Page 132 of Curveball

In an accusatory tone, she asks, “In public? Somewhere people will see us?”

We’ve never once done that before. Have I mentioned that I’m a dick?

“Of course. We have night games all week and then a short road trip. I have a day off when we get back. Ripley St. James, will you go out with me next Monday night?”

She chews on her lower lip for a while. A long while. She looks up at the ceiling. “God help me. I’m a glutton for punishment.” Turning her eyes back toward mine, she nonchalantly says, “Fine, I’ll go. Just so you know, I don’t put out on the first date.”

I rub my fingertips over her neck in the wayI know drives her mad. Her eyes flutter and her whole body trembles. She loves my hands on her neck.

I stare deeply into her eyes. “I’ve gone over six months without sex. I’ll wait as long as it takes. Forever if it means having you one more time.”

She pinches her eyebrows together. “What do you mean you haven’t had sex in over six months?”

“Ripley, you’re not hearing me. You’re not listening to what I’ve been saying to you for the past several weeks. I love you. I only want you. Since the moment you moved to Philly nearly a year ago, I haven’t looked at or touched another woman.”

I see the shock on her face as that sinks in. For a moment I’m annoyed, but then I realize that I brought this on myself. She has no reason to suspect I’d be loyal to her. Once again, I’m a dick.

She keeps it playful though. “No woman likes a guy who tells her he loves her on the first date. That’s clingy and creepy. I don’t know if I want to go out with a guy like that.”

I smirk. “We’re not on the date yet. I promise not to say it on Monday. I’ll be a perfect gentleman.”

She lets out a laugh. “You’re a lot of things, Quincy Abbott, but a gentleman isn’t one of them.”

That hurts. I’m going to show her exactly how gentlemanly I can be. “Is it yes or no?”

She nods. “Okay, I’ll go out with you. Mostly for amusement. I just need to check with my mom about staying with Kaya. You better be a gentleman.”

“Me? You just dry-humped my leg…for the third time in our lives. Youreallylike my leg. You better keep your hands off me this Monday. I don’t put out on the firstdate either.”

She giggles. “Have you ever been on a first date?”

“Hmm.” I suppose I haven’t. “No.”

“You’re thirty-four. Why not?”

I twirl her hair on my finger. “I was waiting for the right woman to come along.”

Her face turns serious as she whispers, “I’ve been here the whole time.”

I whisper back, “I was too fucked up to see it.”

“You’re not anymore?”

I shake my head. “No. I finally know what I want.”

“What’s that?”

“You.”

RIPLEY

We’ve settled into a bit of a groove over the past week. Quincy spends time with Kaya all morning while I work out with a trainer, attempting to get myself back into game shape. His home gym is as nice as our stadium gym.

I’m already on my second trainer though. The first guy was young and attractive. Quincy walked into the gym while the trainer’s hands were on my hips. He immediately kicked him out and hired a woman to work with me. Her name is Sophia, and she’s been kicking my ass every day. She’ll have me ready to go in no time.

After we all have lunch together, Quincy heads to the ballpark, and Kaya goes down for a nap. Mom and I go to the tunnel Quincy had built so I can practice my pitching. Arizona has been catching for me so my mom can focus on my mechanics. It’s been nice working with Mom again. We haven’tdone this in years. To this day, I’ve never had a better pitching coach than her. I wonder if the Anacondas would consider hiring her. I wonder if she would ever consider living here.

We watch the Cougars games on television at night. I haven’t brought Kaya to a game yet. We’ll wait another month or so for that. Even though she’s healthy, we still want to be cautious about her being out in public.

---