Grand Slam

by Heidi McLaughlin

  I sigh heavily as I sit down, pulling Lucy next to me.

  “Mommy, why can’t he say no?” she whines as she pushes into me. I know she’s tired, and probably cold. Travis glances over his shoulder at me, and I can’t decipher the look on his face.

  “Okay, guys. I have to run,” he says, much to the displeasure of the crowd, which grew exponentially while I was gone. He turns to us and scoops Lucy up in his arms and reaches for my hand. “Sorry,” I hear him say to Lucy. I can’t hear if she says anything back, but when I look over, she’s nestled into his shoulder and her tiny arms are wrapped around his neck. I’m going to have to explain that she has to share her best friend with all of Boston because of his job, and I have a feeling that she may not like that too much.

  I half expect Travis to grab a cab, but he continues to walk. His pace is brisk, but I’m able to keep up with him step for step. When we arrive at my apartment, I hold the door for him, because he refuses to put Lucy down.

  “She’s sleeping,” he says while we wait for the elevator. All I can do is nod since my tongue is tied, and I really want to cry. She’s never had the opportunity to fall asleep in any man’s arms, only mine and my mother’s. I’m not jealous but heartbroken. I haven’t been able to offer her a father figure, and it seems that Travis is trying to fill that void, whether I let him into my life or not.

  I find myself leaning up against him in the elevator, closing my eyes for the brief ride. He kisses the top of my head as the doors open for my floor. The window at the end of the hall shows our reflection, and if I didn’t know any better, I’d say we were a family. My heart skips a bit faster at that notion, and I find that the idea of being with him like that excites me, but is it enough to say goodbye to my job?

  Travis carries Lucy to her room with me hot on his heels. He gently sets her down on her bed and pulls her stocking cap off. Her hair is matted to her face and he’s the one to brush it away.

  “I’m going to leave so you can change her,” he says, quietly shutting her door after he steps out. I start to change her clothes, which is harder than one would think. A five-year-old’s body isn’t nearly as flexible as a newborn’s.

  “Where’s Travis?” she asks. Her voice is groggy, and her eyes are still closed.

  “In the other room.”

  “Can he tuck me in?” she mumbles, causing my heart to skip again. Yet another first, and it’s being done by a man that I can’t let into our lives, at least not in the way he wants to be.

  I continue to change her clothes, making sure that her nightgown is pulled down before I pull the covers over her. Most likely she’ll kick them off in the middle of the night and her pajamas will be hiked up to her neck.

  Opening the door, I’m startled to find Travis standing in the hallway. His coat is off, but the expression on his face is like nothing I’ve ever seen. He looks hurt, and for the life of me, I can’t figure out why.

  “She’s asking for you,” I say, opening the door wider. He brushes past me but not without touching me. It’s subtle, but noticeable.

  “Hey, Lucy,” he says as he kneels down next to her. “I’m really sorry about those other kids. I promise that next time I’ll tell them no, or ask for your permission first.” As tears fall from my eyes, he leans forward and gives her a kiss on her forehead. I don’t know if she’s heard him or not, but she rolls toward him, snuggling under her blanket.

  I can’t seem to tear my eyes away from Lucy until Travis tugs on my arm, pulling me out of her room. He shuts off her light and closes her door.

  “Was I out of line?” he asks when we enter the living room.

  “No,” I say, shaking my head as I look at him. “She likes you. She may even love you.”

  “And what about you? Do you like me?”

  I nod but decide the subject needs to be focused on her. “I think you’re giving her something that I haven’t been able to.”

  “And what’s that?” he asks, stepping closer.

  “A father.” My voice cracks, but the title isn’t lost on him. He knows what I mean.

  “Honestly, Saylor, I like the thought of being someone that she depends on. I know the deck is stacked against us, and I’ve only been coming around for a few weeks, but she has me wrapped around her finger. And the way I see it, either I leave and never come back, so I can break these bonds, or we do something about it.”

  “I think we should do something about it.”

