Page 57 of West Bound

“It’s a surprise.” I crack open an eye and show him I’m skeptical of surprises. “It’ll be fun. I promise.”

“Don’t write checks your ass can’t cash.”

“Huh?” he asks.

“Making promises. If you make it, you better not break it.”

“I won’t,” he says and seals it with a kiss. “Now let’s go shower then we can find something to eat. I need to go back to my room and get a few things before we can go.”

“By food I hope you mean yogurt or porridge, because there will be no chewing for this girl.” He stands and pulls me up by my arms.

I feel like a soggy noodle with my limp limbs. “I don’t think I can stand. You’re going to have to play nurse and wash me.”

“Happily,” he agrees. “Do you need my help peeing?”

My eyes snap open and suddenly my worn body springs to life. “Absolutely not. In fact,” I push on him towards the door, smacking his bare ass. “Get out so I can pee. That’s too intimate.”

He snorts and looks at me with an arched brow. “Babe. You just choked on my cock and had cum dripping into your eyes and nose, but watching you pee is too intimate?”

“Yes. Now go. I need three minutes please.” I stand with my hands on my hips, my small breasts perky with my pink nipples slightly pebbled from the cold bathroom tile under my feet.

“Okay. Okay,” he backed away with his hands held up like I was a thief, trying to rob him of his keys and wallet. “I’m going to grab my toothbrush from my bag, then I’m coming in whether you’re done or not.”

“Fine,” I shout as I throw the door closed.

It slams shut and I rush to the toilet to relieve my full bladder before he comes back. As I sit down, I swallow and feel the scratchiness in my throat. I’ve never done anything like that before. Phoenix pushes me to the brink of heaven and hell…and I love it.

After grabbing whatever it is Phoenix needed from his hotel–he didn’t let me see, but rather had me wait in the lobby–we headed off towards my surprise. We only drive for about ten minutes when he turns into the parking lot of the Wranglers practice field

“You brought me to the ball field…on my day off…from reporting on baseball?” He looks over at me and smiles while still holding my hand.

Once we had exited the hotel, he immediately reached over and laced our fingers together, not even letting go to flip his blinker. I felt off kilter and didn’t know what to say. I’d never really had a boyfriend to do the whole PDA thing with. My dating life in college consisted of making out in the library between studying. Hooking up in the bedroom of whoevers house we were partying at, and fucking in dorm rooms, backseats, and once in the back row of the movie theater.

Once college ended, my hook-ups became a little classier. That meant screwing each other's brains out in our apartments…or car…or storage closet. So maybe not classier, but there wasn’t any sneaking around behind my parents’ backs now that I was on my own.

However, with all of those hookups and booty calls, I never really ‘dated’. I had a few dinners with guys here or there, but none of them would equate to a real relationship complete with hand holding and kisses in the park.

So when Phoenix–a guy who I would’ve thought was allergic to PDA–grabbed my hand like it was the most natural thing, my brain and my body froze, not knowing how to respond.

Phoenix parks the truck and pulls my hand to his lips for a kiss before opening the truck door. “Don’t move,” he orders.

And like the good girl I am when he commands, I don’t even flinch until he’s opening my door and pulling me from my seat. When I’m standing on my own feet, he grabs my hand again and reaches into the back for his bag.

“C’mon Peaches. Let’s go have some fun.”

He drags me along behind him and I whine, “but I thought that’s what we did this morning. I don’t wanna work.”

“We’re not working. It’s called having fun and you’re gonna do it and like it. Now move that sweet ass before I throw you over my shoulder and spank you for being a bad girl.”

My mouth snaps shut and that familiar tingle that only Phoenix can bring out rolls through my body.

As if he can read the language my body speaks, he says, “later,” then winks as he pulls me through the gate.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

PHOENIX

“All The Time” - Jeremih (feat. Lil Wayne & Natasha Mosley”

---