Out of My League, Part 3

by Sharon Cummin

  Christmas came, and we'd all decided to have it at Sammie and James' house. We couldn't have it at our new house yet, and neither of the apartments were big enough. Lauren and Lance couldn't do it either. Between their seven month old and one month old, they were super busy and always tired. Lance and Lucy had offered to have it at their house, but my parents and grandma were already at James and Sammie's, so we agreed to do it there.

  Parker had gone by his ex's house to take the twins their gifts. She wouldn't let him have them for the day, and he didn't want them to have to wait. They loved the gifts we'd picked out. He'd even sent me a few pictures of the twins opening them. I looked at their happy smiles and knew we needed to have them with us more often, especially once they had a little brother or sister, one that Parker still didn't know about.

  Parker was going by his apartment on his way over to get us. He said he'd forgotten something, and I hadn't argued, because I needed him to get something else while he was there. I pulled out my phone, and my fingers shook nervously as I typed.

  Me: I'd like you to wear your jersey today. Would you please get it while you're there?

  You would think the man could just do it, but he couldn't. He had to fuck with me.

  Parker: Really? Is it because you think I'm sexy when I wear it? Is it so you can fantasize all day about your big, muscular Pirate fucking you?

  Me: Yes, babe. That's exactly why I want you to wear it. Just so you know, the kids could have picked up my phone. You need to find a better way of saying what you just said.

  Parker: Okay, I got it. So, you want to think about you and me doing the horizontal polka then?

  Me: You are something else. Goodbye, Parker.

  He didn't reply, and I was relieved.

  When he walked through the apartment door, I noticed that he had on a pair of tight jeans that had my thighs clenching. Then my eyes traveled up, and I saw his jersey. My eyes moved up again and landed on his, to see a smile spread across his face and emotion fill his eyes.

  “Look what we got,” Jenny squealed, as she ran to Parker. “Mommy got us jerseys just like yours.”

  “She did,” he said, without taking his eyes away from mine. “They look awesome.”

  “When we come watch you, can we wear them?” Jenny asked him.

  “I'd love that,” he answered.

  I stood up from the couch, and his eyes grew wide.

  “Is that?” he began, but I didn't let him finish.

  I wrapped my arms around his neck and leaned in close to his ear.

  “This is the very same jersey you've fucked me in many times,” I whispered.

  “We're not calling it that, remember?” he asked, in a whisper. “You mean I humped you in.”

  “No,” I said, as I pulled away. “Definitely not that one.”

  Then I took a step back, reached down, and held up two more jerseys.

  “I got the twins each one too,” I said. “I thought it would be nice if we all supported our guy while he played.”

  “They're perfect,” he said. “Ours match, and theirs match. That's really sweet.”

  “I'm good like that,” I said, as I turned, grabbed the bag of gifts I'd gotten ready, and walked toward the door, so damn nervous for the day ahead. “Come on kids.”

  I knew what was going to happen when we walked through James and Sammie's front door, and my family did not disappoint.

  “Seriously?” Lance asked. “A bit conceited, don't you think, Parker?”

  “Bullshit!” my dad snapped out. “I've not once seen my daughter in a Reid jersey. What kind of shit is this?”

  “Is this some kind of joke?” James barked out.

  “This was all her,” Parker said, defending himself right away. “I had nothing to do with it. She asked me to come back in my jersey. I thought it was just so she could fantasize.”

  “Parker,” I warned, before he could get out one more word.

  “Anyway,” he said, “I thought it was a bit strange myself, but it is also the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. The funniest part about it all is that she chose my jersey over all of yours.”

  I heard three growls fill the room all at once.

  “Ass,” I whispered, from next to him.

  “That is the sweetest thing I've ever seen,” Sammie said, as she entered the room.

  “You never did that for me,” James said, in a jealous tone.

  “Seriously,” she snapped. “Like I needed my dad breaking your nose in public.”

  James looked like he was about to lose it, and Sammie burst into laughter.

  “He's even wearing his own jersey,” James said, as he turned to walk away.

  “That's what you do when you want to bump uglies with your woman later,” Parker whispered into my ear.

  I turned my head and narrowed my eyes at him.

  “What?” he asked innocently.

  “Come on,” I said.

  The food was ready, so as soon as we walked into the living room, grandma let us know it was time to eat.

  She'd made more food than I'd seen yet, and I grew up being her granddaughter. Once I was done eating, I knew I'd had too much. So I walked over to the couch, sat down next to Parker, and leaned back against him.

  As soon as I closed my eyes, I heard the word presents being yelled through the house. The kids were each handed their stack of gifts, and before I knew it, they'd ripped open every single one of them. There was wrapping paper on every single inch of the floor.

  “We all put the twins gifts in a bag over there,” Sammie said, as she pointed to a huge bag. “You can give them to them when you see them next.”

  I looked back at Parker. He had so much emotion in his eyes. I turned and snuggled in closer to him, and he held me tight.

  “Thank you so much for including them,” he said. “They're going to be so happy.”

  The kids grabbed their favorite things and took off for the basement to play. The whole process hadn't taken nearly as long as I'd hoped it would.

