He didn’t answer again. She stared at the back of his head for a few seconds longer before sighing and going to put on Charlie’s shoes herself. “I guess I should be happy you’re reading at all, but why don’t you at least share what you’re learning with the rest of us.”
That got his attention. “I think the fight in Chicago sparked new life in the team, like it got them excited or made them work together better.”
The team had gone on a tear over the last few days, and Molly wondered about the connection to the fight as well, but she didn’t want Joe to think bench-clearing brawls were something to admire. “Fights don’t generally help teams.”
“They’ve gone three and one since then with no errors.”
She couldn’t refute the statistics since they no doubt came directly from Duke’s columns, which Joe followed religiously. She actually wondered if maybe this entire conversation stemmed from something Duke had written. Surely she didn’t condone violence on the baseball field, though. Then again, she’d gotten awfully caught up in the fight at the time, and the video she’d shot from the stands had gotten her a lot of attention in wider media circles.
Molly had waited up for her long after the game had finally ended. She’d lain awake for hours, seething, but the longer Duke stayed out, the more she worried something had happened. At the time with tensions high and the streets filled with threats, the danger had seemed so real. She’s never heard of anyone targeting a sportswriter, but stranger things had happened because of sport rivalries. By the time Duke had finally snuck quietly in the door, Molly felt mostly relief and chose to let the rest of her mixed emotions wait for another time, but now, with time and space between them, she wished they’d gotten another chance to talk about what had happened before the fight. It felt like, in the rush to forgive, a few major questions might have gone unanswered, but after the week she’d had, the memories jumbled together in her mind. Their original argument seemed all tangled up with the brawl on the field. The fear and loneliness from the hotel room had blended into missing Duke on her road trip. All the stress simply fed into the hectic first week of school. She couldn’t even remember what had sparked this most recent round of rehashing everything.
“Duke says last weekend could’ve been a real turning point for the team,” Joe said, bringing Molly back to the previous conversation.
“What about the suspensions for the players in the fight? Won’t those hurt the team?”
Joe seemed to think for a moment, then shrugged. The move was pure Duke. He even mirrored her Missouri cadence when he said, “You can’t win ’em all.”
“Did Duke say that?”
“Not about the suspensions, but she’s said it before. It’s a baseball thing.”
Molly found the baseball clichés less endearing every day. She couldn’t just put her life on hold for six months every year when the Cardinals took the field. She had a job to do, a home to maintain, and most importantly two boys to raise, which reminded her: they were going to be late for school.
“Joe, where’s your math homework?”
“Um, it’s in my backpack.”
Something about the hesitancy in his voice set off her internal mom alarms.
“Did you finish it?”
“Mostly,” he mumbled.
Molly picked up the Cardinals backpack. This early in the school year there wasn’t much homework, so she found the page of multiplication review problems easily. He’d completed the front of the worksheet but left the back completely blank. “It is only half done. That’s a failing grade.”
Joe didn’t even have the sense to look properly embarrassed. “It’s still early in the year. You win some, you lose some.”
“No sir, this is not baseball,” she snapped. “Your education isn’t a game. Your grandfather paid to send you to one of the best schools in the city, and by God, I let him. We did not all go through that for you to shrug and say ‘you win some, you lose some.’ What on earth has gotten into you?”
“It’s boring, Mom. I already know multiplication, and I don’t need it anyway. Stats sheets already have batting averages and on-base percentages calculated. If I’m going to be a sportswriter, I need to watch the games and—”
“You didn’t finish your homework because you were watching baseball?” Molly interrupted.
“Yes,” Joe said defiantly.
“Uh-oh,” Charlie said. Apparently even he could see Joe’s misstep.
“You’re grounded.”
“What?”
“No baseball game tonight, and from now on you don’t watch baseball at all until I’ve checked every stitch of your homework.”
“What about day games? I can’t finish my homework by three.”
