Curveball: A Second Chance Romance (Double Play Series Book 1)

by Nicole Rodrigues

  “If you were to, let’s say, take that step with someone, where would y'all do it? Our parents are always so...well up in our business.”

  “When they're at work. Ya know how long they're gonna be gone and ya don't have to worry about any interruptions. I've already got it all figured out when I'm ready,” she says, winking. “Plus as a bonus, I won't be home.”

  “But when they're at work, we’re at school.”

  “Not if ya happen to feel a little sick and go home early.”

  She winks and wiggles her eyebrows.

  “But don’t your parents have to come and sign ya out or somethin’?”

  “Not if you're a walker. If ya take the bus or somethin’, yeah, but if ya walk? All good. Like I said, I got it all planned out.”

  “Savannah Gavinwood, you hussy,” I say, laughing.

  “Hey, I just got a plan. You're the one lookin’ to execute it.”

  I laugh nervously and focus back on my work. Am I looking to execute it? Damn you, Gabriel Gavinwood. You're making me a crazy, little devil.

  “Hey, birthday girl!”

  I turn around and see Gabriel walking towards me, contagious smile and that sexy as sin dimple.

  “Hi, yourself.”

  “I got somethin’ for ya,” he says kissing me quick on the lips.

  “I hate gifts, Gabriel,” I whine.

  “It's your birthday. Sweet 16 and all that jazz. Couldn't skimp on my girl.”

  His sweet smile rattles something inside me. Savannah's conversation last week has been replaying over and over in my head, and right at this moment, it's all I can think about.

  Realistically I know that sex is a sin. Maybe we can just fool around a little. A little more than touching and it will satisfy this hunger that I have for him. At least, push it off a little longer.

  “I don't feel good,” I blurt out.

  “Oh man, on your birthday? Damn, why don't ya go home, then? No sense stayin’ if ya don't feel good.”

  “Walk me home,” I say quickly again, taking his hand before I chicken out.

  “Charlotte, what's goin’ on?” Gabriel laughs, following behind me.

  “I want you. So freakin’ badly, I want you. And not just touchin’ and kissin’ you. I wanna taste you, I wanna do stuff with you, I wanna-”

  He cuts me off with a kiss, softly pushing me into the lockers. My hands wrap around his neck and I feel him press his body into mine.

  “Get to class Gavinwood, none of that.”

  We break apart quickly, realizing where we are. Mr. Smith, my chemistry teacher, scolds us and I wipe my mouth, embarrassment painting my cheeks.

  “After next class, meet me by the gym. My parents will be at work until 5. If ya want. If you ain't there before 7th period, I'll forget it. It's your choice, baby cakes,” he whispers, running a finger down my cheek, kissing me on the lips.

  “Let's go Romeo. Chemistry class is callin’, Miss Capulet over here.”

  I nod to Gabriel and smirk at Mr. Smith. He smiles, opening his arms for me to enter the classroom and I roll my eyes.

  “Remember how that story ended, Charlotte?” Mr. Smith asks, shutting the classroom door.

  “Who can forget?”

  “Young love is a dangerous thing, Daniels. Remember that.”

  I nod my head and walk to my desk in a daze. I focus solely on Gabriel's words the whole class, but Mr. Smith and his warning, seep into my self-consciousness, planting a seed of doubt. When the bell rings, breaking me out of my stupor, I make my decision. Young love may be dangerous, but that was just a story. What's the worst that can happen with us?

  “This is crazy, ain't it?” I say to Gabriel, in between kisses, outside the gym doors.

  “It is, but we're crazy. Tell me to stop, tell me we need to go back to class and we will.”

  We keep kissing, pawing at each other and I shake my head.

  “Not gonna happen. Let's go,” I say, grabbing his hand and pushing the doors to the outside open.

  We jog the couple of blocks towards his house and when we get to the front door, he fumbles with his keys.

  He finally opens the door as we both tumble inside, our hands immediately grabbing for each other.

  “All I’ve thought about since we started datin, is this,” I admit, panting, as he kisses up and down my neck.

  “Me too. I didn't want to scare you off though. I wanted it to be your choice.”

  I pull his shirt over his head and he grabs for my hand. We walk towards his bedroom, kissing as we go and he shuts the door behind him. I throw his shirt on the floor as he walks over to me. His eyes are hooded, and his smile is devilish.

  “I...I don’t want to have sex yet,” I blurt out.

  He stops and reaches his hand out for me. I put my hand in his and his fingers start to caress my pulse point.

  “There’s no rush, like I said. We do what you're comfortable with. There’s other ways that I can make ya feel good, Charlie, if you want them.”

  He grins as he pushes me playfully on the bed, pulling my shirt over my head. His eyes darken when he sees my lace bra and he kneels before me.

  “You’ve been killin’ me. All summer I suffered blue balls because of you in a bikini. It’s unreal that I have you on my bed right now.”

