In It to Win It

by Ella Jade

  No! That wouldn’t do. There was something about her. She wasn’t into this scene. She tried to tell him that at the bar just before he kissed her.

  “I could easily lose myself with you.” He drew back and stared into her sultry eyes. And I will, over and over again. “Come on.” He held her close to him so he could open the driver’s side door.

  She carefully lowered herself from the truck. When he was out, he took her hand and led her to her porch. He leaned against the railing, taking her in an embrace. “Today was much more than I could have imagined when I began moving in.”

  “When I woke up this morning I never would have imagined I was going to make out with the new third baseman.”

  “I’m impressed, you know what position I play.”

  “Maggie told me.” She smirked. “But I have a feeling baseball is going to become my new favorite sport.”

  “Well, it is the national pastime.” He stroked her cheek before leaning in for a soft kiss. “I had a good time tonight.”

  “Is it over?”

  “For now.” He kissed her again. “I have an early game, and I don’t want to screw up on my first day in my home stadium.” He’d had plenty of sex-fueled nights before taking the field the next day, but they always ended in a polite ‘thank you’ when that particular girl slipped out of his bed.

  “Oh.” Disappointment flooded those exotic eyes of hers. “Okay, I guess you should get a good night’s sleep.”

  “Probably.” No way will I be sleeping with you a stone’s throw away from my bed. “I’m looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.”

  “I wouldn’t miss it.”

  “Do you want to have dinner after the game?”

  “Yes.” Her smile replaced the dismay he’d seen a few minutes ago.

  “Cool.” He ran his thumb over her lips before dipping his head and kissing her one last time this evening. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Good night.” She stumbled back when he released her, catching her footing as she giggled in embarrassment. “Maybe it’s the vodka.” She retrieved her key from her bag.

  “Could be.” He waited for her to open her door, regretting not following behind her with every ounce of his being.

  “Like I said, I don’t normally do this. I’m famous for binge watching and ordering pizza on Saturday nights. I’m usually sound asleep by now.”

  “Nothing wrong with that.”

  “Yeah, but now I know what I’ve been missing.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Make-out sessions with sexy players.” She stole a quick kiss before shooting him a flirty grin and closing the door behind her.

  There will be much more than make-out sessions. He laughed to himself as he crossed over her driveway and headed up the path to his house. Trust me, there won’t be any more Saturday binge watching for you.

  Chapter 4

  Frankie made her way into the club box, glancing around to see if she recognized anyone. There were a few men she’d seen at Bennet’s, but for the most part the box was filled with women. Most of them wore a number on their back with a specific player’s name. She’d spotted Hughes, Cordova, and Clemson written in white block letters.

  “There you are.” Sophia Hughes made her way over to her. “Jed said you’d be joining us.”

  “I didn’t know you would be here.” Frankie hugged her co-worker.

  “Sweetie, it’s a home game and my husband is pitching. Where else would I be?”

  “Good point.” Frankie looked around. “Who is this box reserved for?”

  “Wives and girlfriends mostly. There are a few family members too.”

  “I just thought Jed would leave me a ticket for the stands.”

  “How did you meet him? Bennet’s?”

  “No, he’s my next door neighbor.”

  “Isn’t that convenient?”

  “You sound like Maggie.” Frankie laughed.

  “She is the reason I ended up with Pax.”

  “Hey.” Two beautiful women who resembled one another joined them. “The game is about to start.”

  “Cool,” Sophia said. “Frankie, do you remember Sage and Rosalie Milan?”

  Frankie had met them briefly, but recognized Sage as the team’s reporter. She was in a serious relationship with Nicolas Cordova, the second basemen. Her sister Rosalie was dating Holt Clemson, the pitcher who came in when Pax was injured at the beginning of the season. The only reason Frankie knew that was because she stayed up last night going through interviews and new articles about the team. Otherwise she would have had no idea who any of them were.

  “It’s good to see you both.”

