At the end of the work day, Kim went home to get ready for her date with Gerald. Since she knew they wouldn’t be going out somewhere special, she dressed in long white sweater dress and black, open-toe flats. She heard a car honk, and when she looked out her bedroom window, she saw Gerald in his Mercedes Benz ML450 Hybrid. She smiled at hoe y he looked in his car. She grabbed her bag and made her way outside to his car. She opened the door and hopped in. “You know a true gentleman would have opened my door for me,” Km said giving him a quick peck on the lips.

He laughed. “Do you want to try this again, or…?” He started he engine and began driving.

She smiled, and sat back leaning her head against the headrest. Gerald grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers and kissed the back of her hand. “You’re so corny,” she mentioned.

He just kissed her hand again, making a sound. “What’s wrong with corny?” Kim didn’t answer; she just sat back and smiled. “Is it going to be corny if I told you I was cooking dinner for two?”

Kim’s eyes lit up. “You cook? Wow, you just keep getting ier by the minute.”

“That’s the whole point.” Gerald chuckled. The rest of the drive was quiet. It wasn’t the type of quiet where they lost interest in the conversation; it was the pleasant type of quiet where they enjoyed each other’s company and conversation wasn’t needed. He pulled into his driveway and ran around the car to open her door for her. “How’s that? Is that gentleman like for you?” He took her hand and helped her out.

“It’s more than what I need.” He grabbed her hand and led her inside is house. But Kim got an idea of her own. She let go of his hand and jumped on his back.

“What the?” Gerald laughed, and held her. Kim laughed. “You wanna play like that, huh?” He bent a little forward and ran the length of the driveway, and into the house.

Kim laughed and yelled the same time, it felt like she was about to fall any second. He opened the door and let her down. “Wow,” she said when she looked around his house. “You had this built?” It was huge, with a skylight above them. The ceiling seemed like it went on forever. Gerald threw the keys in a bowl by the door and stood beside Kim who was still observing every inch of the house.

“Yup, it took a couple of months and I lived in an apartment just down the road.” He said. Gerald took her hand and led her to the living room, just a couple of feet away. “Make yourself comfortable and I’ll get dinner started.” He whispered in her ear.

Her whole body shivered with his breath on her skin; he still had that effect on her. She nodded, and he already was in the kitchen.

She turned around and saw Gerald put on an apron. “You still think I’m y?” He laughed. Kim laughed also, and walked to the island in the middle of the kitchen.

“You look y in anything you put on.” She answered.

“Did I tell you you look beautiful?” He asked, starting to take the food out of the refrigerator. Kim shook her head. “You do. You look absolutely beautiful.” He was holding a chef’s knife to begin chopping the vegetables.

Kim’s smile dropped. “Okay, well, I’ll believe once you lower the weapon.” She . Gerald laughed, and started chopping the carrots. She took a piece and put one in . “This is good.”

“Keep your dirty hands away from the food,” Gerald chuckled.

Kim laughed again, and hopped off the stool and walking back into the living room. She went to his CD collection. “MYMP, Christian Bautista, Erik Santos, Richard Poon, Sam Milby, Ne Yo, Flo Rida…” The list went on and on. “You have a crazy collection.”

“My mother was a musical person, always buying the new albums. Most of them are hers.” He mentioned.

Kim pressed play on his stereo and classical started. “I never would’ve taken you for a classical person.” She stared at him.

He just smiled at her and went back to cooking. Kim stood up and looked at the photos hung on the wall. They were all black and white; she could they were professionally done. There was a photo when his mother was pregnant with him, his mother was beautiful; another with Gerald as a baby smiling. They were all beautiful. She saw a picture of his sister holding a young Gerald on her back; he couldn’t be older than six years old at that time. “Is this the sister I’m going to meet?”

Gerald nodded. “Her name’s Jen. She’s great. She already loves you from what I told her.”

“That’s not fair. She knows all about me and I know nothing about her.” She went back to the kitchen. “So who am I dealing here? Is she going to grill me or something?”

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

Kim went to sit on his couch and the next thing she knew she heard Gerald’s whisper in her ear. “Wake up.” Kim opened her eyes, and saw Gerald’s face close to hers.

“I fell asleep. I’m so sorry, I didn’t even realize.” Kim said sitting up.

“Don’t worry, I know you’re tired. I wouldn’t have woken you up, but I thought you’d be hungry.” He gave her a light kiss on her cheek, and took her hand, pulling her up.

