I have always been a basketball fanatic. I guess I got my love of the sport from my Dad who played in college. Growing up, our special time together was often at college and pro basketball games.
The NCAA March Tournament is my favorite time of the year. It’s complete madness! This year, my alma mater South Carolina will be playing in Greenville, and I intend to fly out for the game. I’m looking forward to a mini-vacation with this trip. Now that I’m successful in my business, going to the tournament is the one little indulgence I allow myself each year. Well, almost. There is one other small indulgence I make, and that’s with a male companion agency.
I don’t often do things for myself. But my climb up the corporate ladder has made relationships with men difficult (okay, non-existent). So with my higher salary, I treat myself every once in a while to some time with a Cowboy from Cowboys 4 Angels. So this year, I’m going to combine my two indulgences.
Lest you think by the name that these men are hillbillies, let me reassure you. These men are gorgeous, but more than just good looks, they’re also educated, well-traveled, and some even have their own businesses. When I first called, I spoke with the CEO himself, and that sold me!
In looking at the available men in proximity of South Carolina, I chose to have Dominic in Atlanta fly up to meet me.. He is athletic and handsome, and works as a model and comedian. Sounds like he can make this trip both exciting and fun!
I made the short flight to Greenville Friday afternoon. As I headed to my hotel, I wondered if I’ll even sleep tonight. I’m a little nervous about meeting Dominic tomorrow, after all, it’s been a while and I’ve never met him. At the same time, I’m excited about the encounter, too.
I get up in the morning and hit the gym. It’s part of my routine and one of the reasons why I don’t look my age. I grabbed a yogurt parfait for breakfast and then hit the shower to get myself ready. Dominic will be picking me up at noon so we can grab lunch and do a little sightseeing before the game.
As I finish putting the final touches on my makeup, I hear the knock on the door. My heart races, and I can hardly breathe. I will myself to walk to the door. When I open it, I’m met by a sight better than I could have ever imagined. Dominic is gorgeous! He greets me with a smile, eyes sparkling, and a peck n the cheek, and asks if I’m ready to go. I grab my things, he takes my hand, and we’re off.
We headed to the Greenville County Museum of Art. They are home to a nationally acclaimed collection of American art, including major holdings by two of the nation’s greatest artists, Andrew Wyeth and Jasper Johns. It was very interesting. By the time we finished looking at the exhibits, we were famished.
Time for lunch. We headed to Carolina Ale House, a sports themed restaurant. We start with Beer Battered Cheese Curds. Yum! As we ate, we talked about basketball, sports in general, and Dominic shared stories of his athletic background with me. Looking across at him, I couldn’t believe how easy the conversations was. It was as if we had known each other for years. I had the JV Sliders to eat, and Dominic had the Pub Burger. At one point in the conversation, Dominic tenderly reached over to run his finger across my lip. Apparently I had a splash of sauce there. That one touch sent a tingle straight down my spine. I think I must have blushed a little because he chuckled and gave me a wink. We finished our mean by sharing a CAH Mud Pie. I felt stuffed when we were done. Now it was time for some basketball madness.
Dominic knew he way around and had us at the arena in no time. As we settled into our seats, he put his arm around my shoulder. “Ready for some basketball?”
“Oh yes,” I replied as my face lit up.
The arena was packed! And the game was riveting! South Carolina and Duke went back and forth in the lead. The whole place was on its feet. As it came down to the wire, South Carolina hung onto their last lead to win the game! Before even realizing it, I was jumping up and down, cheering, and hugging Dominic. As the realization set in, I suddenly stopped jumping, and with my arms around his neck, I looked in Dominic’s eyes and blushed with embarrassment.
“Oh my gosh. I’m sorry. I got a little carried away,” I said.
He leaned down and whispered in my ear, “You can jump on me any time, pretty lady.” Looking down, I blushed a deep shade of red. We left the arena and headed back to the hotel. On the way we stopped at Jack n Diane’s for a light bite of late dinner over dueling pianos.
When we got back to the hotel, we stopped in the lounge for a drink. The day had been wonderful, and I didn’t want it to end. In the elevator heading upstairs, I leaned into Dominic with his steady arm around my waist. I could feel the heat between us. As I closed the door to the room and leaned back on it. Dominic leaned in, the rest of the world faded away, and the heat exploded into a fireball.