Page 49 of Love in the Outfield

We clear the dishes and retire to the couch. Georgia curls her feet up underneath her in a hauntingly familiar pose.

“Remember when you tried to teach me how to whack a ball?” she asks snickering.

“How could I forget? You practically knocked my teeth out.”

“I know. But it was funny.”

“I was practically throwing the balls at your bat and you still missed till you hit that missile right at me.”

“I never was the athletic type.”

“You were determined though. Pretty cute holding that bat, as I recall, even if you sucked at baseball,” I say.

She uncurls her foot and kicks me. “I’m good at other things.”

I can’t help it my mind goes straight to the gutter.

“Don’t I know it,” I murmur. Her cheeks turn a becoming pink and she looks away.

“Be good,” she says.

Chris Stapleton’s “TennesseeWhisky” comes on and I jump up. “Georgia, dance with me.”

She shakes her head vigorously. “No way.”

“Come on,” I coax. “Pretty please. Just one.” I grab her hand and practically drag her to her feet as the romantic notes fill the room. She caves easily and places her hands on my shoulders and looks at me from under her lashes. I slip my hands around her waist and tug her close. The heat between us is out of the park. My God, I’ve been fooling myself for two years. There’s never been anyone else. It’s always been her and it always will be.

I sway to the music and bury my nose in her fragrant hair. I sing along in a whisper “Sweet as strawberry wine.”

She slides her palms slowly down my pecs and then wraps her arms around my waist. Nestling her cheek against me as I rest mine on top of her head. I don’t know how it goes from sweet and tender to a five-alarm fire in a millisecond but it does. One minute we’re swaying to the music the next we’re kissing each other like our lives depend on it. Her lips taste like wine and I’m no match against her soft curves rubbing up against me. I feel myself growing hard but she doesn’t back away. She presses into me. I’m drowning in a sea of desire. This woman will be my downfall.

When we finally come up for air Georgia’s cheeks are flushed, lips parted, hair wild where I had tunneled my fingers through it. Her eyes are glazed over with want and I feel the same. I don’t want to take advantage so I pull away and take her hand, walking us back to the couch. I plop down pulling her onto my lap and we topple over laughing. Her dress rides all the way up her creamy thighs and I run my palms up and down her smooth skin.

“Georgia, this feels so right,” I say.

“Shh,” she shushes me placing her finger over my lips.

“You can’t deny what we have is off the charts. Why can’t we try again?”

“Stop talkin’,” she insists. Her head falls back and she stares at the ceiling. “I knew this was a bad idea.”

“Why? It doesn’t have to be.”

“I can’t be that vulnerable again. I can’t. It just about killed me the first time.”

“I know you don’t believe this, but I was all messed up when I left. I’m sorry I didn’t fight harder back then but I will this time and I promise to take it slow.”

“I know better. You athletes are a different breed. You’re driven. If you set your sights on me, I’ll be consumed like poor ole Larry was. You realize we haven’t discussed one thing we arranged this meetin’ for?” she huffs. “You are big trouble with a capital T.”

“Next time we meet, when I get back from the road trip, we’ll figure things out then. We can talk on the phone every night while I’m gone.”

“That’s sounding a little bit too much like a relationship,” she argues.

“What’s there to solve anyway? It’s not that difficult. All I’m asking for is equal time on the off-season and I want a couple of weeks in January or February to take him on a family vacation. I’ll pay all your living expenses and set up a college fund for Auggie. I’ll give you a generous check every month for child support. That about covers it.” Me and my big mouth. Her brows pucker and her expression darkens, her mouth becoming a firm line. I immediately regret bringing things up so casually.

“Do you have short-term memory loss or something? I could’ve sworn I said no vacation. Too soon.”

“Georgia you’re not being reasonable. I think by the time we get there you’ll be comfortable with it.”

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