by JL Paul
***
She urged Brady’s sleek, black Maxima through the traffic surrounding the stadium and dug his player’s parking pass out of the glove compartment. She attached it to the rear view mirror and swung the car past the lines to the crowded parking lots and over to the players’ parking area.
Already running late, she cursed as she parked his car in the players’ lot and ran around to the other side of the building to the Will Call window. By the time she claimed her ticket and got inside, the top of the first inning had ended. She made her way through the stands and was delighted to find Tabby and Zoey sitting next to her seat. She plopped down and greeted the two women just as the leadoff batter walked.
“Just in time to see Brady,” Tabby said.
Pinking slightly, Taylor smiled as Brady walked up to the plate. Brady had fallen into a slump lately and she hoped that maybe with all the weight of their issues off his shoulders, he could get back up to caliber.
He didn’t let her down. He smacked the fourth pitch through the hole between the third baseman and the short stop and bounded safely to first. She stood and cheered remembering him asking her last night if she was going to do that exact thing.
When she sat back down, she noticed Samantha and her cousin sitting a few seats down from them. The other girl caught her glance and flashed a haughty look before turning her head. Taylor ignored her and watched Brady take a big lead off of first.
The next batter hit a ball to deep center field. Taylor held her breath as the runner on second tagged up, took off, and scored easily as the center fielder bobbled the ball. She winced as Brady slid into third under the third baseman’s glove. The umpire declared him safe and Taylor breathed again. Calling for time, Brady stood to wipe the dirt off his once clean uniform.
Unfortunately, he was stranded on third as the next two batters failed to bring him home.
“So you and Brady finally talked, huh?” Tabby asked, barely containing a smile.
“Yeah,” Taylor answered, signaling for the beer vendor. She had a feeling Tabby and Zoey were going to be merciless with their questions.
Tabby put her hand on Taylor’s arm. “He finally broke down and told us about the bet. I’m sorry he was such an ass.”
After paying for three beers, Taylor passed them down. “Don’t apologize. We talked about it and it’s over.”
“He really cares about you,” Zoey added. “It’s so obvious.”
“I know,” Taylor said, taking a sip from her beer. “We decided last night to give it another shot.”
Tabby snorted. “That explains the dirty looks Gina keeps giving you.”
“Who is Gina?” Taylor asked.
Tabby nodded at the girl sitting next to Samantha. “Samantha’s cousin. I think Samantha was trying to set her up with Brady. Too bad Samantha had to bring her tonight. If that girl gives you one more dirty look, I might have to take Alex’s bat to her.”
Taylor laughed. “Don’t worry about her. She doesn’t bug me.”
They watched the rest of the game in good spirits. Brady finally broke out of his slump and went two for three with an awesome pickoff play at second.
Taylor followed the other girls to the players’ parking lot to wait for Brady. Her heartbeat quickened when he emerged from the players’ entrance, dark hair still damp from the shower. Walking straight up to her, he kissed her softly on the cheek.
“Are you happy? I finally broke the slump,” he whispered.
She shivered as his lips touched her ear. “Yeah and I didn’t even have to do anything lewd,” she retorted, tamping down the tingling in her stomach.
He winked at her. “Well, maybe not in reality but in my mind you…”
“Don’t even finish that sentence Brady,” she threatened.
Laughing, he hugged her briefly before waving to the others. He took the keys from her as he ushered her to his car.
“Your car is at my place. They brought it over before I left.”
“Okay,” she said. “Thanks for helping me out with that.”
“It’s no problem, love,” he said. “The bill has been taken care of, too.”
“Brady,” she protested, her stomach sinking to her feet. “I can pay for it.”
“I know you can,” he said, lifting a shoulder. “But I wanted to do this.”
Gnawing on her lip, she turned her head to the window. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” he said in a small voice. “Taylor, I know you’re this independent, self-sufficient woman, but I just wanted to…you know…do something for you.”
