by Tessa Teevan
She looked up at me as I slid in next to her, and the first thing I noticed was her light grey eyes taking me in.
“You’re Lexi, right?” I said, having gotten her name from one of my teammates.
She groaned before responding. “Lexi is such a little kid name. I swore to myself that when I started high school, I’d drop it, but my sister just had to keep using so now everyone does. For once, I just want someone to call me Alexa. Not Lexi.”
Taken aback by her outburst, I got up out of the seat and headed to the back of the bus. She leaned out with a confused look on her face, and her gaze followed me. I turned around and joined her again. Holding out my hand, I smiled. “Hi, I’m Jace McAllister. Sophomore and second baseman.”
She smiled brightly up at me, her hand meeting mine. “Nice to meet you, Jace. I’m Alexa Sullivan. Freshman. Huge baseball fan.”
I come back to the present and they’re all three looking at me. “And that’s why I never called you Lexi again.”
Brady busts out laughing and Stephen’s chuckling beside him. “Oh, Lexi, that sounds just like you. Such a little snob!”
She gives him a playful slap on his shoulder, which only causes him to laugh harder. Her eyes meet mine and they soften immediately.
“I can’t believe I forgot about that. I thought I’d pissed you off when you left the seat so quickly. I was disappointed because I’d been waiting for you to notice me, and then I almost messed it up,” she admits, surprising me yet again.
Looking between the two of us, Brady interjects. “So you two were both attracted to each other but did nothing about it for three years?”
I look at her, deferring to her to answer his question. “Brady, we’ve talked about this. The timing was just always off…” she says, trailing off.
Stephen interjects quickly, giving Brady a look. “I think it’s sweet. And all that back then doesn’t matter. You’re here now. It’s so romantic that you still care about each other after so long.”
Alexa flushes, and when she meets my eyes, I wink at her. “I knew I liked you, Stephen. You’re right. My timing may have been off back then, but I’m definitely more than making up for it now.”
Brady grins at me before changing the subject as we go back to playing cards. I grab her hand from under the table, my thumb rubbing circles over her skin. I meant every single word I said. I may have fucked up back then, but I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to her, if only she’ll let me.
THE NEXT two weeks fly by in a blur, and before I know it, I only have one more full day and night with Jace before he has to head back to New Mexico to pack up his apartment. The Sunday after we’d played cards with Brady and Stephen was our first full day together, and we had a blast. My morning started off with a good old Jace McAllister wake-up call, something that I’ve definitely become used to. Wanting to see the city I live in, he suggested that we park downtown and spent the day exploring Cincinnati. When he’d checked out of his hotel, he’d grabbed a few of those tourist brochures and insisted that we visit some of the local breweries. We had a great time trying all the different local beers, both agreeing that the Over the Rhine Ale at the Christian Moerlein Brewing Company was our favorite. We had so much fun that day just being together—no reunion activities or family members butting in. It was just us and it couldn’t have been more perfect.
I had to return to work the next day, so over the next two weeks we fell into a routine of seemingly normal domesticity. My mornings started with a sexy wake-up call before going to work. He usually had dinner ready when I got home, or he scooped out some place in the city that he wanted to try. We spent every night together in bed, whether we were just watching old reruns or spending hours exploring each other’s bodies in the moonlight. It’s been two weeks of pure, unadulterated bliss, and I’m going to have the hardest time saying goodbye.
“Earth to Alexa,” Jace says as he waves a piece of bacon in front of my face, pulling me out of my thoughts. I look up at him and he shoots that stupid sleepy grin at me. “Where’d you go?” he asks.
I sigh as I take a bite of the delicious pancakes he’s made me. “Oh, nowhere. I was lamenting on how I’m losing my personal chef tomorrow. It’s rather depressing. I’m going to be forced to eat frozen meals as I waste away to nothing.”
“Personal chef, huh? I think I have a lot more job titles than that, babe.” He winks at me, waiting for me to bestow said titles upon him.
