Page 32 of Off Season

Damn, I love fucking with my sister.

CHAPTER SIX

CHEETAH

We’re out on the field, late in the game. We’re up by one run. Quincy is pitching one of the best games of his life. In fact, he’s been doing it all season. He might single-handedly carry our team to a World Series title this year.

He’s starting to get a little tired though. I’m not sure why the coaches are keeping him in the game. It’s the seventh inning, and he’s gassed. If I were the coach, I’d pull him now.

Sure enough, he walks the next two batters. There are two outs with two runners on base. Quincy throws a pitch and the batter crushes it. It’s a line drive to the left-center gap. If it drops, two runs will be scored.

Our left fielder was shading toward the foul line. He has no chance of catching this ball. I tuck my glove under my armpit and run as fast as I can. As the ball sinks toward the grass, I lay out, completely parallel to the ground. Just as the ball is about to land, I get my glove under it for aspectacular catch that I know will be on ESPN later. More importantly, it saved us two runs and ended the inning.

All the fans are standing and cheering for me. As I run in, Quincy practically tackles me with excitement. “You’re the fucking bomb, Cheetah. Thank you.”

I smile at him. “Anything for you, big guy.”

Just before I enter the dugout, my eyes find Kamryn’s while she’s jumping up and down with excitement. With a huge smile on her face, she blows me a kiss. I catch it and then slap it over my heart before she turns around and shows me my name on the back of her jersey.

She looks so sexy in the ridiculously small jersey I sent her. There’s something incredibly hot about seeing a beautiful woman wearing your number. I want to fuck her while she’s wearing it.

I don’t think I’ve ever wanted a woman as much as I want her. Want isn’t the right word. It’s a deep attraction. It’s not just about sex. I need to spend more time with her. She’s an enigma. A puzzle I want to solve. A present I can’t wait to unwrap.

Inexplicably, the coaches leave Quincy in the game at the top of the eighth inning, where he promptly gives up a two-run home run. He yells and curses at himself as he’s removed from the game. It’s not his fault. Coach Steel should have pulled him. Quincy has about ninety to ninety-five pitches in him before he tires. He must be well over a hundred now.

We head toward the bottom of the inning with our team now down a run. I need to get on base. I represent the tying run.

I hit a single to lead off the bottom of the eighth. The next batter pops up but the batter after him walks. Layton then steps into the box and smacks a three-run bomb, securing our victory. He’s in the middle of his best hittingstreak in years. I’m so happy for him. I guess there’s a little gas left in his tank after all.

We all head to Screwballs after the game to celebrate the big victory. Not only did Layton have the huge hit, but we’re about to clinch a spot in the postseason.

We’re all engaging in our usual banter and chit-chat. When Trey disappears, Gemma starts talking about his birthday. I crack a few jokes, but he’s lucky to have someone who cares enough about his birthday to want to celebrate it. My birthday is the day before Thanksgiving this year. I’m never home for it because I go home for Christmas and that’s about all I can take of my mother’s pressure, but my friends are often out of town because it’s our off-season. It tends to be a lonely time of year for me, though Layton is usually around and we do something fun together. Unfortunately, he won’t be around this year. He and Arizona are doing some sort of bathing suit campaign, and the photo shoot is overseas during that time. I’ll probably be alone for my birthday. It’s kind of depressing.

Though Gemma doesn’t usually talk about her writing in mixed company, she ends up discussing her books with Kamryn. Somehow, that morphs into Kamryn learning that I read Gemma’s books. She busts my balls about it for a bit. Nothing new.

I’m feeling a little down tonight. Perhaps it was the birthday talk. I think I should head home. It’s unusual for me to leave early, but I need to get away from Kamryn. Some guy sitting at the bar has been staring at her all night, and I saw her looking at him. She’s just going to fuck with me and then go home with someone else. I can’t bear to watch it again.

I start to stand but Gemma grabs my arm and quietly asks, “Where are you going?”

“I’m sick of her rejecting me. I’m going home.”

She rolls her eyes in obvious annoyance. “Don’t you read my books?”

“I’ve read every word you’ve ever written. Multiple times. Sometimes clothed and sometimes naked.”

Gemma bites back her smile. “Then you should understand signals. She’s been staring at you all night. She wants you.”

I shake my head. “She doesn’t. I think I’ve been friend-zoned.”

“What do you want to bet that you end up having sex with her tonight?”

I wiggle my eyebrows. “What are you thinking?”

She twists her lips. “Hmm. If I’m right and you have sex with her tonight, you have to babysit Fletcher on a night of my choosing.”

“I’d do that anyway.”

She smacks my arm. “Shush. We’re making this interesting.”

---