Stealing His Heart (The Kingston Heat Series) (15 page)

Sophia didn’t join him on this trip. She had to start planning for the upcoming school year, and she had a week full of faculty meetings and curriculum planning. Looking around his empty suite, he felt alone and missed his girl. He’d gone out the night before with the team to celebrate his upcoming birthday, but tonight he wanted to stay in and recuperate. He was pitching the day game tomorrow.

He’d gone to physical therapy, showered, and was ready to order room service when his phone alerted him to a text.

Happy birthday, cowboy!

He smiled as he replied.

Thanks, sugar. How’s your day?

He knew she was disappointed that she couldn’t spend his birthday with him, but he understood. She had a new job that required her attention. They had spent almost the whole month of July together.

I really miss you. Tough loss today.

He sat on the edge of the bed as he typed.

I’ll get ’em tomorrow. I’m getting ready to settle in for the night. Just got out of the shower and I’m ordering dinner.

She quickly replied.

Shower? What are you wearing?

Maybe she was up for some sexting fun?

Just my towel. Want me to take it off?

As he waited for her text, someone knocked at the door. Hell! Who was bothering him?

If you’re naked, how will you answer the door?

“Huh?” He reread her response as the person knocked again.
Could it be?

He got up and darted to the door, pulling it open without even checking to see who it was.

“Happy birthday.” Sophia stood in the hallway wearing one of those sexy little sundresses he’d grown quite fond of. “Surprise.”

He pulled her into the room, slipped the bag from her shoulder, and kissed her long and hard. Dropping her suitcase in the small foyer, he picked her up and carried her through the suite and to the bedroom.

“Not that I’m complaining, but what are you doing here?” He sat her on the edge of the bed, kissing her again.

“I couldn’t be away from you today, so I hopped on a plane and here I am.”

“I thought you had meetings all week.” He dropped down on the floor in front of her, grinning like a kid on Christmas morning.

“I just missed today. I told them it was your birthday and they all agreed I should spend it with you. One of the perks of you being a big shot benefactor of the school. They really like you.”

“I really like you.” He ran his palms up her thighs, bunching the material of her dress up to her waist. “This is the best birthday present ever.” His cock hardened when he spied her tiny black panties.

“I wasn’t sure if you had plans with the guys, and I don’t want to intrude.”

“You could never intrude.” He spread her legs, slipping his hands up to hook his fingers in the band of her panties. “I want you with me always.”

“What are you doing?” She giggled when he slid the silky scrap of material down her legs. “I’m not even in the door three minutes.”

“Unwrapping my gift.” He tossed her panties to the floor. “You did want to give me a gift, didn’t you?”

“This isn’t what I had in mind.”

He guided her on to her back before kneeling between her legs. “I don’t believe you came all the way here to go to dinner with me.” He positioned her heels on the bed, giving him a full view of her luscious folds. He licked his lips when he thought about pleasing her.

“You’re not hungry?”

“I didn’t say that.” He moved forward, spreading her lower lips with his fingers.

“Ahh…” she moaned when he tickled her clit with the tip of his tongue.

He pushed her dress up with his free hand and reached for her breasts as he continued to please her with his mouth. She placed her hand on top of his as he squeezed and pinched her nipple.

“Pax…” She rocked her hips against his face.

He loved making her feel good, bringing her to the brink and listening to her scream out when he gave her body what it craved. The more she moaned, the harder he became. He rested one of her legs over his shoulder so he could delve deeper. She gripped the sheets as she lifted her hips off the bed. Her sex noises drove him wild with need as he thrust against the bed. He needed more. Ripping the towel off, he palmed his cock before taking it into his hand. He licked her in time with his strokes. When her muscles tensed he knew she was close.

He flipped her onto her stomach, wanting to take her from a different angle.

“More…” she demanded.

“I know, baby.” He arched her back and lifted her backside in the air. “I promise this will be worth it.”

“Oh!” She squirmed when he licked her pussy from the back, working up to the front in slow strokes. He repeated his actions over and over until she could take no more. She dropped the upper half of her body onto the mattress, clawed at the comforter, and screamed out her release.

