“Huh, I can’t believe I forgot.” When Peyton invited me to dinner a few nights ago, I couldn’t say yes fast enough, and yet, it somehow slipped my mind. I glance at myself in the mirror and lean forward to get a better look. I tug at the skin under my eyes and wonder if the night cream I use is doing its job in preventing wrinkles. “I need to book a facial,” I mutter to my reflection. “And a haircut.”
Standing there and staring at myself isn’t doing anything for my self-confidence. Work keeps me busy, and the free time I’ve had recently I’ve spent with Julius. Today would’ve been a perfect time to go to the spa and eliminate some of the stress I’m feeling but spending time with him and his children is important. Finding a healthy balance is a must.
In my room, I slip into a pair of sweatpants and an oversized sweatshirt. I have a couple of hours before my dinner date with Peyton and the book I started many moons ago sits on my nightstand, mocking me. I pick it up and head into the living room, stopping to pull a throw blanket out of the basket I use to store them in. Curling up on the sofa, I open the book to the last page I’d marked and start reading. None of this makes sense. I’m in the middle of the chapter, reading about two characters that I don’t remember. Determined to keep going, I flip back to the front and start over. I’ve read half of the book, so I must’ve found it interesting and figure I can skim if I begin to remember the content.
Halfway through my reread, there’s a knock at my door. Ignoring the knock seems like the best thing for me to do since it’s likely someone from my floor selling their steak knives or boxes of popcorn. This is a drawback to living in such a large building—everyone is a door-to-door salesperson. It’s the little kids that I can’t say no to though, and they know it.
The knock sounds again. I set my book down, get up and tiptoe to my door to look through the peephole. It’s Julius, standing there with his hand on the wall and looking down at the floor.
“What is he doing here?” I whisper, thinking I might answer myself.
“Autumn,” he says as if he can sense I’m standing on the other side of the door. “It’s me. Are you home?”
“Shit.” I step back and straighten out my ratty clothes and smooth my hair back. I really need to put a mirror up by my door for occasions like this. The man I’m wholly interested in is about to see me in my most relaxed state. I’m not sure how I feel about this. With a twist of the door handle, I open the door to face Julius.
His head rises slowly, and a smile spreads across his face at a gradual pace. My knees go weak, forcing me to use the door to keep upright. How can a smile cause such a reaction?
“Hey,” he says as I sag into the door for more stability. I thought I was smitten, but I’m not. I’m falling for him, and I’m not sure I can find a way to stop.
“Hey.”
“I wanted to stop by and give you this.”
Before I can ask what “this” is, he steps forward, cups my cheeks between his large hands, and presses his lips to mine. My mouth opens for him, beckoning him deeper. For some reason, my hand can’t let go of the door, but my other one bunches his shirt into my fist, and I tug, wanting him to come in so I can close the door.
Julius pulls away, but only for a second before his lips are on mine again. I moan, needing more. He grins against my lips and chuckles. “I can’t stay, but believe me, I want to.”
“What? Why?” I sound desperate, and maybe I am. From the second I laid eyes on Julius, I’ve been attracted to him, even when he was a colossal jerk. The allure has only grown stronger the more time we spend together, and when he kisses me, I lose what’s left of my self-resolve.
“I have a game tomorrow.”
“And that means, what?”
He laughs again. “We have rules. They’re odd but have to be followed nonetheless.”
“Well, I, for one, am not following anything you’re saying.”
Julius looks confused. I’m not sure why since I’m not the one speaking in circles. “I guess I assumed Peyton had told you that the NFL requires us to stay in a hotel the night before a home game.”
What on earth? “Why?”
“It’s all part of our player agreement. We have funky rules. I don’t make them, but I abide by them.”