“It goes with the territory.” I shrugged. “But honestly, there are ways around it. Like you pointed out when I mentioned going to Jeremy’s game, a complex full of baseball fans probably isn’t somewhere I’d remain anonymous for long. The guys and I have our favorite spots throughout the country where we can go and not get mobbed. And when I’m by myself wearing regular clothes, only the most dedicated fans recognize me.”
The wind kicked up and she shivered.
“Do you want me to turn the heater up?”
“No, I’ll just put this on.” She picked up the sweatshirt that had been resting on her lap and slipped her arms inside then shifted it over her head. “Thank you for letting me borrow it.”
“No problem.”
Honestly, I was being practical when I offered her the sweatshirt. I didn’t tell her we’d be outside tonight and didn’t want her to be chilly. But now, seeing her in a piece of my clothing, especially a Waves sweatshirt with my name and number on it, is making my inner caveman rear his head. I’ll have to be sure to give her some gear she can wear to games.
“Would you like another drink?”
She shook her head. “No thanks, I’m good.”
“How about a walk on the beach?”
“Sure.” She shifted her chair back and hesitated. “I’d better take my sandals off.” Reaching down, she slipped them off and placed them under the table. “Ready.” She smiled over at me as she stood.
I’d toed off my shoes too. No reason to get them full of sand if she’s going barefoot.
Taking her hand, I led her toward the water then slowly strolled along its edge.
“By the way, I don’t think I mentioned this yet, but you look really nice tonight. I like your hair like that.”
“Thank you.” Her voice was quiet, tentative. And I’m sure there’s a blush covering her cheeks. “My hair kept whipping at my face so I had Chloe braid it to hold it back.”
“Speaking of Chloe, what are she and Jeremy doing tonight?”
“They were going to La Mesa for dinner then probably back to the house to play video games. Chloe is a gamer from way back and she really gives him a run for his money. Which he loves. I can play, but I’m not much competition for him anymore.”
“I used to be able to hold my own, but at this point, I’m out of practice.”
“I wish Jeremy was out of practice. It’s a struggle keeping him from playing when we’re home. But at least sports keep him busy so I don’t have to nag him about his screen time too much.”
“What does he play besides baseball?”
“Basketball. He used to play soccer when he was younger, but once he was old enough for fall ball, he stopped that.”
“So you’re a real sports mom.”
“That’s for sure,” she said. “Thankfully I like sports...well baseball and basketball anyway. I’m not much of a football fan and I don’t mind soccer, but I have no clue about the rules so I never knew what was happening.”
“No football, huh?”
“Sorry.” She shrugged.
“My grandmother hated when I played football. She and my grandfather fought over whether or not to let me play when I went to live with them. Somehow he won that argument and signed me up.”
“Did you play basketball too?”
“Yep.”
“So you were a three-sport athlete.”
“Guilty.”
“Do you like baseball the most or is it just the one you were best at?”
“Both, but I liked playing the other sports in high school because they kept me in shape. What about you? Did you play sports when you were growing up?”
“I did a little bit of everything...softball, basketball, dance, track. I had kind of a jack-of-all-trades, master of none thing going on.”
“Nothing wrong with that. As long as you enjoyed it.”
“There was nothing I loved doing enough to put my whole heart, soul, and time into. I always envied people who were that passionate about something. My friend Hope knew she wanted to be a cosmetologist back in middle school. I entered college undeclared because I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life.”
We’d walked past Kasprzyk’s house and were coming to the end of the beach, so I slowed then stopped and turned to face her.
“What major did you end up declaring?”
“Business management, but only because it was practical and there were a lot of things I could do with it.”
“That’s why I chose communications,” I said. “But honestly, my goal with college was to get drafted to play professional baseball.”
“Well, that worked out for you.”
“Yeah, I’ve been pretty lucky, getting to do what I do for a living.”
Nudging my head toward the deck, I squeezed her hand and started walking in that direction.
“So did your parents stay in town after they brought Jeremy home?”
“Yeah, they’re going back Wednesday. They came to a couple of Jeremy’s games this weekend which he was happy about.”
“Nice.”
She told me a little about her parents as we walked back up the beach. They seem pretty involved in her and Jeremy’s lives despite the fact they live a thousand miles away. At least she’s not totally alone.
“Ready for dessert?” I asked as we stepped onto the deck.
“That depends. What’d you bring?”
“Brownies.”
Certain parts of my anatomy perked up at her answering groan.
“Maybe half of one.” Her nose scrunched in the most adorable way with her words.
“You can try it, but I think once you’ve tasted these brownies, you’re gonna want the whole thing.” I picked the cooler up and unzipped the top revealing the bakery box inside. “Have a seat. I’ll bring it over to you.”
Karen settled onto the wicker couch toward the back of the deck. I grabbed two napkins from the side of the cooler and placed a brownie on each, grabbed two bottles of sweet tea out of the main compartment, and walked over to join her.
“Oh wow, this is huge.”
“These are from a bakery just around the corner from my condo. Cal discovered it a few years ago. That man has the biggest sweet tooth, but I have to admit, he finds some of the best places to get baked goods.”