Tapping my temple, I contemplate what else he could be deemed. “Let’s see… My personal trainer? You’ve helped loosen up muscles that have been passive for quite some time. Also, my alarm clock. You’ve made sure I’m always aware when it’s time to get up,” I tease, shooting his wink right back at him as I stand to take my dishes to the sink.
He smirks in amusement, quite proud of the way he’s worked me out since he’s been here. “Anything else?” he asks as he approaches me from behind, nuzzling against my neck.
Moving my head to the side, I give him more access as his hands find their way to my stomach inside of the camisole I wore to bed.
“Hmm, my personal hair washer? You’ve become pretty proficient at that,” I remind him, seeing as how I haven’t taken a shower alone since he got here.
He runs his left hand up my body before his hand moves up my neck to grab my ponytail, pulling me back into him. Instantly the feel of his erection presses against my ass, and I wiggle against him, causing him to pull my hair roughly as his free hand slips under the waistband of my pajama shorts. Rubbing my clit teasingly, he barely grazes it as he moves in small circles. I try to move in tandem with him, but again, he pulls back on my ponytail until I still my movements.
“Lose the shirt, baby,” he commands, and I do as he asks without a second thought.
Rewarding me, he moves his hand closer to my entrance, where his fingers are slick due to how turned on he has me with his forceful movements. He trails kisses down my neck as he slides one and then two fingers in and out of me. It’s killing me not to move in rhythm with him, but I know he wants me to remain still. Dropping his hand from my hair, he cups my breast, circling my nipple with his thumb before moving to the other one for equal attention. I shiver as they perk up underneath his touch. His fingers are still gently pumping in and out of me while his other hand moves down to my stomach. He pulls me even closer to him, his hard length pressing into my ass again.
He removes his hand from my shorts and I let out a small whimper at the loss of his touch. My breathing stops as he leaves a wet trail from the waistband of my shorts, up past my navel. He circles each nipple before ending at the base of my neck. Still holding my abdomen so that my backside is fully pressed against him, he leans down and softly starts to lick, nibble, and then gently bite my neck. My body begins to tingle as he slowly turns me around, and a moan escapes me. I brace my hands against the counter behind me as his tongue follows his trail back down my body. He grips my hair in one hand and my hip in the other.
Lifting back up, he pulls me into him, rougher than he’s ever been with me, and I’m amazed at how much it’s arousing me. Again, he uses my ponytail to pull my head to the side, and he plunges his tongue into my mouth, kissing me with a fiery hunger that leaves me breathless. He pulls away from me after a moment, and we’re both panting as our eyes lock. He’s looking at me with such desire that I’m finding it difficult to keep my hands off of him.
“What else?” he asks, and in my lustful state, I have a hard time remembering the question.
Wanting to see how far he’ll take this, a wicked grin spreads across my face.
“Right now, you’re a tease.”
His eyes narrow, and before I can react, he’s moving me across the kitchen, stopping when he gets to the table.
“Wrong answer,” he growls, and I shiver at the forceful tone in his voice.
He has me facing the table as he presses himself behind me. One hand slides over my neck, moving down to pinch my nipple as he takes host
age of my hair.
“Shorts off, baby,” he commands in my ear right before he lightly bites down on my ear lobe.
Shivering in anticipation, I’m excited and turned on at his gruff commands. This is a new thing for me, and my body is on fire at the thought of him bending me over this table to show me just how much of a tease he isn’t.
I slide my shorts down slowly before kicking them off to the side, leaving me completely bare in front of him. Jace pushes me forward so that my lower half makes contact with the wooden table. He grips my waist and starts to bend me forward, and my mouth waters at the thought of him taking me here right now. At the last moment, he whips me around, picking me up by my ass and setting me on the table. He sits in the chair directly in front of me, his eyes raking over my body as they devour every single inch.
“So fucking beautiful,” he whispers, almost as if he’s talking to himself.
