Page 123 of For the Boys
After a weekend spent surrounded by people, the last thing Brent wanted to do was take Berkley to a restaurant. Instead, he went shopping, picking up the ingredients for chicken marsala, garlic roasted vegetables, salad, and chocolate mousse for dessert, plus a bottle of Duckhorn Cabernet, which Brent remembered Berkley had loved during their first date.
Earlier in the day, he’d called her and told her to dress comfortably, assuring her there would be no surprises and that they wouldn’t even be leaving his condo.
But when she walked into his kitchen in an oversized sweater and leggings, she was still a knockout. Her hair was piled on top of her head, and she walked in with her book bag slung over her shoulder, which she dropped onto the floor with a loud thunk.
She turned and caught him watching her. “What?” she asked. “You said dress comfortably! This is a studying outfit, thus as comfortable as it gets short of being naked. Which, I’m all for but at least let me eat first.”
Brent approached her and lifted her off her feet, setting her down on the island and stepping between her legs. Cupping her face in his hands, he kissed her, long and slow, sweeping his tongue into her mouth. She tasted minty, as if she’d been chewing gum before coming over, and he licked his lips as he pulled away.
“Hi,” he said.
She giggled, pushing her fingers through the hair at the back of his head in a way that drove him absolutely crazy, his dick twitching in response. “Hi. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
“Happy Valentine’s Day. Do you want your present now or later?”
Berkley’s eyes narrowed. “Present? You didn’t have to get me anything.”
“I wanted to.”
“Good, because I got you something too.”
“Definitely not necessary,” he told her, pressing a kiss to her cheek and stepping back before he stripped her out of her leggings and took her right there on the counter.
“Oh, I know. But I wanted to. So let’s exchange now.”
He smiled at her before making his way across the condo to grab the two boxes from his bedroom. When he came back to the kitchen, Berkley was seated on a barstool, a square package on the counter in front of her. Brent sat next to her and slid the two boxes toward her.
“You first,” he said. Brent hadn’t gotten fancy with the wrapping, choosing instead to buy nice boxes and place a bow on top of each.
Berkley opened the smaller present first, flipping the lid of the jewelry box open to reveal a rose gold necklace with a pendant shaped into the number twenty-two, a blue gem dangling on one side and a red one on the other.
“Your jersey number,” she breathed. “With little Warriors gems!”
“Do you like it?” When he’d ordered it from the jeweler, he was a little worried she would see it as him branding her, wanting her to wear his jersey number around her neck.
“I love it,” she told him as she lifted it out of the box. “Put it on me!”
She turned her back to him and swept the hair that had come loose from her bun out of the way. Brent strung it around and clasped it, pressing a kiss to the back of her neck when it was secure.
“Now the other one!” he urged her.
She reached for the larger box, gently lifting the lid.
Nestled inside was Brent’s blue Warriors jersey.
“And your jersey?” She pulled it out and hugged it to her chest.
“It’s not a replica. It’s my actual jersey. It’s the one I wore that night when we played Boston.”
“My first game after we started hanging out,” she said quietly.
He nodded. “I had it dry-cleaned, and it’s been sitting in that box ever since. I’ve just been waiting for the perfect chance to give it to you.”
“I love it so much. Thank you.” She leaned over to kiss him. “Your turn,” she said against his mouth.
Pulling back, he grabbed his gift and ripped into the wrapping paper. He opened the box underneath, revealing a black metal picture frame.
“It’s digital,” Berkley told him, reaching out to click a button on the side. The screen lit up, and a slideshow began, displaying pictures of the two of them throughout their relationship. “I figured you could take it with you on the road so you wouldn’t forget about me.”
