SAMMY
It was Saturday evening and the third time in a week that Mitch had cooked me dinner. It had surprised me when he texted me to come over. The Empires had played a mid day game, and I'd been in the bakery finishing up a cake order. I had assumed I'd be seeing him afterwards but figured we'd order in because it had been a busy day for both of us, but Mitch wanted to cook. I knew he enjoyed cooking, and I wasn't about to complain. That man really knew his way around a kitchen.
Another text had arrived as I was about to leave the bakery, telling me to bring a sleepover bag, since neither one of us had anywhere to be on Sunday.
A home cooked meal followed by a large, soft bed with my hot and wonderful man. Yeah, I could seriously get used to that.
There had been an extra pep in my step as I hurried home to shower and pack.
***
Mitch had a beautiful apartment. It was somewhat minimalistic, with no clutter or knickknacks, and very different from my electric one. Where his was organized and almost bare, mine was full of light, pictures, plants and pillows. The only rooms where his personality showed were the kitchen and his bedroom, which made sense since he spent most of his time there.
The one thing that had surprised me the first time I went to his apartment was the lack of pictures. Sure, he had some art on the wall, but no personal photos except for a small framed one in his bedroom, of him and Nash back in college. Nash had his arm wrapped around Mitchell's shoulder and they both grinned at the photographer. I'd asked him about it and he'd told me it was a gift from Nash's mom when he got drafted.
Liz was such a sweet woman. I wondered if she realized how much Mitch treasured that photo.
It would be easy to live in his apartment with him. I'd love to add my own touches to the place for sure. Especially some color to the walls in the living-room and hallway, and some throw pillows and blankets for his brown leather couch with the matching love seat. And plants. He needed some green plants. I could make him a small herb garden for his kitchen window.
As I glanced around the apartment, I could totally picture myself coming home there, to Mitch, after a long day at work, with the scent of whatever amazing dinner he was cooking coming down the hallway as soon as I opened the door. The thought made me smile.
We hadn't talked about moving in together yet and I knew it was too early, but that didn't stop me from imagining what it'd be like. And I liked the thought. A lot.
I found Mitch in the kitchen. He was cleaning up as he cooked and was in the process of loading the dishwasher while he had some kind of sauce simmering on the stove.
"Hey, you," he smiled and leaned over to kiss me on the lips.
"Hey yourself. Sorry about the game."
I had listened to it at work while I finished decorating the cake order. It wasn't the same as watching the game at the arena, or even on TV, but it was better than nothing. Unfortunately, the Empires had lost.
"Yeah, it sucked."
Mitch closed the dishwasher and straightened up to his full height. He was casually dressed in a pair of black joggers and a worn gray t-shirt with the Empires logo on it. His feet were bare and I couldn't help but tease him. "So barefoot in the kitchen, huh," I grinned, "just how I like it."
Mitch looked taken aback for a second before he scoffed. "How you like it?" He pulled his shirt up and patted himself on the tight abdomen, which displayed a tight six pack. "I think you got that a bit wrong, sweetheart. It's supposed to be you in the kitchen, barefoot and pregnant."
"Oh, yeah. You'd like that, huh?" I teased.
His light blue eyes darkened as they looked me over, slowly from top till toe.
"Yeah, I think I might."
It looked like he would too. A lot.
"Unfortunately, it would probably be some kind of cupcake for dinner if you left it up to me," I joked.
He chuckled, but shook his head.
While I really had little skill in the kitchen, except for baking, I could manage a few things. I was nowhere as good as Mitch, or Kennedy for that matter, but definitely better than Nash.
"That's okay. You can be here with me when I cook. You know I enjoy it."
"Yeah, and I'm very grateful for that."
I smiled because I enjoyed talking about our future. Our united future, even if it was hypothetical, and suddenly I wanted to know more about what Mitch thought.
"What else do you want?" I asked and stepped up to him, wrapping my arms around him from the back since he had turned back to the stove.
"All of it," he responded simply.
All of it. It sounded so simple.
My heart rate picked up as I inhaled his familiar cologne. Clean and fresh with some earthy undertones. He was warm and his muscles flexed as he stirred the sauce on the stove. I allowed my hands to wander. Down his broad chest, over the tight six pack he'd just flashed me, and down to the sinful v that dipped into his pants.
"Sam," he groaned, "what are you doing?"
I wasn't really doing anything yet. It had been innocent touch till that point, although I had plenty of ideas, and not very pure either.