“I know,” she said, turning to smile at him. “I appreciate it.”
He drove to his house and pulled in the drive next to her car. Taking her by the hand, he led her inside. The condo was immaculately clean, almost sterile, but it lacked any of Brady’s personality.
The beige carpet was a shade lighter than the walls. The furniture was heavy and bland - more than likely something the owner had picked up in order the stage the unit. The huge television and elaborate electronic devices in the entertainment center were the only things that screamed ‘a man lives here.’
“Don’t use your work excuse tonight. I know you’re usually off on Saturdays,” Brady said.
“I wasn’t going to use any excuses.”
Smiling, he motioned for her to have a seat on the couch. He disappeared into the kitchen and returned a few minutes later with two bottles of beer. He handed her one as he sat down next to her. “I’m trying to get you drunk so you have to spend the night with me.”
Her brows rose. “At least you’re honest, I guess.”
Taking the bottle from her hand, he placed it on the coffee table. He lifted a hand to cup her cheek, his eyes probing hers. Slowly, he eased her closer, pressing his lips to hers. She threw her arms around his neck, raking her fingers through the ends of his hair. The tingling that had started earlier in her stomach exploded into full blown fireworks.
He trailed his lips down her jaw to her neck, moving her collar aside to gain better access. She gasped when his hand moved up her shirt and grazed her breast. The heat shooting through her veins as almost unbearable. Clutching his shoulders, she closed her eyes, the feel of his lips on her body so pleasant.
His mouth drifted back to hers as he used his free hand to yank her shirt up. The cool air that hit her exposed skin jerked her to back to her senses. Shoving him away, she sat up quickly, straightening her clothes. She got to her feet and headed for the door.
“Taylor, where are you going?” he asked, hands furiously running through his hair.
“I’m sorry, Brady. I have to go,” she replied before dashing out of the door.
Chapter Ten
Taylor fled to her car, fighting tears, and yanked on the door handle. Cursing when she realized she hadn’t retrieved the keys yet from Brady, she rested her head on the cool metal of the door frame, choking back her tears of embarrassment.
“Forget something, love?” Brady said, slowing advancing toward her. Sucking in a huge breath, she pivoted to face him. But the cocky smirk she expected to find on his handsome face was missing.
“Brady, I’m sorry,” she muttered, bowing her head.
He lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. “No, love. I shouldn’t have rushed you.” A slow grin suddenly appeared on his lips. “It’s just hard to keep my hands off of you.”
She smiled shyly and stood on tiptoes to brush her lips against his.
Taking her hand, he held it palm up then dropped her keys in it. He closed her fingers around them and pushed her hair behind her ears. “How about that date I promised you tomorrow after the game?”
She nodded, suddenly mesmerized by his bright, green eyes. His grin turned to a genuine smile as he leaned in and kissed her again. “Bring a sexy dress and I’ll take you somewhere nice. You can change here after the game.”
“Okay,” she told him softly, unable to tear her gaze from his. Taking her by surprise, he pull
ed her into his arms and stroked her hair.
“Drive safe,” he muttered as he released her. “And call me when you get home.”
***
“C’mon Nolan! Get a hit for once!”
Brady’s lips twitched while he made his way to the batter’s box. Taylor sat in her usual seat next to Tabby and Zoey, enjoying the game. The Racers had a three run lead over Kansas City, but it had been a heated match.
Ian Pitner had crushed a homer in the first inning stirring up a rally among his teammates. They’d managed to score five runs. But when Ian batted the next inning, the frustrated pitcher had hit him in the arm on the first pitch. With a murderous glare, Ian had jogged down to first while the home plate umpire had warned both benches that any retaliation would result in ejection. Brady came up to bat after Ian was hit and promptly launched one over the center field wall bringing the score to 7-0.
It seemed as though the Racers had this one in the bag until the next inning when Kansas City had staged a comeback during the next two innings to make it 7-4.
