by Wendi Zwaduk
“She didn’t want to stop until she got what she wanted.” He sighed. “Dennis noticed the forged signature. My handwriting has never been so curly. But the paperwork snafu didn’t matter. McKinley wanted someone else.”
“Mr. Case?” A freckle-faced teen poked his head into the classroom. “We need the keys to the batting cage.”
“Time to practice.” Graig swiped his thumb across her bottom lip. “Give me a moment, Teddy.”
“Got it, Coach.” The student disappeared behind the door, but his voice echoed in the hallway. “Coach is in there with the art teacher. Women screw up everything.”
Graig glanced over his shoulder. “I love coaching the baseball team, but they’ve got some fantastic timing.” Another sigh. “Practice is over in the rec center and open to the public tonight. I’d love to see you there and maybe we can grab supper afterward.”
“I’ll think about it.” She suppressed a snort. Yes, she’d check out practice. She needed to see the man she loved, even if she’d make him wait a little bit first.
Graig grinned. “By the way, I like the blouse. It’s a little more daring but still very you. Wear it again.” He turned on his heel then left the room.
She shoved her fingers into her hair and mulled over his words. She looked hot? Better yet, he loved her? Hot damn. Tessa unclasped her fingers then hurried to her desk. She glanced down at her blouse, an emerald-green, short-sleeved tunic she’d bought last summer. She shoved her papers into her messenger bag. Thoughts whizzed through her mind. She’d given up on men before, but no more. He deserved a second chance.
Graig folded his arms and watched the pitcher go through his motions again. The senior extended his arm too far to the side when he threw the ball. “Don’t heave the ball. Throw it. More finesse.”
“Coach?” Teddy, one of his sophomore outfielders, jogged over to where he stood. “Miss Martin told me to give this to you. I didn’t open it. She said not to.” He handed Graig a piece of paper. “Yanno, she’s a nice lady. I never took her art class. Guess I should’ve.”
“You’re in the tenth grade. You still can.” Graig crumbled the paper in his fist. What the hell was he arguing with the kid for? “What did she want?” He scanned the bleachers for Tessa, but didn’t see her. Dammit. “Is she coming back? What did she say?”
“Chill out, man.” Teddy pointed to the note. “First she asked me to give you that. She smiled then left. She didn’t complain about us smelling like ass and she watched most of practice before she brought this over.” He pointed to the bleachers next to the indoor field. “The last chick you brought… We all hoped you’d ditch her.”
“Miss Flowers?” Graig glanced over at the the wooden bleachers. How in the name of God did he miss Tessa watching them? “She’s history. And thanks for critiquing my love life.”
“Coach, she was hot, but fake. It was like she’s all about how she looked. Crazy.” Teddy shook his head. “Women.”
“You’re getting emotional on me, Ted, and very deep. You’re wiser than your years.”
“Fuck no. I see it with the chicks my dad brings home. They want Dad’s money and status, but not me. It’s bullshit.” Teddy rolled his eyes. “Like them, she was out of your league, Coach.”
“Watch your language.” Graig gripped the bat tighter. Teddy had piqued his interest. “Was I aiming too high?” He couldn’t wait to hear the answer to his question.
“Too low. Read your note and beat it. I’m going to run laps. Something tells me I overstepped my boundaries.” He trotted off down the first-base line, leaving Graig alone with his thoughts and the note.
Graig scrubbed his forehead with the back of his hand then unfolded the note. No words, just a pencil drawing of a fully clothed woman—with curves like Tessa and long dark hair—dancing. Well…holy hell. Thank God Teddy hadn’t opened it.
“Hey, Toft?” Graig sprinted to where his assistant coach stood. “Take over the rest of practice. I have to be somewhere.”
“Yeah?” John Toft grinned. “Tessa will be happy.”
“Thanks. I hope so.” How the hell did everyone know about him and Tessa? Probably because nothing happened in the school without the gossip vine knowing all about it. He’d heard they inferred Graig and Tessa were sleeping together a month after he started subbing for Valley. Did he really care if people knew? Not really. He crossed the parking lot at warp speed then sped to her apartment. Whatever she wanted, the drawing was too personal for her not to want to see him in person.
