Playing Hardball, Part 2 (A Baseball Romance Serial) (Playing Hardball (A Baseball Romance Serial))

by Sharon Cummin

  I knew she was most likely out finding her next screw. She was pissed when she'd walked away from me telling me our fun was over. I wasn't stupid enough to think she hadn't been with at least one guy in those two weeks, and the thought was pissing me off. I was mad that I was even thinking about her ass. I was also mad that it was that easy for her to move right on to someone else.

  There was more to her than that firecracker attitude. She had a soft side too. It didn't come out often, but it was there. She wasn't close to her family and was getting much closer to Carrie's parents. There was more to Lucy, and I couldn't figure out what had her keeping walls up. Not that it mattered. I didn't need her taking them down for me anyway. I could have any woman I wanted, she was right about that. I could have a woman that would do anything I wanted. One that would cook, clean, and hang on my every word. There was no reason for me to ever be with a woman that talked back or had something shitty to say when I said something to her. Every other woman I'd been with loved the game and the fact that I was the star pitcher. Were they real, I didn't know. It had never mattered until her. She challenged me every time I saw her. It was like my status didn't mean shit to her. I didn't need that. Not when I could have someone standing next to me that was proud to be there, even if they expected me to drop a load of money of them.

  That Friday we were finally back, but we had a home game. I'd never had two weeks feel like months before. I was actually looking forward to being home. It was crazy. Home games were always amazing. That was where we belonged. It was where our fans were. I was standing there, waiting for the game to start, and I looked up at the team box. It was the place the wives, kids, and parents watched from. I'd never invited anyone to watch from there before. I'd gotten tickets for friends and women, but I'd never asked them to sit in our spot. Lucy had been the only one. When she'd agreed, I couldn't believe it. I'd actually felt proud when she said she would go, and I'd been looking forward to it. That was ruined the moment she heard me say that shit to Scott. She let me know she wouldn't ever be going to watch me play after that. I really had been excited about it. I'm not sure why, but I was. She would have been watching right then if I hadn't been an ass that night. I wondered for a minute what it would be like to have a family of my own right there. Oh shit, I thought. No way! I couldn't start thinking like that. I knew I needed to go out after the game and find someone to snap me from those thoughts. I shook out my shoulders and turned back to the field. That was where my attention needed to be.

  We won the game, and all the guys were looking forward to being home. I'd gone straight home, cracked open a cold beer, and sat down on my couch with the remote. I flipped through the channels over and over but found nothing to watch. My house was so damn quiet, I couldn't stand it. I got up and slipped my shoes back on before heading out. I hadn't even noticed that I'd only taken two drinks from my beer before leaving it to get warm on my coffee table.

  I headed toward the bar I usually found myself at after a home game. When I pulled into the parking lot and looked around, there were so many people. I honestly didn't feel like dealing with it. I didn't want to talk about the game. I didn't want to be the star pitcher. I just wanted to be me. Before I even had time to think, I had pulled out of the parking lot and was getting on the freeway. Almost two hours later, I got out of my car knowing things could go two ways. I was either going to be welcomed in which I honestly doubted, or I was going to set off the fuse and be thrown out. No matter the outcome, I wanted it. I wanted to be there. I wanted to see her.

  I knocked on the door ready for whatever was going to happen. Then I knocked again. I heard the music coming from inside shut off. When the door swung open, I almost lost my shit. Part of I'm sorry came out of her mouth before she stopped. She stood there looking shocked while her eyes traveled down and back up my body. I seriously felt them move as if they were her hands touching me. She stood moving nervously from foot to foot looking so damn good. When her eyes hit my pants, my dick twitched. She had her hair up and was wearing damn little shorts and a tank top with no fucking bra. It took all I had not to reach out and grab her. I caught a whiff from her apartment and my mouth watered. She had sauce on her cheek and on her top. The woman was cooking. I felt like I'd walked into some crazy dream.