She bit into her brownie and let out a long, low moan as she chewed.
Down boy.
Thankfully we’re sitting so she can’t see how her sexy moans and groans are affecting me. I shifted to get more comfortable.
“This is amazing.” She took another bite, then chuckled. “And you’re right, I’m going to finish the whole thing.”
“Told ya.” I popped the last bite into my mouth and took a long drink of sweet tea. “So is there any chance you can make a game this week? They’re all at night.”
With her crazy schedule and mine, the days we’ll be able to see each other will be few and far between. Add the fact that Jeremy doesn’t know we’re dating and it’s even worse. But if she comes to my games, I’ll at least get to see her even if we don’t get to spend a whole lot of time together. Unless I can convince her to do something afterwards. I’m sure the guys would join us to make it a group outing.
She finished chewing and wiped some stray crumbs off the side of her mouth with her thumb.
“I’m not sure. Jeremy has practice tomorrow and Wednesday night. He has that tournament this weekend but we won’t know if his first game is Friday night or Saturday until mid-week. That leaves Thursday but Chloe is flying to London Saturday and we always do something before her business trips.”
“You should bring her to a game. I’d love to meet her.”
Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth then closed it. Twisting the cap off her sweet tea, she took a long drink.
“Are you sure about that? You don’t think it’s kind of soon to meet the friends?”
“You’ve met my friends so it’s only fair.”
She finished her brow
nie and wiped her mouth then crumbled the napkin into her fist, looking unsure of what to say next. I don’t want to rush her, but I do want her to understand that I want this relationship to move forward. I’m not just killing time with her while I’m in town. That was how I did things in the past, but I want different things now, and she’s the one I want them with.
Taking her hand in mine, I rubbed small circles against her soft skin with my thumb.
“Look, I know this is only our second date, but I want you to know that I’m not just messing around here. There’s something special between us. I felt it the first time I saw you. And I understand your reluctance to tell Jeremy we’re dating right now, but I’m hoping we can figure out a way to spend time together in the meantime. You guys coming to my games is one way we can see each other and it’ll be even better if we can get dinner or something afterwards.”
Her clear blue eyes had stayed focused on me while I spoke. Now she blinked and looked down at our joined hands. There’s so much more I want to say, but I stayed quiet, letting her absorb my words and collect her thoughts. It seemed like forever, but she finally met my gaze again and spoke.
“I’m not going to lie, this whole thing between us kind of freaks me out. For different reasons at different times. But I can’t deny the fact that I enjoy spending time with you and felt that something, too.” That last sentence made me smile. “I’ll ask Chloe about going to the game Thursday. I’m sure she’ll jump at the chance to meet you and probably embarrass me in some way.”
“Thank you.” I lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles. “And thank you for being so honest.”
I shifted closer to her, sliding one arm behind her shoulders. Letting go of her hand, I cupped her jaw. Just like the other night in my truck, the electricity swirled around us. She stayed still for several heartbeats before relaxing into my touch. Closing her eyes, she took in a short breath and let it out on a soft sigh before meeting my gaze again. I looked down at her parted lips and couldn’t resist any longer.
Pressing my mouth against hers, I moved slowly, savoring the plump softness of her lips. She let out a soft moan and I firmed my grip on her jaw, holding her in place as I tilted my head to get a better angle. I continued to sip at her mouth before licking at the seam of her lips, asking for entry. She opened up and I touched my tongue to hers, enjoying the lingering taste of chocolate and sweet tea, but as our tongues tangled I got to her true essence. She’s delicious.
I angled myself against her, pushing her back against the cushion. She moved one hand up and gripped at my hair as the other wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer. I groaned deep in my chest and opened my mouth, deepening the kiss, kicking it up a notch. It went on and on, and I enjoyed every second, every taste, every touch.
We shifted and inched further down on the couch until she reclined against the arm with me resting between her thighs. I cradled her head in my elbow and shifted my other hand around and up to the middle of her back, holding her tight. Firm, round, and full, her breasts flattened against my chest and I flexed my fingers into her back, fighting the urge to reach around and cop a feel.
Our mouths continued to devour each other and Karen bent her leg and shifted down, putting my throbbing erection right at the apex of her thighs. I pressed against her, easing the ache for a second before making it even worse. She splayed her fingers against my back before digging them into my shirt, grabbing some skin in the process.
Before my last thread of sanity snapped and we hit a point of no return, I slowed the kiss and put some space between our bodies. Reluctantly pulling my mouth from hers, I rested my head against her forehead and fought to slow my breathing.
Pulling back just enough to see her face, I watched as she slowly opened her eyes and took way too much pleasure in her dazed expression. Looking down at her swollen lips, I fought the urge to take her mouth again. Instead, I leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose, then her forehead before meeting her eyes and shifting back onto my side of the couch.
I held out my hand and pulled her into a sitting position.