Graig placed his hand on her door. His confidence dipped. Could this be the beginning of something great or the end of everything between them? He knocked on the door. “Tessa?”
The lock clicked and the door opened. Tessa smiled at him from inside her apartment. The moment he locked his gaze on her, the breath ripped from his chest. The baseball jersey she wore accentuated her curves. The dip between her breasts gave him a delicious view of her cleavage. His mouth watered. Instead of her requisite ponytail, her dark hair shimmered around her shoulders.
“You look fabulous.” He gripped the doorframe. Too fast and he’d break the mood. This time he’d let her control everything.
“I try.” She shrugged. “Thanks.”
He held up the crinkled note in his free hand. “You left this for me? Good thing Teddy didn’t open it.”
“He’s a good kid and I watched him give it to you.” She stepped backward and held the door open. “I wanted to see you.”
“I’m right here.” She’d watched him? His heart swelled.
“Come in, then.” She threaded her fingers around his wrist, tugging him into the apartment. Once she closed the door, she let go of him. “When I’m in front of the class, I need to be the buttoned-up, prim teacher. Look at how the kids treat Lauren. She tries to be one of them and they walk all over her. If I project what I want from them, then they know I expect it from them.”
“I don’t want to change you.” But he wanted to touch her. He wiped his hand on his jogging shorts.
“I’m glad to hear it, but I do need to change. A little. I’m happy in the classroom, but not when I’m in public. I want to feel sexy and desired.” She smoothed her hands down the jersey. “I want to be happy in my own skin.”
“You are very sexy and desired.” And God, he wanted to tear open the front of the jersey and sample every inch of her sweetness.
“By you?” She gripped the hem of the shirt.
“Yes.” He bridged the gap between them and caged her between his body and the wall. “I want to make love to you every way I know how then start all over again.”
“That’s what I needed to know.” Without looking down she untied the front of his shorts then stuffed her hand down the front and grabbed his cock. She caressed and stroked him.
Dear God, she made thinking just about impossible. He focused on her words, not what her hands were doing to his dick. “I get it, but I don’t. Help me?” His question came out choked, but he didn’t care. “Help me, babe.”
“It feels good to know I turn you on,” she whispered. “Makes me love you more.”
“You love me?” His voice cracked and he kissed her light on the mouth. “Say it again. I need to hear those words on your lips.”
“I want to show you.”
Chapter Eleven
“Yes, babe, show me.” Graig held her hand tight. They had a chance to work things out and he wasn’t about to let go.
Tessa led him to her bedroom. Christmas lights glittered across the ceiling and two lava lamps swirled on the nightstands beside her bed. She clicked the remote for the stereo then nudged him onto the mattress. A song he’d never heard before filled the room. She shifted her hips and gyrated toward him—slow, meaningful and sexy as hell. She dragged her hands up her body then tangled her fingers in her hair until the tresses tumbled onto her shoulders.
His mouth went dry and his cock stood at attention. He’d never seen a sexier woman in his life.
She waved
her hips then turned her back on him and gave him a delicious view of her bare ass. Tessa lifted her hair off her shoulders again, revealing the name and number on the jersey. His name with his lucky number eighteen.
No more waiting. He grasped the hem of the shirt, pulling her backward onto his lap. “I love it,” he murmured in her ear and dragged his tongue along her neck. “Looks better on you anyway.”
Tessa stood long enough to turn around then straddled his lap. The jersey parted, revealing her total lack of undergarments. He eased the shirt the rest of the way open until it ended up on the floor. She shivered but didn’t cover her nudity.
“I’m happy in my own skin.” She parted her lips and smoothed her hands over his chest.
“I love you in your own skin.” Starting at her neck, he kissed his way to her breasts and palmed her nipples. He pinched the tight beads. “These would look so hot if you pierced them.”
“I want to. Someday.” Her breathy voice curled around his brain.
