by Skye Turner
By:
Rookie Love
By
Skye Turner
****
Kindle Edition
****
Skye Turner Copyright ©2016
All rights reserved.
This ebook is the sole property of the author and may not be reproduced or transmitted without the permission of the author. Please help prevent the piracy of ebooks. If you are reading this book and you did NOT purchase it from a retailer, or get it as a one-time loan from someone who purchased it from one of the FOUR above mentioned places, you have an ILLEGAL copy! I like to eat and I like to feed my children, so please support myself and other authors by acquiring our work the LEGAL way. Don’t be a douche and steal our hard work.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, places, events, or occurrences is purely coincidental unless otherwise noted below.
The author acknowledges the real people or places and copyrighted or trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction: Antarctica, Atlanta, Atlanta Braves, Band-Aid, Baton Rouge, Bobblehead, Cancun, Chevy Silverado, Chihuahua, Clark Kent, Clinton, Converse, Derek Jeter, Dodge Charger, Facebook, Fitbit, Florida, Friends, Frisbee, Garden District, Georgia, Google, GPS, Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, Gulf of Mexico, Heartbreak Hotel, It’s A Small World After All, Las Vegas, Louisiana, LSU, LSU Lakes, Major League Baseball, Minnesota Twins, Mississippi River, New York, NY Yankees, Oscars, Paul Walker, Percy Jackson, Powerade, Professor Snape, Raising Cane’s, Ritz Carlton, Safari, Saint Bernard, Shakira, She-Wolf, Superman, Turner Park, Twitter, World Series.
Cover Design by: Kari Ayasha of Cover to Cover Designs
www.covertocoverdesigns.com
Editor: Indie Edits by Skye
Formatting: BB eBooks Thailand / Paul Salvette
bbebooksthailand.com
Author Bio Photography: James Turner
*** Due to graphic sex scenes and strong language, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18. This is an ADULT book and contains graphic sex scenes and explicit language. It also contains delicate topics that may be hard for sensitive readers to handle.
Dedication
For those who are willing to open their homes and their hearts to help animals.
We are their protectors.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Books by Skye Turner
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Epilogue
Playlist
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Sneak Peek of Behind My Charade
Books by Skye Turner
**All books by Skye Turner are/ can be Standalones with the exception of the Bayou Stix Novella.
BAYOU STIX SERIES (Rocker Romance)
Alluring Turmoil, Book 1 Bayou Stix
Alluring Seduction, Book 2 Bayou Stix
Alluring Ties, A Bayou Stix Novella, Book 2.5 Bayou Stix
Alluring Temptation, Book 3 Bayou Stix
Alluring Infatuation, Book 4 Bayou Stix
Alluring Surrender, Book 5 Bayou Stix
JAMES BLACK SERIES (Romantic Suspense)
James Black, Book 1 James Black
Becoming James Black, Book 2 James Black
DEAR DIARY SHORT STORIES (Erotic Romance)
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY
Unwanted Desire (Contemporary Romance)
With Gratitude and Love (Military / Holiday*ish Romance)
His Only Salvation (Dark Romance)
A LIL BIT COUNTRY A LIL BIT ROCK & ROLL (Adult Romance)
Riff, Book 1 A Lil Bit Country A Lil Bit Rock & Roll
Harmony, Book 2 A Lil Bit Country A Lil Bit Rock & Roll (COMING SOON)
Interlude, Book 3 A Lil Bit Country A Lil Bit Rock & Roll (COMING SOON)
Crescendo, Book 4 A Lil Bit Country A Lil Bit Rock & Roll (COMING SOON)
Rookie Love (Contemporary Baseball Romance)
GEMSTONE BURLESQUE (Erotic Romance)
Amethyst
Ruby
Jade
Onyx
Tungsten
Topaz
Chapter One
Jase
“Are you serious, Adam? You said you’d be the designated driver tonight. What the hell man?! You’re wasted! I was counting on you to get me home! Now what the hell am I supposed to do?” I ask Adam, our catcher, my teammate, and friend… though I’m currently rethinking that last part.
He shrugs and smiles. “Oops. Sorry, bro. I guess I got too excited about the win.” His blood-shot eyes glance around the bar, full of our teammates, groupies, and fans. He waves in the general direction of the crowd from our spot in the VIP lounge. “I’m su–sure… on––one of them… wil–– will be happy… to take you… home.” His speech is so slurred, I’m having trouble understanding him. “Dude, I’m out of here. I’ll get myself home. I only had four beers and I don’t live that far.” I point at him with the keys I removed from my pocket and bark. “Don’t drive home, Adam! You better get one of your adoring fans to bring you. If coach sees you like this, he’s going to kick your ass and if he gets a call about you being smeared all over the asphalt because you were stupid enough to drive home, he’s going to kick all of our asses!”
I cannot believe that Adam got so drunk. He volunteered to be the designated driver tonight. It’s why I drank the four damn beers! I wouldn’t have drank at all if I’d known he was going to get shit faced and screw me.