“I had a great time tonight, Karen.” My voice sounded like I’d swallowed gravel. I cleared my throat. “But I think I should take you home.” She looked back at me and dug her teeth into her swollen bottom lip. I reached out and traced my thumb slowly back and forth with the lightest of touches until she released it. “I don’t want to mess this up by doing something you’re not ready for and I just used every bit of self-control I possess to end that kiss.”
Her gaze shifted down to my lap where my khaki shorts were tented with a very visible erection. My groan brought her eyes back to mine and it’s pretty obvious that she’s mine for the taking if I just make the move. But even if my big brain isn’t functioning on all cylinders, I still know she’s just caught up in this attraction right now and would regret it if we went any further tonight.
I stood and walked toward the table, adjusting myself on the way so my dick isn’t visible from the moon. Next time we go out, I’ll be sure to wear compression shorts.
Chapter 12
Karen
* * *
“Mom.” Jeremy knocked on the bathroom door. “Are you almost ready?”
“Yeah, I’ll be out in a minute.”
We don’t usually do things like this on school nights, so this is a treat for him. He’s so busy with his own activities, I figure staying in when he doesn’t have anything going on is a good balance. As usual, he asked to get to the stadium early to watch batting practice. And since we’re picking Chloe up, we have to give ourselves some extra time since she’s a little out of the way.
I looked at myself in the mirror and couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across my face. After our date the other night, Dale had told me to keep the sweatshirt I’d borrowed then he sent a box of Waves gear to my office. Of course, every item was branded with his name and number.
He’s called me the past three nights after his games, and even convinced me to FaceTime last night. I’m not thrilled with being on video, but I did enjoy looking at him, especially since he was lying in bed and wasn’t wearing a shirt.
I almost bumped into Jeremy as I opened the bathroom door. He was obviously getting ready to knock again. I wish he was this anxious to go to school in the morning. I’m usually the one banging on his bathroom door to get him moving.
He looked at my shirt.
“Is that one of my shirts?”
“No, Hannah gave me some of my own.”
Hopefully he won’t question why mine all say Montgomery on the back. But I doubt he will. I’m sure the thought of me dating has never even crossed his mind, never mind dating one of the Waves.
We walked out of my bedroom and into the kitchen where I grabbed my purse and keys from the island before heading to the garage.
Jeremy slid into the passenger seat.
“I’ll move into the back when we pick up Aunt Chloe,” he said as he fastened his seatbelt.
“I appreciate you not making me feel like a chauffeur.”
“I’m pretty psyched about her coming tonight.”
“Yeah, me too.”
I’m just hoping she doesn’t embarrass me too much around Dale. We’re all going out for ice cream after the game to the place he’d planned to take me on our first date. Jack and Hannah are joining us along with Dan and Sabrina and their two kids. Jeremy and Lexi have met a couple times and got along well so hopefully we’ll all have a fun night.
“It’s awesome that we’re going out with Jack and the guys after the game, too,” he said, as if he’d read my thoughts. “I still can’t believe that I know them.”
I glanced over at him seeing the look of awe on his face before putting my eyes on the road again.
“That’s all you, buddy. You met Jack and he liked you enough to introduce you to his friends.”
“But like, they’re professional baseball players and I get to talk to them and stuff. That’s why I never want to bring fri
ends to the games with me. They act all weird around the guys and it’s embarrassing. I mean, I remember being nervous the first time I met Jack, because seriously he’s Jack Reagan, but I don’t think I acted like a total idiot.”
“No, you didn’t. You played it pretty cool.”
I blinked back tears as I remembered that night at the CADD beach bash two years ago. Despite the fact that Tampa is our home team, Jason had always been a Waves fan and passed that on to our son. Jack has always been Jeremy’s favorite player so when he not only took time to talk to him and sign his shirt, but also raced him on the slide and had Hannah give us tickets to a game, I nearly bawled my eyes out in front of them that night.
“And I’m very proud that you don’t brag to your friends about the fact that you get to hang out with Jack and the guys once in a while, not to mention that you have his number saved in your cell.”
He shrugged. “I like keeping it to myself. Is that bad?”
“I don’t think so.”
We pulled into Chloe’s driveway and she came out the front door. Jeremy stepped out of the car and gave her a hug before settling into the back. She sat in the passenger seat and after clicking her seatbelt into place, turned and flashed me a big smile.
“Nice shirt.”
“Thanks.”
I gave her a warning look then backed out of her driveway.
She and Jeremy chatted as I drove to Victory Park. I pulled into the VIP parking lot courtesy of the upgraded passes Hannah included with our tickets. It still amazes me that I’ve been here more in the past couple years than I was my entire life.
Jeremy jumped out of the car and waited for us before walking toward the entrance. The attendant scanned our tickets and we pushed through the turnstile. The sound of balls being hit echoed through the concourse.
“Can I go watch batting practice and meet you at our seats?” Jeremy asked.
“Sure. See you in a bit.”
I watched him run across the concourse, through the opening to the field, and his head disappeared as he started down the steps.
Chloe looked down at her watch. “So we have a couple hours before this game starts?”
Swing and a Kiss: Carolina Waves Series Book 4 Page 10