Home Run Baby: A Sports Romance

by Tabatha Kiss

  “Yeah,” Grant adds. “Arrive alive.”

  I glance between the two of them before taking a step back and retreating off the porch.

  ***

  “Hey, Jo—”

  Rose stops mid-name and her brow crooks upward as she sees the black blindfold in my hands.

  “I’m gonna need you to put this on,” I tell her, standing in her hallway.

  “Why?”

  “It’s all part of the surprise.”

  She glares at me with amused curiosity hiding behind her thick eyelashes. “Seriously?”

  “Yes,” I laugh. “Don’t you trust me?”

  She says nothing.

  “Don’t answer that.” I look her up and down, admiring her outfit, and I suddenly realize that I’ve never actually seen her in jeans before. “You look nice,” I say.

  “Thank you,” she says, stepping backward into her apartment. She reaches into her closet for a jacket. “I figured casual meant I could hang up the skirts for the night.”

  I nod, watching the light dance on her face. Casual must also mean a slightly darker shade of lipstick. Not that I’m complaining.

  She stops in front of me and eyes the blindfold again. “Okay… do I need to put it on now or…?”

  “Now.” I step behind her and place it over her eyes, tying it off so it’s snug but still soft. “You won’t have to wear it for very long. Can you see anything?”

  “No,” she answers.

  I wave my hand in front of her face. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. You are going to help me down the stairs, right?” she chuckles.

  I walk back around to face her. “Sure.”

  I bend at the waist and force her forward, raising her over my shoulder like a firefighter and she instantly squeals in my arms.

  “John!”

  “Relax,” I laugh. “I won’t drop you.”

  “I meant… you know, tell me when to step down and stuff.”

  “But this is way more fun.” I spank her once and she lets out another scream, laughing with me as I carry her out into the hall.

  “Wait—” she says, slapping the door frame. “Lock the door, please…”

  I fish into her jacket pocket for her keys and secure the door behind us. “Okay, hold on.”

  Rose grunts playfully with each step, feigning discomfort as I pretend to almost drop her. The ruckus forces at least one of her neighbors to inspect what’s happening and I do my best to explain in passing that I am not kidnapping her. Not that they’d believe I was anyway, considering how hard Rose is laughing the entire way to the ground floor.

  I reach the van and I set her down next to the passenger’s side. “All right,” I say, opening the door. “Hop in.”

  “Can I take the blindfold off yet?”

  “No,” I answer, helping her step up. “Leave it alone. Watch your hands.”

  “But blindfold.”

  “Hands in lap.”

  She lays them on her knees. “So bossy. Wait, is this a van—?”

  I close her door and rush around the van to enter the driver’s seat.

  ***

  We ride passed the city limits after six, just like I planned but I push on the gas to speed up a little.

  My heart thumps a little faster. Each mile brings me a little closer to kickoff, so to speak. I’m not much of a perfectionist but I want to get this right.

  I turn onto a dirt road and we ride up the pathway through the woods.

  “Okay, seriously,” Rose says. “Where are you taking me?”

  “We’re almost there,” I laugh.

  The road ends after a few short miles at the edge of the hilltop and I crank the parking brake on. Rose’s neck twists around as if she’s scoping the place and I wave my hand in front of her face again.

  She leans back, sensing it. “What are you doing?”

  “Just making sure you’re still blind.”

  “Oh, I am,” she says. “I definitely am.”

  “Good.” I step out into the grass and walk around the van, stopping in the back to pop the rear door open.

  Rose once again cranes back, listening closely as the door slides upward. “I knew this felt like a van. When did you get a van?”

  I don’t answer. Instead, I walk over to her door and pull it open. “Hand, please.”

  She hesitates for a moment before extending hers and I take it to help her out. “Okay… smells like woods. Sounds like woods.” She stomps her feet. “Feels like woods.”

  “We’re in the woods,” I confirm.

  “Why are we in the woods?”

