“Got a tip from a fan. Seems to work.”
“That why she’s in your box? Or are you in hers?”
“Crossing the line.”
The game started back up with an inbound pass stolen by Carlton and passed to Matthias at the elbow, and true to form Matthias listened to Silly’s advice and his three was wet as hell, dropping without even touching the rim or backboard on the way through.
Matthias was on fire. He should have been distracted, but knowing Silly was watching him made him focus on every motion on the court. He’d hit a triple double before halftime and with a quarter and a half left, part of him feared being pulled so they could rest his legs. Damn, he hated getting older. It took him three years to get his body acclimated to the pace and stress of playing at the NBA level; now the wear and tear was pulling him down from the joints on.
“How are the knees Matthias?” Doc asked when Matthias sat down in the folding chair.
“They’re fine,” he lied as he looked toward Silly’s box.
“It’s too soon for your workouts to make a difference.” Kneeling before Matthias, Doc pressed on Matthias’ right patellar tendon as Matthias stifled a grunt. He wasn’t going to show any sign of the pain wrapping around the joint.
“Then why’da ask?” Matthias turned to Doc. His green eyes and prematurely gray hair showed the years of worry. “I gotta play this game.”
“You want this one game or the season. It’s just a few games I need you to rest for.”
Would half a game make him half a man to Silly? He couldn’t take that chance. It was obvious she was already checking out of the game mentally since he’d been subbed. He was who she watched—her love of the game was really a love of him.
“I’ve gotta get some minutes in the fourth quarter.”
“Limited.”
Just what Matthias wanted, to be half a man when he finally found a woman that made him feel whole. Now he was limited, not by his short comings, but a body that was crumbling beneath him.
After the game he did the obligatory press crap with Sharee and Simone standing just out of view. They chose who could and couldn’t talk to him and even prescreened the questions, which seemed stupid to him.
“Amazing game Matthias, what can you credit the turn in your play?”
“I think I was just a little off balance last game…I’m feeling better now. I strengthened my ankle during the snow storm and had a little cabin fever I think needed to be worked off.”
“During weather like this don’t you usually board up in the stadium?”
“In the past yes, but I’m finding other ways to focus myself and I think tonight’s game proved it worked.”
“You’re gone on the road for the next few days finishing up in LA for Christmas. Will this be the beginning of a streak?”
“Absolutely…I’m ready for LA right now, but I have to get through OKC and Utah first, but most definitely, I’m ready for LA and I know that Kobe and all the players there are ready for some holiday match ups.”
“Matthias Jessup everyone. Forty-nine points tonight with twenty-six rebounds and fifteen assists.”
Matthias thanked the sportscaster as he left and headed to the locker room to shower.
“We’re spinning the pictures of you and Sylvia as a fan you donated tickets to after a letter she sent you.”
“What pictures?” Matthias grumbled at Simone who had to double-time it to keep up with him. “Simone, do whatever Sharee says for right now. Where is Silly?”
“With Langston.”
In the locker room reporters continued to swarm and Matthias looked at Simone as he took
off his jersey. She turned around and handled the reporters like a pro, allowing Matthias to strip down and shower.
Between security and the PR reps for the individual players Matthias was able to walk with just a towel around his waist and get dressed.
“You might want to do a full scan of the room before you drop a towel next time Mr. Jessup.”
Matthias snatched his towel from the floor in front of him and turned around with at least the front of his waist covered.
“Sorry, I’m used to Sharee who…well.”
“I don’t mind,” Simone said with a smile and her long legs crossed as she sat in the chair across from his open locker. “But you have to remember I’m not one of your two women and I prefer a man to at least take me to dinner before showing me his wares.”
“You’re not trying to be? Sharee sucks at vetting that part.”
“Drop the towel again and I’ll let you know.”
“I’m with Silly. If that’s a problem for you, let me know.”
“No. I’m just picking with you. The Sylvia issue has been put to bed for now. She and I agreed this isn’t the time or place for her to be outted as your woman and, well, with you going on the road I’m sure you don’t want…”
“To be hindered by a woman back home. She’s not a hindrance, but don’t be like Sharee and send me women. That’ll get you fired.”
“Any other instant pink slips?”
“Not leaving the locker room so I can get dressed.”
Simone took the hint and stood up.
“I work for you and you alone, Mr. Jessup. Whatever floats your boat makes mine sail.”
Leaving the locker room, Matthias smiled at Langston who had Silly and her friend at his side.
A woman strode up to Matthias, clutched the front of his shirt, and brought him to her lips. He pulled away as Langston snatched the woman to the side.
“What the hell, Langston?” she grumbled as if they’d been lifelong friends. “I told you I’d be up here.”
“And you are?” Matthias asked as he reached for Silly to pull her into his arms. Scanning the woman from head to toe he tried to make a connection. “You’re the blur…girl with the Jimmy Choo’s.”
“You sleep with me and all you remember are my shoes,” the woman said aghast.
“The fuck was free. The shoes seemed expensive. Out of date, but expensive.”
Silly’s face was red and her eyes down turned so he held her tighter.
