“I didn’t even realize we had made it up to the third floor,” I said with a chuckle. How had I completely spaced everything while talking to this man? Something was wrong with me.

  Trevor turned so he was facing me completely and grabbed my other hand so he was holding both. He smiled at me and I felt a wave of butterflies. His 6’0 frame towered over me and I was tempted to take a step back.

  “I’m really glad you won those tickets and we had the chance to meet. You’re an amazing, person Natalie,” Trevor said.

  “I…” I began to speak but then three men shouting came rushing towards us.

  “Go Spartans!”

  “Way to go Spartans!”

  “Boseman! Boseman! Boseman!”

  They chanted Trevor’s name, and I let go of his hands. For a split second, I saw a pained look sweep across Trevor’s face and then it was gone. He put on one of his fake smiles and looked at the fans that were screeching to a halt only a few feet away.

  I could smell the booze oozing off of them.

  “Hey fellas.” Trevor greeted them with a little wave. He moved to step between us and the drunk men.

  “What can I do for you?” he asked.

  “You’re the best man!” one guy shouted.

  “Yeah, the way you through that last pass to get us a touchdown,” another chimed in.

  “Can we get a picture? Nobody is going to believe that we ran into you at the parking garage,” the third asked.

  “Let’s move out of the way. These ladies were heading out and we don’t want to block them in.” Trevor motioned to the side and glanced up to flash me a smile.

  “Bye,” I said softly before I turned towards Susan’s car.

  I could feel Trevor watching me as the men fumbled around trying to find their cell phones. I didn’t look at him until Susan was packing up. My eyes met his as we drove away.

  Part of me didn’t want to leave without him.

  Chapter 3

  A week later

  Natalie

  Because I won the contest, I had taken several days off from work to enjoy my win. At least that is what I told everyone. I just wanted to grab a good book, curl up in my favorite nook by the window and read while the rain or snow fell. It was a perfect day to me and thankfully my supervisor had no problem giving me the time off.

  I think he was a little jealous I was going to the football game. Maybe he was hoping I would invite him to tag along.

  It was finally time to go back to work, and I was looking forward to it. I know many people grumble and groan when their vacation is over but not me.

  “Good morning,” I said when I walked into the back room. One of the helpers was loading fish into a bucket to take to the otters while another was cutting up some larger fish to give to the sea lions.

  “Morning, Natalie. You’re sounding chipper this morning,” Brent, one of the two helpers, said.

  “I’m happy to be at work,” I said honestly.

  “Nobody is that happy to be at work,” he teased.

  I walked over to where the bulletin board was and picked up a clipboard to flip through all the announcements.

  “Did I miss anything?” I asked. There were two memos about people throwing food into the tanks and another about a storm system moving in. It didn’t look like there was much there so I put it back.

  “Not really,” Brent said. The other tech left to go do their duties. I watched them for a moment before looking back at the older man.

  “That’s good.” I smiled and went to retrieve my boots so I could help feed the animals.

  “Well, except there was a man stopping by every day. He asked if you were working. I told him you weren’t and he would leave. He never asked when you were coming back. I thought it was a little odd,” Brent explained and I froze.

  “Do you know who it was?” I asked curiously.

  “I think he said his name was Travis. No, Tommy. That isn’t it. It definitely started with a T.”

  “Trevor?”

  Brent’s face lit up, and he nodded. He pointed a finger at me and chuckled. “That’s it. Trevor. He looked kind of familiar but I couldn’t place him. Some girls were giggling one day, but I figured they thought he was a good-looking character.”

  I bit my lower lip and wondered why Trevor was showing up at my work.

  “He’s been waiting up front when the doors open. He pays admission, comes in and asks if you’re working then leaves.” Brent lifted his eyebrows at me. I knew he wanted some answers, but I had none to give him.

  I looked at the clock. We had about fifteen minutes before the aquarium opened to the public. I wondered if Trevor was out there waiting.

  “Do you think you’d be okay feeding them today?” I asked Brent.

  He nodded and grabbed the buckets. I think he knew what I was going to do. Even though he was an older guy, a big teddy bear, he was a romantic deep down.

  “Thanks,” I grabbed my vest out of my cubby and slipped it on. After pushing through the door, I zipped it up and headed towards the front lobby.

  Everyone was busy vacuuming, dusting and making sure the place looked perfect for our guests. I made my way around all of them and got to the windows. At first, I didn't see anyone outside but then I took a step closer. That's when I saw him.

  He was standing near the wall, away from the others. He had the hood of his jacket pulled and it was obvious he was trying hard not to be noticed.

  It had been a week since I met him at the game but my heart told me it had been away for too long.

  Pushing through the door, I passed the others in line and went straight to Trevor.

  “I heard you’ve been looking for me.”

  His head lifted at the sound of my voice and a smile appeared on his face. It was a real smile this time and not one that he would give to fans.

  “Yeah. I realized I had no way to contact you. You said you worked here so I was hoping to catch you,” he explained.

  “I took some time off. I had to recover from that game,” I teased.

  Trevor laughed. “It’s good to see you again.”