  He kisses down my neck and towards my breasts.

  “I…” my speech is stolen from me as he pulls down one of my bra cups and feels my breasts.

  His rough hands brush my nipple and my whole body tingles.

  “I changed my mind. I want to have sex,” I pant.

  Gabriel laughs and shakes his head.

  “I’m not takin’ your virginity in the middle of the afternoon on just a whim Charlie. You’re special, it has to be special. I can make you feel good though, don’t worry,” he says reaching for the button of my pants.

  He unzips my jeans and runs his hand slowly down the front of my underwear, stopping and looking at my face. When I nod for him to keep going, he moves my thong to the side and slowly runs his fingers through my soaking wet folds.

  “Oh my Gosh, Gabe,” I say loudly, thankful that his parents aren’t home.

  He pushes a finger slowly inside me and hooks it. I gasp at the protrusion and he pulls it out quickly.

  “Shit, are you okay?” he asks, concerned.

  “Yes...yes,” I say, grabbing his wrist, “put it back in, it felt good, just...different.”

  He nods and slides his finger back inside me, starting to move it slowly in and out. His thumb brushes my clit and I gasp again. He notices the ecstasy seeping from my sounds and does it again.

  “I think I...I think I’m gonna orgasm,” I say shocked.

  I’ve never had an orgasm before, so I’m not sure what it feels like, but whatever he is doing to me right now, is so unbelievable, so that has to be it. He pushes another finger inside me, his thumb pushing on my clit and like pulling a trigger on a shotgun, my body explodes. I grab his wrist and my body shakes and clamps down around his fingers. I can’t breathe and my body heats and tingles all the way down to my toes.

  Slowly, I start to feel the bliss seep from my body and I open my eyes. Gabriel is staring at me and I immediately go cold. Oh my Gosh, what must I have looked like?

  “I…” I scramble to sit on the bed and try to straighten out my thong, snapping my jeans back up.

  “That was the sexiest thing that I’ve ever seen in my life,” he says slowly.

  I look up at him and my body heats again at his gaze.

  “Really?”

  “Yes,” he growls.

  I smile and reach for his jeans, but he steps back.

  “What’s wrong? What about you?”

  He shakes his head.

  “This was about you, Charlie. I can take care of it later,” he says as he searches his floor for his shirt.

  I get to my feet and shake my head.

  “No way! You get to see me out of control, and I don’t get the same? Sit your ass down o
n that bed, Gabriel Gavinwood,” I demand, pulling him by his jeans to sit on the bed.

  He laughs and puts up his hands as I kneel before him, unbuttoning his jeans. He sits up, so I can pull them down his strong, tree trunk legs. His bulge pops free.

  “Charlie. This ain't gonna be that long. I don’t want you to think...this is a first...no one's ever...” he admits, rubbing the back of his neck.

  He looks embarrassed and it is the cutest freaking thing that I’ve ever seen. I smile and wink and pull him out of his boxers gasping.

  “Oh my…”

  I’ve never seen his penis before, only felt it through his boxers, but I’m pretty sure they’re normally not that big. I audibly gulp thinking about that eventually fitting inside me. I feel his strong, calloused hand cup my cheek, and look up at him.

  “When we eventually do it Charlie, I’ll go slow. Don’t be nervous. If you don’t want to do this…”

  “No,” I say cutting him off. “I…I want to make you feel good.”

  I slowly reach out and grab the base of his shaft.

  He groans out loud and his erection jumps in my hand.

  “Shit,” he mumbles.

  His hands are fisted in the sheets by his side and his eyes are closed tightly. I smile, knowing that I am the one doing this to him. I slowly move my hand up and down and his knuckles turn white. Boldness takes over me and I dip my head down to lick his tip and he gasps. Right then, I feel liquid pool down my hand and onto my lips.

  “Fuck,” he says, reaching for his bedsheet. “I’m sorry Charlie, God I…” he wipes my face with the sheet and I laugh. “This is so fuckin’ embarrassin’,” he mumbles under his breath.

  I laugh again and fall back on his floor, holding my stomach. He shakes his head, as he zips himself back in his jeans and stands over me with his hands on his hips.

  “What is so damn funny?”

  “Don’t be embarrassed. That was very hot,” I say, looking up at him.

  He towers over me and bends down, smirking.

  “You little brat,” he says, as he plunges his fingers into my ribs and tickles me.

  I squeal and protest, but he doesn’t let up.

  “Stop Gabe! Stop…”

  “I made you feel good and this is how you repay me? Laughin’ at my inability to last five seconds as I get my first handjob? You’re so ungrateful,” he laughs, continuing his assault.

  “Okay, okay I’m sorry,” I say breathlessly.

  He slowly stops tickling me and sits down on the floor.

