Short Stop to Love Read online

  Keri moaned above him, and her hands fisted in his hair, tugging as he worked her over. He sped up the thrust of his fingers, curling them to find her pleasure spot. She jerked when he found it, making him grin. He continued to stroke his fingers over her g-spot as he laved her clit, bringing her closer to orgasm.

  Her walls started to flutter and she moaned continuously over him. She was close to coming. He doubled his efforts, slipping another finger into her and stroking her. He felt Keri spasm, making him glance up. Her head was thrown back and her eyes screwed shut as her walls clamped down on him. His hand flooded with the evidence of her orgasm.

  He continued to stroke her as aftershocks fluttered through her body. When she stopped shaking, he removed his hands and placed a light kiss on her folds before standing to kiss her on the lips. Keri softly groaned as he kissed her. He hadn’t noticed how aroused he was while he pleasured her. He now ached with the desire to sink into her and he twitched at the thought of her enveloping him in her wet softness.

  He helped her stand and get into the tub, sliding in behind her. He pulled her to his chest. They sat in the warm water and Jeremy relaxed, even though his desire for Keri never dissipated. After a few minutes, Jeremy soaped up a loofah before running it up one of her arms, across her chest, and down the other. He worked his way back to her chest before moving it over her breasts. Suds clung to her still hardened nipples and he watched the rivulets of water cascade down her body. His desire burgeoned to the forefront again. He continued to wash and rinse her, reining his desire in as he finished.

  She turned to do the same. As she ran the loofah over his body, her breathing hitched and his body reacted. His groin tightened and his nipples hardened. He wanted to pull her to him and pull her onto his arousal, sinking into oblivion. He shook himself from his thoughts as she finished.

  He cocked a brow at her. “What do you say we move this to the bedroom?”

  Keri nodded and Jeremy stirred again at the thought of what the rest of the evening would entail. He stood and helped her up and out of the tub, grabbing a towel from the warmer. He held it open for her so she could step into his arms. He wrapped it around her and turned to grab another towel for himself.

  He eyed her as he briskly dried himself, already thinking of what he wanted to do to her. He noticed Keri’s eyes glued to his erection and smirked.

  “See something you like?” he asked.

  Keri’s eyes flew up to his. “Maybe,” she said coyly.

  He dropped his towel and stalked over to her, pulling her into his arms to kiss her. She gasped as he just as abruptly pulled away.

  “I hope you don’t have an early day tomorrow,” he told her as he walked her into the bedroom. “I have every intention of making sure you know all day tomorrow exactly where I’ve been tonight.”

  Keri giggled as Jeremy pounced on top of her, moving to get started on his promise.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Keri

  It was the end of March and Keri was preparing to attend her first game as Jeremy’s girlfriend. He’d been traveling with the team and busy with workouts, she hadn’t seen much of him the previous two weeks. She was excited to go to the game. Joann and Troy would be joining her in the box seats on the third baseline. After the game, Keri would be escorted to the locker room.

  She hadn’t really had a chance to see Jeremy in action, so the thought of watching him play a full game was a major turn-on. Visions of Jeremy clad in tight-fitting baseball pants, bending over as he fielded the ball, filled her head. A zing of desire careened through her, making her center clench in want for him.

  Shaking herself, she grinned as she pulled on the jersey Jeremy sent the day before. It had his name and number on the back, marking her as his. She paired it with jeans and Converse shoes. There was a knock on her bedroom door and she turned to see Joann leaning against it in her own t-shirt.

  “Troy just texted me. He should be here soon.”

  Keri nodded and turned to look at her hair.

  “Here, let me braid your hair,” Joann said, coming to stand behind Keri.

  She grabbed Keri’s brush and pulled it through her long locks before separating it into three sections and braiding it down her back. Keri pulled her hair tie off her wrist and passed it to Joann. A few tugs later, her hair was ready.

  “Thanks,” Keri said with a smile.

  “So, are you excited?” Joann asked, moving to sit on Keri’s bed.

