One Look

by Harlow James

  “Here you go, ladies… two beers,” Jake states proudly as he sets our drinks in front of us. Just as I take a sip, I notice Rocky Perez come up behind him.

  “And ladies, I’d like you to meet Rocky Perez,” he thumbs over to Rocky at his side. “And Brandon Cash,” he says as he turns to the other side of him.

  “Holy shit,” Lochlin whispers breathlessly as Rocky stares a little too intently in her direction. “Rocky Perez… you are incredible. Seriously, you’re one of my favorite players!”

  Lochlin takes a deep breath and I see her cool, calm, and collected side come forward after her fangirl moment.

  “Thanks. That’s very nice of you to say… Lochlin, is it?”

  She nods. “Yes. I’m Dani’s best friend.” She waves her hand nonchalantly in my direction. Thanks, bestie.

  “Hi, Rocky,” I acknowledge him while offering my hand, which he willingly shakes. “It’s really nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  “Is that so?” He looks over at Jake in a teasing manner as Jake shakes his head and shoots me a knowing look.

  “Well, you are kind of my best friend here, bro, and the only one who knows about Dani and me, and how we met and all that,” he shrugs, but I feel like their bromance has just taken on a whole new level.

  “Awww, I love you too, buddy!” Rocky jokes as he removes Jake’s hat and ruffles his hair.

  “Fuck, Rocky! Stop!” Jake shouts as the rest of the team laughs at their display of affection. It also makes me smile, seeing my man interact with his friends. These men are his family when he’s on the road, and it shows in how they mingle and care for one another.

  “I’m Brandon,” the other player announces after Rocky and Jake have their moment.

  “Nice to meet you, Brandon. I’m Danielle, and this is my best friend, Lochlin,” I gesture over to my girl, but her eyes haven’t left Rocky since he walked up.

  “It’s nice to meet you too. Seems you’ve already managed to nab our rookie here,” he mumbles around the lip of his glass as he takes a swig of his beer.

  “Lucky me,” I state proudly, as Jake connects his eyes with mine and we share a look.

  We both feel it. This is real. I see a future with this man, and it’s both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time.

  We continue to chat and drink with his team as more players come over and introduce themselves. By the end of the night, Lochlin pretty much has her pick of any player she could want but surprisingly, she opts to go home alone.

  “Well, I’m outta here girl,” she mumbles through a yawn, then grants me a kiss on the cheek.

  “Be careful getting home. Text me when you get there?” I ask.

  “Of course. Have a good night,” she winks at me before turning and walking back out to the public part of the bar.

  “Are you about ready, babe?” Jake whispers in my ear, returning to my side after being gone long enough to lose at a game of pool. The vibrations from his voice make my skin break out in a flurry of tingles.

  “Yes,” I whisper back as the excitement for what’s coming builds effortlessly in my body. His touch strikes a fire in my chest and warms the area between my legs. I’m dying to feel him inside of me again.

  We say our goodbyes and make our way outside through the back entrance, where we’re instantly bombarded with reporters.

  “When’s the wedding?”

  “How long have you two been seeing each other?”

  “Do you love him, Danielle?”

  “Jake, how’s it feel to have the money and fame, and now the women?”

  “Just ignore them,” Jake whispers in my ear and he holds me close to him, shielding my face from the flashes of cameras and the insane amount of questions.

  We jog to his truck as he pushes me inside and runs around to his seat, the cameras still flashing in our faces as he peels out of the parking lot.

  “Shit! That’s the worst encounter yet,” he says as he speeds along the road.

  “Can you slow down, please, Jake?” I say, my lips still trembling from the bombardment at the bar.

  “Jesus, sorry, babe. My adrenaline is pumping right now.”

  I reach over and grab his hand. “I know. Me, too. But I don’t want to get in an accident too tonight.”

  He nods and graciously slows to a safe speed as we make our way to his condo, the remainder of the drive spent in silence.

  I hate that all of this attention is making me doubt things with him. I get that this is part of his life, and it will be part of mine if I choose to be with him.