  “Shush.” I lead her through the grass and stop just after the back of the van. “Okay, stand here. Don’t move. You don’t want to fall.”

  She stiffens. “Fall?”

  “I’m going to remove your blindfold now…”

  “What do you mean fall?”

  I pull the knot loose. “Rose…”

  “John…”

  “Open your eyes.”

  The cloth drops from her face and she gasps.

  I stand beside her and stare out across the world.

  It’s just before sunset, so most of the city’s lights are shining below us in the valley. At the center of it all sits the football stadium with the brightest lights of all, surrounded on all sides by passing cars and street lamps.

  “Holy crap…” she says, taking a step back as she looks down the rather steep hill below her feet. “Where the hell are we?”

  “A few miles outside of town,” I say. “I grew up around here, so I used to do a lot of camping and hiking in these woods.”

  “This is beautiful, John…” Her eyes gaze straight ahead at the setting sun and she smiles.

  “I thought you’d like it.”

  She turns around to look at me but her eyes instantly snap towards the van. “Okay — hold on. Is this…?” Her mouth drops again. “Is this the Junior-mobile?”

  “Yep,” I nod, grinning at her.

  “I’ve always wanted to see the inside of this thing!” she says, staring in and admiring the string of blue lights lining the ceiling. “I crack up every time I see it on campus.”

  “Well…” I sit down on the back, sinking into the oddly comfortable mattress. “It’s ours for the night.”

  “No way…”

  I nod again, laughing with her as her smile slices her face a little more. “You wanted private. It doesn’t get more private than this…”

  Rose pauses, her eyes gliding between the van and me and the view in a repetitive loop. “Damn, John…”

  “What?”

  “Just…” she sighs. “Damn.”

  I chuckle and hold out my hand. “Come on.”

  She reaches out to me and climbs inside to sit beside me.

  We slide back to lay down with our heads propped up by our elbows and I watch her as her gaze constantly shifts between the landscape outside and the van’s interior.

  “So,” she says, “this is…”

  “Magical?” I suggest. “Romantic?”

  “I was going to say nice…” she smiles, “but we can break out the three syllable words, if that’s what you’re into.”

  “Excellent.” I lean forward to kiss her brow.

  “Is that what you were going for here?” she asks. “Romantic magic?”

  I think about it for less than a second, a little stunned by the complete lack of uncertainty surrounding the idea. “A little, yeah.”

  She stares into me, her eyes shining, even in the soft lighting. “This isn’t just a casual fling anymore, is it?”

  I lick my lips, just barely shaking my head. “No,” I answer, my heart pounding. “Not for me.”

  Her chest rises, filling with air and it escapes twice as slowly through her nose. “Okay…”

  “You don’t have to say anything, Rose,” I say, pushing a bit of hair back from her eyes. “I’m not expecting things between us to change if you don’t want them to, but I wanted to take just on
e night and show you what you mean to me. I want you to know that when I look at you, I really see you; when you speak, I hear you.” I smile. “When you breathe, my heart beats.”

  Her eyes grow a little wider. “Uhh…”

  “Like I said,” I chuckle softly, “you don’t have to say anything—”

  “Good,” she says. “Because I literally can’t.”

  “I hope that’s a good thing.”

  “Oh, it is.” She swallows. “You, uh… you word very good.”

  Relief passes through me but my pulse maintains its quick thump against my ribs. “Excellent.”

  “John…”

  I brace myself. “What?”

  She peers back at me with soft eyes. “Can we skip to the kissing part?”

  “Yeah,” I grin.

  I take her into my arms, gently easing her closer until our lips finally touch. She melts against me, her fingers slowly gripping my shirt and I feel her pulse increase to match mine.

  My Rose.

  Finally.

  She rolls onto her back, taking me with her and I tower above her on both arms.