  “I saw you at Bennet’s last night,” Rosalie said. “You left with Jed.”

  “He’s my neighbor,” Frankie offered. “He got me to come to my first game today.”

  “You live in Kingston and this is your first baseball game?” Sage asked. “That’s a shocker.”

  “Tell me about it,” Frankie said. “Kingston has a cult following.”

  “How could they not with all these cute players running around town?” Rosalie giggled. “Women flock to them.”

  “I can see why.” Frankie gazed out onto the field. “Look at those tight, white pants.”

  “Oh boy. It didn’t take you long to catch on.” Soph tugged Frankie’s hand. “You’re sitting with us. We’ll give you all the gossip we know on Jed. He’s single, new to town, and invited you to his first home game. I’m betting that’s one more player off the market.”

  “That was quick.” Sage sipped her water. “Those Crusher guys are dropping like flies.”

  “I just met Jed.” Frankie’s cheeks burned when she thought about being his girlfriend. The girlfriend of a major league baseball player? Seriously? What am I a teenager? “We’re just friends.”

  “Umm, I saw that kiss at the bar last night.” Rosalie winked. “You’re more than just friends.”

  They got to their seats just as Paxton took the pitcher’s mound.

  “He’s looking good.” Sage smiled. “I’m doing a feature with him and Holt after the game. Two Texan pitchers leading the team. It should be fun to see what they have to say.”

  “If it’s live, you’ll have to censor Holt.” Rosalie laughed. “You know he has a colorful vocabulary.”

  While the women discussed Sage’s upcoming interview, Frankie focused on third base. Jed stood tall, looking mighty fine in his snug pants and clean jersey. His hat was down low, but she could still see that sexy beard of his. Her insides heated when she thought about how his overgrown stubble had tickled her face when he kissed her last night. Kissing him had been the highlight of her time in Kingston.

  When she woke up yesterday morning she never would have guessed she’d be sitting at a baseball game swooning over the newest Crusher. Jed had dominated her thoughts for the past twenty-four hours. She hadn’t been this excited about being with a guy since...well, she couldn’t recall when she had been this giddy about a new relationship.

  “He looks good out there,” Sophia said. “You like him?”

  “Maybe.” Frankie didn’t want to seem too eager.

  “You kissed him in public, so that must mean something.”

  “I don’t want to jinx it, you know?” She’d been keeping to herself and not thinking about another relationship. How could she after spending all those years with Christopher, settling for a man who would never be who she really saw herself with but she stayed anyway? “I’m not good when it comes to dating.”

  “You just haven’t had a lot of practice.”

  “I want to go with the flow with Jed. He doesn’t seem like the type of guy who makes commitments.”

  “That’s what they said about Paxton.” She giggled. “And now we’re married with a baby.”

  “I just met Jed. No weddings and no babies. I want to have some fun with my sexy, athletic, hot-as-hell new neighbor.”

  “Let me just leave you with this thought.” Sophia l
ooked over to Rosalie and Sage. “You two can back me up.”

  “With what?” Sage asked.

  “Baseball players have the best stamina.”

  “Hell yes.” Rosalie sipped her beer. “All night.”

  “I’m going to have to agree.” Sage nodded. “And most mornings too.”

  “Add that to the list of reasons why you want to date your new neighbor.” Sophia winked. “You won’t be disappointed.”

  Frankie spent most of the game thinking about all the possibilities the night held. Would she have the nerve to initiate sex with him? Staring onto the field, she took in the agile catch he made and the fast throw to first base. The crowd cheered and chanted his name. She wanted him all to herself, and tonight she would make that happen.

  * * * *

  After the game, Frankie followed Sophia and Rosalie to a waiting area outside the locker room. Sage had left after the seventh inning to prepare for the post-game interviews. Frankie had a fantastic time hanging out with the girls and learning about baseball. She’d never realized just how intriguing the game could be. Maybe it was because she had made out with the most popular guy on the team.