As she tried to catch her breath, he climbed in behind her and lifted her up. “Rest on your forearms.”

When she did as he asked, he pressed his cock against her heat. Moving just the tip in and out, teasing her entrance as he held her hips.

“Pax.” She pushed back, causing him to slide deeper. “What are you doing?”

“Hell,” he muttered. “Don’t do that.” He took his length in one hand and rubbed it against her wet slit. “Feels too good.” He hadn’t been expecting her. He wasn’t ready for their encounter.

“Fuck me.”

“Oh,” he groaned before pushing inside her. Just a few seconds…

“That’s amazing…” she cried out when he went balls deep. “I can feel all of you.”

“Soph, we have to …” He wanted to say the word, but after feeling nothing between the two of them how could he stop? He’d never gone bare before. “Shit.”

He increased his pace, trying to control what was about to happen, but the gates had been left open and all that was left to do was… He’d lost focus when he heard her scream out.

“Pax! I’m coming….” Her muscles clenched around his cock as she tightened her hold on him.

One quick thrust and he pulled out, spraying his release all over her backside. He guided her down onto the bed, covering her with his body. The warm, sticky substance squished between them. He kissed her hair as his cock softened against her thigh.

“Sorry,” he whispered.

“For what?”

“I got carried away.” He hadn’t meant to be so careless, but she had a way of making him crazy with need.

“It’s okay.”

“I’ll be right back.” He kissed her neck. “Don’t move.”

“Don’t worry about that. I couldn’t if I wanted to.”

“Thoroughly fucked, sugar?”

“I think so, cowboy.”

He pried himself away from her and grabbed his discarded towel to clean himself off before he hurried down the hall to the bathroom. Retrieving a wash cloth from the shelf above the sink, he ran it under warm water. He threw a dry towel over his arm and made his way back to her.

“Hmm…” she breathed out when he washed away any evidence of their encounter. “I love when you take care of me.”

“I’ll always take care of you.” After he finished wiping her off, he pulled down the comforter and said, “Snuggle in.”

“I didn’t come here to go to bed.”

“Somehow I doubt that.” He arched a brow at her. “We always end up in bed.”

“You know what I mean.” She settled under the covers. “It’s your special night. What do you want to do?”

I just did it.

“We’ll order dinner in a bit.” He climbed in next to her and wrapped his arms around her delicate form. “I didn’t expect you tonight.”

“I know.” She giggled. “That’s why it’s a surprise. You always do so much for me. I wanted to do something special for you.”

“I love that you came here. It means so much to me.”

“I couldn’t be away from you on your birthday. It didn’t feel right.”

“How long are you staying?”

“Until the series is over. I fly back with you.”

“We need to make a drugstore run.”

“You really weren’t prepared.” She rolled onto her side to face him. “We’ve been traveling a lot this summer. I’ve had to postpone a doctor’s visit a few times, but I’ve rescheduled for October. They book up fast. That was the first available date.”

“Is everything okay?”

“It’s just my annual visit. I want to get on the pill.” She touched his cheek. “I’ve wanted to for a while, but every time I get an appointment I end up going away and have to cancel.”

“October should be less crazy. If we make it all the way to the World Series, we’ll only have to travel a few times.”

“So, until I can get into that appointment we’ll have to keep making drugstore runs.”

“I don’t mind. I’m usually well stocked, but since you weren’t supposed to be joining me I didn’t pack the condoms. I didn’t need them.”

“Your lack of condoms keeps you honest.” She laughed. “I like that.”

“No, sugar.” He took a deep breath because he had been trying to work up the nerve to tell her what he’d been feeling for some time. “It’s not my lack of protection that keeps me faithful.” He took her face between his hands and stared into her eyes. “Not at all.”

“It isn’t?”

“It’s much more than that.” When he brushed his lips across hers she shivered under his touch. “I don’t want anyone else.”

“I was just teasing,” she whispered. “I have total faith in you…in us.”

