Scott laughed. “None taken. See one you want to take home?” Rachel slapped him on the shoulder. “What? Just kidding.”
“He’s up! He’s up!” Rachel said while stuffing a nacho into her mouth. “Lord, Stacey, you make good-looking kids.”
Stacey laughed. “That I do.”
Lea felt her cheeks heat. She secretly knew just how hard and sexy Colin’s body was, but mixing the sensual memory of their tryst in the pool last night with her guilt made her thoughts explosive. For God’s sake, she was sitting next to his mother, her best friend. She took a drink, trying to clear the lump in her throat.
Colin stood in front of the dugout, practicing his swing. With each motion, the shirt he wore tightened around the firm muscles in his arms. Lea felt her stomach flutter. His lean waist twisted, making her imagination drift to how his abdomen contracted every time she kissed his stomach. There was a ticket to Hell waiting for her at the pearly gates.
Colin turned around, scanning the bleachers. Stacey waved and Colin nodded. When he found Lea, he tipped the rim of his helmet and grinned. “Looks like you two are getting along well,” Stacey said before sipping on the cup of soda.
Lea sucked on the straw so hard the thin plastic tube almost collapsed. “He’s a good tenant. He mows the yard, keeps the pool cleaned up—even does some of the dishes. You know, helps around the house.”
Stacey’s soft expression relieved the tension. “Good, I knew it was a great idea. He’s a good guy.” When Colin straddled home plate Stacey stood up and clapped. Lea couldn’t help but crane her neck so she could get a better view of his position.
The pitcher wound up and sliced the ball through the air. Colin swung and the ball flew. Lea clapped and stood to her feet wanting to jump up and down but not wanting to draw too much attention.
Colin’s powerful muscles clenched and released under his uniform as he ran all the way around to home plate. He stopped after passing the umpire. Catching sight of her standing in the bleachers, he waved.
He leaned down, resting his palms on his knees, breathing from the effort. She squinted through her sunglasses, her stomach dropping as he pointed in her direction and mouthed for you. Lea glanced over at Stacey who was telling Rachel all about the great the play.
Lea grinned, sure her cheeks were pink. She sat down, confused by the way her heartbeat sped up. The agreement was nothing more than a sexual affair, a way for her to feel the excitement she’d craved for so long. Nothing more.
Having a relationship was the furthest thing from her mind, especially with a man Colin’s age. Besides, it wasn’t plausible. Two people with an age gap like theirs could never work, even forgetting the fact he was Stacey’s son. They were at different places in their lives. Nothing more. She pressed her hand against the spot on her chest where an ache had settled.
She filed the thought and turned her attention back to her friends while Colin disappeared into the dugout. The rest of the game was spent cheering and clapping, yelling at the umpire, and listening to Stacey brag about her son.
As the sun disappeared over the horizon, lights at the ballpark flickered then lit up the field. The end of the game kept them cheering and clapping as the last of the runners slid their cleats over home base. Colin’s team won. Lea felt her chest swell. Her man had led the team to victory like a stallion. Damn, that turned her on, but these days anything having to do with Colin made her blood heat and her panties soaked.
Colin’s cleats clicked against the metal bleachers. He set the black duffel bag on the bleacher. “Food. I need pizza.” He set his eyes on Lea. “Where are we going?”
Lea swallowed a gasp. With Stacey standing beside Colin, Lea thought she was going to have to crawl under the bench and cry. She had to think fast or he was going to reveal everything with a simple glance.
Trying to defuse Colin’s intense gaze, Lea turned to Stacey. “Do you guys want to go get something to eat?”
Stacey checked her phone. “I have to get home,” she said, pulling Colin in for a hug. “Your dad should be home by now. I have to make sure he survived the motorcycle ride. Next time?”
Colin kissed her on the cheek. “Sounds good.”
Rachel talked to Scott then said, “We’re hungry. Amy’s watching Nick. Let me call and check on them, but it should be fine. As long as we bring home a pizza, they won’t maul us when we walk through the door. It’s a zoo having a fifteen and eleven year old.”
