Top Notch (Man on Top Book 1)

by Nicole Richard

  CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

  Rowan

  Levi left on a Thursday morning to travel with the team, and we agreed if I didn’t have any impending deadlines, I would cut out of work early on Friday, taking some of my responsibilities with me to meet him in Chicago.

  I just hoped he was in a good mood, considering they had lost their first game.

  When we chatted later that night, I sensed his irritation. His attempts at changing the subject once or twice and disengaging from the conversation were heard loud and clear. Impervious to his mood, I didn’t push. Not too hard at least, remembering when my mother would do the same with Greg. It came with the territory.

  Entering the suite, I waited to make sure the door clicked shut before securing the deadbolt. When I turned to face the room, my jaw almost hit the marble entry floor. From where I stood, there were no words to describe just how gorgeous the room was. A short distance away and parallel to me, the room was lined with floor-to-ceiling windows and an enormous balcony beyond. The furniture was sleek, rich ivory leather, and the appliances were stainless steel and top-of-the-line. It was more than anything I would have expected, let alone reserved for myself.

  Appreciating the stark elegance in front of me, I reveled in my Pretty Woman moment minus the prostitution trope. Thinking of a particular scene from the movie, I rushed to scope out the bathroom, pleased to find a gigantic Jacuzzi tub fit for a king. I sat on the edge of the tub and turned the water on, immediately nixing the idea of a contract I had to look over, and poured the entire complimentary bottle of bubble bath, taking advantage of the amenities. It would be a shame if I didn’t.

  I sent Gabby a quick text asking her to be here by six and then made sure to put some soothing music on and take advantage of the well-stocked bar.

  Glass in hand, I carefully submerged my body chest deep in the luxurious hot water. I sipped on my glass of wine. I let the warmth of the water and the music soothe me, and just as I lifted my glass for the third time, my phone buzzed.

  It was Levi.

  Levi: Just got out of practice. I take it you made it safely?

  Me: I did. Thank you for sending the car.

  Levi: You’re welcome, angel! I’ll see you soon!

  I didn’t respond to his last message. There was no need to. I’d see him later tonight.

  * * *

  “Hey, sorry I’m late.” Gabby handed me a beer and soft pretzel before lowering herself in the seat beside me, holding a box with a hot dog. “What’d I miss?” She snuck a peek at the scoreboard. “Shit! That’s the score?”

  “Yup. It’s been like that for a while. I can feel the crowd getting antsy. This is so nerve-wracking.” I toyed with the end of one of my braids.

  The score had been one to zero in favor of the Cubs for the last five innings. Every play that was hit outfield landed right into the outfielder’s glove, earning a collective sigh from the Bucks fans.

  “So how are things going in Chicago?” I asked, breaking off a piece of my pretzel and chasing it with a long sip of my beer.

  “It’s been good. Work’s been busy. One of the techs got fired today. Fucking politics. I’ve met someone—”

  “What! And you didn’t call to tell me?”

  “Back up a second.” She grinned. “It’s very new. We’re just talking, nothing serious. We haven’t even been on a date yet.”

  “Okay. Okay,” I reasoned, squeezing her hand, happy that she was at least talking to someone. For Gabby, that was a huge step. “But you better tell me everything.”

  “I will. Let me enjoy this beer and hot dog first. I’m starving, barely had five minutes to eat lunch between patients.”

  I let her get a few bites in and a sip of her beer before I couldn’t stand it anymore.

  “Is it safe to assume you’ll be staying in Chicago then?”

  “We’ll see. I’m not sure if I’m getting antsy or not, although they’ve offered me a permanent position if I want it.”

  “That’s awesome.”

  “So, how are things with you two?” Her eyes cut to the field and then back to me, purposely leaving Levi’s name out in case there were any prying ears.

  “It’s been great. I mean, it has its downfalls, but we make it work.”

  “Hang in there. I’m sure he’s worth it.”

  Levi was definitely worth it.