  But will it ever stop?

  Will it only get worse before it gets better?

  Am I strong enough to handle it? Can Jake and I handle it together, or will it tear us apart?

  These questions flow through my brain as we arrive at his condo and make our way inside. Just as I find the courage to speak up about my concerns, Jake turns around and slams me up against the front door he just closed behind us.

  “I’ve been wanting you alone since I saw you in the stands tonight,” he growls before smothering me in a hot and wet kiss.

  My concerns fall to the wayside as Jake devours me and makes me forget about all the reporters---because frankly when it’s just he and I, that’s what matters anyway.

  I jump up and wrap my legs around his waist as he secures me against him and he climbs the stairs.

  “Jake… make love to me, please,” I whine as our lips never leave one another, finally making it to his bedroom.

  “Oh, I plan on it, baby,” he promises as we tear at each other’s clothes with rapid precision. “But it’s not going to be slow and sweet. It’s going to be fast and hard. I hope you’re ready.”

  “Yes,” I whisper in desperation.

  Jake strolls to his nightstand and fetches a condom, wrapping himself up safely before stalking back over to me and lifting me up once again.

  I willingly comply, wrapping my legs around his strong body, trusting him to hold me and pleasure me at the same time.

  He backs us up to the wall by his closet as he lines himself up to my entrance and thrusts inside me in one quick movement.

  “Oh, God!” I shout as Jake pounds into me relentlessly, over and over again as I scream his name out in ecstasy.

  “Yes, Jake! Yes!”

  “You like that baby, don’t you? You like taking my whole cock, like it was made for you, right?”

  “Yes, Jake. You were made for me,” I choke out as he continues to punish the heat between my legs, my body accepting the beating eagerly. My orgasm hits me like a freight train, hard and fast while he continues to smash into me through my pleasure.

  Suddenly he pauses, staring into my eyes as I try to recover, and then smashes his lips down to mine as he walks us to his bed and releases me from his grip. His hands find my hips as he flips me over, placing me on all fours and urging me to climb into the center of the bed.

  “Move forward, baby.” He directs me in the spot he wants me before he lines up and fills me again.

  “Jesus, Jake. You feel so big like this,” I shout as he thrusts deep and hard into me, the onset of another orgasm on the horizon.

  “You’re about to feel amazing, babe,” he says confidently as he stops his movement and then swivels his hips in a circular motion, stretching my pussy out as he thrusts in a shallow movement at the same time.

  “Holy shit!” I scream as the tug on my opening paired with the stroke of my G-spot has me coming harder than I’ve ever come in my entire life. My hands are outstretched in front of me, gripping the blanket as hard as I can while my body is rocked sexually.

  “God, I’m coming, Jake! Yes, keep going! Fuck!”

  He continues to rotate his hips as wave after wave of pleasure detonates from within me. And just when I think I’m done, another orgasm tears through me, bringing Jake over the edge.

  “Fuck yeah, baby. I’m coming!” He growls as he thrusts in fully now, pushing himself in as deep as he can go, r
elieving himself of every last drop.

  I slump down onto the bed, fully sated and borderline unconscious, gasping for air and reaching for Jake as he plops down next to me.

  “Holy shit, Jake. What the fuck was that?” I laugh through my words, making him grin like the cat that ate the canary.

  “That was inspiration at its finest.”

  “That swirly thing that you did? That was incredible! I’ve never come so hard in my life!”

  “Good to hear. It came to me when I saw your ass perched up in the air like that… so sexy and open for me. I had to give it a shot and see if it worked. I guess we know the answer to that now,” he shrugs, then laughs.

  I bury my face in the comforter as I revel in the comfort I feel with him, even when we’re naked and racing towards ecstasy. This man has so many sides to him. He’s sweet and thoughtful, passionate and caring. And he makes my toes curl. What more could I want?

  Jake hoists himself off of the bed to dispose of the condom, returning with a warm cloth to clean me up. I’ve never been so wet in my life.