  “I am. I can’t wait to see him in action.”

  Joann laughed. “I’m sure you can’t wait to watch his ass in action!”

  Keri laughed. “That too!”

  “What about the after-game action?”

  Keri shrugged. “I’m excited for that too. I can’t wait to see where he spends the majority of his time.”

  Joann arched her brow and asked, “Do you think he’ll give you a private tour?”

  “Joann!”

  Joann shrugged. “What? I think it’s a valid question.”

  Joann’s phone dinged.

  “Troy’s outside,” Joann told Keri as she stood. Keri nodded and grabbed her jacket and purse before following her out of the room. They moved through the apartment quickly and soon were on their way.

  Troy had a classic rock playlist blaring as he drove through the streets of Seattle. It was a beautiful sunny day that hinted at the warm weather to come. It was the perfect day for a baseball game. As they drew closer to the field, Keri’s brow furrowed as they passed parking lot after parking lot.

  “Where are we parking?” Keri asked.

  “We have a reserved parking pass close to the field with a valet.”

  “Oh,” Keri said, feeling a bit foolish. She should have known Jeremy would make sure they were taken care of.

  A short while later, they were parked and inside the stadium standing in front of a concession stand. Keri glanced around while Troy and Joann argued about what to get. She noticed a lot of people wearing t-shirts and jerseys with Jeremy’s name and number on them. They also happened to be women—attractive women. She shouldn’t be worried, but she couldn’t help little whispers of insecurity to creep into her mind. She sometimes wondered how she was lucky enough to land Jeremy. But then she would remember they knew each other before they started dating. She knew the real him and that meant more to her than anything else.

  “Are you going to fight about it all night?” Keri asked, exasperated.

  “Well…” Troy started.

  “We have to make sure we’re in agreement on what to get,” Joann told her.

  “They all sell the same things. Besides…I’m sure you can come back later if you realize you forgot something.”

  Keri sighed in relief as Joann and Troy finally ordered their food. Now that they were at the stadium, she was impatient to get to their seats. Once they moved to the side, she placed her own order for a beer, nachos, and hot dog.

  Dodging people on the way to their seats, Keri grinned from ear to ear as the field came into view and with it, the baseball players. As she followed Troy and Joann, she scanned the field for Jeremy.

  Rock music blared through the speakers of the park and Keri smiled. It was just like she remembered. The smell of stale popcorn and hot peanuts permeated the air. The dull roar of the stadium reminded her of games she attended with her father. Their seats were never as good as the third baseline, but she didn’t care. It was the sentiment behind the memories that counted.

  The announcer came on, jerking Keri from her thoughts He went over the starting lineups for Texas and Seattle. As each player’s name was called, they took their places on the field. Keri cheered loudly when she heard Jeremy’s name called.

  She settled down as he warmed up with the rest of the infield, unable to wipe the smile from her face as he moved. He looked edible in his uniform. She clearly saw the shape of his muscles in his clothing and she unashamedly watched him, rubbing her thighs together as she tried to ease the ache between them. She didn’t kn
ow what it was about a man in a baseball uniform, but she didn’t care so long as she could keep looking.

  As the game started, Keri forced herself to tear her eyes away from Jeremy and eat her food, though she kept darting her eyes back to him throughout the top of the first inning.

  “You’re drooling again,” Joann said, nudging Keri.

  “I am not.”

  “Please. Wipe your chin. It’s unbecoming.”

  Keri discreetly wiped her chin and glared at Joann. “I told you I wasn’t drooling.”

  “I know. I had to tease you. I’ve never seen you like this about a guy before. What gives?”

  Keri shrugged. “He’s nice and kind. Does there need to be more?”

  “I guess not.”

  When it was Seattle’s turn to bat and Jeremy stepped out on deck to practice, Keri got her first really good look at him in the uniform which consisted of a teal jersey with white pants. The pants were just tight enough to afford a good look at his firm ass. If the view while he was on the field was good, this view was better. She fantasized about grabbing it later.

