by L A Cotton
“This is me telling you what I should've told you weeks ago.”
She gulped and flicked her tongue across her swollen lip. “Okay.”
A laugh escaped me. “Okay? Is that all you got?”
“For now, Coach Smith.” She fisted my shirt, pulling me down until her lips caught mine and someone hooted. She smiled against my lips, and we both came up for air to turn and see the culprit. Jared stood next to Zac grinning like the Cheshire fucking cat and giving us a thumbs-up. Kids.
“Okay, maybe right now isn’t the time or place,” I sighed.
“Yeah, it’s a whole lot embarrassing,” she said, and I dropped her to the ground, releasing my hold on her waist. My hands found hers and I entwined them between our bodies. “Tomorrow night, after the tournament finishes?”
She leaned into me and brushed her lips against mine. “Definitely.”
~
“What is that look for, dude?” I asked while handing Zac the last of the gloves.
A shit-eating smirk painted on his face. “What, me? Nothing.”
“I know you better. You’re dying to get something off your chest.”
“Shit, man.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “I knew that you asked her down here, but that stunt you pulled today? Fucking epic, man. In a totally I'm-pussy-whipped kinda way.” He ducked as I punched his arm. “I still can’t believe you didn’t let me in on it.”
“Hey, no offense. I just didn’t want you opening that mouth of yours.”
“Point taken. So everything smoothed out between you two now?”
“I’m taking her out tomorrow night. We have some stuff to talk about, but I’m not letting her go again.”
“Hoo-fucking-ray. It’s about time.”
~
I pulled up outside Sharn's house. It’d been less than thirty-six hours since I saw her last, but it felt like longer. I'd told her to be ready for me at seven. I was beginning to wish that I'd said eight. There'd only been time for a quick shower after the debriefing back at the office. Definitely not enough time to pull my shit together. I was ready to set things straight between us, but that didn't mean it was going to be easy. I was clamming up every time that I imagined the conversation in my head.
My hair still felt damp under my gray and black Yankees cap. I wasn't sure if it was from the shower or sweat. As I climbed out of my truck and headed for the door, my heart threatened to explode. Get a fucking grip, Smith. My mouth felt dry and I scrubbed my hands down my jeans in an attempt to dry them. I didn't even get a chance to ring the doorbell before the door swished open and my world stopped. I thought Sharn looked good in the jersey, but it was nothing compared to the floaty dress clinging to her body. The soft fabric hung close in all the right places. A shy smile tugged at her lips as she watched me drag my eyes down her body.
“Hi.”
“Hi. Wow, you look- hmm, wow.” I reached out and gently pulled one of the curls framing her face. It sprang back into place and a sexy pink blush came over her cheeks. “Ready?”
She nodded. “Where are we going?”
I pulled her into my side as we walked down the path. “It’s a surprise.”
“Whatever you say, Coach.”
I smacked her ass as she climbed into the cab and she yelped. “Less of that, or we won’t make it anywhere.”
She laughed, and I swore it was like music to my ears. That one sound and I felt my nerves dissipate. It was always natural with Sharn. Like it was meant to be.
We rode the twenty-minute journey to the lake in comfortable silence. Shit, comfortable didn’t quite fit the sexual tension floating around in the cab, but there was no pressure to talk. That would come later.
As I pulled off the highway and onto the dirt road I caught Sharn’s raised eyebrow in my peripheral vision.
“Don’t worry, there’s a reason for this.”
Her brow furrowed even more, and I chuckled. “Honest. Only good intentions over here, promise.”
The truck navigated the winding single-lane road with ease, and within minutes, we pulled into a small clearing. I cut the engine, climbed out of the cab, and walked to Sharn’s door. “Hi.”
“Hi.” I pulled the black tie from my back pocket and dangled it in front of her.
“Oh, hell no, Keefer.” She gulped.
“Come on, you don’t want to ruin the surprise.” My eyes begged her to trust me.
“You won’t leave me here? It’s so dark I can hardly see.”
