“So when’s the date?” Decker swung his gaze from Paisley to Zeke.
Zeke frowned. “Date?”
Al rushed forward. “They’re planning a later summer wedding.”
“We’re what?” Zeke and Paisley said together.
“Oh, sorry. I wasn’t supposed to advertise their engagement.” Al managed to look contrite.
“No, you weren’t,” Zeke said through gritted teeth.
“But we aren’t—” Paisley started to say, but Al would have none of it. He waved her off and turned to Decker.
“They want a small, intimate affair,” Al said, and glared pointedly at Paisley. She glared right back, and Zeke had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing. Paisley could hold her own with his pushy agent.
Decker looked pointedly at Paisley’s hand, noticing the absence of a ring. He turned to Zeke. “Make sure you get her a big ring. One that matches that big salary we’re paying you.” His intent was obvious. Zeke was playing ball well, but Decker expected better.
“We’re not—” Paisley tried again.
“Why don’t we leave the two lovebirds to themselves?” Al tugged on Decker’s arm. “I have a few Japanese prospects you might be interested in.”
“Isn’t that the GM’s job?” Zeke said innocently, getting a not-so-subtle dig in. The entire team was talking about Decker’s meddling from the top down to the lowliest batboy. The guy got involved in everything.
Decker narrowed his eyes. “I’m concerned about every aspect of this organization.” He nodded at Paisley and the kids. “Nice to meet all of you.”
Al hustled him away, their heads bent close together as they plotted their next devious moves.
“You’re getting married?” Brayden asked.
Paisley raised a brow and looked to Zeke, letting him field this question. He smiled and nodded at Brayden. “We’ve talked about it.” Just not with each other or anyone. An omission, but not a lie—exactly.
Paisley ruffled his hair, and Brayden groaned. “Nothing’s planned, big guy,” she said with a laugh. “Zeke needs to try harder before I’ll let him put a ring on my finger, an obscenely big ring.”
Zeke smiled back, playing her game, and intending to play it one better. “I will. The biggest you’ve ever seen. I don’t like to lose.”
“Of course you don’t, and you’ll never find another like me.”
“That’s for sure.” He grinned back and leaned in to give her a quick peck on the cheek while all three children watched in wide-eyed wonder. “Let’s head for pizza.”
Brayden ran and Sophie skipped to his SUV, while Sadie followed behind. She paused and glanced over her shoulder at Paisley and Zeke. Her face stricken, she looked ready to cry.
Damn. What brought that about? Did she dislike him that much? The idea hurt more than he ever thought it would. And he didn’t have a clue why.
* * * *
Paisley put the kids to bed and found Zeke on the deck as if he were waiting for her. “Married? Why didn’t you set your boss straight?”
“I couldn’t.” Zeke wouldn’t meet her gaze.
“Why not?” She propped her hands on her hips and glared at him.
“Because he thinks Fernando and I are gay.”
“We should go shopping sometime or exchange recipes.” Paisley threw back her head and laughed, while Zeke scowled.
“They want us to come out of the closet.” He shot her an impressive glare, which made her laugh all the more.
“That’s priceless.” She put her hand over her mouth and giggled.
He snarled. “I’m not gay, and I’m not homophobic. If I were gay, I’d own it.”
“And Fernando?” she asked, because she wasn’t a hundred percent certain.
“I can’t speak for him, but I’m not gay. Just because I don’t whore around, people think I’m gay. That dumbass rumor has been out there for years.”
“And you’re sure you’re not?” she teased, unable to drop it despite the dangerous gleam in his eyes. She liked that gleam. His blue eyes simmered with a rawness and animal need. She wanted him to want her, because she sure as hell wanted him.
He was on her faster than she could react. His mouth connected with hers in a bruising kiss, taking and giving, drawing her into a passionate whirlpool where rational thought became a fleeting memory. He threaded his fingers in her hair, groaning against her mouth. She sighed happily, wishing she could bottle this moment and keep it forever.
