Chapter 16

Buffy looked up at Antonio's face. He brushed her hair over her shoulder, and lowered his lips to hers. Antonio brought her closer, and for a minute, time stood still. The baseball game was forgotten. So was the fact that they were in public. Buffy felt the bleachers shaking and heard her brother's voice greeting her and Antonio. She groaned. As always, Marco's timing was less than perfect. He, of course, had just ruined everything. Antonio broke the kiss. Buffy turned her head and glared at Marco.

"Would you please leave?" she hissed through clenched teeth.

"Sorry, Buffles. No can do," he informed her as he sat down next to her.

Buffy broke away from Antonio's embrace. Antonio kept his arm around her shoulder. "Marco," he acknowledged.

"Hey Antonio. Buff."

Buffy hissed at him again.

"I guess you're still mad, huh?"

She glared back at him.

"I told you I'm sorry. I don't know why you're still mad."

"I'm not talking to you."

She turned her attention back to the game. She noticed the batter's number. "Ok, Julian, do your thing!" she called.

"Let's go, Julian!" Marco called.

Buffy watched at Julian's bat connected with the ball. She held her breath. It looked like it was going long. She started bouncing up and down. "YES!" she screamed as the ball sailed over the fence. She jumped up. "Way to go, Julian!"

Antonio stood up beside her. He hugged her as Julian circled the bases. Buffy felt being hugged from behind. Marco had joined in to make it a group hug.

"Pizza's on me," he said.

Julian, Antonio and Marco hungrily dug into the pizza. Buffy picked at hers. "You okay?" Antonio asked.

She nodded. Her appetite had been off ever since the fight. She didn't want to come for pizza after the game, but she couldn't deny Julian, especially since he had hit a home run. She sipped her soda and took another bite of her pizza. It sat in her stomach like a rock. She reached in her purse and pulled out some Tums.

"Not feeling good, Buff?" Marco asked.

She shook her head.

"Go home. I'll bring Julian," he offered.

"No, its okay," she offered.

"No. Go home. I can run Julian home."

"Mom, if you're not feeling good, you should go home and lay down."

She gathered up her purse. "All right. Just don't let the testosterone overflow."

Antonio rose. "I'll walk you to the car."

They exited the pizza shop and walked to her car.

"I'm sorry you're still upset about Marco," he said.

"I'll be okay," she said. "Just don't have much of an appetite."

He moved closer. "I'm sorry the kiss got interrupted."

"Me too," she admitted. "You're a good kisser."

He smiled. "So are you. Can we have dinner some night this week?"

"Sure. Just let me know when."

"I'll call you. Meanwhile, go home and make a cup of tea."

She nodded.

He stepped forward and turned his back so Marco's prying eyes couldn't see what he was about to do. He took her face in his hands and kissed her.

She whimpered. Antonio's kisses were sweet and gentle, but it did the trick. She felt tingles where she hadn't felt them in a long time.

He kissed the tip of her nose, then broke away from her and opened her car door. "See you soon."

"Soon," she echoed as she slipped into the car and buckled her belt.