  When I stepped forward, she stepped back. We continued until I was able to shut the door behind me. Then I stopped and waited for what was to come. She just stood looking at me. I think she was as nervous as I was. The moment was so damn intense. I wasn't sure what to do. Then she finally broke the silence.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked in a whisper.

  “I needed to see you,” I answered instantly.

  “Look,” she said.

  I took another step, grabbed the back of her neck, and pulled her mouth hard against mine. My tongue licked between her lips and she gasped giving me my opportunity. I entered her mouth, and her tongue instantly found mine while her hands moved to the back of my head. My other hand moved down to her ass and pulled her against me. I needed to feel her closer. Our tongue tangled together both looking for control. Her body melted against mine, and I enjoyed every second of her being in my arms. She held my head hard. Then she sucked my bottom lip into her mouth and pulled it between her teeth. When a loud beep went off, she bit my lip and jumped.

  “Shit,” she yelped. “I'm so sorry. That's the timer on the stove. Are you okay?”

  She reached up and ran her finger across my lip. I couldn't help but notice how short and adorable she was.

  “I didn't mean to bite your lip,” she whispered.

  That damn beep kept coming. Lucy pulled away from my hold, headed for the kitchen, and stopped that annoying sound.

  “I was just making dinner,” she said from the other room.

  I looked down and saw a notebook sitting on her coffee table. When I leaned down to get closer, I couldn't help but smile. It was a list of questions about baseball and a game she was watching. Had she really watched a game, I wondered? If so, which one? I stood back up and walked toward the kitchen. I thought she had heated up a frozen dinner or something, but what I saw was much different. She'd just taken out the most amazing looking lasagna and was reaching back into the oven for the garlic bread. There was a vegetable still cooking on the stove. I felt a fire shoot through me like I'd never felt before, and my hands clenched at my sides.

  “Were you expecting someone else at that door?” I growled out.

  She jumped and turned to look at me.

  “What?” she asked with the most innocent look on her face.

  “All this,” I said, as I waved my hand toward the dishes she had just set down. “Were you expecting someone?”

  She let out a laugh.

  “I can't cook unless I'm expecting someone?” she asked.

  “That was not at all what I was saying,” I said.

  “I was cooking for me,” she said in a snotty tone. “Is that okay with you, or should I have invited a man over?”

  “For you is fine,” I grumbled. “You don't need to be inviting a man over.”

  “Oh yeah,” she said. “Why is that?”

  “Don't push me tonight, Firecracker,” I snapped. “It has been an extremely long day.”

  “Really?” she snapped right back. “You won your game, right? I'm sure you stumbled upon one woman or another to slip your dick in on your way over here.”

  “Lucy,” I growled in warning. “It has been two long fucking weeks since I've been home. I'm tired, and wait a second. How do you know we won the game? How did you even know we played today?”

  “Don't flatter yourself,” she said, as she turned back to the food. “I saw it on the news as I was flipping through the channels looking for something interesting to watch.”

  I walked up behind her and saw her body shiver. She could hide behind that bullshit she put out. The woman wanted me.

  “So,” I said, as I moved in close to her ear from behind her. “You've never watched a game?
”

  I heard her take a huge breath in and slowly release it. Then I moved closer so that my front was touching her back and she was against her counter.

  “I didn't,” she began.

  “Do not lie to me, Firecracker,” I whispered in her ear. “Did you watch a game? If so, who was playing?”

  My dick was rock hard from being that damn close to her. Two weeks with no release other than my hand had me on edge. I pushed my cock against her so she knew what she was doing to me and heard a soft moan escape those soft, plump lips.

  “Answer me,” I said.

  I have no idea why, but I needed to hear her say she'd watched. I wanted it to be me she was watching.

  “I only watched for a few minutes. There was nothing else on,” she said.

  “Who was playing?” I asked, as my tongue traveled down her neck.

  “Lance,” she whispered.

