Bet On It

by Elizabeth Perry

  My heart thunders in my chest as I watch him, long and hard before he even notices me standing there. But when he turns around?

  His entire body trembles.

  “Laci.” My name is barely a croak off his lips, as he stares at me, his eyes wide and so full of emotion.

  “I heard what you were going to do today, Jake. And you can’t do it. You just can’t do it.”

  “Who told you?”

  “It doesn’t matter. All that matters right now is that you do not go out there and announce that you’re leaving. Those fans will slay you.”

  His face changes, as I take a step towards him. His whole body stills, as I cross the distance to him, not stopping until I am standing right in front of him.

  “Did you mean what you said to me, Jake?”

  “I meant everything, Laci.” His voice is thick with emotion. “But if you came down here to bash me again, baby, please. I know that I was wrong, but I just can’t take it today.”

  “I didn’t.”

  In all honesty, I’m not even sure what drove me down here. All I know is that here I am, face to face with him, and there has never been anything in this world that I have wanted more than him, right now, in this very moment.

  “I love you, hot shot. And even though you hurt me, I believe you. And I trust that you are sorry.”

  “I am.” His eyes are wide as I step even closer. “Baby, I am so sorry.”

  “I know.” And somehow, I do. I absolutely know, and I believe him. And as much as it scares me, I am ready to forgive him.

  “You know?” his face suddenly changes, as his arm wraps around my waist, pulling me into him, as he stares down at me with his beautiful eyes, full of love.

  “Yes, I know. And I forgive you.”

  “You forgive me.” He repeats, before his face breaks out into a huge grin.

  “Yes.”

  “And you love me.”

  I nod, but before I can even open my mouth, his lips are on mine. His hand fists into the back of my hair, pulling my head back, before his mouth takes over, pressing hard against mine, as my lips spread, allowing him in.

  He growls, as he turns us, pressing my body firmly up against the lockers, as his hips grind into me.

  “Fuck yes.” He moans, into my mouth as he moves his lips from mine and allows them to travel down my cheek, to my throat, stopping just long enough to pull at my shirt, before grunting when it won’t move, before ripping it over my head.

  “Jake! We can’t do this here. Anyone could…”

  “I don’t fucking care. I need you, baby. I need you right now.”

  His hand reaches underneath my dress, pushing my panties to the side, before dropping down to his knees before me.

  His lips quickly trail up my thigh, before his hot mouth lands right where I need him.

  “Jake, oh my…” His lips move to my core, where he spreads me wide, before stroking his tongue along my folds.

  “Fuck yeah. Oh god, baby. I’ve missed you so badly. So fucking badly.”

  And suddenly, just like that, I no longer care who could walk in. I’m lost, spinning in space, as his mouth works wonders on me, causing my hips to buck into his face, his name steadily rolling off my tongue, right before I grip my hands into his hair and feel myself start to build.

  “Come for me baby. Let me feel you lose yourself.”

  “I’m so close.” I moan, gripping his hair harder, shoving his face in between my legs as his growl deepens.

  His teeth nibble on my clit as his tongue strokes me, entering me so deeply that I think my eyes might have rolled back in my head. The second his teeth are back on me and one of his fingers slides inside of me though?

  I lose it, screaming out his name, my entire body shaking, my limbs like Jell-O, so badly that I nearly collapse.

  But he rises quickly and wraps his arms around me, before dropping his pants and his sliding shorts and lifting me up, bracing me with his body as he slides inside of me.

  My head falls back as my name rolls off his lips, but he stills all movement, forcing me to open my eyes.

  His eyes, full of heat, and what I am certain of now is love, lock on mine as he pulls out slowly, making me whimper, before he slides back inside, giving me a wolfish grin.

  “We need to get you off birth control.”

  “But…”

  “No buts. You love me, right?”

  “Yes.” I cry, exasperated, and desperate for him to move. He chuckles, before sliding out so terribly slowly. “Jake, please!”

  “I love you too, baby. And I want it all, but only with you.”

  “Ok, yes. Yes, me too, but please Jake, you’re killing me here.”

  “Patience, greedy girl. I’m not done talking to you yet.”

  My body is literally ready to combust. I’m so hot, so close, and he picks now to have a heart to heart?

  I can’t even…

  “Tell me right now, baby. Tell me again that this pussy is mine.”

  “It’s yours!” I desperately try to move against him, but he is so much stronger than me that I can’t do it. Instead of helping me out, his eyes only darken.

  “And its only ever been mine?”

  “Yes.”

  “And it’s always going to be mine.” He finishes, and as our eyes lock and I nod, he finally grins, before bracing me against the lockers, and driving back inside of me, causing my head to fall back and a loud moan to leave me.

  “I fucking love you so much.” He groans, as he picks up his pace. My legs wrap around his waist, as his lips trail all along my skin, licking and sucking my neck, before they travel down to my nipples.

  “Fuck.” he mutters, as my nails grip into him, and I feel myself build again.

  “Baby, you gotta come now. Right fucking now, ok? I can’t…”

  And I lose it. He follows me right now, emptying himself inside of me, before gasping raggedly, and holding one hand out, bracing himself against the lockers as he inhales air, still holding the both of us up.

