by Kathy Lyons
Except not with abandon because she touched my face and whispered, “Breathe with me.”
I knew what she meant. So every time she inhaled, I pulled her nipple inside. I tugged and stroked it with my tongue while her breath set the tempo. And soon, she was tugging at me, too, squeezing below to the pace we set together.
I focused on her body. On her breasts and her moans of pleasure. On adding a nip at her nipple at the end of each inhale. She mimicked in kind, squeezing me so tight that I nearly lost the rhythm. That’s okay because we were both unraveling. She started writhing in a way that I lost hold of her nipple, both our breaths coming in ragged gasps. I didn’t think I could hold out any longer. So next time she squeezed, I slipped my thumb between her folds. My hands were unsteady, but she didn’t need much. As we inhaled, I thrust my thumb up over her clit and she screamed.
Her entire body went rigid and then squeezed down on me so hard that I lost it. I shot off like a rocket. My free hand grabbed her hips and I thrust into her tight passage while she milked me. I kept going, spilling everything into her while she danced on top of me. The two of us were moving and gasping while pleasure rolled from her into me and back to her. Like our breath back and forth, still synced, and beyond incredible.
Mind. Blown.
And when it was done, we collapsed together gasping.
Never in my life had it been like that. The ebb and flow of pleasure between us. Sure the other times had been great, but this was an order of magnitude better. It took me a full five minutes before I had the capacity to speak.
“How’d you do that?” I asked.
She released a contented smile against my neck. “Told you. It’s not me, it’s you. It’s only like that with you.”
“Maybe it’s us.” Then I brushed her hair away from her cheek and pressed a kiss to her temple. “I definitely think it’s us.”
Chapter Fifteen
Heidi
“How many times?” Samantha squealed into the phone line.
“I don’t know. Nine. Ten. After the garage, we went back to my hotel room. Then there was the picnic the next day and again after the movie.” I didn’t tell her what he’d done to me during the movie. I’d never been one for exhibitionism, but he’d slipped his hand under my skirt sometime in the first half hour and had teased me until I’d come all over his hand, my face pressed to his chest so I wouldn’t scream.
“Wow, when you get your girl on, you go for the gold!”
I could feel my face heating as I lay on my bed in my crappy Indianapolis apartment. “It’s not just the sex,” I said, though that was pretty fantastic. “He gets my jokes.”
“Even your bad ones?”
“Especially those. And he likes that I’m smart. We think the same way about so many things. And when we don’t, he makes me think.”
“And that big Asian brain of yours does a happy dance.”
It did. A lot. Few people understood how I wanted to be challenged. My parents were about following the rules and finding security. I wanted to question the rules, and Rob made me think I could. Better yet, he held me safe and cheered when I talked about articles I wanted to write to shake up the world. He made me feel like I could do anything.
“He’s asked me to move in with him.”
“Oh my God! Are you going to do it?”
“It would solve certain problems, that’s for sure.” Things like my rent and my food bill. I happened to live in a popular apartment complex, so getting a subletter wouldn’t be a problem. But it was all the other issues that had me tightened into a knot on my bed. “I’d have to quit at the paper. He can’t be with a reporter. There’s no bending that rule.”
“Just you. Over the back of the couch.”
Yeah. We’d done that, too, and it had been amazing. “But it’s my job, Sam. And I really want to be a journalist. I’m even ready to tell my parents that.”
She took a breath, but she didn’t gasp in surprise or anything. And when she spoke, it wasn’t to question my decision at all. Which meant my big revelation hadn’t been that big a surprise. “When?”
I shuddered at the thought. “Actually, I found out there are law programs for journalists, too. I could apply to those.”
“You’re splitting hairs, and you know it. Just tell them the truth.”
“I have to decide about Rob first.”
I heard a rustle and knew that she was sitting up into her stern lecturing mode. “Number one, it’s not much of a job, is it? You’re just a stringer.”
I swallowed. “Yeah, that’s true.”
“Number two, he can’t be with a sports reporter. You never wanted that anyway. So why not just focus on some big story that you can sell to someone else? The Indy paper doesn’t want millennial stories, but there are hundreds of other publications who do.”
“None that pay well. Most of the online ones don’t pay at all.”
“But it’ll give you time to figure out what you want to write full-time. Special interest, features, hard news, whatever. And maybe you do want law journalism or whatever it’s call. But you can’t do that if you’re scrambling for food and rent. Or forced to move back in with your parents.”
We both groaned at that thought. And frankly, unless I figured out how I was going to pay my bills for the next few months, it was a real possibility.
“But what about him? What about if I decide to go to school?”
Samantha was silent for a minute. Long enough to wonder if I’d lost the connection. But then she spoke, her voice low and serious. “You’ve been following Rob’s career for years, right?”
“Yeah.”
“How long has he ever stayed with a woman?”
Damn it. Sam and I knew each other so well that I had already played out this conversation in my head. I knew what she was going to say, and she knew how I would respond. We both knew, but she pushed me into it anyway.
“Come on, Heidi. How long?”
“A few months at most.”