“So what? I’m not coming home with you tonight?”
“At what point did I ask for you?”
“Matthias you’re going to regret the day—”
“Pardon me, Miss,” Simone stepped in. “I assume that you had a tryst with Mr. Jessup that didn’t end the way you wanted it…”
Matthias rushed Silly away from the melt down that would end in a reminder of the nondisclosure agreement as well as multiple phone calls, but hopefully no payouts. Damn he was blessed to have Silly in his life to take away all that bullshit groupie drama.
“Dallas?” Silly had tears in her eyes.
Matthias stopped outside his car and leaned Silly against the door. Cradling her head in his hands he dipped his mouth to hers and claimed it for his own. The caress started as halted, then turned into Silly’s body melting against his.
“She was a blur. You are my woman and there will be no more of them. Who’s your friend that’s staring at us?”
“Leslie.”
Matthias turned and extended his hand to her. “Nice to meet you, Leslie, I’ve heard nothing but—”
“Don’t lie for her, you’ve heard practically nothing about me.”
“We’ve been busy.”
“Playing out every fantasy she’s had…Yeah I’m surprised you can even walk straight.”
“Leslie!”
“She won’t give up details so I’ll have to wait for the sex tape I guess.”
“Oh my God.” Silly buried her face in her hands and Matthias kissed her right below the ear while whispering.
“Tell me every fantasy tonight.”
“I know I have one that begins with burying the body of my best friend.”
After dropping off Leslie and returning to the condo, Matthias couldn’t help being mesmerized by Silly.
“You gonna make me something sweet?” Matth
ias asked, sweeping back her hair and kissing her neck.
“I suppose. Leslie really liked you.”
“How long have you been friends?”
“A few years. She used to work in the kitchen at the Nelson.”
“Oh. I thought I knew all the cooks.”
“She wasn’t a cook.”
“Hmm…I’ll be right back,” he said, trying to remain calm as he took off for the bedroom.
Langston had bought a dozen red and a dozen white roses and left them in the bedroom. Matthias removed the pink paper wrapping and hid the remnants in the bathroom trash-can. Able to hold two of the roses at a time he pulled the petals from the stem and began sprinkling them over the bed. Velvety red and white petals covered his duvet and pillows and he realized he’d forgotten about candles. Damn it. They always used candles on Y and R.
“I thought you wanted something sweet?” Silly asked as she stepped into the bedroom and dropped the spoon she’d been holding.
“In a minute. I have something for you.”
“Matthias,” she gasped.
Matthias then pulled out a small silver box with a gossamer bow around it and placed it on the edge of the bed.
“I…I…” Silly became flustered and started to walk backwards out of the bedroom. Matthias angled himself to block her retreat. No matter which way she moved he stayed with her with his arms wrapped around her waist.
“Where are you going?”
“Matthias, I can’t…”
“Do you even know what’s in the box?”
“Something expensive and not appropriate right now.”
“What’s appropriate? We make the rules in our relationship right?”
Silly stopped moving and stared straight ahead. Lowering his head he rested it on her shoulder. He smiled at her lower jaw that trembled as she started to bite at her lower lip. Matthias had gotten everything he’d ever wanted in life, and right now Sylvia Kinder was the only thing he wanted.
“Throw out convention, Silly.”
“I can’t.”
That’s when Matthias saw a tear slide down her cheek.
“Please don’t wet eye me. I didn’t want to make you upset. Look in the box before you start freakin’ out.”
Silly placed her shaking hand on his and pulled it back from her body. Three small steps later she was at the edge of his bed.
Matthias crossed his arms and leaned against the doorjamb enjoying the childlike innocence of it all. Her fingers barely gripped the thin gossamer ribbon pulling ever so slightly releasing the bow from its knot. With a small sigh she took off the lid and found his apartment key on an Emperors key chain encrusted with diamonds.
Her hand replaced the lid and placed the box as far as her arm could reach away from her. She turned her hands in silent prayer on her lap. Matthias breathed in and could smell the fear in the air.
“I can’t,” she said softly, looking down at her hands.
“I want you here when I get back.”
“I can’t sleep in your bed when you’re on the road.”
“Why?”
Silly raised her head and he found her blue eyes had lost their sparkle.
“Because…I’ll be thinking about what you’re doing in your hotel.”
“Hopefully I’ll be recovering from an awesome round of phone sex with you. I’m good huh? See, Nick was out of town on Y and R, and well, I adjusted for you,” he picked, but Silly didn’t respond the way he wanted her to.
“That works in soap land, but realistically, you’ll have the real thing from someone else.”
“You want to just be my girl when I’m in town?” Matthias asked completely confused by the change in events.
“I assume that I’ll be your girl through tomorrow morning, then you’ll move on.”
“Will you?”
“Will I what?”
“Move on with another guy.”
“I suppose, eventually if I meet the right—”
Jealousy hit like lemon juice on a paper cut. He winced as he made a fist, then released.
“Silly, I don’t want you for tonight. And I don’t want you for my home schedule. I want you. The blurs are done. I don’t understand why you can’t believe that.”
“I don’t get the happy ending.”
