Top Notch (Man on Top Book 1)

by Nicole Richard

  “You must be dying to get back out there.”

  “You have no idea. Being suspended for ten games feels like a career death sentence.” His response had my shoulders sagging about the same time my heart dropped.

  “I still can’t believe you got suspended.” Hatch joined in the conversation, his eyes accusing as they cut to mine. I wondered for a brief moment if he blamed me for what happened. Technically, I was the culprit, even if indirectly. “That was such bullshit and you know it.”

  “It is what it is. I just can’t wait until I’m back on base.”

  I shouldn’t have let his words bother me, let alone make me wallow in my own thoughts. Levi was the one who accepted punishment for me. Not that I thought problems should be solved with violence, but I was glad he had taken control. I should be grateful, thanking him profusely and not feeling sorry for myself.

  But all I could think about was in a matter of days he would be gone more than he’d be home. And it was inevitable that our time together was temporary. When he went back on the field or on the road where would that leave us? Is there even an us?

  “Hey, is everything okay?” Levi cupped the back of my neck, soothing, unlike the contradiction of crazy emotions filling me.

  “I’m fine.” I pressed my bottle to my lips, wanting to hide my feelings. Tonight was supposed to be another night for fun and hanging out.

  And rather than listen in on Levi and Spencer talking, I shifted my attention to Hatch when he called Gabby’s name. She answered him with a simple but polite “yes,” eyeing him while offering her guarded smile.

  I listened in as he took interest, asking her simple things like if she came here often, and if she followed baseball for enjoyment or merely out of obligation—or neither. Then he switched topics, more interested in her personally. What she did for work and what her job entailed. Gabby was polite enough to offer the CliffsNotes version.

  “I’m a traveling Rad Tech.”

  “Nice.”

  “It pays the bills.”

  That it did and a little more. Gabby and I were fortunate our mother made sure college was a must and not an option. She wanted her two girls to be able to survive in this dog-eat-dog world.

  Hatch sat across from Gabby, making no effort to hide that he was openly admiring her. That was until his eyes passed between us, and when he did it a second time, he stated matter-of-factly, “Sisters, and yet you two look nothing alike.”

  “Same mother, different father,” I quipped.

  His laser focus was back on her. As if she was the only female in the room.

  “We should hang out sometime. You and me . . .” He jutted his chin toward her suggestively. And it wasn’t until Hatch had the balls to blurt across the table and ask Gabby if she was seeing anyone that her are you fucking with me right now expression had me biting back a smirk.

  I didn’t see what the big deal was, but she did, especially after the shit day she had.

  Not bothering to hide her insult, she took an extra-long pull of her drink, scrutinizing Hatch with her steely gray eyes, not once trying to disguise the annoyance on her face.

  Gabby set her bottle on the table.

  She pushed her long raven hair to the back.

  “That’s rather personal, don’t you think?” She wasn’t really asking.

  He merely shrugged and swallowed the last of his drink.

  Gabby peered at me, sliding from her seat. “Come with me to the restroom.”

  I nodded and then leaned into Levi’s side. “I’ll be right back.” He gave the back of my neck one last squeeze.

  Reluctantly, I stood and followed her.

  Gabby squared her shoulders, refusing him the satisfaction of knowing he had struck a nerve. She started toward him, her steps strong, not once faltering. But before she could get past him, he reached for her wrist, stopping her. She looked back at him. “If you see my number on the bathroom stall, give me a call; I’ll make sure to give you a good time.”

  Not even a flinch.

  “Thank you,” she snarled. “But my quota for good time fucks has already been met,” she hissed, her face a blank canvas, her fury burned in waves.

  With Gabby right out of earshot, I patted Hatch’s shoulder and whispered a condescending, “Good one.”

  “Hey, wait up,” I barked, wondering what the hell had gotten into her. I understood her frustrations, but I had never seen her that cold and quick. She didn’t even know him.

  Gabby spun around. “What the hell was that?” She held her hands in front of her to avoid crashing into some random drunk. “Excuse me,” her words cut sharp, causing the poor guy to stumble back a few steps.