The two of them took a seat across from each other at the dining table, and the table was already prepared; candles lit, dishes set, and food was placed in the middle. “This smells delicious.” He put a piece of roast chicken on her plate, followed by steamed vegetables He poured her a glass of Pinot Noir and no Asian meal would be complete with rice. “Everything looks amazing.” She commented.

“Bon appeitie!” He sighed, and they both ate.

After dinner, Gerald brought out vanilla ice cream covered in hot chocolate drizzle. “Yum,” she said. “So tell me, what was young Gerald Anderson’s ultimate dream?”

He chuckled. “Young Gerald’s dream was to join the military.” Kim nodded, putting a spoonful of ice cream in . “My dad was in the military and so were my uncle and grandfather, so I guess I always thought it was in my DNA, and then I was introduced to basketball...”

“And then you had a new dream.” She finished his sentence.

He nodded. “But now I have a new dream.” He smiled at her.

Blood rushed to her cheeks as he took her hand in his. “I love you,” she said.

He just smiled at her, kissing her hand. They were finished eating dinner and Gerald took all the dishes and put them in the sink. Unlike most of the guys she went out with who would just throw the dishes in the dishwasher, he pulled up his sleeves and started washing the dishes by hand. “Washing the dishes by hand? Very impressive, Mr. Anderson.”

“I’m glad you like it. My mother always hated the new technologies. Though it helps, she always liked the natural way. Brings her back to a simpler time, I guess the same goes for me too.” He smiled.

Kim nodded. She walked behind him and stood on her toes, “You are very unique, unlike anyone I’ve met before.” She whispered.

“I would hope so.” He laughed, putting his hands in the soapy water. Kim wrapped her arms around his waist and began kissing his neck. “Okay, if I finished the dishes this would be much easier.”

She smiled, “Well then, I think you’re finished.”

“I think so, too.” He wiped his hands with the towel by the sink. He spun around and found her lips with his. Gerald pushed her body to the counter behind her, and picked her up so she was sitting on the counter. Kim wrapped her legs around his waist, and encircled his neck with her hands. His hands caressed her neck, and she found his buttons on his shirt, beginning to them. He then picked her up again and carried her to the couch, still kissing her. He was surprised with even himself because it was just a couple of months ago that he moved in and he’s been away for a month, and he was still capable of knowing where to go without looking.

He set her down, shrugging off his shirt, and crawled on top of her, enticing her senses with a passionate kiss. They lost themselves completely within each other, not knowing where he ended, or where she started; they were one. Kim fell asleep in his arms; the place she grew to love more than her own home.

Gerald woke up and got up, putting the fireplace on. He knew it was probably worthless since it was already hot, but he loved to hear the firewood crackle. Her eyes were still shut, but felt the light glow on her face. She opened her eyes and saw Gerald sitting by the fireplace. She smiled, the glow on his face made him look absolutely radiant. She took a blanket and wrapped around her body walked to Gerald, kissing his on his cheek. She sat down in front of him, settling herself in his arms, resting her head against his strong chest. She sighed, and he kissed her temple. “How’d you sleep?”

She looked at the clock behind the two of them and saw it was 3:15 in the morning. They must’ve been asleep for at least 4-5 hours. “Perfect, of course.”

Gerald leaned his back against his coffee table. It might’ve been uncomfortable at first, but he forgot all about it after awhile. Kim had that effect on him. “So, about this new dream of yours? What does it include?” Kim asked him, remembering their dinner conversation.

He took a moment to think everything through. “Well, I dream about coming home to a beautiful wife.” He kissed the top of her head.

“And what does this wife look like?” She asked, playing with his fingers.

Gerald chuckled. “She has long brown locks, and chocolate eyes, though she likes to wear contacts sometimes – purple seems to be her favourite.” Kim smiled. “She had a cute nose, and high cheekbones, which also seems to get higher whenever she smiles. Her lips are full and red, and taste exceptionally delicious. Her complexion is as smooth and perfect as silk. She has long slender legs which can go on forever.”

“It seems you have high expectations for this wife of yours.” Kim mentioned.

“Well, if you think so, just look in the mirror, and you’ll see her.” He whispered, nibbling on her ear.

Kim laughed, and closed her eyes, getting lost in this dream of his. “What else do you see?”

