Baseball and Other Lessons (Devil's Ranch Book 2)

by Aubrey Gross

  Chase once again flicked his gaze between the two of them, curiosity in his eyes. “Something tells me there’s a whole lot to this story y’all aren’t telling me.”

  Jenn shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. We’re not the subject at hand here.”

  Chase sighed and Matt almost laughed. “Fine. I’ll get to the bottom of this eventually, though.”

  “Probably. But until I’m willing to tell you the entire story, back off, okay?”

  “Fair enough.”

  Jenn relaxed under his hand. “At any rate, I kinda sorta told Jo I was going to kick your ass for her.”

  A pained expression crossed his face. “I figured you probably had. How is she?”

  “A little hungover and probably on her way back to Austin by now. She was going to Gran’s to pack up her stuff and was leaving right after that since she has to be back at work in a few days anyway. She figured she could get settled in this afternoon, clean up and go grocery shopping tomorrow before the work week started.”

  Chase tunneled his hands through his hair before rubbing them over his face. “I fucked up bad.”

  “Hello, Captain Obvious.”

  Matt snorted at Jenn’s comment.

  Chase just looked like he wanted to cry, which was kind of disturbing considering his brother was a grown ass man, but then determination etched his features instead and Chase said, “Okay, I have a plan, but I could really use your help, too, if you think you can forgive me.”

  Jenn stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Chase’s neck. “Of course I can forgive you. I’ll even forgive you enough to give you a kidney.”

  Matt swallowed the lump that had suddenly lodged itself in his throat. NO way was he going to cry like his brother, though.

  “You don’t have to do that.”

  “I know. But I love you, and that’s what friends are for, right?”

  “Right.”

  Jenn stepped back towards Matt. “So what’s this plan of yours?”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Matt: Chilling out with Chase today. He’s beating himself up pretty bad.

  Jenn: As he should be. He’s an idiot. ;-)

  Matt: He knows he’s an idiot.

  Jenn: I know. And have fun with mopey pants.

  Matt: Mopey pants?

  Jenn: It’s a Jennism. Don’t question it.

  Matt: Jennism? Is that a thing?

  Jenn: It is now.

  Matt: Fair enough. I have a DR appointment tomorrow. OK if I come by when I get back into town?

  Jenn: I guess. ;-) Good luck.

  “So I have some good news and some bad news. Which do you want first?”

  Matt resisted the urge to glare at Dr. Cushon as he walked into the exam room, and instead said, “I guess good news first. I could use some.”

  Dr. Cushon sat on the stool and smiled. “The good news is that I can clear you for all activities.”

  A mixture of emotions pinged through him. Relief. Elation. Brief panic. “That’s great. So what’s the bad news?”

  “Well, the bad news is that while I can clear you for all activities, the team doctor’s still nervous about you getting back out on the mound.”

  “I can deal with Andrews.”

  Dr. Cushon raised an eyebrow. “If you say so. I don’t doubt you can. At any rate, you’re free to go. Just be careful with your head, listen to your body, yada yada yada.”

  The neurologist stood and held out his hand for Matt to shake. He stood and took the doctor’s hand, his thoughts spinning in his head. “What, no lectures about how I should step away from baseball?” he teased.

  “You already know how I feel about that. You’re a grown man, and it does no good to lecture you.”

  “Could you try telling that to my mom?”

  Dr. Cushon laughed at Matt’s joke. “I’ll see if I can write out a prescription for that. In the meantime, though, it’s been a pleasure working with you, Matt, and I really do wish you nothing but the best.”

  Matt nodded. “Thanks. I appreciate that. And thanks for dealing with me. I know I can’t have been the easiest patient in the world.”

  “Easier than some, more stubborn than some, but that’s partially why you’re such a great athlete.” He turned towards the door. “Anyway, it’s been great working with you. Good luck.”

  And with that, Matt was left alone in the exam room, the weight of future decisions weighing heavily on his healed brain.