“Right. Now let’s think logically for a second. You had a hot night in Florida, then a great weekend in Nebraska. Is there anything in that time that would lead you to believe he’s in love?”
I swallowed. “I thought so. Maybe. Especially in his garage. There was this moment—”
“When you were humping like bunnies? That’s not love. Certainly not for a sexy celebrity like Rob.”
I went silent, hating that when I closed my eyes a single tear slipped from behind my eyes. It was just like Florida when I was thinking “wedding” after a couple hours. But every moment we were together felt right. Even when we argued, every part of me felt connected to him. Logically, there was no way I should be this emotionally entangled with a man after so little time. And yet, here I was thinking about giving up everything to move in with him.
“What if I’m in love?” I whispered.
Sam’s sigh was sympathetic. “Of course, you’re in love. You were in love after Ft. Lauderdale. You’re not the hump-like-a-bunny type.” Like I am.
Sam didn’t have to say those last words aloud. We both knew that she loved casual sex, but I’d never been like that. I couldn’t manage to get my heart to understand that sex could be a physical thing. Every man I’d ever slept with had owned my emotions long after he’d disappeared into another woman’s bedroom.
“What if I can’t make it as a journalist? I don’t want to just cook and clean for a man no matter how much sex there is.” Even if it was fantastic sex.
“There’s nothing wrong with taking a few months to really explore what you want to write. And why not play house with a hot guy while you do it? What you’re really worried about is how you’re going to put your heart back together when it’s time to say goodbye.”
That punched me in the gut hard. Was it obvious that we weren’t going to make it? That logic was right, and all my dreams of a house, kids, and Disney vacations were a lie? “You think we’re going to end in a few months.”
“Doesn�
��t matter what I think. Either way, do you really want to be that girl, Heidi? The one that doesn’t do anything for fear that she’ll be hurt? That gives up a great time with a great guy just because she’ll be a shattered mess when it’s all over? Is that you, Heidi?”
“You know it is.”
“So don’t quit your job. Stay in your crappy apartment and try to put together articles that you hate for a paper that pays for shit. And you know what? You’ll still be miserable. You’ll still feel shattered, but this time you won’t have the memory of a zillion screaming Os to soothe the pain.”
God, she always put things in perspective for me. Said like that, I’d be an idiot not to make the leap to living with Rob. Except, I couldn’t quite make my logical mind go there. I wanted to be in love with Rob. I was in love. That meant shared dreams and a wedding. But it was too soon to talk about that with him, and I couldn’t wrap my brain around the idea of moving in without it.
“It’s just a few months, Heidi. And I know you’re thinking about your parents, but all you have to say is that you’re moving in with a friend to save money. They don’t have to know he’s a guy. And if you’re really worried, get a PO Box for your mail. No one needs to know the truth. Except me, of course. Because I need all the details. And I do mean every sweaty, pulsating, ecstatic detail.”
I chuckled because Sam could always make me laugh. And in the back of my head, I pictured myself moving in with Rob. I didn’t even know where he lived or how I’d fit into his space. He was in the middle of his season, so his life was pretty full. What would I work on when he was at practice or away at a game? What stories would I tackle if I had all the time in the world and someone else covering my bills? The possibilities were incredibly exciting.
“What if he doesn’t love me?” I said.
“You’ll fall apart. But that’s later.” She huffed out a breath. “You’re not marrying him, Heidi. You’re just making the sex more convenient by living in the same space.”
“Okay,” I said before I could stop myself. “Okay.”
There was a moment of stunned silence on the line. Then suddenly, Sam squealed in delight. “You’re going to do it? You’re going to move in with him?”
“Isn’t that what you’ve been saying I should do?”
“Well, yeah, but I didn’t think you’d actually do it.”
I shrugged, trying to force the butterflies in my stomach to settle. “I’ve got to pack up my stuff anyway. Might as well put it in storage until I know what I’m doing with my life. And if I spend the next few months living the high life with a sports star, then why not live it in his bed?”
“Woo-hoo! You go, girl!”
We talked for another hour, made casual plans to get together in Chicago for a weekend sometime, and then finally said goodbye. Her last words to me were, “Don’t be afraid. Go for it!”
And so, high on her support, I did the most important thing on my to-do list. I called my boss and said I didn’t have a story on Rob, but I’d get him something better very soon.
Hank was nice about it, of course. He even listened to a few ideas. But in the end, he told me to turn in my press credentials. I was officially terminated from the Indianapolis Sun.
…
Rob
“Are you fucking crazy? You can’t let her move in with you.”
I stared at Nico and wondered how much trouble I’d get in if I clocked him right in the face. “Too bad. She’s moving in as soon as we can pack up her stuff.”
Nico grabbed my elbow and steered me toward his office. He’d pulled me aside after practice to verify the rumor he’d heard that Heidi was moving in. And when I said yes, he’d looked like he wanted to slap some sense into me. And that expression wasn’t changing.
“She can’t move in. She’s press.”
“She left her job, so there’s no conflict there.”
Nico rubbed a hand over his face. “Jesus, how many ways are you going to screw with this girl? You can’t have a relationship with her.”
