Playing the Field: A Diamonds and Dugouts Novel

by Jennifer Seasons

  Never in her life had a man done the things that he did.

  Throwing her arms out, Sonny raised her knees and kicked the bed with her heels. “Whoo!” she cried out. Then she started laughing so hard tears came to her eyes.

  A knock sounded at the door, freezing the laugh in her throat. “What’s going on in there, Mom?”

  The laughter of a well-laid woman, Sonny thought. That’s what was going on. “Nothing special, honey.”

  Liar. It was so, so special. But he shouldn’t know that. Not yet at least.

  “Okay.” She thought he was leaving, but he added, “Janie called and left a message while you were sleeping in. Are you getting sick again?” he ended with worry coloring his tone.

  “Nope.” She hadn’t felt this good in years.

  Last night had been the most incredible experience of her life. She still couldn’t believe she’d had sex outside under the stars. And not just once. But twice. The second time had been against a tree.

  The third time they’d finally made it to the bed, where they’d dozed in each other’s arms contentedly afterward until he’d had to go. They’d fit together like they were custom made.

  Throwing the covers off, Sonny climbed out of bed and searched out some clothes. Pulling on a cami and jersey-knit yoga pants, she was about to open the door when something occurred to her.

  She felt zero anxiety over what had happened between her and JP.

  Standing in the center of her bedroom, Sonny paused and searched inside herself, marveling at what she found. For a woman who has spent most of her adult life avoiding intimate relationships, she had expected to feel some anxiousness or doubt over becoming involved. But she didn’t. What did that say about her?

  More to the point, what did it say about JP?

  Pulled from her musings by the sound of her phone ringing, Sonny opened the door to her bedroom and went in search of it. Finding it on the fireplace mantel, she snatched it up and answered before it went to voicemail.

  “This is Sonny.”

  “Why didn’t you pick up earlier?” It was Janie. “You weren’t still asleep, were you?”

  Like a baby. “As a matter of fact I was.”

  “Are you sick?” Janie instantly sounded concerned. Sonny was a notoriously early riser.

  “I was just tired, that’s all.”

  “You sound strange. Is everything okay?” She had these mom instincts that were freakily perceptive, and they’d decided to kick in on her.

  Sonny was better than okay. “Just peachy.”

  Some of the tension seemed to leave Janie’s voice. “Well that’s good. I’m relieved to hear it because I have plans for us today.”

  Like what? “Don’t you have the kids?”

  “Ben’s taking the day off and spending it with the kids at the zoo.” She sounded grateful for the break. It wasn’t often she got an afternoon free of children. “Charlie is welcome to go, too.”

  “That sounds terrific. What are we up to, then?”

  Janie paused for dramatic effect. “We’re hitting the thrift stores in Boulder.”

  Ooh, good call. That was always a great time. Boulder’s thrift stores were excellent and full of designer and one-of-a-kind items. It was like the Beverly Hills of consignment shopping. “Sounds good. Do you want to grab something to eat while we’re out?”

  “Of course.”

  Oh, right. She’d forgotten for a split second that she was talking to a pregnant woman. “There’s that burger place on Pearl Street that you like so much. We can do that if you want.”

  Janie replied, “Let’s play it by ear. We can talk about it more when you get here. How long do you think it’ll take for you to get ready?”

  Well, she was kind of sore and moving slowly. Go her. “Let’s make it eleven. Will that work?” She wondered how long she’d be able to keep her mouth shut about last night when she saw Janie. Or maybe it was plastered all over her face and she wouldn’t even have to say anything.

  “That’ll work. I’ll see you then.” They said their goodbyes and hung up.

  Sonny got busy with her chores and put in some time in her work space before hopping in the shower and getting ready to go.

  And as it turned out, it was written all over her face. Janie took one look at her when she arrived and her eyes nearly popped out of her head. “In the car. Now. You have some explaining to do, Sonny Miller.”

  It wasn’t really a hardship. She was dying to talk to her about it anyway. “Let me just say goodbye to Charlie and then we can head out.”

