by Sarah Smith
Lindsay’s face heated, and she smiled at him. She looked down at herself. The dress was tight without being obscene, revealing a curvaceous body and legs that went on for miles. Her long hair lay over her shoulders in soft waves. Abbie’s magical hand had created the perfect look for Lindsay’s face, making Lindsay wonder why she wasn’t a makeup artist.
Samwell took her hand and kissed her knuckles. His other hand, which had been behind his back, held a bouquet of flowers, beautifully bright and strongly smelling of spring. “For you, lovely lady.”
Lindsay took the flowers and her smile broadened. “Thank you, for the compliment and the flowers. They’re beautiful.”
“Just like you,” Samwell said. “Are you ready for our first date? The first of many, I mean.”
Lindsay laughed at him and shook her head. “So sure of yourself, are you?”
He leaned against the doorjamb and wiggled his eyebrows at her. “I’m always sure of myself.” He held out his hand, and she placed hers in his. She frowned down at the flowers. “Do you want to put those in water before we leave?”
“If you don’t mind,” Lindsay said. He nodded and waited by the door while she quickly found a vase and put the flowers in it. As she walked back to him, she said a grin, “They’ll smell up the whole apartment before I get back.”
“I hope that’s a good thing,” Samwell said. He took her hand and led her out the door. While she locked up, he said, “Are you hungry?”
“Famished,” she said as she straightened and looked at him. “I hope our ‘fancy’ dinner is filling,” she teased.
“Have you seen me? I eat as much as an elephant,” he assured her as they walked to the car.
She gasped when she saw his car, an Audi with all the bells and whistles. “Your car is fantastic! So elegant!” She slid inside when he opened the door for her and inhaled. She loved the new-car smell as much as she loved the smell of flowers. When he climbed in, she said, “I love the smell of a new car.”
“Me too. I’m so glad I’m at a place in my life where I can afford the nicer things in life. Hasn’t always been that way,” he told her as he pulled out of the parking lot.
“What do you mean?”
“My dad wasn’t around when I was little. Ran off and never came back. My mom worked her tail off to keep us in clothes and food. Honestly, I really didn’t lack much. I just didn’t have as much as the other kids at school sometimes,” Samwell told her. “Now I can afford to keep her happy. Maybe not the lap of luxury, but she likes it.”
“That’s great. Is that why you help with charities for children?”
He glanced at her. “Yes ma’am. Like I said, I never went without, so I like to make sure other kids don’t have to go without either.”
“Where did you grow up?”
“In New York, but my mom and I moved down here when I was in middle school. And I don’t want to leave. I love the sun!” He chuckled a little, hoping his nerves weren’t showing too badly. “What about you?”
“I love it here,” Lindsay said. “I grew up with both my parents and wish I could see my mom more often. My dad died right after I graduated, so my mom doesn’t like that I moved so far away that it requires a plane trip. I’m hoping to convince her to eventually move here.”
“Only child?”
“Yep. You?”
“Of course. You see, Lindsay, it was meant to be,” Samwell said, putting his hand over his heart.
“What’s that?”
“You and I were destined to meet and go on a date. Just don’t go falling in love too quickly,” Samwell warned her. “It’ll be hard for you to resist.”
Lindsay laughed. “Oh good night! Your ego is as big as your muscles!”
He flexed in his expensive button up. “I can’t flex too often. I don’t want to rip my shirt.”
They laughed together and fell briefly into a comfortable silence. Lindsay looked at him and his perfectly tailored outfit. The white button up he wore stretched tight across his chest, and his gray slacks showed off his long, muscular legs. He had let a little stubble growth, which made him even sexier.
He interrupted her thoughts, for which she was grateful. “Do you like Cuban cuisine?”
“Um, I’m not sure I’ve ever had it,” Lindsay admitted.
“How long have you lived in Miami?” Samwell asked, astonishment in his voice. She told him she’d only been there for a year. “Oh, well, let me tell you, you are in for a treat. Cuban food, while a tad spicy, is the best food on the planet.”