  “The guys usually meet us over here when they’re done,” Soph said. “What did you think of your first game?”

  “It was great, especially when Jed hit that home run.”

  “It was a grand slam,” Rosalie reminded her. “Don’t deflate his ego.”

  “Oh, right.” Frankie remembered if the bases were loaded when someone hit a home run, then it was called a grand slam. That was a pretty big deal.

  Sophia pointed to the giant, flat screen TV. “Sage is getting ready to do her feature with Holt and Pax.”

  People gathered around to watch. Frankie had no idea how fun it was to listen to these interviews, especially when you knew the players. When she saw Sage interview Jed right after the game she noticed he was beaming with excitement but there was a modesty about him. He acted as if today’s game was no big deal. He stepped up to the plate and did his job, but the crowd had gone wild. Frankie may not have known much about baseball, but she figured out quickly that Jed’s recent hitting streak was something special. Judging from the fans’ reaction, Kingston had a new hero in town.

  Just as Pax and Holt’s interview wrapped up everyone in the waiting area broke into applause. Frankie turned from the TV to see what the commotion was about.

  Jed! Her stomach fluttered with the anticipation of being close to him as she watched him sign a few autographs. She disappeared into the background and let him do his thing. He was all smiles and hunky manliness. He’d swapped out his uniform for a pair of ripped jeans and a black, tight-fitting t-shirt that splashed Crushers across his broad chest. In the middle of signing his name on the visor of a baseball cap he looked up and his gaze connected with Frankie’s. His lips curved into an adorable smile as he winked at her. The room appeared to quiet down as if only the two of them were there.

  “Thanks for the warm reception.” He tipped his hat to the crowd. “It’s a pleasure playing for Kingston.”

  “Jed.” A curvy girl in a Crushers jersey stepped forward. “Wanna have drinks with me and my friends?” She motioned to a group of young women gawking at him in total fangirl mode. They were holding up their phones and taking quick selfies with him. Those pictures would be on social media within seconds.

  As his gaze connected with Frankie, he said, “Sorry, ladies, but I have a date.”

  “A date?” One of the women sounded skeptical. “Didn’t you just move to Kingston?”

  “He’s a player,” someone in the crowd shouted as others laughed. “Of course he has a date.”

  “You better get used to this.” Rosalie playfully tugged at Frankie’s hair. “The women can never accept when they’re seeing someone. Holt and I have been together for a few months and some of these tramps are still leaving naked pics of themselves for him at the ticket office.”

  “That’s awful. What’s wrong with them?”

  “They go nuts when it comes to these guys. You should see some of the emails Sage gets at the station about her and Nic.”

  “Really?” Just because the Crushers were recognizable didn’t mean they weren’t entitled to a private life.

  “Nic has been a Crusher for years. His charismatic personality draws some women in. He was single for a long time, and they can’t accept his relationship with my sister. Some are brutal. Her twitter feed can get pretty nasty.”

  “We should be supporting one another, not knocking each other down.” Frankie hated when people were vicious. If a guy chose a particular woman, then they should be happy for the couple.

  “Tell me about it.” Rosalie sighed. “That’s why all the wives and girlfriends hang together. We understand what it’s like to be with a player.”

  “What are you two beauties discussing?” Jed asked as he approached them.

  “Hot, sweaty, dirty players.” Rosalie smirked. “My favorite kind.”

  “Hmm.” Jed pulled Frankie to him. “I think I like that topic.”

  “What a game,” Rosalie said. “You really know how to fire up your new stadium.”

  “It feels right here.” When he gazed into Frankie’s eyes, she couldn’t help but get lost in his. “So, how was your first game?”

  “Fantastic!” She kissed his cheek. “Thank you for inviting me. Did you hit that home...I mean, grand slam for me?”

  “You bet.” He grinned as he took her hand. “Come on.”

  “Where?”

  “Dinner. I’m starving.” He waved to Rosalie as they headed for the exit.

  “Have fun, you two,” Rosalie called after them.