I laughed and pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead. “Promise. I’ll be a couple of minutes. Let me do this. Please.”
She nodded and I moved toward her to tie the blindfold over her eyes, breathing in the vanilla scent lingering on her skin.
“Keefer, are you smelling me?”
I silently cursed. Busted. “I’ll come get you in a minute. Don’t go anywhere.”
She attempted to punch my ribs, but her fingers grazed my abs and my body shuddered. Get a grip. You’ve got to set things right first. Her fingers uncurled and lingered on my shirt, the air thick between us. There was so much unfinished—so much that I wanted to finish.
“Okay, don’t keep me waiting too long.” She released me, and I closed the door.
I grabbed the stuff that I’d brought with me from the back of the truck and set about executing my plan. Newnans Lake was the perfect place. Quiet. Alone. Beautiful. It was exactly the right place to do this.
I surveyed my efforts. Fucking A, who knew I had it in me. Zac was right. I was totally pussy-whipped, but she was worth it. Worth every damn candle and rose. My breath hitched as I made my way back to Sharn and I froze. My chest rose as I inhaled and exhaled to try to calm myself—and find some courage—before baring myself to her.
I watched her, just for a second, through the cab window. She was fidgeting with her blindfold. Typical Macer. Not enough that she could see, but I could tell the wait was killing her. I rapped my knuckles on the glass and she jumped. And then scowled. Damn, she was cute was she was angry.
“Sorry, I couldn’t resist,” I said, pulling open the door.
“Jerk.”
“Yeah, but you love me.”
Shit. I hadn’t meant for the words to tumble out. And I swore she faltered just for a second.
“Get me out of this thing, Smith. NOW.”
I laughed, nudging her hand away from the blindfold. “Patience is everything.” I helped her down out of the cab and led her around to the back of the truck. “Ready?”
“Just show me already. I’m dying over here.”
I tugged at one of the strands of material and it dropped from her eyes. She gasped as her eyes fell over the bed of the truck.
I’d decked it out with blankets, roses, and candles. An upturned crate sat in the center, covered in some floral cloth Mrs. Elms had insisted I use. It housed our dinner for the evening: sub rolls, pretzels, donuts, plastic cups, and soda. It wasn’t Gio’s, but I thought it came in at a pretty close second.
“This is…” she stuttered, “amazing. Wow.”
My hand found hers, and I pulled her back into me. “This is okay?”
She turned to face me and reached up to palm my cheek. “It’s perfect. And so romantic. I didn’t know you had it in you.”
I playfully smacked her butt and lifted her into the truck. “I thought we could eat then talk?”
“Sounds like a plan to me. This smells good. Did you make these?” She eyed the subs.
“I didn’t have time, but they’re from my favorite deli store. Freshly made.”
We got comfy amidst the blankets and two cushions that I’d thrown in at the last minute. It was a cool evening, but the candles lined up on wheel arches and cab window ledge were throwing out a gentle heat.
“You want the turkey or chicken sub?”
“Ladies’ choice.”
She picked up the turkey sub and bit into it. “Mmm,” she groaned.
“Good, yeah?”
“So good.”<
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We ate and talked. Nothing heavy. Sharn asked about the tournament, about how the boys were doing; we shared the pretzels and fought over the chocolate sprinkle donut. And then when all the food was gone, the tension crept back. My mouth dried as I met Sharn’s gaze. She was questioning me with her big browns; willing me to talk.
“Just a second.” I shifted onto my knees and moved the crate to the side. I offered Sharn one of the cushions and tucked the other behind me and shuffled back. She caught on and copied me until we were lying side by side, my feet poking out of the edge of the truck bed.
Our fingers brushed as our hands lay next to each other. “I guess I have some explaining to do.”
She wrapped her fingers around my mine and squeezed. “Listen, no pressure, okay? But sometimes sharing helps, you know?”
