by Ana Shay
I lifted the boxers up and growled when I saw my face staring back at me. Of course, she had Catfish Baseball boxers. “Are you telling me you sleep with my face on your pussy at night?”
She bit her bottom lip. “No,” She quipped, “More like on my ass. That’s the back.” Is this girl for real? It’s like she took pleasure in making me horny.
I glanced at her, my cock ready for another round, but I needed to cool my jets. I didn’t want her to think I was a 26-year-old virgin. I said coolly, “Next time you want my face on your ass, just ask me.” Her face reddened while she danced on her toes, making the hem of her shirt ride up. My gaze moved to the dancing fabric, hoping I’d see more. When she saw me looking, she pulled the shirt down. Even after everything she let me do to her, she was still acting shy about her perfect pussy.
Tucking a rogue blonde hair behind her ear, she smiled as if that would change the mess on top of her head. I had run my hands through it so thoroughly; she was going to need conditioner to get the knots out. “Did you want to stay the night? I understand if you don’t. I mean, I can’t guarantee your car will be there in the morning, but I kind of thought that after everything that happened, you might want to stay.” She said fast and meekly. When I didn’t respond, she started again, “And I’ll stop now. I‘m just rambling.” Her hands were flailing everywhere as she spoke.
Could she get any cuter? Nope. Not even if she tried.
“There is nothing more I’d want to do than spend the night with you while wearing your Tate Sorenson boxers, but I can’t.” I watched the hope disappear in her eyes. “I’ve got to be at the stadium tomorrow at 6 am. All my bags for the road trip are in my apartment.”
She shook her head almost violently. “Of course. It was stupid of me to offer.”
I stood up and encased her in a hug. It took her a few seconds to relax into it. “No, it wasn’t.” I placed a kiss on the top of her head. “Next time, I’ll stay, over.”
“Next time?” She backed away so she could look at my face.
“Yeah, Next time,” I confirmed, and she smiled less nervously.
Relaxing her head against my chest, she said, “I’d like that.”
I kissed her forehead lightly, enjoying the new intimacy we now shared. “Great, and don’t forget that awesome date I’m going to take you on too.”
“I can’t wait.” She hummed into my chest.
Chapter 11
I wiped away the sweat from my brow, rushing back into the school. I was thankful Mary didn’t make me wear the Catty costume the whole day. A few hours with children clawing at me was more than enough. I loved the excitement of greeting the little kids, but even with the makeshift air conditioning I installed in the form of a hand fan, it was still too hot to wear anything other than underwear underneath, which felt a little pervy. You know, wearing nothing while people cuddle me. It’s weird and made me feel like one of those Furry people I watched a documentary about one time. Mary let me slither away while she conducted a quiz so I could change out of it before some of the pitchers showed up to talk with the kids.
I shoved the Catfish costume in Mary’s trunk, adjusting the Sorenson jersey I was asked to wear. Okay, I wasn’t explicitly asked to wear Tate’s jersey, but after declaring I was never to wear another man’s name on my back in bed, Tate proceeded to send me all four variations of this year’s jersey. Since he ripped my other one, I had no other choice.
I adjusted the buttons on the jersey, patting down the fabric before pulling my hair into a high ponytail. “Crap!” I cursed, annoyed that I left my phone in the car. I wanted to check to see if Tate had messaged me. I had no idea what he was up to today, but since it’s his first day back after a long two-week road trip, I was kind of hoping he would what to see me. Heat rushes to my face as I shuffle down the hall, thinking about the last time I saw him. Half-naked and riding his boxer-clad crotch into orgasmic bliss. I must have looked so desperate and depraved that night. Although I was slightly embarrassed when we said our good night, he didn’t seem to mind.
He’s been texting me since, initiating dirty talk that I’ve been too afraid to follow through on. It’s not like I’m any kind of queen of the bedroom. Before Tate, I’ve only ever had a few sexual encounters, all of which ended in disappointment. Tate was the exact opposite. Just the way he looked at me turned me on. Like I was the sexiest woman he’s ever seen. I’d never really felt sexy before, and I’m certainly not the type of girl to go around letting anyone’s hands down my panties. But there I was, letting Tate, like he belonged there.
