The Screw Ball (Indianapolis Lightning Book 3)

by Samantha Lind

  “I don’t know, Lucas,” Carmen interjects, worry filling her expression.

  “What if I suggested keeping it casual, just between the two of us. Nothing public for a while. It would give us time to get to know one another on a deeper level.”

  She looks across the table at me and I can tell her mind is spinning at a hundred miles an hour as she thinks over my suggestion.

  “So, you want me to be your booty call?” she deadpans, rolling her eyes at me. “Yeah, that isn’t happening. I’m not into the friends with benefits scene.”

  “Not friends with benefits. We’d be exclusive, but just keep it between us or whoever you’re comfortable knowing that we’re dating. I’ll be up front that there is no way I’ll be able to hide it from my sister. She already figured out that something happened between the two of us just by talking to me today.” I smirk, thinking back to my conversation with Tiffany.

  “Not to be rude, but have you ever had an exclusive relationship?” she asks.

  I can’t help but laugh at her question; I mean, I get it. I’m not known for relationships and have been in the news more for my strip club shenanigans, then the baby daddy accusations. I don’t paint the best image for her to latch on to. “I had a serious girlfriend for two years in college until I walked in on her and one of the football players. I swore off relationships for a long time after that, not wanting the distraction or possibility of getting my heart broken again. I really thought she was the one, but I was sorely mistaken. Apparently, she was sleeping around with lots of jocks, and I was just in the dark about it.”

  “I’m sorry,” Carmen says, reaching across the table and placing her hand on top of mine. I appreciate the gesture and warmth of her hand on mine. “No one ever deserves to be cheated on, I know what it’s like to have that happen and it makes you wonder if you’ll ever trust another person again.”

  Knowing that she’s been cheated on, as well, has my blood pressure rising and wondering if I can find the man that hurt her so I can punch him in the face, or maybe I need to buy him a drink for fucking things up so I have the chance at winning her over.

  “Going back to your original argument, I’m definitely not opposed to settling down, I just want it to be with the right woman. Seeing my sister become a mom and then being around my nephew whenever I can be, made me realize that I do want kids of my own. So, don’t count me out on those matters. I also think it’s sexy as hell that I could be dating an older woman.” I wink at her, and love watching her skin pinken at my words.

  “I still don’t know, Lucas.” She bites that god-damned lip again and my cock twitches to life in my pants.

  “What if we gave ourselves two months to see how things go. If at the end of that time, it isn’t what you want going forward, then we part as friends and I won’t say another word about it.”

  “How can you be so confident that if we part ways that we can do so without broken hearts and hurt feelings?”

  “Because I don’t plan on that happening. I want to see where this connection between us can go. I want to see it blossom and grow. Carmen, you are an incredible woman. You are confident. You are sexy. You are what I see in my future and I want to be the man who stands beside you to be your confidant and support system when you need it, and your biggest cheerleader.”

  “Wow,” she says a little breathlessly. “You sure know how to win a woman over with words.” She smiles at me.

  “So, does that mean you’ll agree to dating me?” I ask, slipping my hand from under hers and linking our fingers together. I don’t think she even realized she still had her hand on mine.

  “I guess so,” she says, and I want nothing more than to pull her into my arms and kiss the fuck out of her. But we’re in public and have a table between the two of us, so it’ll will have to wait.

  “Ready to get out of here?” I ask, looking down at the time on my phone. The bus to the stadium doesn’t leave for another two and a half hours, which gives us plenty of time to make it back to the hotel and for some time alone in one of our rooms.

  Fourteen

  Carmen

  I can’t wipe the smile from my face, nor can I believe that I just agreed to date Lucas. The way he poured out his heart trying to convince me had me melting into a puddle. He’s surprised me the last few weeks, and especially the last twenty-four hours. When I woke up this morning, I was panicking that I’d fucked up. Sleeping with him on a whim is not my normal. I don’t just go sleeping around. I don’t necessarily have a specific rule to when I’ll sleep with a guy, but I can say that last night was a first for me.

  Lucas waves down the server and gets our check, handing over some cash before she can even leave the table. “Keep the change, and thanks for the suggestion. The pizza was as good as you said it would be,” he tells her before we both get up. His hand settles on my lower back as we walk through the crowded restaurant and outside onto the sidewalk. I need for us to keep this on the downlow, so as much as I want to slip my hand into his and feel his warm skin on mine, I slip them into my pockets as we walk back to the hotel.

  “Do you have to do anything before leaving for the stadium?” he asks as we walk back.

  “Nope,” I tell him, popping the p. “I’m free until then.”

  “Good.” He smirks and lowers his face until his lips are next to my ear as we wait at an intersection for the crosswalk to change. “I’ve got plans for you, then, your room or mine?” he asks, nipping at my ear.

  His voice is deep and gritty as he asks, and it has my core clenching at the thought of what he has planned.

  “Mine,” I tell him. “It isn’t near any of the players’ rooms, so we’ll be less likely to be seen together,” I tell him, but also think to myself about people possibly hearing us if things get as loud as they did last night.

