Raw Passion (MMA Sports Romance) (12 page)

"You're late," Julie said, with a smile.

Colin couldn't get the irony of going over to Julie's workplace only to find out that she'd been waiting in front of the gym the whole time.  Still, Colin was more than happy to see her. 

"If only I knew you were coming, I would have been here sooner," Colin remarked. 

"Don't you know?   You should never keep a woman waiting," Julie replied. 

"So, please accept my apology," Colin said. 

"Well, maybe just this once," Julie joked. 

"So, for a woman that doesn't like mixed martial arts, you seem to spend a fair amount of time around an MMA gym," Colin joked. 

"Maybe I'm not here to watch the fighting, but to see a particular fighter," Julie said. 

"This fighter must be a lucky guy to have you come and see him out of the blue," Colin replied. 

"Let's hope he feels that way.  I mean, he did leave me hanging yesterday in a really awkward position after a great conversation," Julie admitted. 

Colin stopped joking around at that point.  "Yeah, I'm sorry about that."

"You seem to be apologizing a lot today," Julie said. 

"And women say that men have trouble apologizing," Colin joked. 

"Here I was hoping you wouldn't do anything you'd have to apologize for in the first place," Julie said. 

"Point taken.  Anyway, it's really great to see you again.  Especially after how I blew things yesterday," Colin replied. 

"Does that mean you're going to do better today?" Julie asked. 

"We'll find out in a minute," Colin said. 

"This should be interesting," Julie replied. 

Julie had put Colin on the spot.  Suddenly the moment of truth was upon him.  But could Colin work up the courage to ask Julie out?   At that moment, Colin became tongue-tied again.  But he knew it was now or never.     

"I was wondering if I could take you out some time," Colin said.   

There, he did it.  But now that he asked, there was something new to worry about.  What would Julie's answer be?   Colin had no clue, but he did know that Julie seemed to be taking forever to answer.  Finally, Julie replied.   

"That would be great."  

***

The date managed to get off to one hell of a start.  Colin and Julie picked up right where they had left off, letting the jokes and compliments fly over dinner.  For Colin, it was great to know the chemistry they originally had with their first conversation wasn't just a one time fluke.  So after dinner, Colin took Julie to one of his favorite out of the way spots that lent itself to letting the mind wander.  It was right on the water.  There were great views.  It was picture perfect. 

"Wow, it's beautiful here," Julie said.  

"Quiet too.  The kind of place where you can be alone with your thoughts," Colin replied. 

"That's not always a good thing," Julie joked. 

"You're right.  My thoughts have a way of getting me in trouble," Colin revealed.

"And maybe twisting your tongue a little?" Julie asked. 

"How did you know?" Colin wondered. 

"You seemed to be a little tongue-tied before you asked me out.  I was worried you weren't going to do it," Julie said. 

"You got me.  You found my weakness," Colin replied. 

"And surprisingly it's not getting punched in the face," Julie joked. 

"Ok, so you found my other weakness," Colin clarified. 

"I couldn't believe it.  A big tough guy like you having trouble asking me out," Julie teased. 

"I may be a tough guy in the cage, but asking a beautiful woman out is a whole different story," Colin said. 

"Wait a minute.  You think I'm beautiful?" Julie asked. 

"Are you kidding?   I think you're gorgeous," Colin said. 

"Wow.  I could get used to those kinds of compliments," Julie replied.

"Good.  Because I have more where that came from," Colin said. 

Julie smiled.  "So, how did you even find this place?"

"It's amazing the things that are around us that we don't notice," Colin remarked. 

"It is," Julie admitted.  "But you didn't answer my question."

"Right.  It just took a little exploring to find this place," Colin said. 

"So you're the adventurer type then?" Julie asked. 

"At one time I was," Colin admitted. 

"But what, not anymore?" Julie followed up. 

"Sometimes people change," Colin explained. 

"Yeah, but for the better or worse?" Julie asked. 

"How about you, do you consider yourself to be the adventurous type?" Colin asked. 

"I used to be a risk taker.  But those risks started blowing up in my face," Julie explained, thinking about all the dumb things she'd done with bad boys in the past.  "Now I'm looking for something simpler," Julie answered. 

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with keeping things simple.  Life is complicated enough already," Colin explained.

"It's funny how things work, isn't it?   Even when you try to keep your life as simple as possible, the universe finds a way to throw things out of wack sometimes," Julie said. 

"Hey, we all take our lumps.  That's just part of life.  But when life knocks you down, you just have to get back up.  It does you no good to stay down on the mat," Colin explained. 

"And I was wondering when the first sports metaphor of the night would come up," Julie joked. 

"Well, at least I picked a good one," Colin said. 

"Yeah, I might just take that one," Julie replied. 

"Hey, it's all yours," Colin said. 

"Thanks.  And if you're lucky, then one day I might just give it back to you," Julie replied. 

Colin laughed.  "Come on, I have something else to show you," Colin said. 

"And you say you're not the adventurer type," Julie replied.   

***

"Wow.  Aren't you just quite the tour guide today?" Julie said. 

Of course it helped that the flowers were in full bloom at the Wooster Family Botanical Garden.  The flowers at the garden were so big and vibrant that they could be seen all the way from the road.  Julie walked around the garden in awe. 

"I was hoping you'd like flowers," Colin replied. 

"Is there a woman that doesn't like flowers?" Julie asked. 

"These aren't just any flowers though," Colin insisted.  "There's a story behind them."

