I chuckle and squeeze it in my hands. The fur is light brown and incredibly soft, far higher in quality than I would have expected at a place like this. It might just make a decent pillow or cuddle companion. “Thank you,” I tell him.
Frank nods and excuses himself to go help another customer nearby.
“Do you like it?” Junior asks me.
I shrug and hug it against my chest. “It’s not bad… but I bet every girl you bring here leaves with a teddy bear.”
“Them? Hell no.” He points into the glass counter at the cheap prizes. “They get pencil erasers and friendship bracelets.”
“Oof!” I chuckle. “Harsh. Something tells me second dates aren’t that common for the great Junior Morgan.”
“How’d you guess?” he jokes. “Actually, first dates aren’t that common either.”
“Why not?”
He shrugs. “Most girls aren’t worth the trouble.”
I recognize the obvious line but I play into it anyway. “What makes you think I’m worth it?”
His eyes go softer as he leans closer, licking his lips and gazing down at me. “I just know.”
I hold back the scoff.
Junior squeezes the ear on the teddy bear with playful fingers. “Wanna get out of here?”
A shiver rolls down my spine and I hesitate as it reaches my core.
Yes. Emphatically, yes, I do want to get out of here but I don’t want to tell him that. I don’t want to tell him that rolling a damn ball down a lane towards plastic holes was the most fun I’ve had in forever or that just looking into his eyes makes me want to bend over for him.
He’s a player and he’s not just playing football. Everything he’s done tonight has been designed for one thing and one thing only.
I can’t exactly let him get away with it, can I?
“Sure,” I say, smiling softly.