“I have to be back by three. Does that work?”
“It’s twelve thirty, so I’m pretty sure we’re good. We can have dessert too,” I said with a wink.
We would definitely be having dessert, just not the kind she thought. Well, we could have that too. My girl loved her sweets.
“What kind of dessert?”
When she interrupted my naughty train of thought, I dog-eared the sweet fantasies I was having. “That’s for me to know and you to find out.”
I drove to Chantilly, which was a big buffet located on the edge of campus. The normal meal plan didn’t include it, but athletes could go whenever they wanted. Of course.
“I’ve never been here. Or heard of it.” Cate got out of the truck, taking in the red brick building.
“It’s a perk of ours; we can come anytime. It’s good.” I stole her hand and walked toward the entrance.
We walked through the big glass revolving door and shrugged off our coats. I tossed them in a heap on a table by the window.
“Come on.” I took her hand and led her toward the line. “Cathy, I have a guest today,” I told the lunch lady.
“Hey, Blane, sounds good. We have omelets today.” She pointed toward the back.
The buffet wound its way around the perimeter, with a large crystal chandelier hanging in the center of the room above the beverage station.
“Wow,” Cate said. “This place is insane. How much is it? I should pay you back.”
“Like I said, we get to come anytime, as many times as we want. A fringe benefit of dating me.”
She punched my arm and said, “Fuck.”
“Not here, babe.” I winked and gave her hand a little tug.
She punched my arm a little harder.
“Hey, that’s my shooting arm.”
“Well, we wouldn’t want to hurt that. Then we couldn’t eat here.”
I handed her a plate. “Hush and go get some food.”
I wandered over to the omelet station first. “Y’all got shrimp today, Murray?”
“As a matter of fact, we do, Southern boy,” he called back.
I piled my plate high with creamed spinach—hey, I needed my strength—and fresh rolls while waiting for my double omelet.
“Thanks, Yankee,” I called to my friend in the chef’s hat.
If I were honest, I didn’t want to leave this place. I could have last year, but a small part of me was scared to go out in the real world. Hafton was good to me; pampered me, even. Would the real world be as nice?
Cate stepped up next to me carrying a tray with a big salad piled high with fried chicken strips and loads of french fries on the side. The girl destroyed any worries I might have had, always making me feel like everything would work out. She was strong in a way I wasn’t. Look at how she’d lost her major and was finding new purpose.
“Nice! You’re going to need that strength for dessert,” I told her and she smiled like a devil. I’m surprised she didn’t grow horns, her grin was such a naughty smirk.
“You mean I’m not going to get dessert here? Look at that cheesecake.”
She got my drift earlier? Good girl.
I patted her ass. “It’s a double-dessert kind of day. If you’re sweet enough.”
We sat next to the window, eating and chatting as if we’d been doing this forever.
“My mom gets here tomorrow around noon, and she’ll probably burst into the locker room and pester all the guys,” I admitted. “She’s a bit of a flirt; she ogles the whole team.”
Cate shifted in her seat. “I’m a little nervous to meet her. She sounds all sexy, like some seductress.”
“She’ll love you because you’re real people. She hates all the plastic ball babies.”
I nabbed one of Cate’s fries, dipped it in ketchup, and fed it to her. Her lips folded around the fry and, yes sir, my cock got immediately jealous.
“So, is that why you’re keeping me around? To ward your mom off the ball babies?”
I leaned over and kissed her nose. “I’m keeping you around because I like you, Cate.”
“Oh.” Her mouth made a small pout.
I ran my finger over her pursed lips. “I do. A lot.”
“Blane, I think—”
“Steele! Get your ass over here. They say you ate all the shrimp,” Alex called from across the room, interrupting Cate.
I flipped him off. He didn’t take the hint and walked over, turned a chair, and straddled it.
“Seriously, you dudes have the worst timing,” I said, eyeing him up.
Alex ignored me and addressed my lady. “How ya doing, Ms. Catie?”
“This place is awesome. Want a fry?”
Of course, the ass took it.
“You know what? We’re taking some cheesecake to go,” I said.
“Now?”
Cate looked at me with half-lidded eyes, and I didn’t care if it was the cheesecake or me putting that sexy look on her face. I wanted that face under me and turning around, looking at me when I was behind her. Now.
“Peace, White. Sorry about the shrimp. Try the ham.” I bumped his fist and grabbed Cate’s hand, dragging her out of the place.