  “Holy shit.” He finally exhales, his breathing ragged, before his eyes flutter open. “It’s always amazing with you, but I swear, maybe it was the make-up sex part, or the baby talk part. But, wow. Just wow.”

  It takes me even longer to find any words, because that? Was hands down the most amazing sex that we have ever had.

  Maybe it’s just because it’s been so long, and I never imagined that I would get to feel like that with him again.

  Or maybe, it’s just because it felt so damn right, like it has every single time.

  I’m pretty sure that it had nothing to do with the baby talk, since for me, that is nowhere near on the table yet.

  But Jake can think whatever he wants.

  His lips tenderly brush mine, as he hands me back my clothes, before tugging his back on.

  “Oh my god, what if the game already started?”

  “It didn’t.” he murmurs, kissing me one last time. “But if it did, I don’t even fucking care.”

  “So, about that announcement. Will you hold off on it? Please?”

  His eyes turn soft on mine, as he reaches up, tenderly cupping my face.

  “Yes. But only because I have you back now. Whatever move I make for the future, we will have to decide together. I’m not going to go back to Georgia if it means that you wouldn’t be coming with me.”

  “Really? But I thought that was what you wanted.”

  “I did too. But then you came into my life and turned my world upside down. I’ve wanted to be close to my family, but honestly, the only family that I care about being with is you Laci. And now, of course, our dogs.”

  He winks at me before brushing his lips back across mine.

  My heart nearly bursts, as he gives me another panty dropping smile, as the door to the locker room swings open, and Coach Kirk bursts in.

  “Matthews! You better have a damn good reason for not having your ass on the field, now, son.”

  Jake grins one last t
ime at me, before Coach whips his head around the corner, finding us standing there together.

  “Oh. Ok, so this is why.”

  “Sorry coach. Had to get some things squared away in here first.”

  Coach’s eyes land on mine, before he nods briefly at me, and then turns his eyes back to Jake.

  “Well, you about done? The fucking game is about to start.”

  Jake winks at me, before grabbing his glove and jogging out the door.

  “Nope, definitely not done. We’re just getting started.”

  “Oh my god! What is he doing?” My eyes nearly bug out of my head, as I see Jake trot onto the field from the dugout, all eyes on him.

  “Ladies and gentleman, sports lovers and enthusiasts, we have been asked that you all stick around for a few minutes after the game. Our star player Jake Matthews has something that he would like to say to all of you.”

  Bianca shrugs, glancing at me over the top of her soda. “I don’t know. He already had asked them before the game. Maybe he forgot to tell them he changed his mind.”

  I scoot to the edge of my seat, my heart thundering in my chest.

  I hope to god that is the reason why, because if he goes out there and announces that he is leaving the team?

  He will have hell to pay.

  He just played the game of his life. The commentators couldn’t get enough of him, announcing over and over again that Jake Matthews is back, after yet another couple of weeks slump, our star player was back on his game.

  Is that the reason why? Does he want to go out with a bang?

  No. That can’t be it. He just told me that he wouldn’t make any moves until we talked about them. And of course, even though we have a lot of other things to talk about, I trust him. I’m not sure how or why I got to this point, but the fact remains.

  I absolutely trust this man. And I love him, of course.

  I have no idea what our future brings, and while it scares me, at the same time, I know that Jake will protect my heart.

  I just know it.

  He’s covered in dirt as he steps out onto home plate. But the crowd could care less. They all go wild as he stands there, waving his hand to all of them before taking his hat off in a salute.

  The love him. Everyone cheers, women hoot and holler, and as always, he gets flashed a few boobs.

  This, obviously, is something that I am just going to have to learn to live with. Maybe eventually it will stop, but I doubt it.

  The man is frankly just too hot for his own good.

  A microphone is shoved in his face and he takes it, only after putting his hat back on his head.

  I watch him, of course enthralled, as Bianca grips my hand in anticipation.

  “Thank you all for your support today. I know that I speak for my entire team when I say, that there is no way that we could have gotten to this point without each and every one of you cheering us on each week.”

  Applause rings out again, as he grins wide and waves, before starting again.

  “Some of you may have seen me on the news last week, and some of you might even have been in the stands helping me try to get to my girl. But, somehow, things got even more screwed up for me, because I never was able to get to her before the news got twisted.”

  The entire ballpark goes silent, but my heart? It thunders in my chest as I watch him, scanning the crowd until his eyes land on me, sitting in the staff box, before his entire face lights up with his sexy smile.

  “You see, instead of getting to my girl, and letting her know how much I love her, someone else got into the way, and the news got spun out of control. I wasn’t planning on proposing that day, I was simply trying to beg her for forgiveness, since like a typical guy, I found myself in the doghouse.”

  He pouts, causing the crowd to react, and they go nuts. Laughter rings out, at least a dozen guys just on my side of the stadium shout out responses like “Yep, been there.” “Me too” and “Haven’t we all?”

  His eyes find mine and lock, before he takes a deep breath and starts speaking again.