He tried to pull me into his office, but I stood my ground. I’d agreed to play baseball for the Bobcats. I hadn’t agreed to let them control my life.
“She’s my girlfriend, and she’s moving in. End of discussion.”
“Lower your voice,” Nico said, his gaze darting around. Guys were coming out of the locker room, the batting coaches were coming in from the field, and our star pitcher was just exiting the medical room walking with the slow steps of a man who’d pulled a groin muscle. All in all, it was a full hallway, but I didn’t care. I had no intention of hiding my relationship with Heidi now that she’d left the Indianapolis Sun.
“Why?”
“Because you’re dating Brittany.”
“Like hell I am!” The words came out loud enough that the coaches looked up in curiosity, but that didn’t stop Nico from speaking in a low tone.
“We all warned you about her. We told you that she liked to pick up the hot new rookie. And she works social media like a Kardashian.”
“Yeah. I remember. Which is why I haven’t done shit with—”
A female voice cut through our conversation as a curvy brunette bounced around the corner. “There you are, Rob! I’ve been looking all over for you.”
“Gia,” I said with a tight smile. She was in charge of the team’s web presence, but her job only started with the website. She made sure to get pictures for publicity, managed the Twitter feed, and oversaw all the player’s social media presence. She was like a hall monitor for our internet footprint, and she took her job very seriously. Which is why I tried to duck her at every turn. “I’m a little busy right now.”
“I’m sure you are, but we’re going to talk anyway. But smile first.” She held up her cell phone and I reacted like a robot, popping up my goofy-Nebraska expression. I never scowled at the camera. That was the surest way to bad publicity. But if I didn’t want my picture taken, I simply did something goofy. This time I crossed my eyes. Other times I’ve scrunched up my face or stuck my tongue out to the side. Anything to quietly rebel at how Gia insisted on taking “candids” of the players.
She looked at her phone and shrugged. “I can do something with this. I’ll call it ‘Rob goes cross-eyed trying to think of some way to make Saturday’s date special.’”
A sick feeling started growing in my gut. “What date?”
“With Brittany, of course. I’ve made your reservations at Ruth’s Chris for an hour after the game. We’ve got a promotion going with them, so you’ll get a good table. Perfect for pictures. Remember to let her cheer you up if you play badly. But if you’re doing well, go ahead and let her order champagne. Just make sure you don’t have any. You’re in-season, after all.”
“I can drink and still play just fine,” I ground out wondering why I was arguing over champagne.
“Of course you can, but your image is more about beer. She’s the classy girl, you’re the Nebraska boy. Now of course, you can order whatever you like, but there are some foods that are messy in photos—”
I held up my hand to cut her off. “I’m not going anywhere with Brittany. I’ve got a girlfriend.”
She’d kept talking for a moment, but as my words sunk in, her eyes widened, and she slowly pressed her lips together. Then she finally blurted out, “You can’t have a girlfriend. I’d know about it.”
Sadly, that was true. “It’s a recent thing.”
“Well, un-recent it,” she snapped. “Brittany’s been tweeting all week about you and your date.”
I gaped at her. “I never asked her out on a date.”
“Yes, you did. You were supposed to meet after the last home game, but you were so upset about playing badly that you decided to stay after and practice. She graciously agreed to reschedule for next week, because she knows how important it is for you do well, and she’d never interfere with your training.”
I glared at the woman. “None of that’s true.”
“It’s been on her social m
edia feed for two weeks.”
“I never look at her feed.” Hell, I didn’t even look at my feed because it was an account that Gia set up and managed. “None of this makes sense. I haven’t even thought about Brittany for weeks.”
“Weren’t you supposed to meet her after the last home game?”
“Well, yeah, but—”
“And didn’t you pick up her scarf at the White Sox game?”
“It had blown onto the field.”
“And didn’t you hit a home run right after? And play great while she stood in full view of the cameras?”
I blew out a breath. “Yeah, I did, but—”
“So the two of you are dating. And there is no other girlfriend. I cannot stress this enough, Rob. No other girlfriend. You cannot tarnish your reputation. It’d ruin you before you’ve even begun.”
I stared at her and wondered how things had gotten so crazy. “But I do have a girlfriend and she’s moving in with me. I’m not going out with Brittany and—”
“Oh my God!” Gia gasped, throwing up her hands in disgust. “You players are like little boys. We talked about this your very first day. Do you remember meeting with me and Joe DeLuce? You remember him. He’s the team owner.”
“Of course I remember—”
“And what did we talk about? I’ll tell you. Your image. You were going to be the ‘aw-shucks’ Nebraska boy, growing up on a farm and all, who got here from hard work, talent, and clean living.”
“Yes, and a girlfriend doesn’t change—”
“Of course not!” She huffed. “Since the girlfriend is Brittany!”
I folded my arms across my chest. I was willing to do about anything for this team. Playing in the majors was my dream from my earliest memories, and I was not about to screw up this opportunity. But no way would I let them control my life.
“I am not dating Brittany,” I said flatly.
