Fastball (Stadium Series Book 3)

by S A Clayton

  I shiver in disgust.

  “You’re disgusting,” I grit through clenched teeth as my fingers ball into fists and I shove him as hard as I can. But he’s too fast and too strong because he locks both my hands at my sides as his face gets close to mine.

  “Try it, sweetheart. Try that again and see what happens.”

  The threat is like a bucket of cold water, and I realize for the first time how exposed I really am. I know I’m outside a hospital but we’re in a dark corner and out of view.

  “What? No fight left?” he teases as I close my eyes, hoping to God I can muster up the strength to get away from him.

  But as if I conjured him with my mind, King shows his face, his fists colliding with the side of TJ’s smug face.

  “You motherfucker!” King yells before planting his foot in TJ’s stomach and from the groan that leaves his pathetic body, he’s not moving for a while. King’s eyes come to mine as the tears begin to form behind my eyes from the relief of being out from under him. “You okay?”

  I nod, not having the voice to speak just how grateful I am he’s here. King goes toward TJ one more time, but I hold him off, shaking my head when his eyes meet mine.

  “Don’t. He’s not worth it.”

  I can see the war waging inside him, but after a few seconds, he concedes and leads me back into the hospital.

  “You gonna tell me what that was about?” he says as we enter the elevator.

  I take a deep breath and shake my head.

  “Once Josh is okay and we talk, I’m sure he’ll let you know.”

  I can tell he wants to argue, but the doors open and I walk away, heading directly toward Josh’s room. When I get there, Mel is sitting by the chair next to him and Will is leaning against the far wall, eyes directly on my best friend.

  “How is he?” I ask as both sets of eyes land on me.

  Mel’s head tilts as her gaze assesses me and I know from her concerned look she can tell something happened, but I shake my head silently, letting her know I’ll tell her later.

  “No change,” she says, getting up from her seat and walking toward me. “But I’m going to head out, I have an early morning tomorrow,” she says with a wink and I give her a hug.

  “Let me take you home,” Will states as Mel’s entire body locks, her shoulders bunching as she turns and stares daggers in his direction.

  “No thanks, I’d rather walk.” And with that, she gives me a quick kiss on the cheek and is out the door before either of us can say a word.

  “That girl will be the death of me,” Will mutters as I lower myself into the chair and take Josh’s hand in mine, finding comfort in its warmth.

  “You like her,” I state, and when he nods but says nothing more, I take the opportunity to school him on what’s to come. “Look, Will, I’m going to give you some advice from someone who has seen that girl through every emotion known to man. She will not bend to you. No matter how much she might like you, no matter how much she wants to cave to her feelings for you. She will not let you get the upper hand. She’s been burned and burned bad, so her shields are up and they’re ten feet high.”

  He takes a deep breath, reality setting in.

  “I know you’re used to girls fawning over you, but that’s not what’s going to happen. You want her, you fight for her. Show her. You care more about her than what she can give you. Learn her, the girl on the inside, not the one she shows everyone.” I squeeze Josh’s hand because talking about this makes me miss his voice so fucking much.

  “She hates me right now and I don’t know what I did…”

  I want to tell him. I want to share that clarity with him, but I won’t betray her like that, so I just nod my head.

  “Yes, she does. But remember this; she wouldn’t be this mad if she didn’t care.”

  His eyes light up and I give him a small smile.

  “Give her time and try. That’s all she wants is someone that will try for her.”

  He nods, the sadness falling away piece by piece.

  “Thanks, Harper. I’m going to head out, call me if anything changes, okay?”

  I agree and before I know it, I’m sitting in silence once again, but now my chest is lighter, and I know the end is in sight.

