do that?”
Carmen giggled. “I have no idea. But I love it when he does.”
Marley laughed. “So do millions of Viper fans.”
Natron stood up and started his trademark touchdown dance. Rolling his hips, he twirled his arm in the air as if throwing an imaginary lasso, then jerked it back. The movement was a cross between a disco dance and the crack of a whip. Carmen felt her face redden at the image in her mind of a naked Natron wielding a whip.
Natron ran toward the cheering fans and jumped into the stands. He handed a kid the ball as the fans embraced him. He was their hero, and anyone could see he loved every second of it.
Carmen frowned. He’d be fined for giving the ball away; it was against the rules. He was supposed to give the ball to the referee, but Natron didn’t care much for rules. He loved the spotlight and the brighter it shone, the happier he was. On the field, he strode along the sidelines, chest bumping and high-fiving his fellow players, basking in all the attention.
With the Vipers’ defense about to take the field, Carmen joined Kimberly on a trip to the ladies’ room. Last year, when Carmen still had questions about the Daddy/little girl dynamics between her and Natron, Kimberly had been especially helpful. Kimberly had been in a Daddy/little girl relationship for several years and she helped Carmen navigate some of the newness of it.
Kimberly and Carmen walked down a hallway to a large, well-appointed ladies’ room complete with a seating area plush with leather couches and a plethora of fresh floral arrangements.
After they took care of business, she and Kimberly reapplied their lipstick.
“How was the New York show?” Kimberly asked. “I can’t believe I haven’t seen you since then.”
“I know, it was great, thanks.” Carmen looked at her friend in the mirror and whispered, “I’ve gotten so many jobs from that, I’ve been so busy…”
Kimberly winked at her. “You are so talented, girl. I’m so happy for you and Natron. Your stars are really rising, and at the same time. That’s so rare for couples.”
Carmen agreed. “Dare I ask how the wedding planning is going?” Kimberly and her fiancé Charles had been engaged for almost two years and they’d had one setback after another, many of them caused by roadblocks put in place by his ex-wife.
Kimberly waved a hand in front of her face. “No, do not. You don’t want to know.”
The two girls walked out of the restroom and started back down the hallway to James’ box.
“At this point we’re thinking about going to Vegas one weekend and just doing it.”
“Really?” Carmen was surprised. It had been Kimberly’s dream all along to have an elaborate wedding with all of their friends and family there.
“I don’t know,” Kimberly sighed. “I hear you can get hitched in a gondola at the Venetian.”
Just as they were about to reach the door, Marley opened it from the inside and clutched Carmen’s forearm.
“What?” Carmen said, knowing instantly by the way Marley touched her that something was wrong.
Marley’s face was paler than usual against her black hair. “Come inside.”
Carmen felt the blood drain from her own face. What had happened? A terrorist attack? Kimberly’s fiancé Charles, a former ranger in the Army, was always worrying about things like that happening. “What is it?” Marley’s pitying look made her wonder if this was something more personal.
“It’s Natron,” Marley said, dragging her inside and helping her into a comfortable chair.
Carmen gazed up at the television monitors, unaware that her friends and well-meaning bystanders were gathering around her.
On the screen she saw Natron lying on the ground surrounded by coaches and trainers. It appeared he wasn’t able to get up. He tried to sit up, but his face morphed into a mask of agony.
Carmen’s stomach churned with nausea. She’d never seen Natron in pain, not like this, and he actively worked on increasing his
Carmen giggled. “I have no idea. But I love it when he does.”
Marley laughed. “So do millions of Viper fans.”
Natron stood up and started his trademark touchdown dance. Rolling his hips, he twirled his arm in the air as if throwing an imaginary lasso, then jerked it back. The movement was a cross between a disco dance and the crack of a whip. Carmen felt her face redden at the image in her mind of a naked Natron wielding a whip.
Natron ran toward the cheering fans and jumped into the stands. He handed a kid the ball as the fans embraced him. He was their hero, and anyone could see he loved every second of it.
Carmen frowned. He’d be fined for giving the ball away; it was against the rules. He was supposed to give the ball to the referee, but Natron didn’t care much for rules. He loved the spotlight and the brighter it shone, the happier he was. On the field, he strode along the sidelines, chest bumping and high-fiving his fellow players, basking in all the attention.
With the Vipers’ defense about to take the field, Carmen joined Kimberly on a trip to the ladies’ room. Last year, when Carmen still had questions about the Daddy/little girl dynamics between her and Natron, Kimberly had been especially helpful. Kimberly had been in a Daddy/little girl relationship for several years and she helped Carmen navigate some of the newness of it.
Kimberly and Carmen walked down a hallway to a large, well-appointed ladies’ room complete with a seating area plush with leather couches and a plethora of fresh floral arrangements.
After they took care of business, she and Kimberly reapplied their lipstick.
“How was the New York show?” Kimberly asked. “I can’t believe I haven’t seen you since then.”
“I know, it was great, thanks.” Carmen looked at her friend in the mirror and whispered, “I’ve gotten so many jobs from that, I’ve been so busy…”
Kimberly winked at her. “You are so talented, girl. I’m so happy for you and Natron. Your stars are really rising, and at the same time. That’s so rare for couples.”
Carmen agreed. “Dare I ask how the wedding planning is going?” Kimberly and her fiancé Charles had been engaged for almost two years and they’d had one setback after another, many of them caused by roadblocks put in place by his ex-wife.
Kimberly waved a hand in front of her face. “No, do not. You don’t want to know.”
The two girls walked out of the restroom and started back down the hallway to James’ box.
“At this point we’re thinking about going to Vegas one weekend and just doing it.”
“Really?” Carmen was surprised. It had been Kimberly’s dream all along to have an elaborate wedding with all of their friends and family there.
“I don’t know,” Kimberly sighed. “I hear you can get hitched in a gondola at the Venetian.”
Just as they were about to reach the door, Marley opened it from the inside and clutched Carmen’s forearm.
“What?” Carmen said, knowing instantly by the way Marley touched her that something was wrong.
Marley’s face was paler than usual against her black hair. “Come inside.”
Carmen felt the blood drain from her own face. What had happened? A terrorist attack? Kimberly’s fiancé Charles, a former ranger in the Army, was always worrying about things like that happening. “What is it?” Marley’s pitying look made her wonder if this was something more personal.
“It’s Natron,” Marley said, dragging her inside and helping her into a comfortable chair.
Carmen gazed up at the television monitors, unaware that her friends and well-meaning bystanders were gathering around her.
On the screen she saw Natron lying on the ground surrounded by coaches and trainers. It appeared he wasn’t able to get up. He tried to sit up, but his face morphed into a mask of agony.
Carmen’s stomach churned with nausea. She’d never seen Natron in pain, not like this, and he actively worked on increasing his
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