  #

  “The team wants me at the Triple-A club tomorrow.”

  Jenn stepped back and opened the door completely, her head spinning with a million different questions with Matt’s sudden announcement. He stepped inside and she closed the door behind him, turning the lock for good measure.

  They stood there, staring at each other, and instead of elation she saw cautious happiness tinged with doubt etched across his features. She reached up and touched his cheek with her fingertips. “I’m happy for you. I really am.”

  He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in close, resting his chin on her head. He breathed deeply, and she wrapped her arms around his back.

  “Are you really happy for me?” he asked, his words slightly muffled by her hair.

  She nodded. “Of course I am. This is what you wanted, right?”

  His hold on her tightened. “Of course it is.”

  He didn’t sound like he was convincing himself much less her.

  She curled her hands into his polo shirt, grabbing the only anchor she could find in the storm of emotions that seemed to be swirling around him. “What’s wrong, hon?”

  His body shuddered. Jenn couldn’t tell if he was crying or had just sighed really deeply.

  “I’m happy I’ve been cleared, but it’s kind of shitty timing.” He inhaled another shuddery breath. “I want to go, but I also want to stay here with you.”

  Jenn’s stomach dipped and her nose suddenly stung. She burrowed her head into his chest and breathed in that wholly masculine scent that was simply Matt. “I kind of want you to stay, too, but I figured this day would come sooner or later.”

  He pulled away slightly. His eyes searched her face, looking for what she didn’t know. “I don’t want us to take a step backward, and I’m afraid that me leaving tomorrow will undo all the progress we’ve made.”

  She shook her head, even though she wasn’t entirely sure her heart could take him leaving. Again. Even if this time she had a heads-up. “It won’t. I can’t say I’ve put it all behind me, because the pain of losing Tyler will always be there, but you’re not the man I thought you were, or the man I’d needed you to be all these years for my peace of mind.”

  She wanted to smooth the lines of worried struggle that played across his face and reassure him that everything would be okay.

  But you don’t know if everything really will be okay.

  Matt drew in a shaky breath. “Have I ever told you how wonderful you are?”

  She gave him a half smile. “No, but if you want to start now I’m down with that.”

  “You really are wonderful, Jennifer McDonnell.” His gaze swept over her face. Indecision still haunted his eyes, but she could also see the steely determination that had made him one of the best pitchers in history. “If I get on that plane tomorrow, I want—no, I need—to know that when this season’s over you won’t have changed your mind and gone back to hating me. I don’t think I could take that.”

  She brought her hand around to his cheek, smoothing the worry while getting seriously turned on by the rasp of whiskers against her fingertips. “I won’t change my mind. I promise.”

  #

  Matt looked down at Jenn, desire and confusion churning in his gut right alongside bittersweet happiness. He was beyond glad to get back to baseball, but for the first time in his life he felt like there was more for him than pitching a perfect game or winning a championship.

  There was Jenn.

  This woman his brain whispered. She’s more than all of th
ose things combined.

  But dammit, he’d set goals for himself, and he wasn’t going to quit on his team.

  It wasn’t just about him. It was about the team. The fans. And yeah, his legacy if he was being completely honest with himself.

  “I won’t change my mind. I promise.” Her whisper wound through his mind, brightening up the dark spaces that still existed despite the inroads he’d made.

  “This isn’t our last night together.” He hoped if he told himself that over and over that it would be true.

  She shook her head and said, “No, it’s not,” but he could see the doubt in her eyes.

  It killed him.

  With a groan he crashed his lips against hers, needing the anchor of her body, of her lips and tongue and teeth to keep him from drifting away in his sea of doubt. With a moan she opened to him, kissing him back with a passion that nearly took his breath away.

  He started to back her up against the door, but then his brain clicked on and told him to slow it down.

  Even though every cell in his body was screaming to hurry hurry hurry, to claim her for his now dammit, he slowed the pace and then pulled away.

