Free To Love a Man by Rontora Nolan

wise.”
    Ramón could hear her smile through the phone and couldn’t keep the smile from forming on his face. Desiree shifted in her seat to get comfortable as Ramón leaned back in his chair.
    “So did you always wanna play in the NBA?” she asked wanting to know as much as she could about this man.
    “My mom said at two years old they got me a basketball hoop and ball. And I played with that thing all the time.”
    She smiled thinking back to the small hoop she once bought for Zack. “So you were a ball player from the jump huh?”
    “Yeah. So what about you?”
    She took another swig of her drink. “What about me I don't even know how to play the game but I do love to watch it.”
    “Well how can a woman from Fort Lauderdale love a team from Charleston?”
    She sat silently for a moment “Well honestly I love the way you guys work together. It's all about the team with all of you guys.”
    “That’s a great way of putting it.” He said impressed with her answer.
    “Well you guys are a great team.” She said blushing.
    “Thanks. So what is it that you do?” he asked.
    “I work in customer service.”
    He shook his head nodding. “I should have guessed because you are so good at using your words.”
    “That could also be because I write.”
    “You write? Really what?”
    “I don't know poems and stories. Nothing major.”
    He smiled, he really like learning new things about her. “That is major I couldn’t imagine sitting down and putting my feelings on paper.”
    “Yeah well it comes easily for me I guess. Like the passion you have for playing ball is what gets you to work out and work hard my passion for writing is what makes me sit for hours and write.” She said comparing the two.
    “Yeah I get that. It's my passion for the game that makes me want to keep working hard on myself.”
    She was silent trying to contemplate saying what was on her mind. “Forgive me for saying this but you are doing a great job at working on yourself.” She felt herself blush a little more while she thought of his body.
    “Why would I need to forgive you?” he said with a sly grin.
    “I don't want to give you a big head I just want you to know that you are one sexy man. That’s not the only reason I watch you play but it's a bonus.”
    He laughed not knowing what else to do. “Well thank you.”
    “So what's your favorite color?” she asked as she began to eat again.
    “Color?”
    She swallowed hard then cleared her throat. “Yeah favorite color.”
    “Blue.” He said confidently.
    “Really I love blue too. Why do you love it?”
    The question caught him off guard but the decided to go with the most obvious reason.
    “Because I look so good in it, why do you like it?” he asked.
    “Well I looked up to the sky one day and noticed how beautiful it was, I fell in love with the color. It's just something about it that puts me at peace.”
    “Wow.” He said truly amazed at this woman. She smiled loving how they could just talk like they have known each other forever.
    “So, what is your favorite number?”
    “Nine.”
    “Nine? Really?” she blurted before she could stop herself.
    “Yeah what's yours?” he challenged.
    “Eight and Seven.”
    “That is funny.”
    “Why?” she asked wanting to know why he was laughing at her.
    “It reminds me of a joke.”
    “Ok what is it?”
    “Why was six afraid of seven?” she thought about it and then exhaled.
    “I don’t know…why?”
    “Because seven ate nine.”
    He laughed and she laughed along with him, “that was horrible.”
    “Hey I don’t suppose you have a better one?” he asked faking a hurt voice.
    “Actually I don’t tell jokes I am no good at it but I can give a mean riddle.” She said with coolness.
    “Well lay it one me.” Ramón sat back eager to hear a riddle from this remarkable woman.
    “You’re driving a bus, at the first stop five people get on, at the second stop three get off six get on, at the third stop one gets