Ballers with Benefits (Double Play Series Book 3)

by Nicole Rodrigues

“Holy shit!” Bella yells. “Damon we just jumped out of a fuckin’ airplane!”

  She slams our lips together, her hand running through my hair and her legs wrap around my waist tightly. Her arms have my head in a hold I’m not getting out of. Her lips assaulting mine, her tongue down my throat trying to reach my fucking tonsils. The adrenaline is pumping through her veins, I can feel her shaking in my arms.

  “I’m so proud of you angel,” I say breaking the kiss.

  “Thank you, for pushin’ me out of my comfort zone. God that was amazin’! I’ve never felt anything like that in my life!”

  “Are you sure about that? I’m pretty sure I got close last night, no?”

  She laughs slapping my chest as she unwraps her legs and lands in the sand.

  “No one is gonna believe I did that,” she says grabbing my hand, pulling me back towards the strip.

  “Good thing we got it on video. I should get it in my email in a couple of hours.”

  “I can’t wait to watch it. I probably look like a fool, but gosh that was exhilaratin’!”

  “I’m happy you enjoyed this first.”

  “I did! Now I'm gonna show you how much I enjoyed it, a proper thank you,” she whispers in my ear.

  I grab her by her thighs and hoist her over my shoulder as we run towards the hotel strip, her laugh ringing through my ears but burrowing its way into my heart.

  “I can’t believe you’re leavin’,” Bella says wrapping her arms around my waist.

  “I have to get back for training. I had such a good time the past two days angel. I can’t wait until you get back. We are sexting, and video sexing, and phone sexing and -”

  “Okay, okay,” Bella says cutting me off. “Just kiss me and shhh.”

  I cup her cheeks and bend down to brush my lips against hers. I wrap my arms around her waist and spin her around, not breaking our lips apart. She laughs and I commit the sound to my memory. It scares me how much I have grown to need this woman in front of me, but it also calms me at the same time.

  “Safe flight okay?” she whispers.

  I nod and kiss her again on the lips, then the nose, then the forehead and she laughs again.

  “They’re gonna leave without you,” she protests.

  “I'm debating on taking the fine right now and just spending another night in these strong arms,” I whisper.

  “Oh my gosh Johnson, get your sexy butt on that plane right now before you make me swoon even harder and screw this whole arrangement up.”

  Something happens in my chest at those words. My heart pounds harder and I feel an ache there, an ache for her words to be true. I want to screw up this arrangement, I don't even want there to be a fucking arrangement. Shit, this woman.

  “Bye Bells. Have a great rest of your trip and good luck. I'll call you when I land.”

  I put a hand softly on her waist and kiss her quick before turning and boarding my flight, more fucking confused than when I left.

  Chapter 16

  Damon

  I glance down at my phone and smile. It's been two weeks since I've held Bella in my arms and I'm going a little crazy. We text all day, talk on the phone and video chat at night but it's not enough. My addiction is just getting stronger and the result is written all over my face as I read her latest text.

  Bella: Had a churro today, didn't taste as sweet as is it did the first time I had it.

  Damon: One more week and I'll give you my churro.

  Bella: Mmm. Can I cover it in sugar and lick every drop off?

  Damon: You can do whatever the fuck you want angel. I just want you so badly.

  Bella: I'm slowly withering away here. I am seriously “vitamin D” deficient. 8===D

  Damon: You’re hurting my ego, angel.

  Bella: More like this. 8==========D Happy?

  I laugh out loud and I feel a slap on my back and turn quickly hiding my phone.

  “I already saw,” Nico smirks. “Apparently those cousins are more alike than I thought. You got a freaky girl bro.”

  “Well, she really isn't my girl, we’re just...ya know.”

  “Yeah just like Lacey and I are, ‘ya know’,” he says making air quotes. “That's bullshit and all four of us know it. Lacey is a lot tougher though, I'll give her that, but I'll get her, she's close I feel it. Your girl though, she's already there. You just need to open your eyes and take her.”

  “What the hell do you know about this?”

  “I've been around girls who just wanna fuck for a long time D. Those two girls, they don't just want us, they need us.”

  “I don't-”

  He holds up his hand to stop me from denying it because we both know it's true.

  “You've been on that phone since you got here. Stop making excuses and accept it.”

  I shake my head and put my phone back in my pocket walking back to the kitchen.

  “Need any help mom?” I ask.

  “No honey I'm good. Could use the company though, how are things going? How's the knee? You would think living in the same house I would see my son more,” she says eyeing me.

  “I uh went to Mexico for a few days and then just been busy with training. Knee is good though, hurts here and there but it's getting better. Got an MRI done a couple days ago, the tear is healing. 40% change since the original MRI so on the right track.”

