Homerun (Pro-U Book 4) (13 page)

Chapter 23

Jayce

I laid in the bed beside her the next morning and watched her sleep. Something told me it was going to be a regular occurrence in my life, which was perfect. It offered me serenity like nothing else had before. Reaching over, I brushed my fingers down the side of her face and licked my lips. I could still taste her from the night before, and fuck if I didn't want more. So much more of her.

A smile lifted my lips as she mumbled something incoherent in her sleep. Aubrey and I had been trying to tell her since we were kids that she talked in her sleep, but she refused to believe it. Now that I had the spot in the bed next to her, I was going to do what my sister never would... I was going to record her talking the next time she got after it.

When we were kids she'd be preaching or teaching school or something insanely serious. A chuckle bubbled up inside my chest as I thought back on all the times I'd stood outside of Aubrey's door and listened to Layla dreaming about instructing someone or something. She was precious, priceless... everything I wanted in my life.

"And now I have you." I moved closer, greedy for her touch.

"Mmmm... morning, baby," she mumbled and rolled over, giving me her back.

I pulled her toward me and tucked myself against her warm skin. "Morning, beautiful. You want me to make some breakfast before we head over to your mom's?"

"What time is it?" She reached back and ran her nails over my outer thigh, causing my cock to jump. The chuckle that left her had me rolling my eyes. The woman loved the power she had over me. Too bad I had no intention of denying her of an ounce of it.

"Eleven." I ran my nose up the back of her neck and kissed the back of her shoulder a few times. "You smell good."

"I smell like our sex." She pulled away from me and sat up.

"Exactly. I love it." I tugged the covers from her, wanting to see her breasts before she got up to get dressed.

"It's cold." She pulled at the comforter on the bed, blocking my view.

"Come back over here and let me snuggle you." I reached for her, tugging at her arm.

"Snuggling isn't all you have in mind. I can tell." She glanced over and smiled as my cock jumped, causing the covers to twitch.

"He likes you. What can I say?" I slipped my hands under my head and smiled as she whipped around, dropping the covers and leaving her top half on full display.

"Likes me? That's it?"

"Loves you. Adores you. Worships you." I reached out and gripped her arm tightly, pulling her toward me. "Come here and I'll show you."

"You're so bad. Here I thought you were a good boy all these years." She pulled the covers off of me and climbed onto my lap.

I folded the pillow under my head and smiled down at her. "I'm glad to know my tricks worked. Go easy on me."

"I don't do easy." She pressed her fingers against my chest and arched her back as I thrusted up and groaned loudly. Pleasure shot across my stomach and raced up my chest, leaving me overwhelmed already.

It took every bit of oomph I had to get my response out as she started to work me. "You don't do easy, but you do slow?"

"You're goading me, Jayce Moore." She bent over, scraping her nipples down my chest as she continued to make love to me.

"Please tell me it's working." I gripped her hips and caressed the top curve of her ass as it bounced against my fingers. It wasn't going to take much and I was going to lose myself inside of her. "Lay. Seriously. Fuck."

"I thought you wanted easy." She licked the side of my neck and laughed as I gripped her tightly and rolled us over.

I pinned her to the bed and licked at my lips as her eyes grew wide. "My turn to play the game."

"Hard please?" She arched her back as my eyes rolled back in my head.

I didn't stand a chance against her. It was the only competition in my life I was good losing - every time.

*

"Come in." Layla's mom pulled the door open to their small house.

I had only been there a handful of times over the years, and it was mostly to just pick the girls up or drop them off.

"Hey Mom." Layla hugged her mom and moved into the house as I followed.

"Mrs. Roberts. Good to see you." I pulled her into a quick hug, glad to see that she was up and moving and looked almost normal. The scene was vastly different from the last time I'd been at their house.

"Your father is out back on the porch. He's having some trouble this morning." Mrs. Roberts let out a long sigh and wiped her hands on a dish towel she was holding.

I breathed in deeply and smiled. "Is that meatloaf?"

"Yeah." She gave me a shy smile as Layla walked toward the kitchen. "You like meatloaf? I thought about asking Layla to make sure you were good with it before I baked it, but I totally forgot to ask."

"Um, who doesn't like meatloaf?" I chuckled and followed her into the kitchen.

"No one in my family." She walked toward the stove as I paused by the table, unsure of where I was expected to be.

I moved back a little to glance out the window to the backyard. Layla was squatting in front of her father, who was hunched over in a chair with a blanket around his shoulders. My heart ached watching them. My father hadn't served in the military or seen some of the things Mr. Roberts had. All the anger and disgust I felt the last time I was in the house was gone. Pity and concern took its place.