He knew just the person to help her make her wish come true—when she was ready. “I love you, Tessa.” The words felt so good on his tongue. “So much.”
“Love you too.”
Her words stopped him short. “You do?” He needed to hear her say it again.
“All the way.”
“Halle-fucking-lujah.” He swatted her ass. “I need to be in you.” Graig held her in his arms then stood long enough to spread her out on the blankets. Once he’d arranged her for his pleasure, he ripped his T-shirt up over his head. The jogging shorts and boxers landed at his feet. He toed them off, along with his shoes and socks. He palmed his cock then shivered. He didn’t need the prep work. She’d kept him on a hair trigger from the moment he arrived at her apartment.
Tessa watched him and caressed her breasts. Her nipples beaded under her touch and her moans filled his ears. “Spank me again.”
“So sexy. Turn over.”
She perched on her hands and knees, waving her ass at him.
“The bad girl wants punishment.” He rubbed both hands over her butt, caressing her soft skin. She wriggled again and whimpered, prompting him to give in to her. He spanked both cheeks hard, leaving a ruddy prints on her skin.
“Yes.” She tipped her head back. “More.”
Graig grinned and swatted her four times, three spanks on one ass cheek and one on the other. Beneath him, she shuddered and moaned. Power and desire filled his veins. He kissed the red blotches. Her skin, hot under his touch, quivered. He slipped one finger between her ass cheeks to her pussy. Cream coated his fingers.
“Graig.” She ground her hips, driving him deeper into her. “God.”
He withdrew from her then licked his fingers. Her sweetness exploded on his tongue. “So good.” He spanked her again, restoring the redness to her skin.
“Fuck me,” she panted.
“No.” He kissed her bottom again then nudged her onto her back. “I’m making love to you.” Graig nabbed a condom from the nightstand then sheathed himself. He crawled onto the bed, kissing his way up her torso to her breasts then her face. He arranged her legs over his thighs and tangled his tongue with hers. He swallowed her moans. God, he loved this woman.
“Mine,” he murmured. “All mine.”
Tessa nodded and reached between their bodies to guide his cock into her pussy. The moment he connected with her, his senses reeled. Every nerve ending in his body sizzled and he gasped for air. She smoothed her hands around his waist and grabbed his ass, shoving him deeper into her body.
“You’re a bad girl and I love bad girls.” He rested his forehead on hers and pistoned into her pussy. His balls slapped her asshole with each thrust. Her nails bit into his ass. “Love you.”
“Love you too.” She kissed him then arched her back. “More.”
Oh he’d give her more. Graig sat back on his heels and propped her onto his thighs. He fixed his gaze on hers and gritted his teeth. A trickle of sweat slid between his shoulder blades.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” he chanted in time with his thrusts. He gripped her hips and lost himself in the sensation of her holding him tight from within. The flutters in his lower belly swirled through his limbs.
Tessa’s legs trembled and she rubbed her clit. With her free hand she held on to his wrist. “So close.” Her entire body shuddered and the muscles in her pussy clamped down on him. Her cream slickened his way and pushed him out of her cunt.
“Not done yet, love.” He entered her once more and pistoned his hips. Aided by her cream, he worked himself into a frenzy in moments. “Fuck,” he bit out and tipped his head back.
Graig slammed into her and his seed filled the condom. Fever spread over his skin and he couldn’t breathe. He could deal with lovemaking like this for the rest of his life. “Love you,” he puffed and braced himself on his hands.
Tessa wrapped her arms around his neck. “I love you too.”
He could hear those words coming from her for the rest of his life too. She completed him. She got him when no one else did and he wasn’t letting her go. Graig pulled out of her heat then sat back to unload the condom. He tossed the used rubber in the waste bin then settled beside her and panted. “I’m not moving. Not for a long, long time.”
“Me neither.” Tessa rolled onto her side and draped her arm across his chest. “Graig?”
“Yes, babe?” He stroked her hair, loving the warmth of her body next to his.