  “You okay?” Parker whispered in my ear, and I nodded. “You sure you don't need a hot beef injection to wake you up?”

  I couldn't help but laugh at his words. As much as I did not want to encourage whatever behavior he had going on, that one had caught me off guard.

  “I'll be right back,” I said, as I got up and walked up the stairs to the bathroom.

  When I heard my phone ding from my back pocket, where I'd totally forgotten I'd even put it, I knew it was him.

  Parker: Was that code for come up here so I can tickle your pickle?

  Me: You are so not funny. I would not tickle your pickle in my brother's house.

  Parker: You were the one laughing, not me. I'm just trying to tell my woman that I'd really like to do some mattress dancing when we get back to her place.

  Me: You're too much.

  Parker: Does that mean we might be boinking later?

  Me: Oh my! You need to stop. I'm about to pee my pants.

  Parker: Thought you were in the bathroom.

  Me: I'll be right down.

  Before he could reply with something totally inappropriate to that comment, I sent him another text.

  Me: Goodbye, Parker.

  When I walked back into the living room, I sat down next to Sammie and listened to Lance, Scott, and Parker talk about baseball. Sammie leaned in close and whispered in my ear.

  “You okay? You've been off all day?”

  “I'm good,” I said.

  I saw Parker on his phone out of the corner of my eye. Then I heard the ding of mine.

  Parker: How about we get out of here so I can get some cock snuggling?

  I burst into laughter and shoved my phone back into my pocket.

  “What is it?” Sammie asked.

  I leaned toward her and whispered.

  “I'm sitting over here hoping Parker doesn't run out of here when he opens his gift.”

  “Why would he do that?” she asked.

&n
bsp; I heard the ding again, and I grabbed my phone.

  Parker: How abut some bow-chick-a-wow-wow?

  I shook my head, and it took all I had not to laugh again.

  “You'll see,” I said to Sammie.

  She looked over at me just as my phone dinged again.

  “What are you about to spring on that poor man in front of all of us?” she asked, as I laughed at his new message.

  Parker: So, I'll just butter the biscuits then.

  “Stop it!” Sammie snapped, as she looked toward Parker. “We're trying to have a conversation over here. If you don't knock it off, I'm going to snatch her phone and read off everything it says. From the look on her face, you do not want her dad hearing it.”

  “Me?” Parker asked, with total innocence in his tone. “I was just texting her about some monkey business.”

  I couldn't stop the laugh from bubbling up and out of me. The man was driving me nuts. If he didn't stop, he'd either never get it again, or I'd end up jumping him just from thinking about it so much. It had to stop, but it didn't. The phone dinged again, and Sammie grabbed it before I could see it or shut it off.

  “The horizontal polka,” Sammie said, making sure she was loud enough for all the guys to hear. Parker narrowed his eyes at her, and she laughed. “What is that?”

  “It's a dance,” he said. “We've been talking about taking dance lessons.”

  “And you want to learn the horizontal polka?” she asked.

  I snatched the phone from her hand and sat back down. When she sat down, she was laughing so hard. I looked around the room. All of the women were laughing, even grandma, and all of the men were as serious as can be, but not one of them said a word.

  I typed frantically on my phone and hit send.

  Me: Enough, Parker. We do not need another name for it.

  Parker: So, we're back to fucking then.

  Me: Yes, we're back to fucking.

  Parker: I'm glad. That's my favorite. I can't wait to be fucking you. See, it's perfect.

  I shoved the phone back into my pocket. We were done, and there was no way I was going to say anything to get him going again. I'd been so stressed, and he'd taken it all away without even knowing it. The man was perfect, I just wasn't sure he was going to think the same about me for much longer.

  “What are you going to spring on him, Cassie?” Sammie leaned in to ask again.

  When I turned to her and smiled, her eyes widened.

  “No way!” she gasped, before hurrying to cover her mouth, and I nodded. “Shit!”

  Lance looked over, and both Sammie and I started laughing. When I looked over at grandma, she started laughing too. I knew she'd figured it out. The woman was a damn wizard when it came to that shit. Shit! She probably knew before I did.

  “What's so funny?” Lance asked roughly.

  “It's girl talk,” I answered.

  “Whatever,” he said. “I'm just damn glad you girls are done having babies. Look at this place. We barely even fit anymore. We couldn't fit one more if we had to.”

  Sammie burst into laughter at his last comment, and growled out at her.

  “I will kick your husbands ass.”

  “She is not pregnant,” James said, as he turned quickly toward Sammie. “Are you?”

  “No,” she said, as she looked between her dad and her husband.

  “Fucking music to my ears,” her dad said. “You live another day, Reid.”

  “Let's do presents,” Sammie said, as she turned to me. “You go first.”

  “No,” I said. “You can go. I bet you got my brother something really nice and super expensive.”

  “We're going to do the horizontal polka later,” she said. “That's his gift.”

  “Not funny, Woman,” James said, as he looked sternly at Sammie. “I'll smack that ass no problem.”

  “No,” Lance snapped out. “This conversation will stop right there. You go, Cassie. I need my mind off of that, or Reid will definitely not live another day.”

  “Hey,” James said. “I put a ring on it.”