  “You too.”

  We both stood there for a few minutes, just smiling at one another and enjoying the moment of finally seeing each other again.

  “They said you just go in and ask for me then leave. You never walked around or explored the aquarium?” I asked curiously.

  “I never have time.” He spoke a little sadly, and it made my heart hurt. “We’re in between games right now. It’s called a bye week so I’m having to practice some and then I have these sponsors that want me to do promo stuff. But I want to. I’d love to check out every part and learn about the animals you take care of.”

  “I understand. You need some time to see everything and enjoy it.” I nodded as I thought about it. I looked back at Trevor’s eyes and smiled. He had the prettiest blue eyes I had ever seen.

  “Are you coming in today?” I asked. I had to say something to push away the fact I was staring.

  “I uh…” he began to say.

  Trevor

  I really wanted to explore the aquarium, but I had a few meetings that I couldn’t postpone any longer. The look on Natalie’s face made me want to play hookie.

  “I can’t,” I finally confessed. I felt terrible about it.

  “That’s okay. Another time,” she replied. Thankfully, she didn’t seem upset by it or anything.

  “Hey… I was wondering…”

  The crowd made some noise as it moved and I realized they had opened the doors. Natalie would have to get back to work soon so I had to make this quick.

  “Would you be interested in coming over? For dinner, I mean.” I gave her a hopeful look, praying that she would say yes.

  Natalie nodded her head and then a smile spread across her face. “I would love to.”

  I let out a sigh of relief and then leaned over to kiss her cheek. “Great! Tonight at 6?”

  “That sounds perfect.”

  I nodded my head and watched the line continue to move. “I suppose I should let you get to work. But I’ll see you tonight?”

  “You should probably take my number so you can text me your address,” she pointed out with an amused chuckle.

  “You’re right! I spaced on that little detail. I was so excited about you coming over.” I laughed it off and then pulled out my phone.

  Natalie gave me her number, and I punched it in, making sure to get each number correct. I sent her a text message, so she had a way to contact me just in case.

  “My phone is with my stuff but when I get back there, I’ll send you a reply so you know I got it.”

  “Sounds perfect. Well… I hope you have a good day at work.” I didn’t want to leave her. I would have much rather followed her around, cleaning tanks and smelling like fish, over sitting in meetings all day.

  “You too.” Natalie took a step back, gave me a little wave and then headed for the doors. Once she was inside, she gave me another wave through the window. Then she disappeared.

  I sighed to myself, missing her already. I checked the time and realized I would be late if I didn’t get moving.

  I made it quickly back to my car and had just started the engine when I heard my phone beep. It was Natalie. She had sent me a picture of her holding up a small fish and the other hand giving me a thumbs up. I wanted to ask how she took the picture but it didn’t matter. The woman was adorable, and I made the photo my wallpaper.

  She could hate me later.

  Chapter 4

  Trevor

  My eyes kept going to the clock. The minutes were passing but not fast enough. The closer it got to 6pm, the more anxious I became. There was a small part of me that worried Natalie wouldn't show or that she wouldn’t like what I ordered for dinner. I should have cooked for her but mac and cheese wasn’t suitable for a woman like her.

  I wanted everything to be perfect. I wanted her to relax and enjoy herself while in my home. I went through every room of the house, making sure there wasn't a mess. I couldn’t have the perfect woman, the woman of my dreams, seeing my dirty jockstrap on the floor.

  Maybe she was into that kind of thing. I shook the thought from my head. It was gross and definitely not Natalie’s style. The woman had an elegance about her that nobody could put into words. She took my breath away whenever our eyes met and I knew in my heart that she was it. She was the one that would make Trevor Boseman settle down for good.

  The doorbell rang, and I looked at the clock once more. It must have been the food.

  I rushed to the door, opened it and let the delivery man bring everything in. He put it on my counter and then pulled out a few containers to make sure I knew what was what.

  When it was all said and done, I signed the receipt and gave him a hefty tip before he left to go finish making his deliveries.

  The food smelled fantastic. I ordered from the fancy Italian place down the street and hoped that chicken parmesan with homemade pasta would be romantic enough for Natalie. Even though I had eaten at plenty of fancy parties and restaurants, I didn’t know the first thing about any of it. I usually stuck with steak and veggies, thanks to the diet I was always on. This would throw things off a little but I’d make up for it in the gym.

  As time slipped by, I lit a few candles and dished up the food. I tried to make it look as nice as possible before I put them both in the oven to stay warm. The breadsticks looked fantastic, and I wanted to eat one while I waited. I resisted and put them in the oven with everything else.

  I was checking on the wine, making sure it was cold, when the sound of the doorbell filled the house. I looked at the clock. Six o’clock on the dot. It must have been Natalie.

  With a smile on my face, I tossed the rag I had had over my shoulder into the sink and went to the door.

  “Natalie, hey! I’m so glad you could make it. Did you have any trouble finding the place?” I asked as she came inside. I took her coat and hung it up in the nearby closet. The smell of her perfume hit me and I knew I was in love.

