IT’S A DATE
JOSH
I stepped into the pizza place, shaking off the slight chill of the evening air. It was casual, familiar, nothing fancy–exactly what I’d been aiming for. This wasn’t supposed to be a big deal.
But the second I spotted Vivien, I knew I was fucked.
She was already at the table, scrolling through her phone, completely oblivious to the fact that she’d just knocked the wind out of me.
Her glasses were gone. I’d never seen her without them before. Her usually wild curls were sleek and straight, framing her face in a way that made her eyes seem even bigger. And the dress- Jesus.
She wasn’t wrapped up in one of those oversized sweaters or long skirts that covered every inch of her. No. Now she was in a black dress, thin straps over her shoulders, hugging every curve, dipping way lower than I was prepared for.
I swallowed hard, felt my heart rate kick up a notch.
Vivien looked up then, catching me staring. A slow smile curved her lips, and she stood. And when she did, my brain short- circuited completely.
Because fuck, there was a lot of creamy skin on display. Long, toned legs. Smooth shoulders. The graceful slope of her collarbones. Who the hell knew this was what stayed hidden
IT’S A DATE
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beneath those horrible clothes the wore at school?
I had to get my shit together.
Fast.
I forced my legs to move, crossing the restaurant toward her. “Hey,” I said, my voice rougher than I intended.
“Hey,” she echoed, tilting her head slightly. Amusement flickered in her hazel eyes, like she knew exactly what kind of effect she was having on me.
I cleared my throat, dragging my gaze away before I got caught staring at all the places I shouldn’t. It’s just dinner. Not a big deal.
She sat back down, and I took the seat across from her, trying to focus on anything other than the way her dress skimmed over her thighs when she crossed her legs.
“You look…” I trailed off, searching for a neutral, safe compliment that wouldn’t make me sound like a total idiot.
She lifted a brow. “Different?”
I exhaled sharply. “Yeah.”
Vivien laughed softly, and damn if it didn’t make something shift inside me. “It’s nice to get out of teacher mode every once in a while.”
I smirked. “I’ll say.”
She rolled her eyes but smiled as she picked up the menu. “So, what’s good here?”
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IT’S A DATE.
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I latched onto the change of subject like a lifeline, forcing my brain to reboot. “Everything. But if you don’t like greasy New York–style pizza, we might have a problem.”
“Oh, I love greasy pizza,” she said grinning.
Yeah. I’m really fucked.
The guy spotted me before I even had the chance to take my
seat.
“Holy shit, man. Josh Saunders?” His face lit up like a damn Christmas tree, his phone already out, ready to snap a picture. “Dude, that play you made two weeks ago–insane. The way you read that pass and intercepted? Pure instinct, man. You’re à beast.”
I forced a polite smile, already slipping into autopilot. “Appreciate it, man.”
He thrust a napkin and pen toward me, and I signed without hesitation. It wasn’t that I didn’t appreciate the fans–I did. But moments like this? When I was just trying to have a normal night? It was exhausting.
“Seriously, you’re a legend. Thanks, man.” He grinned wide before heading back to his table, showing off the autograph like a trophy.
I exhaled through my nose, shaking off the moment as I turned back to Vivien.
She was watching me.
I wasn’t sure why, but the intensity of her gaze made something
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IT’S A DATE
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twist in my chest.
“What?” I asked, raising a brow.
She tilted her head, gesturing vaguely with her hand. “Do you ever get used to that?”
I huffed a quiet laugh. “The attention?”
She nodded.
I shrugged. “It comes with the territory. But honestly? It’s refreshing to meet someone who doesn’t think they know me just because they’ve read a couple of clickbait headlines or sports articles.”
Her brows furrowed slightly, and she leaned forward, intrigued. “Wait–what do you mean, news articles?”
And that’s when it happened.
I noticed.
Or more accurately—I looked.
The way she leaned in, the neckline of her dress dipped just enough, exposing the soft curve of her breasts. The thin straps of her dress framed her skin perfectly, and my eyes fucking betrayed me, dropping before I could stop them.
I swallowed hard, yanking my gaze back up before she caught me staring.
Get it together.
Shifting in my seat, I fought to ignore the heat creeping down
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IT’S A DATE
my spine, the sudden tightness in my jeans that had no business being there.
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Vivien, completely unaware of the fucking battle I was having under the table, was still looking at me, waiting for an answer.
I cleared my throat. “Uh–just… the usual sports drama. Headlines acting like they know me, who I am, what I think. Gets old.”
She nodded slowly, studying me like she was piecing something together. “I get that.”
I exhaled, trying to force my pulse to slow the hell down.
It’s just dinner. Relax.
But with Vivien sitting across from me, looking like that, it sure as hell didn’t feel like just anything.
