She laughed at his response. “You’re blaming that on me?”
“Well, it isn’t the players’ fault.”
“Blame me then. Can we just watch the game?” She turned the TV on and finally plopped onto the couch.
“I need you to at least lose the pants.” He stood above her.
“No.” She looked at him over her glasses. “The pants stay.”
“Please,” he said in a whiny voice.
“Can I at least put on another pair of pants, or do you need me just in my panties?” She folded her arms.
“Panties are preferable, but if youneeeedpants.” His mind went straight to her sitting in nothing but panties, and his mind lost the shirt too. And suddenly, he lost interest in the game. He would prefer to spend hours watching her naked.
Getting up, she said, “Ineeeeedpants.”
Walking toward her room, he pulled off his jersey and said, “Hey, put this on. The home team will work harder for you then.”
Tossing it to her, she almost caught it, but it slipped to the floor right at her feet. Picking it up with two fingers, she asked, “Have you washed this this year?”
“Of course, Nordskov. Right before the first game. It’s only lucky if it’s dirty.”
“You’re trusting me with your lucky shirt?” Her eyebrow went up in question.
“I trust you with everything.” He watched her walk into her bedroom to change.
While she was gone, he went back to his place and grabbed another jersey from his closet. He was glad he had more than one, so he could share with her. Slipping it on, he hurried back to her apartment before she came out.
He was back on the couch when she came out in black leggings and the jersey that was a few sizes too big. She held out her arms so he could see she was wearing it, as if he wouldn’t be able to see if she hadn’t done the motion.
“Wait, you have another one? Now we look like the bench. Which of us are they going to call up first?” She was smiling as she sat down next to him.
“A true fan has a backup for a friend.”
On the TV, the game had already started, and they had missed a few minutes, but he would rather see her in his shirt than watch any football game. Leaning back, he put his feet on the coffee table and watched the game for a while.
Amanda was beside him, but she wasn’t watching the game. She was texting someone. Or maybe someone’s. As her conversation continued, she turned and leaned against the side of the couch, not even pretending to watch the game. Every now and then, she chuckled at her phone.
Pulling the blanket off the back of the couch, he arranged it over the two of them. Then he took her feet that were almost touching his leg and put them on his lap. To his surprise, she didn’t protest, just snuggled deeper into the blanket as he held on to her feet—her little feet.
Mindlessly, he watched the football game and rubbed her feet. She didn’t protest, so he kept doing it. Soon, she put her phone down and looked over at the TV for a few minutes. The next time he looked at her, she was sound asleep.
He continued to hold her feet but had stopped rubbing them since he didn’t want to wake her. When he was sure she was in a deep sleep, he reached over and pulled her glasses off, and put them on the coffee table.
Usually, she fell asleep in an uncomfortable position, waking up now and again during the game to readjusted, but today she slept right through. In fact, she slept until the game was over. He had thought about waking her before he left, but if she was sleeping, then she needed the sleep. Slipping out from under her legs, he regretted leaving. He tucked the blanket more around her shoulders and kissed her forehead lightly so as not to wake her up.
Closing the door as he left, he smiled. He loved Sunday football with her. Even when she slept through almost all of it. Or maybe it was that he enjoyed spending time with her, and football was just an excuse.
CHAPTER5
Another Tuesday.She had made it to another Tuesday. Another week. Twenty-one now. The wait continued. She was now well into her second trimester, and she was tired all the time. Some days she would just go home from work, eat supper, and sleep until morning. On Sunday, she had slept from whatever time she fell asleep during the game until after eight. Hue had been long gone when she woke up.
Hue, one of her best friends, the guy she had known all her life. Or was it Hue, the star of all her X-rated dreams? Since she had been sleeping more, she had been dreaming more. Not that he hadn’t been the star of them before the second trimester started or even since she moved back. But they had turned hotter over the past few weeks. Hormones.
She hadn’t seen him since Sunday and didn’t really know what she would say when she did see him.Sorry, I fell asleep and didn’t wake up for hours?Seemed lame. Best not to say anything.
The bell above the door sounded, and her friend Ruth Kennedy walked in. Smiling at the woman she had known since forever, but had only become friends with recently, Amanda got up from her desk.