Page 10 of Deck His Balls

Caress settles into the chair beside the bed. “Okay, spill it, Tricia. You’re practically vibrating over there.”

My mouth goes dry as their expectant gazes focus on me. “Well, you’re not going to believe this, but…Joel and I sort of had a date this morning at my place.”

Twin gasps echo through the room. Jasmine’s eyes widen. “No way! What happened?”

The words tumble out in a rush. “We were talking, just hanging out like normal. But then things…shifted.” I press my thighs together, remembering the delicious friction of straddling his lap. “One minute we’re joking around, and the next…”

“You kissed!” Caress exclaims, bouncing in her seat. “Oh my God, I knew it!”

A fierce blush heats my face. “It was more than a kiss. It was…intense.” Breathless and needy, with my fingers tangled in his silky hair. The memory alone sends tingles down my spine.

Jasmine reaches over to squeeze my hand. “This is amazing, Trish! I’m so happy for you two.”

But a flicker of doubt gnaws at my happiness. “I don’t know… Now we have a proper dinner date set up for tonight. What if this ruins everything? Our friendship means the world to me.”

I swallow hard, unable to shake the nagging fear. “You guys know how I am with relationships. I -”

My chest tightens as the words leave my mouth. “What if taking it to…that level, messes everything up? I mean, look at my parents.”

The room falls silent, weighted by the unspoken memories. Jasmine’s face softens with sympathy while Caress leans forward, her brow furrowed.

“Your parents were high school sweethearts who grew apart over decades, Trish,” Caress says gently. “You and Joel have been building a deep, mature bond as adults. Your situation is totally different.”

“Yeah, and their split wasn’t just about losing the romance.” Jasmine’s voice is uncharacteristically stern. “The real damage came when the friendship deteriorated too. When they stopped listening to and respecting each other.”

She fixes me with an intent stare. “You are not your parents, Tricia. If anyone can navigate this, it’s you and Joel.”

I nibble my lip, mulling over her words. Jasmine’s right, Joel and I have only known each other for a little over a year, but in that time, we’ve had each other’s backs, no questions asked. Our friendship is the bedrock…but could it also support something deeper? More intimate?

Caress reaches over to pat my knee. “Look, we were kids when your parents split up. Maybe it felt like their whole relationship crumbled overnight. But Trish, we’re adults now.” A wry smile curves her lips. “Trust me, keeping that spark alive gets complicated sometimes, even when you adore your partner.”

She shakes her head. “Relationships take work to maintain the closeness – physically and emotionally. Your parents might’ve put too much pressure on their romantic bond to fulfill all their needs once you girls were out of the house.”

The wisdom in her words rings true. I study Caress, my eternally upbeat friend now mom and see a newfound maturity shining through. In my gut, I know she’s right, but am I brave enough to take their advice?

***

I smooth my red cocktail dress for the hundredth time, my reflection in the mirror betraying my nerves. My hands tremble slightly as I adjust a stray curl. Deep breaths, Tricia. You’ve faced tougher opponents on the court.

The doorbell chimes, sending my heart into overdrive. I open the door and my breath catches. Joel stands there in a perfectly tailored charcoal suit, looking like he stepped out of a magazine.

“Wow,” he says, his dark eyes roaming appreciatively. “You look stunning, Tricia.”

Heat rises to my cheeks. “You clean up pretty well yourself, Mitchell. But aren’t you cold?”

He grins, the dimple in his cheek making an appearance. “I have a light coat in the car and the heat on. Ready for our date, Miss Washington?”

“As I’ll ever be,” I quip, grabbing my clutch, and my coat.

As we walk to his car, Joel’s hand finds the small of my back. Even that light touch sends tingles through me.

“So,” I say, aiming for casual, “planning to wow me with your extensive knowledge of wine pairings tonight?”

Joel chuckles. “Only if you promise to dazzle me with stats from your last game.”

“Oh please, I save that kind of dirty talk for the second date,” I tease.

His laugh is rich and warm. As we reach his sleek black Audi, Joel opens my door with a flourish.

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