“You should’ve thought of that sooner,” Molly said, struggling not to yell. “You’ll get it done and done right before you so much as check a score.”
Joe balled his fists and expelled a heavy breath of air. “You don’t understand anything. Duke’s the only one who gets me. I can’t wait for her to get home tomorrow.”
“Well, at least we agree on the last part,” Molly said. She might not like everything Duke had said or done lately, but she missed her. She missed having someone to talk to. She missed her calming presence. She missed the easygoing way she helped with the boys. Mostly, though, she missed having her arms around her at the end of a long day. As much as she’d started to resent the grip Major League Baseball had on their lives, she sent up a silent prayer of thanks to whoever scheduled those games for giving them an off-day when she needed it most.
*
“Duke!” the boys both shouted as soon as Molly opened the door. They dropped their bags and ran to her. Molly couldn’t blame them. Seeing Duke standing in her kitchen with a cookbook in one hand and a spatula in the other was almost enough to make her cry happy tears. Molly had to curb the impulse to push the boys out of the way and jump into her arms. Instead they made eye contact over the kids’ heads and smiled.
“I’m so glad you’re home,” Joe said dramatically.
“Me too,” Duke gave him a big squeeze, then set down the cookbook and lifted Charlie into her arms. “You’ve actually gotten bigger since Sunday.”
“I did. I’m all grown up now.”
Duke laughed and kissed his cheek. “I missed you guys.”
“They missed you, too,” Molly said, setting down all the bags she’d been carrying.
“What about you?” Duke asked with a shy grin. “Did you miss me, or were you too happy to have a few days away from the madness of baseball season?”
“Actually, I did enjoy some time away from the game,” she said, but at the first hint of Duke’s frown she added, “but I missed you more.”
She closed the distance between them and kissed her as best she could with Charlie still clinging to Duke. She’d only intended a little peck on the lips, but as was so often the case with Duke, a little wasn’t enough. Soon Duke’s arm was around the small of her back, holding her close while their lips parted, begging for more.
“Eww,” Joe said.
“Squished,” Charlie added from between them.
They laughed and stepped back. Molly wasn’t sure she’d laughed at all for the past three days, maybe a polite chuckle at work or the boys, but not the simple, easy kind of laughter Duke always inspired.
“What’s for dinner?” Joe called from the living room.
“Chicken with bacon, mushrooms, and cheese,” Duke said.
“Yum.”
“I don’t like it,” Charlie said in his usual singsong protest.
“Peanut butter and jelly for you, mister,” Duke said, then turning to Molly, added, “if that’s okay, I mean. I started the bacon. I can save it if you had something else planned.”
“I’ll never complain about your having dinner started by the time I get home.”
“Long day?”
“Long week.”
“Why don’t you go change into more comfortable clothes?
I’ll handle things here.”
“You’re a Godsend.”
“Just a sportswriter, but I can see how you’d get confused.”
Molly laughed again and shook her head. How could she stay mad at this woman? Though that did remind her. “Joe has to do his homework right away.”
“Mo-om.” Joe drew out the word to make it sound like it had multiple syllables.
“Don’t worry. I’ve got it.” Duke punctuated the assurance with a kiss, and Molly believed her.
Duke helped with Joe’s homework and dinner and the dishes. They talked about the boys’ experiences at school and Duke’s trip to Washington DC. Molly told her about a possible interview for the promotion to daytime manager of the restaurant. Duke wrestled with Charlie and read with Joe before helping to get them both into bed by 8:30. They worked so well together Molly almost felt like they’d been a family all along. If only every day could be an off-day.
“Hi,” Duke said as they met in the hallway after tucking the boys in.
“Hi,” Molly replied. “Did I mention how happy I am to have you back?”
“Maybe once or twice. Did I mention how happy I am to be back?”
“You might have, but I missed it in the whirlwind of little boys clamoring for your attention.”
“It’s nice to come home to people who missed me instead of a quiet apartment.”
“Quiet is not something we’re known for around here.”