  “Mexico, huh?”

  Damn, can't get anything past this woman.

  “Bella is there for a couple scrimmages and what not. Went to visit and hangout.“

  “Damon, about the other day. I'm...I'm sorry I reacted like that. I thought you were going back to your old ways but then I saw how you looked at her and when she looked back at you the same way I...well I saw that it was different.”

  She shakes her head, busying herself with cooking and I walk over to her, putting my hands on her shoulders.

  “It's okay mom, I get it.”

  “You should have her over for dinner one night, I would like to properly apologize to her.”

  “It's...I don't know if that’s where we’re at in our uhh...we aren't at that level yet.”

  “Well I don't want to know what level you're at, but I would hurry up and decide because that girl has already made up her mind. It's written all over her face and a woman like that isn’t gonna wait around for nobody, I can tell you that. She's a strong one I can tell. Go and set the table.”

  She hands me plates and silverware and I shake my head. First Nico, now my mother. They don't think I'm trying to figure this out?

  I walk in to the dining room and put out all the plates and silverware as my brother Maxwell and his fiance Heather walk in. They're in Florida for the week to see my parents and it's been nice having the whole family together.

  “Damon, how's the knee holding up?” my brother asks, pulling me close and slapping me on the back.

  “Hey Max, I'm good and it’s fine. Hey Heather,” I say kissing her on the cheek.

  “What's this I hear about a new girlfriend? Did you actually pick one I can get along with?” Heather asks.

  I laugh remembering the many heated arguments Brynn and Heather would get into, how opposite the two really were. Heather would get along great with Bella, hell even Lacey too. Ah shit.

  “She uh...we’re not serious.”

  “Oh, your mom said-”

  “Yeah, I know what she said. She also caught us right after I fucked her in my gym, so that sounds like a solid foundation, no?”

  I brush past the two of them and head out towards the patio. I need some fresh air to clear my head. Everyone always has something to say about my business, why can't I just enjoy something without feeling the pressure. I'm already in deep trying to decipher my own feelings and where she stands, I don't need everyone else's two cents mixed in.

  I hear the patio door open and shake my head.

  “Can I just have five minutes without anyone trying to figure out my love life?” I snap.

  “Just wanna say hi to
my son,” I hear the voice say.

  I turn around and see my father making his way out towards me and I stand, pulling him in for a hug.

  “Hey Dad.”

  “Your brother told me to come out and check on you. Knee okay?”

  “It's fine.”

  “I'm guessing it has to do with that love life then, huh?”

  “I don't feel like talking about it.”

  “That's fine. You mind listening?” he asks taking a seat in one of the patio chairs.

  “If you're gonna give me advice Dad-”

  “No advice, just a story.”

  I sit down in the patio chair across from him and he steeples his hands, smiling a little bit, looking out at the expansive backyard.

  “I was a little younger than you are, playing ball in Los Angeles. I had a whole truck load of bat bunnies, you know how it is right?” he smirks.

  “Dad I really don't wanna hear about your bat bunnies.”

  “Anyway, there was this girl, came with a bunch of the others but she was different. Didn’t fall at my feet like the rest of them, she made me work for it. Called me on my shit, had me eating out of the palm of her hand and I never did that before. I didn’t know what to do to be honest,” he laughs.

  He stops for a moment, looking out and searching for a memory, then he smiles.

  “Spitfire, that’s what I called her. She gave me a run for my money that was for sure. I always had that look in my eye, the look you have in yours,” he says looking at me.

  “What happened to her?” I ask.

  “I married her,” he says smiling pointing to the house. “Met your mom and there was no way I was letting her go. Those bat bunnies became invisible and all I could see was her. I’m not saying this girl is the one Damon, but eventually you may want someone to make everyone else invisible, someone that makes this crazy life worth it.”

  “We both travel Dad. What kind of foundation is that to start a life with someone?”

  “There aren’t any rules son. If you want to make it work with her, then you find a way. Back in my day I had to wait weeks to see your mom. Nowadays you kids got all that fancy technology, you could make it work. She’s got an offseason, you’ve got an offseason, no?”

  “Of course, but...I mean look what happened with Brynn.”

  “Brynn was a selfish woman, sorry to say it but she was. She didn’t deserve you. Now I don’t know too much about this Bella girl, but my gut feeling is that she wouldn’t abandon you when you needed her the most. But hey, I promised I wouldn’t lecture, so let’s go on inside and have a drink, yeah?” he says getting up from the chair and slapping me on my knee.

  “Yeah sure, I’ll be inside in a minute.”

  I hear the door open and close and I’m left alone on the patio with my thoughts. My father’s words swirling around in my head. I know things are changing between Bella and me but in what direction?