I can always call Micah, my brother, but I don’t want to hear the lecture about being more responsible and how he can’t believe I passed up college to play minor league ball again. Not that he isn’t proud of me… he is. And with the scouts hanging round me all the time now and the buzz from the major markets, we all know that I’ll be major league soon enough. He just wanted me to have a degree to fall back on. I’m not the lawyer type like him and our father though. He’s the one with the political aspirations. But he’s right… he’ll be an honest politician and lord knows we need some of those because he’s a brilliant lawyer with integrity. That’s just not me… I’ve always cared more about playing ball than busting people’s balls in court.
Hey, we all have our dreams.
Fuck that. I’m not in the mood to deal with his brotherly concern tonight. I can drive the half mile home. I’m not even buzzed anymore and I haven’t drank anything in over an hour. I’ll be fine.
Waving to the rest of my teammates as I head to the door, I holler back thanks as people call out to me. “Great game tonight, Jase.” “You pitched a hell of a game!” “You’ve got mad talent, boy!”
I grin as I reach the door. I am a hell of a baseball player.
Just as I’m about to step into the humid, no, make that sweltering
heat of a Louisiana summer night, a lush body presses against me and fire engine red nails are tracing my pecs through my shirt. “Hiya, Jase. You’re not leaving so soon, are you?!” She looks familiar, though I can’t recall having ever spoken to her before tonight. Her lips are protruding from her pretty face in what can only be described as a “sex kitten pout” and they perfectly match her fire engine red nails.
I try to slide by her before she can grab on to my shirt. I’m not in the mood for this. I just want to go home. The game was long and went into extra innings and I’m tired.
Tomorrow is an early day. Right this second… all I want is my freaking bed.
I manage to get past her, but it jostles her and she teeters on her sky high heels. Because my momma would beat my ass if I didn’t act like a gentleman, I reach out to catch her before she lands on her ass. “Whoa… careful there, sweetheart. That could have been an ugly spill.”
Her alcohol laden breath wafts up to me as she bats her eyelashes and curls her fingers around my forearms. “Why thank you, kind sir…” She giggles and it only annoys me. “You’re such a gentleman.” Her hands are caressing my arms and she’s wiggling her body closer into mine. “I would have made a fool of myself if you hadn’t been here.”
I can’t stop the smirk that crosses my face. “I doubt that. If I hadn’t been here, I don’t think you’d be walking into the parking lot all alone when you’ve had a few drinks. And if you were, that’s not really safe. You shouldn’t do that. You never know who’s out here waiting to prey on a pretty lady walking alone.”
Her eyes widen and then she smiles again. “Jase Stevens, you are just too much. No wonder why you’re so loved. An athlete and a gentleman. Be still my heart.”
The smile stays on my face, but all I want to do is disentangle myself from this woman, get to my car, and drive the short distance to my house. Leaning back as her hands travel up my chest and try to lock around my neck, I manage to thwart her. Glancing over quickly, I see Wen, the bouncer at Mustangs, the bar where we celebrate, and give him the nod that says, “Yo, can you help me out here, bro?!”
He quickly heads over and says, “Hey, Jase. Good game. Sorry I missed it, but everyone is talking about it, so I’ve gotten the highlights. You really pitched all twelve innings?”
I nod. “I did. And I’m beat. I need to get home and rest my shoulder.” I nod at the woman on my arm again. He takes the hint and smirks as he smoothly slides her to the side without her even realizing it, allowing me to get free. He calls out, “Better, get home then. Hey, you good to drive? Do I need to call someone?”
I nod and swiftly head to my car as I call over my shoulder, “I’m good. I’m not drunk, man. Not even buzzed. Thanks for checking. You’re solid, Wen.”
As I click the button to unlock my car, the car that Adam was supposed to be driving tonight, I hear him call back. “No worries. Got to make sure everyone gets home safely.”
I nod and slide into the white Charger. After backing out, I pull up to the open door of the bar where Wen is checking ID’s, and roll down the window. Wen looks over with a raised brow. “Don’t let Adam drive, ok. I don’t care what he says or who he’s with. Do not let him drive tonight.”
He nods and salutes me. “On it. I’m here til the last employee leaves, so I’ll make sure he’s a passenger and if needed, I’ll call them a cab.”
Thanking him once more, I pull out of the parking lot as the woman who was just draped all over me frowns at me from behind Wen’s brawn in the doorway.
Thanks, man. I don’t like to be an asshole, but I’m not into hooking up with random groupies every night. It seems like the better I play, the bolder they get, and the harder it is to dissuade them.
I don’t want a bunch of casual hookups. Though it would be so easy. A lot of the guys just go home with whoever is around and willing… I just can’t get into that.
My brother found his soulmate, Bradi, when I was a youngster and after seeing them together for the past ten years… I want what they have. It’s special.
Too bad I don’t exactly have the opportunity to meet people with the schedule I keep. Maybe I can look a little harder once I actually get signed to the majors.