  “Rose,” I whisper as she slides my belt open. “We have all night…”

  She slips her little fingers into my zipper, instantly latching around my growing cock. “I know,” she smiles. “And assuming there are no peepers out in the bushes, we’re also completely alone. We’re not constantly looking over our shoulders or keeping our ears open in case someone tries to walk in…”

  I exhale hard as she squeezes a little tighter. “You make an excellent point.”

  “And that…” she whispers, “really turns me on.”

  “Me, too.”

  I crush my mouth on hers and draw her bottom lip between my teeth. She moans softly and continues to stroke me as I shift onto one arm. I feel down her body, all the way to her jeans and she gasps as I tug her button free with one quick flick of my fingers. Her taut belly quivers as I slide my hand in, softly caressing over her bare mound to feel her wet lips waiting for me.

  Rose twitches as I find her clit and I bite down on her lip until she moans. Her hips roll, rubbing herself against my fingers as they cradle her throbbing bud, and I fuck that sweet fist of hers as she strokes me faster.

  “Rose…” I say. “Don’t you dare come.”

  She laughs as her thighs shake against me.

  “Rose.”

  I slow down my rub and she loosens her grip on my shaft. She teases me as I tease her, both staring into each other’s eyes as we fight the laughter building inside of us.

  She withdraws her hand from my jeans and pushes me onto my back. I move my hands to her hips as she straddles me, lightly grinding herself on me as she slides her jacket off and tosses it aside.

  I move with her, rubbing my hard cock against her, letting her lead and she smiles down at me with lust in her eyes. She flicks the buttons free on her blouse and slides it down her arms while I crawl my fingers up her body, sinfully enjoying the minor striptease.

  “Rose Hawthorne, you are one dirty girl…”

  “I wasn’t always,” she says.

  I bite my lip as she lowers the bra straps down her shoulders. “Yeah, my bad.”

  She leans down, still rocking her hips on my throbbing cock, and kisses me. Her tongue massages mine with a slow motion that sends fireworks down my spine.

  I fall back onto the pillows. “Goddamn, Rose…” I hold her against me, grunting with that amazing grind of hers until I crash against the edge and force her to stop so I don’t ruin my boxers. “Fuck…”

  She chuckles as she slips off of me. “Don’t you dare come…” she teases.

  I reach up to take hold of her and I let out a growl as I lay her down onto her back. Her laughter continues as I kiss down her neck and lick her flavorful skin all the way down to her navel. She combs her fingers through my hair, enjoying the attention I give her until I descend down to her knees and grip her jeans. I slowly pulling them to her ankles with her panties and she gazes up at me beneath the sparkling, blue lights.

  I pull my shirt over my head, performing a quick striptease for her, and she laughs even harder. She spreads her knees for me and I get even harder at the very sight of her glistening pussy.

  She sits up and reaches for my jeans, sliding them down below my ass to free my stiff cock. I tremble as she purses her lips and lays a few kisses along the shaft. She looks up at me with those big eyes and I nearly blow it all over her face.

  “Rose…” I reach into my back pocket and pull out a condom. “Lie back.”

  She obeys, instantly lying down and spreading her knees even wider as I tear the package open and roll the condom on.

  I grab her hips and pull her closer, digging my fingertips into that soft skin as I line up my cock with her dripping slit.

  Rose reaches down and takes hold of me, controlling where she wants it and I let her do as she pleases. She lays the tip against her clit and rubs, instantly arching her back as she feels the pleasure of it. I groan with her, feeling her fingers stroking me with each firm rub she gives herself and I bite my lip to hold it all together.

  Finally, she guides me down and slips my tip inside of her.

  I close my eyes, feeling pure heaven as she takes every long inch of me.

  “Johnny…” She moans my name, reaching up to guide me down and I lean over to give her the kiss she craves.

  Our fingers entwine, our pulses sync. Everything clicks into place as I fuck her and I’m struck with complete, blissful epiphany.

  I’m not just fucking Rose Hawthorne right now. I’m making love to her.

  I adjust the grind, giving it to her the way I know her body adores it and she gasps with pleasure.

