Page 58 of Out of Left Field

“Seth Butler left last night and I don’t think he’s coming back.”

I wasn’t even a week into this gig and I had a rogue coach and even more rogue left fielder. And I thought being a single dad was hard. Managing a team was more like being a single dad to twenty kids at once.

“Gordo will find him.”

I shook my head. “Everett will find him.” But Gordo would be the one to talk sense into him.

“They are close?”

“Used to be. They played together in college. Thick as thieves. As far as I can tell no one else is closer.” Erik and Wes were friends with Seth, but neither of them got Seth the way Everett did. “He said some things the other night. I knew his head was a little messed up, but I didn’t realize he was this upset.” I should have followed up. This sport could be brutal on the mind and the effects show up in a lot of different ways.

“Worrying won’t help.” Her eyes followed me as I paced. Kate sat on the bed still in her robe. “Seth is a grown man and you’ve tasked people to help him.”

I stopped at the window and stared out, seeing none of it. “Do you think this is more transition stuff or will the job always be like this? I feel like I’m juggling ten balls at once and they’re all on fire.”

She came to stand beside me. When I didn’t turn she reached up, grabbed my chin, and gently turned my face. “Part of what makes you so incredibly sexy is the fact that you care.” Her eyes darted between mine.

I felt seen in a way no one else had ever seen me before, so I kissed her. Hard and fast, catching her by surprise as I wrapped her up. My head almost hurt from thinking. And the more I thought, the harder it was to keep my emotions in check. There were things to do, lineups to decide on, injuries to assess. I needed to call my daughter and check in with my parents. And it was all hitting me with not enough sleep.

But there was a beautiful woman who understood all that. Understood me. And when I touched her my mind quieted and my body lit up. It felt good.

And I really needed some good. “I had a dream.”

“Oh?” She gasped and arched.

“We made love all morning on a cloud under the sun.” I pushed the robe over her shoulders and then hooked my fingers under the spaghetti straps of her cami. “I would really like to recreate that right about now.” We couldn’t get back the sleep we missed, but we sure could reset the day.

She looked up at me a little unsure. “You have a lot on your mind.”

“And I’d love to have absolutely nothing on my mind but you for a few minutes.” I wouldn’t make another move until she agreed so I waited while she studied me for another few moments.

“Oh why not?” Her hand wrapped around the back of my neck, her fingers threading into the hair at the nape as she pulled me down for another kiss. We ripped each other’s clothes off as I stumbled toward my open luggage for a condom, then to the bed as a tangle of arms, legs, and lips.

Did I know everything Kate liked? No. Not yet. But we had quick chemistry and a shared interest in chasing orgasms, so our sex life so far had been as easy and fun as the flirting we started out with. Kate wasn’t lying when she said sometimes she went off like a firecracker and other times she was a slow sizzling fuse. Surprising her like this meant I needed to be aware of that—if I could make myself slow down.

Which was damn hard with Kate. Every time I touched her I wanted more. Luckily she wasn’t half as sleepy as I expected. As we fumbled and touched she began to arch and moan for more. Things I was more than happy to do. Touching, kissing, and learning each and every inch of her body was my mission in life.

She had a sensitive hip and she liked it when I wrapped my hands around them. Which was great for me because I loved it too. On top, from behind, as long as my hands were there, we were both very happy. But there was still so much to learn.

I meant for it to be quick and satisfying for both of us, but we got lost in it. I had no idea what time it was and I forgot to care. Kate rolled on top of me and began to ride, so I flexed my hands around her hips, guiding the movement as I thrust up to meet her.

“Yes,” she groaned, head falling back.

My excitement level doubled every time she did that. Especially because her breasts thrust upward, giving me an incredible view. One I couldn’t resist touching. With one hand staying steady on her hip I reached up to caress and pinch. Her hand shot out for leverage, riding me harder.

“You like this?”

“Yes!”

I did it to the other nipple too. I watched her fingers move over her clitoris, studying until I felt confident I could do what she was doing. With her hands free she braced, one hand on my thigh, the other on my chest, riding herself right into an orgasm that almost took me with her.

But we were so into it all that as soon as her orgasm passed she threw herself onto the bed. “Don’t stop,” she begged. “I want to feel you on top of me.”

I let my desire take over and pounded into her before slowing down to taste her nipples and see if she responded the same way.

“They’re sensitive now,” she gasped, her channel still squeezing me intermittently with aftershocks. “But I want it. I want to feel you.”

“Feel me how?”