  He pushed an errant curl off of her forehead. “Please don’t tell me to stop.”

  She met his gaze with her own, and even though he could see the wheels churning in that head of hers, he also saw her own desire and need in the green depths.

  “Take me to bed, Matt,” she said before grabbing his hand and leading him down the hallway to her bedroom.

  #

  Jenn led Matt to her bedroom on wobbly knees, nerves and desire a crazy mish mash inside of her body. She turned on the bedside lamp before turning back into him, needing to feel the solid heat of his body.

  It calmed as much as it aroused.

  “Are you sure about this?” He asked, his hand flexing on her shorts-clad hip.

  Her heart tumbled just a little bit more. How had she convinced herself all this time that he was an asshole? He wasn’t. At least, not now.

  She swallowed past the lump of nerves in her throat. “I’m sure.”

  Before he could respond, she lifted her head and pressed her lips to his, loving his sensitivity but knowing that the more they talked the more nervous she was going to get.

  Silly to be nervous considering he’s already seen you naked once.

  Yeah, but that was ten years ago.

  And you weren’t in love with him.

  Jenn tried to silence her thoughts as their tongues tangled together, slowly caressing each other. The heat from Matt’s hand burned into her hip, while his other had crept up to the back of her neck and cupped her there.

  She moaned and wiggled closer to him, pressing her breasts against his chest. Her nipples tightened into hard nubs behind her t-shirt, and she was suddenly glad she was small breasted enough to not have to wear a bra all the time. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rubbed against him, the friction shooting an arrow of desire from her nipples straight to between her legs.

  Matt’s hand tightened on her hip and she stepped backward until the backs of her knees met the edge of the mattress. She broke the kiss long enough to pull his shirt off, and then her own.

  God, he was glorious.

  Her hands roamed the ridges and bumps of his pecs and abs, spreading through the dusting of hair on his chest before wrapping around his biceps.

  Had a more beautiful man ever existed?

  She reached for the button of his slacks, suddenly needing to see him naked. She wanted—no needed—to explore, to trace his skin and memorize every detail.

  “Slow down. There’s no rush.”

  Her fingers fumbled with his fly. “I know. I just…” she swallowed “…I just need to see you naked.”

  He kissed her hard and fast. “You’re killing me, sweetheart.”

  “Same here.”

  She finally managed to work the zipper down. Matt toed his shoes off, then reversed their positions so he was sitting on the bed. He hooked his index finger into the waistband of her shorts and said, “Come here.”

  He pulled her towards him—not that she would have resisted—and pressed small, open-mouthed kisses against her skin. Her belly button. Hips. Abdomen. Sternum. The tattoo on the underside of her breast. He caught a nipple in his mouth, sucking hard before nipping at it then moving on to the next one. Heat pooled in Jenn’s belly and below, making her squirm.

  Matt unbuttoned and unzipped her shorts, slid them down her legs along with her panties. She stepped out of them, kicking them somewhere behind her. He kissed her stomach just below her belly button, tracing the skin with his tongue.

  Her hand curved behind his head and held him there.

  He chuckled before grabbing the back of her thighs and bringing her closer. He laid back on the bed. She climbed onto the mattress beside him, but before she could settle in he grabbed her around her hips, picked her up and positioned her so that she was directly over his head.

  “Matt, I don’t think…” he forced her hips down and swiped her pussy with his tongue. Whatever she’d been about to say fled her mind.

  His tongue caressed her folds, dipping inside of her before moving back up to her clit. He kissed her intimately, his tongue mimicking one of the French kisses he was so good at. Slow, sweet caresses followed by little nips. She gripped the quilt on either side of his head, her hips moving against his mouth of their own volition.

  His hands gripped her hips. Her ass. And then he was there, a finger inside of her. He moved it in time with his mouth, curling and pressing into her most sensitive spot and all of Jenn’s thoughts scattered with the orgasm that suddenly shuddered through her.