  By the time anything interesting happened, it was the top of the seventh inning. The Cubs tirelessly held on to their one-zero slim lead, making everything more stressful. As the seventh inning stretch rolled around, the home team’s fans stood, belting out “Take Me Out To the Ball Game,” one of baseball’s oldest rituals. And although I wasn’t a Cubs fan, I couldn’t resist the smile on my face, more so since pop-star sensation, Quinn Valentine, was leading the mass of fans.

  As time wore on, I mindlessly snacked on my pretzel and studied the bases. There was a man on second, another on third, and if Chase could get a hit, it could give the Bucks the lead they so desperately needed.

  You could feel the tension mounting. Every loyal Bucks fan in attendance was on the edge of their seat, some on their feet. The Cubs turn-around season made for odd energy throughout the stadium.

  I shifted my focus to that sexy man of mine practicing his swing, his face void of any expression. Without being obvious to anyone around me, I blew him a kiss and hoped he would know I was there rooting for him, his number one fan.

  The Cubs pitcher threw out a curveball and the umpire yelled, “Foul.” Chase shook it off and adjusted his stance for the next pitch. The pitcher and catcher did their thing, and after hearing a loud crack, things happened fast. Chase dropped his bat and bolted to first, the Bucks had one run in and two outs.

  They were tied.

  The tension on the field was smoldering, and the excitement in the stands was electric.

  Levi strutted his fine ass to the batter’s box, a little extra for my sake. I smiled, beyond excited to watch my man play. I grabbed Gabby’s hand and squeezed. “Gosh, this is so tense.” My eyes cut to the massive scoreboard, getting a quick look at his stats.

  “It is when you have personal interest in the players.”

  “Dammit! The Cubs can’t score and take the lead back.” I sat in my seat only to stand back up.

  “That’s what makes baseball exciting.”

  On a good day, baseball was slow and mostly boring, but after that play, and being in the stands, she had a point. The personal interest helped.

  Same as Chase, Levi fouled the first pitch and a collective sigh rang through the stands. But then he fouled the second one too. He had one of the team’s best batting averages, and I could have been making it up in my head, but I swear he glanced toward the stands and shook his head, one corner of his mouth tipped up. His lips started moving, barely, most likely him mumbling to himself to “keep your eye on the ball.” A habit he told me he started in his little league days, and one that stuck.

  With his focus back on the pitcher, I focused on him and how sexy he filled out his gray uniform. I got a good look at the shape of his ass and how his legs were spread apart, ready for the kill. But he also seemed relaxed, and when that fastball made its way into the strike zone, Levi swung, the telltale crack sending that damn ball soaring deep into left field. He threw his bat down and took off running.

  “Yes!” I shot up to my feet, my lips pulled from cheek to cheek; I swore they were going to split my face in two. “Way to go, Montgomery!” I yelled and pulled my sister close. “That’s my man,” I said a little louder than I should have and looked around to see if anyone heard. Thankfully, no one paid me any attention.

  In true Levi fashion, he blew through all three bases and when it came time to run it in, he did his signature home run move, sliding into home plate. Damn, he’s sexy.

  “Shit. That was awesome,” Gabby cheered.

  “That’s my man,” I said proudly, my smile permanently stuck on my face.

  CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
r />   Levi

  My knee bounced the entire drive back to the hotel as I kept my hand on Rowan’s thigh, needing to touch her.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” She had asked so sweetly and more than once.

  I would be okay; actually, I would be more than okay if after what I had to tell her, she felt the same.

  We stepped off the elevator and stopped in front of our door. I tilted her chin up and leaned in for a soft, sweet kiss. She smiled against my lips.

  “Before we go inside, I just want to say thank you for being here. I know you’re busy—”

  She laid her hand on my forearm. “Levi, you don’t have to thank me. I want to be here with you.”

  “Good. Let’s go inside.”

  Opening the door, I waited for Rowan to enter first.

  “Why don’t we head over to the balcony?”

  She tilted her head to the side and smiled. “What have you done?”