Brady flew out to centerfield to end the inning and Taylor watched nervously as Ian Pitner, who was on first, exchanged a few words with the pitcher as he made his way across the diamond and back to the dugout. Taylor thought they were going to start throwing punches and apparently Brady thought so, too, as he grabbed Ian’s sleeve, pulling him back to their side of the field.
Taylor had gotten to know Ian a tiny bit and he always seemed like such an easy going guy. It shocked her now to see such anger on his face. She exchanged a nervous look with Zoey as Tabby merely shrugged her shoulders as if to say, ‘They’re little boys. What can you do?’
Mark Johnson was still on the mound for the Racers even though he’d started and it was the top of the seventh inning. Zoey was excited for him; hoping he’d have his first complete game of the season.
It wasn’t to be, though, as the third pitch he threw caught Kansas City’s star slugger in the thigh. The batter threw his bat down and charged the mound. Zoey gasped as the big guy nearly tackled Mark to the ground. The girls jumped to their feet as the infielders, as well as the outfielders rushed to Mark’s defense. A split second later, both benches cleared as the umpires, the managers, and most of the coaches, tried to break up the huge melee on the field. Taylor stood on her seat, trying to find Brady in all the mess, but it was hard to distinguish him from the others.
Tabby and Zoey followed Taylor’s lead and stood on their seats also. After what seemed like forever, but was only about five or so minutes, both teams had returned to their dugouts and the umpires started handing out ejections. Of course Mark and the big slugger were ejected but Taylor was surprised to not see Brady return to his position.
“He probably got kicked out, too,” Tabby told her, settling back in her seat. “He was the first one to the mound once Anderson charged Mark.”
“That was so stupid of Mark,” Zoey fumed. “I mean, he had a great game going!”
“It didn’t look to me like he did it on purpose,” Tabby reassured her. “Besides, Mark isn’t the type to retaliate.”
Taylor chewed on her lip, constantly glancing at the dugout for signs of Brady. She jumped when her cell phone rang. Her eyes widened when she looked at the screen and answered it quickly.
“Brady? Where are you?” she nearly shouted. Tabby and Zoey looked at her.
“Davies is going to bring you my keys. Can you get my car and pick me at the hospital?” he asked.
“Um, yeah. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, love. See you in a few.”
Hanging up, she stared at the phone.
“Tab, give these to Brady’s girl,” Davies, the third basemen called as he threw a set of keys to Tabby. She caught them and handed them to Taylor.
“C’mon,” Tabby ordered, yanking on her am. “I’ll get you to the players’ parking lot.”
***
Taylor paced the sterile waiting room while the burly nurse stomped away to find Brady and ask him if he indeed had a girlfriend named Taylor.
“Miss Lockwood,” the irritated nurse called out ten minutes later. “This way.”
Taylor ignored her brusqueness and followed her through the maze of corridors until they reached a small treatment room. Taylor pushed the door open and found Brady sitting nonchalantly on the exam table, chest totally bare. With heated cheeks, her eyes immediately drank in the hard, chiseled planes of his chest. He turned his head to her and smiled.
“Come in, love,” he called. “The doctor left me sitting here.”
“Are you okay?” she asked, rushing over to examine him herself. He had a purple bruise forming under his left eye, a cut above his right eye, and one more on his lip. His hair was disheveled and his uniform pants covered with dirt.
“Yeah,” he answered, clearly confused. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
Placing her hands on her hips, she narrowed her eyes. “You called my cell and told me to get your keys and meet you at the hospital. That’s all. What was I supposed to think?”
Jumping down, he yanked her hands off her hip and eased her closer so he could wrap his arms around her waist. Her heartbeat tripled as her pulse raced.
Smirking down at her, he winced slightly, bringing a hand to his cut lip. “It’s just a couple of stitches, that’s all. The trainer brought me here and I told him I’d call you and have you pick me up.”
