Game Winning Catch: (Secret Baby Sports Romance (Pass To Win #5) Read online

  We walked along the pier for a while, just talking and enjoying the weather.

  “What are you studying in school?” I asked, trying to make conversation.

  “Sports Management,” she replied.

  “That’s very cool. I guess I’m not surprised though. It explains why you were so chill around all of the football players last night.”

  “I find them fascinating. I’d love to manage a pro sports team someday.”

  “I’m sure you’d be great at it,” I said.

  The wind was picking up so we got back in her car and she gave me the driving tour of the city. She would point out landmarks and points of interest, but I was too focused on her to really pay attention.

  “That’s about all I can think of to show you,” she said. “Is there anything else you want to do before I drop you off at your car?”

  “What about dinner?” I suggested. “What’s good around here?”

  “What are you in the mood for?” she asked.

  “Something nice,” I said. “Don’t worry,” I added. “I’ll pay. You were such a great tour guide today. I feel like I owe you.”

  “What about sushi?” she asked. “There’s a cool place near here.”

  “I’m in.”

  We sat down, and I let her order the food since she knew what was good there. I asked her if she wanted to get drinks, in hopes that we could have a sort of reenactment from last night. She recoiled at the idea of alcohol, probably still a little hung over from last night.

  As I fumbled with my chopsticks, I asked her questions about her dad and her family life. I figured she had answered them a thousand times and was probably really tired of it by now, but I was curious. It’s not every day that you find yourself having dinner with football royalty.

  “So you got to watch all of your dad’s pro games?” I asked. “I’m so jealous.”

  “You have to remember,” she said, biting into a tuna roll, “I was pretty young back then. My older siblings have more memories of that time than I do. I do remember my dad having the team over to the house. I think that was after they won the Super Bowl.”

  She talked about it like it was nothing and here I was geeking out.

  “You’re saying that you regularly hung around guys like James Rodgers and John Sterling?”

  “Yeah, but to me, they were just my dad’s friends.”

  I sat back in disbelief. “I’m so envious of your childhood.”

  She laughed. “You know, a lot of guys say that.”

  “I’m sure a lot of girls wish they had your upbringing.”

  “Maybe, but in my experience, they don’t gush about it like the guys do.”

  “No?”

  “Yeah. If anything, girls seem to hate it because it gives boys a reason to talk to an otherwise uninteresting person.”

  “You’re definitely interesting, regardless of your family,” I said. “I mean, those girls over there have been staring at you for the last fifteen minutes. You can’t tell me that they’re not jealous of you.”

  “They’re probably more interested in you,” she said. “I’m going to go to the bathroom,” she said, getting up from the table. “I’ll be right back.”

  As she walked toward the back of the restaurant, I picked the rolls up with my fingers and stuffed a few into my mouth. It was much easier that way.

  The second Natalie was out of sight, the three girls from the other table approached me like lions on the hunt.

  “Are you Chris Taylor?” the blonde asked me. From the way they were dressed in the standard undergrad uniform of tight leggings and expensive jackets, I assumed they were college students.

  “Yes,” I responded. I loved the attention from beautiful women, but I hoped they were gone before Natalie came back.

  “We’ve heard a lot of stories about you,” the leader continued.

  “They’re probably true.”

  This response set them in to giggles.

  “What are you doing tonight?” the girl asked. “Any chance we’ll see you around the area?”

  “I’m new to the city,” I said. “Where should I be going?”

  They looked conspiratorially at each other.

  “Club Z is where all the action is,” she said. “We’ll be there.”

  The girls were concentrating so hard on flirting, that they didn’t even notice that Natalie was standing right behind them.

  “Should we get the check, then?” she said, causing the three girls to jump out of shock.

  “Sure,” I started to say as Natalie’s lips pressed against mine. I was surprised, but I went with it, kissing her back. This wasn’t just a peck on the lips, either. Her lips parted, and I could feel her warm breath on my tongue.

  Just as I was about to slip my tongue in, she pulled away and sat back down.

  If her intention was to show up the girls who were flirting with me, it worked. They returned to their table, sulking.

  “Wow,” I said. “Where did that come from?”

  She blushed. “I know those girls. They haven’t always been very nice to me, so I wanted to do something that would infuriate them. Do you think it worked?”

  “Absolutely,” I said. The truth was, it worked on me too. I wanted more.

  “Should we go back to my place?” I asked, signing the receipt.

  “I should go home. My dad isn’t exactly pleased with me. I don’t think he’d be happy if he found out that we spent the day together.”