“Well, I’ve brought my appetite!” Lindsay told him, laughing.
“Good. Good. I don’t like a woman who doesn’t eat. It’s unnatural.”
“Then you’re going to love me!”
***
Dinner was perfect. Their eyes watered when they tried some of the dishes, but there was plenty of water to drink. Rather than order two meals, they’d order four different dishes so they could try as many different foods as they could. Samwell had chosen this particular restaurant because he was a regular there. And even though almost everyone in the place knew who he was, no one made a big deal about it because he was there so often.
After eating, they walked along the boardwalk. Lindsay had told him all about college and how she’d almost pursued acting. At his urging, she’d performed a short Shakespearean monologue. And he felt his heart beat just a little faster as she recited the words Juliet had used to describe her Romeo while she waited patiently for him to come to her after their secret wedding. She laughed when he applauded, causing heads to turn in their direction of the bench they were sitting on.
“Stop it, goofy man,” she told him, playfully slapping his shoulder.
“You should have pursued your goal,” he told her sincerely. “You’re very talented.”
“Yeah, well, I preferred writing to acting, but it’s hard to support yourself with writing.” Lindsay shrugged and changed the subject. “What about you? Tell me what you wanted to do?”
He smiled, thinking he’d found the perfect moment to tell her what he did for a living. “Well, I played ball in high school and college.”
“That doesn’t surprise me. Look at you,” she said with a giggle. “Thank goodness you didn’t play pro, though.”
Samwell frowned. “Why’s that?”
“Most of those guys seem so egotistical, and they make such bad decisions when it comes to money.” Lindsay shook her head at what she perceived as stupid. She touched his hand. “Besides, you’re way too sweet and smart to do that.”
Samwell smiled a small smile at her. He turned his hand over and held hers in his, engulfing it almost completely. What she’d said about pro ballers was somewhat true. Many players were egotistical and squandered their money. But not all of them. He let her comment slide as she leaned her head against his shoulder.
“What a beautiful night. Thank you, Samwell, for relentlessly asking me out until I said yes.” Lindsay felt his chest rumble as a low laugh escaped him.
“I work hard to get what I want,” he told her. He’d made a decision. She was going to fall for him, just like he was falling for her, and he’d show her that some pro ballers were good guys.
She looked up at him and shifted so that she was facing him more squarely. Gently, she placed her lips against his and kissed him. Her hands were on his chest, and she felt his sigh of contentment when he put his hands on either side of her face and deepened the kiss. The world around them ceased to exist; neither of them heard the sounds of the crowd nor the whisper of the ocean. Their senses were attuned only to each other. Neither had ever experienced a kiss like the one they shared, and when they parted, they stared at each other for several moments in silence, mesmerized and a little afraid.
CHAPTER FIVE
On the drive home, they were mostly silent, lost in their own thoughts. Lindsay had always felt drawn to him, since the first day she’d served him at the Kingfish Club. The attraction had grown in the few hours they’d s
pent together. She’d been so bold when she’d kissed him, and when he’d taken control of the kiss and deepened it, her heart had pounded wildly in her chest. Under her hands, she’d felt his heart beating hard as well, and it had thrilled her.
Samwell took her hand and kissed it, but he didn’t speak. He was enjoying the silence as much as she. When they reached her apartment building, she reached for her door and he said, “Wait, please.” He jumped out and hurried around the front of the car. He opened her door for her and helped her out, and she giggled.
“You’re such a gentleman. I never would have guessed,” she said with a wink. He raised an eyebrow at her. “Only kidding.”
Samwell put his hand on his chest in mock offense. “My feelings were almost injured beyond repair, lady. I don’t think I would have recovered.”
“Whatever. If your feelings get hurt that easily, we won’t get along,” Lindsay teased in return. They reached the door of her building, and she turned. “Thank you for a lovely evening, Samwell. I really enjoyed myself.”
