Swallowing the mouthful of sticky sweet goodness she chokes out, "You talk as if you've all ready got the rest of our lives planned out. As if we're getting married or something." Convinced Eric has lost his marbles at some point during the night. Maybe he'd fallen out of bed and bumped his head, scrambled his brains around a little.
"If I knew you wouldn't be scared shitless I'd take you down to the church around the corner and demand the preacher marry us right here and now," his response is so devoid of sarcasm that Brooke chokes on her bacon. Reaching for her glass of orange juice she forces the bite down with the tangy concoction.
Eric grins over the rim of his own glass, "Face it Brooke you're stuck with me. You need a place to stay and I want you here." Setting his glass down he reaches across the bar to grab my hand, "Stay here please. I'm not crazy Brooke. I promise I won't do anything you're not ready for. Just stay get to know me. All that other stuff we can figure out as we come to it."
Taking a shaky breath Brooke whispers, "I need a minute to think -alone."
Nodding Eric stands taking his plate to the sink. Backing towards the stairs he replies, "Take as long as you need I'm gonna get a shower and change before we head out." Turning around he jogs up the stairs and out of sight.
Brooke remains seated at the bar mulling over Eric's offer as she eats the rest of her breakfast. Rationally speaking the idea is crazy. You don't date a client. Further more in any relationship you don't skip the dating phase and move right in with each other.
However, Eric is right she does need a place to stay. If she stayed here she wouldn't have to move into another crappy apartment. Lots of people have roommates. It's the twenty first century her roommate didn't have to be a female.
Who was she kidding she couldn't just be Eric's roommate. To say she was attracted to him was an understatement. He made her blood sing and her heart soar. God she was in trouble.
All right if she was going to do this she needed to come up with some ground rules. The last thing she wanted to do was jump in feet first and get her heart broken.
By the time Eric came bounding back down the stairs Brooke had a plan all typed out. Literally.
Eric opens the door to his black 2017 Jeep Wrangler. Of course it has been lifted off the ground higher then her legs can reach so she has to pull herself up into it. Eric uses this as an opportune moment to cop a feel on her ass by giving her a boost up. Brooke is ninety-nine percent sure that's the reason he chose to drive his jeep instead of his car. Thank god she wore jeans today. "You know if you wanted to cop a feel you could of asked."
Eric smirks as he climbs into the driver seat, "Yeah but it was much more fun this way." Brooke shakes her head at the insufferable man. "Besides," he adds, "now I get to touch that tight little ass of yours every time you climb in. I might just add on some extra stops just so I can help you climb in a few more times," he tacks on a wink to the end.
Brooke is pretty sure she should just paint her face red seeing as she can't stop blushing every time Eric opens his mouth. The man has an effect on her that's for sure.
They ride the rest of the way to the mall in companionable silence listening to Sam Hunt blast thru the speakers.
Once there Eric pulls into a parking spot and hops out of the jeep sidling on over to her side. When he opens the door he has a grin a mile long plastered to his face. Reaching up he latches onto her waist lifting her up and out. Though once he's set her feet on the ground he doesn't let go. Pinning her between him and the open door of the jeep Eric fits his body into hers. "Have you had enough time to think about what I want," his voice has a sultry quality to it that sends a shiver down Brooke's spine.
Brooke finds herself having to concentrate real hard to be able to respond. Being wrapped in Eric's arms has turned her brain to mush. Again. After a minute or two she manages to get out, "Maybe we could get a coffee inside and sit down and talk. You know with you sitting on one side of the table and me on the other."
Cocking his head to the side Eric asks, "Why does being close like this," he skims his fingers down one side of her ribs, "bother you?"
Brooke fights the urge to melt into his touch. She needs to keep her wits about her. "Yes. I mean no. It's just -" exasperated with how much his touch affects her she huffs, "I can't put a coherent sentence together much less think when you're touching me."
Leaning in Eric nuzzles his nose against her cheek whispering in her ear, "You have that affect on me too darlin'." Pulling back he laces his fingers between hers and shuts the door. "Let's go get some coffee some coffee so you can tell me all about how much you want me," he teased her.
The little java café in the mall isn't too packed so they are able to get their coffees and snag a little table in a secluded corner. Leaning back in his chair Eric smiles, "So tell me what you think."
Brooke reaches into her purse and pulls out her tablet where the 'agreement' she's typed up is ready for his viewing pleasure. Sliding it across the table she motions to Eric for him to take it. Amused he asks, "What's this?"
"It's an agreement. Specifying the term and conditions centered around different aspects of our...relationship."
Eric's eyes lite up at hearing her say relationship sending a corresponding thrill down to Brooke's stomach. Motioning once again to the tablet she draws his attention back to it, "Please read it. If there's something you don't like or have a question about just ask."
Eric lets his gaze fall back to the tablet screen. While he reads over the agreement Brooke leans back contented to people watch and nurse her coffee. Before long she feels his eyes bearing down on her. Bracing herself for his rejection she's thrown off when his mouth curves upward, "Where do I sign?"
"You're ok with this," she motions to the agreement.
"I told you Brooke I want you. Honestly I don't need this. I'd never want to hurt or leave you for that matter, professionally or personally. But if a contract makes you feel better about us then I'll sign wherever you tell me to."
Breathing a sigh of relief Brooke reaches for the tablet pulling out the pen she signs her name. Eric then scratches his signature right beneath hers. And that folks is how Brooke Graves became agent and live in girlfriend of starting pitcher Eric Matthews