Worth the Trade (More Than A Game) (25 page)

Before she could think too much about it, Marco spotted her. He handed his champagne bottle off to Garcia and started toward her. His blue eyes shone with excitement and desire as he swept her up, twirled her around and kissed her right in the middle of the clubhouse.

She should protest, but he kissed her long and hard and with his erection pressing against her she couldn’t think about why she would want him to stop. She couldn’t think about scandal or steroids or that stupid bet. She couldn’t even think about baseball at the moment.

The room erupted into whistles and cat calls and someone dumped champagne over the two of them. Marco interrupted the kiss only long enough to warn her to keep her eyes closed. So she did.

Finally when they came up for air, Marco pulled her up to a bench and drew everyone’s attention to them, as if they weren’t all watching them already.

“Gentlemen, do you see this lovely lady here?” He held her up on a makeshift pedestal. “She’s the reason we’re celebrating together tonight. She brought us all here. Each and every one of us. Okay, maybe not you, Sully, you came over with the gold rush. But the rest of us are here because she had the foresight to make sure we were drafted, signed, or traded for.”

They laughed at his remark about Sully, but a lot of the guys simply nodded when he spoke of how they’d come to be part of the team. Marco looked up at Hunter, smiling that sweet, sexy, so-hard-to-resist smile.

“And I, for one, am not going to let this lady down.” He turned to face the crowd, his teammates, coaches and trainers, their families, and the reporters who were recording his little speech. “I know this is just the beginning. And it’s not going to be easy. But nothing worth fighting for ever is.”

He could be talking about the team, or he could be talking about their relationship. Probably both.

“So I’m ready to fight. I’m ready to give everything I’ve got to get to the next level.” He pulled Hunter closer. “Are you with me?”

The clubhouse erupted in shouts and “Yeah. Let’s do it. We’re with you. All the way.”

Hunter’s eyes filled with tears, overcome with emotions she couldn’t keep under control. They flowed down her cheeks and the second Marco noticed, he whisked her into his arms.

“Let’s go,” he whispered. He led her to a cab. There were too many fans still lingering around the ballpark to walk to his apartment. He gave the driver the address to her place. Hopefully they’d have privacy for one more night, at least.

“What’s wrong, baby?” Marco wiped her tears and dropped tiny little kisses on her face, neck, and head. “Did I go too far?”

“No. That’s not… It’s…It’s everything.” Where should she start? “My father…”

She broke into more sobs and Marco just pulled her against him, holding her, loving her.

“Your father would be very proud of you.”

“No. He’d be proud of the team, but not of me.”

“We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you.”

The cab pulled up in front of her house. Hunter reached for her purse, to pay the driver, but Marco put his hand on hers.

He pulled out his wallet, paid the fare, and exited the cab with her.

“Hunter, I know something is bothering you. More than just people finding out about us.” He followed her to her front porch. Her hands shook as she unlocked the door.

“I bet on baseball. I got involved with a player, I… I’ve ruined everything.”

“You haven’t ruined anything.” He locked the deadbolt behind them.

“I should have known better.” She shook her head.

“So you regret being with me?”

“No. No, that is the one thing I don’t regret. But, Marco, even if we win, it will be tainted.”

“Because we slept together?” He sounded angry. Hurt.

“No. Because I bet on baseball with a partner who’s involved with selling performance enhancing drugs to ballplayers. And you knew about it.” She tried to put more distance between them. “You knew Clayton Barry was involved, but I don’t know how or why you found out.”

“Annabelle asked me to have him investigated.” He leaned back against the door. “I only agreed because I thought it would hurt you, if he was cheating on her. I wanted to protect you. I had no idea what he was into.”

“Annabelle asked you. And you couldn’t say no.” She waited for the familiar stab of jealousy to hit her, but she was too exhausted, too heartbroken to care.

“I’m not the bad guy here.” Marco raked his hands through his hair. “I should have told you as soon as I found out, but I thought I could convince him to get out before all this came down.”

“He’s selling his share.” She might as well tell him that part of it. “To Marvin Dempsey.”

“He was supposed to sell it to you.” Marco looked like he wanted to hit something. Not her, but she feared for the plaster in her hallway.

“That wouldn’t do any good.” Hunter dropped her purse on the bench just inside the door. She was exhausted. If she was alone, she’d be tempted to just curl up on the rug in the foyer. “I slept with a player. I bet on baseball. I broke the rules. They’ll ban me for life. Like the 1919 White Sox.”

“No. They can’t do that. I won’t let them.” Marco leaned against the wall, balling his fists in frustration.

“What can you do?” Her heart was breaking. Everything she’d worked for her entire life was within reach and she was going to lose it all. Not only that, but Marco could go down with her. “No. You need to stay out of it. I think…I think we should stop seeing each other.”

“No.” He stood over her, his hands on her shoulders. “I’m not going to just walk away from you. From us.”

“Marco, do you realize what you have to lose?” She couldn’t let him give up his career trying to fight the system. There was a reason there weren’t any women high up in the baseball ranks. It was an old boys’ club, and she’d been fool enough to think she could use her brains to get into it. Her knowledge and love of the game weren’t enough. Her business skills were one thing on paper, but when it had come down to it, she wasn’t ready to take over.