I swallowed down the fear threatening to choke me. She knew. That was the crazy thing. She knew all about Dad. But saying the words, actually admitting them out loud to her? Fucking hard. “You know that my mom died when I was little, right? Well, Dad… he— he...” Fuck. It was going to be harder than I imagined. “He didn’t handle it, at all. Fell apart. Started drinking. It didn’t happen overnight. It was a progression. He held down his job for a while, made sure that I got to school in the morning, that kind of thing. But he wasn’t my dad anymore. He stopped taking me to play ball. Stopped asking me about my day. Fuck.” I scrubbed a hand down my face while Sharn rubbed her thumb lazily over my hand. “He didn’t care. He didn’t care about anything.” I trailed off, staring up at the black sky. It was a clear night; the stars twinkled like tiny lights.
Sharn moved beside me. She rolled onto her side, using her arm to push herself up slightly. “Keefer, I won’t judge. I won’t ask questions, not if you don’t want me to. Hell, I won’t say a word. I’m here, for you.” She watched me and I swore her eyes looked into my damn soul.
And I felt it.
Felt the invisible ties binding us together. This was it. The moment. The spark. When you knew—unequivocally—that someone loved you. That they were meant for you.
It should’ve been a fucking epiphany, but instead, it left me feeling terrified. I took a deep breath and forced the words out. “Two months ago, Dad tried to kill himself. Almost succeeded. That’s why I pulled back. That’s why I pushed you away. That’s my life. It’s been my life since the day that Mom died. That’s the kind of shit that I have to deal with.”
I was about to push myself up to meet her face-to-face when she caught me off guard. She rolled onto me and pressed her lips to mine, like she knew I needed her to clear through the shitstorm raging in my head.
My arms wound around her waist, tugging her flush onto my body, and her tongue parted my lips with little protest from mine. Our lips melded together and started a slow dance and the storm inside me started to subside. This was all I needed. Her.
A soft moan escaped Sharn’s lips and zip lined straight to my dick. Not here, dammit. But my conscience couldn’t hold back the urge to crush her to me. Our kisses became more frantic and urgent, and I coiled my hand around her neck holding her captive. Her hands found the hem of my shirt and grazed my skin as I moved across her jaw, feathering kisses up to her earlobe. When I bit down gently at the soft spot just under her ear, her body vibrated.
I needed more.
One of my hands brushed the thin strap off her shoulder and I moved to kiss her there, but she stilled. “Keefer…” she fought to gain control of her breath. “Time out.”
“Time out?” I chuckled.
“Isn’t that what they say in baseball? We need to back up a bit before we get carried away.”
My heart plummeted in my fucking sneakers. Had I misread this? I started to pull away, but she held me firm by the shirt.
“Don’t. Please, don’t ruin what’s so far been an amazing night. I’m not blowing you off; I just want us to clear the air before…before we move forward.”
I slumped back with relief. She was right. Things always got so heated between us, it was hard to think straight, let alone remember all the shit going on around us. All the shit we still needed to air. “You’re right. I got carried away. It’s just so easy with you, being like this. You make me calm.”
Her cheeks started to heat, I didn’t know if it was from embarrassment or our proximity. “You know that I knew, right? Why didn’t you say anything?”
Now I was the one fucking blushing. “I- hmm, I don’t know. I wanted to. But it’s hard. Fuck, it feels impossible sometimes.” I pulled her into me and kissed her on the nose. “I’m sorry. I close down. It’s my coping mechanism. That and beating the shit out of a punching bag or hitting one hundred balls in a row.”
“How’s he doing, your dad? I know that I said I wouldn’t ask any questions, but the last few times I saw you, you’ve seemed different. Lighter?”
“Yeah. He’s doing well, real well. I don’t want to jump the gun or raise my hopes. But it’s different this time. I think it’s real.”
“That’s good. For him. For you both.”
We sat in silence, staring out at the night sky. I felt like a weight had been lifted now that Sharn knew everything. She let out a quiet breath, and I turned slightly to look at her. I could see her mind working; she had that look, like she wanted to ask me something.
“Go on.”
“Hmm, what?”
“It’s written all over your face, you want to ask me something.”