  “Who?” I demanded, as I bit down on her ear.

  “The Pirates were batting,” she said.

  I slid my hand around her waist and into her shorts. She clenched her thighs together to stop me from moving my hand any deeper.

  “Did you see me?” I asked.

  “Lance,” she said again.

  “Why are you holding your legs together, Firecracker?” I asked. “Is it because you don't want me to feel what I do to you?”

  “No,” she snapped. “It's because I told you we were done.”

  She turned around so her back was to the counter. I made damn sure she felt how hard my cock was when I pushed forward against her stomach. My hand was now on her ass under her shorts. I squeezed her hard, and she jerked in my hold.

  “Did you see me?” I asked sternly, as I took a step away from her so she could feel the difference of me not being there.

  I felt the cool air hit me, and I knew she would too. She turned around to grab two plates out and began putting food on both of them.

  “I saw you for a minute but got bored and turned it off,” she said, as she kept moving.

  “Really?” I asked. “Is that why you wrote those questions down? Was it because you were bored?”

  “First, stay out of my shit,” she said sternly, as she turned to point her spatula at me. “Second, don't flatter yourself. I figured since it was such a huge part of Carrie's life, I would try to watch it.”

  “So it was for Carrie?” I asked.

  “Yes,” she said, as she walked over and put both plates down on her table.

  When she turned around and saw me looking at the table, she shrugged her shoulders.

  “It didn't look like you were planning to leave,” she said. “Since no other man showed up to eat, you might as well stay. Unless you have someone waiting to slip and fall on your dick.”

  I walked over and sat down at the table.

  “You're the only one I want on my dick tonight,” I said with a shrug of my own.

  She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

  “Eat,” she said. “I didn't work this hard to eat cold food.”

  “So,” I began, nervous about my next question. “What have you been up to the past two weeks?”

  “Not much,” she said before taking a bite of her food. “I've been working a lot.”

  “What about the evenings?” I asked.

  Why I was asking that, I wasn't sure. It was none of my business, and I didn't really care. I took a huge bite of food and moaned. Eating on the road sucked in comparison.

  “Not much really,” she said. “I've talked to Carrie's mom a few times. She sent me some recipes, so I've been cooking here and there.”

  “What else have you made?” I asked. “This is delicious. It's even better than it was at her house.”

  “Really?” she asked with a smile. “It's probably because you were eating on the go for two weeks.”

  “No,” I said, knowing I wanted to see that smile again. “It is honestly better than it was that day. I really like it. You can send some of that with me when I leave.”

  “How was your two weeks?” she asked.

  “Long,” I said. “I'm not sure why. I'm gone for weeks at a time often. I don't know what it was. Those two weeks seemed like a month. I was ready to get back home.”

  “So why aren't you at home?” she asked.

  Lucy definitely had a way of making me feel like an inconvenience. You'd think I'd be running to be around a woman that wanted me there, but instead I'd gone to her. I shook my head.

  “What?” she asked.

  “Nothing,” I said. “I was at home, but I wanted to go out.”

  “Why aren't you out?” she asked.

  I knew she was waiting for the perfect opportunity to say something shitty to me. It was like she was searching for a reason, but she wanted me to say something first. I wasn't going to give her that reason. I couldn't help but wonder what she'd say if I was real for a minute.

  “Honestly,” I said. “I drove to the bar. When I pulled into the parking lot and looked around, that wasn't where I wanted to be. So I turned around and drove away.”

  “So, why are you here?” she asked.

  “This is where I wanted to be,” I said before sticking a huge bite of food in my mouth.

  She sat there looking at me with her fork frozen in midair. I'd gotten her, and I knew it. She wasn't sure what to do.