Would Layla stick by my side if things were to somehow get crazy between us? Would she help me work through my shit? My anxiety?

The memory of her sitting on my lap in the truck brushed across my mind, leaving me without a doubt that she would. She was my soul mate. The one I was supposed to spend my life with. I was just damn lucky to have realized it before it was too late.

"Jayce."

I glanced up to see Mrs. Roberts standing beside me.

"Yes, ma'am?" I smiled and slipped my hands in my pockets.

"I'm really sorry about the other day." She glanced toward the ground and I noticed how thin she was for the first time. She wasn't that thin when we were kids. Not to the point of looking malnourished.

I reached out without hesitation and squeezed her shoulder softly. "It's all right. Everyone has things they have to go through. I'm sorry I hit your husband. It was just my first reaction."

"And a good one." She glanced up with tears in her eyes. "He's so embarrassed."

"I can try talking with him, but I really don't know what I would say." I released her and glanced back toward the window. Layla had him in a tight hug and his shoulders were shaking as if he were crying.

"Maybe you don't need to say anything. Maybe just throwing the ball around the yard would be good for him?" She wiped at her eyes and turned her back to me. "I'm going to make mashed potatoes. That sound good?"

"Sounds delicious." I pulled my keys from my pocket. "Let me go grab the ball and gloves and see if he's up for a round of catch."

"Thank you," she called after me.

I kept waiting for the awkward feeling that I didn't belong to rise up in my stomach, or the notion that this was uncomfortable and not my problem, but it didn't. Layla would be my wife before too long. I had no doubt about that. Her problems were my problems. Her family was my family.

My heart constricted in my chest as I jogged down the stairs and walked to the jeep. I needed her to know that I was completely with her. That whatever we had coming at us... good or bad, I was going to fight beside her to make sure we would always be together.

I grabbed the ball and gloves and jogged around the other side of the house, slowing as I reached the patio. Mr. Roberts sat by himself on the porch, his eyes swollen, his face pale and expressionless.

"Hey coach." I jogged up the stairs and smiled at him. He hadn't coached a team in ten years, but I remembered him coaching Layla's t-ball team, her machine-pitch and then her junior league teams. When no other parent would step up... he did. My own dad, who was an outstanding father, never made time to coach one of my teams. There was something to be said about the kind of man Paul Roberts was. Maybe he'd just forgotten.

"Jayce." He stood up and extended his hand. "Man, I'm so glad you were here the other night."

I grabbed his hand and hugged him tightly, trying not to notice the way his breath caught as if he were going to lose his shit in front of me. I'd deal with it if he did, but I knew he didn't want to. No man did.

"Me too. I hated to put the heat on you..." I moved back and tapped my bicep playfully.

He snorted. "Thank you. I'm so sorry you had to see me like that. It's been a long fucking year."

"I bet. Layla says you're getting some help though, which is awesome." I extended a glove to him. "Come on. Let's see if you still got it, old man."

"Old man?" He snorted and shook his head. "You're goading me."

"Duh. I goad everyone." I walked down the stairs, reveling in how natural it felt to be with Layla's family. "Layla tell you I finally asked her out?"

He laughed, the sound of it brightening the day. "No, but it's about damn time. You're the only boy I've ever known to be at every event my little girl had. I figured you'd ask her to marry you one day. If someone got to her before you, I was just going to tell the bastard no. She's been spoken for for a long ass time, right?"

I took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah, she has. I love her with all of my heart."

"I'd warn you not to hurt her or hit her ever, but I know you too well to drag out that speech." He lifted his arms and chucked the ball at me.

I caught it and smiled. "What can we do to help you and Mrs. Roberts?"

"Nothing, but thank you for asking." He shrugged and lifted his glove. "Layla says your sister is marrying Lucas White. He's the hockey hero guy, right?"

"Yes, Sir. He's my best friend." I tossed him the ball and took a few steps back. "You should look into coaching again. You used to love it, right? Just because Layla is grown up doesn't mean you can't coach other teams."

"I thought you had to be a parent of one of the players." He caught the ball and tossed it back to me.

"I don't think so. I'll check into it for you." I jumped to catch his next ball and glanced to my right to see Layla watching us from the window. The look on her face was enough to keep me playing catch with her dad until the sun went down if she wanted me to. It meant the world to her, and she meant the world to me.