  She isn’t Brynn, I could tell the moment I laid eyes on her in the flesh at that bar. That may be the problem though, because unlike Brynn, if Bella were to walk away it would fucking destroy me.

  Chapter 17

  Damon

  I take a warm up swing outside the batter’s box and look out onto the field. My first game back and I’m feeling like I can rock the shit out of this ball and hit the goddamned scoreboard. The trainer today says it’s 70% healed up and I feel like it's getting stronger everyday.

  I’m down in Triple A today for a rehab stint and I should have myself a kickass game. This pitcher is a rookie and I can see him shaking in his cleats at the mound.

  I step into the box and square up, his pitch is slow but at my feet and I step back just in time.

  Ball one.

  I step outside, adjust my gloves and my left sleeve, pulling it up a little. I take my stance again and see my jackpot right down the middle. I swing my bat, tensing up my arms and throw my whole body towards that ball, hearing the crack of it against my bat. I watch as the ball soars into the stands and flick my bat to the side jogging around the bases.

  I feel good, my knee just twitching a tiny bit as I step on each bag and I nod to the third base coach as I round towards home.

  I jog back to the dugout getting hits from the team and put my helmet back in its spot. I run my hands through my hair, pushing it out of my face and lean against the barrier.

  “How did that feel?” Gunner, the Triple A coach asks.

  “Felt good. Little twinge, but it felt fuckin good.”

  “Thatta boy, keep it up!” he says slapping me on my back.

  I’m only DHing today, getting my knee right before I officially head back into my starting spot in right field, so I jog down to the training room.

  “Nice hit,” says Liam, the trainer that’s been working with me.

  “Thanks man. It was twitching a little, that okay?”

  “Sit. Let me do a quick massage and you’ll be back out there in five. I’ll call up.”

  I nod and let him do his thing, my muscles relaxing. I think of Bella and how I wish she was the one doing this right now. I miss her so fucking much but she should be landing back in Florida tonight. It’s been a hellish three weeks but if I have my way, she’ll be in my bed right where she belongs.

  “Ya gonna come out and celebrate man?” Johnny, the catcher on the team asks.

  “Sure, who’s driving?”

  “Let’s just Uber it, nobody wants to get fucked.”

  We all walk out of the stadium, cleaned up and showered and head out towards the parking lot. There are a couple of Uber’s waiting as the team piles inside each of them. I check my phone but still nothing from Bella.

  We head over to a club on the Tampa Riverwalk and go right inside, a couple tables in the back already waiting with bottles. I feel the buzz in my veins, the need to rebel against the new Damon, the controlled Damon.

  “Want a shot?” Johnny asks me.

  “Yeah sure.”

  He hands me a drink and I down it in one smooth gulp. I reach for the bottle and pour myself another one. My arrangement with Bella weighing heavy on my mind, I pour one more and put the bottle back on the table.

  What the hell am I doing? The tightening in my chest just weaves itself even more compact, squeezing and squeezing until I almost can’t breathe.

  “Hey handsome,” I hear a voice say from next to me.

  I see a woman with blonde hair in lingerie put a hand on my arm and I stiffen. “Want a refill?”

  “I’m fine.”

  I feel the need for my old ways, an uncomplicated release and reach for the bottle again, pouring myself another shot. The blonde touches my shoulder and my body flinches like it’s been burned.

  She's not Bella.

  As if on cue I feel a buzz in my pocket and pull it out. Bella’s name on the screen appears and that need for defiance quickly subsides, the need for Bella overtaking it.

  Bella: Just landed back in Tampa. Hope your first game went well. X

  I smile and the woman mistakenly thinks that it's for her.

  “I can get a new bottle from the back, want to help?”

  “I gotta go,” I say brushing past her.

  I wave to the guys as I type a response back, getting into an Uber.

  Damon: Get to my place ASAP. Gate Code is 1090. Front door code is 0901. Be naked.

  Bella

  I smile as I see the text on my phone and scramble to pack an overnight bag, just in case. I say bye to Amy and drive the ten minutes to Damon’s house. I pull up to the gate, typing in the code and it slowly opens. I drive up to the front of the house and cut my engine, reaching in the backseat for my backpack.

  Walking to the front door, I’m still amazed at the enormity of this house and type in the code he texted to me. The door opens and I shut and lock it behind me.

  “Damon?” I call.

  I must have beat him here, so I scramble up the stairs to his bedroom, quickly stripping down to nothing.

  Luckily, I grabbed
my favorite bra and panty set before heading out, so I slip the black lace material up my legs and snap the matching bra in its place.

  I fluff out my curly hair, letting it fall to my back and decide on where to stand. I don’t know how long he is going to take getting home, so I decide to sit on the bed.