Elements of Us /// Jimmy Butler

Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I ONLY own the plot and characters that I have created. I don't own anything related to the Bulls, thank you.

She wasn't sure what chance in hell she had with the man sitting in front of her. But, she knew after the novel she had just spewed at him, her chances were seemingly low. She felt mortified, totally embarrassed. She had no clue how to act in front of him, he was just so normal and genuine. While Connor on the other hand, had been crazy, fake and self-absorbed in a way that Allison never had to worry about what she said because 70% of the time he wasn't even listening.

"Don't go actin all crazy now," Jimmy laughed, "relax, no one's quitting anything." He assured her, placing his large hands on her shoulders, "I like you, like a lot, I just never really did anything about because I was scared." He shrugged, placing his hands back in his lap.

Her eyebrows furrowed together in confusion, "What are you talking about?"

"I don't want the team or coach to think I can't focus just because I liked you so much," he started, "Taj already gives me a hard ass time if I even look at you."

"Really?" She asked quizzically, crossing her arms, "Because of Taj?"

"He just makes me mad repeatedly whenever you're there," He shook his head, "He's so annoying. sometimes." He said, "You're a beautiful girl, and I was scared of being rejected." He spoke, honestly, "I didn't really have the balls, or whatever, to tell you anything." He laughed slightly.

"Oh stop it," She giggled, "You're so sensitive, Jimmy." She said with joking sarcasm in her voice.

"Do you want me to just go back to saying nothing?" he asked, giving her a 'seriously', type of look.

"No, no," She shook her head with a smile.

They had agreed to keep their relationship secret for the moment, or at least until they really knew exactly how they were going to be in a relationship with each other when Allison was, technically, his professional trainer, not his professional trainer / girlfriend.

In turn with keeping themselves on the down low, Jimmy had offered to cook for the two of them.

"Then it's a deal." She smiled, "I'm free Saturday night." She said

"Well Saturday night it is then." He agreed. That just sat there for a brief moment in silence while Buddy came up to Jimmy, who in turn, began to pet the small dog.

"Do you have somewhere to be?" Jimmy asked, "Like you want me to go?" He didn't want to intrude on her day at all, but he didn't have anywhere to be for hours and he figured he'd like to kill that time with her.

"What?" She said, "No, stay. We can just hangout." She nodded, as she smiled at Buddy who had now positioned himself on Jimmy's lap, "You can just take him down if you don't want him up on you." She laughed as she flipped her television on.

"Huh?" He asked, "Nah it's all good, he's cool."

"Alright," She said, "I just know some people don't like dogs." She declared, flipping though the channels.

"You know someone who doesn't like dogs?" Jimmy probed, "Who could hate something as cute as this?" he said, as he scratched Buddy behind the ears.

"Believe, me." Allison rolled her eyes, "Plenty, of people I've known."

"Like who?"

She sighed to herself, "My ex, he hated Buddy." She frowned, "He use to yell at his constantly, and push him around." She said, "Not really a topic we should be covering this early." she observed.

"The same jackass who was at the dinner the other night?" Jimmy ignored her following statement and pried.

"J, c'mon let's not talk about this right now," she said, brushing the topic off, "Wanna watch a movie?"

He nodded in response as he let that conversation get sweeped under the rug. For now.  

"Whaddya want?" she yawned, "A comedy? A scary movie? What?"

"I don't care."

"Well I don't care either." She laughed

"Just put in the first thing you see." He answered.

She quickly put the first DVD in the player, which turned out to be a comedy. She plopped herself back down to the couch in which she was lying on Jimmy's shoulder as his arm snaked around her.

Soon, the movie was abandoned and their lips were on each others again. Jimmy's hands made their way to her waist as hers wrapped around the nape of his neck gently.

The more she thought about it, secret relationships were hot, right? At least, in the beginning. The whole sneaking around stuff always turned people on, right?

She didn't know what was best anymore. Nothing had her more worried about this relationship that herself. She was the one with all the baggage; not Jimmy.

The pieces to her life have gotten very messed up.

First off, Connor was a difficult human being to deal with. She hadn't been able to hold a relationship longer than a few weeks since the two had broken up three years ago. Not to mention the underlying responsibility she had for the team in general. She wasn't sure how this was all going to work out.

But, with Jimmy's arms around her, she didn't really care.