“Someone obviously punched you one too many times in the head if you didn’t think that a call telling me to meet you at the hospital wouldn’t scare me.”
He squeezed her quickly. “I told you on the phone that I was fine.”
Taylor pulled away with a blush as the door opened to admit the doctor and a young nurse. With angry eyes, Taylor huffed at the young woman as she gazed appreciatively at Brady’s naked chest. The doctor went to work stitching up the gash above his eye just as his cell rang.
“Get that for me, love, would you?” Brady asked. His eyes crinkled from the weight of his smile as the young nurse reached for the phone at same time as Taylor. Taylor was too quick and snatched it up.
“Hello?”
“Taylor?” an unsure voice asked.
“Yeah, who’s this?”
“Alex. Is he okay?”
With a sigh, Taylor twisted to look at Brady. “Yeah. Just getting his face stitched up. I asked the doctor to stitch his mouth closed but he won’t do it.”
Brady and the doctor both laughed but the young nurse just glowered. Taylor flashed a fake smile before returning to her conversation. “Are you okay, Alex? Did you get hurt?”
“Nah, I’m fine. Hey, when Brady’s done can you bring him over to my place? We're kind of getting together to figure out who got ejected and stuff.”
Taylor could almost hear the smile in his voice. “Okay. I’ll tell him.”
“Thanks. See you later.”
“Bye,” Taylor said as she ended the call.
“Who was that?” Brady asked as the doctor finished stitching the ugly cut above his eye.
“Alex. He wants us to come over once we leave here.” Her phone vibrated in her pocket and she pulled it out, reading a text message. “I got a message from Tia.”
“Call her back and tell her I was nearly innocent this time.”
“Nah, I’ll call her later. I need to call Luther later anyway.”
The nurse gasped. “That’s where I know you from!”
Taylor looked at her, brows furrowed. “What are you talking about?”
“I know Luther and Tia. My dad work’s for Luther’s paper.”
Taylor refrained from rolling her eyes. “Who is your dad?”
“Henry Lake.”
***
Brady settled in the passenger seat of his car gingerly poking at the stitches in his lip. “So much for making out with you tonight,” he sighed.
She snapped her head to gape at him. “What?”
Chuckling, he rested his hand on her thigh. “I’m kidding, love.”
She relaxed and placed her hand on his. He laced his fingers with hers and squeezed. “So who is this Henry Lake guy that nurse was talking about?”
“Just some jerk reporter at my office.”
Brady started to raise a brow but winced when he his stitches pulled. “Damn it. I can’t believe that pansy for a short stop could pack a punch.”
“Pitner?” Taylor asked in disbelief.
“No, the other team, love.” He shook his hand from hers and moved it up to play with her hair. When her shoulders tensed, he smiled. “Relax. It’s just me.”
She gave him a weak smile and dropped her shoulders. Her hands tightened on the wheel as he continued to twist her hair around his finger, thrills playing around the base of her spine. She pulled into Alex and Tabby’s driveway and nearly sighed in relief. Brady eyed her curiously but said nothing.
He got out of the car and took her hand as if it was the most natural thing. They walked around to the back gate and joined the others on the deck. Everyone called out greetings while Alex pulled out two chairs for them.
Brady sat, yanking Taylor down in the chair next to him while she surveyed the guys for any signs of injuries. Mark had a huge welt on his right eye and a slight bruise on his check. Ian Pitner, who was standing against the rail with a beer in his hand, had only a small scratch on his cheek. Alex and Kyle appeared unscathed.
“Did you do it on purpose, Mark?” Taylor asked. She blushed slightly but kept her eyes on him.
With a sheepish smile, Mark nodded. “Yeah, I did. I knew they would pull Matthews out of the game next inning and I figured he’d instruct his relief to hit either Ian again or Brady.” He shrugged before pointing at both Taylor and Tabby. “But don’t print that. I’m lucky I didn’t get suspended. Yet.”