He stands, and I’m disappointed when I notice he still has his shorts on. His lips meet mine in a feverish kiss as his hands begin to explore my body. He breaks away from my mouth as his lips follow the route his hands created. I’m squirming, not sure how much more of this I can stand. I was more than ready to get off when he had me against the counter, so the slow, lazy kisses and licks are enough to drive me insane. As his head’s about to dip between my legs, I’m beyond the point of frustration. Almost on their own volition, my hands grip his hair, forcing his head to jerk back up.
He looks amused as he stares up at me with hooded eyes.
“What’s wrong, baby? I thought you wanted a tease,” he laughs.
Wanting to play this game but not wanting to give in, I slide off the table and into his lap, brushing up against his erection, catching him off guard.
Leaning down, my lips find his ear. “I want a fuck, not a tease, baby,” I whisper, feeling his cock twitch against me.
Quickly getting off his lap, I saunter back towards the bedroom. I’m not halfway down the hall when I hear the chair screech on the kitchen floor, causing me to smile to myself. In a flash, Jace is at my back, pushing me towards the bedroom and face first onto the bed. Before I can catch my bearings, he’s removed his boxers and is on the bed positioning himself behind me.
“So you want a fuck? You know I’m always good for that, but right now I’m only doing what you said, and I’m pretty sure that was tease,” he says, his arm roughly hooking around my stomach as he hauls me up onto my knees.
I immediately brace my hands on the bed so I’m on all fours. Moving up on the bed, he hovers over me before brushing my hair to one side so that it hangs over one shoulder. His lips meet the bare skin there before moving down my back, planting kisses all along the way down and then back up the other side before he finally settles in behind me again.
He grips my hips and I push back against him, more than ready for him to push inside of me. His thumbs rub over my ass in slow circles before he slips one finger inside of me.
“Dammit, Jace, you made your point. I need you inside me. Now,” I plead, having been fighting the arousal between my legs for far too long now.
He removes his fingers and replaces it with his hard cock, sliding it up and down my slickness.
“What am I, baby?” he groans, slowly pushing his head into my opening.
If I weren’t on the brink of begging, I’d be rolling my eyes. I rack my brain, thinking of what to say to get him to finally take the plunge.
“Oh, fuck. Jace… You’re my relief pitcher,” I confess, looking back and catching his heated gaze. “The best relief pitcher I could ever have. The only one I’ll ever want.”
Satisfied with my answer, he presses into me, dropping down onto my back so that we’re skin to skin as he goes as deep as he can. I wiggle back against him as his hips rock, and with each roll I feel the push and pull of him moving behind me. This is the first time we’ve ever been in this position, and I’m so aroused at the lack of control that I have. I can barely move under him, and my hands, which usually are roaming all over him, are pressed firmly against the bed.
He slows his thrusts as he burrows his face in my neck before his lips find my ear.
“I told you, baby. I don’t tease. I deliver,” he growls, thrusting hard as if to emphasize.
All I can do is moan as his fingers find their way to my clit. He strokes my sensitive spot and I’m so close to losing it. As if he can sense it, he sits back on his legs, pulling me with him. I’m settled in his lap, and he’s rocking up into me at a frenzied pace. Moving my hand down between us, I stroke his cock as he moves in and out of me. The feel him shuddering under me causes me to grip him even tighter. He groans and pushes me back on the bed. Gripping my hips, he pumps in and out of me, as if he can’t get enough. I clench my walls around him, and he falls on my back as his cock fills me with his arousal.
He continues his thrusts as he works my clit, and it’s not long before I’m following, and I’m kind of pleased that for once I lasted longer than him. He falls on me as I convulse around him. Giving me a kiss on the cheek, he smiles against my skin, and I turn to look at him.
“So you got your answers. Now it’s my turn. So spill it, Jace. What am I?” I ask teasingly.
Jace meets my eyes and I see his soften. I can feel his cock twitch slightly inside of me as I await his response. He leans down and gives me a soft kiss.
“Baby, you’re everything.”