Something about it felt right, and it wasn’t just the fact that I didn’t know orgasms could feel so good. I think it was how comfortable he made me feel. He didn’t judge my apartment even though I know he lives in one of those swanky high rises by the stadium. He didn’t judge me when I told him I was doing my job unpaid, and most importantly, whenever he talked to me, it felt like I was the only person in the room he cared to listen to. He wanted me; he was making it perfectly clear.
As I opened the double doors to the school, I made my way back to the library. Baby hair stuck to the side of my face as I walked with an extra skip in my step, thinking of Tate. I was counting down the hours to when I finished so I could speak to him. When I got into the library, I shuffled over to Mary, who was speaking to one of the teachers. “They’re just so good with kids.” The teacher cooed, pushing her glasses further up the bridge of her nose. My brows creased in surprise. Are the pitchers are already here? I was supposed to escort them in.
I played with my fingers, looking at Mary to gauge her reaction. She doesn’t look particularly pissed off. Usually, when she’s ticked, there’s a big bulging vein in her forehead. It’s not there. Glancing across the room, the children sit cross-legged on the floor, diligently watching Max, Grayson… My breath caught.
And Tate?
Ballcap, low slung pants, and a tight jersey to die for. My baseball fantasy was standing right in front of me, watching the kids.
What the hell is he doing here?
He was not on the roster today. Mike was supposed to be here. Not him.
Our eyes met.
A smirk grew across his face. He was looking sexy as sin while he casually leaned against the librarian’s desk, one foot in front of the other. Casually nonchalant is the perfect description of him. His honey gaze got hotter as he watched me squirm, completely ignoring Grayson and Max explaining the different types of pitching. I don’t know why they bother anyway. As if any of these five-year-olds understand. I’ve been watching baseball my entire life, and I still can’t figure it out.
My body warms when Tate’s smile broadens. I feel warmer than I did in the Cattysuit an hour ago. I spun on my heel, turning away quickly because I was desperate to not draw attention or let anyone else in on our secret. No one knew we had dinner together or that I humped him into near oblivion, and I wanted to keep it that way. For now, at least.
I told Tate I wanted to take it slow because I didn’t want people to think I was sleeping with a player to get treated more favorably at work. Although, with Josh barking orders at me, I think he’d get worse. Either way, I wanted to keep it quiet, and Tate seemed perfectly okay with it.
“Thank you for allowing the guys to come today,” Mary said to the teacher. “The guys love doing this kind of thing. And they hardly ever have time during the season, so I’m glad we managed to get them here today.”
“How did you get Tate here?” The bespeckled teacher asked a little more quietly and gave him the once over. He’s in jeans today, a rare sight, and he fills them nicely. Her lips curve as she keeps her eyes trained on him. I resisted the urge to look back and see Tate’s reaction. I can’t be too obvious, even if I wanted to throttle her. “He’s such a superstar. I thought he’d be busy.” It came out as more of a purr than an actual sentence. Like she was trying to seduce Tate through Mary. Gross. My heart beat faster again. There was a serious possibility I was going to have a heart atta
ck if I didn’t harness this rage into some useful energy.
Mary shrugged. “You know, he wasn’t supposed to be here, but he said he loved the cause so wanted to make an appearance.”
The teacher nodded, her predatory gaze still firmly focused on Tate. “Is he single now?” She asked without a nervous bone in her body. “I read that he broke up with his girlfriend, but there was something about a reconciliation in the news the other day.” My ears pricked. She kept tabs on him. I didn’t even do that, and he was my favorite player. Then again, I never actually planned on dating him either. That was kind of thrown out of left field.
Mary looked between me and Teach. She knew Tate had bought me flowers and asked me out, but that was it. “I don’t know. We don’t get told about that kind of stuff.” She looked at me for confirmation, but I stayed closed lipped. Teach pursed hers, still hungrily focused on Tate. When I quickly flicked my gaze over, I smiled because he hadn’t noticed her at all. He was still watching me.