“It’s quiet now.” Duke wrapped her arms around Molly’s waist.
“Right, but only because we’re all exhausted.”
“How about we go straight to bed?”
Molly rested her head on Duke’s shoulder, breathing in her unique scent mixed with the lingering traces of bacon grease. “I wish I could, but there are lunches to pack and laundry to do.”
“I’ll help with the boys in the morning so you can make lunches then, and I’ll do the laundry later. I’ve got ten days’ worth of my own to add to the pile.”
Molly popped open the final button of Duke’s polo shirt, revealing that delicious spot just above her sports bra. “It seems like there’s something else we should be doing right now, but for some reason I can only think of one thing.”
Duke hooked a finger under her chin and lifted it gently until their lips met. They kissed slowly, passionately, as they edged down the hallway to the bedroom. Shutting the door quietly behind them, Molly flipped the lock. She didn’t want to risk any interruptions for what her body was begging to do and have done.
Duke caught the hem of Molly’s shirt and separated from the kiss long enough to lift it off. Then clutching her own shirt by the collar, she yanked it over her own head. The sports bra followed the shirt quickly to the floor. At the first sight of bare skin, both of them raced to remove the rest of their clothes. Molly wasn’t sure who removed each pair of pants, and she didn’t care. A week’s worth of pent-up sexual tension coursed through her now unabated.
“Molly,” Duke breathed her name against her neck, “I need you.”
“Take me.” She lay back on the bed, catching Duke’s hips and pulling her down on top of her.
The firm weight of her body contrasted with the softness of her skin, and Molly wanted all of her. The flat plane of her stomach, the hard muscles of her arms, the soft curves of her breasts, she wanted all of them. She wanted Duke’s amazing hands all over her. The need burned so hot she didn’t have time to think. Duke slid down her body, blazing a trail of heat with her mouth across her breasts toward her stomach. Molly sank her hands into Duke’s blond hair again, grasping for a way to hold her close while pushing her lower.
“Please, Sarah, don’t make me wait.”
She felt her smile against her skin. “Why not? I’m enjoying myself.”
Her hips tried to lurch up, but the press of Duke’s torso held them in place. “I need it. I need you.”
“I like the sound of that,” Duke mumbled against her stomach as she continued to kiss. “Tell me what you need, and I’ll give it to you.”
She groaned.
Duke brushed her hand over Molly’s legs, gently urging them apart so she could settle in. “Come on, Molly. Tell me what you want.”
“Your mouth,” Molly panted. “Take me with your mouth.”
Duke complied immediately. With one broad stroke of her tongue, Molly’s hips lurched forward and a dizzying rush of relief spread through her. She sank more deeply into the bed, but the next pass of Duke’s tongue, more purposeful and direct, caused Molly’s muscles to tense once more. Her stomach contracted, and Duke found a rhythm, relentlessly urging her higher, faster, stronger.
“God, yes, don’t stop,” she begged, surrendering to incoherency. “Sarah, yes. Harder. Yes.”
Lights flashed, red and white, behind her eyelids, then went black as her shaking muscles faded to tremors, then went limp. Still, the fire didn’t fade. She clutched the side of Duke’s shoulder and pulled her back up her body. “Come here.”
Duke’s grin was anything but shy or sweet now. Cocky, rakish, confident, she slowly crawled back over her. Molly grabbed a fistful of Duke’s hair and pulled her down to kiss her again. Refusing to let the momentum fade, she swept her tongue through Duke’s mouth, searching, taking, possessing. She grabbed her ass with both hands, kneading as she pulled her up higher. Breaking the kiss, she dragged her teeth across Duke’s lower lip, giving it a little nip before slipping down the bed. She ran her hand up Duke’s chest, pushing her up as she positioned herself between spread knees. They held eye contact until she was directly beneath her body. Molly grabbed Duke’s hips, and Duke grabbed the headboard. Then at her urging, Molly took Duke in her mouth.