  “Isn’t it obvious that he’s attracted to you?” Most men were.

  “Really? Because it sounded more like an elevator pitch than trying to gauge if he should ask me out. Men like him aren’t attracted to anything other than what their dicks see. What the hell is wrong with men these days?” she huffed and shook her head in disgust.

  I shrugged and took my place in the line. “He was just trying to get to know you.” I had no idea why I was defending the guy. Maybe you want to make a good impression.

  “Whatever,” she huffed again and gave me the cold shoulder.

  I let her be and waited in line, our silence suffocating us while the noise of the bar eased some of the tension. I wanted to tell her to relax, that he was just another one of those infatuated guys who couldn’t resist her beauty, who fell mesmerized to her goddess-like good looks. But she turned to me, an odd expression on her face. “This is going to sound strange . . . but I felt something when he grabbed my wrist.”

  “Felt what exactly?”

  God, I thought I was a walking, talking contradiction.

  She shrugged and turned to face away from me. “Gabby,” I chastised. I hated when people started a conversation and then left me hanging.

  “Doesn’t matter, I’m leaving for Chicago in a few days anyway.” She pushed in the door to the ladies’ room and stalked to the farthest stall.

  We did our business and exited the crowded room in haste, but I couldn’t let her last comment go on deaf ears.

  “Are you sure you want to be back in Chicago?”

  She shrugged. “It’s the safest place. After losing his license, he’ll never step foot in the city, let alone the state again.”

  She was right. After how much he had been humiliated publicly, I believed her every word.

  “I saw a few people from the hospital. I’ll catch up with you in a few.” She didn’t wait for me to answer, she merely moved to the right and I went left, back to the table of guys.

  I didn’t expect to find the table completely unoccupied.

  Or the guys gathered around one of the pool tables in the back with the vultures still vying for one of the player’s attention.

  Regardless, I smiled, thinking back to the night I tossed the game and let Levi win.

  Care for a repeat, Mr. Montgomery?

  Tongue in cheek, I sidled up next to him and dragged my eyes between the four other men, Trevor the only one besides Levi holding a pool stick. He twisted the cube of chalk on the tip of his pool cue and I asked, “Are you playing?”

  “Me and Trevor. Winner plays Spencer—”

  “How about winner plays Rowan?” Spencer suggested. Hatch and Chase tried to hide their smiles with the cocky confidence that one of their friends had it in the bag, and there was no chance in hell either one of them would lose to a girl.

  That’s the best part of being a female hustler. No one ever expected it.

  “What’s the bet?” I asked.

  “We each put in a hundred bucks. I’ll spot you after I beat his ass.” Levi’s chuckle was a mixture of confident and cocky.

  “I can pay my own bet.”

  “I couldn’t take your money from you.”

  How cute that he thought he was going to beat me.

  “Can’t wait.” I smacked my lips. Get ready to have you
r ass handed to you, playa.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  Rowan

  Apparently, Levi was a pretty good player; better than I had given him credit for. Either that or his winning streak was because Trevor was playing like shit.

  Over the course of the game, Levi managed to sink all but two of his stripes while Trevor could barely sink one to save his life. You just foolishly wasted a hundred bucks, buddy.

  “Does Levi know?” Spencer whispered, nudging my arm.

  “No clue. And I’d like to keep it that way.”

  “Sneaky.”

  I shrugged, not caring in the least. These men were too cocky for their own good. I just hoped after I won, I’d get the private celebration like the first time.

  “Is Gabby okay?”

  “She’ll be fine.” I relaxed, enjoying the view when a thought came to mind. “You know what?”

  “What?”

  “I should’ve invited Kelsey.” We’d been so busy with work I didn’t have much free time lately to catch up on the gossip or what was going on with her.

  “The thought crossed my mind, but I didn’t want to say anything.”

  “Why not?”

  He shrugged and then handed me his drink for safekeeping. “I’m gonna run to the restroom, I’ll be back.” Well, that was weird.

