**(Edited)**
Brody's POV
"GEMMA!!" I yell at the top of my lungs trying to catch her.
"Brody?!" She asks stopping as she looks me up and down as I run over to her, for a girl so small she can walk quickly in heels. I move over off of the sidewalk close the the building entrance beside us as she looks at me. Those baby blues, those things fuck me over so bad.
"Gemma" I whisper back as I look at her and she smiles and I can't help but love that smile. This girl is going to be the death of Brody Theo Kingston.
"So much for formal introductions, I'm Gemma Ashton. Sorry about what happened back there. I just umm- it's kind of personal." She rasps out as I nod and look at her. I know what she's talking about, she's probably found out about him telling everyone. I still can't believe that he actually did that.
"Are you okay?" I ask as she nods and smiles. "I've never felt better. I've been so stuck to him and I finally told him how I feel. I broke up with him." She whispers as I grin at her.
"I'm proud, he's an asshole" I tell her as she smiles.
"What are you doing tonight?" I ask as she looks up. She looks right in my eyes as she talks, "Probably going to celebrate!"
She looks so happy now. I can't help but think he was weighing her down. I want to take her out, right here, right now, I want her.
"Do you go and get something to eat? Or maybe coffee?" I ask as she sighs.
"I just got out of a relationship Brody, I don't want to move into-" she responds as I cut her off, "Food?" I question as she smiles.
"You know what I mean" she mumbles as I grin at her. "Just go get something to eat with me, no strings attached. I just moved here yesterday and I have no idea about the city." I tell her as she sighs.
"What the hell? Why not?" She asks as I grin.
"Take me to your favorite pace" I demand as she nods. I pull her hip as we walk down the sidewalk and she grins, "Okay, there this place downtown and it's not far from here but they have the best chicken parmesan ever."
"Alright Gem" I tell her as she grins. I reach down and take her hip leading her with me as she keeps walking.
"So Brody where are you from?" She asks as I start, "Atlanta Georgia, I played for the Falcons since my whole family was on the coaching staff before I got the chance to come here and play." I tell her as she nods.
We pass a few people as we turn left and cross a street together. "What about you?"
"I was born and raised here by my mom, we actually own Gemma Cosmetics. Makeup's my passion, and I'd like to get into hair products eventually. I'm assuming football is yours?" She asks as I nod.
"Undoubtedly yes, I'm a quarterback and I love it. The pays not to bad either" I tell her as she nods.
"Here we are!" She exclaims as we make it to a small Italian restaurant. She walks with me as we get seated on the patio outside under the lights and close to the side of the street.
"I know the owners wife, she's friends with one of the assistants I hired a while back." She tells me as I nod and look around at the place. I order a water and she orders a fruity virgin drink as we sit.
I look at her face as she watches people walk by and I am just shocked at how beautiful she is. She's gorgeous, "Why are you staring?" She asks as I smile at her.
"You're beautiful" I tell her truthfully as she laughs.
"Thank you, so what was going on whenever I got to the bar? You looked like you wanted to kill Christian." She asks as I sigh. I guess she deserves to know since I'm taking her on a date. I don't care what she says this is our first date.
"He thinks I'm taking his position and that my dads the only reason I'm in the NFL." I tell her as she looks at me. I don't know why but he made me so angry, I just wanted to punch him until he couldn't move and that's not okay for me to feel that way.
"Why would he think that?" She asks as I respond, "I'm a Kingston" I tell her as she looks confused.
"I'm sorry but I genuinely don't know what your last name means. Are you famous or something? I feel like I've heard of that last name before. Maybe I'm just crazy." She mumbles as I stare at her face full as she tries to think.
"My aunt Tatum opened a boutique brand years ago that's now only online and worth millions. She actually has some makeup products my sister and cousins use. But my last name started with my great grandfather, he played in the NFL. Then my grandpa, his brother Noah, and his other brother Tucker played. Then my dad and my uncle Turner played in the NFL, so it's a family tradition. Even my brothers are playing now." I tell her as a light bulb goes off in her head and I see it.
"Bliss Boutique?" She asks as I nod.
"Yes, of course I know her! My line is carried on her website! She was famous because of that last name before she got married! I totally know her!" She tells me as I grin. I found the one person in New York who knows my family. I kind of like being here, I don't have the paparazzi outside of my house, people always asking for autographs, fan girls. It's just me and now Gemma, she's not going anywhere.
The waitress comes back over as Gemma order chicken and I trust her doing the same thing. It better be good for thirty dollars, I might have money but I don't like to spend it. I'd rather save it for my kids, and maybe my wife. So yeah, I actually do like spending money now, especially on Gemma.
"I love her she's the best. But I do have a question." I tell her as she nods.
"Where did the name Gemma come from? I've never heard of it before and I love it, it fits you." I tell her as she smiles.
"My mom" she tells me as she looks down at her hands. "My mom is the best mother ever. She started the line, she's been my biggest motivation and I love her. She said my sperm donor hated that name but she knew I was a gem so she named me Gemma. What about you I'm not going to lie every Brody I've met is kind of rude, and you aren't ." She tells me as I rub my finger across the napkin on the table top.
