FOUR
Austin
I arrived at her apartment early. Her roommate answered, peering through a cracked door.
“Can I help you?”
“I’m here to pick up Brooke.”
“Hold on,” she said then slammed the door in my face.
What the fuck was her problem?
The door opened again, and Brooke stepped out wearing a grey Buffalo State sweatshirt and jeans. She matched my outfit almost exactly.
“Were you spying on me?”
“Isn’t it customary to match during a da...,” she said, trying to joke but trailed off instead
“I agreed to have dinner with you amidst my very demanding schedule. Let’s get on with it, King.”
“Damn,” I said, raising my hands. “You’re not playing.”
“No, I’m not.”
She might be playing the cold-shouldered tough-girl type, but I would break down those walls. When I did, I would see what’s really behind that sexy teacher facade.
She nodded at my black and yellow Camaro parked on the side of the street.
“That your ride?”
“Yeah. You like it?”
“As long as it gets us to our destination.” She walked down the stairs and toward the car with me close behind as if not to give me the satisfaction. “Where are we going, anyway?”
“This place called Papa Sal’s.”
“Never heard of it.”
“It’s a few miles from here.”
“Oh?” She stopped at the passenger door. “Don’t want one of your football buddies or booty calls to see you out with a brain?”
“Damn, you really don’t trust me, do you?” I asked, shaking my head. She’s not going to make this easy.
“I’m just familiar with guys like you.”
As she opened the door and got in the passenger seat, I walked around the front of the muscle car. When I got settled behind the steering wheel, I fired up the engine. Heavy Metal blared from the speakers. I quickly shut it off.
“You listen to that shit?”
“It helps get me pumped.”
“I see,” she said, raising her brows.
We drove toward the interstate to head to Harrison, a small town to the east of Buffalo. She was really keeping me on my toes. I could have gone for some uncharted territory.
“Watch your speed,” she said as she glanced at the dash.
“I’m going to pass one of your tests by the end of the night,” I said, chuckling.
“Good luck. I’m not easily impressed. Although…” She looked out the window. “You know how to play some football.”
I smiled.
“See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?”
“I’ve got a lot on my plate these days,” she said. “Don’t take it personally.”
“I know what you mean. All I do is practice, play and go to classes. By the way, how did you do on the pop-quiz? A dinner-worthy grade, I assume? Otherwise I guess we’ll have to turn back around.”
“Well, better take this exit then. Apparently, my calculations were off. She didn’t have one today.”
“At least you’re ready now.”
“Yeah, unless all the information seeps out of my brain.”
We both got quiet as I pulled off the highway, slowing down on the exit ramp. About a mile down the road, a red and orange neon sign for Papa Sal’s popped into view.
“I’ve never noticed this place before,” she said.
“Those of us who know about it tend to keep quiet, so it doesn’t become overrun, you know.”
“Keep the frat-boys away. I like the way you think.”
“Exactly.”
I turned my head briefly and flashed her another smile, my charm finally penetrating her social defenses. By the end of the night, I’d have her sucking my cock. After I came, I’d be able to get her out of my mind and get back to the most important thing, football.
* * *
Our food arrived at the table, but I was hungry for something else. I had seen a woman place a napkin on her lap a thousand times before, but never with such grace. She made even the mundane more appealing.
“You’re quieter than I thought you would be,” she said then took a drink of water.
“Stunned by your beauty.”
I flashed her a grin.
“You sure do pour it on thick, don’t you?”
“Hmm?”
“Your charm.”
“So you think I’m charming?”
She rolled her eyes while hiding a smirk
“You know what I mean.”
“I do, but it’s true. You’ve got a beauty they don’t show in the magazines.”
“Oh, great. Thanks.”
“No, no, I mean it. Your face is so perfect and uniquely you. There’s nothing cookie cutter about you. It’s what separates you from the others.”
“There you go again.”
“You want me to stop?”
“Of course not.”
We both quieted down, sampling the giant tenderloin sandwiches. The meat pushed well past the bun. Every once in a while, I liked to splurge on my diet. It made me work even harder to make up for it.
“Did you play sports growing up?” I asked.
“Actually, no, but I loved watching sports. That’s why I’m studying sports medicine. I’m not athletic enough to play but really appreciate the game.”
“You look athletic enough to me,” I said as my eyes traced her body.
“Thanks,” she replied shyly. “It’s the coordination, I guess. Or my lack of it.” She smiled. “I do, however, play a mean game of Madden on the PS4.”
“Get out of here. My roommates are big gamers.”
“You don’t play video games?”
“Oh, sometimes, but I like the real thing. It’s like porn. Why watch it virtually when you can sleep with a real, unfiltered woman, you know?”
She bit her bottom lip. What I wouldn’t give to know the thoughts going through her mind. Unlike other women, she made it difficult to plan my next move. The end goal was the same, but without clear signals from her, my game became weak.
“I like sex,” she said suddenly, her face turning red. “I mean, just because I’m not having it right now with anyone doesn’t mean I’m a prude or anything.”
“Uh-huh,” I said, nodding my head.
“I’m not sure why I just said that.”
“It’s fine.”
I waved a hand through the air to emphasize the point.
“What about you?”
“I love sex too,” I said then winked at her.
She laughed.
“No, I meant…To be honest, I’m not sure what I meant. And I’m not even drinking tonight.”
“You’re fine,” I said as if nothing in the world mattered. “You like the tenderloin?”
“It’s big. I don’t know if I’ll be able to finish.”
“Bigger is better. You could have seconds.”
“Not all the time,” she countered.
Damn. She was good at this.
“A lot of women are intimidated by me.”
“That big brain of yours?” She winked at me.
“Funny.”
“I thought so,” she said, taking another bite.
We both ate in a silence for a few more minutes as if we had been friends for years. Why did I find it so comfortable talking with her? The question bugged me.
“The food is good,” she said. “Not healthy, but tasty.”
“Yeah, I don’t eat here often. I’ll make up for it later.” Hopefully in more ways than one.
“So, you’re friends with Trey?” she asked.
Oh, shit.
“Yeah, he’s another roommate actually. You like him?”
She laughed.
“No. He’s definitely not my type.”
“No? What’s your type?”
“Not a big guy from the defensive line. I enjoy men with big brains as well as a big body.”
She looked down at her plate, avoiding my eyes.
We were finally getting somewhere.
“Anyway,” she continued. “He came in a while ago about his knee injury. I probably shouldn’t tell you this…”
“Now you have to tell me.”
“I don’t know.”
“If you don’t tell me, I’ll ask him about it.”
“No! He’ll know I told you something.” That caught her attention.
“You worry a lot about what other people think, don’t you?”
“And you don’t?”
“Well, people usually love me. Why worry if that’s the general opinion?” I grinned.
She looked back down at her nearly empty plate.
“I need to get back. Thanks for dinner.” She placed her napkin on the table and pushed her chair back.
“Me too,” I said, not wanting to let her see how much I was actually enjoying myself for once. “I’ve got this formula figured out, and I think I have a pop-quiz in one of my classes tomorrow.”
She looked up with a smile and made eye contact.
“Sounds like a smart system.”
“Let’s get out of here.”
I left payment on the table and took her back out to my car.
* * *
I pulled into the driveway and put the car in park, I expected her to invite me in, but she didn’t. “I’ll walk you to your door.”
“That’s not necessary, Austin. But you can call me.”
“I will,” I said.
She shut the door. I watched her ass shake back and forth as she walked to her porch.
I was going to tap that before the semester is over. She would be my ultimate end game.