The Ninth Inning (The Boys of Baseball #1) - J. Sterling Page 0,47
stupid. It was wrong.” He pushed up from the couch again and started slowly pacing in front of me. He tossed his hat to the floor and tugged at his hair. “I thought I was getting some kind of balance by concentrating on only one aspect of my life, but it was the exact opposite. Focusing all of my time and attention on baseball created an unevenness inside of me. But I couldn’t see that. I didn’t put it together until today.”
“The game,” I said as the realization hit me like a fast ball. “That’s why you looked in the stands and pointed your helmet at me.” He nodded as another question popped into my mind, “So, you’re using me for your batting average?” I asked, half-joking and half-serious.
He had just said that his hitting suffered once he left me. What if he only wants me around to get it back on track? What if I’m basically just good for business?
“No, Christina. I’m not using you. I didn’t mean for it to come out like that. I want you.”
“What are you saying, Cole? I need to hear it. I need to hear you say it out loud.”
“I do too,” Lauren shouted from her room.
I yelled at her to close her door. She grunted before slamming it shut, and Cole and I both smiled.
“I’m asking for a chance.” He lowered himself in between my legs, his large frame sitting right in the dead center of my universe. “I sure as hell don’t deserve it, but I promise I won’t ruin it. I won’t be perfect, but I’m going to try. I have a lot to learn, but please don’t give up on me.”
Part of me knew I should make him beg harder or grovel more, but nothing erased the fact that we deserved a chance at being together. It was the one thing I’d always wanted ever since I first met him during our freshman year. And I refused to throw away the opportunity because of my pride or to prove some sort of moot point.
“You really want to do this?”
“If you’ll have me,” he said, sounding unsure of what I’d say in response. When I didn’t say anything, he added, “I am sorry it took me so long.”
I leaned forward and shut him up with my lips this time. Kissing Cole was something that was way too easy to get used to. I could get lost in those lips if I allowed myself … but first, logic.
I pulled away, breaking the kiss. “I need you to leave.”
“Wait, what?” He pushed to his feet, his full frame towering over me.
“It’s just …” I formulated my thoughts. “I need to make sure this isn’t some heat-of-the-moment kind of thing because of Logan. I need to know that you’ll still mean all this in the morning.”
He reached for my hands and pulled me up. “I will still mean all this in the morning.”
“Good. Then, you can tell me all this again then.” I held a hand toward the front door, expecting him to take the hint.
“You’re serious?”
“I am,” I said. “I need to make sure you still feel the same way when you open your eyes tomorrow.”
“I will,” he said, his tone filled with determination as he leaned down to pick up his hat before heading toward the door.
“Okay,” I said, my tone clearly skeptical. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“No.” He stopped walking. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He pulled out his phone and looked down at it. “Be ready by eleven.”
I eased my head back in surprise. “Ready for what?”
“I’m taking you out to eat, for starters. In a real restaurant. On a real date.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead before shoving his phone back in his pocket.
“At eleven?” Lauren pulled her bedroom door wide open and rolled her eyes. “Give me a break, you guys. Like I wasn’t going to eavesdrop.”
Cole laughed before focusing his attention back on me. “I know that dinner is more romantic, but I don’t want to wait that long to see you again. I never get days off. I’ll be here at eleven. That’s only eight and a half hours from now.”
“I guess we’ll see,” I said with a little more snark than I had meant, but I wasn’t sure that all this wouldn’t go away.
“I know you don’t believe me, and that’s okay. I’ll show you, Christina. I meant every word I said tonight. I’ll see you soon.” He pulled open the door and