barely above a whisper as the camera panned to different couples of all ages. I couldn’t help but laugh as she slunk farther and farther down in her seat.
Jeo laughed and pointed at her before looking at me, “She’s never liked attention. When we were kids, she would always hide when she did something nice so she couldn’t be thanked in public.”
“Come here, baby,” I wrapped my arm around her and right at that moment our faces, mine smiling and hers panicked, showed up on the screen.
“This is classic,” Jeo hooted as I leaned in and tuned him out.
“Friends,” I murmured before I pressed my mouth to hers. Her hands fisted my shirt as I slanted my head. I was sober for this kiss and it was so much better than I remember from my drunken mistake last time. Toni whimpered as I licked at the seam of her lips, probing to get inside. She sighed and I took advantage as I massaged her tongue with mine. Heaven, it was pure heaven, that was the only way to describe it. I was trying to be romantic, to go slow, to make it last, but Toni pulled away too soon. Her eyes fluttered open as she turned away from me, acting like nothing had just happened.
“Shit, man. I’ve never seen her get that quiet,” Jeo chuckled, bringing us both back to the moment.
Toni glared at him, “Shut it.”
“What? It’s the truth. Wait til I tell Auggie and Luke,” he chuckled as she glared harder at him.
“Don’t you dare,” she warned again.
“Am I missing something?” I jumped in deciding to rescue her, only she didn’t want it.
“No,” she snapped at me as she stood and began working her way down the crowded row of people.
“You’re the first man who’s managed to shut her up for more than two seconds,” Jeo clarified before turning back to the entertainment on the field.
“Good to know,” I stood and decided to go after her. It’s what a boyfriend would do, and I wanted to salvage what was left of our ‘friendship’ before she completely cut me off.
When I got to the breezeway behind the stadium seats, I could see her storming off. “Toni, wait!” I yelled, only causing her to walk faster. “Would you wait?” I reached for her, barely grabbing her arm to halt her. She spun around with fire blazing from her eyes.
“We’re supposed to be friends!” she all but screeched. “Why did you do that?”
I pulled her closer to so we wouldn’t put on a show for the people around us. Some were starting to stop and stare. “You asked me to be your boyfriend,” I growled next to her ear. “A boyfriend would kiss the girl he was with when the Kiss Cam was on them. I did what you asked,” I released her and took a step back as I tried to reign myself in. Her chest was rising as she panted and I watched as she closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured. “He just knows how to push my buttons.”
“I can see that,” I chuckled as I stared at her. “What are you more upset about? The fact that he called you out, or the fact that you liked kissing me?” I cocked my head to the side as I watched the fire in her eyes roar back to life. “Admit it. You like me. You like me kissing you, and this being friends is killing you. It’s painful, and you don’t know what to do about it.,” I hissed as I stepped so close to her we were almost touching. “You want me to push you so you don’t have to make that choice.” I gave her a knowing smirk. She was mad that she liked it, and I was fucked because she liked it. It didn’t matter if she admitted it or not, we couldn’t be together as long as we worked together and I wasn’t about to ask her to give up her job for me. Amber had asked me to quit numerous times. I remember what that felt like. No way would I do it to her.
“We need to get back to our seats. Jeo’s gonna wonder what’s taking so long,” she called over her shoulder as she stepped around me and began making her way back.
Oh no. I wasn’t putting up with this bullshit. She wanted to test me, game on. “I’ll just tell him I needed to fuck you into submission in the bathroom,” I mused as I sauntered by her, leaving her standing there with her mouth hanging open. Yep, two could play this game.