Sharn pushed herself up onto her elbows and said, “I was just wondering…that weekend you said you went out of town. Where were you?”
My lips curled up in a half smile. “I was with Dad, but then, you’d figured that out, too, hadn’t you?”
Her hand came down over mine and brushed my fingers. “Maybe.”
“Every year on the anniversary of Mom’s death, we hang out. It’s kind of our ritual. Sometimes it’s a trip down memory lane, sometimes it’s a total bust and I spend two days nursing Dad.” The words hung between us, but I didn’t feel the shame I had. “I’d like you to meet him. Soon. If you want to, that is? I want you to know everything about me. I want you in my life. I. Want. You.”
She smiled against my neck. “I’m yours.”
Chapter 29
~ Sharn ~
We’d been lying in the bed of the truck for hours. Keefer shared some of his happier memories of his family with me, and I told him about what it was like growing up with Cindy Macer as a mother. I even showed him the letter. It had been burning a hole in my bag all day, still sealed. It was something that I needed to read with Russ.
“What do you think it says?” Keefer asked me.
“I have no idea. Maybe she’s cutting us off. Officially. Can a parent do that? Separate from their kids?” I laughed, but it was forced. Nothing about the situation made me want to laugh.
“Maybe it's an apology?”
I almost choked. “Are you serious? Mom has never apologized. Ever. No, it's definitely more like a final goodbye or something. Or more of her ridiculous demands.”
Keefer pulled me into his side and I savored the feel of his strong arms around me. “She might want to make amends. Say everything she can't find the words to? I know how hard it can be to get things out there. To open up.”
I looked up at him incredulously. “Seriously, you're defending her? You don't even know her. What a raving bitch she is.”
He stroked my waist and nestled his nose into the crook of my neck. “Hey, calm down. You know that's not what I'm doing. I'm just saying that maybe there's more in the letter than you think. She might surprise you. Either way, I'll be here.”
I let his words sink in. Did I want an apology? Would it change anything? I didn't have time to think on it. Keefer tugged me up so we were nose to nose. He grazed my lips with his and wrapped his arm around me, pulling me tighter. Only my thin cotton dress and his shirt and jeans separated us. I was lost in him. He moved me to straddle him, in one swift movement, and I cocked an eyebrow in
his direction.
“What? I thought you’d be more comfortable,” he smirked.
I batted my hand at his chest. “Since when did you become this smooth, mister?”
“Since you.”
My heart fluttered and I knew that my face was betraying any hopes of hiding my feelings.
“What are you thinking?”
I played dumb. “Oh, just about the move tomorrow. All those boxes to carry.”
He laughed. “Liar.” Pulling me closer, he touched his forehead to mine. “I’ll tell you what’s on my mind. I can’t believe you’re here…with me. That after everything, you’re still here. I’ve never felt this way before. I’ll be honest; it’s a little unnerving. I wasn’t joking when I told you that I don’t open up or let people in. I’ve never done this. But you’re different. You make me want to do the whole flowers and hearts shit.”
”Is that so?”
“Sharn,” he whispered, brushing his lips gently over mine. “You were made for me.”
His words stole my heart—as if he didn’t already own it—then his lips stole my reply.
Keefer might have struggled to voice his feelings, but he showed me everything in that kiss. His hand slipped underneath the spaghetti strap of my dress, and this time I didn’t stop him as he trailed a path of kisses down my neck, each one causing me to shiver with pleasure. I clasped my hands around his neck, locking us together, and a small moan escaped my lips as his hand stroked the strap off my shoulder and he nipped at my skin.
“You are so beautiful. I’m not sure I can stop.”
“Then don’t.”
We were the only sign of life in the blackness. Other than the soft flicker of the candles and the undercurrent of music playing from the radio, we were alone. And I wouldn’t have changed the moment for anything.
Keefer shifted us slightly so that he was resting against the back of the cab, but his lips didn’t leave my skin. His tongue flicked over the curve of my breast while he drew me down onto him. I could feel him pressing into me through his jeans. The delicious sensation caused my head to fall back and I moaned.