“I’m not scared. I believe you and no matter what Lila wants to throw at us, I’m by your side. You could be halfway across the state. Doesn’t matter. I love you.”
His spirits soared and he tugged her onto his chest. “You don’t want to banish me from your hallway?”
“Not a chance.” Her hair slipped over her shoulder and tickled his skin.
“Then I’m better than good. I’m Superman.”
“You’re a baseball coach.”
“That too. A coach in love with the sexy art teacher.”
“Move in with me.”
“Tessa?” He couldn’t have heard her right. Not possible. Already? She wanted to move in together? Why the hell not?
She shrugged. “Why have two places? We can live together now, save up for a better place or a house, even. You love me, I love you. It’s the next step.”
“You’re right and smarter than me, like always.” He didn’t care if he’d have to move his crap across the building. He had her love forever. The rest was easy.
Chapter Twelve
Tessa placed yet another baseball glove into the box then swiped a sweaty lock of hair off her forehead. How could one man have so many baseball gloves? “Are all these necessary?”
“I was a pitcher, babe.” Graig wrapped his arms around her. “Different gloves for different days. Hot weather, cold weather, night games… Yes, I’m quirky that way. Made my strikeout average in college pretty high.”
“You’re allowed, then.” She kissed his cheek. “I like them.”
“Case, get your ass in here. This couch is fucking heavy,” Dennis called from the front room.
“He is who he is.” Tessa patted Graig’s arm then stood. “I’ll finish in here. Go.”
“Love you.” He tucked her into the crook of his arm, kissed her and swiped his tongue along her bottom lip then let go.
Tessa closed the box of baseball equipment then unplugged the cords of the television from the wall. Footsteps padded on the floor behind her.
“Graig, you’d better help or Den will rip off your face.” When she turned around, she snapped her mouth shut.
“So it’s true.” Lila folded her arms. Her bracelets jangled on her wrists. “He’s moving in with the whale.” She stomped her pump-clad foot. “It’s not fair.”
“What’s not fair about it?” Tessa stepped toe-to-toe with Lila. “You lied, bullied and connived. What did you expect? Did you really think he’d run off into the sunset with you?”
Lila’s face pinched and her eyes narrowed. “My happy en
ding. He was supposed to be mine. We were going to have beautiful children together. Beautiful people are meant to be together, not dragged down by…you.”
Graig strode through the bedroom doorway. Adam and Dennis stood behind him. “Lila.” Graig rested his hands on his hips. “You’re a pretty girl but you’ve got a black soul. We’d never work because there is no love between us.”
“So there’s no chance we’ll work this out?” She flipped her hair over her shoulder. “None at all?”
“Not in hell.” Graig grasped Tessa’s hand. “I found my forever girl.”
For a moment, Tessa actually felt sorry for Lila. She knew how it felt to have the future ripped out from under her. But Lila screwed up her own life.
Lila straightened her shoulders then notched her chin in the air. “I thought I’d be upset, but I’m not. It’s fine. You and I would’ve never worked out. You spend too much time at the school and not enough at home.” She turned on her heel and left the apartment.
The men stared at each other then at Tessa.
“That was odd,” Adam blurted. “You dated her?”
“No one is perfect.” Graig tensed beside Tessa. “Not my brightest move.”
“And you said I have too much drama in my life.” Dennis snorted. “Pallas, grab the front of his armchair. I’m over this moving shit.”
“Ditto.” Adam hefted the front of the chair and moved in tandem with Dennis to carry the armchair out of the bedroom.
Tessa wrapped her arms around Graig. “She left without much incident. I’m shocked.”
“She knew. She wanted perfect and no one is perfect.” He rested his forehead on hers. “But you—you are my kind of perfect.”
“I’m sweaty and tired, but I accept all your compliments.”
“How about you accept something else?” He let go of her and dropped to one knee. “Marry me, Tessa. I want to make you happy for the rest of our lives.” He pulled a flocked box from his sweat shorts then opened the box. A diamond ring glittered in the satin. “We were drawn together and I think it was fate. I love you and don’t want to let you go. Will you marry me?”