  “Look,” I finally said, as I put my fork down. “I'm sorry about what I said to Scott. He pissed me off when he started grilling me about my intentions with you. It was none of his fucking business. I should not have said what I did, and for that I'm sorry. I really am. I didn't mean to disrespect you. I really didn't. I was pissed and saying shit I didn't mean. I wasn't putting down what you do. It's not about money. I do what I do because I love it. I'm sure you do too. I stayed away from you for two weeks. I never called or sent a message. I'm being completely honest right now. I wasn't with anyone while I was gone. I don't know why I'm telling you this, I know you'll use it against me later. When I got home, you were the one I wanted to see. I'm not sure why. You talk shit and give me a hard time. You make me feel like I'm worthless while everyone else kisses my ass. I have no idea why, but this was the place I came.”

  “I don't think you're worthless, Hotshot,” she interrupted. “You probably just smelled the lasagna.”

  “Stop,” I said. “You are cocky every time a conversation gets real. The food is just an added bonus.”

  “Look,” she said, putting her fork down and standing up to put distance between us. “I haven't been with anyone since you left. I haven't felt like it. Those things you said to Scott stung really bad. I get why you would say that stuff. I'm just a girl trying to get through life. I'm nothing special. I don't do myself up so I can be some guys arm candy. I don't own beautiful clothes, and I don't want to. I don't want to attend swanky events and pretend I'm something that I'm not. That will never be me. I work my ass off because I love working with numbers and I like the company I work for. I felt that way before Scott bought it, but now it's even better. I feel like my opinion actually matters now. I tell it like it is. Life is too damn short to walk around kissing ass. That is not me, and it never will be. I don't give a shit who you are. You are no better than anyone else. I'm sorry if I don't make you feel the way the rest of the world does. I don't want a relationship. I never will. That is not where my life has taken me. I'm just trying to get through life without losing my damn mind.”

  “What is it that you aren't saying?” I asked.

  “Nothing,” she answered. “If you don't like the way I am, there's the door. I'll be just fine no matter what you do. I don't look at life the way everyone else does. That's who I am.”

  “I know you don't,” I said more to myself than to her. “I don't want a relationship either. I really don't. I worked my ass off for years for my career. There is no way anyone or anything will ever screw that up. It is my only priority. I love the game. It is not about the money, I already have enough of that. It's about reaching the goa
ls I set for myself. My life is not everything the public thinks it is. I go home to a house that is amazing but is also so damn quiet that I can't stand it sometimes. I could have the family and pets, but that's not what I want. I want to be the best damn ballplayer there is. I'm not saying I never want family, I just don't want it now. I like spending time with you, Lucy. Do not throw out your sarcastic bullshit right now. I can feel your mind working. I have no intention on building this into a relationship like that. I like being around you. I like that you give me shit, most of the time anyway. It bugs me that you talk down about what I do, but I still find myself wanting to talk to you and see you. If you were my woman, I wouldn't put up with the shit you pull on me. I can't have feelings for you or anyone else. I wouldn't mind having a friend though, one that I can release my stress with as well.”

  “I can't have feelings for anyone either,” she blurted out. “That will never happen. It's me against the world. I don't want anyone else to be a part of that. I wouldn't mind having a friend either. Releasing a little stress sounds pretty good too.”

  “Great,” I said. “I have a huge need to release some stress right now.”

  I stood up, pulled her to me, grabbed under her ass, and lifted. She wrapped her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist, and I headed for her room.

  “You have questions about the game, you ask me. Got it?”

  She nodded and laughed.

  “I guess you would be a good person to ask,” she said.

  “Did you like it?” I asked.

  She sucked her bottom lip into her mouth. I could see her mind going. She was looking for something cocky to say.

  “I'm not sure yet,” she said. “The jury is still out. I might watch one more game but not your team.”

  I stopped at the foot of her bed and dropped her. Then I went down on my knees, pulled her to the edge of the bed, pulled her shorts off, and looked up at her with my hand just under the edge of her lacy panties.

  “Why not my team?” I asked.

  She looked up at the ceiling, and I let out a growl. Her eyes instantly came back to mine.