Page 163 of Off Pitch

“I’ll move in.”

Knox is on me in a flash, knocking me backward as he descends on me with his mouth on mine. He parts my lips and slides his tongue inside as his hand starts roaming my body.

When he teases his fingers up my thigh, I stop him. “Slow down, buddy. You need to get to the field.”

“You don’t think we have time for one more?” He cocks an eyebrow at me with an ornery smile on his face.

“Jesus, where do you get your stamina from?” I say in exasperation. “You’ve fucked me twice this morning already.”

“I’m a professional athlete, baby. I’ve got stamina for days.”

I roll my eyes as I laugh. “Well, this professional athlete needs to get his ass to the field. You’re starting tonight.”

He groans before moving off me. “Fine. I know you’re right, but that doesn’t mean I like it.”

“You’re insatiable.” I shake my head.

“Only for you.”

“Well,” I say, sliding my hand up his chest, “if you get the win tonight, we’ll have to celebrate after, won’t we?”

“Yeah? What do you have in mind?”

“I think we can try something new. Something you’ve been wanting.”

Knox licks his bottom lip as he catches on to my meaning. “Think you’re ready for more than my fingers, baby?”

“Guess we’ll find out if you win.”

Knox moves quickly, pinning me to the bed as he brushes his lips against mine. “I’ve got all the motivation I need.”

There should be a handbook on how to handle the stress of watching your boyfriend pitch in a World Series game. Sure, it wouldn’t sell many copies since that’s a pretty niche market, but goddamn, do I need one right now.

I’ve been watching the game from the suite Knox and Cole got for us. , Sage, my parents, Simon, his wife, and some executives from Axis are all here with me, watching from the comfort of a box.

And I’ve been so fucking nervous that I’ve bitten my nails down to the quick and all but put a hole in the floor with all of my pacing.

They’re not even playing poorly, though. Sure, the game is tied 2-2 as they prepare for the bottom of the eighth, but they’re playing well.

Especially Knox.

He’s so in control tonight. He may have given up two runs, but he gave them both up in the first inning. The Thunderbirds have had seven scoreless innings thanks to Knox not losing his composure after the first. Hell, in the eighth inning, he was still pitching. His pitch count is just over one hundred, and there’s a chance that Paul will keep him in for the complete game.

But I can only see that happening if we pull ahead in the bottom of the inning now.

The home-field advantage the Stars earned will hopefully help. The stadium is packed to the brim, with thousands more fans surrounding the outside, listening in to hear how the team is playing.

Rory has spent basically the entire game trying to keep me calm. I’d ask my parents to help if they weren’t just as anxious as I am right now. This is the Stars’ first World Series appearance since Cole joined the team—their first appearance in more than a decade, at that.

We’re all stressed and hoping to see New York bring home that pennant.

One of the Thunderbirds’ relief pitchers takes his spot on the mound as the Stars get ready to bat. Our designated hitter, Andrew Pelton, leads this half of the inning.

The crowd stands as we hear the crack of the bat and see the ball soaring into the outfield… and we all deflate as the center fielder makes the catch.

Lane is next up. The first few pitches end in foul balls, but pitch four ends as a ground ball hit toward third base. Lane speeds off toward first as the third baseman fields the ball and tosses it. The play is close, and we all hold out hope until the umpire reviews the footage to find that Lane was tagged before he hit the base.

And just like that, we’ve got two outs.

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