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This kiss was neither slow nor cursory, neither hesitant nor exploratory. It was a celebration of passion, a joining of two beings perfectly in sync. Jason captured her in his arms as he pulled her near, as she fought to get closer. She wanted more, needed more, and yet suddenly, he pulled back. He left the car, but a moment later, he opened her door. He reached in and then… she was captured.
He held her tightly, as he carried her the short distance to her home. Somehow, she managed to find her keys and open the door, yet he waited at the threshold. Ever the gentleman, he wouldn’t even enter without an invitation. She clutched him, and without words gave it. There was only one way this night could end.
Now there was no hesitation as he strode to the bedroom. He carefully deposited her on the bed, not sparing a moment to turn down the sheets. She gasped as he came on top of her, his heavy presence capturing her, claiming her, branding her. He bent down and resumed his intimate exploration.
Somehow their lovemaking was even more beautiful, more spectacular, than the first. Dara writhed in sweet sensation as he peeled off the dress, revealing lacy, sheer undergarments. Then they were gone, too, and he was tracing every part of her body with his hands, his body, his mouth. She gasped as he boldly touched her breasts, circling her nipples, weighing and testing the two swollen globes. He moved over her taut stomach and then lower and lower still. When she could take no more, he entered her in one glorious moment. Then…
They soared.
Dara didn’t know how many times they made love that night, traveling between sweet lovemaking and intimate embraces. Something was changing, shattering the wall hiding her heart. Finally, they lay exhausted in the early morning hours, and she could no longer pretend their connection was only physical. Not superficial nor fleeting. The truth burned too bright:
Jason had stolen her heart.
This couldn’t happen.
She couldn’t let it.
The morning after the most fantastic night of her life, Dara resolved to find the strength to stop the relationship before it went too far. The risk was just too great, the potential loss too fearsome. There’d be no more dates, no more romantic rendezvous.
Her resolve lasted a day.
Jason somehow used his formidable powers of persuasion to convince her to go out to a fancy restaurant for dinner. Well, actually, he’d said, “Do you want to go out tonight?” and her mouth responded “Yeah!” before her brain could take over. So they went to Anthony’s, a high class Italian restaurant that served the best lasagna in the state. Though she’d tried to remain professional, the soft music, golden candlelight and delicious fare conspired against her, and they spent the night locked in deep and meaningful conversation. When Jason took her home, she couldn’t resist inviting him in.
Then she couldn’t resist him.
A day later, it was a romantic night on his boat after the afternoon game. This time they made love on the gentle waves, their only blanket a symphony of twinkling stars.
And so the days went, and then the weeks and then months. Suddenly they were doing far more than pretending to be boyfriend and girlfriend. The time passed when it would’ve been reasonable to end the ruse, but Dara couldn’t quite manage the words, and Jason clearly had no interest. Every time she tried, he steered the subject elsewhere, but it brought more relief than disappointment. Dara’s efforts to reform the team became easier as everyone, including Jason, took more care. And despite her best intentions, her heart fell further and further, until she could no longer hide the truth of her feelings.
She was just too far gone.
What should she do? It was a question she asked herself once and then a hundred times. She didn’t know what to do, but she did know who to turn to, which is why she found herself inside the stadium office, waiting at her uncle’s door one day after an afternoon game. She knocked only once.
“Come in,” came the quick reply, the reassuring voice of the man who would always be like a father to her.
Dara opened the door, feeling strangely like a kid again in the midst of a teenage catastrophe. Only this time, ginger cookies and hot chocolate wouldn’t solve her heart’s problems.
“Dara.” Uncle Pat smiled. “Sit down.”
She sank into the plush microfiber chair across from her uncle. It bowed softly under her weight, its velvety surface cushioning her legs. She parted her lips, but the words didn’t come out. She rubbed her forehead.
Pat sat back, eyeing her. After a second, he spoke, “Is this about Jason?”
Bingo. Yet still she hesitated, as time ticked on the wall clock with little baseballs to mark the hours. With a breath of courage, she finally revealed the truth. “I’m in love with him.”
Pat stared at her for a moment, then his expression softened. “I know.”
Um, what? “You do?”
“Of course. It’s been obvious for a long time now.”
Had everyone known what she’d been so afraid to admit? His expression reflected only love and acceptance, as he reached out and took her hand.
Suddenly she didn’t feel so overwhelmed. “I don’t know what to do. I wish I could feel secure about him, about us. But his job, his fame, all those women…” Her voice trailed off.
“What about them?” He kept his regard steady. “You love baseball as much as I do, and he keeps grounded amidst the pressure. His fame is simply a product of the game we both love. As far as the women, I hope you realize that’s not what it seems.”
Her experience supported the claim. Although social media touted his supposed scandals, he’d never acted anything less than gentlemanly. Of course, Jason had touted that exact point. Everything she’d seen thus far had substantiated it. “I realize that now. It’s just… just…”