There was no time for exploring or teasing now. She went right for the evidence of Duke’s need, stroking her with broad, flat passes of her tongue. She drank in the taste of her as the scent of sex overwhelmed all her other senses. She wanted to drown in her. It could’ve lasted minutes or hours and still wouldn’t have been long enough before Duke’s thighs tensed and tightened on either side of her. She cried out in a hoarse breath, then doubled over as Molly extracted herself slowly, and they both collapsed in a heap of tangled body parts.
“Oh my God,” Duke panted flopping on to her back. “Where did you learn to do that?”
“I don’t know,” Molly said honestly. “I’ve never wanted anything so badly. Maybe it’s like this between women, but—”
“No,” Duke cut in. She closed her eyes and tried to steady her ragged intake of breath before rolling onto her side to face Molly. “It’s never been like that for me before, Molly. No one’s ever made me feel the things I feel for you.”
“Really?” Molly’s chest tightened at the emotions stirring there.
Duke took her hand and lifted it to her lips. She kissed the tip of each one of Molly’s fingers. “I mean it. It’s only you. It’s only us.”
Molly closed her eyes to hide the tears forming there. She pulled Duke back to her chest and hugged her tightly. They lay holding each other as their breathing returned to normal, then grew shallow.
“I’m sorry, Mol,” Duke mumbled. “I meant to go slower. I wanted to talk about your week, but I’m fading fast.”
“It’s okay.” Molly kissed her forehead. “We can talk later.”
“Really? Are you sure?”
She wasn’t sure, not really. They did need to talk about what had happened in Chicago and the problems with Joe’s attitude and their schedules and their priorities, but even if she did have the energy left, she wouldn’t have had the heart to let anything shatter the perfection of this moment.
*
“We could take over second place this weekend,” Joe said excitedly as he and Duke sat down next to each other.
“Don’t get ahead of yourself. All we can focus on is beating the Reds, and even that won’t be easy,” Duke said seriously, then cracked a smile. “But with the way we’re hitting right now, we do have a great chance to put the Reds behind us
.”
“Then we get the Pirates next week,” Joe added hopefully.
Duke laughed and shook her head, but instead of managing his expectations, she threw her arm around his shoulders and squeezed tightly. “Is anything more fun than a pennant race?”
Molly’s heart swelled at the sight of them having so much fun together, but she didn’t have enough energy to laugh. The last week had been exhausting, full of early mornings, busy days, and late nights. Duke’s being home helped somewhat with the busy days but had the opposite effect on the amount of sleep she got. That thought actually did spark a smile.
“You read a story,” Charlie said, pointing to Duke.
“I don’t have a book,” Duke said. “Do you want me to tell you a story? I know a great one about the 1982 World Series.”
“No. Books in bed.”
“He wants you to read his bedtime story,” Molly explained.
“I’m sorry, buddy. I have to work tonight,” Duke explained. “You’ll all be asleep long before I get home.”
Molly’s shoulders tightened. “How late are we talking?”
“After midnight for sure,” Duke said, her eyes trained on the field. “I have a good feeling about some leads I got today.”
“Is that why you didn’t come by the restaurant this afternoon?”
“Yeah. I got lost in the job. By the time I looked up, it was after four.”
Molly tried to not let the comment or its cavalier delivery sting too much. They hadn’t made firm plans, so Duke hadn’t stood her up exactly, but she’d said she’d try to come by for a few minutes so they could talk without the kids around. It didn’t sound like she’d tried very hard.
“What if nothing exciting happens during the game?” she asked, “or the Cardinals lose?”
“Mom, don’t jinx ’em,” Joe said.
“I’m actually working on a supplemental column. There’s more at stake here than tonight’s game,” Duke added. “I can’t be worried about sleep.”
Molly ran her fingers lightly up Duke’s neck and tugged on her earlobe before leaning closer to whisper, “There’s more at stake at home than sleep.”
Heart of the Game Page 23