Lea smiled, trying to hide the hurt. She would’ve had the same issue, but her body hadn’t been ready the two times she’d gotten pregnant. Losing the pregnancies had been emotionally draining, but when she’d found out her ex was having a baby with his secretary, her heart had fallen through the floor. They’d tried several times after the second miscarriage, but when nothing happened, the doctor had told her to give her body a break then the bottom dropped out of her marriage.
“Hey,” Colin said, dipping his head and gently running his hand along her lower back. “I’ll follow you over to Pizza Chef.”
Stacey looked up from rifling through her purse and Lea shrugged away from Colin’s comforting hand. “I’ll talk to you guys tomorrow,” Stacey said and stepped over the bench to head back to her car.
Rachel tugged her purse strap over her shoulder and said to Colin, “Nice moves out there.” She glanced over at Lea and winked. Lea huffed and picked up her purse. “I mean, when you guys bend over to wait for the ball, that’s so exciting. You know? The anticipation of the ball headed your way.”
Lea snorted. She knew exactly why Rachel found those bent-over ball players so exciting and it wasn’t the anticipation of the incoming softball. Colin glanced at her with a confused expression on his face. He wiped the sweat from his brow and said, “Yeah, it’s fun and intense.”
Rachel slid her arm around Lea’s waist and squeezed. “I’ll bet. Lea likes how you wait on the ball, you know all bent over and—what did you say—intense? Yeah, she likes you all bent over and intense.”
Holy Mother Mary, she was going to die. Lea pictured her grave and her body falling into the dark cavern. “Rachel!”
Her friend grinned. “Come on, Scotty. Let’s call the kids and get some pizza. It’s like a date night!”
Lea waited for Rachel and Scott to walk away. “You’ve got to be more careful, Colin. Your mother is going to find out what’s going on. The last thing I want to do is upset her.”
Colin wrapped her in his arms, pulling her in close to his heated body. “You,” he said before pressing a kiss to her closed mouth, “worry too much. I’m starving.” He sat down and changed his shoes. “She’s going to find out sooner or later. We’ll handle it when the time is right. I won’t let you handle this alone, Lea.”
He laced their fingers together making her feel like their hands were always meant to be held together. This wasn’t what this was supposed to be—two people holding hands, laughing, having pizza, spending late nights talking by the pool, doing things as a couple. What had happened between their bodies in ecstasy on the bed that first night that led to this?
“I’m not ready. Not yet.”
She knew about all the women he’d dated, how his mom wanted to set him up with a girl from the school she worked at, why clowns creeped him out, that he was afraid of the dark—he hadn’t actually revealed that one, but he still slept with the same Transformers night-light he had when he was six years old—and that his favorite food was his mom’s taco lasagna.
Colin had a million questions about her marriage and why she’d stayed with a cheating husband after the first incident. Hell, looking back, she wasn’t sure why she’d hung around. Surprisingly, Colin hadn’t chastised her for the decision. He’d just gotten red in the face and threatened to beat her ex to a pulp.
She’d told him things she’d never shared with anyone—how she’d found a lump in her breast and how scared she’d been waiting on the biopsy results. Thank God it was negative, but the pending result had put her life into perspe
ctive. Everything could be lost in a moment—all the exhilarating moments she’d never taken advantage of would never come around again.
Now, watching Colin snag the handle of the large bag, she couldn’t help but think if this was one of those moments. When they reached the end of the bleachers, Colin stepped down. Lea’s heart pumped so hard her chest tightened. Was this the moment she bungee jumped, took the step to get on the huge roller coaster at the theme park?
Colin turned when she didn’t step down. He set the bag in the grass. “Baby, you all right?”
A hot ray spiked through her senses and something deep inside pushed her over the cliff. She reached out and wrapped her arms around Colin’s neck to pull him close. He was on the ground and she was a couple of benches above him, so she dipped her head and pressed her lips against his mouth. As soon as he realized what was going on, he wrapped his arms around her waist and tugged her close.
“Jesus, I’ve been waiting for you to do this,” he whispered against her mouth.
