Hard & Deep: A Football Romance

“I actually know Johnny,” she said, standing up from her seat. “He's the old farmer who always has a piece of grass sticking out of his mouth, lodged between his front two teeth. I used to see him around town once in a while. He's a bit of a trickster.”

“He seemed nice enough,” Ollie said with a shrug. “He stopped by a while back to see if I needed anything. I was a little nervous answering the door, because I was afraid he might recognize me. But when he walked up, he saw me through the window of the living room, so I couldn't just hide. Funny enough, though, he didn't seem to have any clue who I was. I introduced myself as Oliver and he just shook my hand as though he were meeting anybody else. Didn't seem too impressed by much.”

Elsie laughed, shaking her head. “Johnny is definitely not impressed by much. And he also doesn't believe in television, so I doubt he's ever even heard of your football team. Anyway, that's really nice of him that he said you could use his car.”

“It's awesome, because it wouldn't feel much like a date if you had to come pick me up for it,” Ollie said. “And I want it to be perfect. I was willing to risk having someone deliver one, but this is easier. Johnny assures me that she's 'a beauty.'”

There was no denying that Elsie's crush on Oliver was shifting into high gear. She decided that she'd just relax and go with the flow with him, see where things went.

A date does sound like so much fun, she thought. It's been a while since I've had that happen.

“So Saturday, then?” Elsie asked, as the two of them walked toward the front door.

“Yep. Text me your address and I'll be there at seven,” he said, as he opened the door for her.

“I live above above the physical therapy clinic at the edge of town,” Elsie said. “You can't miss it.”

“Perfect. I'll be there.” Ollie took Elsie's hands in his. She stood in front of him, feeling butterflies fill her belly. The ice had been broken since they'd kissed, but there was still that fun tension between them.

“I guess I'll see you then,” Elsie said, before gently biting her lower lip.

“I can't wait,” Ollie said.

Then he leaned in and kissed her again. It took Elsie's breath away, but this time, she didn't hesitate. She pressed into him, letting their lips collide with a kind of need that could only be present after months of suppressing their true feelings. It was electric. Sparks flew around them and her body burst into flames. She brought her hands to his chest, enjoying the sensation of his firm muscles. His taste, his smell, everything about him turned her on and made this the best kiss she'd ever had in her life. It had been a long time coming.

The two of them stayed embraced in the doorway. Their hands drifted over each other as their tongues danced. Elsie's knees turned to jello, her legs trembling beneath her. Outside, the sun poured down onto the farm. The warmth of spring was on its way, and the bitter winter was coming to an end. She couldn't say for sure, but it was quite possible that this was the most perfect moment she'd ever experienced. She savored it for as long as she could.

Elsie slowly broke the kiss. The two of them gazed and each other. She smiled. It was as though she was seeing Oliver for the first time. No longer was he a patient. The stigma that had held her from expressing her feelings was gone, finally. Now, he was officially a crush. And in the back of her mind, she knew it was even more than that.

Chapter 14

Elsie

Elsie stood in her bedroom, surrounded by a hundred outfits that she'd tried on. It looked like a clothes bomb had gone off. Shirts, blouses, dresses and pants were strewn about, covering nearly every possible surface. It was Saturday afternoon and she was trying desperately to find the perfect thing to wear for her date with Oliver.

Why am I nervous right now? She asked herself. It's not like I'm going on a blind date or something. It's just Oliver. I've known him for months.

She couldn't shake the nerves, though. The excitement of going on an actual date a

nd with a very gorgeous man made her heart beat quickly and her palms sweaty. It reminded her of when she was getting ready for senior prom in high school. But at least then, she'd had a dress picked out and knew exactly where she'd be going. Now she had no clue. It had been some time since she'd gone out on a date and felt very ill prepared.

“I wish I knew where he was taking me,” she said to herself, standing nearly naked in front of the mirror. She was only wearing black panties and a black bra. “If he had told me where we were going, that would have at least helped narrow down the options for what I should wear.”

With only a half an hour left until Oliver picked her up, she didn't have time to dilly dally any longer.

It's not like there are any fancy restaurants in town, so that rules out the little black dress, she thought, sifting through her closet. And I certainly don't need to dress really nice if we're going to the diner. That would be awkward to go there wearing anything more than ripped jeans and a t-shirt.

It took a while longer, but she finally settled on something. She slipped on her nicest pair of jeans, which were dark enough to be considered dressy, but light enough in case they did something casual. The weather, though nicer than it had been in months, was still breezy and cool. So she wore a light blue sweater, which she knew would have looked good regardless of the setting of the date. And for shoes, she wore black pumps. When she gazed into the mirror again, a satisfied grin crossed her face.

That should work, she thought. Finally. Geez.

She quickly brushed out her hair. For the first time ever, she would be around Oliver with her hair down. It was so rare that she'd almost forgotten what she looked like. Her chocolate curls looked great, though, better than she remembered. And after a few sprays of her favorite perfume, she was ready to go.

I still can't believe I'm about to go on a real date, she thought, gathering her cell phone and lipstick to put into her purse. And with an ex-patient of mine, of all people. Who'd have thought?

It would be a nice distraction from things, that was for sure. And she needed a distraction. Uncle Frank's health was always on her mind. His prognosis from the brain tumor was still unknown, but they were planning on doing surgery within the week.

She thought about him all the time, but he assured her that he would be fine and that there was nothing to worry about. Frank saying that obviously didn't help her from worrying. But somehow, spending time with Ollie really did. Ollie soothed her worries better than anything else. Which was just another reason why she didn't want to see him move back home.