  “Let’s go and see.” I led her to the balcony.

  The stage was set. Everything set exactly as I had pictured it. A round table draped in crisp white linen was set for two. Tea light candles strategically set, ensuring the soft glow of the white lights danced around the balcony. A simple, yet beautiful floral centerpiece adorned the middle of the table with a dozen different dessert options and a freestanding bucket of Cristal just off to the side. They even set candles next to the chaise tucked in the left corner where I planned to retire to after we indulged.

  The iconic city skyline was an added bonus, a backdrop for the perfect night we would always remember.

  “What’s all this?” Rowan looked over her shoulder and I couldn’t help but love the element of surprise on her face. She truly did appreciate the simple things in life.

  “Well . . .” I pulled a chair out for her. “It’s too late for dinner.” The time was pushing close to midnight. “So I thought we could do champagne and dessert.” I started to remove each silver cover, showcasing twelve different variations of her favorite—cheesecake.

  “You didn’t.” She gasped in excitement, her blue eyes sparkling against the flameless white light.

  “I did.” I proudly popped the cork and poured us each a glass of champagne. Taking my seat, I held my glass up for a toast. “To you . . . and me . . . and dessert.” I tapped the rim of my flute with hers, and we both took a sip. Not once did our eyes stray from each other.

  “Why do I get the feeling you’ll be having something other than cheesecake?”

  “Because I will,” I replied suggestively, leaving no room for interpretation. Tonight was the night I would express my true feelings for this woman. Show her exactly what she means to me. What I should have said that night at her house when I chickened out. “What would you like to sample first?”

  She eyed each plate thoroughly, finally pointing to the white chocolate raspberry cheesecake. “That one.”

  “I should have known.” I chuckled softly, reaching for the fine china and set it between us. I lifted my fork, cut a small piece, and brought it close to her lips. The second the creamy dessert touched her tongue, she hummed, enjoying the guilty treat.

  Staring over my flute with my eyes intent, I studied Rowan. The smile on her soft lips, lips I desperately needed to kiss. Appreciating all she had to offer—inside and out—and after a little more admiring, I closed the space between us and nuzzled my nose with hers. I brushed my lips across her cheek, down her jaw to the other side of her beautiful face, finally giving in to that long-overdue kiss. There were no words to describe how much I loved kissing her. How addicted I had grown to the taste of her, and the sounds she would make when our mouths were fused together.

  The sweet tartness of the dessert mixed with the champagne on our tongues, and I groaned for more, angling my head for an even deeper kiss, a kiss that had my heart pounding in my chest.

  One of her soft hands came up and caressed the side of my face. Her touch brought clarity, erasing any lingering doubt. Tonight was definitely the night. Tonight would be a turning point in our relationship. Rowan would finally know I was in love with her and wanted her to move in with me, and I only hoped she felt the same.

  She smiled against my lips before pulling back, and with her eyes closed, she whispered, “Wow.”

  “My thoughts exactly.” I smirked. That word boosted my ego, giving it that nudge I didn’t think I needed until a second ago.

  She opened her eyes and eyed the eleven remaining desserts. “We should do dessert like this more often.”

  “That can be arranged.” I winked. “So, what’ll it be?”

  “I think I want to try that one.” She pointed to the chocolate mousse cheesecake.

  “Good choice.” I reached for the plate and set it close to her.

  Rowan grabbed her fork and cut off a fairly big piece. What I hadn’t expected was for her to offer it to me. “Your turn.”

  With my hand resting on her knee, I took the dessert into my mouth and groaned. The chocolate creamy taste on my tongue had me thinking if I kissed her again, she could have a taste. She must have read my mind when the tiny sound of her breath hitching and her eyes gleaming had me doing just that.

  I cupped the back of her head, brought her closer, fusing our mouths together once again. She gripped my forearm with one hand and fisted my shirt with the other. I kissed her hard, my tongue licking greedily over hers, my voice stalled in the back of my throat wanting to tell her right then and there what I needed to say. I wasn’t a man of grand gestures, but hell if I didn’t want to yell from the rooftop how much I loved this woman. Stand on the pitcher’s mound at Bucks stadium and share my feelings with her and the forty thousand plus fans.

