Hard & Deep: A Football Romance

It broke Oliver's heart to see the sadness in her face. She'd talked often about her uncle, making it clear just how important he was in Elsie's life. And a tumor meant cancer was a possibility. He knew all too much about cancer and the pain that it brought, not only to the patient but to th

eir family.

“I'm so sorry,” he repeated, bringing an arm around her shoulder and pulling her toward him.

She didn't resist at all, and instead, pressed her body against his. He could smell her hair and her rose shampoo as he held her close. It felt good to have her next to him and even better that she'd chosen him to confide in. He tried not to feel guilty at enjoying having a reason to hold her.

“He's the strongest person I know,” she said, clearly trying to keep herself from crying. “I want to believe that he can get through this, but I just can't be sure. He's not young any more, you know?”

“If he's anything like how you've presented him in your stories, then I'm confident he'll fight it with everything he's got,” Oliver assured her. “Plus, your uncle has one very important factor on his side that most people don't. It practically guarantees that he'll be okay.”

Elsie pulled away and looked Oliver in the eyes. There were wet streaks down her cheeks. “What factor is that?”

“He's got you,” Ollie said. “You're a damn miracle worker. I never thought I'd walk again and now I can, or at least almost can. And that's further along than I ever thought I'd be. Your uncle is blessed to have you as a niece.”

She smiled, warming his heart. “That might be the sweetest thing anybody has ever said to me,” she said, wiping a tear away from her cheek.

Oliver suddenly felt more drawn to her than ever before. She had dropped her walls, allowing the two of them to move past the whole patient/provider definitions, at least for a moment. He was seeing a side of her now that was raw and vulnerable. It made her even more beautiful in his eyes because she was real.

I would love to kiss her right now, he thought, as his gazed moved down her face.

Her lips were a magnet, pulling him closer. He couldn't stop himself. A force more powerful than his own will moved him and he began to lean in. Her eyes stayed locked with his as their lips neared. They almost touched, but right before they could, Elsie slowly pulled away.

“We shouldn't,” she said, shaking her head. “We really shouldn't.”

Oliver was a little stunned, being that no other girl in his memory had ever turned down a kiss from him. It really only made him want her more, but he didn't say anything in response. He didn't want to make things awkward between them.

God, she probably thinks I'm a total creep now, he thought. I shouldn't have tried to kiss her. That was stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

In an effort to change the subject, Oliver ran his fingers through his hair. “Elsie, you didn't happen to bring the hair bleach with you, did you? I'd love to get my roots dyed, before someone discovers my darkest secret: that I'm not a blond surfer dude.”

“Yeah, actually I did.” She laughed and Ollie watched her shoulders relax. “I came prepared. Do you want me to dye it now?”

“Sure, why not?” Ollie shrugged. “I've got nothing else going on, unless you want to watch TV. I think Jeopardy is on next.”

Elsie glanced toward the flat screen on the wall across the room. “That is a huge TV.”

“It's not really that big,” he said. It wasn't anywhere near the one he had at home.

“That's what she said,” she commented, with a chuckle. “But, seriously, I think that's the biggest TV I've ever seen in a house.”

Oliver looked at the screen, realizing that it actually was pretty big. He'd just gotten so used to everyone he knew having the biggest and the best. He'd forgotten that regular people don't have eighty-five inch televisions.

“I guess it is a little big,” he admitted.

“A little big?” she said, with wide eyes. “That thing is a freaking jumbo-tron. You must be able to see every blade of grass when you watch a game on that thing.”

“To be honest, I haven't watched much on it.” He smiled at her. “Although, I did see a golf game the other day, though, and you're right. Every blade of grass was visible.”

“Golf?” she raised her eyebrows at him. “You used that TV to watch golf?”

“It was that or the news, and honestly, the male anchor needs to get a better razor,” he replied.

Elsie laughed playfully as she stood up from the couch. The mood between them had shifted and it was now more relaxed. His lips still burned, though, wishing that they'd been able to share that kiss. It was so close. So close that he could taste her. He wanted that, now more than before even though he knew he shouldn't.

“Come on,” she said, taking his hand and helping him to his feet. “Let's get your hair fixed up.”

With a grunt, Oliver got to his feet. He grimaced as soon as the weight was on his injury and Elsie took notice immediately.