“Good, because what I’m about to say, I’ve wanted to tell you for a long time. I just needed the right moment. This is a pretty good moment.”

“What is it?” She kissed his jaw. “Tell me.”

“Sophie, baby, I love you.” He held her gaze. “I have for a long time. Maybe even from the first time we met. You know my reputation. Hell, the whole baseball watching world does. It all changed with you. You’re my heart. You’re everything.”

“I love you too.” She pressed her lips to his and kissed him slow and gentle, lingering at his mouth as she spoke. “I know what we have is special. I’ve been waiting a while for you to tell me. I debated on telling you first but I didn’t want to rush you.”

“I should have told you sooner. I wanted to but I’ve never done that before. I’ve never been in love, so I wasn’t sure, but when I look at you I know.”

“What do you know?” Her warm breath tickled his lips as she stared into his eyes.

“That no matter how many times I have to travel, how many times we have to be apart, I’m always going to want to come home to you. Always.”

“Like I told you before, I’ll always be there waiting for you.”

Chapter 17

The Crushers fever was contagious. The whole town seemed to be infected. Businesses flaunted signs in their windows, the local media organized pep rallies, and schools designated Fridays for the students and staff to show their support by wearing team jerseys and colors. Kingston pride was high. Now the team needed to answer back by winning the division and securing their spot in the World Series.

Once September hit, things got hectic for Pax and Sophia. She went back to the classroom and he started play-offs. The demands of her new job came on full-force. The music department was new. They had to implement a curriculum. Sophia would have to figure out what worked and what didn’t. She’d be making adjustments and changes along the way but she was excited to get things going.

She was also thrilled for Pax and his team. Spending so much time with them through the summer was a wonderful experience. She made new friends, both with players and their significant others. Out of everything she had done, the one thing she’d take away from her time on the road was the bond she had formed with Pax. They were closer than ever, and she had never been more excited to see what the future held.

“Hey, baby,” Pax said as he came into the bedroom. “You look pretty.”

He kissed her neck as she buttoned her blouse. He wore a dark gray t-shirt and black basketball shorts. His baseball cap was pulled low over his forehead but she could still see his eyes as they connected with hers in the mirror.

“Thanks.”

“Hmm…” He sniffed her hair. “You smell good too.”

“How was your run?”

“Lonely.”

“Sorry.” She turned to face him. “I wasn’t up to it this morning.”

“It’s okay.” He tucked her hair behind her ear. “How do you feel now?”

“Queasy.” She didn’t have time to be sick. The school year had just started two weeks ago, and tonight was a back-to-school night. Parents would be coming in to visit the classroom, and she was scheduled to talk about the new music program. It was going to be a long day. “My immune system just needs to get used to all those little germ carriers we call students. I have lots of hand sanitizer.”

“Want me to make you some toast?”

“That’s sweet but I have to get going.” She slipped on her heels. “I don’t want to be late.”

“I know you can’t make the game tonight but will you stop by Bennet’s for a drink? The team reserved the back room. Everyone is set to celebrate. A win tonight gets us one step closer.”

“I can ride over with Maggie after we’re done at school.”

“When will your car be out of the shop?” He shook his head. “That’s the third time it’s been in there since the spring. I think it’s time to let go.”

“We’ve been through this.”

“Several times,” he reminded her.

He’d already given her so much. He wouldn’t let her spend a dime of her own money this summer. All of her travel expenses were covered by him. After she got situated with school she agreed to move in. They were just waiting for his season to be over so they could get settled. He wouldn’t be taking any of her money for living expenses so she figured she would buy a new car in a month or so.

“Let me buy you the damn car.”

“No.” She kissed his cheek.

“Damn, woman, why are you so stubborn?”

“It’s just who I am.” She smiled at him. “I love that you want to take care of me, but you give me too much.”

“I don’t give you enough.” He took her hands in his. “The next few weeks are going to be insane.”

“Even more than the summer?”

“In the summer we were together. We’ll be separated for a good portion of September and possibly October. I know it will be tough, but once this season is over we can focus on one another.”