I pulled up to the airport and watched as Lizzy's plane touched down on the tarmac. I was so excited to see her in the flesh that I was jumping up for joy in the inside. With our busy lives it was going to be nice to spend some time with her.

I parked the car, got out and started walking through the private waiting room to get to the gate. The plane had come to a complete stop and moments later the hatch opened with her walking out.

Her hair was blowing in the wind like a supermodel at a photo shoot. Reaching into her bag she pulled out her sunshades. She was wearing a red blouse that tied in the back with skinny jeans that showed all her assets. She looked my way and a huge smile crossed her face.

I walked towards her and once she hit the last step she ran to me. I grabbed her in my arms and spun her around.

"Lizzy Bear, I'm so glad you are here." She wrapped her arms around my neck tighter. I could smell her Victoria Secret Pear Glacé perfume all around me.

"How much do you really miss me?" she asked as I couldn't let her go.

"I miss you more than the sun misses the sky at night."

"Awe, but you can do better."

I smiled. "Let's see. Or should I say I miss you more than a crackhead misses crack."

"Now I feel the love," she said laughing giving me a kiss on the cheek.

"You looking good girl," I said rubbing my jaw. She twirled around poking out her hips and doing her runway walk.

"You know me. I got to compete with the chicas here in LA. Wearing scrubs all day and ponytails wasn't going to cut it."

"Well you clean up good. Let's go we have a ton of stops to make. Where is your suitcase?"

"At home. I do have my toothbrush, deodorant, clean undies, and hair brush. Oh and a hair clip."

"Seriously?"

"Like yeah. You owe me remember?"

"For what?"

"Think. The last domino game we played, I completely wiped you out. If I'm not mistaken you owe me a Prada bag, several outfits including shoes, a spa treatment and a wedding ring."

"That was like six months ago and I was drunk. I don't remember saying that."

She pulled out her phone as I stood there looking at her. Lizzy had always been a beautiful girl. From her long hair, to her soft caramel skin, even to her long legs she was hot. Not only was she down to earth she had a heart of gold.

"Here we go," she said playing a recording. She put the phone to my ear and I could hear myself saying I would do all these things of course with a slur. There was even me mentioning how much I loved her and wanted to marry her after the domino game, but in all honesty we were both wasted.

"I said it but it was under the influence."

"Direst my butt. This would hold up in a court of law. I even asked if it was okay to record this and you said yes."

"So you would do this to your boy?"

"If I don't what am I going to wear?"

"Do you really want me to answer that Lizzy?"

She looked at me through narrow eyes.

"You know I would still love you even buck naked. I could chain you up in my basement and treat you like a love slave."

"You nasty you know that," she said climbing on my back. I lifted her up giving her a piggyback ride until we made it to the car.

"You smell good Tiger. New cologne?"

"Yeah. It's called Temptation. It's supposed to make the women go crazy."

"Like this?" she said kissing me from behind my ear to the bottom of my neck which caused me to shiver.

"Stop Lizzy!"

"What's wrong? I was making you hot uh," she chuckled in my ear as I cleared my throat.

"Do you do that to Aries?" I asked.

"No, he's ticklish around his ears if you must know."

I sat her down at the car and opened her door.

"Sweet ride..." She took off her sunshades.

"Oh my God is this a Ferrari F430 Spider, six speed, V8 engine and goes from zero to hundred miles in eight point three seconds with a top speed of one hundred eighty-six miles per hour and cost like...over two-hundred thousand dollars?"

I grinned from ear to ear. "Actually two-hundred and fifty thousand. I had my initials sewn in the leather along with a Focal Arc Audio System that you are going to die for. I just bought it a few days ago. You my girl, I had to represent."

Her eyes lit up. Lizzy knew cars almost better than me. She appreciated them as if it was a diamond ring. She wasn't like other girls, she was down for whatever. We use to sit and read car magazines and she even liked going to NASCAR races.

"Boy, this is swwweeettt! I'm speechless. Candy apple red with black leather interior, its smoking."

"Glad you approve."

"Of course I would, it's a Ferrari. You know I love speed." She walked around giving the car the look over. "Pop it."

I pressed the key and the trunk rose up. I knew what she wanted to see.

"Wow, just as I imagined. Look at all that horsepower. You gotta let me drive it!"

"Nope!"

"Please? Pretty please with brown sugar on top," she said putting her hands together pleading batting her eyelashes.

"No."

"I'll do anything?" she said giving me the look.

"You sure about that?"

"What did you have in mind?"

I smiled and looked down at my feet.

"No way!"

"Aw come on Lizzy!"

"Hell to the freaking nawl! This is suppose to be a vacation! I look at grimy toes all freaking day long."

"Well I guess I will be driving." I held up the keys.

"Fine! I'll do it! Urgh!" She grabbed the keys and she started up the car. I had already programmed my address in the GPS system.

"I want you to wear a maid uniform with black pumps with fishnets, I even want you to wear the headpiece."

"You killing me."

"You will massage my feet with those talented hands followed by a pedicure. You will call me Monsieur Gipson, in that French accent you do so well."

"Whatever!"