Ha, who the hell am I kidding?! Once that happens, things will just be more insane, not less.
I guess I’ll just have to open my eyes wider and hope that the one I’m supposed to be with finds me… since my ass is way too busy to find her.
Maybe she’ll just fall into my lap.
Yeah ok… because that’s happened so far, Jase.
I’m lost in my own head and trying to stay awake, I guess I was more exhausted than I thought, when I see flashing blue lights behind me.
Goddammit. Son of a fucking bitch.
Pulling over, I roll down the window, slide my license out of my wallet, and grab the registration from the console. I lay both on the dashboard and place my hands on the steering wheel, so they can see both hands.
It’s late and I don’t know how their night has been. No need to have them on the offensive.
The officer walks up and says, “License and registration please, sir. Do you know why I pulled you over?”
Looking at him, I can barely see his face from the flashlight, as I hand him both, I shake my head and return my hands to the wheel. “No, I honestly don’t. Sorry, it’s been a long day and I was trying to get home. Was I speeding?”
The officer taps my license and says, “Jase Stevens. The Jase Stevens who pitches for the Gris Gris?”
I nod and sigh. “Yes, sir. That’s me.”
He sighs and says, “Mr. Stevens, you weren’t speeding, but you failed to stop at the red light back there. I was right behind you and you just drove through it. Luckily no one was coming through the intersection.
Have you had anything to drink tonight?”
Fuck.
Nodding, I reply. “Yes, sir. After the game, we went to Mustangs to celebrate. I had four beers, but I’m not drunk. I haven’t even had a drink in almost two hours.”
He sighs and says, “I’m sorry, Mr. Stevens. Can you please step out of the car and keep your hands where I can see them? I’m going to need to verify that you’re not impaired.”
Fucking hell. I’m not drunk, but I was drinking. I knew better than to drive. I’m going to beat Adam’s fucking ass!
After stepping out, I walk the line and then I’m asked to breath into the breathalyzer. I do.
The officer sighs again and says, “I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to come with me. You blew a .086.”
Son of a bitch. Am I being arrested? How is my blood alcohol that high after only four drinks?!
What is this going to do for my major league chances?
Oh my God… Coach is going to kill me.
You knew better than to drink at all and drive, Jase! You should have just taken a cab.
With a resigned sigh, I turn toward his unit and allow him to place me in the backseat. He leaves off the cuffs… for which I’m grateful.
I cannot believe this is happening…
Cally
“Come on, boy.” Percy Jackson runs over to me and I laugh as he jumps up and places his massive paws on my chest, knocking me down. Percy is my Saint Bernard. He was dropped off a year ago at Love & Paws, the animal rescue center that I run. My maw maw started the non-profit, no-kill center back in 1980 in memory of my paw paw. He was a vet and always took in the animals that no one wanted anymore until he could find them safe and loving forever homes. I started working here when I was about six and just never left. Now, Maw Maw stays at home and I handle Love & Paws. It’s been my baby for two years now.
Percy licks my face and we laugh as the other dogs run around us and play in the large, expansive lot.
Love & Paws is the largest center of its kind around here. Maw Maw opened it on the back of the family land. The center covers about six acres of the two-hundred acre property. Both of my grandparents came from “old money” and were sm
art with their investments, so though the center is a non-profit, the revenue we make from the live camera feeds, the website, and the merchandise we sell featuring the animals is quite substantial and allows us to take in every animal we can. We’ve never had to turn any animal away and have a very high adoption rate.
Most of the staff volunteers their time and we have a lot of veterinary medicine students from LSU that also help out. Two local vets also spay and neuter all of the animals at no charge for the adoptees, so that every animal that leaves here is fixed. We do have an extensive questionnaire for everyone to fill out before we allow them to leave with one of our babies and they are required to check in regularly so we can assess how the animals are doing. If at any time we feel they are not being properly cared for, we have the right to remove them from the home and they are returned to Love & Paws. In the twenty-six years we’ve been operational, I can remember only a handful of animals we’ve reclaimed or had returned.
It works wonderfully and we’ve received many awards and accolades. It’s also why we’re the number one recommended center to visit for your new fur baby.
Percy sits at my side and barks at the tiny black Chihuahua nipping at his paws and trying to play with him. I laugh and call out, “Go ahead. Go play with Professor Snape but be gentle. Soft, soft, remember he’s littler than you are.”
Percy looks back at me and almost seems to grin before he hops along the grass. He nips at Professor Snape a few times and then plops down and rolls onto his back as Professor Snape pulls on his ear and mock growls.
I chuckle. “Get him, boy. You’re so brave.”
I love this place.
See Cally, you have everything you need.
Well, almost everything… it would be nice to have someone to love me and fall in love with this place, too. It might be nice to share the load.
Not that I’m complaining… Love & Paws is amazing. I just sometimes wish that my love life was equally as amazing.
Love life?!
What love life, Cally?
If he doesn’t have four paws and fur, you have NO man in your life…