  “Like what?” he asks, inching closer to me.

  “Take me to bed.” With my heart pounding in my throat, I know this is what I want. My body craves his touch, and if tonight didn’t prove that he’s committed to Lucy and me, I don’t know what else he can do to show me.

  Travis doesn’t say anything. He cups my cheek and gently presses his lips to mine before picking me up and carrying me to my room.

  Twenty-One

  Travis

  It takes me a moment for her words to register, but once they do, I’m pursuing her. I don’t know what changed, and honestly I don’t care. Being with her, in any way she’ll have me, is all that I’ve been asking for. When she called me earlier, inviting me to go ice-skating, I jumped at the opportunity, even though I can’t skate for shit, because it was a way to spend time with two of my favorite women.

  And now I’m kissing her, and she’s kissing me back with pure, unadulterated passion. Her fingers are tugging, pulling, and grasping as I carry her to her room. She moans into my mouth, encouraging me to move faster, but I don’t want to. I want to savor this and burn each moment into my memory so that when I’m alone, I can recall how I felt when she finally gave herself to me.

  The moonlight shines through her window, guiding me through her semidarkened room. Our kiss is sensual and exciting. There isn’t anything urgent about this moment right now. And for the first time in my life, I’m going to make love, and it’s going to be with this incredible woman. Our first time was lust filled and muddled by my sense of humor, because until her, I haven’t been able to take anyone seriously. Normally, I hide behind corny one-liners and half-assed jokes and treat the women I’ve been with like one of the guys. Not this time, and not with her.

  I gently set her down and step away from her. She reaches for the hem of her sweater and pulls it over her head, leaving a turtleneck in place. I cock my eyebrow and smirk, only for her to remove the next piece of clothing. Saylor sits in front of me clad in her bra and jeans, looking unsure.

  My sweater and shirt are now in a similar pile on the floor, next to hers. When she stands, I start taking off my belt and slowly undoing the buttons on my jeans. Her hands mimic mine while my dick is screaming that we start humping already.

  That’s not what I want to do, though. That’s not the type of woman she is. I want her to know that she means everything to me. I want her to feel the desire I have for her and how it’s been building for weeks. Saylor needs to know that the night in the bar, regardless of the outcome, is what has brought us together. That one look at her and I knew she was the one I wanted to be with.

  Our jeans fall to the floor—well, mine fall while she shimmies out of hers. It’s cute, watching her hips move back and forth, and while I try not to laugh, I can’t help it. I kick mine off and palm my hard-on, watching her expression as she catches what I’m doing.

  “Are you sure about this?” I ask, needing to know before we go any further.

  “I am, but—”

  “But no one can know.”

  She nods and a bit of life fades from her eyes. I step forward and lift her chin so she can look at me. “If it means that I get to be with you, I’ll keep the secret.”

  “Travis.” Her voice is quiet and causes my erection to jump. She breaks my gaze and reaches out to touch me. Even with the cloth barrier preventing skin-to-skin contact, I can feel the heat from her. Saylor rubs the outline of my dick through my boxer briefs, while I stare at her hand.

  “Every night since I saw you in the bar, I’ve dreamed of
this.”

  “Me too,” she says as her fingers push into the waistband of my boxer briefs, pushing them down so I can kick them off. “Do you want me, Travis?”

  “You have no idea,” I tell her, reaching around and grabbing the clasp that keeps her bra together and flicking it loose. I pull the lace away from her body, and her nipples harden from the cool air as my fingers trace the outline of her breast. “You’re so fucking beautiful.”

  My mouth is on a nipple before she has a chance to respond, and her fingers are in my hair while I massage her other breast and covertly pump my erection for some relief. Moving to her other breast, I swirl my tongue and gently bite her, causing her to gasp.

  “Get on the bed, Saylor.”

  She does what I demand, scrambling away from me, but not before my hands grip her panties and slide them down her legs. Saylor gets under the covers, pulling the side back for me.

