Page 103 of Stepping Up to the Plate

“And will you?”

“Yes,” she sighs. I smile, running my knuckles down her cheek. When she leans into my touch, I pull her closer and softly kiss her. I deepen the kiss, but nowhere near as much as I usually do. I don’t feel the same need to claim her today. Something about her reaction to my reading her articles settling me.

I give her another kiss on the forehead before walking to my truck. As I watch her pull out, I head in the other direction to the stadium. It’s earlier than I normally get there, but I could use the extra time to get my mind game-ready.

* * *

When I get to the locker room, I am surprised to see I am not the first one there. Kent is sitting at his cubby, hair wet, playing on his phone.

“Hey, man,” I greet. “You good?”

“Hey, Papa Bear. Fan-fucking-tastic.”

“You sure? You seem a little… on edge.”

He meets my gaze then before pocketing his phone. “I ended things with Kristie.”

“Ending things? Since when did things begin?”

“That’s what I said,” he exclaims, throwing his hands in the air. “I went home with her after the division championship win the other night. When I refused to stay over, she got on me to ‘define our relationship.’ She hasn’t stopped harping on it since.”

“Why didn’t you spend the night?”

“It’s against the rules.”

“The rules? What rules?” I question.

“My rules. Spending the night sets up expectations I am not interested in meeting. She’s known what this is from day one. I am not a commitment guy.”

In the years I’ve played with him, Kent hasn’t been in a single relationship. Kristie would be the closest thing he’s had to one. She’s the longest lasting situationship he’s been in to my knowledge. I have no doubt that she knew the score before she slept with him. He makes what he wants abundantly clear to the women he gets involved with and ensures they are on the same page. But she’s a bit of a cleat chaser, and he isn’t the only player she’s tried this on.

Despite his avoidance of one, Kent would be great in a relationship with the right person. He’s loyal and a great friend even if he can’t take anything seriously. Which leads me to prod. “Would committing be such a bad thing?”

“Uh, yeah,” he answers. “Nothing good comes from having a ball and chain in your life.”

“A ball and chain? That’s a little harsh man.”

“That’s what relationships are. Don’t get me wrong. I’m happy that you’re happy, but you’ve got to admit being with Lola changed your life. You used to go to the club all the time and sample whatever kinky shit it had to offer. Now, you’re locked down with just one woman. I don’t see the appeal. She is a nice girl, but most of the ones circling us are only interested in what we can offer them, which is fine. They know what to expect from me – a few orgasms and a night they won’t forget. And I know to expect they’ll brag about it to all their friends.”

“First of all, if you ever talk about Lola as anything other than a blessing in my life, you’ll regret it. We don’t disrespect women in my locker room and we sure as hell don’t disrespect mine.”

“I meant no dis—”

“I’m not done,” I interrupt. “Second, when you're with the right person, a relationship lifts you up, not holds you back. I’m fucking glad my life changed when I met Lola. I wanted it to. She gave me a reason to live the life I wanted, the same way Carina did with Robby. Not all of us enjoy that playboy lifestyle. Some of us want love and emotional bonds and someone to come home to every night. You deserve that as much as we do, even if you aren’t ready for it yet.

“As long as you surround yourself with snakes, that’s what you’re going to get. When you’re setting these types of expectations, you’re only going to get women who are okay with a certain type of relationship. A woman who will be a true partner, support you and your goals won’t be down for that shit. She wants and deserves more than being a name on your roster.”

He sucks in a breath and holds it for a minute before letting it out. I think he’s going to argue, but his shoulders sink and he agrees. “You’re right, Cap. I’ve got a fucked-up view of commitment. I know you guys are happy and I love Lola and Carina. It’s hard to remember there are other women out there who want more from me than clout and don’t see me as dollar signs when Kristies constantly surround me.”

“I know what you mean,” I concede. “But if you’re only meeting women who are in it for a night of fun, you aren’t going to find any who want the long haul, man.”

“I don’t think I’m built for the long haul.”

“I don’t know, Kenny Boy. I think someday soon, the right woman is going to knock you on your ass and have you breaking all your rules.”

His only answer is a look of skepticism. He may not believe me now, but his time is coming, and it is going to be a rude awakening. Kent is a good guy behind his playboy facade. I’m not sure why he is afraid to open up. Even with me and Robby, he keeps things light. He rarely goes deep into his emotions or thoughts. It makes me wonder if he has some past baggage I don’t know about.

Before I can dive into that further, he asks about me. “How’s that going for you? You’re more at peace today than you’ve been in a few weeks. Get things sorted out with Lola?”

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