Page 57 of Love in the Outfield

“Someone is getting sleepy,” I say, nodding at August.

“Should we call it a day then?”

“Anything you’d like to see before we go? I wouldn’t want the big kid to go away disappointed.”

“I’m good. The petting zoo was epic. I can now die a happy camper.”

I polish off my hot dog then get up and throw away our trash in a nearby receptacle painted with colorful zoo animals. “Let’s go then.”

As we head to the exit, Cade lays his arm across my shoulders as I push the stroller. This time I don’t pull away. It feels right. I’m tired of worrying about it. This whole thing feels natural. The three of us spending a normal day together like real families do is a moment I want to hold on to. I’m the happiest I’ve been in a very long time. I fight down panic at the thought. I’m afraid if I acknowledge it, I’ll jinx it.

By the time we get back to my place, the sun is setting. Cade carries in our sleeping child and puts him in his crib. When he returns, I hand him a glass of sweet tea and we plop down on the couch together. Jasper studies us from his doggie bed then gets up to go into Auggie’s bedroom. Cade’s gaze is intense as he sets his glass down on a coaster. The heat in his eyes tells me what’s coming and I’m not sorry.

“Georgia, I’ve been waiting all day to ask you this—can I kiss you?”

I lick my lips. “Can’t say I’d stop ya.”

When he cups the back of my head and his warm lips finally brush mine, I moan. It feels like I’ve been pent up for days and now I’ve finally been released. His lips trail across my jaw, then my chin and down to my neck, his tongue sliding against my skin, nuzzling and nibbling until I’m squirming with desire. When he returns to my lips, they part willingly and his tongue slips inside. Before I know it, we’re lying down together, me halfon top of him, our kiss deepening and lingering. Our kiss goes on and on. I am floating, completely lost in the moment, where nothing else exists.

“Georgia,” he sighs against my mouth. “I want you so bad.”

Alarm bells are jangling in my brain but do I listen? No. Instead, I whisper, “I want you too.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” And right now, I am. I’m tired of fightin’ it. Just this once I’m going to give in to what I want. To hell with the consequences. I cannot resist this man. He kneels to slowly undress me, his eyes hungrily taking in every inch as he goes. When he stands to undress his hooded gaze is on me. Now it’s my turn to watch. It surely ignites a fire in my lower regions. He lifts his tee shirt, pulling it over his head before tossing it to the floor. I practically swoon over his glorious shoulders and pecs… all sculpted, lean muscle. I see a delicate cursive script tattooed under his right pectoralis muscle that wasn’t there two years ago. I squint to read it.

“What’s your tat say?”

He looks down at it shrugging self-consciously. “From struggle comes strength.”

“Is that coming from your baseball experience?”

“Partly. I got inked soon after I arrived in San Diego. When it finally hit me that I’d given you up, I mean really lost you, I had to tap in deep. It wasn’t easy being there at first. I was in some serious emotional pain. Hard to play ball when you’re having an existential crisis and Ihadto play ball. I couldn’t let my teammates down.”

“Somehow that makes me feel better, even after all this time. So do you feel strong now?” I ask.

His shy smile makes my toes curl. “Sometimes,” he says.

“So, are you gonna make love to me or what?” I pull impatiently at his waistband.

He unzips his shorts and they drop to the ground.Oh, my.I bite my bottom lip. His black briefs leave nothing to my imagination. His powerful thighs, defined and taut, show the countless hours he’s spent training. He is fully aroused and I’m suddenly flushed and tingly all over.

He crawls over me, his nose gently brushing my cheek before he presses his lips against mine. His musky scent is intoxicating as we make love right there on my living room couch with the soft serenade of crickets drifting through the open windows and the heady aroma of our sex lingering in the air.

26

GEORGIA

We’re crammed inside my Subaru wagon on our way to Cade’s parents’ house for supper and I’m listening to Mama’s devious plan to get Wendy’s goat. Ava is in on it too. Daddy is sitting in the passenger seat next to me and the girls are in back with August.

“I can’t wait to see Wendy’s face when she opens her hostess gift bag,” Mama says, wiping tears from her eyes from laughing so hard.

“The Gourmet Pork Rind Sampler pack was brilliant!” Ava crows.

“Stereotype much?” I grouse.

“Hey, don’t knock it. It’s got dill, chili cheese, sea salt and pepper… what else Ava?”

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