Their kiss turned passionate and tender, transitioning from lust to something deeper and far more frightening.
He broke off the kiss and shook his head. He looked a little shell-shocked, as if the intensity of their kiss had unbalanced him. “What do you think? Am I gay?” He tried for a lopsided grin, but she could see in his eyes he was still processing what had just happened
Gathering her wits, she managed a few coherent sentences. “You’re presenting a good argument against the gay theory.”
“If you need more convincing…” He left the words hanging out there, and she gladly took the bait. He watched her with a combination of hopefulness and wariness.
“Well, maybe a little more.” She made a split-second decision and promised herself not to have any regrets. “Stay with me tonight, Zeke.” Her voice dropped to a hoarse whisper.
He frowned; his brows drew together in a firm line as if he was gathering his strength to resist her request. She wouldn’t let him do that. She needed comfort, however temporary, a respite from her worries about her brother-in-law. She slid her hands under his shirt along his washboard abs and up his chest, running her fingers over his nipples. He sucked in a harsh breath.
“Paze, don’t.”
“Why not? We’re adults. We can handle this.” Most likely, he could, not her. She’d fall in love, though she doubted she could be much more enamored than she already was, so she might at least have a little fun.
“The kids—” he pointed out with a strangled voice.
“Are asleep.”
“They never stay that way for long.”
“They’re tired. Very, very tired.” She kissed his chin, his jawbone, his cheeks, everywhere but his lips. He groaned as if she were killing him.
She didn’t care. She needed him, and he needed her, despite his insistence that he didn’t need anyone.
“Why are we avoiding the inevitable? We both want it.”
He chewed on her words for a moment. She didn’t give him long. She slid one hand downward to the waistband of his slacks and pulled the end of his belt from the buckle. He didn’t stop her when she unbuttoned the top button of his fly and slid down the zipper.
“Fuck.” His voice came out in a low growl, hitting her deep in her core and settling between her legs. She was going to have him tonight, and there would be no stopping her.
“I am your fiancée,” she teased. “Don’t you think we should take a test drive before we sign on the dotted line?”
“You have a point.” He was caving.
She slid her hand between the fabric of his underwear and his skin, seeking the smooth silkiness of his hard cock. She touched the tip, and it jerked. Paisley knelt in front of Zeke and grasped the waistband of both his slacks and his underwear. She tugged. He raised his hips, and she pulled them down past his thighs, freeing an impressive erection she could see quite well in the moonlight. A bead of moisture sat on the tip. She bent her head to lick it off and taste the pure essence of this incredible male specimen.
“Paisley.” Her name rolled across his lips, thick and heavy with lust. “You’re killing me, baby.”
“Arrest me.” She wrapped her fingers around the base. Her small hand looked even smaller compared to the width and length of him.
“I would like to see you in handcuffs,” he admitted with a wicked smile.
“You’re impressive.” She eyed his cock.
“Of course I am.” A confident smile quirked the corner of his lips as his eyes darkened with need and desire.
“I’ll have to judge for myself whether the performance matches the packaging.”
“I guarantee it does.”
She raised one skeptical brow, toying with him. “You might be for show but not for function.”
He glanced at his rock-hard dick and back at her again. “You think that’s all for show? Baby, you’re in for a treat.”
“So are you.” She squeezed him, and he sighed as if he’d just found the pearly gates to heaven.
She knew that feeling. Oh, yeah, she did. She brought her mouth down on him. He dug his fingers into her hair and moaned. She sucked him past her lips, loving the sounds he made and how he reacted to her mouth on him, as if she were the only woman who’d ever made him feel this good. Such delusional thinking had gotten her into trouble more than once in the past with other men, but Zeke wasn’t other men. Of course, she’d also thought that same thing about those other men.