  “I’ll stop makin’ fun of you, but when you’re a big bad major leaguer and they ask for dirt on you, I am so bringin’ this up.”

  He lunges for me again and I put up my hands.

  “No more, no more. Shouldn't there be a no tickling on your birthday rule?”

  “You're right, I almost forgot. I uh...I got ya somethin'.”

  He reaches under his bed and hands me a small box. I open it slowly and gasp. It's a beautiful, gold infinity necklace, with a G in one loop and a C in the other.

  “Forever ain't long enough, Charlotte Faye. No matter where life takes us, you're mine, and I'm yours. There won't ever be another for as long as I live. Happy birthday.”

  He cups my cheek and I close my eyes, leaning into his touch.

  “You are a wonderful boy, Gabriel John. So incredibly wonderful. I love it. Thank you,” I whisper.

  He leans over and brushes a soft kiss on my lips. He motions for me to turn around, and fastens the necklace around my neck.

  “Corny I know, but…”

  I laugh at him and then he joins in. we start to laugh louder and I can’t help it. The happiness that always consumes me when I’m around Gabriel is indescribable. They say forever is a long time, spend it with someone who can make you laugh. Mission accomplished.

  Chapter 1

  Charlotte

  20 years later…

  “Blowout the candles and make a wish,” I say, smiling at my twin babies.

  How can eighteen years just come and go in the blink of an eye?

  I remember when I held them in my arms for the first time, alone and scared, but so in love with those little bundles. Now here they are, almost ready to go out into the real world.

  My thoughts always drift back to him though, and who I was at their age. Madly in love, ready to stop the world for him, but then in just a few months, he shattered that.

  “Mama?” says my daughter Bella quietly, obviously seeing my expression change.

  “Time for presents,” I say shaking those thoughts away.

  I walk through our small two bedroom house and to my room.

  The twins have had to share a room all their life, and it kills me that I couldn’t provide a more luxurious lifestyle for them. Having a teenage boy and teenage girl share a room is a nightmare, but their southern upbringing made them too polite to complain to me about it. In just a few short months they will both be going off to college, so I’m sure they will appreciate the space.

  I am just a week away from finishing up my online degree in sports management, having to postpone my college dreams when I found out that I was not only pregnant at eighteen, but pregnant with twins. I worked as a waitress and then a bartender at the only pub in town since I was nineteen, and I just started takes classes again when the twins hit high school.

  Now that they will be gone, and my degree is almost finished, I'm trying to find a job in my field. As bittersweet as it is, it will be nice not having to dodge handsy customers and pretend that I care about people's sob stories, when they come to get hammered at the pub. Still, thinking about having an empty house sours my mood.

  Under my bed, I gather up the boxes and walk back into our cramped kitchen. I set the boxes on the table and look up into the kid's smiling faces.

  I look at my son, Devin and my heart breaks a little, just like it always does when I look into his eyes, eyes that always got me, his eyes. The blue that pierced right through you and knew exactly what you were feeling. His shaggy blonde hair flows around his head and his dimple, the dimple that matches his father, appears on his left cheek from his side smirk.

  “Well, they’re not goin’ to open themselves,” I say, pushing the boxes closer to them.

  “Damn, you outdid yourself Mama, this is a shit ton!” Devin says excitedly.

  “Dev, language!” I scold him.

  He has his father's mouth, that's for sure. In fact, he has a lot from his father. The eyes, the mouth, the hotheadedness and the incredible pitching skills. He has been on D1 college baseball scouts lists ever since he was in 9th grade and he finally settled on Louisiana State, only an hour away from our town.

  “Don’t make Mama get the soap,” Bella says, winking.

  Her brown curly hair, the same shade as mine, is pulled into a ponytail. Her black rimmed glasses are perched on her nose, covering caramel eyes; the opposite of Devin in every way, although she is also going to Louisiana State. Like me, she is a softball shark and luckily also received a full ride.

  I always instilled education and values into the twins because I never wanted them to be dragged down by student loans when they graduated college. I tried to save every penny I had for their education but luckily, I didn’t even need it. All the money I saved for the two of them will remain in an account, for whatever they need in the future and I feel a burst of pride looking at the two of them.

  You did good, Mama.

  I was at a loss at what to get two eighteen year old kids on my tight budget, but I tried to expand it the best I could. Devin opens his box first and smiles.

  “You buy this bumper sticker for yourself?” he asks cheekily.

  It is a Louisiana State bumper sticker and I know he must be confused. I motion for Bella to open her box. She looks up at me with confusion, pulling out the purple and gold steering wheel cover.

  “Mama, I think you’re a little confused. It’s our birthday, why are you givin’ us stuff for your truck?”

/>   “Open the little box.”

  I smile when Devin hands it to Bella and she rips open the wrapping paper, taking out the key. They both look up at me and their mouths drop.

  “Is this what I think it is?” asks Devin.