  Standing there, somewhat by myself, hanging out with a bunch of good-looking professional baseball players as if it were a normal thing I did every weekend, I felt slightly like a fish out of water. I couldn’t help but look around and wonder if people thought I was a “wanna be groupie,” one of “those” girls, and I decided I didn’t like it. To remedy my unease, I managed to tuck myself in a corner, away from most of the prying eyes of fans, and hung out.

  I people watched. I analyzed. I drank my beer, all in my own immediate company and was cool with it, until Hatch planted himself next to me.

  “Where’d your sister disappear to?”

  I tried my hardest not to give him a suspicious eye. “She saw some friends from work and went to say hi.”

  He nodded. “What’s her story?”

  “Why don’t you ask her?” I dodged the question. He had to have known he struck a nerve with her.

  “I tried. She shot me down, remember?”

  “Maybe it was your approach. Not all women fawn over every man who gives them the time of day.”

  “That much was obvious. Gabriella didn’t strike me as the kind of woman who would make things easy,” Hatch acknowledged, a level of honesty I wasn’t expecting from him. Not this soon, at least.

  “She’s not, but maybe if you try talking to her without the pretense of wanting to sleep with her—”

  “Who said I wanted to sleep with her?” he interrupted, his expression remaining impassive, but his eyes told a story of their own. He hid it well, but for someone who had experienced heartbreak at one time or another, the signs weren’t that hard to weed through.

  “Don’t most men?” I asked neutrally. I had just officially met the man an hour ago, and it wasn’t my intention to come off as a bitch.

  “If the opportunity presented itself, I wouldn’t turn it down . . . if that’s what you’re saying.” Hatch took a step. “If you’ll excuse me.” He walked away.

  I was barely alone for two minutes, smiling at the three remaining Bucks, listening to Chase drill Trevor between shots and laughing. Trevor finally sunk a solid in the right middle pocket and Chase made a show of congratulating him. Then, he sidled over to where I stood and parked himself where Hatch had been a few minutes ago.

  “You ready to hand him his ass?” Chase chuckled sneakily.

  “What makes you think I’m going to do that?” I played coy.

  “Oh. Come. On. What woman would agree to play against a man, in a room full of spectators no less, and not know what she’s doing?”

  He had a point. And I could only answer with a one-shoulder shrug.

  “What is it you do for a living?” he questioned, and I dubbed him as being the inquisitive friend.

  “I’m a civil engineer.”

  “Proof is in the pudding, sweetheart,” he drawled, calling me out. “Maybe go easy on him? You don’t want to embarrass the guy the first night you meet his boys, do you?” Loyalty. I like this guy.

  “I’ll play nice,” I promised, but that didn’t mean I had to let him win.

  * * *

  “Hustled?” Levi stopped in the middle of the parking lot, looking at me dumbfounded, either that or he was about to cry. “You hustled me? B-but . . .” he stuttered. “You didn’t play like that the night at—”

  “I let you win,” I mumbled, although Chase heard me.

  “I knew she was going to hand you your ass.” Chase clapped and rubbed his hands together, his laughter ringing loudly through the parking lot. “That was classic. Wait ’til the rest of the guys hear about how smooth you thought you were teaching her a combo. And she whooped your ass.” He laughed even louder.

  “Shut up,” Levi tossed without any heat. And thank goodness. I wasn’t sure how he would take me beating him in a repeat game of billiards, this time with an audience.

  Enjoying the moment and Chase running his mouth, I smiled cheekily, fanning my three-hundred-dollar winnings. I offered to give it back, a few times actually, bragging rights were worth a hell of a lot more than three hundred bucks, but the guys weren’t having it.

  Chase clapped Levi’s back. “But I did ask her to go easy on you.”

  “Good looking out,” Levi responded with a fist bump and turned to me. He leaned in close, his warm breath causing me to lose balance and more so when he whispered at the entrance of my ear. “You have some explaining to do, angel.”

