Page 34 of Kiss Me Tonight

I cut a sharp glance over my shoulder, only to see her fiddling with the strap of her tank. It’s exactly where I left it, hanging loosely down by her elbow and narrowly exposing more than just her cleavage. Shock kicks me square in the gut when I catch sight of the intense look on her face while she stares down at the fabric. Her expression is otherwise unreadable, but the slight tremble in her hands?

That tremble tells a whole other story, one I’m not privy to learning.

Because you shut her out like an asshole.

Because you have no idea how to interact with people once the helmet’s off and your jersey is strung up.

“What do you give a damn about?” The question is nothing more than a whisper, so low I need to strain my ears to hear every word.

I avert my gaze. Keep my emotions in check and do my best to remember that if this woman was married to Rick Clarke, then what she knows about me can fit in the same box as the rest of society’s impression of Dominic DaSilva:

Charming yet cynical. An unfeeling asshole.

But still the greatest tight end the NFL has ever seen.

If I were to die tomorrow, that’d be what’s written on my tombstone.

In my eulogy.

In the goddamn newspapers.

“Nothing,” I answer after a moment, already feeling the weight of Levi’s disappointment in me as I head for the door, “You were right. I don’t give a damn about anything.”

9

Celebrity Tea Presents:

Ex-NFL Player Dominic DaSilva—Fired from Sports 24/7, Recap of One-on-One Date with Savannah Rose, and More Juicy Details

Dear Reader, America’s favorite playboy contestant has been . . . FIRED. You read that right. According to the Sports 24/7 website (and some expert sleuthing skills from yours truly), Dominic DaSilva is out of a job.

Is his untimely departure from the network due to the scandal that went down on last night’s episode ofPut A Ring On It? Probably not, due to the time lapse between filming and the airing of the show, but let’s go over the details anyway, shall we?

Last night, millions of viewers tuned in to watch as DaSilva romanced Savannah Rose in—appropriate, I suppose, given our bachelorette’s name—Savannah, Georgia. We’re talking a swoony carriage ride along East Bay Street, a picnic for two at the famous Forsyth Park, and a candlelit dinner at the always-a-must Olde Pink House. Romance bloomed in the air, and DaSilva sealed the date with a kiss that even turned me on . . . and we all know my soul is colder than the Arctic in the dead of summer.

Meanwhile, mayhem broke out back at the bachelor compound.

Richard Thompson (age 35, an investment broker out of NYC) claimed that DaSilva wasnoton the show for “the right reasons.” (For whatever that’s worth coming from a man who showed up on the first night wearing a dinosaur onesie).

Not only did Thompson effectively throw DaSilva under the bus to his castmates while the latter was out on his date, he then went behind the producers’ backs to sneak out of the compound before heading to Savannah’s private apartments. In his words to America’s favorite sweetheart, I quote: “You made a big mistake giving DaSilva a ring tonight. He’s not here for you. He’s only here for himself and his own fame.”

What followed next are insane shenanigans involving flying fists, one man crying in a dinosaur onesie, and a visit from the show’s medical team. All of which was an absolute joy to witness.

My favorite quote from the night comes from fellow castmate Joshua Hardman: “If DaSilva isn’t here for the right reasons, then I’m the president of the United States.”

Thanks to footage leaked earlier this winter, we’re all well aware that DaSilva is one of the last two men standing on the show. We also know that Savannah Rose turned him down.

Is this troubled moment with Thompson the catalyst that began the end of DaSilva’s reign as top dog of the season? Does it somehow correlate to DaSilva’s abrupt termination on his long-time sports show?

As of right now, hearsay is all we have, but I’ll be back next week.

Another episode. More grown men crying about their broken hearts. And all the spilled tea you could ever need.

You’re welcome.

10

Aspen

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