  “Okay,” I said, as I hurried to get to my feet.

  I handed out my presents, and they each opened them quickly.

  “My turn,” Parker said, as he moved to stand.

  “I'm not done,” I said, as I handed him a box. “This is yours.”

  “You're giving me my gift here?” he asked.

  “No polka for you, I guess,” Sammie said, with a laugh.

  I sat down as he unwrapped the box. There was no way I could stand up with my knees shaking as much as they were. Once the paper was gone, he took off the lid, and he lifted the jersey out, as I held my breath the entire time.

  “How adorable,” he said. “It's a tiny jersey.”

  “Oh shit!” Lance snapped. “Not again.”

  I watched Parker look over at him and then slowly turn toward me. When our eyes connected, his grew wider than I'd ever seen them.

  “You okay?” I whispered.

  He shoved the paper on the floor away from his feet and he got down in front of me.

  “Really?” he asked, with concern in his eyes that had me tearing up, and I nodded. “I thought you didn't want a Little Pete Parker.”

  “I still don't,” I said, and his look of concern turned to one of pain. “Our child will not be named Pete.”

  “A baby,” he said.

  “A baby,” I repeated.

  “You okay with that?” I asked him.

  “Hell yeah I am,” he said, as excitement filled his words. “I have a gift for you too.”

  “It's not your turn,” Sammie said, with a smile.

  “Doesn't matter,” he said.

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a square, blue jewelry box. Then he opened the lid, pulled out a ring, grabbed my finger, and slipped it on me.

  “I can't wait to make you my wife,” he said.

  “What is it with you ballplayers,” Lucy said from across the room. “You're supposed to ask her, and more importantly, you're supposed to wait for her to say yes.”

  “Doesn't matter,” he said, as he stood up, grabbed my hands, and pulled me up with him.

  Then he wrapped his arms around me, and his mouth came down on mine. When he pulled back, he looked into my eyes.

  “My baby, and my woman. She's going to be my wife,” he said.

  “I don't have a choice,” I said, as I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him.

  “Not at all,” he said. “I love you, princess.”

  “You're going to be Mrs. Pete Parker,” James blurted out. “That shit is too funny.”

  “I'm just glad she's a Reid and not a Smith,” Parker said, and all of the ladies let out a loud laugh together.

  “I guess we need to have a chat then, Parker,” Lance said. “We're a family here, and Cassie is one of my girls. I hope you're both ready, because I can guarantee you that every single thing you've heard about me is spot on.”

  “Really?” Parker asked.

  “Oh yeah,” Lance answered. “Bet you'll think twice about knocking her up again once I'm through, unless you're like them that is.”

  He looked between James and Lance Jr., and they both held their hands up.

  Everyone came around to congratulate us before finishing with the presents. Then we sat down on the couch and turned on a movie.

  We were only about ten minutes in when Lauren made a sound. When I looked over, she looked like she didn't feel well. She had been really quiet all day, but I thought it had something to do with it being Christmas and that maybe she was thinking about her parents.

  “You okay?” Lance Jr. asked her.

  “I'm fine,” she answered. “I've just been feeling weird all day. I hope I'm not getting sick.”

  “What kind of feeling weird?” Lance asked.

  “I don't know,” she answered. “Just a weird feeling in my stomach. Maybe it was something I ate that didn't agree with me.”

  “You should have it ch
ecked,” he said.

  “I'll be fine,” she said. “I've been so stressed over the kids, and I've been tired as well. It's not easy having kids that close together, even if it is totally worth it.”

  We went back to watching the movie, and before long, she winced.

  “Bullshit!” both Lance's barked out at the same time.

  “Let's go,” her husband said.

  “It's Christmas,” she said, looking between them like they were both crazy. “I'll call the doctor in the morning.”

  “You want to hear my mouth all night long?” Lance asked her.

  “Not really,” she answered, in a cocky tone.

  “Then get your ass moving,” he said sternly.

  Lucy got up and got ready to go with them. The rest of stayed back with all the kids.

  Once our movie was over, we let the kids know it was time for bed. Between us, we got them all ready and had them resting in either a bed or a sleeping bag upstairs. Then we grabbed some blankets and pillows and spread ourselves out through the living room together.

  Parker was leaning back toward the couch with his head resting on a pillow. I was sitting between his legs, leaning back against him. His arms were around me, and my head was on his shoulder.

  “A baby,” he whispered into my ear. “I'm going to be a dad again.”

  “Are you sure you're okay with it?” I asked him. “Is that why you proposed?”

  “I'm more than okay with it, Cassie,” he answered. “And just for the record, I've been planning to propose for months.”

  “Just for the record,” I said, mocking what he'd said, “I would have said yes.”

  “I already told you, it doesn't matter,” he said, as he laughed and kissed me on the head. “I'm calling a builder in the morning.”

  “What?” I asked, as I turned in his arms. “Why?”

  “We need another room,” he said. “While I'm at it, I'm adding a second one too.”

  I opened my mouth, but he shook his head, and I stopped.

  “Before you even try to argue, don't,” he said. “Since you're already having my baby, I'm thinking there might just be a chance I can get you to do it again.”