“Would you be able to slip him my number?” Really?! Did she really think that was appropriate? At a Kindergarten meet and greet?
Of course, she wouldn’t be interested in Grayson. Anyone with more than half a brain cell knows to stay clear of him if you want an actual relationship. He explains his three rules for women in every interview he gives, as though we don’t already know he’s a ‘pump’n’dump’ kind of guy. His words, not mine. But why couldn’t she be interested in Max instead? He’s a nice respectable young man, and most importantly, he’s not Tate. The same Tate whose fingers were sailing on the California beaches a couple of weeks ago.
Did I really just compare my vagina to an ocean? What has gotten into me?
Teach handed Mary a piece of paper which she subsequently stuffed in her pocket. “Of course.” She smiled. It was the ultimate betrayal that she didn’t know she was committing.
“Excuse me, miss,” A little girl with blonde hair pulled at my jersey. Right. I need to act like a normal adult today. I kneeled, smiling at her. “Where did Catty go?” She was loud enough that the whole room turned to listen. There were a few mutterings from other kids who just noticed his absence too. My eyes pinged to Mary; I can’t go back in that costume. Not now that Tate’s here. He’d know it was me under there all along.
Mary smiled, encouraging me to answer. “Uh, Catty had to go back to the river because he couldn’t breathe.” The children gasped, and I winced. What a stupid thing to say. I’ve never been the smoothest person in the world, and that only intensifies when I’m around kids. Or someone beautiful is trying to move in on Tate.
“Catty died?” The little girl’s lip quivered through bleary eyes. I looked around the room. All the kids were looking at me with frowns, anticipating my answer.
I jumped at the screech from one of the kids. Why am I so awkward? “No. No. He’s not dead. He just had to leave; otherwise, he would have died.” Oh, God. Why can’t I stop talking?! That did not make it better. The wails of children fill the room, and I started sweating. I’ve screwed up again. When Josh finds out about this, I’m going to be fired.
A loud, commanding voice boomed out. “Hey, kids, don’t worry, Catty’s just having a nap in my car. I’ve got a fish tank in there.” Tate says. I was thankful he diverted the attention away from me. “He’s had a long week visiting other children just like you, and he needs his rest.” My shoulders relaxed as the children refocus their attention back on the players and calm down. No crying was in sight. “How about we let Grayson and Max finish their explanation of the Slurve,” Tate said with such confidence; it was no wonder he was considered one of the most stable members of the team. Everything about him made people feel calm.
Max and Grayson took over. Crisis diverted. Thank goodness. The only gaze I could still feel on me was Tate’s. Probably waiting for me to mouth thank you, but I know if I look over, I’ll turn into a pile of goo. I tried to look anywhere but him; in fear that I would give it all away, and somehow, they’d know I rode him like my own personal horse the other week.
“Cali,” Mary whispered loudly to get my attention. I was thankful for the distraction. “Could you get the gifts for the kids? We left them in my car.” She gestured to the keys dangling in my hand.
I nodded frantically with tight lips. As far as she was concerned, I turned Tate down after he came looking for me, and she’s going to give him Teach’s number. As much as I hate it, I need her to keep thinking that way.
“Uh huh. Sure,” I said, almost deliriously. Too many thoughts were running through my head as I made my way back outside. I sucked in the air while I stood in the parking lot, trying to get my head straight. The humid air does little to settle my stomach of nerves, but I give it a few minutes before I adjust myself, walking over to Mary’s car. The bright red of Tate’s Cherry Mustang caught my eye. How did I miss that before?
I balanced a large box of caps, jerseys, balls, and mitts in my hands as I made my way back inside and mentally prepared myself for questions the kids might have so I didn’t embarrass myself further. My sneakers squeaked across the quiet hall; I’m concentrating so hard, I hardly noticed the creaking door opening beside me. An arm wrapped around my waist while a hand captured my mouth.
My body vibrated, the box fell to the floor of what seems to be the supply closet. My capture’s hand squeezed tighter when I tried to scream for help in the darkness. My life flashed before me, and my biggest regret plays over and over again. My mother convincing me that a zoot suit would look good at a friend’s sweet sixteen.
