Sliding Into Second (10 page)

“That’s what I’ve heard.”

“Maybe by then you won’t want to rent a cottage.”

“What do you mean?”

“My house is big. Too big for just me.” It wasn’t the right time for this conversation, but he wanted to throw it out there as a possibility to let her know he was serious about starting over with her.

“I can’t live with you.”

“Why not?” His head was screaming at him to stop going down this road with her. It was too fast, too soon. But when he wanted something, he went after it. He wanted her, even if she did look like she would bolt for the door at any second. He’d have to find a way to change that.

“Because we’re not a couple.” She put her cup on the coffee table and pulled her knees into her chest before chewing on her fingernail. “We agreed we wouldn’t do this.”

“I didn’t agree to that.” He removed her hand from her mouth. “But I can see I’m making you anxious, so I’ll stop. I’ll do this on your terms. However you’re comfortable.” Waiting for her to come around might be the death of him, but for her, he’d do anything.

“Thank you.”

He needed patience when it came to her. He wanted to dive right back in and make her his, but she wasn’t going to give in that easily. He had some proving to do on his part if she was ever going to trust him again.

“Would you like to do something today? You pick.”

“Like a date?” she asked.

“Is that acceptable?” He sipped his coffee, hoping he hadn’t slipped up again.

“Let’s go sightseeing.”

“Like the Statue of Liberty?”

“Yeah.” She pointed toward the window. “How many times have you been to this city and actually seen any of it?”

“I play at the stadium, but when I’m here, there isn’t much time for anything else.” He frowned. “From April to October, I’m focused on one thing.”

“See.” She scooted over and climbed into his lap. “I live here and I’ve never seen all the tourist stuff. We could go on a carriage ride and maybe one of those double-decker buses.”

“I want to see the tree at Rockefeller Center.”

“Me too. I haven’t seen that in years.” She rested her head on his shoulder. “I know of an adorable little Italian place where we could have dinner too.”

“Whatever you want.” He twirled the end of her hair around his finger. “I’ll do whatever you want.”

He meant more than just today. He saw the panic in her expression when he suggested he wanted a relationship a few minutes ago. She would run if he pushed her. He’d have to wait her out. What choice did he have?

Chapter 9

Sage tried not to pout as Nic packed his suitcases. The past two weeks had been the best of her life. They spent as much time as they could with one another. She hadn’t slept in her own bed since that first night she shared his. How was she going to sleep alone for the next few weeks? This was exactly what she didn’t want to do. Getting close to him wasn’t an option. He was leaving her...again.

“Don’t look so sad.” He pulled her into his chest. “You’ll be in Kingston right after the holidays.”

“I know.” She wished they didn’t have to be apart. How had she become so attached to him in such a short period of time? “It’s only a week and a half.”

“It will be a long week and a half. Are you sure you can’t fly in on the twenty-sixth? You can spend Christmas Day with your family and then we can be together a few days before you start your new job.”

“I have plans with friends.” She didn’t get to see her childhood friends often. When she came home for the holidays, she visited with them. A few of them were married and had babies. “You remember Kelli and Laura. We have a girls night planned.”

“Can’t you reschedule?” He tucked her hair behind her ears. “I want to be with you.”

She had to stay strong. The separation would do her some good. She was falling too hard, too fast. “We should stick to the original plan. I’ll be there after the first.”

“Okay.” He didn’t try to persuade her any further. “I don’t have to report to spring training until March, so you can have my undivided attention until then. I’ll show you around Kingston.”

“Think of all the things we could do in that time.” She wasn’t sure who she was trying to remind that this relationship was supposed to be purely physical anymore. “The time away will make our reunion much more explosive.”

“Well, in that case, I look forward to seeing you after the New Year.” He pressed his lips to hers, deepening the kiss. His warm tongue probed hers; at first soft and slow, but then he became impatient, tangling his fingers in her hair and guiding her onto the bed.

“You’ll miss your flight.” She lay flat on her back with him on top of her.

“I don’t care.” He unbuttoned her shirt, spreading it open so he could kiss her neck and chest. “I don’t want to leave you.” He brushed his lips across her nipple, biting it through the cotton of her bra.