  Sonny found him in with the other kids and gave him a quick hug. Double-checking that his cell phone was charged, when she was satisfied she handed it back to him and gave him a kiss. “Be good for Ben, okay?” He nodded. “Have a great time, sweetheart. I’ll see you later.”

  Taking her minivan, she made Janie wait until they’d arrived at their first destination in Boulder before she spilled the goods. She knew the suspense was killing her best friend, but couldn’t resist the temptation to draw out the news. It’s not as if she had stuff like this to share like, oh, ever.

  They’d just exited the Honda when Janie stopped and demanded, “Well, are you going to tell me or not?”

  Because she couldn’t resist, Sonny gave her an innocent look. “What are you talking about?”

  Aqua-blue eyes narrowed on her. “You know damn well what I’m talking about, and you’re holding out on me.”

  Enjoying herself, she shrugged her shoulders delicately. “I’m not sure that I do.”

  The pregnant brunette looked about ready to throttle her. “You did something with that hot ballplayer.”

  Sonny locked the Honda and tossed the keys in her purse. “Maybe.” There was no maybe about it. But it was so much fun to finally have a juicy carrot to dangle that she wasn’t ready to give it up. For the better part of a decade her gossip basket had been virtually empty of any yummy tidbits. Now that there was a tasty morsel in there she wanted to milk it for all it was worth.

  Janie waddled around the car and said, “Are you happy about it?”

  An image flashed in her mind of JP last night, sweaty and intensely aroused. Her pulse kicked up a notch just thinking about it. “So, so happy.”

  Janie wrapped her up in a hug. “Then I’m happy for you.” She pulled back and shot Sonny a pointed look. “But I want all the sordid details. Don’t leave anything out.”

  Because it was her best friend she caved. “We were together last night and it blew my mind, Janie. Seriously.”

  The brunette gave her an extra tight squeeze. “It’s about time somebody did, honey.”

  It surprised her to find that she agreed. Standing on this side of things—the side where she had sex with an incredibly gorgeous and good man—well, it brought a whole new perspective. One that was beginning to make her wonder what she’d been so afraid of in the first place.

  A voice whispered in her mind, reminding her of his celebrity, and she mentally winced. Then she told it to back off because this was her moment for just plain happiness and she was going to have it.

  Taking the lead, Sonny began walking toward the front entrance of the swanky Boulder consignment shop. Excitement over the impending treasure hunt had her walking a bit faster than normal. The last time she’d come to this place with Janie she’d discovered a set of Corning baking dishes from the seventies that she’d fallen in love with. They were white with blue chickens and orange flowers painted on them in that style so characteristic of the era.

  She’d been after finding the mugs that went with the set, but to date hadn’t had any luck. Maybe this time the universe would be in her favor. Just thinking about it had her pulse leaping into action.

  The hunt for vintage fabulousness was on.

  “Hey, Sonny. So, tell me something because I’m curious.” Janie tucked a stray strand of her espresso-brown locks behind her ear. An unholy gleam was in her eyes. Whatever she was about to say was less than pure and innocent.
“Did the ol’ girl even remember how to work after all this time?”

  Psssh. “Like a champ, sistah.”

  Janie placed a hand over her heart and faked sincerity. “Oh well, now that’s a relief.”

  “Isn’t it just?” She couldn’t be in more agreement.

  Sonny held the door open for Janie and the brunette said as she passed, “On a scale of one to ten, how good did he look naked?”

  She didn’t even blink. “Fifteen.”

  “I’M NOT TELLING you what her boobs look like, Drake, no matter how many times you ask. You gotta get over it, hoss.”

  JP watched out of the corner of his eye as Drake dropped down into the airplane seat beside him. The first baseman gave a long-suffering sigh. “Ain’t fair, brother, dropping news of consensual relations with the foxy mom and not sharing crucial details.”

  “My bad.”

  “Ain’t that the truth.” He scratched his chest.

  JP laughed because Drake was completely serious.

