Page 36 of Stepping Up to the Plate

“Where are the girls?” I yell to Robby over the crowd.

“They’re by the stage. Carina said they needed refills. Want to grab drinks before we head over?” I nod in agreement.

After a few minutes of back slaps from fans and flirty touches from admirers, we make it to the corner where the group is. The band is playing some 2000s country covers and I see Tiffany and Carina dancing together. I don’t immediately see Lola, but when I do, it takes all my restraint not to crush the plastic cups in my hand.

She’s standing by our friends but Derrick fucking Jones is talking her ear off and standing too close for my liking. He’s lucky he isn’t trying to dance with her. She meets my eye over his shoulder and gives me a relieved smile which eases the tension in my chest. Derrick’s body is angled to face Lola, so he misses my approach.

When I get to them, I slide behind Lola. She pushes back, closing the distance between her back and my chest, resting her head on me. I lean down to kiss the side of her head and snake my arms around her waist, noting the way Derrick tenses at my presence. Good, fucker. If my body language doesn’t get the message across, my words sure as hell will.

“Jones,” I rumble. “I see you met my girl.”

“Your girl?” he questions, gazing at where our bodies are joined.

“Yeah,” I reply. “You didn’t think a girl this gorgeous would be single, did you? She didn’t mention it?”

“She may have said something about meeting someone here but since I didn’t see a goalie, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to take a shot,” he all but sneers.

“Consider your shot blocked,” I deadpan before turning my attention to Lola and ignoring my shithead teammate. “Hi, sweet girl.”

“Hi,” she greets. “You played great tonight.”

“Thank you. I got you a vodka soda.”

She takes the drink and smiles up at me. “Is that all you got me?” she asks with a pout.

“Was there something else you needed?” I wonder with a furrowed brow.

“Kiss her, dummy,” Tiffany urges from beside us causing Lola to bite her lip and blush.

“Do you want a kiss, doll?” I muse.

“Yes, please.”

I skate my hand up her neck until it grasps her nape and my thumb tips her head up. She rises on to her toes and I bend down to meet her for a kiss. From the gasp she gives, she was expecting a sweet peck. That isn’t what she gets. I give her a kiss that lets Derrick and every other fucker in this bar know exactly who she belongs to. As my tongue explores her mouth, I pull our bodies tighter together, not stopping until I hear our friends catcalling us.

Lola peers back at me dazed and I can’t help but smirk. “Is that what you were hoping for, baby?” After a beat she nods and takes a big gulp of her drink.

For the rest of the night, I keep Lola within arm’s reach. The place is crowded. There isn’t much room for dancing aside from the little area we’ve carved out for the girls. After a while, Kent disappears to find his next conquest and Robby and Carina go home. Tiffany whispers something in Lola's ear causing her to giggle while glancing over at me.

“Something you ladies want to share with the class?” I inquire.

“No thanks, big guy,” Tiffany quips. “If you two lovelies will excuse me, I have a friend in town from New York to meet. Enjoy the rest of your night.”

“Wait,” I call out. “Are you sure you’re good? I don’t want to leave you out here on your own.”

“Aren’t you the sweetest, Papa Bear. Don’t worry about me; she’s right over there. But if it will ease your conscious enough to go fuck our girl silly, see for yourself,” she says, pointing to someone at the bar. When she spots Tiffany, she makes a beeline for her. “Have a good night, Daddy Miller. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, Lo,” she says with a wave.

Rolling my eyes, I wrap up a laughing Lola. “Think that’s funny, sweet girl?”

“I mean it’s a little funny. You do have some Daddy energy,” she comments as we leave the bar. “Wait, is that your thing?” she asks as we walk home. The bar is only a few blocks from our condos and it for once isn’t too insufferable outside.

“Is what my thing?”

“Are you a Daddy?”

“No, I’m not a Daddy. Don’t you think you would’ve figured that out by now?”

“I don’t know. You sometimes act similar to the Daddies in the books I’ve read.”

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