Paisley worked hard to maintain her positive attitude and banished such negative thoughts from her mind. Zeke could very well be the one. He ticked off all her boxes. His mere presence filled her with joy. He was good with the kids. She gazed at his cock and grinned. Not to mention, the man was well-endowed. She approached her task with gusto, fucking him with her mouth and taking him as deep as she could. His balls tightened and he tensed. Grasping the sides of her head, he gently pushed her away.
“Not like this. Not the first time.” He panted and rose to his feet, kicking off his shoes, jeans, and underwear, and shucking his shirt. Unmindful of the chilly spring evening, he stood there, bare skin bathed in moonlight, like a mythical Greek god who’d come to earth to claim a mortal for his lover.
She wanted to be that mortal. Her clothes fell into a pile on top of his.
He grinned like a wolf as his eyes roamed down her body and back up again. Zeke nodded his approval and dug in his jeans for his wallet, pulling out a condom. A few seconds later, he was fully sheathed and advancing toward her, a lion stalking his mate.
“You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
“And you are the most beautiful man.”
“Good, we’re even.” He glanced around as if remembering for the first time they were on a deck with very few furniture options. He opted for the wooden picnic table, throwing his coat on it and her on top of the coat. She giggled as he tossed her on the table as if she weighed no more than his baseball mitt.
He pushed her legs apart and stepped between them, staring down at her. “You are the most desirable woman I’ve ever laid my eyes on.”
“And you’re a silver-tongued jock.”
“Sure am. You’re naked, and so am I. Mission accomplished.”
“Not so fast, mister. Your mission is far from accomplished.”
“Ah.” He smiled down on her. “Expecting the big O, are you?”
“Multiple,” she shot back with a sinful grin.
“You’re tough.”
“I am.”
He bowed low, his face only inches from hers. “Yes, my lady.”
“You may service me now, knave.”
“Knave, you say. I’ll have you know I come from the finest stock in all the land.”
“Do you even know what a knave is?” She stared into his intense blue eyes, not caring what his answer was, just loving the sound of his desire-infused huskiness.
“Fuck no. Enough talk. I’d rather ravish you.” He covered her mouth with his. She reached up to pull him down on her, but he braced his body with his hands on either side of her. A soft breeze did nothing to cool the heat radiating off their bodies. His mouth continued its assault. The tip of his erection teased her wet slit, and she spread her legs wider, welcoming him inside. He pushed into her, and she arched against him, helping him out because she was just that kind of girl—hot and horny.
“You’re so tight.”
And he loved it. She could tell. She loved how much he stretched her almost to her limits, filling her like no one ever had, deeper than anyone had ever gone.
He held her close, his breathing harsh and labored, as if the sheer physical exertion from holding back was going to be the death of him. He was surely going to be the death of her if he didn’t start moving inside her. She whimpered and wiggled under him, rubbing her pubic bone against him in a manner designed to drive him crazy. It did. He arched up and stared at her. His predatory smile didn’t scare her one bit. It thrilled her. She’d never really wanted to be possessed body and soul by a man, but she did now.
“Take me,” she demanded.
He smirked as if he were going to torture her a little longer, but he gave up that thought as soon as it appeared as a gleam in his eyes. Instead, he began to thrust slow and easy, in and out, stroking her deep down to her core, laying waste to her ability to think clearly, and branding her as his. He seared his name across her heart as his thrusts picked up in speed and intensity. Nothing mattered but him, and she knew by his fierce gaze no one mattered but her.
His thrusts became frenzied and he reached between them, unlike every inconsiderate partner she’d ever had, making sure she came with him.
And come she did, in a riotous explosion of colors so intense they were alive, and emotions so deep they almost hurt. His cock jerked inside her as he thundered to his own orgasm.
They lay spent in each other’s arms on top of the picnic table with only the sound of their mingled gasps and an occasional ferryboat horn in the distance.
Eventually, he rolled to his side and toyed with a lock of her hair. His mouth turned up in his trademark lopsided grin. “I suppose you really are going to want a big ring?”
Paisley nodded and swallowed the lump in her throat. She wanted more than a ring and a fake engagement. She wanted the real thing.