  “You’ve got it,” he says before standing back to his full height. His hand is still against my lower back as we cross the street and enter into the hotel. I don’t really pay attention to who might be in the lobby or bar, we head straight for the elevator. I swipe my card and press the button for our secured floor.

  As soon as the elevator doors close, our control snaps. Lucas backs me up against the wall, his lips crashing against mine as I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him down. He presses his hard body against mine, pinning me in a way that I can feel every glorious inch of his that touches me.

  The ping of the elevator arriving on our floor pulls me from the trance his kiss put me into, and I pull back. “Damn you taste good,” he says, before dropping a chaste kiss on my lips before fully stepping back just as the doors slide open. It’s a good thing he stepped back, as when they open, a couple of the training staff and position coaches are all standing on the other side, waiting on the doors to open so they can get on.

  “Carmen, Lucas.” One of them, I’m not really sure who, exactly, greets us.

  “Gentlemen,” I squeak as I exit the elevator. I can only imagine how red my cheeks are at almost being caught by all of them.

  “Slow down, Red,” Lucas says, “they didn’t see anything.” He smirks as he stops behind me while I open my door.

  “We have to be more careful. No more kissing in elevators,” I reprimand him.

  “How about in locked hotel rooms?” He smirks, lifting me up like I’m nothing as he pins me to the wall as the door snicks shut.

  “Hotel rooms are a yes,” I tell him as his lips connect with my neck. I can’t help the moan that falls from my lips at the way he plays my body, and we’re still fully dressed and have hardly even made it past first base.

  “Something you like?” He pulls his head back and smirks at me.

  “Don’t be an ass.” I laugh at him and pull his face back to mine. “And don’t tease me too long, I’m going to combust,” I tell him just before we kiss again.

  I don’t know if it is the sexual drought that I’d been in or if it is Lucas, but I swear my inner sex goddess comes out. I can’t get him naked or insid
e of me fast enough. My body craves his like it is my next drink and I’ve been parched for a long time.

  “Slow down, Red.” He nips at my lips. “I’ve got to grab a condom,” he tells me as he sets me back on my feet. He grabs one, rolling it down his shaft in one quick motion before picking me back up and pinning me to the wall. His cock slides against my clit and I shudder in anticipation and want.

  “Lucas, I need you,” I moan. He lines himself up and thrusts home. My back arches off the wall, and he’s so deep I swear he’s touching my ovaries.

  “Tell me what you need, Red,” he says before latching on to my neck with his lips. His hips start a fast rhythm as he slides in and out of my pussy. I’m quickly building to my orgasm, needing it as much as I need my next breath.

  “Faster, right there,” I manage to tell him. I slip my hand between our sweat-slicked bodies and circle my clit with my fingers, applying the perfect pressure that sends me flying over the edge.

  “Fuck, Carmen!” he groans, thrusting through my orgasm as he crests over his own, filling the condom with his release. His forehead rests against mine, as we both suck in deep breaths as we come down from the high of endorphins coursing through our bodies.

  “That was—" he says, pausing to suck in another breath.

  “The best wall sex I’ve ever had,” I finish for him.

  Chuckling, he lifts me off of him, then sets me on the floor before he disposes of the condom. I can’t get enough of seeing his body naked. All the glorious ridges his muscles create from the hours he’s spent in a gym. He’s not the over-done body builder type, but the ‘I like taking care of my body and have muscles’ kind of body.

  “See something you like?” he asks, coming back from the bathroom. He hands over a warm washcloth and it surprises me slightly. I’ve never had a guy want to take care of me like this after having sex.

  “Um, yeah. Have you seen yourself naked?” I ask, giving him another once over.

  He looks down his body, running his hand down his abs before looking back as me. “A time or two.” He smirks and brings a hand to my lower back, pulling me flush against him. “But I’d rather look at yours instead. I’m a little infatuated by it. I think I need more time to get to know it on a more intimate level,” he says before picking me up and taking me to the bed.

  “Once was enough before your game tonight.” I smack his chest.

  “I wasn’t going to try for round two right now. I was just bringing you over here to cuddle until we have to get ready to go,” he says, settling in against the pillows.

  “Oh, well then, let me put on some clothes,” I tell him.

  “Clothes defeat the purpose of naked cuddling,” he says, holding me tighter to him.

  “I thought the purpose of naked cuddling was to end up having sex?” I question.

  “That’s one of the purposes, but it can also be like this,” he says, and I relax into his embrace. “It also allows me to have free range to tease the fuck out of you in the meantime.” He chuckles as his hands start to roam my body. “Do you remember how I missed that fan event you put together a while back, but Coach talked you off the cliff because of it?” he suddenly asks.

  “Yeah?” I’m not really sure where he’s going with this or why he’d bring it up now.

  “The reason I missed the event was because my nephew was in the hospital and I was there with him and my sister. He was having a bad day of tests and she needed some backup. He’ll usually calm down if I show up. That’s why I missed. Not because I was trying to be an ass and not show up.”

  “Oh, Lucas,” I gasp. “I didn’t know that your nephew was sick, is he going to be okay?” I ask.

  “Yeah, he was premature and has some lingering complications. Nothing life threatening, but he still has to see doctors on a regular basis and have tests done.”