“Lindsay, I’m really glad you finally agreed to go out with me. I told you we’d have fun together,” he smiled.
“We did at that,” she replied with her own smile.
“You have such a beautiful smile. I hope you’ll let me keep trying to make you smile.” He leaned in and kissed her lips gently. She tilted her head for a deeper kiss, and he obliged, gently playing his tongue over hers. When they broke apart, he smiled at her again and winked. “Good night, beautiful.”
Lindsay shook her head, a smile tugging at her lips. “Good night, Samwell.”
She opened the door to her building and stepped inside, glancing through the window at him one more time before going around the corner to the elevator. When it opened, she stepped in and pushed the button for her floor, then leaned against the wall, a big goofy grin on her face. She touched her lips, the feeling of his lips imprinted on hers. The smile on her face was huge, revealing her inner giddiness.
Gosh, I hope he calls me, Lindsay thought to herself as the elevator pinged for her floor.
***
Samwell watched her disappear around the corner where he knew the elevator would pick her up. She had glanced back at him once, which gave him hope. He was pretty sure she liked him as much as he liked her. He turned to walk back to his car, which he’d left at the curb right in front of her building. A pair of young men were standing close, admiring the car.
“Hey, man, your car is amazing,” one of the young men said to him.
“Thanks, kid.” Samwell unlocked it with his fob and opened the door. “Want to look inside?”
“You don’t mind?” the other youth asked.
Samwell shook his head, and the young man stuck his head inside, oohing and aahing over the elegant interior. The two discussed horse power and amenities while the other watched him, his eyes narrowed. Samwell glanced at him. “Something wrong?”
The kid tilted his head, frowning. “You look so familiar. Did you go to school around here?”
Samwell laughed, a big hearty laugh. “Even if I had, I’m at least ten years older than you.”
The kid laughed as well, and the other stood and looked at him. The second kid snapped his fingers, his eyes widening as he recognized him. “Oh my God, you’re Samwell Graffton!”
“Oh wow! Yeah! I can’t believe I didn’t recognize you right away!” The kid fumbled for his phone. “Please, can we get a selfie with you? Our friends will never believe we met you if we don’t have a picture.”
“Pics or it didn’t happen?” Samwell laughed. “Sure.” He took the phone from the kid and held it out for a selfie with the two of them. He took three or four so they could choose.
“Do you care if we put it on Facebook and Instagram?”
“Doesn’t bother me,” Samwell replied with a shrug. He stepped over to his car, climbed in, and turned it on, revving the engine for good measure. He rolled the window down and said, “You fellas have a good night.”
“You too, sir!” They waved to him as he drove off.
Samwell’s chuckled as he watched them briefly in the rearview mirror. As quickly as he’d been distracted by the young men, Lindsay returned to his mind. He wished she’d asked him upstairs for a drink, but he also respected the fact that she hadn’t. That’s what enthralled him about her; other women, because of who he was and because he had money, would have asked upstairs for drinks and probably even a little more. But not Lindsay. Everything she did fascinated him.
He regretted not telling her about the fact that he was a pro baller. She was bound to find out soon, and if she found out from a source other than himself, she probably wouldn’t take it too well. He decided to send her a text and ask her to lunch the next day; the sooner he saw her, the less likely she was to find out another way.
***
When Lindsay stepped inside the apartment, Abbie scared her to death by speaking loudly. “What the heck are you doing home this early?”
Lindsay put her hand over her heart. “Geez! You scared the crap out of me, Abbie!”
“You shouldn’t be here for me to scare,” Abbie commented. She was lounging in a pair of yoga pants and an oversized shirt, reading a book.
“I didn’t expect you to be home either,” Lindsay pointed out as she dropped her purse on the counter and sat to remove her shoes. Her feet were killing her.
Abbie sniffed. “My date turned out to be a bit of a pervert. No thank you.” She leaned forward and pointed. “And I’ll tell you what. That’s the last blind date I go on.”