  Soon, Jeremy was stepping into the batter’s box, adjusting his helmet and gloves before setting up. She held her breath the first two pitches, hoping he would get a hit. He didn’t swing at either. The third pitch, however, he clipped, sending it over the first base foul line and into the stands. She, along with the crowd, groaned when the ball went out of play.

  The next pitch he got a better connection, hitting a straight shot between the shortstop and second baseman, allowing him to get to first. By the time the first inning was over, Jeremy had only made it to second.

  “So, you enjoying the game?” Troy asked as Keri sipped her now warm beer.

  She nodded and smiled at him. “I am. I always forget how much I enjoy the game until I go to one.”

  “There is something else about baseball, isn’t there?”

  Joann scoffed. “I don’t know how the two of you can enjoy this game. It’s just a bunch of men on a field hitting a ball and chasing it.”

  “You don’t have to understand it,” he said with a shrug, “You just have to understand that it’s like a religion.”

  Keri laughed. “I have to agree with Troy. There’s nothing quite like coming to a game. The music, food, atmosphere. It’s something special. It’s totally different than watching on TV.”

  Joann rolled her eyes and stood. “Well, while you hold your ‘communion,’ I’m going to get another beer. Anybody want one?”

  Keri and Troy both indicated they did. Keri watched as Troy scooted next to her.

  “So, how are you?”

  Keri wasn’t sure what he was asking. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, how are you doing? With everything? I’ve seen the photos of you in the paper. I have to say, I’m surprised they haven’t figured out who you are yet.”

  “I agree. I expected it to break the following day, but, somehow, we got lucky and some other celebrity made the news. I think it’s because we haven’t been seen together recently. He’s always traveling.”

  “Yeah, he does eat, breathe, and sleep baseball,” he said as his eyes slid over to her. “The person he ends up with is going to have to be very understanding of that.”

  Keri didn’t say anything at first, instead choosing to study Troy’s face. She felt like he was trying to tell her something, but she wasn’t sure what.

  “What are you saying?”

  Troy fidgeted a little, looking anywhere but at her. He finally sighed and said, “I won’t tell you specifics, but Jeremy dated someone seriously when he got picked up in the draft and was playing in the minors. They broke up for a lot of reasons, but the biggest one was she couldn’t understand why so much of his time was taken up with baseball.”

  This was news to her. The most she knew about it was his last serious girlfriend was his high school sweetheart. She wondered why Troy brought it up.

  She cleared her throat. “I understand baseball is his career and his passion. It’s obviously going to play a very large part in his life.”

  She paused before continuing, “I’m just not sure why you’re mentioning this to me. I think this is a conversation for Jeremy and me.”

  Troy turned to fully face her, his eyes roaming her face. “Anyone who sees you together sees how serious you are. You’re it for him and I think he’s it for you. I also think you know this.”

  Keri shifted uncomfortably. She wasn’t sure how she felt about Troy putting her on the spot.

  He continued, “I’m not saying this to freak you out or anything. I’m telling you this because the media scrutiny won’t get better. It’ll probably get worse and you’ll be tempted to leave it all behind. You and Jeremy need to get on the same page about it and you need to talk about your pasts.”

  Troy paused and glanced towards the field, his eyes landing on Jeremy who was in position at shortstop, glaring at the batter in the box. He turned his attention back to Keri.

  “If I didn’t think you were serious, believe me, I wouldn’t say anything. But, his ex…” Troy trailed off. “His ex is a piece of work. She liked the perks, but not the reality. She’s always been lurking in the background, never quite going away and I think once you’re in the spotlight fully, she’s going to come out of hiding.”

  Keri blinked slowly, trying to process what Troy was saying. She appreciated his words, but she wasn’t sure what his endgame was. Before she could reply, his gaze slid past her and he smiled. “Beer!”

  Joann laughed and rejoined them at their seats. Troy moved back to his seat as he took the fresh beer from Joann. Keri smiled her thanks as accepted her own, taking a small sip as she turned back to the field, thinking over what Troy told her.