  My eyes take him in, and I run my fingers through his hair, basking in the feeling of being close to him. “Baby, I need you to wake up. We got what we needed, we’ve got proof.” I listen to the sound of the machines echo through the room, and I lower my head to the bed. “I need you to wake up so we can start fresh, okay?” I squeeze his hand, hoping by some miracle that he would squeeze back, but he doesn’t. I stand, pulling back the blanket that covers his body, moving the cords away from my side of the bed. I lie next to him, placing my head on his chest, and listen to the rhythmic beating of his heart as it lulls me to sleep. And for the first time in months, I feel hope.

  17

  Harper

  Fingers run through my hair, lightly tracing my temple as I groan. I don’t want to wake up, I want to stay in this dream a few more minutes because the thought of waking up and this all being in my head is devastating.

  “Wake up, Sunshine,” Josh’s voice whispers through my consciousness as my eyes snap open.

  “Josh?” My voice breaks, hoping this is real. My head lifts off his shoulder as I try and sit up, but arms wrap around me, pulling my body back toward him.

  “Not so fast. I didn’t say I wanted you to move,” he mutters, kissing my neck.

  “How are you?” I stroke his stubble with my fingers and take the first deep breath in hours.

  “My head’s a little sore but overall, I feel fine.”

  I know he can see the worry in my eyes.

  “Sunshine, I’m fine. I promise.” He takes my face in his hands and kisses me with all the passion he can muster, and I submit instantly. The sensation of his lips on mine is heaven and I can’t help but sink into his kiss. “I will always come back to you, okay? I love you too much to ever leave,” he mutters against my lips as he pulls away.

  “Good,” I tease, smiling.

  Just as I’m about to lean in and kiss him once more, Will bursts through the door, followed closely by King and Mel.

  “Well, well, look who’s decided to grace us with his presence,” Will teases, slapping Josh’s shoulder.

  I can see a flash of pain cross his features when Will’s hand connects, but he hides it just as fast.

  “I thought it was time since the team is clearly nothing without me,” Josh jokes.

  Will and King make mocked expressions as they clutch their chests.

  “You wound me,” King says as he stops next to the bed. “What I really want to know is when you’re coming back, we miss you on that field.”

  At the mention of Josh going back, I clam up as everything starts to get a little blurry. My heart starts to race, and my hands start shaking as Josh quietly asks the guys to leave and once they’re gone, he kisses my neck, then my jaw on his way to my lips. The instant those lips touch mine, I begin to calm down.

  “Talk to me, sweetheart,” he whispers as I take a deep breath, my eyes meeting his.

  “When I saw you…” I trail off, not about to get the words out. “It was as if I was a kid all over again. I felt every emotion I thought I buried when my dad died and that scared the crap out of me… like history repeating itself.” I stop before the full sense of panic sets in, and I can’t make my eyes meet his.

  “Harper, this was completely different.” His voice is quiet as he takes my hands in his, bringing them to his lips and lightly kissing each knuckle.

  I know he’s right, but that fear is still there, lingering in the back of my head.

  “I know, but you didn’t see it. You went into those stands and all I could do was stare and pray that you would get up… when you didn’t…” I can’t finish that sentence, the thought of my life without him is maddening.

  “Sunshine, I’m right here,” he says, placing my hands on
his chest, taking a breath when I feel his steady heartbeat beneath my fingers. But I still shake my head, knowing he doesn’t fully understand.

  “That’s not it. I know you’re fine, and I know that the risk of you getting hurt is always there, but today all my fears came to a head. I barely had a chance to absorb what they meant with everything happening so fast, so when King mentioned you going back… it scared me.”

  “I know the thought of me going back scares you right now, hell, if I’m being honest, I’m a little scared too, but I can’t not play baseball. That’s something I can’t give up.”

  “I would never ask you to quit. Ever. That’s not even an option, this fear is mine and mine alone. I’ll deal with it, I just wanted you to know it’s there.”

  He brings me closer, so his lips graze my ear. “You will never have to do anything alone. I promise,” he whispers before kissing me lightly and pulling me back against his chest.

  And for the first time, I think I believe him.