Lea smiled beneath the kiss and tilted her head. She slipped her tongue between his lips to deepen the intense feelings between them. Quickly, he took control of the passion and ran his hand along her sides, reaching down to squeeze one globe of her ass. When he moaned, she laughed. Maybe they really didn’t need pizza. She could eat this up for eternity.
The thought brought reality crashing down. She pulled back and frantically scanned the ballpark. There were only a few people left heading to their cars. Thank God. Colin ran his hand up her spine, raking with it tiny sparks of pleasure.
“Don’t be scared,” he said before peppering gentle kisses against her mouth. “We’re two people kissing, Lea. Let them see how much I want you.”
She wanted to be just two people kissing, but they were two people whose ages were a lifetime apart—two people who were keeping a secret from the people they loved. Besides, the day was coming when he’d wake up and see this affair as a novelty. Young guy wants the experience of an older woman. Granted, thirty-nine wasn’t ancient by any means—she’d enjoyed the last few years and hadn’t minded the wisdom that came with watching birthdays scoot past, but now? With Colin, she almost wished she could turn back the clock.
Colin gently slid his palm over her cheek. “Come back to me, baby. Stop thinking. Let’s go get something to eat.”
She grinned, thankful he could always pull her out of the dark thoughts. “How do you know what I’m thinking?”
He laced their fingers together again and helped her step off the bleachers. “I can always tell. I know you—you like peanuts on vanilla ice cream, you won’t use mouthwash in the morning because it makes your coffee taste awful, and you like your eggs sunny-side up with no salt. Now, come on, I’m starving.”
Lea dipped her head and quietly let Colin lead her to the parking lot. He took her keys from her hand and pressed the button to unlock the door. She buckled in and he pressed a quick kiss against her lips before shutting the door.
She started the car and watched as Colin got in his truck and waved. He pulled out of the parking lot and Lea couldn’t help but feel her heart drive away with the man she loved.
*****
“Can I use these?” Colin asked his dad as he lifted the fishing poles from the hooks on the wall of the garage.
“Take the Falcon BMC. I get the best bass catches on that one. I found it!” Dave lifted a dust-covered tackle box with superhero stickers plastered all over the lid. “You remember this?”
Colin grinned. “Shit, you still have that?”
He watched his dad unlatch the hinge and pull out red and white bobbers. “You used to love to go out on the boat. Hey, let’s go out next weekend and make an overnight out of it. We’ll head up to Baldoff’s pit.”
Feeling the familiar excitement bubble up in his belly, Colin gathered the rods. “Hell yeah, I want to go. We’ll get Mom to make some turkey sandwiches.”
Colin’s dad laughed. “Son, I think you go more to eat your mom’s sandwiches than to catch fish.”
“Probably.” Colin walked to put the rods in the back of the truck. “I’ll get these back to you this week.”
Dave rested his forearms on the ledge of the truck bed. “You know you’re going to have to bait her hook, right?”
Colin usually didn’t get nervous about anything, but his dad’s question caught him off guard. He knew Lea wanted them to keep their relationship secret, but, damn, he wanted to tell everyone how much he loved her. “I doubt Hernandez will have a problem baiting his own hook.”
“Son, if you think for one minute I can’t see what’s going on, you’re as crazy as your uncle Dan.”
Colin snorted. “Hey, Uncle Dan used to let us ride in the back of his truck and eat beef jerky. He’s not so bad.”
Dave rounded the back of the truck to where Colin stood. He patted Colin’s shoulder and squeezed. “Last Saturday, I stopped by to see you. No one answered the front door.” Colin’s chest sank. He and Lea had been swimming last Saturday afternoon. “Son, it’s been a long time since I’ve heard a woman make those kinds of noises, and the filth I heard come out of your mouth made me want to go to church.”
Colin felt his cheeks heat to four shades of a five alarm fire. Shit, his dad had heard him fucking his woman. “Dad, I can exp—”
Dave laughed and started back into the garage. “Hey, if you can do it, why not? Lea’s a nice woman, not hard on the eyes either—never ever tell your mother I said that.” Colin smiled, knowing Lea was gorgeous. “But, if this is going to continue, you owe it to your mom to tell her.”
