Page 24 of Scoring Position

“I don’t necessarily know if Ideserve it,” I reply. “But I really wish I could get over this shit somehow. I know there are NDAs and ways to make sure everything stays between me and whoever it is, but I can’t get past the fear of it happening again. It’s too early in my career to get in trouble. And what if you’re wrong about me? My only experience with actual intercourse ended in me coming before I was even all the way inside. I could be shit at it.”

She shakes her head. “You’re not. I promise. It might be awkward the first time, but you’ll be great. Whoever she is will be so lucky to have a man who cares if it’s good for her. The fact that you’re even worrying about it right now tells me what kind of a partner you are.”

She has no fucking clue how badly I want it to be her. I know she’s already made it clear that she’s not ready—and I don’t know if I am either—but if I could choose any girl in the world to try with, it would be Lark.

I’d give anything for her to let go with me, just once.

FOURTEEN

LARK

I turndown the radio in my car, double-checking the address Ace had me put into my GPS as I approach what looks like a desolate wooded area. I passed several nature parks on the way here, and this one looks similar but abandoned at the same time. When he initially gave me the details about our wholesome day of fun, I wanted to Google it right away. But he made me promise that I wouldn’t, saying the surprise was going to make the whole thing even better for me. If there’s one thing I don’t do, it’s break a promise. So here I am, driving into what could be my final moments before a serial killer jumps out and guts me like a fish.

After the other night, and the way he gave me his complete honesty on the fantasy quiz in the textbook, I finally agreed to give him his reward. Although, I felt like I was the one getting the real prize when he basically talked me to orgasm. It’s been on replay in my head since it happened, and I still can’t stop his voice from creeping into my mind whenever I close my eyes. Getting myself off has been a full-time job since then. I can’t remember the last time I masturbated this much.

Today is one of the team’s rare days off. They just finished two home games at the end of one series and play another twoat Fury Field starting tomorrow. It’s supposed to be a day for rest and relaxation, but apparently, those words are not in Ace’s vocabulary.

My phone prompts me to slow down just as an old wooden sign comes into view. I can’t make out what it says since it’s covered in colorful splatters of paint, but this is where I’m supposed to be, so I turn onto a long driveway that leads to a small white building. As I pull up to it, a young man wearing a camouflage jumpsuit steps out, walking toward my car.

“Please don’t murder me,” I mumble to myself as I roll the window down just a crack, because I’m not about to make it easy for him to stab me with a rusty blade.

“Hey, there!” he says cheerfully, deep dimples sinking into his cheeks. There’s a small chip in one of his front teeth, but it’s endearing with his boyish features. He looks like some kind of adrenaline chaser, which makes me wonder what this place is. “You must be Lark. I’m Adam, and my family owns the park. Ace asked me to send you back, but I need you to sign this waiver for me first.” He shrugs, handing me a clipboard. “It’s my parents’ rule. For liability and stuff.”

Liability?

Red flags wave wildly in my head, but I smile and nod as I take it from his hand, reading the print on the top of the paper. My eyes widen as realization washes over me. “Paintball?” I question.

“Yep!” he says proudly. “Ace and his teammates paid to close the place down for the whole day, so you guys have all fifty acres to yourselves!”

“Wow!” I say, trying not to sound like I want to drive right the hell out of here. “Sounds…fun!” I remove the pen from the clipboard and scribble my signature on the dotted line, if only so I can get to Ace to tell him this isn’t really my thing. I understand why he thinks it would be, considering he’s a young guy whoprobably loves extreme sports. But me? My idea of a good time is going to HomeGoods and sniffing candles. If I’m running and it’s not on a treadmill, rest assured it’s because my life is in danger.

I hand the waiver back to the kid, and he checks it halfheartedly before jutting his chin toward an open gate. “Everyone is through there. Take the path until you get to the fork. Go right, and it’ll be the second set of picnic tables on your left. Have a good time!”

“Thank you,” I say with a wave, parking my car in the lot before following his directions and starting down the dirt path. I was only given a few details for what we’d be doing today, one of which was that I’d need to wear clothes I didn’t care about getting messy, as well as a pair of comfortable athletic shoes. I thought maybe we were hiking or something. Paintball wasn’t even in the realm of possibilities for me.

I come to a fork in the road, veering off to the far right and looking for the picnic tables. Just as I’m passing the first set, I hear grass rustling before a thick arm wraps around my waist from behind, lifting me off my feet. I try to scream, but it’s cut off by a hand over my mouth as a quiet voice speaks into my ear.

“It’s just me, Sweets,” Ace says, carrying me beyond a high stack of hay bales, out of sight from anyone who might be able to see, and setting me down. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just wanted a second alone.”

I put my hand over my heart, exhaling a relieved breath as it thumps under my palm. “Jesus,” I say, trying to calm myself. “I thought you were a murderer. I almost had a heart attack.”

He chuckles. “I’m sorry. The whole thing was a lot cuter when I played it out in my head.”

I raise a dubious brow. “How the hell did you sneaking up on me in a strange place and carrying me off while muffling my screams lookcutein your head?” I ask.

He shrugs. “Guess I didn’t plan for the scream. Come here,” he says, taking me by the hand and pulling me back out to stand on the trail. “Walk, but this time, maybe trade the shrieks of terror for a surprised gasp.”

“Fine,” I reply, rolling my eyes and trying my best to hold back my smile as I turn away from him and take a few steps. Once again, his arm wraps around my waist, lifting me from the ground. I dramatically gasp while he walks us back behind the hay bales and returns me to my feet, spinning my body to face him as he looks down at me with a smile.

“See,” he says, bringing his hand up to cup my cheek. “Now we’re all by ourselves, and I can do this.” He slowly leans down, pressing his lips to mine in a soft kiss. I melt into him as he tilts my head back and deepens the connection, even though we probably shouldn’t. We’re technically in public, and anyone could catch us back here. But every time we do this, it makes me miss it more when we’re apart, so I don’t move to stop him. That fact alone should have alarm bells blaring in my head, but I can’t hear a single one of them while he’s devouring me this way. Kissing Ace Mathers is a religious experience—one that has me nearly abandoning every rule I’ve ever made for myself and dropping to my knees to worship him. The thought of feeling the weight of his heavy length on my tongue makes me moan into his mouth as he reaches under my ass and lifts me, pressing my back against the bales. I wrap my legs around him, feeling his hardness as he grinds it into me. I’m wearing thick leggings, but I may as well be completely exposed with the way fireworks explode behind my eyes when he pushes it directly into my clit.

“Fuck, I missed you,” he says. “I’ve been thinking about the other night non-stop…regretting that it wasn’t my fingers you came on. I was licking the taste of us off my lips for hours after you left.”

“Oh my God, Ace,” I whimper quietly right before he takes my mouth again. “I want your fingers inside me so bad.” I don’t know how, but I turn into another person when I’m with him. He brings me back to the girl I used to be, wanting to experiment and have fun with sex—the girl I lost during my marriage. As much as I’ve told myself it’s inappropriate to have a physical relationship with Ace, I can’t say it’s not exciting to feel like myself again.

“Don’t fucking say that,” he groans, rutting into me. “I’m holding back right now because we’re here. But if we were at my place, I’d already have your sweet juices pouring into my palm. I’m not making the same mistake twice.”

As good as it feels, he’s right. We have to stop before someone sees us. It’s not like we’re in a hotel room, or even a private nook. We may be behind a hay bale, but there’s open land to our left and right. It’s too much of a risk to keep going, even though my body is begging for it.

---