Anything but Minor - Kate Stewart Page 0,35

himself. Martin Hembrey was the sole reason I wasn’t playing major league baseball. The man had bred me to love ball, live it, breathe it, but he hadn’t given me the talent or the tenacity. He hadn’t played the games for me but took credit for everything, anyway. Like my mother, he took and took until one night I gave back. The result of that cost me the first few years of my career.

No, it definitely wasn’t the girl that had me off my game. It was the girl who had saved it.

I’d tasted her, and now she lingered everywhere, my lips, my tongue. She had me so hard up, I stayed semi the rest of the game. I wanted to bury my face between those legs and hear that moan that sounded like a song for me. I wanted to lick every inch of her and then lose myself so deep inside she’d forget to breathe. And then I wanted to fuck her back to life stroke by stroke.

I’d always been loyal to my game, my attention never swayed, ever. Kissing Alice the way I had with several innings left to pitch was the first time I’d ever betrayed my first love, and it felt fucking amazing.

I knew I’d never pull another stunt like that again. I knew that those watching hadn’t missed her leave the field or the improvement in my throwing after. If I was being watched, and I knew I was, let them see. Let them all see.

I slammed my locker door and made a beeline for my car. I forwent my usual visit to Andy’s bar for a new reason.

My tastes were changing.

I tapped the bar for another round as I waited on Rafe, unsure of what he could possibly want from me. We hadn’t spoken since our kiss last night, which was odd because we usually texted until one of us passed out. I wasn’t sure if his text invite for a drink was a means to an end or a chance to explore our chemistry. I was up all night touching the places he hadn’t touched.

“You’ve been drinking a lot of that horrible beer lately,” I heard as he took the stool next to me. His scent lingered between us as I turned to greet him. “It’s an acquired taste,” I said as I took another sip to try to hide the obvious perk in my presence at his arrival. He was dressed in jeans, a dark t-shirt, a reversed ball cap, and had never looked better. “You called this meeting. I’m all ears.”

He gave me a sideways glance. “You in a hurry?” He motioned to Kristina behind the bar.

“I kind of am. I have a date,” I said as I braved a glance in his direction.

“Not anymore,” he countered with a clear tick in his jaw. “Text him now and tell him you got held up.”

“Why would I do that?” I asked, shocked as I noticed the sudden stiffness in his back. All the humor vanished from his face.

“You know damn well why,” he barked as he gripped his beer without breaking eye contact with me. He was close, his lips pure temptation.

“Well, I’ve been here almost two months and haven’t been on a date, so, no, Rafe, I won’t cancel.”

He smirked and pulled away from me. “The hell you won’t.”

“I’m not your toy. There are at least twenty women in here that will go without dinner and good conversation to let you play with them.”

“What if I want to play with you?” he said as his finger slipped through the belt loop on my dress. His fingers splayed on my hip, and he dug them in possessively.

“I would have to say tough. I have a date.”

“Fair enough,” he said, leaning back in his seat. “I’ll make a deal with you, or rather, a wager.”

“A wager?”

“This is a sure thing for me,” he said as he motioned for Kristina.

“I’m not following,” I said as he turned to me, his eyes full of mischief. “And I’m pretty sure you’re already cheating.”

“Now, Alice,” he said in an odd sounding, singsong voice, “hear me out. I’m going to order a shot. You take it the way I instruct you to, and you can go out on a date with...”

“Trey.”

He rolled his eyes. “You take this shot I’ll let you got out with Trey.”

I looked at him defiantly. “I don’t need your permission.”

“Humor me,” he said as he whispered over at Kristina. She gave me a