  “Wow, I can’t imagine what all that entails.”

  “It’s been a rough three years for Tiffany and Brad, but they’ve handled it as best as any parents can. I think it strengthened their relationship. Having each other to lean on during the most stressful times. Watching them make it through Milo’s birth and subsequent hospital stay, and how they leaned on one another, showed me how important it is for your spouse to be one of your best friends. You need to be able to lean on one another during the hard times.”

  “Thank you for sharing with me. Maybe I’ll forgive you, now, for missing the event,” I muse.

  “Forgive me?” He laughs, tickling my side and rolling me until he’s hovering over me.

  “Yep,” I say before his lips take mine in a kiss.

  We spend the next hour making out like teenagers, but he never tries to take it any further. We finally have to pull apart when the alarm on my phone starts going off. After my close call this morning, I set alarms for everything I have to be at for the rest of the trip. No way am I letting any distractions make me miss something work related.

  “Where are you going?” Lucas whines as I get up to turn my alarm off.

  “To turn that off and get ready. That also means that it is time for you,” I say, pointing at him, “to go back to your room so you can get ready.”

  “Do I get to come back to this bed tonight?” he asks.

  “Maybe.” I flash him a coy smile.

  “Maybe?” he scoffs.

  “Score me a run and you can come back,” I tell him and now I’m the one smirking at him.

  “Red, I’ll score you a fucking walk-off home run if that’s what you want.”

  “Don’t promise things you can’t keep.”

  “Fair enough,” he says, reaching out and grabbing my wrist and tugging on it. “Do I at least get a pre-game good luck kiss?”

  “As long as one here counts,” I tell him before crashing my lips to his.

  “That will have to do,” he muses before pulling away.

  I admit I watch his every move as he gets up, pulling on his clothes. He smirks at me when he catches me checking him out yet again. “Watch it, babe, you’ll make me hard again. The last thing you want me doing is getting a hard on in my baseball pants. They are already tight as it is, this,” he says, pointing to the bulge in his pants, “would make them not suitable for kids to see me. It might also make some women jealous.”

  “You’re so full of yourself,” I tell him. “Most women have dildos bigger,” I smart at him.

  “Oh, is that right? And does that go for you, as well? Are you one of those women?” he asks, a smirk on his face, as he knows he’s got me.

  “Maybe,” I tell him as sweetly as I can, my face burning with my embarrassment.

  “Why are you turning beet red?” he asks, pulling me into his arms. “Being confident in your sexuality isn’t something to be embarrassed about. I think it’s fucking hot. Maybe you’ll let me tease you with a toy at some point,” he says.

  I look up at him, a little shocked at his words. “Really? That isn’t something that intimidates you?”

  “Fuck no. There is nothing sexier than a woman who knows what she likes in bed and who can take matters into her own hands. If I know you as well as I think I do, I’m going to go out on a limb, here, and say that you haven’t been with a man in at least a few months until last night, am I right?”

  “Yeah, more like over a year,” I tell him honestly.

  “And I’d never expect that you wouldn’t need an orgasm in that amount of time. Hell, even if we are having regular sex, you might still need one when I’m not around, and you should feel comfortable with that. There’s nothing wrong with a little self-love.”

  “I never know what is going to come out of your mouth, but that definitely wasn’t what I was expecting,” I tell him.

  “Make me one promise?” he asks.

  “What’s that?”

  “I want you to promise me that you’ll tell me what you want when we’re intimate. If you want to try something, you tell me, you want to go somewhere—a strip club or a sex club—and we do it together. There is
nothing—well, except maybe bringing other people into the bedroom with us—that I’d say no to.”

  “Okay,” I agree. I know being open and honest with each other is important in order to build a solid relationship and that trust is important in all areas of said relationship. “Hey, thank you for trusting me enough to tell me about your nephew, earlier.”

  He shrugs. “I thought you should know, and I wanted to make sure you didn’t have any pent-up anger over the missed event that was going to come back to bite me. But on that note, I really need to go now. I’ll see you on the bus,” he says, dropping a chaste kiss on my lips.

  “Bye.” I give him a little wave as he exits my room.

  I’m floating up on cloud nine after the whirlwind the last day has been. I fall back onto the bed, just letting the memories from yesterday and today roll like credits through my mind. I can remember the anticipation of wanting him to kiss me so badly last night but not sure if he ever would. Oh, how my once hatred of the man has turned into complete lust for him.

  The next few hours fly by in a blur. We take the short ride from the hotel to the stadium, and the guys are all whisked away to the locker room and into pre-game rituals. With tonight’s game being game one of the first round of the playoffs, there is a lot of ceremonial pomp and circumstance that goes on before the game even starts. Most involves the home team only, but some of it involves ours, as well, when necessary.

  I help where needed, making sure everything goes off without a hitch. With the game getting prime time TV coverage, it’s important things start on time.

  I’m finally able to take my seat at the start of the third inning. The game is still tied at zero, but we’ve had some good base hits so far tonight, we just can’t seem to get anyone home. Derek Smyth, one of our starting pitchers, is on the mound, and currently has thrown a perfect game. It doesn’t happen often, but so far, he’s on his way.