“Dinner already on the table.”

“Oh, is that right? A perfect little marriage where the wife does all the cooking and the husband comes home to everything being done for him?” Kim asked.

He laughed, ignoring her comment. “And little kids running around.” He continued.

“Kids? How many kids?”

“I don’t know. I like big families. Maybe three or four.” Kim stared up at him. “I always wanted twins, maybe two sons and two girls. I just really want the youngest one to be a girl. You know, daddy’s little girl.”

Kim nodded. “Kids to looks exactly like their father.”

But Gerald shook his head. “I want the kids to look like their mother. Beautiful eyes like yours, bubbly personality, a smile which can light up a room.”

“And you can teach them how to play basketball and other sports.” She joined in his fantasy.

“And they’ll have your smarts so I won’t have to worry about school.” He held her tighter, kissing her temple once again.

Kim sighed. “I like this dream.”

“I do, too.”

Gerald woke up the next morning to the smell of someone cooking for him in the kitchen. He opened his eyes and yawned, stretching. He realized he was sleeping on the floor, which explained the ache in his back, but when he sat up and saw what was waiting for him in the kitchen, it was all worth it. He put on his jeans and walked over to the stove where his girl was in one of his jerseys – only in his jersey – and was scrambling eggs. “So now you’re cooking for me?”

“Isn’t this part of your dream?” She felt his lips on her skin and giggled at his touch. Kim placed the egg on a plate and made her way to the chair.

“No, you’re part of my dream. Anything else is just an option.” He sat down, and took her onto his lap. “Good thing it’s Friday, or else you would’ve gotten in trouble for being late.” He kissed her shoulder.

Kim took a forkful and started blowing on it, placing it in front of Gerald’s mouth. He opened it wide, and ate it. “Mmmm,” he moaned. “Good eggs.”

She laughed and wiped his lips with her fingers. “What can I say; you’re not the only one who could cook.”

“Yeah, but at least we actually got to the main dish without getting rained on.” He , eating more and feeding her in the process.

“But you did enjoy that night, didn’t you?” She asked, leaning in for a kiss.

He gave her what she wanted, a little more than what she expected. “I….enjoyed…much…more…than you….would’ve imagined.” He said in between kisses. He put the fork down and stood up, hand on her waist.

“No, we can’t do it again. I have to get home.” Kim said, turning around and picking up her stuff off the floor.

“If you think you’re leaving, you better be joking.” He said walking towards her.

Kim laughed, putting a distance between them. “I have to go home. I have plans with my Erich today, and I already spent the night here, which was more than we planned.” Kim said walking behind the couch since Gerald was still following her with a hungry gaze.

“And you’re just going to leave me?” Gerald paused and gave a mischievous smirk.

Kim knew that look. “No, Ge. Stop.” She dropped her stuff and started running towards the hallway. Gerald laughed and ran after her. He heard Kim laugh. Kim ran into one of the rooms, but the she was picked up and thrown over Gerald’s shoulder. “Ge, put me down. Ge stop it!” He dumped her on the bed, and Kim was laughing hysterically as he put his hands on her sides, exactly where he knew would hurt her the most. “Ge!” She said breathlessly, laughing.

He loved it when she smiled and laughed, especially when he was the reason for it. He stopped and gave her a kiss on the lips. “I love your laugh.”

“I love laughing.” She sighed and shut her eyes. When she opened her eyes, he was staring at her. Just staring at her, no emotion in his eyes. Maybe there was, but she didn’t know. “What?” He didn’t answer. “What,” she laughed embarrassed. “You’re making me self-conscious.”

Gerald smiled. “Do you know how beautiful you are?”

Kim sat up, pushing his face away from on top of hers. “No, but you seem to tell me like every second.”

“Well you are, and whenever you need to hear it again, you know who to go to,” he said getting up and grabbing a t-shirt from his closet. “And you much more beautiful in my jersey.” He said, staring at her reflection in the mirror.

She got up and went behind him, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Why do you do this to me!?”

He chuckled. “What am I doing?”

Kim forced him to look around and enticed him in a searing kiss, raising his shirt so she could feel his body in her hands. She took time, though she needed to be somewhere, she didn’t care. She felt his hand on the small of her back and he nibbled on his lips. She raised his arms so she could take off the shirt he just put on, but he stopped her. “Sorry, I got be somewhere.”

