Chapter 8

Lauren hadn't been so exhaustive in many years. The moment she collapsed on Rick's chest after another explosive orgasm, she nearly passed out. For the next half hour or so, all she could hear was the panting and breathing from herself and Rick.

"I think I can still walk," Rick said, weakly, while running his fingers on Lauren's still sweaty skin.

"I don't give a damn," Lauren said, also weakly. "I don't think I can."

"Hey," Rick said after his weak laugh.

"Huh?"

"Did you see what I said at the end of the interview with Michelle Tetra?"

"No, I didn't," Lauren said. "I was either talking with Vanessa on the phone or was watching Heber Green and Charlie Brown. What did you say?"

"Damn," Rick said. "I have to ask them for a tape."

"What did you say?"

"I said I love you."

"Did you?" Lauren said, smiling and adjusting her position so she could see his face. "And who was that 'you'?"

"You, of course," Rick said, quaking.

"Show me the tape," Lauren said, smiling. "I don't trust you." She lowered her face and began licking his chest.

"Okay."

"Hey."

"Huh?"

"I know Charlie Brown does not talk objectively," she said. "But do we really have a chance against the Sonics?"

"Very slim, honey," Rick said slowly. "It's a miracle for the Sonics this year. If you split the Sonics roster apart, they are just good players, not great players. Of course except Tim Fowl and Kevin Magnet. But putting them together, and under the leadership of Tim Fowl, they have become a super-team. It's very hard to beat them at the level they're playing now."

"Then how are you going to kick Tim Fowl's butt?"

"Well," Rick said. "We have to steal games from them. We have to try to make it a fast tempo game so they don't feel comfortable. We may have to let Tim score, but put pressure on the other guys and hope they will become silent. Make it a two man game. Tim may be better than me, but if I can drop a three when he puts up a two, then we may win the game. If we can steal enough games, we'll be the champion."

Lauren let out a sigh. "What do you want if you win the championship?" she said.

"You."

"You already have me."

"Every bit of you."

"You already have them, silly."

"A honeymoon?"

"Are you proposing?"

"Will you, if I am?"

"Nah," Lauren said. "I don't know. Damn, stop it. It tickles. Okay, okay, I'll think about it."

"Will you marry me?"

"I'll think about it," Lauren said. "Wait. Is that a real proposal?"

"Yeah. Will you marry me?"

"I'll think... Where is the ring?"

"Will you?"

"Show me the ring and I'll think about it."

"I can't."

"Can't what?"

"Can't show."

"Well, buy the ring and talk to me again. You're really a jerk, an insincere jerk."

"It's underneath the pillow. I can't reach it. You're on top of me."

"Oh my goodness," Lauren said, giggling. "You're a super-dirty jerk."

"Okay, one moment," Rick said. He struggled to reach underneath the pillow while holding Lauren in his other arm. He pulled out a diamond ring.

"Will you marry me?" Rick said, raising the ring in his hand.

"I'll think about it," Lauren said, smiling.

"Will you marry me?" Rick said again.

"Hmm," Lauren said, smiling. "I still don't know if you really love me. How can I risk myself?"

"I love you, Lauren. Will you marry me?"

"Say it again."

"I Love you, Lauren. Do you want to be my wife?"

"Put it on my finger."

"That means a yes, right?" Rick said, sliding the ring into her finger.

"I'll think about it," Lauren said, giggling, while studying the ring on her finger.

"Do you love me?"

"You know it, silly."

"Do you?"

"Okay," Lauren said, giggling. "I love you, and I'll marry you. Happy now?"

"Yeah," Rick said, with a wide smile on his face.

"How big is the diamond?"

"Three carat and eighty," Rick said. "It's from my earring."

"Why use that one?"

"You don't like it?"

"No, but why use that one?"

"It's like a memento," Rick said. "For some strange reason, that moment you commented about my earring, I mean, the picture in my mind, is like everlasting."

"Oh," Lauren said, smiling, and still studying her new toy. "So that's why you use it instead of buying me a new diamond?"

"I'll buy you a new one."

"I like this one," Lauren said, smiling. "You buy a new one for your earring."

"No more earring," Rick said. "There's another reason."

"Another reason?"

"Yeah. It's like," Rick said. "I think, it's is symbolic. I took it off my earring and put it on your ring. You know what I mean?"

"It means from now on all diamonds go to my rings?" Lauren said, giggling.

"Yeah, that too," Rick said, laughing. "And no more earring on me."

"What about me?"

"What about you?"

"My earrings," Lauren said, giggling. "Like, Edwardian earrings, Trellis earrings, Stephanie diamond earrings. You know?"

"Of course," Rick said, laughing.

"I've never been to Europe," Lauren said. "And I've not taken a vacation for like two years."

"Okay," Rick said, laughing again. "You book? Or I book?"

"I'll book," Lauren said. "I don't trust your taste. I do have some credit lines."

"Use your new credit card."

"My new credit card?"

"Yeah," Rick said. "The envelop in your drawer."

Lauren laughed. "You are a hopeless dirty ugly gay useless tricky jerk," she said. "What if I had said no?"

"Don't matter," Rick said. "You'll still use the new credit card, and one day you will say yes."

Lauren laughed again, and began drum-hitting him in the chest.

"Oh, my," Vanessa said on the phone. "You have?"

"Yeah," Lauren said, smiling while watching her ring.

"You're hopeless," Vanessa said. "And last time you said you wouldn't?"

"Well," Lauren said, giggling. "He's a jerk. He had everything planned and led me into the setup."

Vanessa laughed. "Congratulations," she said. "You're the silliest bitch I've ever seen."

"You are, too," Lauren said, laughing. "Well, it may take a year or two, but you're going to be my maid of honor, and I'll buy white condoms for him."

Vanessa sounded like she was choking as she laughed. "You're the worst bitch I've ever seen," she said. "Have you told your mom yet?"

"No," Lauren said, laughing. "I'm going to now. I'm a little scared."

"Well," Vanessa said. "I'll tell you what. Tell him to transfer his investment fund account to your name. Show it to your mom. Tell her you don't care if he runs away."

"You're a bitch of the bitch," Lauren said, laughing.

Vanessa was sniggering as the kids were participating in a sponsored shoot around on the floor at Madison Square Garden prior to the most crucial game of the year. The Knicks were down two-to-three in the final series. They had to win this home game or the Sonics would become the champion.

"What're you laughing at, Nessa?" Lauren said.

"Did you watch the sports show on TV last night?"

"No," Laurie said. "Charlie Brown?"

"Yeah," Vanessa said, giggling. "They painted a Rick Hart butt on a board for Charlie Brown to kiss."

"I thought he had taken it back," Lauren said, laughing. "He didn't?"

"He insisted he had," Jimmy said. "But the anchor showed him video segments of him staying firm on his projection that the Knicks would be swept, until we came back from two-nothing."

Lauren laughed. "So did he kiss the painted ass?" she said.

"No," Vanessa said, laughing. "In the end he banged his head against the board, and started saying they drew a totally wrong butt of Rick Hart, said it looked more like a Janet Jackson butt."

"It's in bikini?"

"No," Jimmy said, laughing. "In Knicks hook shorts."

"Well," Lauren said, laughing. "Charlie Brown is an ass. But it's fun watching him bullshitting and then the other guys having fun on him."

"Yeah," Vanessa said, still laughing. "Better than any soap. I wonder what will he say if we win the championship."