I’M SITTING on the couch, watching ESPN and playing on my laptop while I wait for Alexa to get ready for the day after our morning encounter. We both fell asleep again afterwards, and it was almost one o’clock by the time we finally made it out of the bed. I could’ve stayed in that spot with her enveloped in my embrace, but the more I sit still, the more I begin to dwell on the fact that I’m leaving tomorrow. I know I’ll be back in three weeks, but I don’t want to lose the progress I know I’ve made during this visit. I can feel her walls starting to crumble, and I’m not stopping until she’s completely mine. Yeah, we’re doing the whole no-labels thing, but it sure as hell feels like we’re together.
Checking my watch, I head back to the bedroom to see if she’s almost ready. I watch her dress as I stand in the doorway. I spot her at the front of her closet where she’s wearing a strapless bra and light-toned skinny jeans that highlight her ass. I can’t look away as she bends over to pull her dark brown boots over them. She goes through the hangers, finally deciding on a hunter green light-knit sweater that leaves one shoulder bare when she puts it on. It fits snugly, and I swallow hard as I take in her tight little body. Her long hair is running down the length of her back, and when she turns to face me, I notice that her face is still a little flushed from what was probably—and sadly—the last shower sex we’re going to have for a while. The natural blush accentuates her high cheekbones, and I feel a swell of pride that I was the one to put it there.
“Ready to get going?” I ask her, checking my watch again.
Raising an eyebrow at me, she looks at me suspiciously. “Impatient? Where are we going anyways?”
I simply grin and tell her, “You’ll see soon enough. Grab a jacket just in case. It’s gotten a little cool this week.”
Heading down the hallway, she gets her jacket and purse, and we lock up the house. Fifteen minutes later, we’re crossing over the bridge as I drive towards the riverbank. Her eyes widen as I pull up in front of a large riverboat. We get out of the car, and she looks back at me.
“What’s all this?” she asks.
Clearing my throat, I answer her. “It’s a Fall Color Sightseeing Cruise. I figured this would be a good way to finish off all the exploring we’ve been doing. Plus, it’s supposed to be romantic, with all the leaves changing color and stuff.”
She walks towards me until she’s standing right in front of me. Stretching up on her tiptoes, she places a soft kiss on my lips.
“That sounds like a great idea. I’ve never actually been on the Ohio River, so it’ll be neat to see the city from a different perspectiv
e. How’d you hear about this?”
I smile sheepishly at her. “I may have Googled romantic things to do in Cincinnati.”
She laughs as we walk to check in for the cruise. We get onto the boat and find seats. With my arm around her, she settles into me, leaning her head against my chest.
“This reminds me of the cruise we went on in Destin. Only this time it’s sixty degrees and I doubt we’re going to be seeing any dolphins,” she comments as the boat leaves the port.
“That, and you’re not sitting two feet away from me this time,” I say, squeezing her bare shoulder for emphasis, leaving my thumb there to lazily caress her skin.
We spend the next hour and a half taking in the oranges, yellows, and reds that highlight the shore of Cincinnati. She points out various buildings to me while I steal kisses from her here and there. All too soon we’re back to the riverbank just as the sun is beginning to set. As we climb into the car, she beams at me.
“Thank you, Jace. That was so much fun and something I’d have never thought to do.”
Happy that she didn’t think it was lame, I respond. “I’m two for two on cruises. I guess we’ll always have to make sure there’s water around so I know how to plan a date, since I seem to suck at the originality factor.”
She laughs, and we fall into a comfortable silence as I link our fingers together, heading back to the Ohio side of the river. I use the GPS to navigate towards the Mt. Adams neighborhood, and her eyes light up when she realizes where we’re going.
“I love The Blind Lemon. Brady introduced me to it a few months ago, and we try to come at least once a month,” she says excitedly.
I give her a wink before admitting, “Yeah, he may have been the one who suggested it.”
After parking, I grab her hand and lead her towards the bar. We decide to sit on the garden patio at a table near the fire pit. There’s one lone guy playing the guitar and singing a Jack Johnson cover. Now that the sun has gone down, it’s an extremely romantic setting. After getting our drinks, I take her hand from across the table, and she looks at me sweetly.