Going, Going, Goner (Double Play Series Book 2)

by Nicole Rodrigues

  Going, Going, Goner

  ***

  Double Play Series

  Nicole Rodrigues

  Table of Contents

  Going, Going, Goner

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Epilogue

  Ballers with Benefits

  Going, Going, Goner

  Savannah Gavinwood is all grown up. My buddy’s twin sister, the one that always made eyes at me when we were younger, is now a tempting, fiery woman, too irresistible for her own good. Open bar, mixed with her sinful body in a bridesmaid dress, and we finally cross that line at her brother’s wedding.

  I have a daughter to worry about though, and it has to end there. Except it doesn't, I can't escape Savannah Gavinwood, even if I tried. I'm the leader of homeruns on the field and this little firecracker is making me wanna hit one out of the park with her. “Goner” is coming for you Savvy.

  Jackson “Goner” Turner, the boy I secretly loved from afar for years before he broke my heart, is back. Too much tequila and a bitter divorce causes me to give into my desires. Thinking our quickie at my brother Gabriel's wedding will end there, life always has other plans. Cue my asshole ex-husband and the bomb of the century. Everything is not always as it seems. Life-1 Savannah-0.

  Acknowledgements

  Thank you for all support I received from friends and family, sharing my page and my first three novels. Thank you to everyone that bought them and enjoyed reading them.

  I want to thank the amazing reviewers, bloggers, bookstagrammers etc. who took time out, to read the ARC’s and leave reviews! Thank you to everyone who enjoyed Curveball and promoted it for me and who also promoted this cover and reveal as well! Without you all, it would be impossible for this Indie author to succeed, so thank you!

  Thank you to my husband, for pushing me to continue on, even when the beginning was slow. Thank you for being the referee and the night time tucker so I can write my heart out. Thank you for also teaching me the ins and outs of baseball and for having a bootylicious toosh.

  About the Author

  Nicole Rodrigues is a high school English teacher turned romance author who lives outside Nashville, Tennessee with her husband, three kids and one fur baby, She enjoys hanging with her family, attempting Pinterest projects, reading other steamy romance novels and coffee…lots and lots of coffee.

  Her other series, Always in Your Corner and Pinky Promise are out now and available for Download on the Amazon Kindle App. The first book in this series, Curveball is also available for download.

  .

  Prologue

  Savannah

  I walk into the pub, bracing myself for the sight of Jackson Turner again. I saw him a couple of months ago, but I was thrown completely off guard. Tonight, I'm prepared. I straighten my fitted red dress and put my curly brown hair behind one ear. I opted for my contacts tonight and look down at my long legs, ending in my black pumps. I look like sex on a stick and I plan on making him drool all over himself.

  “Hotness,” I hear as I look up and lock eyes with my future sister in law, Charlotte Daniels.

  “I could say the same, damn Mama.”

  I smile, eyeing her appearance.

  She is wearing a fitted, white, lace dress and her brown hair is pulled into an elegant bun. She is absolutely glowing, and I'm so freakin’ happy for her and my brother.

  I pull her in for a hug and look over her shoulder. My niece and nephew, Bella and Devin, are standing around a table with my twin brother, Gabriel.

  “You ready for this?” I smile at her, breaking the hug.

  “Please,” she says, waving a hand in the air, “I’ve been ready to marry your brother for a couple decades now,” she says, smiling. “Besides, of course, the eighteen year hiatus.”

  I squeeze her shoulder, as her eyes start to water.

  “Hey. None of that. Let's go take a shot. It's a night of celebrations. Last night as a single lady,” I say winking.

  “Uh..yeah let me just...I gotta find my mama,” Charlotte says quickly.

  I eye her suspiciously as she walks away. I start to walk towards my brother and the kids, but I feel a hand on my shoulder and spin around, locking eyes with the man himself. Jackson Turner. Green eyes bore into mine and my breath hitches.

  His dark brown hair is styled neatly to the side and I roam my eyes over his massive body. I don't know how one person could possibly have that much muscle on them, but he does. He looks like a giant bear that could eat me where I stand and god damn I want him to.

  “Missed you at church, but don't worry, I paid attention. Just follow my lead tomorrow, it'll be fine,” his deep voice says as his face breaks into a smile.

  He has one of those smiles that take up his whole damn face and it's so contagious, I want to smile too. I roll my eyes instead, pretending that I wasn't just picturing him eating me like prey.

  “I had an important client I couldn't move around, but I think I can handle walkin’ down an aisle, without the practice.”

  “You gonna run away from me again?” he asks, roughly, stepping closer to me.

  So damn close, I can smell his woodsy scent.