* * * *
Zeke had always been the king of the worst timing in the world. Leaving Paisley alone the next morning to head out on another weeklong road trip sucked. Even worse, with everything else going on, it hadn’t occurred to him until the plane was in the air that they’d never discussed what had made her so jumpy. He cursed himself for being such a selfish, unworthy bastard.
What you see isn’t going to be what you get, Paisley.
He wasn’t the person she thought he was. He wasn’t Mr. Nice Guy. He was a damaged soul, an emotional wreck, and a man incapable of love.
Regardless, he’d promised her a big rock, whether it meant anything or not to him. She was a woman, and to a woman like her, shit like that meant something. To a guy like him, he wasn’t sure what it meant.
This stranger inhabiting his body and controlling his brain right now didn’t feel nearly as trapped as he should have. Something was horribly wrong with him, or he’d been abducted by aliens and injected with some sort of personality-altering drug.
One other possibility occurred to him—perhaps he didn’t mind the idea of being engaged to Paisley.
He leaned his head against the cool glass of the small oval airplane window and closed his eyes. Regardless of whether or not he liked it, Paisley didn’t know what she’d signed up for. She couldn’t imagine the depth of the abuse he’d suffered at the hands of the one person who should have protected him instead of abused him. She couldn’t fathom the darkness lurking beneath his calm, friendly exterior.
He had to save her from him because he truly liked her, and she shouldn’t be immersed in his blackness. Not on a permanent basis.
For now, he’d play along. No harm, no foul. She knew it was a farce, a temporary arrangement, and he’d pay her well for her efforts once they ended it. But damn, he didn’t want to end it.
If only he could be normal and have a normal life with a normal relationship. If only. He deserved that much after the life he’d had, and Paisley deserved to be pampered and worry-free for a while. It was a win-win even if his justifications might be a little skewed toward what he wanted.
Who could blame him for hanging on to her as long as possible? The sex last night hadn’t just been mind-blowingly incredible
; it’d been life-changing. He’d never realized a man and woman could merge their bodies and their souls. Sex had never been more than a physical release for him.
Until Paisley.
Sighing, he made plans to buy her a ring on their next day off. He didn’t have any clue what she liked or didn’t like, whether it should be gold or platinum, a white diamond or something exotic. He honestly didn’t know, which grated on him a little. He should know. She’d lived in his house for over a month, but he’d spent the majority of that time trying to stop himself from ripping off her clothes and jumping on her like a horny hound dog.
“Hey.” Fernando slid into the empty seat next to him. “Congrats on the engagement.” His friend snorted.
“Thanks.”
“How’d that happen?”
“Easy, take Al and Scott Decker, add Paisley, me, and the kids, and next thing you know, Al’s planning the wedding, and Decker is offering his waterfront estate for the reception.”
“Dang.”
“Yeah, now I need to get a ring. I don’t know shit about rings. I don’t even know her ring size.”
Fernando grinned. “Get Bella to go with you.”
“Good idea. She’ll pick out something outrageously expensive and over the top, but no one will be able to accuse me of being cheap.”
“You don’t seem too upset about this engagement.”
“Oh, I am. Inside I’m a hot mess.” Zeke kept his voice totally deadpan, which caused Fernando to squint at him.
“You’re pulling my leg.”
“Seriously. I have panic attacks of claustrophobia thinking about getting married.”
“I fucking don’t blame you, Wolfe.” Sully leaned over the back of Zeke’s seat and grinned. “That’s fucking scary shit, man. You’re nuts. There’s not one good reason I can think of to get married.”
“What about love?” Manny asked as he turned in his seat in front of them.
“That’s nothing but bullshit. Do you know anyone who’s truly in love?” Sully scoffed.
“My parents are,” Manny shot back, gripping the seat back with such force his fingers left indentations.
Bottom of the Ninth: Seattle Skookums Baseball (Game On in Seattle Book 6) Page 15