Chapter 24

Layla

"Dinner was great, Mom." I pulled my mom into a tight hug as we stood at the door.

"Good to see you again, Mr. Roberts." Jayce extended his hand toward my dad, who pulled him into a tight hug.

"You too, son. Let me know what you find out about the Boys & Girls Club thing." My father moved over to me, hugging me tightly and kissing the top of my head. "And keep my baby safe."

"Always." Jayce took my hand as I moved back.

We turned and walked down the stairs slowly. I had so many things to say to him, but there would be tears with every one of them and now wasn't the time. Aubrey had texted both of us in a pure panic while we were eating. The tuxes were ordered in the wrong color, and it was easier to change the color of the dresses instead.

We were supposed to grab my dress and shoes and meet her at the mall by three. Our afternoon of laying around the apartment together was gone, but we'd have one soon.

"Thanks for coming with me." I got in the jeep and glanced over at Jayce. "It did my dad a lot of good to see you."

"Yeah. I had a good time. I love your folks." He started the truck and pulled out of the driveway. "I really need to study for a Chemistry exam coming up next week. Damn my sister and her wedding."

I chuckled. "I'll help you cram until you take the test. Sound good?"

He glanced over at me. "Sounds great. Can you sit on my lap while we study?"

"Naked?" I offered up.

"Um, yes. I wasn't going to take it that far, but naked works really well." He adjusted himself and reached over to take my hand in his. "Not to change the subject, but we really need to go see my parents now that we're together. I told them already, but they acted like it was about damn time."

I laughed. "I know the feeling. We've been skating around each other for twenty years, Jayce."

"I realize that. You're just stubborn. I tried to get your attention a million times over the last twenty years." He wagged his eyebrows, causing my smile to lift higher.

"Liar. Tell me one time." I tugged at my seatbelt as he drove us back toward the apartment.

"Easy. Remember our senior year when your asshole boyfriend, Scotty Wanes, decided at the last minute that he didn't want to go to prom with you?"

I shook my head. "That was horrible. How was that you hitting on me? If it wasn't for you taking me, I'd have sat at home like a freaking loser."

"I paid his ass to dump you." He smiled, proud of himself.

"What?!" I swatted at him. "I liked that guy. He had nice teeth."

"He looked like a horse." He laughed and grabbed my hand again. "Did we have fun that night?"

I huffed and slumped into my seat. "Yes. It was one of the best nights of my life. You paying my boyfriend off to dump me isn't a way to get my attention. I had no idea you did it. I would have killed you if I had."

"I know. So I kept it to myself and spun the most beautiful girl in the room around all night." He squeezed my hand tightly and smirked. "It worked, didn't it?"

I rolled my eyes. He was impossible. It didn't work in the way he wanted it to. It didn't alert me to the fact that he was in love with me. I just figured Aubrey forced him into it because he didn't have a date for prom.

"What else did you do to ruin my love life when I was younger?" I narrowed my eyes as he pulled up to the apartment.

"You remember last night when I made you come three times?" His cheeks colored pink even though he was trying to be sexy. "Let's just focus on that moment, okay? The past is in the past."

"Jayce Moore!" I got out of the jeep and jogged after him as he got out and bounded up the stairs.

"Remember that I love you?" He laughed and got into the apartment before I did. He was lucky we were late for meeting his sister or I would have held him down and taken his confession through his laughter and tears. The poor boy was ticklish everywhere, and I was just enough of a bitch to use it to my advantage any time I needed to.

*

"Wait, you told her?" Aubrey smirked and glanced over at Jayce as we walked down the mall.

"Wait a minute. You knew?" I turned to face my best friend. "Were you guys in cahoots with each other our whole lives? Unbelievable. You're my best friend!"

"She's my sister." He moved toward me, grabbing my wrist and pulling me close. "I didn't do much more than fuck up a few dates for you, Layla. Those boys wanted in your panties and I knew you'd be mine one day. There was no damn way I was sharing you if I could help it." He kissed the tip of my nose as I turned my glare onto Aubrey.

She lifted her hands in the air and spun around. "I knew this would turn on me one day."

I looked back toward Jayce. "Unbelievable."

"You're not really mad. I can tell." He cupped my face, massaging the base of my head as he leaned in and kissed me softly. It quickly turned into something a little more intimate.

"Come on guys. Really? Ugh." Aubrey tugged at the back of my shirt. "Let's get the dress and you two horn balls can go back to the apartment."

I moved back a little dizzy.