  We finally walk through Josh’s front door after filling out mountains of paperwork to get him discharged from the hospital. We spent most of the day talking about my phone call with his lawyer and what happened with TJ. He was rightfully pissed and even now when I help him to his bed, his eyes rake over my body as if he’ll find bruises.

  “Stop,” I mutter, pushing him gently back so he’s leaning against the headboard. His eyes narrow and I sigh.

  “How can I sit here and rest when that fucker is out there walking around as if nothing happened!”

  He’s right, I’m just as mad about this, but Dixon told us that we needed to stay away in order for the police and investigators to do their jobs properly.

  “Baby.” I softly run my fingers through his hair, smiling when his eyes close in pleasure. “I’m just as pissed as you, but you know we have to keep a low profile until papers are filed, and that can’t happen until tomorrow. So rest so we can start living our life, okay?”

  He’s silent and I take that silence as agreement as I head into the kitchen, grabbing some over-the-counter painkillers that the doctor told me would help with his headaches and a glass of water. When I head back into the bedroom, his head is resting against the headboard, eyes closed and so I quietly place the pills and glass on his bedside table and walk into the closet to change into some sweats.

  “I heard you, you know,” Josh says as I change, and I stick my head out and see his eyes wide open.

  “What do you mean?” I ask, making my way toward him and finally sitting on the side of the bed.

  “I heard you ask me to wake up. I remember the feel of your hand squeezing mine and trust me, sweetheart, I tried with every ounce of strength to squeeze back.”

  I can’t hold back the tears anymore as they fall freely from my eyes. I’ve spent the past few hours trying with everything I had to be strong for him. But hearing those words come out of his mouth crumbles every defense I put up. Josh quickly pushes back the covers and pulls me toward his chest, wrapping those strong arms around me.

  “I love you so much, Harper.”

  “I love you too,” I whisper as his arms pull me closer and closer.

  I missed this.

  I get ready to pull away, but his hands have other ideas as they begin to wander, stroking up and under my shirt and groaning when he finds I’m not wearing a bra.

  “I know I just got out of the hospital, but I need you,” he begs into the crook of my neck as his hands make their way into my hair, leaving gooseflesh in their wake. Before I know it, he grabs my ass with both hands and hauls me onto his lap. “Fuck, Sunshine, this ass could rule the world one day.”

  Of course he would say something like that at a time like this.

  “Strip for me,” he mutters against my lips before I lean back, looking down at him.

  I get off his lap, planning on telling him to rest and that I’ll go watch TV in the other room, but when I connect my eyes with his, the arousal tethered between us changes everything and I know I need this just as much as he does in this moment. I start with my sweatpants, shimmying them down my hips and smiling at the intake of breath from Josh at the sight of my white lace thong. I’m still bent over when I peer over my shoulder, giving him my best seductive look and by the hooded eyes he’s giving me, I think it’s working.

  “Harper…” he groans, his fist disappearing into the band of his own sweats. “You’re driving me fucking crazy… I need to see more of you,” he growls as I stand, my fingers playing with the hem of my shirt. I slowly lift it over my head as a noise I’ve never heard comes from Josh’s chest. “Fuck me, you’re gorgeous. You know that?”

  In this moment, I believe every word that comes out of his mouth. I feel utterly beautiful, something I’ve never experienced before the man sitting before me. Once I’m standing in just my thong, I focus all of my attention on Josh, walking slowly in his direction as his eyes follow my every move. My fingers lightly brush over his chest as a shudder goes through him.

  “You need to catch up to me,” I whisper into his ear, his chuckle rumbling through his chest as I stand before him. “Let’s start here,” I say, undoing the first of many buttons on his shirt.

  His immaculate chest reveals itself one button at a time and the more I see, I want to lick every inch. I don’t wait for permission, I just lean forward, tracing my lips over his skin, his breath hitched with every pass. Josh hasn’t touched me yet and I’m seconds away from begging for it before I take his hands in mine and bring them to my hips. The sensation of his fingers digging into my skin as I kiss up his neck sets me on fire.