“I don’t want you to go either.” Why couldn’t she fight these feelings? Why did he have to be so charming, amazing, and caring?

“These past two weeks were more than I could have imagined when I got here. I didn’t think you were going to have anything to do with me.” He kissed her lips as he slipped her yoga pants down her hips. “I just need one more memory of you to take with me. I need this.”

“Okay.” She helped him free her of her pants. “Whatever you want.” She couldn’t deny him anything. No matter what had happened between them, she wanted to forget it all and start over. Why couldn’t she just allow herself to follow her heart?

“I want you.” He unbuckled his belt. “I’ve always wanted you.”

She wiggled out of her panties as he pushed his jeans from his ankles. Spreading her legs as he gripped his cock, he slid deep within her core.

“You feel so good.” He rocked his hips into her. “You’re all I think about.”

“Hmm...” she moaned when he was fully sheathed inside her heat.

He supported himself on his forearms as he thrust in and out of her, occasionally glancing down between them to watch as they became one. Their breathing picked up as their flesh slapped against one another. This encounter was fueled with an ache that had to be satiated. There was a need between the two of them. She felt it. She wanted him to stay with her. The dread of him leaving had been building for days. But now that he was with her, loving her, everything was going to be fine.

Shit! I’m not supposed to be falling for him. Not again.

“It’s going to be really hard keeping you out of my head.” His voice broke her insecurities.

“Then don’t.” She wrapped her legs around his hard ass, thrusting back, matching his force, giving in to him. When they were together, she managed to forget. He always made her forget why she was fighting so hard.

“Love,” he panted out. “I’m going to...”

Once the warmth of his release flowed into her, she couldn’t hold back. Her climax was strong as it tore through her, settling deep within her core. All the negativity and stress of him heading back home faded away. There was nothing for her to worry about. She’d be back in his arms soon. This wasn’t like before. This time things were different.

Now, she needed to decide whether she was going to continue to fight what was developing between them or just go with it. Decisions, decisions.

* * * *

Nic sat at the bar in Bennet’s sipping his beer. During baseball season, the restaurant provided the players a room to socialize after the games. In the off-season, it wasn’t as crowded and not many people hung out, so the guys could go and have a beer or two without the whole town swarming them. He didn’t mind the attention. Kingston had a loyal fan base, and Nic was happy to sign an autograph or take time to talk to a kid about the game. If a major league second baseman had talked to him when he was growing up, he would have cherished the memory for a lifetime.

He had agreed to meet Pax tonight. When his teammate called and asked to meet him at the bar, Nic welcomed the distraction. While he had a good holiday with his parents, he couldn’t get Sage out of his head. He was irritated that he wasn’t able to change her mind when it came to more in their relationship. The sex was incredible, mind blowing even, but he wanted it all.

Every time he tried to push the subject with her, she looked as if she was ready to flee to another country. He had to have patience. She was back in his life, and that was more than he could have ever dreamed of a month ago. She was coming to Kingston and then out on the road with him. He’d have plenty of time to convince her that they belonged together.

“Sorry I’m late.” Pax pulled out the stool next to Nic and took a seat. “Things are crazy in my house this holiday season.”

“Your mother’s in town.” Nic laughed. “My parents just left for Greece this morning.” He had surprised them with a cruise to their native island to visit some family. “How’s your shoulder?” Pax was recovering from surgery and was expected to be out for a good part of the season.

“It’s as well as can be expected.” He motioned for a beer. “It sucks, but it is what it is.”

The bartender placed Pax’s choice beer in front of him. “Thanks, Tom,” he said as he picked it up and took a sip. “How was New York?” he asked Nic.

Fuckin’ awesome.
“All went well.”

“I saw a couple spots on the sports network. Looks like they’re linking you with that new reporter who’s coming to Kingston in the spring. What’s up with that?”

“Sage and I go way back.” He finished his beer. “She was my girl through college. We hooked back up when I was in the city.”

“Serious?”

