Page 19 of The Umpire Strikes Back

I lead her down the short hallway, away from the kitchen. The living room is dark save for a small lamp in the corner, and my pulse kicks up another notch when I catch her gaze flick toward the bedroom door. She doesn’t look away, and that’s all the invitation I need.

“Kali,” I murmur, reaching out to brush my knuckles lightly along her cheek. The simplest touch from me, and she exhales a shaky breath. I can feel the tension coiling between us, and it’s driving mefuckingcrazy in the best possible way. “If at any point this is too fast?—”

She cuts me off by tangling her fingers in my shirt and pulling me closer. The brush of her lips on mine is a jolt of electricity, and I groan softly, letting myself sink into it. We fit together in a way that feels both maddening and natural, my hands sliding up to cup her face as hers wrap around my waist.

I’m not sure how we end up stumbling into my bedroom, but soon the door clicks shut behind us, and the dim glow of the lamp light spills across the bed. My breath hitches as Kali presses herself against me, her warmth radiating through the thin fabric of my shirt. I tug it over my head, tossing it aside without much grace, too focused on the sensation of her hands roaming over my skin.

“God, I’ve wanted this,” I rasp, my lips finding hers again in a frantic kiss that steals the air from my lungs. She moans into my mouth, and every nerve in my body ignites. Between heated kisses, I manage a half-coherent confession: “I’ve… I’ve been thinking about you like this since we first met. Couldn’t get you out of my head.”

Her eyes flutter open, and she searches my face with a softness that nearly undoes me. “You… you have no idea how much I’ve thought about you too,” she whispers, voice trembling with want.

That admission unleashes something inside me. I capture her mouth again, this time slower, more deliberate, savoring each second of contact. My hands slide along her waist, over the curves of her hips. She arches into me with a small gasp, fueling the fire already raging in my veins.

“Ripley,” she breathes, my name a plea on her lips. I ease us both toward the bed, my heart hammering so loud I’m sure she can feel it. She’s all soft heat beneath my hands, and when she leans back on the mattress, a wave of longing nearly overwhelms me. I slip onto the bed with her, the sheets rustling as we shift, finding each other in the darkness.

I keep my touch gentle at first, letting her know this isn’t just about the sparks—though those are definitely there—but about something deeper that’s been building for what feels like ages. She meets my gaze, her chest rising and falling in an unsteady rhythm. There’s so much I want to say—that she’s special, that she’s changed everything for me—but words fail when her mouth brushes my jaw in a slow, intentional caress.

I let out a trembling breath, my hands framing her face so I can hold her still for another kiss. “I don’t think… I’ve ever wanted anything this badly,” I admit in a rush, heart thudding. “You… you have no idea.”

Her fingers slide into my hair, and she kisses me again, a tender promise hidden in the urgency of it all. “I think I do,” she whispers against my lips, sounding just as breathless, just as overwhelmed.

And so we lose ourselves in each other, our heartbeats pounding in sync with touches that make the rest of the world melt away. Every kiss, every whispered word, feels like a confession we’ve been holding back for too long. It’s new and it’s terrifying and it’srightall at once, and I can’t get enough of her.

In between kisses, I manage to breathe out a promise: “I’m not going anywhere,” I murmur, my forehead resting against hers. “I want this.You.”

She nods, heat swimming in her eyes. “I want you too.”

I move myself between her legs, gazing into her eyes. “Let me show you how badly I want you.” My palms spread her thighs, and I smile. My heart hammers madly around my ribcage. Fuck, I want her so badly.

I drag her pink panties down her long, tanned legs, my breath catching as I do.

“Oh god,” she calls out, her head falling to the pillow.

“Take this dress off,” I tell her, grabbing at the hem, ready to rip the damn thing to shreds if I have to.

She giggles softly, the sound filling the emptiness of my bedroom. “Hold on,” she whispers as she removes the dress.

“You’re fucking stunning.” My breathing’s hard, labored, as I stare at her body beneath me. “So fucking pretty.”

Her cheeks blossom with a rosy flush, and I feel a surge of anticipation as I settle back between her thighs. The warmth of her skin and the slight tremor in her breath make my pulse pound with need. It’s been far too long since I’ve known the taste and touch of a woman, and every cell in my body is alive with the promise of what’s about to happen. My gaze drifts over her, taking in every curve, every subtle shift of her hips as she offers herself to me. I lean closer, inhaling the delicate scent of her skin, letting the desire build until it becomes almost unbearable. Tonight, I plan on showing Kali pleasure in every possible way.

I swipe my tongue over her heated skin, nibbling at the inside of her thigh. My hands spread her more, and her wetness coats a path just for me. I swipe my tongue over her pussy, letting her taste flood my mouth. “You’re so fucking hot,” I tell her on a groan, my cock hardening in the process.

I work her clit between my teeth. Gently. Softly. Like it’s the most precious thing on the fucking face of the Earth. Because to me, it is. I swirl my tongue around it, applying the right amount of pressure. I move in closer, rocking my face into her. Her fingers fly into my hair, her legs tightening around my head.

Fuck yes.This is what dreams are made of. I once thought my biggest fantasy was getting called up to play in the majors, but I now know it’s right here. Fucking heaven on earth. My face buried between Kali Carter’s thighs. Only one problem. Her last name isn’t fucking Johnson.

At the thought of marriage, it does something deep inside my chest. It urges me on, egging me to go faster. I work a circuit, starting with her clit. I push a thick finger deep inside her, hooking it perfectly to hear her cry my name.

“That’s it. Sing for me, good girl.” I work another finger deep inside her as I continue to work on her clit.

Her moans grow louder, and it makes me proud that I’m the one doing this to her. That I’m causing her pleasure. “Oh, Rip,” she screams, her fingers fisting tightly in my hair.

“Come for me, Kali. Come on, show me what a good girl you are for me.”

Her legs tighten, her back arching off the bed. “I’m right there.”

I flick her clit between my teeth and her moans nearly deafen me. She’s a screamer for sure. I smile as her orgasm overtakes her, causing her whole body to shudder against me. I watch her, like a fucking stalker as her body falls apart.

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