  She gasped, her muscles tightening around his finger as his mouth sucked her clit. The quilt bunched up in her grasp, her fingers tightening around it almost to the point of pain.

  Slowly, she came back down to earth as Matt sweetly kissed her right in the middle of her pubic hair. Carefully, she moved so that she was lying beside him, staring up at the ceiling as her heart rate returned to somewhere near normal.

  “Do you have any idea how hot it is when you ride my face like that?”

  And just like that, she was ready to go again.

  “Is it?”

  He propped himself up on an elbow and traced her nipple with an index finger. “Oh, yeah.”

  Desire sluiced through her body. “How about we get the rest of those clothes off of you?”

  His grin was devastating.

  “I think that sounds like a fantastic idea.” He stood up and quickly divested himself of his slacks, boxers and socks. He bent at the waist and popped back up with a foil packet in his hand.

  “Prepared this time, huh?” she teased.

  He climbed back on to the bed, his dick jutting out and bobbing with every movement. “That doesn’t bother you, does it?”

  She shook her head, fascinated with the sight. “Not at all. If you weren’t, I was.”

  Thanks, Mom.

  He set the condom on the bed next to her head before hovering over her. “Good, because I never want to hurt you like that again.”

  Before she could respond his lips were on hers, coaxing her mouth open. She could taste herself on his lips and tongue, causing more wet heat to pool between her legs.

  Her hands explored his body, the hard muscles that bunched with every small movement.

  He should totally pose for ESPN Magazine’s body issue.

  She felt him reach for the condom, barely heard the ripping of foil she was so focused on feeling as much of his body as she could. His weight settled over her and she drew up her knees, opening herself fully.

  Without breaking their kiss he pressed into her, taking his time, allowing her body to adjust to him. Even if it hadn’t been a while since she’d last been with anyone, Matt was big, but God, he felt good.

  She tilted her hips up, needing all of him. He slowly slid home, seating himself completely.

  He broke their kiss and whis
pered. “You okay?”

  She nodded.

  He flexed his hips, slowly withdrawing before pushing back in.

  Her eyes drifted shut, his words as he’d climbed back into bed haunting her, even as the ridge of the head of his penis dragged against her inner walls.

  Slow.

  Slow.

  So. Freaking. Slow.

  She tightened around him. Gasped his name.

  “Matt.”

  Just as slowly, he pushed back inside until he was seated to the hilt.

  Oh, God.

  Jenn grasped his biceps, could feel them bulging and flexing under her fingers as he slowly slid his cock in and out. In and out. In. And. Out.

  It was everything.

  This feeling burning in her chest. The tension gathering in her muscles. The slow drag of his body against and inside of hers.

  It.

  Was.

  Everything.

  Oh, God.

  What was she doing?

  She shouldn’t be doing this. Having sex with Matt.

  Making love with Matt.

  He’d torn her world in two the last time this had happened.

  That couldn’t happen again.

  But God, oh God, no one had ever felt so. Fucking. Right.

  Matt suddenly shifted the position of their bodies, so that they were both sitting and facing each other.

  The movement jerked her back to the here and now.

  To Matt. And the fact that he was still inside her.

  “How the hell did you do that?”

  He winked at her. “Yoga.”

  She snorted. “I’ve never learned that in any of the yoga classes I’ve attended.”

  His hands wrapped around her lower back, and he rolled his hips against hers, making her gasp. “Maybe you should take some yoga classes with me.”

  She rolled her hips against his, loving how every time she did she could feel him deep inside, rubbing against all her most sensitive places. Matt dropped his head and sucked a nipple into his mouth, torturing the tip with his tongue.

  Oh, God. The man was magic.

  He released her nipple with a pop and kissed the side of her neck. “Stay with me, Jenn.”

  How did he know?

  He ground against her again. “I can hear you thinking from over here. Just turn it off. Let go. I’ve got you.”