  “Johnny, don’t stop!” she moans, her voice squeaking a little with each thrust.

  Her breathing labors, her thighs twitch, and soon, her tight pussy quivers around my shaft and I feel the orgasm break inside of her. She digs her nails into my back, scratching hard and the delicious pain sends me over the edge, too.

  I come with her, continuing the hard fuck until my cock slips out of her and I collapse against her soft breasts.

  “Okay…” She catches her breath. “This van is awesome.”

  I laugh against her skin, kissing her softly as I look up into her wild, blue-tinted eyes. We shift onto our sides, embraced in each other’s arms, and we lie still while I gently run my fingertips along her curve for God knows how long.

  I lie back and she instantly fits into the crook of my arm, setting her head on my chest and I breathe in the warm scent of her hair.

  “This is nice,” she whispers, looking out the open door to the shining world outside.

  “Yeah.” I kiss her head. “It’s not too bad.”

  Chapter 18

  Rose

  I wake up and, for a second, I’m not sure where I am but I know beyond doubt that I’m safe.

  The morning sun barely bleeds through the tinted windows, an autumn wind hustles the trees outside the closed van, and John Kirby lies behind me with a strong arm wrapped around me, clinging to me in his sleep.

  I hesitate, not wanting to wake him, but I crane my neck to look back anyway. A rush of warmth overwhelms me as I gaze at him and I can’t help but roll around to get a better look at him.

  His eyes flutter open and he shows a weak smile, exhausted but content, as he stirs beneath our blanket. “Hey…”

  “Hey,” I say. “So, we fell asleep.”

  “Yes, we did.”

  I furrow my brow. “When?”

  He shifts onto his back and yawns. “Oh… sometime after the third time, I think.”

  “Third or fourth?”

  “Definitely third.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Nope.”

  We laugh and I sit up, scanning the van for my clothes.

  “What are you doing?” he asks me.

  “Looking for my phone—”

  “No.” He grabs my arm and pulls
me back to him. “Not yet. Please.”

  “Why not?” I laugh.

  “Because if you check your phone, then the outside world takes over.”

  I smile. “You make an excellent point.” I settle back down on the mattress and he hugs me against him again. “I can spare a few more minutes.”

  John kisses me as he caresses my cheek. “So…” he says, clearing his throat, “Junior Morgan is getting married next month.”

  I nod. “Congratulations to Junior Morgan.”

  “I want you to go with me to the wedding.”

  “Um…” I blink. “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because obvious. Private dates in modified vans are one thing but I can’t be your date to a wedding.”

  “There’s no rule against you being my plus one,” he argues. “Friends go with friends to weddings all the time.”

  “It will look like a date, no matter what. It’s too risky.”

  His fingers spider up my bare arm. “But I like risky.”

  “No,” I say, shaking the tickle off.

  His lip curls to one side. “Cary Pierce will be there.”

  I frown at his sinister eyes. “That’s cheating.”

  “Five hundred and fifty-seven touchdowns…”

  “John…”

  “Eighty-one thousand passing yards…”

  “Stop.”

  He laughs. “I know you can’t resist a good statistical rundown.”

  I hum sarcastically. “Oh, take me now.”

  “Come to the wedding with me,” he says, kissing my neck. “Nothing bad will happen, I promise. We’ll just hang out, drink a little champagne, find a vacant room to fool around in…”

  “Nope.”

  “Okay,” he laughs, “maybe not that last part… unless you change your mind.”

  “I won’t.”

  His lips hover above mine. “We’ll see.” He kisses me slowly and I quiver lightly as he pulls my bottom lip between his teeth — a move that always turns my bones to jelly.

  “Okay…” I sigh. “I’ll go to the wedding with you.”

  He kisses me even harder. “Thank you. Be sure to wear something…”

  “Elegant and professional?”

  “I was going to say naughty and revealing, but yeah, we’ll go with those.”