She moved away when he tried to kiss her again. “What? I thought this was what you wanted.” She knew it was silly, but she felt rejected. “Isn’t this what guys always wanted? Girls throwing themselves at guys. I’m giving it to you.”

Gerald laughed. “Don’t feel bad.” He pulled the shirt back down, and walked to her after she walked out of the room. “I have a meeting.”

Kim chuckled. “Oh, so when I say I have plans with my best friend, you go ahead and play with my emotions, and finally when I was actually willing to blow her off, you say you got to go somewhere?” She took off his jersey, leaving her in her lingerie and pulled on her dress from the night before.

He ran to get the door, stopping her from leaving. “Kim, you can’t leave like this.” He was smiling.

“Why are you smiling? You don’t think I’ll leave?” She threatened, grabbing on the knob and trying to pull it open, but Gerald was too strong.

“I know you won’t leave. I’m the one who drove you here, and from the size of that purse, I know you have no cash on you for a taxi. Look babe, just calm down and I’ll drive you.” He smiled. “And maybe I’ll tell you who I’m have a lunch meeting with if you’re nice.”

She stared at him. “I am no one’s babe.” She said.

He chuckled. “You’re my babe,” putting a hand on her cheek. “So can we go? I don’t want Erich to think you blew her off.” He knew she let it go the moment she smiled, and saw all her walls break down, at least most of them anyway.

He opened the door for her, and helped her in. He got into the driver’s seat and started the engine. “So who is your lunch date with?” Kim asked, staring out her window.

Gerald smiled, took her hand in his and kissed the back of her palm. “It’s a lunch meeting, and it’s with a bunch of the players. The coach is celebrating out winning streak with a lunch, and then we have to start planning for our next game in two weeks.”

“Oh, well…good. You should concentrate on that while I go to the spa with Erich and my sister.” Kim said feeling stupid for jumping to the wrong conclusions. “Which I think I’m gonna be late for.”

“I’d be more than happy to explain why you were late.” His grin widened on the face. Kim laughed and pushed his face to the side. “Hoy, do you want me to crash?”

Kim leaned over and kissed the side of his face. “Sorry…Sorry…Sorry.”

“Okay, now I’m really going to crash.” He chuckled.

Kim got back to her seat, but put her head on his shoulders. The seats were close enough for it not to be uncomfortable. They sat in silence for the rest of the ride, Kim on his shoulder, and Gerald kissing the top her head occasionally. A couple minutes later, he pulled into the driveway and stopped the car.

She lifted her head and sighed. “Call me tonight?” She asked. He nodded and gave her a kiss. For someone reason Kim got a sudden feeling to throw her arms around him, and she did exactly that. She could feel his hands encircle her waist.

Gerald chuckled. “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing,” she said. “I just wanted to be in your arms again.” She let go of him. “Is that stupid?”

He smiled and kissed her softly on the lips. “No. And whenever you need to, just give me a call.” He chuckled. Kim smiled. “Okay, I think they’re already waiting for you.” He nudged upwards, and the two of them saw Erich and Kim’s sister in the window smiling.

Kim laughed, and gave him another quick kiss. “Bye.”

“I love you.” He finished.

She gave him another smile and blew him a kiss. “Love you.”

Kim walked into her apartment and saw her sister and best friend smiling at her. “Okay, let me just take a quick shower, and we can go.” She ignored their looks and walked straight into her room and got her stuff to take a shower.

The two women stood by the doorway which was halfway shut. “So, who was the guy in the car?” Her sister asked.

Kim shut the shower curtain and stuck her head out. “None of your business. Now, will you let me shower so we can make it to the spa in time?”

“You know Twinkle; you don’t know the first of it.” The shower turned off and Kim stayed still. “Gerald doesn’t happen to be just a regular Joe, or just a basketball player everyone loves.”

Twinkle gasped, “Oh, my gosh, you don’t mean Gerald Anderson from PBA?”

Kim stuck her head out, “Don’t you dare, ‘Rich!”

“Not only PBA, Twinkle. But your little sister is breaking the rules by dating this guy.” Kim gave her a threatening look. “He’s her client!”

“Kimmy!” Twinkle stared at her sister with a shocked look. “So much for being a person by the rules.”

Kim sighed, “It’s not like anyone is going to find out. And no one is going to find out because no one is saying anything.” She stared at Erich, “I can’t believe you told her.”