“It could be,” he said, shrugging. He wanted things to be serious, but Sage was holding back. “We have to work through some things. I screwed up when we were younger and now I have a lot of ground to cover.”

“If it’s meant to be.” Pax raised his bottle. “It’ll work out.”

“So, how is the lovely Sophia? She took you back?” Pax and his girlfriend had a fight and were separated for a couple of months, but Nic had heard the two were back together.

“She did.”

“I’m glad.” Nic liked Sophia. “She’s good for you.”

“We’re going to make it official.”

“No kidding?” He patted Pax’s back. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks.” Pax took another pull from his beer bottle. “She had a bit of a surprise for me when I came back to Rhode Island after the surgery.”

“Surprises can be good.” Nic had never expected Sage to walk back into his life after all this time. “What was it?”

“She’s making me a daddy.”

“What?” He choked on his beer. “Are you serious?”

“The baby will be here in May.”

“That’s fantastic.” He shook his friend’s hand. “Wow, marriage and a baby? You work fast.”

“I told you if it’s meant to be then it’s meant to be. I didn’t expect a baby so soon, but I couldn’t be happier.”

“That’s wonderful.” Nic was genuinely happy for the two of them. He had been a big supporter of their relationship. It was good to see Pax settle down and fall in love with such an amazing woman. “So, when’s the wedding?”

“We’re thinking February. I still have to report to spring training even though I’m out for a few months. Sophia is with my mother and her mother planning all the details as we speak.” He shook his head and laughed. “I was happy you were free to meet tonight. They’re making my head spin between the wedding, the baby, and this elaborate engagement party they’re planning for next week.”

“Party?”

“Yeah, at my house, Saturday night. I hope you can make it, and bring Sage too.”

“I’ll be there, but Sage is spending the holidays with her family.”

“Too bad. I’m looking forward to meeting her officially. She’s one hell of an interviewer. She knows her game.”

“She should,” Nic said. “I taught her everything she knows about the sport.”

“Maybe you’ll be the next
player
to settle down.”

“Well, if you can do it, then I guess anything is possible.”

“Soph’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” Pax smiled. “I’m a lucky man.”

“You deserve all good things.”

“So do you, bro. They’ll come your way.”

I hope so.

Chapter 10

Nic sat by the fire in the family room on Friday night, finishing his pizza. It was a snowy evening and not much was going on around town. He ordered in and planned to watch a football game before calling it a night.

Just as he cracked open a beer, someone rang the doorbell. He paused the game before making his way to the foyer. When he peeked out of the side panel windows, he was shocked to see Sage and her sister standing on his porch, dressed in their fashion boots and sleek leather jackets. They weren’t exactly dressed for a storm, but they looked hot.

He opened the door and smiled at them.

“Surprised?” Sage asked.

“Yes.” He widened the door and let them in. “What are you doing here?”

Rosalie winked as she walked past him. He wondered what she was up to.

Nic pulled Sage into a hug, kissing her temple, lingering to take in her scent. “Why didn’t you call to tell me you were coming?”

“We’ve had quite the day,” Rosalie said as she shook snow from her hair. “We should have come here first.”

“We had a little trouble with accommodations,” Sage said. “We decided to come to Rhode Island earlier than planned. I thought I’d confirmed a room at that adorable little inn at the edge of town, but when we got there, they had no reservation for us and no availability. They referred us to another place, but they were full too. So were the other two hotels we tried to stay in.”

“Kingston is a popular town.” Rosalie looked around the foyer. “This is a sweet house. I bet it has lots of room.”

“Rosalie,” Sage scolded her sister.

“She’s right.” Nic kissed Sage’s lips because he couldn’t resist any longer. “I have plenty of room. You don’t need a hotel.”

“It is a charming home,” Sage said. “I love the brickwork in front.”

“Thank you.” The house was bigger than Nic needed, especially during the season when he was on the road. It was his place though, and he enjoyed coming home to it whenever he could. His parents had moved to Kingston a few months ago and lived a few streets over, so he often ate with them. Several of his team members and a few coaches all lived in the community as well, so he was hardly ever lonely. “I really like the neighborhood.”