  We settle into bed, where he kisses me tenderly before we fall asleep. I know I’m right where I belong, even as he wakes in the middle of the night, claiming to have had a nightmare. I calm him down and cuddle into him again, reassuring him I’m not going anywhere.

  Chapter 24

  Dani

  “I’m so proud of you, Dani,” my grandpa says behind his teary eyes as I find him, Conner, and Lochlin’s parents in the crowd after graduation.

  Lochlin comes strolling up behind me, jumping into her dad’s arms in celebration.

  “Thank, Gramps,” I reply while fighting back my own tears. I watch my best friend hug her parents and instantly feel a sudden loss that I’ll never get to hug mine again. There are so many moments of my life they’ve missed and I will continue to feel their absence for, even though I believe they’re watching from the other side.

  “They’re here in spirit, hun,” Gramps whispers in my ear as he caught me staring at Lochlin and her dad.

  “I know, Gramps. It still hurts though. At least I have you… and Conner!” I say louder than necessary to get my younger brother’s attention.

  He pulls his earphones from his ears as he realizes I’m standing right in front of him.

  “Congrats, Dani,” he mumbles as he hugs me tightly. I ruffle his dark hair to rile him up.

  “Thanks, buddy. Someday soon, we’ll be at your college graduation.”

  Conner rolls his eyes, then offers me a sweet smile before returning his earphones to his ears.

  “Has he had those in the whole time?” I ask Gramps as our little group starts making our way to the parking lot to beat the traffic. The sun is beginning to set, but there’s still warmth in the air.

  “No. He took them out when you walked across the stage. He’s proud of you, Dani…. Even if he may not show it. The boy looks up to you, and I couldn’t think of a better person for him to admire.”

  I feel my lip start to tremble as I lunge at my grandpa and pull him in for a hug. “Well, I had a good role model to teach me,” I whisper in his ear and then kiss him on the cheek.

  “Ok!” I declare, trying to fight off the urge to ugly cry. “Let’s head over to the restaurant and eat! I’m starving.”

  I’m answered with a plethora of agreeable sounds as we load up in our cars and drive to The Yard House.

  I made a reservation weeks ago since I knew tonight would be busy. The hostess seats us almost immediately, and as we turn the corner into the large room to accommodate our party, a ridiculous display of white lilies and roses, stuffed in countless vases, covers our table.

  “Oh.. my… God,” I whisper, my hand coming up to cover my mouth.

  “Holy shit!” Lochlin shouts as our families catch up to us.

  “Courtesy of Jake Calhoun, Miss Peters,” the hostess beams as she sets down our menus and walks back to her station.

  It’s a good thing our table is out of the way and there’s still enough room to eat because these flowers sure are eye-catching and take up an inordinate amount of space.

  I’m speechless and on the verge of tears as Gramps, Conner, and Lochlin’s parents admire my gift and the obvious display of Jake’s affection.

  Placed on a napkin in front of one seat is an envelope, sealed with my name scribbled across the top. I instantly recognize the handwriting as Jake’s, in case I had any doubt that this all was from him anyway.

  I slide open the envelope and flip open the card, absorbed by his words even though there are people all around me.

  Dani,

  I hope you know it’s killing me not to be here with you tonight, but duty calls. Just know that no matter how much distance separates us, I am still SO proud of you, and honored to call you my girlfriend. I know we haven’t known each other very long, but your dedication and intelligence is something I admire most about you. I can’t wait to come home to you in a few days and celebrate for real ��

  Congratulations, baby.

  Love,

  Jake

  I hold the card to my chest, overcome with the emotions I feel for this man. Even though he’s not here, he still made me feel special. I wish he were here too, but baseball will always be a priority for him.

  Everyone pries and tries to steal the card away from me to see what he wrote, but I stuff it in my purse, saving his words for my eyes only.

  We eat and drink in celebration---maybe a few too many drinks for Lochlin and me---before we decide to call it a night. The restaurant is filled with families of fellow graduates, creating exuberant chatter and beaming faces scattered all around.