  Before I join her, I dig through my pants in search of a condom. I won’t bother telling her that I’ve put one in there every time I’ve come over in hopes that we’d find ourselves here. “I want to taste you, make you come on my tongue, but I think I want to feel you wrapped around me first. What do you want, Saylor?”

  She pulls me to her, and her lips hover over mine. “You. I want whatever you want to give me.” My heart. That is what I want to give her, but I fear she may not give me hers in return, and even the macho bastard that I am doesn’t want to get hurt.

  My fingers caress her hip, her ass, and move over her thigh. She parts her legs, welcoming me as my featherlight touch makes her skin pebble with goose bumps. I groan when I reach her core and my digits slide between her folds. Her eyes close as she widens for me. “Fuck, Saylor,” I say, latching on to her breast.

  Her hand has a steady grip on my hair, and her back arches with each swipe my finger makes over her sensitive flesh. I can only take so much before I’m pulling away and sitting back on my knees to slide the condom over my erection. Saylor watches my every movement, licking her lips in the process.

  “Come here,” I say, grabbing her leg and pulling it over my hip. My thumb brushes over her clit, and she bucks her hips in anticipation. I center myself, pushing in gently. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” I mutter as I become fully sheathed in the woman who has been driving me crazy for the longest time.

  I’m slow and methodical, making sure she feels every inch of what I’m giving her. Saylor hitches her other leg over my hip, changing the angle of penetration, and that movement causes me to move faster.

  Lowering my head, I capture her lips, sliding my tongue deep into her mouth and swallowing every gasp, moan, and mewl. My hand grabs on to the headboard while her nails dig into my ass, pushing me deeper. I grip her leg for leverage, and she pulls my hair, making me want to scream.

  Saylor breaks away from our kiss and arches her back, giving me ample space to kiss her neck. “Shh,” I remind her when she cries out.

  “I’m close,” she tells me.

  Sitting back on my knees, I pull her hips to meet my thrust. My thumb once again brushes over her clit as she covers her mouth with a pillow. She bucks wildly, and her legs quiver as her walls squeeze me for everything that I can give. Each pump brings me closer to the edge until I’m falling on top of her and groaning into the same pillow she used to capture her cries.

  I’m breathing heavily as I roll off of her. She removes the pillow and sits up. “Where are you going?” I ask as panic starts to set in.

  She looks at me over her shoulder and smiles, removing any doubt that she might regret what happened between us.

  “To find something to sleep in.”

  “My shirt works,” I say, winking at her, but she shakes her head.

  “I don’t want Lucy to see me in that. She’ll ask questions, and I don’t know what to tell her.”

  “Fair enough.” I roll to the side and pull the condom off. I look around her room for something to put it in, only for her to hand me a tissue. “Thanks.” I put my boxer briefs and my T-shirt back on before sneaking off to the bathroom, surprised to find Saylor following me.

  I barely have enough time to dispose of the wadded-up tissue when she shuts the door, enclosing us in the tiny space. “What are you doing?” I ask her in a voice barely above a whisper.

  “I wanted to see you in the light,” she says as her hands move up my chest. She’s killing me, because all I want to do is jump into the shower with her and take her again, but this time I want to fuck her Travis Kidd–style. When she reaches into my boxer briefs, I have to step away.

  “I only had one condom, Saylor.”

  “Oh,” she says, backing up. I reach for her before she gets too far.

  “Listen to me.” I cup her cheek, holding her in place. “I’d do this over and over again in a heartbeat, and I promise to make it up to you tomorrow. I’ll make love to you first and then finish the night by fucking you senseless. I remember how you like it from behind, how you loved it when I pulled your hair while I drilled into your pussy.” Her cheeks flush as she swallows. I kiss her hard, plunging my tongue into her mouth while she collapses into me. I swat her bottom, making her yelp. “Do what you need to and meet me in your bed. I’ll be waiting to tease you while you sleep in my arms.”

  It’s only a matter of minutes before she returns and crawls right into the open space, snuggling in next to me. “Roll over,” I tell her so I can spoon her. “Do you feel that?” I ask, thrusting my erection into her ass.