  We continued kissing and taking turns eating bites of cheesecake and sips of champagne, making for the perfect precedence for the night.

  So this is what love truly feels like?

  “More champagne?” I held the bottle suspended above her flute.

  “Please.”

  I refilled both glasses, took her hand in mine, and wondered if she could feel my pulse hammering from our touch. I shouldn’t be this nervous, but I was. What if I told her and it all went to shit?

  “How did you pull this off?” She looked around. “It’s beautiful, by the way, thank you.”

  “You’re beautiful,” I countered, my words causing her to blush. “I had some help, and you’re welcome.” I kissed the back of her hand. “I wanted tonight to be special.”

  “Well, it’s perfect, but any time I’m with you is perfect.” I smiled, relaxing at her approval, her words hitting somewhere deep.

  Before Rowan, it wasn’t usual for me to go out of my way to let a woman know she meant more than a physical relationship. Not even with Madison. We just went through the motions, did what I thought was expected of us—of a relationship. But looking at the bigger picture, I knew Rowan was more. Everything came natural, effortless even, which in turn gave me a sense of relief.

  “Everything okay?” She touched my arm gently.

  “Everything’s perfect.”

  I fed her another bite. “You ready to watch us kick ass again tomorrow?”

  “Of course,” she mumbled, smiling.

  “Good. I like knowing you’re in the stands, watching me.”

  As she finished off her dessert, she sat back and quietly studied me. After swallowing a sip of her champagne, she asked, “Did you always want to play for the Bucks?”

  I let her question sink in as I thought back to my Little League days, to high school and college, trying to recall a time I had ever favored a rival team. Nope.

  “Pretty sure I was always a Bucks fan, and why not? We have one of the best teams in the league.”

  “True. I was just curious . . .” Her words trailed off, and I caught her little tongue-in-cheek action.

  “What?” I gave her a cautious smile.

  “It’s nothing.” She brushed me off.

  “You’re a liar.”

  “Actually . .
.”

  I cocked a brow.

  “I might have told you a little fib.” She held her thumb and index finger barely an inch apart.

  “About?” I scooted my chair closer to her.

  “Remember that first night at Bucks?” I nodded. “Well, I might have said I didn’t have a favorite team.” She bit her front lip, and if she didn’t stop being so damn cute, I was seconds away from pulling her tight little body onto my lap and having my way with her.

  “Go on,” I urged.

  “I am, well was, a San Diego fan.” She hid her face behind both her hands, and this time I couldn’t resist laughing. She spread her fingers apart peeking through them. I took her wrists in my hands, slowly pushing hers to the side.

  “But that was the past? You’re a Bucks fan tried and true now, aren’t you?” I badgered playfully. And if she knew what was good for her, she’d say “yes.”

  “Of course.” She pouted, but it was all for show.

  “Good. That’s all that matters.” I pecked a quick kiss on her nose.

  “Well, that was easy.” She giggled and snuck another bite of the raspberry cheesecake, chasing it with more champagne.

  From there, she went on to tell me about her time in San Diego and going to school, how happy she was to have had met Spencer and how they clicked right from the start. She also went into deeper detail about her hustling days and how she used that money to supply their alcohol habits, which she claimed were their mandatory, albeit temporary, stress relievers. Apparently, studying to be an engineer is some serious business, and honestly, I couldn’t be prouder of the woman she is today.

  “I’m curious,” she started.

  “About?”

  “If you didn’t have the Bucks and baseball, what would your life look like? What do you think you’d be doing instead?”

  What would I do had I chosen a different career path? I mulled over her question. It had been some time since I last thought about a career other than baseball.

  “Good question.” I swallowed a drink, mindful that she was waiting for an answer. “I probably would have ended up being a game warden.”