Page 55 of Double Play

She’s quiet, perhaps realizing I might be right.

“Can I wait for her? I want to talk to her. I need to clear the air. I want to tell her how I’ve been feeling.”

She thinks for a few beats. “If I let you in, I need you to promise me you won’t hurt her. She’s been dicked around enough in the past year. She doesn’t deserve any more of it.”

“I’m not here to dick around with her. I care about her. I swear to you.”

She blows out a breath and then widens the door in invitation. “Don’t make me regret this, Layton Lancaster.”

“I won’t.”

“Okay. I’m leaving. Respect her wishes, whatever they are. If she doesn’t want you to stay, you need to go.”

I nod. “I will.”

“And stay away from Captain America.”

“Who’s Captain America?”

“Her vibrator.”

“She named it Captain America?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

I see a small smile forming on her lips. “She says it’s because he’s the hottest superhero, but I think it’s because he looks like you. Her fantasy is to get railed by the real Captain America one day.” Her smile grows. “Maybe you could help her out with that.”

I can’t help but smile back at her. “Thank you for the insight.” I scratch my chin. “I’m now definitely going to have to check out Captain America to…make sure the mold fits. I’m a lot to live up to.”

She rolls her eyes at me before leaving for the evening.

Having never been past the doorway before, I look around. Their apartment is nice. It’s comfortable, just like Arizona. I peek into both bedrooms and find the one that’s clearly Arizona’s. It’s got my California sunshine written all over it.

She has family pictures scattered around her room. I can’t help but smile at one of her and Quincy as kids, both in their respective team uniforms. She can’t be more than five or six. So damn beautiful, even then.

There’s another one of her and Ripley as teens inwhat must have been Arizona’s bedroom. I let out a laugh as I make out a poster of me on her ceiling in the background. I remember that one. It was one of my first. It feels like a hundred years ago.

I open the drawer in the small table next to her bed. Sure enough, a giant red and blue vibrator sits there. Like a psycho, I pick it up and smell it, hoping to get a whiff of her scent. It doesn’t really smell like her, at least not the real thing. The real thing is so much better.

Realizing I’ve severely crossed a line, I place it back in the drawer and close it.

I lay down on her bed and inhale her pillow. That definitely smells like her. It’s the beach and something else. Maybe lavender.

Turning my head, I see the poster of me that I sent her for her first game. It’s rolled up in the corner of her room, but it’s not in the plastic packaging and has clearly been opened. I love that she looked at it.

Remembering our conversation, I quickly look up at her ceiling. No poster of Butch McVey. I knew she was kidding when she said that, but I just wanted to make sure.

The sun is just starting to go down. I hate the idea of her jogging alone at night.

I must drift off to sleep because I’m awakened hearing and then seeing her walk into the now darkness of her room.

She doesn’t notice me. She simply heads straight into her bathroom. I hear her turn on the water of the bathtub.

I assume she’s going to come back out, but she doesn’t. The subtle sounds of water sloshing around a few minutes later tell me she’s gotten into the tub.

Standing, I quietly make my way to the open bathroom door, poking my head in. The aroma of lavender immediately hits my nose. It’s so Arizona. My body reacts to it. Craving it.

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