  “No,” I whisper, trying to hide how much his presence is affecting me.

  “Good,” he whispers back.

  His breath is hot on my neck and I feel goosebumps erupt on my skin.

  “What are you doin’, Jax?” I ask, as his hand lands on my waist.

  “Dancin’ with you,” he answers, as he leads me onto the dance floor.

  I was so wrapped up in him, that I didn't even hear the music in the background.

  “How have you been Savvy?” he asks softly.

  My heart picks up at the shortened version of my name, the one that only he has ever called me.

  “Good. I'm good. I've been good,” I stutter.

  My body is in overdrive with his hard muscles, pressed against me. I can't formulate a coherent sentence while my arm is around his solid waist and the other, engulfed by his strong, capable hands.

  “Good,” he says, smiling.

  He knows what he is doing to me and it makes me annoyed. My school girl crush faded a while ago, when he shattered my heart. I have to hold onto that. He needs to be the one pining, not me.

  “How have you been? You're the DH in the lineup now, huh? Ain't that how they politely push you outta the league?” I smirk.

  “Funny.”

  He moves his face closer, his lips inches away from my own. I gasp at the closeness, trying not to picture his lips descending on mine, again.

  “How uh, how's Lacey?” I ask, quickly changing the subject, pulling my face away from his.

  He laughs and there is that smile again.

  “She's great. She opted to stay home with Linda, though. Weddings ain't really her thing.”

  Lacey is Jackson's 16-year-old daughter, the reason for my broken heart. Granted we weren't together
, and his promises were only words. He kissed me senseless one night at a Houston Lonestar’s party, and then the next day, the news broke that he was going to be a father. My heart was split in two. He was a great friend and losing his friendship hurt, but I couldn't start a relationship with a man that was going to have a baby with another woman, and I couldn’t just be his friend anymore.

  I also couldn't just be his friend after that night, so I put Jackson in my rearview mirror and ran right into the arms of Hugh Millers, the smooth-talking business major, who swept me off my feet. I should have seen right through his suave bravado to the snake lurking inside, but I didn't. I was blinded by lust, or maybe just running away from the heartache and refusing to see what was right in front of my eyes.

  “Where'd you go?” Jackson asks softly, breaking me out of my fog.

  “I uh...nowhere, I'm fine,” I say, plastering on the fake smile I've perfected the past five years.

  I'm fine. Those two little words, the incredible lie they hold. I'm anything but fine.

  “Listen Savvy…”

  “Don’t,” I say cutting him off. “If you're gonna apologize for all those years ago, just don't, okay?”

  “I should though. I had no idea that Kat was pregnant when I kissed you. I wasn't with her, it was just a one-time thing. I kissed you with the intention of startin’ something with you, Savannah. I didn't mean to hurt you,” he says, putting my hair behind my ear.

  I turn away from his touch.

  “It's fine. It was over a decade ago Jackson, no need to rehash the past.”

  “I can't deny that I still wonder if your lips taste the same, though,” he says into my ear.

  His lips touching my earlobe sends a fire burning through my body.

  “I…”

  My words are blocked. His hand on my back lowers, just a smidge and my pulse quickens.

  “Don't you wanna know what it would be like, Savvy? Just one taste?”

  I shake my head and slowly peel my body away from his, trying so damn hard to compose myself.

  “Let's not go down that path again, Jax. I should make the rounds, say hi to my family. I'll catch up with ya at the weddin’ tomorrow,” I say, slowly backing away.

  I need to keep my distance from Jackson Turner, if I want to keep what's left of my heart intact.

  ***

  I glance across the dance floor and I smile. Charlotte looks so happy, despite the pale tint to her face. The ceremony was so momentous; finding out I was going to be an aunt again. This time, I get to spoil this little girl or boy from birth and it makes my heart soar with happiness. It fills that little void that always nags in the back of my brain. That might never be you, Savannah.

  I go to the bar, order a vodka soda and a shot of tequila. I'm so happy for my brother and Charlotte, but I can't help the sadness creeping into my mood, taking up residence. I thought I was that happy once. I thought Hugh was the man that could make me forget about Jackson. He was for a little while, but like all snakes, they eventually shed their skin.

  I down the shot and finish the vodka soda in one big gulp. How many drinks was this? Five? Six? I lost track. I can still balance on my heels, so that was a good sign. I motion for another round and the bartender eyes me.

  “I'm fine,” I say rolling my eyes. There are those words again. “It's a weddin’. Ain't people supposed to get embarrassingly drunk?”

  He shakes his head but reluctantly pours the shot and vodka soda. I smile and tip the shot towards him before I slurp it down. I sip on the vodka soda slowly, reaching for the top of my dress to pull it up. Damn strapless dresses. My fingers graze the condom Charlotte gave me and I blush. I forgot I had that, not that I'll need it.