“Maybe it’s time you did.”
“You wanna play house.”
“Who’s playing?” Matthias crossed to her and snatched the box. “Silly, it’s for you. Come and go as you please, but I want you here twenty-four-seven.”
“What happens in two months when you change your mind and I’m without an apartment and—”
“Security. That’s what you need?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll get Sharee to sublet your apartment out, okay.”
“No. You can’t pay my way either.”
“I wouldn’t be. Sharee would find a renter and would put a clause in the lease. The apartment would be there for you.”
“You already have her doing that don’t you?”
Matthias laid Silly back on the bed and cupped a rose as he stroked her cheek with the petals. He loved that Silly was starting to read his mind. Kissing her lips he couldn’t help but smile.
“She’ll have someone before the first, I promise.”
“Your ex is going to help you, help me, move in?”
“It makes you nervous how close we still are doesn’t it?”
Silly didn’t respond. Instead she rolled from underneath him, reached for her pillow, and buried her face in it.
“What’s the matter, Silly Girl? It’s something else.” Matthias stroked back her hair so he could kiss her collarbone. He was right. Gooseflesh covered her skin the second he touched it, her whole body moved underneath him, and a small whimper escaped.
“I’m not strong enough for you to cheat on me.”
“Silly, why am I being punished for something I never did?”
She pulled the pillow off her face. Letting out a long sigh she looked at him and smiled.
“The chef?”
“No, the guy I moved down here with.”
Matthias smoothed back her hair and kissed her forehead. “Did you live with Patrick?”
“Yes.”
“He cheated on you.”
“No.”
Sylvia stared down at her hands.
“I’m punishing you for Daniel’s infidelity. Okay. Okay. You’ve got a point.” She still wouldn’t look up at him. “I never slept with him. He called me the ice prude. It’s just I hadn’t learned that sex wasn’t painful and bad then, so I kept him at arm’s length. I stayed with him for two months after I found out he’d been cheating. Pretending everything was wonderful in the world. I already felt bad I’d used him as an escape pod to get me…I don’t know where. Just away I guess.”
Her fingers were intertwining and he could see she felt bad about more than being cheated on. It took everything in him to keep his mouth shut. She’d have to tell him in her way at her pace.
“I used him, Matthias,” she said finally looking him in his eye. The blue was dim, not sparkling, and he was kicking himself for pushing her. “And even though we didn’t sleep together I felt like a whore. He was a stranger I moved in with and lived off of for a year. I let him do what he wanted and had the nerve to call myself his girlfriend. I was a parasite,” she said with utter contempt in her voice. “I can’t afford half the rent here…hell I can’t afford half the light bill.”
“I’m not looking to lower my cost of living.”
“No, you’re looking to increase it and I can’t be a drain.”
“The second you’re a drain on me I’ll kick you out.”
“Yeah, that makes me feel safe.”
“Silly, you know my image…and I think you’ve seen who I really am. I know you fell in love with the fairytale,” Matthias said, taking her head in his hand. “But how do you feel about the real man, could you live with him?”
“I don’t believe
the real you yet.”
“Why not?”
“It’s better than the fairytale to me,” Silly said, then picked up a few petals. “What do you do for Valentines?”
“You have to stay to find out.”
“Promise to make it worth my while.”
Chapter Ten
“Sylvia where do you want your dishes?” Leslie asked as she cleaned out Sylvia’s kitchen.
“I don’t know. I guess it’s going in the storage unit for the apartment I never used. I mean Matthias has everything.”
“Too bad it’s December or you could have a big old yard sale. ‘Hit the jackpot take my old cheap crap’.”
Sylvia tossed a pillow at her friend’s head.
“Besides clothes and condoms what do you need to pack up?”
“Yeah, like I have condoms,” Sylvia sighed and turned to Leslie. “Am I a fool?”
“Giving up your apartment after a week with the man of your dreams because he says you’re all he needs…Yeah, utter fool. When does he get back?”
“The twenty-sixth I guess. He’s got the three o’clock game on the west coast so he won’t be done until after eight here.”
“Are you going to be waiting with a Mrs. Clause outfit on?”
“Dressed as an old lady with cookies?”
“No…I mean a naughty Mrs. Clause.”
“Did I throw the last pillow at your head already?”
“I think so.”
“Good, it’ll be hard objects from now on.”
Leslie came over and sat on the couch next to Sylvia who was packing a box of books.
“I’m so happy for you. I really am. If I wasn’t married to the love of my life—”
“Kevin’s the love of your life?”
“Of course. Those half-naked pictures of other guys are just bullshit I put out there to keep him working hard. I love Kevin and not just because he can cook a blintz that can make me wet with one scrumptious bite, he makes me feel beautiful in sweats and a T-shirt.”
Sylvia smiled at the memories of being trapped by the snow. It’s not like they hadn’t talked for hours every time Matthias could steal a minute. And the way he’d describe her body over the phone…
“Girl, I love you, when it’s you and him is it right?”
“I don’t have the hero worship when we’re together anymore. He’s just Matthias.”
Silly Girl Page 14