  As we go to leave, the hostess from before cuts us off before we exit.

  “Miss Peters,” she addresses me and then looks back to everyone in our group. “The news of you being here has stirred up quite the crowd outside,” she whispers nervously, making me start to feel anxious.

  “I’m sorry. We didn’t mean for that to happen…”

  She shakes her head at me. “It’s not a problem. I just thought I’d warn you before you go outside. It’s pretty bad.”

  I turn back to look at Gramps and Conner as I explain the situation. Lochlin’s parents take her by the hand and decide to go out the back exit.

  “I’ll call you tomorrow, friend,” she yells at me as her parents pull her away.

  “Should we follow them?” I ask Gramps.

  “It’s up to you, kiddo. This isn’t something you can run from…”

  I take a deep breath. Man, I wish Jake was here right now. When he put his arms around me the other night at Sully’s, it made me feel safer just knowing he was there to protect me from this incessant breach of my privacy. Right now, I feel so exposed.

  “Okay, let’s just go out and walk really fast. Stay close to me guys,” I say with more confidence than I feel.

  I push open the door and the flash of lights instantly blinds me. I look down at the ground while holding Conner and Gramps’ hands, fighting off reporters and photographers vying for a picture or interview.

  Where’s Jake tonight, Danielle? What kind of boyfriend doesn’t celebrate his girlfriend’s graduation?

  Are you worried he’s with some other woman tonight instead of here with you?

  Do you think he’ll propose soon?

  “Dani!” Conner shouts from beside me as I see him get hit in the head by a camera lens.

  “Shit! Back off!” I scream as I take him under my arm and pull Gramps alongside me, running for the car.

  We pile in as reporters continue to shove cameras at the windows, tears streaming down my face as Gramps drives off without running over anyone.

  “Conner, are you okay?” I turn around in my seat, surveying his face where I see a bruise start to form.

  “Yeah, I’m not bleeding. It hurts though,” he winces as he gently presses on his cheekbone where he got hit.

  “That was madness, Dani!” Gramps declares once we’ve made it to the fr
eeway for the short drive back home.

  “I know. I’m so sorry you guys. I don’t understand the obsession,” I mumble through my tears, frightened and pissed all at the same time.

  I knew this would be a problem; I just didn’t realize how big. Jake wasn’t even there tonight, and the media circus was a frenzy. The hotter Jake becomes on the field and the more speculation about our relationship arises, the worse the attention is getting.

  Once we get home and settled in, I change my clothes and nestle myself in my bed, pulling the covers over me like a protective shield. Insecurities plague my mind as I wrestle with everything that I’m feeling right now.

  My phone rings just as I close my eyes, but seeing Jake’s name on the screen offers me a slight reprieve from my anxiety.

  “Hello,” I answer him, still reeling from the highs and lows of the evening.

  “Hi, baby. Happy graduation day,” his deep and raspy voice comes through in a low volume.

  “Why are you whispering?”

  “I’m on the bus with the team right now, headed back to our hotel. Some of the guys are already knocked out, but I had to call you before you went to sleep.” He lets out a deep sigh. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there celebrating with you tonight. How was it?”

  “Well, the ceremony was long but good. And dinner was great. Those flowers were beautiful, Jake. And very unexpected. Thank you.” I roll over to admire the arrangement I grabbed as a souvenir. There was no way I would have been able to take all of them home with us.

  “You deserved more, baby. Did you get my card too?”

  I nod, even though I know he can’t see me. “Yes, it was wonderful. You made me cry.”

  “Awww,” he laughs, which makes me do the same. “So what do you plan to do with that fancy degree now?”

  “Well, for now, I’m going to stay at World Fitness. My manager, Tina, has been waiting for me to finish school so she can give me more responsibility and free rein to plan out the marketing for the company. But honestly, my dream is to work for a sports team…”

  “Really?” Jake pipes up, intrigued by my answer.