“Yes. Yes, I do.” He reached for her hand, but she pulled away.

“Maybe you should go.” She went to retrieve her phone. “I’ll call you a cab.”

“No. I’m not leaving.” Marco took the phone from her. He took her face in his hands. “I’m not going anywhere. Not tonight. Not ever.”

* * * *

Marco looked into Hunter’s eyes. He saw a world of emotions swirling in their depths. Fear, despair, hope, and unless it was his feelings shining back at him, he even caught a glimmer of love. He couldn’t let her go through all that alone.

He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her. He kissed her until he felt her soften. She went limp as his kiss deepened. He’d like to think it was because she was surrendering to his undeniable charm and prowess as a lover. But he had a sinking feeling she was just giving up.

Still, he swept her in his arms and carried her up the stairs to the master bathroom. They were both covered with champagne and maybe, just maybe, he could wash some of her troubles down the drain.

He turned on the hot water, testing the temperature before he carefully and tenderly started to remove their clothes. Hunter was first. She stepped mindlessly into the large marble shower and Marco followed behind her. This wasn’t about sex. Not for him, although his body was more than willing to go along with it.

He poured shampoo into his palm and began to lather up her hair. He massaged her scalp and he could feel the tension slowly slide away along with the suds that swirled down the drain.

Hunter moaned beneath his touch. Her eyes were closed and what was left of her mascara ran down her cheeks. He couldn’t help it, he turned her toward him, kissing away the traces of her tears.

“I wish I could tell you everything is going to be okay.” He wanted to reassure her, but she placed her finger over his lips.

“Shh. Don’t talk. I’m done talking for the night.” She opened her eyes and all he saw was raw desire. “Just hold me, Marco. Please.”

He never could resist her “please.”

Marco took the handheld sprayer and rinsed her hair. He rinsed her body, wishing he could wash away her pain. He adjusted the nozzle to the massage setting, and ran it across her back and shoulders. She rolled her neck from side to side, allowing him to give her this.

He moved the shower head down her back, concentrating the pulsing jets on her lower back. She moaned in pleasure and he moved her so she could lean on the marble wall. He nudged her feet wider and he aimed the water lower, between her thighs.

With a whimper, she let him know he’d found another spot that needed attention. She squirmed and writhed and he knew she was getting close to losing her mind.

She bucked and moaned and he brought his hand around to stroke her, and hold her up.

“Turn around,” he commanded. She obeyed. “Grab onto my shoulders.”

It took a little maneuvering, but they found a position where he could finish blowing her mind. He wanted to give her this. Needed to give her this.

She dug her nails into his muscles. The onslaught of pleasure overtaking her.

“Marco.” She shuddered, gripping him even tighter. “Pleeeeee—”

He dropped the shower head as she wrapped her legs around him. He thrust deep inside her, could feel her pulsing around him. He pressed her against the wall hoping like hell he could stay on his feet as he drove into her. Hotter, wilder and more intense than he’d ever had.

The water nozzle danced around at their feet, spraying in all directions.

His emotions were dancing around in all directions, too.

Finally, she cried out, digging her nails so deep into his flesh she drew blood. He pumped again. Once. Twice. That was all it took. He exploded.

No way in hell was he going to let this go.

Hunter loosened her grip on him, sliding her legs down until her feet hit the floor of the shower. Marco dropped to his knees. His legs could no longer hold him up.

Hunter picked up the shower head and adjusted it to a fine spray. She rinsed his shoulders and Marco winced as the water stung his cuts.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

“You don’t have to apologize to me.” Marco clenched his jaw, hoping she wouldn’t notice his pain. “Not for that.”

She slid down beside him, kissing the wounds she’d caused.

“I never meant to hurt you.” She sounded like she was crying again. Shit.

“I’m tough. I can take it.” The water started to run cool.

“Let’s go to bed.” He got to his feet, took the shower sprayer, replaced it in the bracket, and turned the water off. “It’s been a long day.”

She nodded and let him wrap her in a big fluffy towel. He dried off quickly and they tumbled together into the nearest bed.

Chapter 18

Hunter had been too exhausted to kick Marco out of her bed last night. At least that’s what she told herself to keep from thinking about how she was only delaying the inevitable. It was only a matter of time before everything blew up around her.

She’d set up a meeting with Marvin Dempsey for later that afternoon. The team was safely in the air and she had several loose ends to wrap up. Cleaning out her office was only part of it. She couldn’t quite bring herself to take down all the photos and team memorabilia. She still had enough superstition in her to think that she needed to keep everything in place throughout the postseason.

But she’d started cleaning out the old files. Organizing the business records for the sale. She wanted to make sure this was a clean transaction. She also wanted to be able to prove that she had no ties to Clayton Barry’s investments with FITNatural.

“I’m sorry, Miss Collins, I tried to stop him.” Her secretary tried to block the door, but the up and coming reporter burst through. His cameraman was right behind him.

“What can I do for you, Rex?” Hunter tried to maintain her dignity. “If you’re here to congratulate the team on their division title, you’ll need to detour to Phoenix. They’re down there for a three game series before coming home for their final home stand.”

“Congratulations.” The reporter flashed her a smile that was a phony as those black and white striped “prisoner outfits” they sold as Alcatraz souvenirs. “It’s been an interesting road to get there.”