He gestured for me to pull up in front of the garage door. I obeyed, swiped my damp palms on my thighs one last time, and jumped out of my SUV.
“Hi! You made good ti—oomph!”
I pulled him against me and held on tight. I wasn’t in a hurry to move, but when he stepped backward and reached for my hand, I followed him along the unlit pathway to the stairs leading to his studio above the garage.
“You okay?” he asked when we stepped inside.
“I’m fine. Just…happy to be here.”
Mitch considered me for a moment, then filled a glass with water and set it on the island. He grabbed a blue sports drink from his mini refrigerator and held it up. “I have blue or orange. Which one?”
“Neither. Water is good.”
“You should replenish your electrolytes after a game,” he scolded lightly.
“Thanks, Doc, but I’ve had plenty of that stuff today. Besides, everyone knows red is the best.”
“Diva.”
That made me laugh. “Dude. I am no one’s idea of a diva. Look at me.”
I spread my arms wide and tried to keep a straight face when Mitch waltzed toward me, tapping his fingers against his chin thoughtfully as he fixed me with a thorough once-over.
“Hmm. Basic denim, scuffed Nikes, and a blue and white button-down with a lipstick stain on your collar. You’re right. Not diva material at all. You look like a regular guy on the prowl on a Saturday night. Which makes me wonder…what are you doing here with me?”
“I’m here to prowl on you. And I don’t have lipstick…” I undid the top few buttons on my shirt and pulled at my collar to get a glimpse of any possible lipstick marks. “Where is it?”
“Right there.” He stepped into my space and pointed at the pink smudge on my shirt. “What’s her name?”
“Nicole. She’s after me. Help,” I pleaded pathetically.
Mitch snickered. “Poor guy. First Amanda, now Nicole.”
I huffed humorlessly. “They’re friends.”
“Yeah, I remember. Chelsea’s party,” he added when I gave him a curious look.
“Right. I can’t decide if it’s a small world or a weird one.”
“It’s not that weird. Orange and Long Beach aren’t far apart. I know a lot of people at your school too. The first guy I ever blew goes there.”
“Good to know,” I snarked.
“Besides, you’re a hot football player. An awfully popular one too, so it seems.”
“Hmph. I don’t know about that.” I studied a knife mark on the island’s butcher block surface before meeting his gaze. “I told her I was seeing someone.”
“You did?”
“Yeah. I mean…we are seeing each other, right?” I furrowed my brow as I sat back, noting his light-pink T-shirt and matching striped pajama bottoms. The color looked good on him. It complemented his golden hair and skin. Damn, he was pretty.
He regarded me thoughtfully and nodded. “Yes.”
I grinned. One of those mega grins that actually hurts your face after a few seconds. Then I reached for his hand and laced my fingers with his.
“Cool,” I said lamely.
Mitch huffed a laugh then let go of my hand and skirted the island. He gave me a bashful smile as he perched on the barstool next to me. “So I’m guessing the lipstick came before your declaration?”
“Exactly. I fought her off like a ninja warrior.” I supplied a couple of ninja-style moves complete with sound effects before adding, “And then I told her about you.”
“Me specifically?” It was a rhetorical question; he knew the answer.
“No,” I admitted.
“Oh.”
Suddenly, I felt small next to him. Ordinary. I’d kicked ass on the football field and contributed to an important win tonight and then told a girl who liked me I was “seeing someone” as though that was another high achievement. My earlier feeling of accomplishment faded fast. I wasn’t so strong or brave after all. Nothing like him.
“I should have,” I said.
“Hey, don’t beat yourself up. You’ll get there in your own time.”
I nodded absently. “I wish I was there now. I wish it was easy.”
“Nothing worthwhile is easy.”
“Trust me, my life is one hundred percent easier letting everyone think I’m just like them,” I scoffed.
“Evan, you’re the same guy who said sex is sex and love is love. It’s no one’s business who you sleep with, so why do you care what they think?”
“I don’t.” I took a deep breath and looked away for a moment. “I’ll get there, Mitch. Just give me some time.”
“There’s no pressure. I mean it. I’m okay with this for now. I like having you around. You’re silly and sweet and you make me laugh. This is good.”
I wanted to take exception with the “for now” disclaimer but I was sure I wouldn’t like what he had to say, so I switched gears. I rubbed the inside of his thigh and gave him a curious look.
“You know, technically we’re sleeping together minus the sleepover part. We should have one of those.”