"Maybe I like the idea of all that too..."
"You do?" he asked and swung around in my arms so that he was facing me. The sauce long forgotten.
"I do. I enjoy coming home to you and one day I want with you what Ken and Nash have."
Mitch responded by pulling me hard against his body, but not before I noticed the sudden moisture that filled his eyes. My beautiful, sensitive man.
"I love you, Mitch."
"Oh, Sammy." He sighed. "I love you too, sweetheart."
The kiss that followed was not for the faint of heart. We didn't stop until the buzzer sounded, signaling our dinner was ready, at which point my hair was a mess and Mitchell had a very prominent bulge in his pants.
I took a second to collect myself and pulled my hair up into a ponytail while Mitch pulled a roasted chicken and red potatoes out of the oven. There was a toss salad on the counter, and some kind of brown sauce on the stove. After helping ourselves to the food, we sat across from each other at his kitchen table. Mitchell's cooking was - like usual - amazing.
"I talked to Kennedy earlier," I said and put my fork down and focused my eyes on Mitchell's light blue ones. "She said her parents found an apartment already."
"That was soon."
"I know. They are putting an offer on it."
We all knew from experience how fast things moved on the market around here, so it was definitely a good idea. I'd just been surprised at how committed they were. They seemed so sure that it was the right move for them.
"What about Liz and Howard? Did they find one too?" Mitch asked and stabbed one of the small potatoes with his fork.
I shook my head and reached for the glass of water. "No, but they have time. They still need to sell the townhouse upstate."
Mitch nodded as he continued to chew. "Where is it?" he asked after he swallowed.
"Upper West Side, around 80th street I think."
"Not too far from Nash then."
"No. Kennedy said it's a family friendly neighborhood. There is a small playground nearby and close to Central Park."
"Sounds nice."
"Yeah, I think so."
"Is that where you would like to be? When we have a family?"
Maybe the question shouldn't have surprised me, but it did. The fork fell out of my hand and clung to the plate. Mitch raised a blond eyebrow, and I gulped in air and tried to slow my raising heart.
Having a family with Mitchell would be a dream come true for the future, but the thing that made me go on emotion overload was the fact that he said 'when' and not 'if'. I took a slow drink of my water and cleared my throat.
"I don't know. I'm not sure it matters where we live as long as I'm with you," I answered honestly. "This place is nice..."
A slow smile spread over his handsome face, and he reached a hand out for one of mine. I took his, eagerly, and held on.
"You'd move in with me?" He asked, and I didn't miss the excited tone.
I nodded and watched the way his smile lit up his eyes. He was truly beautiful. Inside and out.
"When is your lease up?"
My breath caught in my throat, so I had to force the words out. "I need to sign again next month."
"Can you go month to month?" he asked as the grip around my hand tightened.
"I'm not sure. I can ask."
Suddenly it felt a hell of a lot more like planning that it had just a few minutes ago. And in all honesty, I loved it, although it scared the shit out of me, too. I didn't have any experience with healthy relationships. My mom had gone through men like they were a disposable commodity, and Mitchell's childhood - although he hadn't shared too much - hadn't been much better.
My good role models were Nash and Kennedy and their parents.
I wanted my relationship with Mitchell to work out. Like I'd told him earlier, I wanted what Nash and Ken had. All of it, including a kid. Or kids.
Holy crap.
I drew in a deep breath. I'd never really let myself think I wanted to be a mom. But I did, and I could totally picture myself hand in hand with a little blond boy with Mitchell's bright blue eyes, or a little blonde girl with pigtails.
I wasn't ready for it quite yet, but definitely in the future. And near future...
"Sunshine?" Mitch asked hesitantly.
I nodded because there were too many emotions swirling around inside me to answer out loud.
"I don't want to scare you, Sammy. Our relationship is new and I'm sorry if I'm rushing. I can back off."
"No," I croaked, my voice thick. "That's not it." I shook my head to make sure he understood what I couldn't say.
"You want all of it too?" he asked, hesitantly.
I nodded.
Mitchell got to his feet and pulled me up from my chair, crushing his lips to mine. It was an unusual move for him and it took me by surprise, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't like it, or that I didn't need just that in that moment.
"Mitch," I sighed when he took my hand and pulled me towards the bedroom, leaving the kitchen as it was, which was also totally out of character for him.
"It'll still be there later. I have more important things to do now."
I liked the sound of that.