Knowing his dad was right made his stomach twist, not because he didn’t want to tell his mom but because Lea didn’t. He wanted her to be proud of their relationship. He was. “I know,” he said. “We’ll tell her soon.” He looked to his dad, man to man. “Thanks for not freaking out. I know she’s Mom’s best friend. I can’t help the way I feel. She’s the one, Dad.”
Dave pulled his son in for a hug. “Just don’t be stupid. Tell your mom. She’s a smart woman and she loves you. Tell her before she finds out on her own. You two be careful. Give me a call about next weekend.”
“Will do.” Colin got in the truck and pulled out of the driveway. The closer he got to Lea’s house, the faster the blood pumped through his veins. His dad knew how he felt about Lea and the world hadn’t exploded. Maybe telling his mom wouldn’t be so bad.
When he pulled onto the brick driveway, Lea was standing on the porch watching Charlie scamper around the front lawn. She smiled and his gut eased, knowing he had come home.
He turned off the truck and they walked into the house together.
“I made some sandwiches and sweet tea. Charlie has her snacks in that bag,” She pointed to a small canvas bag on the kitchen bench. “I wasn’t sure if you’d want…”
The sound of her voice rolled through him. The hour he’d been at his dad’s, away from her, felt like an hour too long. He grabbed her arm and tugged her into a hug. She laughed and ran her smooth palms along his biceps. The way she was always exploring his body like she’d never felt it before made him feel like Hercules. Yeah, he was kind of a softie like that—he wanted his woman to like his body.
“I missed you,” he said, leaning down to kiss her precious lips.
She wrapped her arms around his waist, sneaking her little fingers under his shirt to massage his lower back. God, he loved that. “I missed you, too.”
He’d stand in the kitchen forever, but they needed to get on the road if they expected to catch anything. “Ready?”
She let him go, instantly making him regret the decision to prompt them to part. “Yes,” she said and grabbed the two bags she’d packed for the picnic. “Come on Charlie!” When the dog padded into the kitchen, she latched the colorful pink leash onto Charlie’s matching collar.
Colin’s chest swelled with pride. This was his little family now. “I’ll get the cooler.”
They loaded the truck, Charlie taking he
r seat in his lap as he backed out of the driveway. He scooted the seat back to give the fat dog more room then lowered the window enough so she could catch the breeze.
“Your dog’s a spoiled brat,” he teased.
Lea gave him a snarky smile. “So? You love her.”
Colin stopped at the end of the driveway to check for any coming cars. He looked over at Lea. “Yes, I do love her.”
Lea, cheeks sun-kissed from their time in the pool, blushed. “So...you do realize I won’t put a worm on a hook, right?”
Colin put the truck into drive and started down the road. “I’ll do it for you, but you’re going to learn to safely take a fish off a hook.”
He loved how she curled her pert nose. “I don’t know about that. My dad took me fishing once and I almost passed out when he pulled the hook out of the fish’s mouth. You’ve got your work cut out for you.”
He laughed, first because she looked so damn cute and second because the dog’s tongue lazily flapped in the wind. “If you want fish for dinner, you’re going to have to be brave.” He reached over and squeezed her bare knee. She’d worn her swimsuit with some kind of strapless cover-up that accentuated her soft curves. His dick was in solid agreement—she’d done it just to tease him.
“We’ll see,” she said.
Colin gripped the steering wheel then forced his fingers to relax. He’d been grateful his dad understood his feelings for Lea. Losing the woman he loved would be a crushing blow far greater than his mom not speaking to him for several months. The woman sitting beside him was worth the risk. Now, he had to convince her they were worth going all in on any bet at any poker table. They weren’t going anywhere, no matter how others felt about their relationship.
CHAPTER SEVEN
“I can’t do it!” Lea felt bile rise in her throat as she yet again attempted to slide her finger along the fish’s cheek. “Colin, I can’t!”
In His Bed Page 8