  “Fuck… don’t stop doing that,” he begs as my lips travel lower and lower until they reach the waist of his sweats as I get onto my knees between his legs. His hands fall into my hair, his grip tightening. His cock hardens as my face lowers, my fingers following suit as I pull his shorts, freeing his erection and my mouth watering at the sight. I don’t wait long before I take him in my mouth, teasing him over and over again. “Goddamn…” he moans as I take him deeper and I can sense he’s starting to lose control so I do the one thing I haven’t done in all the months we’ve been together, I take.

  A deep breath before taking him as deep as I can, the tip of his cock hitting the back of my throat and I groan when the best sound I’ve ever heard leaves his throat. I start a punishing rhythm as his cock begins to swell and his legs start to shake.

  My tongue glides up his shaft while my hands grasp his balls and squeeze. A shudder goes through him as I untangle myself from his grip and make my way back up his body.

  I can’t wait anymore.

  He takes my face in his hands, bringing my lips to his, kissing me softly. At first the kiss is so gentle and sweet it takes my breath away, but then he starts attacking my mouth as if he hasn’t kissed me in years. I lean into his touch as his tongue traces my bottom lip.

  “Sit up against the headboard,” I say against his lips. He looks at me, confused, but I say, “Trust me.”

  He does what I ask, pulling himself up since he fell over while my mouth was on his cock. He makes his way back up against the headboard as I give him a wicked smile as I get off the bed.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” he teases as I say nothing. I just look into his eyes as I grasp the sides of my thong and slowly pull it off my body. “Jesus…” he mutters as I let it go and it falls to the floor. I stand there letting his eyes roam over my naked body and I feel so incredibly sexy in this moment.

  “Come here,” he mutters as I slowly get on the bed and crawl toward him.

  We say nothing, his hands the only thing I can concentrate on as they trace down my arms the closer I get to where he sits. I straddle his hips, feeling the tip of him at my entrance, moaning at the feel of him. I find my hips moving on their own accord as I slowly begin to ride him, his shaft traveling through my folds, catching my clit with each and every stroke.

  “Fuck, Josh, you feel so good,” I murmur as my head falls forwa
rd against his shoulder. His lips find that spot behind my ear, creating a small mewling sound that escapes my lips.

  “You need to start riding this cock soon, sweetheart, or I won’t last five minutes,” he growls, but I just groan against his neck, kissing my way up to his mouth.

  His eyes connect with mine, and I can see the unspoken question in his eyes. Condom. I curve my lips into a knowing smirk as I take his cock in my hand and bring him to my entrance.

  “What I have planned won’t take five minutes if I do it right,” I tease, lowering myself slowly.

  We both groan at the fullness of this position and I bask in the feel of him bare inside of me. From the way his eyes roll into the back of his head, I know he feels it too. Once fully seated, I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him closer just as his eyes snap open to meet mine.

  “Ride me,” he demands, bringing my lips to his and kissing me with everything he has.

  I rock back and forth, making sure to squeeze him with every stroke. I can see the pleasure crest over his face as I bounce, hitting the spot that I know will drive him and myself into oblivion. His hands grab my ass, his fingers digging in as he lifts me, setting a punishing pace as the orgasm crests over me.

  “Please…” I whimper, feeling his fingers digging harder into my skin. “Josh…” The faster I go, the more his hips lift to meet mine. I start to shake with pleasure, my orgasm right on the surface.

  “I can feel that tight pussy squeezing me, Sunshine, you’re so close.”

  Words aren’t coming to me as he pistons his hips faster into me and that’s it. I can’t take any more and I come… hard.

  “Goddamn, Harper. Come all over this cock,” he whispers as he thrusts one more time before he releases inside me.

  I hold on to him for dear life as I come down from one of the best orgasms of my life.