  His words sent a small frisson of fear through her. Who was Jeremy’s ex and why did Troy think she hadn’t quite gotten over Jeremy? She tried to think back to when she searched him online and she didn’t remember anything about a relationship. From what Troy said, they were together early in his career, so there probably weren’t any articles about the two of them. She idly wondered if there were photos of them online, but she quickly pushed that thought from her mind.

  She endeavored to enjoy the rest of the game and her evening with Jeremy. He would be leaving for a few away games before coming back to Seattle for a week. She knew she wouldn’t get to spend a ton of time with him in the coming days, so she didn’t want their time sullied by the insecurities that were now rearing their ugly head.

  When the game ended, Joann and Troy stayed with her, watching as the stadium slowly cleared out.

  “Jacob!” Troy exclaimed, standing up and holding out his hand to the man standing behind them.

  Keri smiled as Jacob shook Troy’s hand. “Mr. Glass, Ms. Gardiner, Ms. Robson.”

  “Since he’s here, we’re going to bounce,” Joann said, pulling Keri into a hug. “Enjoy your evening.”

  “I’ll try.”

  With a wave, she turned and followed Jacob as he led her below the stands and into the bowels of the stadium. She thought it would be eerily quiet in this part of the stadium, but she could hear reporters asking questions and taking photos. A few steps later, they came into view and Keri braced herself. They were outside the locker rooms, which meant they would get a good shot of her face and they might pick up on who she was.

  Jacob cleared a path and led her into the room, ignoring the questions fired at her. Upon stepping into the locker room, Keri blinked a few times, surprised by what she saw. Her only experience with locker rooms was in school. The locker rooms there were filled with metal lockers and long wooden benches, the entire room smelling like dirty socks no matter the time of year. This locker room was completely different. The “lockers” were actually open cubbies with space for hanging clothes, equipment, and a few other odds and ends. She noticed a door to her left that said “showers” and a few other doors she couldn’t read the signs for.

  Jacob led her through the now quiet room.
Keri felt herself flush as she felt the eyes of Jeremy’s teammates on her. She wasn’t used to the scrutiny or appraisal. Thankfully, everyone was mostly dressed, so she didn’t have to deal with men in towels. She smiled when Jeremy came into view. He was seated in front of his locker with his back to her, putting his shoes on.

  She slid her arms around his neck, pressing herself against him. “Hey handsome,” she whispered into his ear.

  Jeremy sat up and turned slightly in her arms, kissing her lightly. “Hey beautiful.”

  She stepped back so he could finish tying his shoes. He turned to face her, pulling her onto his lap.

  “What did you think?”

  “Of what?” Keri asked, feigning confusion.

  “Of the sky,” he deadpanned.

  Keri laughed. “I enjoyed the game, but I usually do. I love baseball.”

  Jeremy nodded, but before he could say anything, they were interrupted by Andrew. “Glass, I see you’ve got a piece of ass here today. Never seen you bring a girl in here before.”

  Jeremy stiffened. She placed a hand on his chest, hoping he would stay calm.

  “I have to wonder,” Andrew continued, “what’re you doing with Glass here? If I knew you were a ball bunny, I would’ve tapped you years ago.”

  Keri was mortified and angry at the insinuation she would have done anything with him. Before she could say anything, Jeremy said, “I’d be careful what you say, Lennox. You’re sounding put out.”

  Andrew scoffed, drawing her attention again. “Put out? Please. I can get whoever I want,” he said, eye fucking Keri.

  Bile rose in her throat at the thought of being with Andrew. It wasn’t a pretty picture. While she couldn’t deny he was an attractive blonde haired, blue eyed god, his personality was severely lacking. If the rumors were to be believed, his image suffered because of it.

  Andrew opened his mouth to retort, but he was cut off by a brusque voice. “Lennox! My office, now!”

  With a glare, he turned to walked toward a redheaded male glaring at him. Keri was glad she wasn’t on the receiving end of that look. It was enough to make her want to apologize for things she’d never done.