“Oh, come on, Kimmy. Who am I going to tell? I’m your sister.” Twinkle laughed. “Now hurry up, I want my full body massage.” Twinkle called out, laughing with Erich.

Kim was ready within twenty minutes. She was in boy-cut jeans and a simple t-shirt. She had no make-up on, but word big sunglasses to hide that fact. “Okay, let’s go.” She took her bag and led the way to her car.

They followed her in silence, though they had many questions to ask. She couldn’t take it anymore. “Ask.” Kim said.

“What?”

“I know you guys want to ask questions, might as well answer them now.” She said while driving.

Twinkle stared at Erich who nodded. “Okay, so this client of yours; how long has it been going on?”

“A month,” Erich and Kim said in unison. Kim glared at her through the rear view mirror, Erich shrugged.

“And how did it start?”

Before Kim could even begin, Erich was the one who answered. “All I remember was a phone call saying that she did something horrible. She was practically crying on the phone; she was stuttering, her voice was shaking. When she finally told me, she said she slept with Gerald!”

“After how long!?” Twinkle’s jaw dropped. She never knew her sister was capable of something like this. Kim was always the collected one, the one who always followed the rules no matter what. And now she was breaking them for a guy she hardly knew.

“What was it? The second day?” Erich asked, staring back at Kim.

Kim laughed, “I don’t know, it seems you know what happened.” They just stared at her. “Okay, when we first arrived to New York, I hated his guts. I mean obviously, I thought he was gorgeous, but he was such an . But then he was really nice.”

“Yeah, she fell when she was watching him sleep and he took care of her.”

“You were watching him?!” Twinkle started to laugh. “My sister is now a loser.”

Kim ignored the comments. “Yeah, well after, we spent the night and the next day getting to know each other and we had so much fun. And he impressed me at the press conference, and one thing led to another, and we did sleep together.”

“I think he impressed in more ways than one,” Twinkle . Kim shook her head. “So I guess that was the beginning of an epic love story.”

“Okay, that’s enough!” Kim laughed. “I am done discussing my love life with you guys.”

They laughed with her. “No, it’s okay. We’re just so happy that you’re happy.”

“Yeah, it’s been such a long time since we’ve seen you smile like this.” Erich said.

Kim drove into a parking space and they walked into the spa. Once they were finished, it was mid-afternoon and they were totally relaxed. They finished their full-body massage, facial, manicure and pedicure, and hair cut. “Oh, that felt so good.” Kim said. “I don’t remember being so relaxed.” She went back into the driver’s seat and put on her seatbelt.

“Yeah, and I think Gerald will love your new haircut,” Twinkle said. She pulled out of their parking spot and started driving back home.

“I think Gerald will love you just the same. You should’ve heard him in New York, he was the sweetest thing.” Erich said.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. You are all just jealous that I’m the one with the boyfriend and you guys are still lonely as hell,” Kim retorted.

Erich defended herself, “Hey, I have a boyfriend just as hot as he is.”

“True, but your boyfriend isn’t famous and not fantasized by every other woman in the country!” Twinkle responded.

“I’d really appreciate it if you guys stop talking about my boyfriend like a piece of meat when I’m right here.” Kim stopped at the red light.

“Okay, new subject: mom wants to have dinner as a family tomorrow night.” Twinkle informed.

“What makes you think I’m going to do what Mom wants to do?” Kim scoffed.

Erich piped in, “Maybe because I’m going too, and it’s really your Dad who wants you there. He called this morning, but you weren’t there, probably getting busy with your boyfriend!”

“Oh!” Kim turned her body to smack Erich. The three women laughed. It was truly a different time. Kim hasn’t smiled this much in all her life; she laughed and smiled more in the past two months than the 18 years she left without a mother. She turned her body around and the light turned green. She stepped onto the gas pedal and the car started to move. “When we get home, you guys are so--” Kim stared behind her.

“Kim!” Twinkle yelled grabbing hold of he steering wheel and spinning it to the left.

She gasped, stepping onto the brakes and stopping the car. A huge truck ran a red light and almost hit them. But when the car stopped, it was in the middle of the other lanes and got hit in the rear causing the car to jolt forward and the ladies to scream. The horn went off and all of a sudden people surrounded the car. It was a good thing they all wore their seatbelts. Within the next seconds, police sirens went off, and they were led out of the car carefully and guided to the three ambulances that were waiting for them.