Page 105 of Crush
“I know!” he said, smiling. “Brynn, will you be my girlfriend?”
My heart pounded in my throat. Shea, the twins, the Brawlers,everyoneseemed to be waiting for my answer.
“Of course I will …!” I panted.
The locker room exploded with a second round of celebration. Nick and Cam turned tous with giant, twinkling eyes.
“Brynn's yourgirlfriendnow?!” Cam gushed. “That's awesome!”
“Does that mean you'll still come by the house, Brynn?” Nick asked.
“Of course! I told you all along you'd still see me!”
Lance neared and ruffled Chloe's hair. “Awfully quiet there, Chloe. What do you think about all this?”
Fighting off a smile, Chloe let out a sigh. “I'd say it's about time.”
Lance, and all the other Brawlers, burst into laughter. “You and me both, sister.”
***
After I dropped the kids off at Cynthia's, I headed toPeasant,a restaurant where Shea said the team was gathering to celebrate. I'd never eaten atPeasant, but I'd read the restaurant's glowing reviews—in fact, I'd mentioned the place to Shea in passing once upon a time.
I thought it seemed like a strange place to take such a raucous party, since the restaurant was known for its warm ambiance and cozy atmosphere—but hey, whatever. I was excited to try it anyway.
I walked into the dimly-lit restaurant, candles romantically glowing at every table. There was a distinct lack of shouting from drunken, bawdy athletes. Had the Boston Brawlers already gotten themselves kicked out?
But no: I spotted Shea, waiting for me at a table, all by himself.
He stood as I neared, looking sharp in his suit and still wearing that unshakable smile.
“Shea …! Where's everyone else?”
Like a gentleman, he helped me into my chair. “They're not coming. They're going out to the bars.”
“But don't you want to celebrate with them?”
“I want to be with you, Brynn. Our first real date.”
***
After a dinner that was every bit as romantic as it was delicious, Shea and I walked a few blocks to a shop that he swore had excellent gelato.
“It's amazing that no one's spotted you yet,” I giggled to Shea as Brawlers fans, decked out in their black-and-yellow jerseys, pushed past us. In a city full of drunken revelers partying in the streets, the captain of the Boston Brawlerssomehowmanaged to go unnoticed.
“The captain's retired now,” he joked. “I think I've already been forgotten.”
I stayed glued to his side, licking my gelato as we walked back to his car. “Maybe. But you'll always bemycaptain.”
His Bentley came into view.
“What do you want to do now?” I asked as we neared his car.
He wrapped his giant hand around my waist, his fingers clenching at my sides. I loved it when he squeezed me like that.
“I want to get you home,” he whispered into my ear. “And get you out of this sexy little dress.”
“And then what?” I flirted.
