Getting Wound Up: A Sapphire Falls/ Love Between the Bases Novel-- PART ONE (9 page)

He groaned, his eyes sliding shut. “Damn you feel good,” he said roughly.

He flexed his butt, thrusting into her fist, and Caitlyn felt her body temperature hike.

She wanted him in her mouth. She started to wiggle down the bed, but he rolled, pinning her.

“Can’t take that this time,” he said, clearly reading what she’d been intending. His eyes were hot and he was breathing hard.

Caitlyn loved that she could do that to him. But “this time” indicated there would be another time. And there wouldn’t. Not past tonight anyway. Any next time for them had to be before the sun came up. She wanted everything with him—every position, every dirty word, every fantasy. They had a lot to do tonight.

“Hope you recover quickly,” she said with a smile.

Something flickered in his gaze. “I have a feeling that recovering might not be possible.”

Caitlyn’s heart pounded against her rib cage. Damn. That was sweet. And made her hope it was true. And made her sad.

Why did she have to fall in love with a guy with dreams that would take him away? Dreams that would take him away, possibly, tomorrow? That call would come soon, she knew it.

She pulled him fully on top of her and wrapped her legs around his waist, his cock pressing hotly against her. “Come on, Hotshot, you know how to rally.”

He reached between them, his knuckles brushing over her most sensitive flesh, as he rolled on the condom. The condom he’d, thank God, had close.

Then he braced himself on his elbows and looked down at her. “You’re amazing,” he said, repeating the words they’d said to one another a number of times already on this trip.

“Ditto,” she whispered.

And they’d only made it to third base so far. Okay, maybe halfway to home.

She expected him to thrust into her, but he took it slow, easing in and pulling out again in long, deep, sweet, hot strokes.

Her breath caught. It was the most glorious physical experience of her life and…so much more.

Damn, he was right about the recovering thing. Wasn’t going to happen. Already.

He continued to move slow and easy, his words low and sweet, things like “so good”, “like I dreamed”, “can’t believe it.” But it only took a few minutes for the heat and emotion to build to a point where they needed an outlet.

“More, Eli,” she breathed. “Harder. Faster.”

He groaned and picked up the pace, and that was all it took for the heat and friction to combine into a delicious wave of pleasure.

Caitlyn moved with him, pressing against him, her own words tumbling from her lips—“yes” and “like that” and “more”—until she was climbing toward her climax.

“Come with me, Cait,” he said against her ear. “I need to feel that. Don’t hold back.”

She couldn’t have held back if she’d wanted to. “Eli—”

And then the orgasm was sweeping over her, waves of hot pleasure consuming her. She cried out and felt her body clamping onto his just as he groaned “Caitlyn” in a low, sexy growl that made the ripples of her orgasm go on and on.

Finally, the waves quieted and her limbs began to notice sensations other than tingles.

Caitlyn let her arms flop to her sides and Eli eased himself off of her, though he didn’t go far.

He slung his arm over her stomach and pressed against her entire right side, hot and heavy and absolutely the best thing she’d ever felt.

She got her mouth on him finally too. Twice.

Caitlyn thought back over the night as she drove them back to Sapphire Falls the next day. Eli snored softly in the passenger seat, but he’d twined his fingers with hers and their hands rested on the center console between them.

She was happy.

Too happy.

It was going to end. Today probably. Tonight. Tomorrow. Soon. The official call would only come if the Friars wanted Eli, but Stewart, the scout, had promised to call no matter what. To her mind, that was a great sign. Why would he say something like that if Eli didn’t have a good shot? Besides, she’d done a little online research and she knew that the Friars were looking for good pitching. Caleb Hart was their star—and he was amazing—but Yazmer Perez had melted down as soon as he hit the major leagues. They
needed
someone like Eli Anderson.

She had no doubts whatsoever. Eli would be leaving soon.

But she also had no regrets. Not about last night. Or early this morning. Or later this morning.

She was still grinning when she pulled up in front of his house.

He leaned over to kiss her and said softly, “Want to see you tonight.”

She wanted to see him too. But now things could get dangerous. Seeing him in Sapphire Falls would feel more…real. It would feel more like what she wanted long term. It would give her more to miss.

“How about you come over and tell me when you get the call from Stewart?”

He frowned slightly. “It might not be today.”

She put her hand against his cheek. “It will be today.”

He looked a little sad as he took her hand and kissed the palm. “Maybe.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m not sure how I want that call to go.”

Her heart flipped even as she gave him a stern look. “Yes you do. Stop it. Come over after you hear.”

“It might be a no.”

“It won’t be a no.”

“It could be.”

“Eli.” She sighed. “I’ll
bet
you that it’s a yes.”

His face brightened a little at that. “What do I get if I win?”

She smiled. “If it’s a no, you get whatever you want from me. And if it’s a yes,” her heart squeezed at that but she went on, “I get whatever I want from you.”

He grinned and kissed her again. “Deal.”

She watched him walk up to his front door and felt a strange combination of happiness, sadness, hope and dread.

Caitlyn was unpacked an hour later and trying to
not
go over and over—and over and over—last night in her mind.

But it had been so…

And he was so…

And now she was so…

The doorbell rang and she almost wept with relief. A distraction. She’d been this close to calling Bryan to offer to do the bar inventory.

She pulled the door open with a huge smile for whoever was saving her from her lusty daydreams.

Funny thing, the subject of those lusty daydreams was standing with an arm propped on her doorframe.

“Eli. Hi.”

“I got the call.”

Her heart flipped, her stomach swirled and her mind spun. She swallowed hard. “And?”

“You won the bet.”

“I won the bet.” With her mind so flustered, it took her a moment to understand what that meant. “
You got the call
?”

“I got the call. I’m in. I report to the Kilby Catfish tomorrow.” A huge grin split his face, while her heart splintered into a million conflicting pieces.

He’s amazing. He deserves this. He’s leaving. It hurts. So much. But don’t let him see it.

“Oh my God, Eli! You did it! You got the call!” she shrieked and gave a little jump, maybe going a wee bit overboard to hide the hole opening in her heart.

“And you won the bet. You know what that means.” He lowered his voice. “I’m here to give you whatever you want.” He stepped inside, filling her world with his hard muscles and smoldering blue eyes. Her body responded with a helpless throb, while her heart wanted to shrivel up and disappear.

The thing was—what she wanted was the one thing he couldn’t give her.

Him.

Eli and Caitlyn’s story continues in Getting Wound Up, Part Two!

Amazon:
http://amazon.com/dp/B019Y0U6XC

About the Authors

Jennifer Bernard
is a
USA Today
bestselling author of contemporary romance. Her books have been called “an irresistible reading experience” full of “quick wit and sizzling love scenes.” A graduate of Harvard and former news promo producer, she left big city life in Los Angeles for true love in Alaska, where she now lives with her husband and stepdaughters. She still hasn’t adjusted to the cold, so most often she can be found huddling with her laptop and a cup of tea. No stranger to book success, she also writes erotic novellas under a naughty secret name that she’s happy to share with the curious.

You can find Jennifer on the web at
JenniferBernard.net

On Facebook at
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On Twitter at
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Or sign up for her monthly
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Erin Nicholas
is the
New York Times
and
USA Today
bestselling author of over thirty sexy contemporary romances. Her stories have been described as toe-curling, enchanting, steamy and fun. She loves to write about reluctant heroes, flawed heroines, sex with food and happily ever afters. She does not like to write dark moments, synopses or bios.

You can find Erin on the web at
www.ErinNicholas.com
,

On Facebook at
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On Twitter at
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Table of Contents

GETTING WOUND UP – PART ONE

About the Authors