"I'm sure there is.  Most people don't have bonafide botanical gardens on their property," Julie said. 

Unlike most botanical gardens which were run as city attractions, the Wooster Family Garden was on a private estate with only periodic walking tours. 

"Andy Wooster's wife Stacey planted this garden.  It was actually a point of contention between she and her husband.  He didn't understand why she needed so many flowers.  Why she insisted that it be so elaborate.  When he looked at it, he saw it as a hassle to maintain instead of a sight to behold," Colin explained.

That sounded crazy to Julie.  "Was he looking at the same garden as us?"

"He was a little uptight," Colin remarked. 

"That might be the understatement of the year," Julie said. 

"Anyway, all that changed when his wife had a heart attack," Colin explained. 

"Oh no, that's terrible," Julie gasped. 

"With his wife gone, Andy's attention naturally switched away from the garden.  Instead Andy spent all his time grieving.  The mourning process consumed his life.  Day after day just disappeared as he sleepwalked through life.  Then about a year later, Andy looked out his window and saw the weeds that had taken over his wife's prized garden.  That's when he decided to bring the garden back to its former glory in his wife's honor," Colin said. 

"That's an amazing story," Julie remarked. 

"And an even more amazing garden," Colin insisted.       

"I'm glad you brought me here," Julie said. 

"Well, it's like you said.  What woman doesn't like flowers?" Colin replied. 

"You know, this date is different than I expected," Julie remarked. 

"It's not over yet," Colin said. 

***

"There's something so magical about a sunset," Julie said. 

Colin had found a way to outdo himself after taking Julie to the garden.  Then again, it was the sky doing the work.  It was a breathtaking sunset.  A feast for the eyes.  One that Julie and Colin couldn't get enough of. 

"It's always nice to have something in life that never lets you down," Colin replied. 

"Which is even more impressive, given the circumstances," Julie remarked. 

"What circumstances?" Colin asked. 

"Well, considering that no two sunsets are the same," Julie said. 

"That makes them kind of like people.  Each is unique in its own way," Colin replied. 

"Yeah, well some people are more unique than others," Julie insisted. 

"Speaking of, what's your story?" Colin asked. 

"Which one?   I have a lot of them," Julie joked. 

"The story of how you managed to still be single," Colin said. 

"Let's just say I'm happy to be with you here now," Julie replied. 

"Who's the one taking the long way around answering a question now?" Colin remarked. 

"Look at you, already being a bad influence on me," Julie joked. 

"I do have a fair share of good qualities too.  You just haven't taken them in yet," Colin said. 

"Well, it's early still.  I'm sure I'll end up taking some positive cues from you eventually."

"You still haven't answered my question," Colin pointed out. 

"If you're expecting some off the wall story, you're going to end up disappointed.  I'm single for the same reason that so many other people are--because I just haven't found the right person to spend the rest of my life with yet," Julie answered. 

"Somehow I get the feeling that there's more to that story," Colin said. 

"Why don't we just sit here and enjoy the sunset?" Julie suggested. 

"You're getting pretty good at avoiding questions," Colin remarked.  "It'll still take you some practice to get as good as me though."

"Colin, have you ever thought that you had life figured out only to realize later that you're just as clueless as everyone else?" Julie asked. 

"Are you kidding?  It's the story of my life," Colin admitted.  "Although sometimes I wish life wouldn't feel the need to remind just how little I really know," Colin remarked. 

"I know, right?   I get it universe.  I'm flawed.  I don't need to have humble pie for dessert every night," Julie joked. 

"Well, maybe things will finally turn around for you," Colin said. 

"Here's hoping," Julie replied. 

***

"I think it's safe to say that you aren't going to be able to top that date anytime soon," Julie remarked. 

Things went better than Colin ever imagined.  He'd had so many first date misfires that he'd forgotten what a good date even felt like.  But as Colin's date with Julie drew to a close, he couldn't deny that he was as happy as can be.    

"That sounds like a challenge," Colin replied. 

"Do you like a challenge?" Julie asked. 

"What I'd like is for the night not to be over," Colin remarked. 

"Time isn't on your side with that one," Julie said. 

"Well, in that case, I guess it's goodnight then," Colin replied. 

Neither Colin nor Julie wanted to really say goodnight though.  They were having too good of a time.  Besides, Colin couldn't stop gazing into Julie's eyes.  Finally Colin leaned in and gave Julie a soft kiss on the lips.  He wanted so much more, but wasn't sure she was ready for that yet. 

As Colin pulled back from the kiss, Julie blurted out the first thing that came to her mind. 

"Then again, tonight doesn't have to be over quite yet," Julie said. 

Colin smiled, then kissed Julie again, this time with a deep kiss that took Julie's breath away.  That was the kind of kiss that Julie wouldn't soon forget.  And she let Colin know it. 

"Damn," Julie said. 

"Does that mean you want another?" Colin asked. 

Julie smiled.  "This time it's my turn."

Julie then got in on the action, giving Colin the kind of kiss that made him wish the night would never end. 

Chapter Sixteen

Colin

The next day at the gym, Colin couldn't get his date with Julie off of his mind.  It was a magical night.  One he'd never forget.  And one that made him believe his luck was finally turning around.  Colin wasn't the only one in a good mood though. 

"Do you ever wake up and feel like you have a new lease on life?" Patrick asked. 

Patrick was still basking in the fact that his wife's lab results had found no cancer in her system.  And after all the freaking out he'd done, the relief was so sweet.