"My mom's the best too, her names Avery and she's the best, there's not another way to say it. She loves me to death along with my siblings and she made my lunch everyday until I moved out literally less than a week ago. She took me moving here hard, and I miss her as much as she misses me because I love my dad but my mom's always going to be special to me." I tell Gemma as she smiles.
"That's so sweet. I know a lot of men who won't talk to their moms and I hate that." She mumbles as I nod in agreement.
"My mom will most likely be here in a week she misses me so much." I tell Gemma as she smiles.
"So about Christian..." I start as she rolls her eyes and takes a sip of her drink. "We do not get along because I think he's a pussy but, I know about what he said and what happened." I tell her as she nods and rubs her arms under her jacket. Quickly realizing she's probably cold I strip off my jacket and hand it to her. I'm wearing a long sleeve shirt under it and it's not cold but the temperature is dropping a bit.
"Here" I tell her throwing it over her shoulders as she looks over at me. "Thank you" she whispers.
"If you know about it then what makes you so nice to me? I was so stupid and I hate what happened but I can't change it. I would if I could though, I regret it." She tells me as I reach across the table and grab one of her hands.
"Gemma look at me" I demand as softly as I can as I rub her hand and I see her blink away a few tears before they fall. I know she's hurt, but I'm going to do everything in my power to put a smile back in her face.
"He's a child. I saw you Gemma and knew you were to good for that ass. Don't compromise on what you want to make someone else happy. You're the full package and I'm not being nice to you because I think you're the most beautiful and amazing woman I've ever met, I'm nice to you because you're special. He didn't realize what he had. It's not my business what you did in the past but any man that makes you feel like less than what you are is a dick. Your body is special and giving that to someone is a big deal. I know it sounds bad coming from a quarterback getting looks every five seconds but I've only slept with two girls in my life, both of which I regret." I tell her as she looks down at our intertwined hand. She has to feel what I feel, I love the way her hands feel and I love the way she responds to my touch.
I didn't lie to her, I slept with one girl in high school and lost my virginity and then I slept with Katherine a few times. I didn't love either one of them and I want to be in love with the next girl that I get connected to. Sex isn't just sex, I know I'll be connected and invested in that girl and I hope that in a few months, a year, or however long she wants to wait that she shares that part of herself with me.
"Are you single?" She asks making me smile as I nod.
"You're either messing with my emotions and twisted in the head or you're the nicest man I've ever met." She whispers as I nod and smile.
"I'm not messing with you Gem, I think you're beautiful." I tell her as she takes her other hand and lays it on top of mine.
"Where have you been my twenty five years of life?" She asks me as I grin.
"I don't know, where have you been my twenty six years of life?" I question back.
"Trying to find the right man, and I don't know why but I feel like it's you." She whispers to herself as I rub her wrist and feel her chill bumps.
"I think you're going to be my wife" I tell her truthfully as she looks up and her face pales. Fuck Brody, way to mess it up. You finally met a girl worth attention and you fuck it up.
She shocks me as she stares for a few seconds and then she responds, "We'll see".
"Gemma will you officially count this as our first date in the most odd way possible?" I ask as she smiles.
"Yes I will, but I want flowers next time!" She demands as I smile and the server brings our food. I smile at her as she looks down excitedly and thanks that lady waiting on us. She actually talks to her instead of ushering her off like a few other people here have.
"Try it Brody, you'll love it!" She demands motioning to my food. I'm not usually a picky eater but I don't think I'll like whatever this is. The chicken is covered in white shit and mushrooms and all other kinds of stuff.
"What the hell is this?" I ask as I cut it open and see and see more white shit and mushrooms.
"The white stuff is the Parmesan sauce they make and the chicken is marinated in a mushroom gravy. I promise it's good, I hate mushrooms but I love this!" She demands as I cut a piece and eat it, it's bad, I don't like it at all. I just wouldn't want another one anytime soon, I prefer plain chicken breasts and egg whites.
"What do you think?" She asks while cutting a piece of her own.
"I love it Gem" I tell her lying as she smiles. "Good! I'm so glad you tried it!" She exclaims while slipping her hand away from mine and proceeding to eat.
I watch her as she eats and then I look down at my plate, "You hate it don't you. I'm so sorry." She tells me as she drops her fork and looks at my plate. Shit.
"No, it's good. Really I like it I just ate a whole pizza before going to the bar." I tell her as she sighs.
"Are you sure?" She asks as I nod.
"You don't want to take it with you?" She asks as I nod to cover it up. She doesn't know I'm throwing it away when I get to my apartment.
"I'll just take mine to go too and eat it later. I'm not eating in fron-" she goes to start as I grab her face in my hand.
"Gemma, you can eat in front of me. I don't care if you order the whole menu, I'll still pay the bill." I tell her as I rub her chin.
"Okay but I have my own money Brody" she whispers as I rub her soft chin and hold my hands together. She starts eating again as I take a few bites every now and then for it to look like I enjoy the food.
"You aren't going to pay as long as I take you on a date. Southern hospitality baby" I tell her as she looks over at me.
"You really are perfect" she whispers under her breath and thinks I doesn't hear it as I smile at her.
I rub the side of the napkin under my hand as we watch each other and she eats everything on her plate. I love a girl with an appetite and she's checked every box of what I want and need out a of a woman. She's my wife, she's going to marry me.