"Still mad?" He reached for me, sliding his fingers against mine as I shook my head no. How could I be? None of those other guys mattered now that Jayce was in the picture.

"No. It's still ridiculous, but somewhat cute too." I walked toward the store Aubrey disappeared into. "I'm really not in the mood to try on dresses. I ate too much at my mom's house."

"Just suffer through it and we'll lay around and watch movies tonight in our pjs." He squeezed my hand and smiled down at me.

"I thought we were studying for your Chemistry test."

"We can, but I'd much rather study anatomy with you instead." He wagged his eyebrows.

I pulled my hand from his, rolling my eyes. "I swear. You're just a fifteen-year-old boy stuck in that hot man body."

"You like it?" He rubbed his hands down his chest and rolled his hips.

Aubrey groaned and put her hand on her hip. "This is so much more disturbing than I thought it would be."

"What?" I stopped in front of her as Jayce sat down in one of the chairs around a small stage in the center of the room.

"You and my brother being together. Behave for thirty minutes. Please?" She turned her serious stare from me to Jayce.

I glanced back at him to see an innocent look on his handsome face and his finger pointed toward me as if it were all my fault.

"Seriously?" I laughed and started to go after him.

Aubrey grabbed my hand and pulled me back toward a dressing room. "Come on. There are three dresses in your size in the darker blue that the guys’ tuxes match. Try them on for me and we'll get out of here quickly."

"All right." I walked into the dressing room and fingered through the three of them. "I'm not wearing this one. No way in hell."

She took it and pointed to the longer of the two remaining. "I feel like that one is too long, but see what you think."

"I like it." I pulled off my shoes, shirt and jeans quickly. "Help me zip it?"

"Sure." She walked out of the dressing room with the one dress I didn't like and I could hear her and Jayce laughing about something. The sound of them together caused me to smile. I loved them both so crazy much.

I tugged the dress over my waist and turned to face the small mirror in front of me. It looked good, better than I expected. I pinched it under my arms and reached up to pull my hair down. I'd be wearing it down for the wedding for sure.

"All right. Let me zip you up." Aubrey glanced over my shoulder and smiled. "I like it already. Looks really good on you."

"I like it too." I waited until she finished zipping it. "Let me walk around in it for a few minutes to make sure I'm not going to trip or anything."

"Cool." She opened the curtain and moved back.

I walked toward Jayce, who stood up and gave me a sexy smile.

"Oh, I like that a lot. You look like a princess." He extended his hand to me.

I took it and curtsied as he bowed.

Aubrey snorted and sat down in the chair Jayce was in moments before. "Dance for me. Let me see how it looks when you move around in it."

"With pleasure." I slid into his arms and gripped his hand tightly as he wrapped a strong arm around me and moved me around the small stage. He was the best dancer in the world as far as I was concerned. He spun me out, letting me turn a few times before moving back into his arms.

"So beautiful, baby." He brushed his nose by mine. "I can't wait until it's our turn."

Chill bumps broke out along my skin. "You have to ask me first."

"Oh, I'm aware." He stopped and leaned toward me, dipping me low toward the ground before gracefully pulling me back up. "I'm going to do it when you least expect it."

He kissed my lips softly and growled, "Go change and let's get the fuck out of here."

"I can still hear you." Aubrey stood up and walked toward the dressing room. "I do love the dress though. Maybe you can wear it for my wedding and then I can wear it for yours."

I laughed as I followed her back into the dressing room. "Jayce and I just started dating, Aubrey. It's going to be a while."

"Doubt it." She moved in behind me and closed the curtain before unzipping my dress. "You just need to help him pass Chemistry and then the two of you can graduate together, get married and start your life together."

"We've already started it." I gripped the front of the dress as it sagged. "He went with me out to my mom's today."

"Oh yeah. How did that go?"

I turned to face her and smiled. "Really good. He was so good to my daddy. Most guys that saw what Jayce did wouldn't offer a bit of kindness to my dad, but he was so kind and loving."

"That's Jayce for you." She reached up and brushed the tears that dripped onto my cheeks. "I love you. You've always been my choice for Jayce, you know."

I moved up and pressed my cheek to her shoulder and she hugged me tight. "Well, we had to figure out some way to become sisters for real. Don't tell him that this was the plan all along?"

"I can hear you out here. Jeez." Jayce's voice was high pitched as if he were truly agitated by us.

I laughed and moved back. "Damn... we're caught."

"And he thought I was helping him all those years." Aubrey rolled her eyes. "Please!"

“Still here.” Jayce’s response caused us to start laughing all over again.