AllFreeNovel
Share Us
By the middle of March, our baseball team was living up to all their preseason hype. LSU came to town, ready to dethrone us It was a battle on the field, with both teams displaying the talent to take them into the post-season playoffs. However, in the ninth inning, one of our guys hit a grand slam home run, sealing the victory. I’d gone to the game with Brooke, who was a huge baseball nut, and Claudia, after we’d finally gotten her lips separated from Rex’s, and that was only because he had an out-of-town hockey game.
Quiet, studious, Brooke became a whole different person in the stands…yelling at the umpire, jeering at the opposing team, cheering on our team loudly. I kept wondering where Brooke hid this crazy, outgoing, side of herself.
Claudia cheered, but it was obvious her heart wasn’t into it. She’d thought about flying to Rex’s game, but had decided to spend a little time with her sisters since she’d barely seen us since Christmas.
When the last Longhorn player touched home plate, we packed up our seats and purses and headed to the Orange Cactus. The game had started in the late afternoon, so it was close to seven when we got to the bar. We lucked into three stools at the bar and ordered food before the crowd hit. Good thing, too, since ten minutes later, the bar was standing room only. I swear, the walls were bulging with celebrating students. The entire place was rowdy and ready to party.
Forty-five minutes after the game, the baseball players entered to high-fives and cheers that rang above an already deafening noise level. My heart fell to my knees when I saw Zack coming in with a group of student athletes. His gaze roamed around the room as the throng of athletes and their fans made their way toward the end of the bar where I sat.
My hands shook as I lifted my beer to take a sip. There was a mirror behind the bottles of liquor at the bar which gave me a view of what was happening behind me without me having to turn around. Of course, both of my sisters whirled around, so it wasn’t hard to figure who I was.
I felt his heat as it penetrated my soul.
“Princess,” he said in my ear, sending an army of chills down my spine.
I stiffened my back and turned toward him, ready to send him on his way. Men didn’t promise to call and then not follow through. That was a boy’s action. But his killer smile, twinkling eyes, dimpled chin, and deadly charm had me melting on my stool. Dammit.
“Have we met?” I asked in a rather snotty tone.
He laughed, and I felt the electrical jolt rush through me. “I’m sorry I haven’t called,” he whispered in my ear. “After the game, well, my life got crazy. Seem like every time I went near a phone, it was an agent wanting to talk to me. I’ve spent a lot of time with Coach talking about my future, not to mention I had some classes to get down. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t thought of you.”
I scoffed. “Sure, you have.” I rolled my eyes.
He took my hand between his two hands. “I’m sorry. I know you won’t believe this, but I have called. You never answered.”
Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I said, “No messages.”
“That’s because I didn’t leave one.” He edged closer until his chest was pressed against my side. “There are things I want to say to you, things only for your ears. Things I didn’t want to leave on a voice mail.”
I turned to fully face him. “Fine. I’ here. What is it you want to tell me?”
He shook his head. “Not here. Not like this.” He was still holding my hand, which he lifted to his lips. “Come with me.”
“Where?”
“My house. Come home with me.”
I admit…I was conflicted. Ninety percent of me wanted to leap from the stool. However, ten percent didn’t trust him not to hurt me. Not that he would do anything nefarious. I was concerned about my heart.
But my heart overruled my logic and I nodded. Leaning over to Brooke, who was seated between me and Dee, I said, “I’m headed out. I’ll see you at home.”
Brooke’s head whipped around, saw Zack, and then she nodded. “Be safe.”
I knew my sister. If she could have, she would have whipped a condom out of her purse and handed it to me. But Zack wasn’t a newbie at this sex thing. I assumed he would know what to do.
Hell, I hoped he knew what he was doing because I sure didn’t. I’d messed around with guys, given head a couple of times, had a guy’s hand down my pants a few times, but that was it. I’d never actually had sex, or as Brooke called it, intercourse. I assumed that was why Zack wanted me to come home with him. How embarrassing would it be if I’d misread the entire situation.
He held my hand as we exited the bar. As I’d remembered, his hands were massive and strong. The heat from his fingers radiated up my arm and then then throughout the rest of my body.
“Do you have a car?” he asked.
I shook my head. “I rode here with Brooke. Is that a problem?”
He led me to his truck. “Not a problem. If you decide you want to go home, at any time, just say the word.”
I nodded and he helped me up and into the passenger side. My heart was clanging in my ears. I used the short time while he walked around the truck to rub my sweaty palms on my jeans. I was so nervous my teeth were knocking together, but ever so slightly, so maybe he’d never notice. The night had cooled, so it was possible I could pass my chattering teeth off to the weather.
He slid into the drive seat. “Come here.” He patted the space on the bench seat beside him. “You cold?”