The door is swiftly shut, and the box jiggled on the floor. I raised my hands, ready to take on my attacker with some Judo I learned from Kung Fu Panda. Wait, it was Judo, right? I brought my hand up to Judo chop my assailant's ass. Before I could bring the heat, he took my hand, waffling our fingers together. “Hey Cali,” Tate’s deep voice whispered in my ear. There was a hint of humor in his voice as his hand pressed my butt into his crotch. “It’s been too long.” He nuzzled his nose into my hair, and I stood there, trying not to melt every time we touched.
“It’s only been a few days.” A giggle escaped when he nipped at the sensitive spot behind my ear. He turned me in his arms.
It was then I wanted to stay in the supply closet and never leave. Close up, I could see wisps of his week-old stubble, and I immediately wanted to brush my lips across it. God, the stubble, muscles, and chiseled features had me. He was such a man.
“A few days?” He scoffed, his eyebrows lifting in surprise. “Try eleven.”
I rolled my eyes, trying not to show that my heart skipped a beat knowing he counted the days. Take that, Teach. “Is that why you pulled me in here?” I asked, not fully expecting an answer because Tate’s hands were sliding under my jersey, skating across the exposed skin of my hips as he kissed my collarbone.
“Partly.” He mumbled with amusement. “I’m only here because Gray mentioned that he was coming, and a few marketing people would be here. I was hoping it was you.”
I backed away from him, looking down at his perfectly shaped, rosy lips. “Wait a minute. You only came here on the off-chance I might be the one escorting them.” He grinned, nodding. “It’s your only day off for the next week.”
“You know my schedule already?” He teased, pushing me against the shelves, his hands went behind me, and he pulled my hair out of the ponytail. He watched it float down to my shoulders. I had no time to worry about how sweaty I looked because he threaded his hands through my hair, kissing me urgently. His tongue demanded entry, and for a second, I let him take over all my thoughts.
“We shouldn’t be in here. We’ll get in trouble.” I muttered as his mouth moved down to my chin. I had to say it even if it felt meaningless. I wanted this, and I’m sure my bulking hips let him know it.
“Oh yeah?” His hands grasped mine, bringing them over and above my head as he continued to trail kisses down my neck. “Are we being naughty, Cali?” He drawled out, heady want thick in his tone. “Are y
ou being a bad girl?” He teased; my body melted at his words. He made me feel like a naughty schoolgirl, late for church. It wasn’t me. I’ve never been one to feel sexy or horny, for that matter. Something about Tate, though, turns me the hell on. Even through the thick denim of both of our jeans, I could feel his hardness pressed against me. That’s why I feel sexy with him. Because he lets me know how much he wants me.
Stifling a groan, I pushed him off. “We have to stop. We’re in a school, Tate.” I didn’t want to but getting caught would definitely put the nail in the coffin for my job.
His hands relaxed against the shelves, encasing me in as he took long, slow breaths, trying to compose himself. I did that to him. Me. His eyes dropped to my lips, and he smirked. “I can’t help it. I was disappointed because I thought you weren’t coming and then you walked into the room, looking all kinds of hot and flustered. I loved watching you squirm. Then when you walked out, my mind went blank for a second. All I could focus on was that you were wearing my jersey and you’re cute little ass in those pants. I wanted you.” His big paws clasped my butt cheeks. “It’s like you’re trying to tease me.”
I felt the heat in his gaze without having to look. He took my lack of response as permission to continue, and I didn’t stop him. Lifting me off the ground, he forced my legs around his waist and nibbled at my ear.
The little bites sent a burning sensation to my stomach, and just as he started nibbling at the sensitive spots, I squeaked out, “They’re going to notice we’re gone soon. We need to get back out there to give away this stuff.” I reluctantly unwrapped my legs from him, pushing him back in the process. “You know I’m right,” I said sternly. I knew I was the one who had to be strong. My job is on the line here. Not his. If we were found out, I would just be another byline on articles about Tate.