Lindsay laughed as she released her toes from their high-heeled prisons. She leaned back into the chair and stretched her feet and calves, grateful for the chair. “That’s the last time I wear heels on a date. We ended up on the boardwalk. My feet are killing me!”
“You should have whined until he carried you, bride-style, back to the car,” Abbie giggled.
“How romantic,” Lindsay said. In a high falsetto, she said, “Oh, Samwell, my feet hurt. Please carry me before my toes fall off due to lack of blood flow.”
“You are so dramatic,” Abbie said. She put the bookmark in her book and leaned forward. “So, I want details.”
“You know I don’t kiss and tell,” Lindsay said haughtily, her nose in the air slightly.
“So you did kiss him?” Abbie asked quickly.
Lindsay laughed and held up two fingers. “Twice!” She giggled like a teenager and clapped her hands together.
Abbie sat back, watching her. “Oh my gosh, you’re as giddy as a girl. You must really like him.”
“I so do! Abbie, he’s so perfect for me! He’s funny and smart and so good looking!” She sat forward in her eagerness, excited to tell her friend everything about the night. “And I think he likes me just as much as I like him!”
“What makes you think that?” Abbie asked, enjoying her friend’s happiness.
“When we kissed, my hand was on his chest. His heart was beating just as hard as mine!” Lindsay giggled. She sat back and sobered a little.
Abbie noticed and asked her, “What’s with the long face? You should be happy you found someone so perfect for you.”
“I am. But maybe he’s just a little too perfect, you know what I mean?” Lindsay chewed on her fingernail, her forehead furrowing.
“Oh good Lord, don’t ruin this! You have such a bad habit of taking something perfectly good and worrying until it sours.”
Lindsay nodded with resolve. “You’re so right. I don’t need to worry about him. He’s sincere and sweet and I like him so much.” She smiled. “You know what? I’m not even going to worry about the waitressing job at the club.”
Abbie waved her hand dismissively and rolled her eyes in irritation. “Why should you worry about that? Every girl there is looking for a sugar daddy, except you.”
“Well, I don’t know about every girl. But yeah,” Lindsay agreed, smiling. She rose from the chair and bent to pick up her shoes. “I’m going to b
ed. Tomorrow may be Sunday, but I have an afternoon game to go to at the club.”
“Sweet dreams about your lover boy,” Abbie called teasingly. Lindsay rolled her eyes and pretended to throw her shoes at her. Abbie ducked, then stuck her tongue out. A moment later, Lindsay’s phone pinged. “Lindsay, you have a text!”
Lindsay walked back into the living room in a t-shirt and sleeping shorts to grab her phone. She glanced at the screen. “Oh my gosh! It’s Samwell!”
“That’s a good sign!” Abbie enthused.
Lindsay smiled at her and returned to her room, where she opened the text to read it.
SAMWELL: Thank you again for going out with me tonight. I really had a great time.
LINDSAY: Thank you for taking me.
SAMWELL: If you aren’t too tired and would like to go, I’d love to take you to lunch.
LINDSAY: I would love to, but I have to work at the club tomorrow afternoon.
SAMWELL: I knew there was a game tomorrow. I won’t be there ;-)
LINDSAY: Haha! Thank you.
SAMWELL: I’m going to be pushy now. How about dinner Monday then?
LINDSAY: Too pushy! Slow down!
LINDSAY: Just kidding! I’d love to.
SAMWELL: Wow. Almost hurt my feelings again.
LINDSAY: Ugh. Don’t be so sensitive.
SAMWELL: Yes ma’am. Good night, beautiful.
LINDSAY: Good night, sir.
CHAPTER SIX
Lindsay lay in her bed for a while after waking, reveling in the comfort and the happiness. She reminded herself to be more cautious about him, not to throw her heart in so quickly, but she wanted to. She wanted to lose her heart to him. And though she should be terrified, she wasn’t, not in the least. Butterflies danced in her stomach and a smile played on her face. Miami was beginning to feel like the right choice for her now.