I had to smile. When I had hurt my leg a few years ago she came over in a nurse uniform and nursed me back to health. I wasn't sick I just wanted her to wear the maid one. I could only imagine what she would look like in that, because the nurse one was on point.

She pulled out the drive and I held on to my seat. She ducked in between cars and got on the freeway.

"You need to slow down before we get pulled over or killed."

"You the superstar, it should have perks right? Where are my Ferrari driving gloves and shades? You have to have the accessories, you have to look the part."

"Actually, shit...just pull over. You are about to hit that car!"

"No! He's driving like a grandpa. Old fart needs to be at home chillin," she said speeding off driving too close to this other man's back bumper.

"Lizzy if you wreck my car, I am going to whoop you like you stole something better yet I'm going to kill you and throw your body in the Pacific Ocean."

"I like it rough," she said laughing and I gripped the armrest. "I'm a big girl and I can handle whatever that is dished out at me. I've driven a NASCAR race car remember? I'm hell on wheels."

"That was one time on your birthday. That doesn't make you a pro."

"One time was all I needed. Jimmie Johnson said I was a natural."

"Yeah that was after I gave him ten grand to let you drive it."

"It was worth every penny, Bruh Man."

"Well if I get a ticket, you're paying for it."

"I won't, you worry too much. You use to be fun."

"I am but when it comes to us getting killed, I take that serious."

"Fine I will slow down." She did and I felt a little better. We finally made it to my house. I pressed the gate code on the remote and it opened.

"Is this how all famous LA athletes live?"

"No, but you know I always wanted to live on the beach."

She pulled the car up in the circular drive. We got out and I opened the door to see her expression on her face. I had just gotten this place a few months ago and I wanted to get her reaction.

"The pictures don't do it justice. The perfect bachelor pad. The perfect black sofa, everything in it's place. A beautiful view of the ocean and clean."

"Totally different than your place."

"You're right about that. I'm a busy person."

"Yes Ms. I Like To Brush My Teeth In The Shower. Clothes falling out the closet, can't find your shoes because each one is in a different room. Or is it that there are gum wrappers everywhere."

"It's called multitasking. The clothes are clean I just don't have time to hang them up. There are shoe elves that come at night and hide my shoes and the gum wrappers...they just seem to appear. It could be worst, I could have cigarette ashes everywhere."

"I call it lazy. Hire a maid. When was the last time you dusted?"

"Is that the stuff that comes in the yellow can and you spray it and wipe the stuff off?"

"Yes."

"Oh my mom comes and does that every other week. She's scared to go in the closet as she claims she would never find her way out but for the most part she keeps the house pretty clean. I can't show Aries all my faults."

She plopped on the sofa and I took the seat next to her. "Although you are cray-cray and triffling, I still love you."

"I know you do," she said grinning. Her phone began to ring and she pulled it out her purse.

"I gotta take this." She walked off as I just sat there. She finally came back. "I'm ready."

We headed out in my SUV. I gave her the box of goodies I had been collecting over the week.

"This is for you," I said reaching her the black box with a huge red ribbon on top of it. She took it, opened it and her eyes widen with excitement.

"Astro lollipops, pixie sticks, Alexander the Grape, Big Bols, Sugar Daddies and candy cigarettes. How did you find all my favorite candies?"

"There's this warehouse in El Segundo that sells all this old fashion candy. One of my teammates found it and I told him you loved this stuff and thought I should check it out."

"Do you remember when we would play astronauts and use these lollipops for our spaceships? We were scared to eat them because then the game would be over."

"I do and it stuck to everything when we tried to save them."

"Well they were delicious. Where else could you get pineapple, passion fruit and cherry coated flavor wrapped up in sugar goodness?"

"Remember our moms use to hide them because we would get so hyper and work on their nerves," I said as we both laughed. We continued talking about our childhood. It was so easy talking to her that something inside couldn't help but get excited.

I had promised her a shopping spree so when I pulled up to Prada she had a big smile on her face.

"I'm going to Prada, oh yes oh yes, I'm at Prada, selfie time." She got out and took a picture in front of the store.

"You do know there's a Saks in New Orleans that carries this right?"

"Who has time to shop in that huge place. I'm helping to save lives you know."

"You fix bones Lizzy."

"That can be life threatening. People could end up cripple if I can't help them."

I rolled my eyes as we walked in the door. Hours later going from just about every store on Rodeo Drive, we walked out with three big bags, a garment bag, and several smaller ones. Not only did she manage to do damage but make friends with the salespeople.

"I think that should do it," she said waiting by the trunk as I put the items inside.

"I hope so, Ms. Just Deliver Them to My House."

"I knew you didn't have a lot of room in this Porsche SUV."

"Remind me to never give you my credit card. I would need another signing bonus to keep you clothed. Aries can have ya woman!"

She hit me on the shoulder as I opened her door. "You just mad I got a man."

"I'm not into men sweetheart, but what I am into is you," I said whispering that last part in her ear kissing her softly behind it. I felt her breath against my cheek as it went from normal to a slow erratic pace. I pulled back and her eyes stared into mine. She just stared for a moment and I leaned in looking at her lips before I kissed her.