  “Thanks for helping me decipher the game this afternoon.” Frankie went back and gave Rosalie a quick hug. “I’ll catch up with you this week.”

  “We’ll hit the mall.” Rosalie pointed across the room just as Holt was coming in. “I have to go grab Holt before Jed’s new girlfriends get to him.”

  “Good luck,” Frankie said to her new friend.

  “I stayed with Holt and Ryder while I was waiting for my townhouse to be ready. Holt spends most of his time at Rosalie’s place so they had room for me. They’re a great couple.”

  “Rosalie’s fun. I’m looking forward to getting to know her better.” Frankie followed Jed down a long, empty corridor. “Where are we headed?”

  “Wherever you want to go.” He stopped and pushed her against a cool, cinderblock wall a few feet from the stairwell. He secured one hand around her waist as he rested the other on the wall. “I’ve been thinking about kissing you all day. It was quite distracting.”

  “I hope I didn’t mess up your game.”

  “Not at all.” He leaned in and brushed his lips along her jaw. “I was motivated with you watching me.”

  “You were?”

  “I wanted to impress my girl.” When he ran the tip of his tongue across her lips she shivered in response.

  “Your girl?”

  He nodded as he focused on her mouth. “My girl.”

  “Are you always this possessive?” She tugged on his bottom lip with her teeth.

  “Only when it comes to something I really want.” He gripped her chin between his fingers. “And I really want you.”

  He pressed his mouth to hers before she had time to say anything quippy. What could she say? She wanted to be his. He’d get no arguments about that.

  While he deepened the kiss, he tightened his hold on her hips, taking his time to savor her. She tilted her head as she trailed her hands up his firm chest. The kiss lasted longer than the night before, giving him time to explore her neck and throat with his fingertips. His hands caressed her skin with a dominating touch. The force in his actions made her quiver with an undeniable call. She needed something other than these arousing make-out sessions. If he wanted her to be his, he needed to make that happen.

  “You said...” She broke away from him, her voice raspy as she tried to catch her breath. �
��...you were hungry.”

  “You have no idea.” When he licked his lips she wondered if he tasted their encounter. His kiss still burned her mouth, leaving her desiring more. “Let me take you to dinner.”

  “I made you dinner.”

  “When did you have time to do that?”

  “I’m Italian.” She shrugged. “It’s Sunday, so I got up early and put a pot of sauce on. Meatballs are done too.”

  “Homemade sauce?” His eyes widened.

  “Is there any other kind?” She smiled because her grandmother had taught her well. The way to a man’s heart... “I couldn’t sleep, so I decided to make myself useful. My grandmother always got up before sunrise on Sunday mornings and made a big pot of sauce for the whole family. We would all gather at her house and eat a big dinner.”

  “That sounds fun.”

  “Some of my aunts and cousins still do it back in Brooklyn. I do miss that part. My sister is so busy with her kids, but we try to have a family dinner once a month if we can.”

  “Being on the road I miss those kinds of connections. It’s rare I get a home-cooked meal these days. I do room service and eat out with the team often.”

  “Then it’s settled.” She ran her palm along his cheek, indulging in the way his beard scraped her hand. “We can go back to my place for dinner.” And whatever happens after. “I made cookies too.”

  “What are we waiting for?”

  “Umm, weren’t you the one who accosted me in this dark hallway?”

  “You can expect much more accosting.” He took her hand and led her to the parking lot. “I hope you’re cool with that.”

  “More than cool.” Her gaze dropped to his sculpted backside. How am I ever going to make it through dinner?

  Chapter 5

  After dinner Jed helped Frankie load the dishwasher. It had been a long time since he’d eaten such a hearty meal. She had skills in the kitchen. As she wiped down the countertop he wondered how he’d gotten this lucky. A spot on one of the best teams in baseball, he’d hit a grand slam on his first time out in his new stadium, and the best part, his next door neighbor was fucking gorgeous.