  “Nothing to explain. Just some beginner’s luck.”

  “Beginner’s luck, my ass. A beginner wouldn’t have known half the shit you did tonight.”

  “Just suck it up, buttercup,” Trevor teased. “Admit defeat with grace.”

  “What can I say? I’m a natural.” I batted my lashes, acting coy.

  “Natural? I’m gonna show you how naturally red your ass is gonna get when I—”

  I scoffed. Little did he know it was in excitement and not fear.

  “Yeah, that’s right,” he gloated, that damn twinkle in his eye ramping up my excitement.

  The guys were all parked next to each other. Hatch had left the bar about an hour ago and one could only assume where he disappeared to. We said “goodnight” and “nice to meet you, again.” Chase and Trevor both gave me a hug, each whispering something along the lines of “you’re good for him.” I just hoped Levi thought and felt the same.

  Levi helped me into the Rover; I buckled my seat belt and waited for him to round the back of the vehicle. Tonight was a good night. Aside from Gabby getting upset, I was glad I got to meet the guys and witness how easily they all got along.

  The door slammed and Levi growled, “Angel.” I squinted in confusion when I looked to the driver’s seat and didn’t find him sitting there. He reached from behind me and gently pulled on my arm.

  “Climb over the console and get that sexy ass of yours back here,” he demanded, and my body sparked with desire. His words and the way he delivered them commanded my body.

  “What are we doing?” I asked, my ass almost hitting the interior roof. If someone were looking through the front windshield, they’d get a good look at my lady bits with my damn shorts riding up my ass.

  “Just get back here.”

  Maneuvering my body from the front to the back was not an easy task, but I managed, albeit ungracefully. I plopped in the seat next to him, and he immediately grabbed my waist and pulled me close to his side.

  “What are we doing?” I asked, again curious as to why we were sitting in the back seat and not leaving the premises and heading back to his house.

  Levi tucked his free arm under my knees and pulled my legs to rest across his lap, my waist twisting to face him. “I just wanted to be spontaneous for
a minute. Like two teenagers on a date, making out in the back seat.”

  “Sucking face,” I added for fun.

  “Sucking face,” he echoed and wiggled his eyebrows up and down, which caused a quiet giggle to slip. He was too dang adorable for his own good. Mister Professional Major League Baseball Player being all cute and . . . normal. I liked it.

  “Thank you for tonight,” he started, the tip of his fingers moving slowly along my bare thigh. “For hanging out with me and my friends; it means a lot to me that they like you.” He brushed his knuckles down the side of my cheek and my lids fluttered closed for a beat. His tender moments did some warm and fuzzy things to my heart—and belly.

  “You’re welcome, and I like them too. Chase is a hoot to hang out with.” I took his hand in mine and linked our fingers together. “I just hope I didn’t come across as a bitch to Hatch.”

  “Not at all. You stood up for your sister.” He kissed my nose and then my lips. “I don’t think he realizes how taken he is by her.”

  “He has a funny way of showing it.”

  “Enough about them.” He dragged his thumb across my bottom lip and then reached higher to do the same to the arch of my eyebrow. “I really like you, Rowan,” he confessed softly, the look in his eyes exposing his vulnerability once again.

  Without an ounce of hesitation, I admitted, “I really like you too.” Tossing my previous worries aside for the time being, I was going to enjoy every moment I had with Levi while it lasted.

  His mouth came closer to mine and his palm caressed my cheek. “Why aren’t you already taken, Miss Landry?”

  “Huh?”

  “Why doesn’t a pretty, smart, and sweet woman like yourself already have a boyfriend or a husband?”

  “What happened to us making out?” I asked, a little confused, and if I was being honest, disappointed.

  “We’ll get to that, don’t worry. I just want to know more about you.”

  Well, shit! The resident butterflies took flight and I couldn’t hide my giddy smile. These times were different from when we were tangled up in the sheets. Those times were to satisfy our human need for pleasure and release. This—this was more. And I gracefully accepted every version of Levi.