  The team was on the flight home from an away series in Atlanta against the Braves. The Rush had come out on top of the series, and they were all feeling good about how things were starting to shape up for the playoffs. Now that the midseason break was over, the playoffs were starting to take center stage.

  Stretching his legs out in front of him in the large first-class seat, JP laced his fingers behind his head and grinned. “I will say that it was worth the wait.”

  Drake’s homely face fell and he looked sad as a basset hound. “Why you got to be cruel, man?”

  Pete piped up from across the aisle. Eavesdropping was his specialty. “I think our boy is afraid we’ll find out he’s lame in the sack if he shares the deets.”

  Getting a ribbing from those two was par for the course. He still wasn’t sharing more than he already had—and even that had been an accident. He’d made the mistake of sitting next to Drake in a confined space. That dude could detect the smallest change in behavior. It must have been the dip in his pheromones or something because the ballplayer had jumped all over him instantly.

  Mark Cutter decided to make a break for the airplane bathroom and stood up from the seat in front of JP. Stepping into the aisle, he said, “Don’t let these pansies harass you. They’re just jealous that you got a woman.”

  He thought about that for a minute. He did have a woman. And he couldn’t wait to touch down so he could go to her. Ever since he’d tasted her that night, JP had been dying to do it again. Sonny was under his skin and on his mind.

  The watch on his wrist gave the time and he did a mental calculation. It would be pushing pretty late by the time he got to Sonny’s place. Hopefully she would be in a good mood and not pissed that he had been gone for such a long time right after they’d finally got together.

  It was the first time in his professional life that he’d even stopped to consider how much he was gone. He’d never felt self-conscious about it before, but he did now, thinking about her and how many days had passed. He and Sonny had just rounded a corner and gotten physical. Then he’d disappeared for the better part of a week.

  Though he’d called her, it just wasn’t the same.

  Nothing could compare to the feel of her silky smooth legs wrapped around him, urging him to come.

  Peter slapped his shoulder to get his attention. “What’s the scoop with the kid?”

  “What do you mean? In what way?”

  The pitcher leaned his head back against the seat. “Does the kid know that you and his mom are in a relationship?”

  JP shook his head. “I’m not sure, but I assume so.”

  Peter nailed him with a stare, his ice-blue eyes penetrating. “Why haven’t you two told him? Or are you afraid to tell him?”

  Why would he be afraid? He wanted this, remember? “I’m not afraid, Kowalskin. And I don’t know. We haven’t talked about it.” But he was pretty sure Sonny had already told him. The boy knew what was going on between him and his mother. Didn’t he?

  Drake elbowed JP in the rib cage. “You worried about the kid approving?”

  “Why wouldn’t he?” He honestly wanted to know. If he was in Charlie’s shoes, he’d be damn happy to have his mom date someone like him.

  Drake gave him a peculiar look. “You may not be what he pictured in a step-dad, bro.”

  Why wouldn’t he be? Shit. He’d be the best damn step-dad in the business.

  Of course Charlie would want him.

  Wouldn’t he?

  Chapter Seventeen

  * * *

  THE HOUSE WAS quiet—Charlie was at a sleepover—and Sonny couldn’t stand it. Some days it was great. Other days, like now, when she was trying so hard to distract herself, the silence was just unnerving.

  Deciding to take action, she put on Pandora Internet radio and cranked it loud. It was set on mixed-artist mode and automatically chose something random to play. Humming along to a song by nineties girl-wonder group En Vogue about men who were never gonna get it, Sonny grabbed the broom from the pantry and began sweeping.

  It was late, and she should have been lounging happily in front of the flat screen or enjoying the luxury of a long uninterrupted bath. But she couldn’t relax enough to do either. Nervous energy had her feeling antsy and restless. Well, no, that wasn’t the whole truth.

  She was jonesing for JP.

  That’s what was at the heart of it. A big part of her was nervous to see him again because she wasn’t sure how he was going to act. But everything had been left on good terms. Really, she was just worrying for nothing. Wasn’t she?

