The Love Affair: Ch.5

“Oh, Jose. That’s just a nice way of saying I’m boring.”
“Far from it. You have that quiet wisdom that comes from leading the kind of life you live—introverted but observant of the world around you. That’s exactly what I crave in a . . . friend. Is that what we are, Christine? Friends?”
“As long as we’ve known each other, I think we’re more than that. With all the things you’ve brought to my life, I’d say we are more like . . .” she looked over at Bryan who was wiping the potato chip grease on his jeans. “You bring everything to my life I’ve always wanted and you never fail to do it exactly when I need it most. Like, during all his games. I’m not a person who needs attention all the time like some of my friends, but sometimes I do need a little. And then you show up bringing me danger and adventure, love and romance, all the right things in all the right places. Jose, I wish I had married you.”
“WHAT?” Bryan gasped and a swallow of beer fell out of his mouth onto the front of his shirt. He turned to face them. “DID YOU SEE WHAT THAT BLIND REF DID? PENALTY, THAT’S WHAT HE DID. WHAT A STUPID IDIOT.” He raised his fist and slammed it down on the coffee table in front of him, causing the snack plates to rattle. “ARE YOU FREAKIN’ CRAZY? THAT WAS SO OBVIOUS EVEN I COULD SEE IT.”
Jose turned back to Christine, her eyes still on her husband. Jose nuzzled her neck and blew warm air on the spot behind her earlobe. Christine felt goose bumps deliciously pop out on her arms. He had regained her attention.
“Sweet Christine. I could never be a husband, you know that. What we have is wonderful just the way it is. The ultimate highlight of my existence is when your eyes look deep into mine and your hands grip me the way you’re gripping me now. I want to be in your head when we’re not together. I want you to think about me and yearn for me all the time.”
“Don’t worry about that. I walk around all the time thinking about you. Sometimes the hardest work I do is keeping my mind focused on what I’m supposed to be doing.”
“Now that’s what I want to hear. My darling, you are my entire world. I couldn’t exist without you,” Jose whispered into her ear. She reached up and moved a lock of his hair from one side of his face to the other.
“THAT’S IT, THAT’S IT, THAT’S IT,” Bryan yelled. “UNH. TAKE THAT BACK TO YOUR HOMETOWN, YOU STINKING –“
Jose’s cheeks were smooth and his lips were soft. She looked into his eyes where her reflection looked back at her from deep inside. What she saw took her breath away. She looked so youthful and beautiful. Her silver hairs sparkled like silver threads in a gown. Her eyes shown back at her through his eyes with warmth and eagerness. Her smile produced a line on each side of her mouth, not from age, but from happiness. And her skin warmed with excitement.
She read the words his eyes were telling her. Come a little closer, my darling. Her nose nearly touched his face. He quickly closed the space between them and planted a quick kiss on her lips.
“ATTA WAY! ATTA WAY! GET HIM GET HIM GET HIM GET HIM,” Bryan yelled. Jose and Christine backed away from each other slightly. “TOUCH DOWN,” Bryan screamed.
“Jose, you have a way of making me feel like a beautiful princess. Hold me tight and whisper sweet things to me.”
He leaned his mouth to her ear and whispered. She giggled and snuggled closer to him as if she wanted to climb inside right to his spine.
Being with Jose, she was able to forget Bryan’s neglect, the splatters of beer on the floor around him, and the cookie and chip crumbs thick as piles of sand. She could forget the glob of mustard that had landed on her new dress. She could forget the fact that the real competition was not between the jerseys chasing the ball on the television, but between those jerseys and her. And she could forget the fact that the jerseys would always win.