  “You should slow down. You get a little handsy when you drink,” says a smooth voice from behind me.

  I smirk and shake my head.

  “You're the handsy one,” I sass.

  Jackson comes into view next to me and leans an elbow on the bar. God he looks so fuckable in a suit. The sleek, black material of his pants are pulled taut across his huge ass and muscular thighs. I want to grab onto that meat and dig my fingers into it, never letting it go. God I've never looked at a man's ass like this before, what the hell is happening?

  My gaze roams up his torso to his veiny forearms. He has a couple of tattoos there that I don't remember him having. His white dress shirt is rolled up to his elbows and his tie is loose around his neck. I swear I'm so close to ripping his shirt right off and licking my way around the rest of the tattoos I know he has buried underneath.

  “Drinkin’ in celebration or depression?” he asks, snapping me out of my dirty thoughts.

  He motions to the bartender for a drink, smirking. Shit, he caught me.

  “I'm happy for my brother and Charlotte, why would I be depressed?” I retort, putting a hand on my hip.

  He shrugs and finishes his shot as he moves closer to me.

  “Depressed that my lips aren't already devourin’ yours?” he whispers.

  I push his chest and roll my eyes.

  “I don't want my lips anywhere near yours.”

  “I know you Savvy. I know what those pink cheeks mean,” he says lightly pinching my right cheek.

  I smack his hand away and huff out a breath.

  “It means I have makeup on. I don't wanna kiss you, Jackson. God knows where those lips have been. You don't think I know what you baseball players do after your games? Girls in each state and all that.”

  His gazes hardens and he steps even closer, lowering his head to whisper in my ear above the sound of the DJ.

  “Just so you know, I'm the picture of good health. Despite what other idiots do, I don't fuck around and I've never taken a woman bare.”

  I laugh. “So Kat was the Virgin Mary, huh?”

  “Condoms break, Savvy.”

  “Sure,” I smirk.

  “I'm tellin’ ya the truth. I haven't slept with a woman in over two years. It's been about baseball and Lacey for me.”

  “Two years! Pfft! Who do you think you're screwin’ with?”

  “It's true. I haven't wanted to, until now,” he says, his voice rough and stern.

  “Well you ain't the Jackson I remember then.”

  “Because I'm not. That Jackson didn't have a daughter. I'm a father first and foremost. I don't fuck around, Lacey doesn't need that inconsistency.”

  I open my mouth to speak but I really don't have a response. My body does though, it leans in close and my gaze drops to his lips. Those luscious, puffy lips and the words that are dripping from them. Beautiful, swoon worthy words.

  “How long’s it been for you Savvy?”

  “How...how long’s what been?” I whisper, my gaze still locked on those sinful lips.

  “Since you had a man's touch.”

  He puts a strand of loose hair behind my ear and the touch of his skin on mine causes me to close my eyes. I revel in it because it feels so good, so damn good.

  My divorce was finalized over a year ago, but Hugh and I haven't had sex in years. Our marriage was over long before the divorce. If I had known what I'd known about our prenup, I would have ended it sooner. It's been an embarrassingly long time since I've endured a man's touch, and I'm crazed.

  “Too fuckin’ long,” I whisper.

  I hear him chuckle and my eyes snap open. Oh shit, I said that out loud. I start to protest and he puts his finger on my lips, successfully shushing me.

  “There anything else you wanna know about my sexual history before you allow me to give you a kiss that we both desperately want?”

  I feel him smirk against my ear and grit my teeth. I may have just let a little secret slip, but I'm in charge of this ship, dammit.

  “Quite presumptuous, don't ya think?”

  “Only if I'm wrong. Tell me Savvy, do you not want these lips on yours?”

  I close my eyes, focusing on my breathing. I will not give into this man, at least not on his terms. I motion for the bartender and he brin
gs over two more shots and two vodka sodas.

  “You're wrong, Jackson Turner,” I say, taking a shot and sliding one to him.

  I feel his gaze on me and I down the vodka soda. The alcohol buzzes through my veins and sends a boldness straight to my brain.

  “Oh?” he asks lifting an eyebrow.

  I lean towards him whispering in his ear.

  “I don't want those lips just on mine. I want those lips devourin’ every inch of my body. Do ya think you can handle that, Goner?” I ask, smirking against his ear.

  He pulls me quickly to the back of the room, down a dark hall and he slams the women's bathroom door open. He pulls me inside and locks the door as I try and stifle a giggle. The alcohol is going straight to my brain, fogging it up with lust and blocking out reason.