Her lips were soft as I imagined. For a moment I forgot we were outside the store on the side of the street. She touched my cheek before pulling away.

"Oh my God you're Sean Gipson," I heard someone say behind us. I looked at a woman who was excited come running towards me.

"Can I get a picture with you? Oh my God I can't believe it's you! I love you and you're the best quarterback in the whole wide world. Here Molly take our picture," she said to her friend.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"Tamala but you can call me Tam."

"Thanks for the kind words Tam." Her friend took the picture and she pulled out her phone and we took a selfie.

"Thank you so much. You are so much handsomer in person. I can't wait for the home opener in the next couple of weeks. I'm a season ticket holder."

"Thanks for the support Tam." She was almost hopscotching and laughing with her friend as I got in the car.

"Are you hungry?" I asked trying to be a gracious host. "Sorry about that, it happens sometimes with fans." I looked over at Liz as she just looked straight ahead.

She didn't answer or make a comment as if her mind was somewhere else. She continued to stare through the windshield and finally turned to me.

"Aries and I are a couple. Not just bedroom buddies but he wants us to go to the next level."

I felt like I wanted to vomit. How did I let this happen? I quickly tried to get my thoughts together as they scrambled around in my head.

"Are you sure you want that?"

"I did five seconds ago."

"What changed?" Please say the kiss.

"You."

Was this the moment I had been waiting for?

"We've always been friends Sean. We have been through thick and thin with one another. I love you like nobody else and it's not fair to Aries that at this moment I'm here with you."

"Is it about the kiss?"

"It's about the after effects of the kiss. You're my best friend in the whole wide world. You know me better than anyone. It felt like I just cheated on him and you know I'm not a cheater." She put her face in her hands.

"Lizzy?"

"Why did you kiss me?" She looked back up at me.

I raised back. What I wanted to say is because I have always loved you and no matter how many times I've dated someone else, I realize they could never be you.

"I..." If I say the words I could be messing up our friendship.

"It was a knee jerk reaction. A moment."

She looked at me as if analyzing my thoughts. Did she know I was lying or did she not have a clue?

"Talk to me Lizzy."

"I keep thinking can I love Aries like I love you, besides in a sexual way? Can I actually love him for the person he is? You are like apart of me and at this very moment I don't feel that with him. It almost seems like I am torn between the two of you. It feels like nostalgia when I'm with you and all the great memories but then I want them with Aries too. It's just hard to explain."

"Do you love Aries? Do you really love him?"

"I want to but something just doesn't feel right."

"Maybe you two are rushing into things. Sex can get in the way of really knowing someone. Take it from me. Or maybe he may not be Mr. Right for you."

She turned and faced me. I felt her palm as it lightly touched my cheek. She stroked her thumb across it and I closed my eyes only to open them as she moved her hand. She took a deep breath and sat back in her seat.

"Let's go," she said looking out the window. I started up the car and headed back to my house.

The ride back was quiet. She was wrapped up in her own thoughts that I knew she was fighting something internally. I not only loved her as a friend but I wanted more. It wasn't about the sex it was so much deeper than that and I needed her to see that. The plans I had made for the rest of the day I would cancel. I needed a different approach.

I got off the freeway headed to Echo Park Lake. We could go pedal boat riding, feed the ducks and walk around where she could take her mind off of things. We pulled up to the park.

"Where are we?"

"Echo Lake Park," I said getting out the car. I walked over to her side and opened her door.

"Look I'm sorry for ruining your first day here. It was a moment. I didn't mean to confuse you. I love you Lizzy and nothing will change that. I want you to be happy so stop thinking so hard and let's have some fun. My best friend is here for only a few days and I want to enjoy every minute of it."

A smile crossed her face. I didn't regret the kiss but I didn't want to see her miserable. We strolled through the park eating hotdogs and icecream. A few people stared and we took pictures as they realized who I was. I did the strongman game by taking the hammer and slamming the puck hitting the bell. I won her a giant pink bunny.

"I think I'm going to name her Puddin. What do you think?"

"Perfect name."

We continued through the park pedal boat riding, and playing on the swings as if we were eight years old. By the time we left, we were both exhausted.

"Today was fun," she said holding my hand as we left the park.

"I figured we both needed to let loose. You were always the fun one, Lizzy."

"That's because you let me try anything and deep down if it went too far, you would stop me. I might have been the fun one but you were the responsible one. My mom knew I was in good hands when I was with you."

"Ah, I knew ya mama always loved me."

"She still does."

I smiled. Ms. Johnson was sweet as pie and I loved her to death. We finally made it back to the car. The sun had finally gone down and the stars were out brightly. She got in and we headed back to my place. It wasn't long before she held my hand and her head bobbled back and forth.

"Someone's sleepy I see."

"I am." She turned her body to face me and leaned the seat back. Her eyes looked heavy as she yawned. I watched the road and glanced back at her.

"Wake me when we get back to your place. This seat is so comfy."

"Soft as butter, uh?"

She giggled. I looked back at her and she had fallen asleep. I continued my drive glancing back at her every so often. I only wished she would realize I was the one for her.