  “So, I wanted to let it be known, that there is only one woman for me, and it’s not who you all have me pegged with. You see, I met the love of my life when I wasn’t really planning on it, and since the very first time that I laid eyes on her, I knew that she was made for me. I fell in love with her, so madly in love with her, and luckily for me, I’m pretty sure that she loves me too.”

  He takes a few steps in my direction, before motioning for me to come down to the field.

  My eyes widen and I shake my head. Is he crazy? He wants to broadcast this entire thing on national television?

  I stay frozen in my spot, until his laugh echo’s through the microphone.

  “She’s a bit shy.” He chuckles, before shaking his head.

  “Laci, baby? I know you hear me, honey, and I’m looking right at you. Please come down here so that I can finish what I need to say out here.”

  I’m still frozen, my heart continuing to thump in my chest. I can’t even think straight right now. All the eyes in the box turn towards me, as Bianca yanks me up by my arm and begins to push me out of the aisle.

  “What, oh my god.” I mumble, as Jake sets down his microphone and trots into the stands, as the crowd continues to go wild.

  I’m scooped up by him in a matter of seconds, as he takes the steps two at a time until we are back out onto the field.

  One arm is slung around me, as his other hand reaches for the microphone again.

  “It’s ok baby.” He murmurs, although its heard loud and clear throughout the stadium.

  “Relax.”

  “So, everyone, this is her.” He laughs again, squeezing my side, before turning and facing me. The moment that our eyes lock, everything else fades away.

  Suddenly, it doesn’t matter that we are standing in the middle of the baseball field, surrounded by an entire stadium packed full on fans.

  All that matters in this moment, is the way that this gorgeous man looks at me, with his bright blue eyes filled with love and adoration.

  “Laci,” he starts, before reaching out to gently cup my cheek, his thumb trailing down to stroke my lip. He pauses, as if all his words are lost, as his eyes lock on mine.

  My heart is still thundering in my chest, and I’m blinking rapidly, trying to force the tears back that are threatening to fall.

  But the second that he drops down onto one knee and the crowd goes wild, I can’t fight it anymore.

  They break loose, streaming down my cheeks faster than I can wipe them away.

  “Please don’t cry, baby.” He whispers, before pressing a kiss to the top of my hand.

  “The moment that I met you, my entire world changed. You’ve had me wrapped around your finger since the very first time that I heard you laugh. I know that I’ve screwed up with you, and I promise you with every inch of my heart that I will never hurt you again. I will protect you with all that I have, and I will always make you my first priority in this life.”

  The entire stadium falls silent, not that I am even paying any of those people a single bit of attention. I am too surely focused on the man that I love, who is down on one knee in front of me.

  “Laci, I love you so damn much, and I can’t even imagine a future without you in it. I don’t ever want to imagine that. The last few weeks without you have been the worst of my life. I know that you’ve just forgiven me for hurting you, but I can’t wait another minute to do this.”

  He swallows hard, never breaking eye contact with me.

  “Laci Monroe, will you marry me? I know that I don’t deserve you, but I promise you that I will spend the rest of my life showing you that even though I am just some dumb jock, no one else could ever love you as much as I can. I want to be the very first person that you see in the morning, and the very last one that you see before you close your eyes at night. You have my heart, baby. You own every piece of me. So, knowing that, will you make me the happiest man in the world by being my
wife?”

  You could hear a pin drop, everyone around us is so silent, holding their breath, waiting for my answer much like Jake is.

  But me? A million thoughts are swirling in my head, my heart racing so fast that I feel dizzy.

  He is asking me to marry him. To be his and only his forever.

  And I could never want anything more than that.

  He squeezes my hand, staring up in anticipation, as I nod once.

  “Say it baby. Please, say it.”

  I hadn’t even noticed that somehow, at some point he managed to pull a diamond ring seemingly out of thin air.

  “Yes.” I whisper, and immediately after the word leaves my lips, the crowd ignites. Jake grins wickedly as he slides the diamond onto my finger before jumping to his feet and engulfing me in a hug.

  “Thank fucking god.” He whispers into my hair as his body engulfs mine, his big hands wrapping tight into my hair.

  He pulls my head back, before his lips press to mine, making the crowd go absolutely insane. I’m spun around, still wrapped up in a blanket of Jake, as he turns to face the stands.

  “In case you missed it, everybody, she said yes.” He then wraps his hand around mine before pulling it up into the air, and pumping his other fist.

  “This woman right here is mine, all mine, forever.”

  “Baby? There’s someone at the door for you.”

  I peek my head out of our bedroom, before glaring down at my soon to be, within hours husband.

  “What are you doing here?” I hiss loudly, before ducking back into our bedroom so that he can’t see me.

  I swear, he has been hit in the head one too many times, because I clearly told him to stay away today, because seeing the bride before the ceremony is bad luck.

  He, per usual Jake fashion laughed it off, and told me that there was no way to wreck us, and that if fate tried, he would gladly beat her down.

  Which of course, had made me smile.

  But this? He’s supposed to be gone, and he knows it. Yet here he is, telling me that I have a visitor.

  “You really need to come down.”

  “You really need to leave, Jake!”