Page 28 of Curveball

I lift my eyebrows. “So you told her that you lost your virginity to me?” I smile. “That you snuck into my bedroom in the middle of the night and seduced me?”

Her mouth opens in shock, and she pokes me in the chest. “What? You seduced me.”

“Youcame tome. Not the other way around.”

She scrunches her nose. “You were naked and waiting.”

“Because I know how irresistible I am to you.”

She rolls her eyes.

“Regardless, I know you haven’t told her because she would tear me a new one if she found out.”

She’s quiet before admitting, “She thinks I lost my virginity to my first college boyfriend.”

I smile in triumph. “I thought so. This isn’t a real marriage. We’ll fuck when we want to fuck and won’t when we don’t. We’re both obviously free to date other people.”

“Who says I want to fuck you?”

“I know you want to fuck me. I felt it all over my legthe other night.” I smirk. “I refuse to wash my jeans. It’s a constant reminder.”

She lets out a deep breath. “I don’t know if there’s room for you, me, and your ego in a marriage.”

I chuckle. “I think the three of us could get along quite well.” I take her hand in mine. “Look, we’re friends. We’ve been friends for a long time. I’m in a position to help you. This is a quick fix to your dilemma. It will be our secret, and when the day comes that you want to get married to someone else, we’ll quietly divorce. No one will be the wiser.”

She sighs. “It seems so wrong.” She nibbles on her lower lip. I’m jealous of that damn lip. “So…a friends with benefits kind of thing?” She’s quick to add, “But no benefits.”

I twist my face. “More like a marriage with benefits. The benefits of having sex with each other or other people whenever we please. Honestly? It’s revolutionary.”

“You’re a real pioneer in fucked up situations.” She shakes her head in disbelief. “I can’t believe I’m considering this. If we get married, I’m not suddenly having sex with you. It might be better if we don’t cross that line…again. This way when it’s time to end it, there won’t be any feelings involved.”

“My offer has nothing to do with sex and certainly nothing to do with feelings. I’ll never catch feelings for anyone, and you can’t catch feelings for me. Like I said, we’ll have sex if and when we want. We’re otherwise free to see other people. The ball is in your court. I’m always willing as long as you can separate the physical from the emotional. Physical is all I’m ever offering.”

Tears fill her eyes. “I can’t believe it’s cometo this.”

I wrap my arm around her. “Don’t cry, Shortcake. I hate it. I’m just trying to help.”

She relaxes her head into my chest. “I know. Thank you for offering, I just don’t know that I can do it.”

After several hours of continued conversation and contemplation, Ripley St. James and I officially get married.

CHAPTER SIX

RIPLEY – AGE 23 {QUINCY – AGE 28}

It’s been a few months since Quincy and I got married.

I’m struggling with having married him under these circumstances. I’m struggling with what he mentioned about marriage and children. I’m struggling to keep this all from my best friend. I wish I had someone to talk to, but I can’t exactly tell people that I have a fraudulent marriage.

Arizona and I talk every day, and I feel like the worst friend in the world. I’ve been out on a handful of dates. One of the men was even around for two months, but it’s hard for me to be deceitful. I’m married to one man and dating another. What the fuck happened to my life?

The season went well. I edged out Arizona for the league’s Rookie of the Year honors. We had a few good laughs about it. She’s genuinely happy for me. That’s the kind of friendship we have, which only makes lying to her feel that much more horrible.

It’s the off-season, and I’m working at a clothing store.Professional softball players don’t make a fraction of what professional baseball players make. I have to work to help make ends meet.

Quincy’s new season just started back up. Ours doesn’t start again for a few months. Not until mid-summer.

I couldn’t help but go watch his first game pitching this season. Seeing him play makes me happy. It always has. And he’s sexy as hell in his uniform, taking charge on the mound.

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