  Ugh. The uncertainty that came after being with someone was such an awful feeling. Just the fact that she was already feeling it made her tense up with frustration. This was how it always started.

  Rejecting the thought, Sonny cranked the music even louder and swept furiously. The house was long overdue for a deep clean. And having Charlie out of the house was the perfect time to do it. And if it was a handy excuse to not have to think about her new relationship with JP, then so be it. It’s not like she was completely avoiding the issue.

  Just mostly.

  Catching sight of her profile in a hand-painted mirror on the wall, Sonny stopped in her tracks and blew a curl out of her face with a huff. Who was she kidding? She was totally avoiding everything.

  For the first time in a very long time she wasn’t sure of her next move. On one hand she wanted to dive headlong into this thing with JP. He pulled feelings out of her that were big and shiny and almost overwhelming.

  As she swept around the fireplace she thought about who JP was and ticked off a mental list of his qualities. The man was smart and kind and totally smitten with her. In the privacy of her home all alone she could admit that truth. And it gave her butterflies in her stomach to the extreme.

  Not to mention that the shortstop was good to Charlie.

  If she were to think of any flaw (because the fame thing wasn’t a flaw—it was a fact. A really irritating fact that wouldn’t go away), it would be his sometimes overinflated ego. Sonny had never seen anyone more confident or secure in their choices. It must be nice to never second-guess oneself, to never worry over the best course of action.

  No doubt it had its shortcomings, but in their case, JP’s ego was a good thing. Because she was such a spaz it was nice that one of them had a handle on things. Surely JP wouldn’t make a mistake. He was too sure of himself for that.

  In fact, she was kind of relying on it. His self-assurance was her guide rope through the dark.

  Speaking of JP, why hadn’t he called her this evening?

  Yesterday he’d left a message, but today there was nothing. And he was back in town. She’d watched some of the early game on the tube. Charlie had insisted on it.

  Was it wrong to assume that, since they’d slept together and this was his first night back, he would have called her after the game? Because by looking at the time on the clock it suggested that she was. And she didn’t like what that said. Not
one little bit.

  Michael Franti and Spearhead came on Pandora, singing “Say Hey (I Love You),” a song with a snappy Caribbean beat. Sonny leaned the broom against the fireplace and moved her hips to the rhythm, glad for the diversion.

  Her whole body in motion, Sonny was rocking out hard and it felt so, so good. Tension melted away with every dip, spin, and shimmy. In the privacy of her home she let it all hang out, dancing and singing her heart out.

  It was exhilarating.

  Planting her feet, Sonny dipped and rotated her hips in a saucy grind, her arms flung up over her head in the air. Belting out about looking in their eyes and suddenly knowing, she did a big ol’ booty shake and turned.

  And came face to face with a wildly grinning JP.

  “Jesus!” She froze, her heart racing frantically. How much had he seen?

  The man made a twirling motion with a finger, his eyes lit with devilish humor. “Don’t let me stop you, sweetheart. Keep going.”

  Sonny was going to die. Right there on her living room floor at the ripe old age of thirty-one. The cause of her demise was complete and utter embarrassment.

  Please oh please oh please oh pleeease let me be dreaming, she thought desperately.

  Blinking hard, she muttered a curse under her breath when she opened them again and he was still there. Taking a deep breath, though it did nothing to slow her racing heartbeat, Sonny rolled her eyes to the ceiling and let out her breath with a whoosh. Was there no end to the attacks on her dignity?

  Belatedly realizing that she probably resembled a goldfish with her mouth open and floundering, she snapped it shut and attempted to be nonchalant. “I wasn’t expecting you, JP.”

  “I knocked, but the music was so loud it was pointless. I just let myself in.”

  The embarrassment she felt over knowing that he saw her dancing like a stripper had her face flaming. She had never blushed so hard in her life. Not even the time her pants had fallen down in front of the entire eighth grade.

  And if he didn’t stop grinning at her like a mad man she was going to clobber him.