Page 58 of West Bound

Thhhwap!

The sound of the ball getting shot out of the pitching machine makes one of the sweetest sounds to my ears. It used to be the best sound, but now the number one spot goes to Vivian. The sound of her little mewls when I pinch her nipples. The way her S drags out and hisses when she screams ‘yes’ as I hit that spot that makes her eyes roll back. And I especially love the sound of my name rolling off her tongue when she’s coming.

“Argh! They’re too high. I told you, you need to adjust it, Phoenix.” She stomps her foot and it causes her batting helmet to tip to the side.

I grabbed her the smallest size I could find, but I should’ve known anything less than a child's size wouldn’t fit her. Even with a ball cap on.

“Peaches, I did adjust it. If I move it any lower, you’re gonna catch a fifty mile per hour ball to the crotch.” I walk up behind her and wrap my arms around her waist.

She stiffens for a moment but then it’s like she remembers she’s trying not to hate me, and she relaxes back into me. I tilt my head so I can kiss the spot behind her ear and it makes her shiver.

“We definitely don’t want that happening. My poor vagina already looks like a hotdog bun. I told you that first night, the poor thing is never going to look the same again.”

I take her small waist in my hands and spin her to face me. The sudden jerking throws her off balance and she’s forced to grab on to me. Her hands find my chest with a smack, and when she looks up the helmet tips back. I grab it and toss it aside, then return my hand to her ass.

When I told her to dress casually, I didn’t expect her to come out wearing tiny cut-off denim shorts and a fitted white tank top with the Wranglers logo on it. Because if I had, I would’ve worn a steel trap to keep my dick from springing to life all damn day.

She’s wearing white Converse sneakers and it makes her look even shorter compared to when she’s at the field in her heels that she always wears. So when she rises up on her tiptoes but doesn’t quite reach me, I help her out and lift her until her feet dangle above the turf.

“It doesn’t matter what it looks like because it and you are mine, and no one else needs to know.” She gives me a hesitant smile and I kiss the tip of her nose to distract her from the words I blurted that obviously make her uncomfortable.

“Let me help you with your swing and then we’ll move on to the next part of my surprise.”

“Okay,” she whispers then goes in for a deeper kiss.

She moans and I add it to the list of sounds that send me soaring.

“I knew I was a power hitter. I just needed some time to warm-up,” Vivian says from the passenger seat of my truck.

I laugh at the memory of her swinging so hard she spun in a circle. It wasn’t until I encapsulated her in my arms and helped her that she finally started connecting with the ball. The girl may know everything there is to know about baseball, but play it she cannot.

“Sure thing, Peaches.” I’m driving us back to my hotel for a little surprise I set up for her before I left earlier.

I didn’t want to leave her waiting in the lobby like some kind of jerk, but I needed time alone to talk to the concierge desk to make sure they could have everything set up by the time we returned.

“You’re just salty because I haven’t been playing my whole life to just be okay. It must burn to see this woman step up to the plate and crush it right away.” Her lips quirk up on one side and I see the challenge in her eyes.

“Right away, huh? So the half hour before you finally hit the ball was you just trying to throw me off? Were you hustling me, Peaches?” I chuckle and pull into the circular drive in front of the hotel, putting the truck in park but leaving it running for the valet.

“Back to the hotel? And I don’t mean the N2Deep song.”

I freeze, halfway out the door, when she says that. “What do you know about N2Deep? We were toddlers when that song came out. Not to mention,” I look at her up and down with wide eyes. “You’re white.”

I hop out when the valet attendant comes to my door and I reach behind the driver's seat to get my bag and walk over to where she stands with her arms folded over her chest.

“What?” I ask.

“I’m white? That’s kinda prejudicial, ya know. I suppose you’re going to say I’m too white to listen to Megan, or that I can’t fully appreciate Queen Nicki.”

My chest feels tight and I suddenly feel like a giant ass for making an assumption. Her face turns from upset to looking like a hurt kitten. Big eyes stare at me and her bottom lip quivers.

“I…I’m sorry, Peaches. I didn’t mean anything by it. I was just joking.” I come to a stop just inside the lobby doors and lean down to press my forehead to hers.

“I accept your apology. And for the record, I was just messing with you. I was the only white girl amongst our friend group. I’m used to the razzing.”

“You little,” I dig my fingers into her sides and she giggles.

Vivian tries to tear out of my arms but I grab her and toss her over my shoulder.

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