  “Travis.”

  “Yeah, baby, that’s how much I want you right now. Be prepared for tomorrow night.” I kiss her behind her ear and pull her closer to me.

  I close my eyes but never find sleep. My mind is plagued by thoughts of Lucy complaining to Saylor about what happened with the kids at the ice rink. The last thing I want to do is hurt either of them, and that is exactly what I did tonight. I put the fans first because that’s what I’m used to doing, but I can’t continue to do that if I’m going to be in Lucy and Saylor’s lives. They deserve my undivided attention, no matter where we are.

  Saylor’s door swings open, and the shadow from the hallway shows a tiny person. And like I did in high school, I’m off the bed and hiding on the floor while Saylor sits up.

  “What’s wrong, Lucy?”

  I close my eyes and hold my breath, praying that she doesn’t walk over to this side of the bed to climb in. This must be what others have said about dating a single mother—the trials and tribulations of late-night visits from children. I don’t give a fuck, though, because I love the fact that I get to be the man Saylor needs and be a father figure to Lucy. Being with them is going to make me love harder and put more effort into building a relationship.

  “I heard some noises.”

  I stifle my laugh and make a mental note to add music next time we’re getting busy.

  “Well, I don’t hear anything. I’ll tuck you back in.”

  “Where’s Travis?” she asks. I want to yell, “Looking under your mom’s bed for monsters,” but realize that Saylor may not appreciate my humor.

  “I’m sure he’s home.”

  “Well, he forgot his coat. I bet he gets a cold.”

  Once the door shuts, I sit up and laugh into the comforter that’s hanging over the side of the bed. When Saylor returns, she’s muttering something unintelligible.

  “What are you still doing on the floor?”

  I reach for her, pulling her into my lap. “I was thinking that maybe I didn’t satisfy you enough and thought I could at least get you off with my fingers.” It’s not the first time I’ve used sex to defuse a situation.

  “What if I want more?” she asks, grinding into me.

  “Fucking, dirty vixen.”

  She nods and raises her arms so I can take her shirt off. Her breasts bob up and down as she rocks against me.

  “Keep your panties on, please. I don’t have much willpower when it comes to you.”

  “No promises, Travis.”

  I
fear that I have unleashed a horny beast by the name of Saylor, and if I’m not careful, she’s going to slay me.

  Twenty-Two

  Saylor

  My body is sore, but not in the way you feel after a hard workout at the gym or after running a marathon. Not that I would know what the latter feels like, because I’ve never done one, but the discomfort in every muscle in my body is a stark reminder of what I did last night. What we did last night.

  And I don’t regret it.

  Those words are easy for me to say while I lie snuggled in his embrace. The feelings of warmth, satisfaction, and, dare I say, love keep me safe and calm in this bubble. I know that once I step outside of it, life will be different. Reality will set in, and Travis and I will have to answer the blaring question “What comes next?”

  How easy would it be to fall into a blissful routine with him? Easy, that’s how. And let’s not forget dangerous. I don’t care that he’s facing this ridiculous charge of rape, which in my opinion is dragging on for far too long. The DA is hell-bent on making an example out of any sports figure he can. Anything he can do to pad his election results. At least that’s my view.

  The streetlights still shine through the slats of my blinds, and the red numbers on my clock tell me that I need to get up soon. I’m already fretting about what to say to Lucy when she wakes up. She’s far too observant and has already pointed out that Travis left his coat here. I roll my eyes at the thought of having to hide him from her, knowing how she feels about him, but she’s far too young to understand adult needs and why her mommy had a sleepover.

  Travis pulls me closer and snuggles into my neck. I’ve never been one to cuddle while sleeping, but being held in his arms last night was something I could see myself getting used to. I felt like he was protecting me from everything that we’re going to face, now that we’ve done this. And as much as I’d like to say this wouldn’t happen again, I’d be lying to myself. I like this man—a lot.