  Natalie

  “Hey,” I said as soon as I saw Trevor’s face. I stepped inside his place and stopped to take it in. It was beautiful and worthy of being inside a magazine. I should have expected it. He was one of the highest-paid athletes in the league. Thank you, Google!

  “It was easy to find and thanks for letting the security guard know I was coming. He was about to tell me to turn around but then he saw my name on the sheet. The car behind me wasn’t as lucky. This isn’t a neighborhood you can just cruise around and look at the houses,” I said with a chuckle.

  “Thankfully, no. I like the privacy,” he said. Trevor smiled at me and then led the way into the kitchen.

  “Can I offer you a glass of wine?”

  “Sure.” I looked around his large kitchen while he pulled out the chilled bottle. It took him a moment to remove the cork and pour us each a glass. I smiled at him when he handed me a glass. After thanking him, I swirled the liquid a second before taking a sip.

  “How was the rest of your day?” he questioned after taking a sip.

  “It was good. I ended up getting a bit wet because a few of the sea lions like to joke around. They splash me until I give them fish. I tried my best to get the fish smell off of me but I can still smell it.” I laughed and hoped that I really didn’t smell fishy.

  “I think you smell wonderful.” Trevor smiled at me and then took another sip. “Are you hungry? Dinner is ready.”

  I glanced around and noticed that the kitchen was spotless. I looked at him curiously and he laughed.

  “I’m not the best cook so I had food delivered. It’s in the oven, staying warm.” Trevor ran a hand through his dark brown hair, pushing it back and out of his face.

  “That’s okay,” I said with a smile. “And I could eat, if it’s ready.”

  He motioned with his hand towards the dining area just off of the kitchen. “Please have a seat. I set the table and it’ll only be a second for me to grab the dishes.”

  “Do you need any help?” I asked as I put my wineglass down.

  “Only if you want to grab the breadsticks.”

  “I can do that but I can’t promise not to steal one.” I flashed him a smile, and he laughed again.

  “I had the same problem, but I held off.”

  He opened the oven and brought the plates out. The smell of Italian food filtered out and made my stomach growl.

  “It smells delicious,” I commented, taking the bread from him when he pulled out the basket.

  We walked together to the dining table. Once everything was ready, we both took a seat and Trevor smiled at me. He lifted his glass, and I did the same.

  “To a wonderful meal that I didn’t cook and to even better company,” he joked.

  I laughed and let my glass lightly touch his before I took a sip. I put it down so I could pick up my fork. Everything smelled and looked good. I was ready to dig in.

  “This is really good,” I said after several minutes of silence between us. I wiped my mouth with my napkin and looked at Trevor. He seemed to enjoy his food just as much.

  “I haven’t had carbs in a long time.” He sounded so happy and it made me laugh. I grabbed a breadstick and took a bite.

  “I won't get you in trouble, will I?” I asked. I took another bite and then put the bread down on my plate.

  Trevor shook his head and wiped his mouth. “It’s not your fault. I’m the one who picked Italian and I can’t have Italian without pasta and bread. It just wouldn’t be right.”

  We both smiled at each other before we went back to our food. Everything was amazing. The food. The company. The wine.

  Maybe I was dreaming, and I'd wake up any second.

  Chapter 5

  Natalie

  Both plates were practically clean, and we looked like we had just feasted on Thanksgiving dinner. We both had satisfied grins, and it felt like we couldn’t stop looking at each other.

  “I ordered dessert but I don’t think I could eat another bite. What about you?” Trevor asked.

  I shook my head and put my hand on my stomach. He smiled back at me and then stood up. His hand reached out for mine and I wondered what he was up to. Taking his hand, I stood up and followed him to the living room.

  The space was massive. Large windows facing the city with a picture-perfect view. The dark night made the lights sparkle, and I held my breath. I couldn’t get over how beautiful it was.

  Trevor let go of my hand and I didn’t even notice. He disappeared for a second and then soft music played. I turned to look at him. He stood there smiling.

  “Dance with me.”

  It wasn’t a command. It was more of a request. One that I would be foolish to turn down. I went to Trevor and his hands found their places on my body. We danced to the soft melody and the incredible view of the skyline was our audience.

  The song ended, and another began. We kept dancing. This went on for several songs before I heard Trevor snicker quietly to himself.

  “What’s so funny?” I asked, pulling my head back just enough to look at his face.

  “They really did a number on you,” he whispered.

  “Who?”

  “The sea lions,” Trevor said with a smile. “You smell a little fishy but it’s like clean fish.”

  I don’t think my cheeks have ever turned red so fast in my life. I went to take a step back but Trevor kept his hold on me.

  “Don’t be embarrassed,” he said, pulling me back to his body. “I think it’s cute.”

  “Cute? Surely you've been tackled too many times to find my stink cute.”

  Trevor laughed. “It’s… I don’t know how to explain it.”

  I pouted.

  “Please don’t be like that,” he pleaded. “Let me get you some dessert and make you feel better.”

  I kept my lower lip out.

  “You don’t want to do that.” Trevor was giving me a warning.

  I wanted to know what he’d do if I didn’t stop.

 

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