  “You’re right,” I said. “Can I see you again?”

  “How long are you in town?” she asked.

  “At least one more week,” I said. “Maybe longer.”

  She nodded.

  “How about tomorrow night?” I asked. “You can tell your dad you’re working on a group project and we’ll go to a movie or something. Harmless fun.”

  “I can do that,” she said, writing her phone number on the back of the receipt.

  As she drove me back to my car, I thought about all of the things we would do when she inevitably found herself at my hotel room. I didn’t know how much time I would have in the city, and I wanted to make this little fling count.

  “Goodnight,” she said, and I leaned in for a kiss. She turned her head and dodged me, so it landed short on her cheek. I wasn’t expecting that.

  Maybe she was just a tease and acted like this around all guys. I could see the merit in that. She could live her life with her good girl image, keeping her father happy. Meanwhile, she attracted the attention of all guys in the vicinity, so if she wanted to, she could take her pick. Maybe she was just looking for the right guy.

  I definitely wasn’t the right guy for her. I was still waiting for the moment she realized that I was no good and forgot all about me. If that didn’t happen first, then her dad would certainly get in the way. There was probably no future with Natalie Boyd, but if I had the chance to score with her, I was definitely going for it.

  4

  Natalie

  The next day, Chris texted me and asked if I still wanted to go on our date. I can’t believe that he actually called it a date! To me, that signifies that a guy wants to be with you, and isn’t just out to get some.

  I had only known Chris for a short time, but I liked him. He was cool and we had a lot of similar interests. Mostly, we were both big sports fans and wanted to be able to make a living off of the stuff we loved.

  So when he texted me, I immediately said yes. I told him that I had some school work to finish up, but I would be free in the evening. He didn’t tell me what we’d be doing, just that he would pick me up around seven.

  I was excited, but didn’t want to show it, on the off chance that my dad caught me smiling for no apparent reason. He was still a little concerned about the other night.

  I had expected a big lecture from my father, but he didn’t have much to say about it. Maybe he cooled down and realized that I was an adult and could have a relationship with a guy if I wanted to. He asked me what I kne
w about Chris and I told him that he was a backup quarterback, now free agent, who could possibly be used in Los Angeles.

  When Chris had first introduced himself to me, I thought his name sounded familiar, so I looked him up on one of my favorite sports reporting websites. He didn’t get a lot of playing time in his first season, but had been drafted fairly high after college. I even found a few highlight reels, and I thought he had a lot of talent. Maybe that’s part of the reason I seemed to like him so much.

  The only other thing my dad said to me was that I was too trusting of people, and that I needed to be careful. I was going to see if I could dig up some more dirt on Chris, but I remembered that he said he’d be at the practice field, so I went to apologize for how my dad reacted.

  Hanging out with Chris made me realize that maybe it was time for me to start dating for real. I had months until I would be done with college, and then what? A lot of my friends had serious boyfriends they were planning on living with after college. I hadn’t dated much, and I suddenly felt behind.

  I liked the idea of dating an athlete too. No matter what, we would always share one similar interest. It seemed like a fun life too—having the opportunity to do some traveling around the country and spending time with other like-minded, talented people. The right connections could also help me in my pursuit of my dream career. Maybe I should give Chris a chance, after all.

  At seven, I grabbed my book bag and told my dad that I was going to the library. I’m not sure if he completely bought it, but he didn’t ask questions.

  I parked my car in the parking lot, and like clockwork, Chris pulled up next to me.

  “Hi,” I said, getting into his car. “What movie are we seeing tonight?” I asked.

  “Actually,” he said with a sly grin, “I have a better idea.”

  “What’s that?” I asked, feeling thrown off balance by the change of plans.

  “If it’s okay with you, I thought we could go on a short hike.”

  “Oh, yeah,” I said. “That’s fine with me.”

  “I brought a blanket and some snacks,” he said. “I figured we would get there after the sun went down, and look at the stars.”

  It was the most romantic thing a guy had ever suggested to do with me. And I would rather talk to Chris than sit through a movie anyway. It sounded like the perfect evening.”

  “And the best part is,” he continued, “I can make sure you’re home and in bed before your dad starts to worry.”

  “There’s just one problem,” I said.

  “What’s that?”

  “If we look at the stars from the top of the mountain, then that means we’ll have to hike down in the dark.”

  His face fell. “Oh, I didn’t even think of that. You can tell I’m not from around here.”

  I giggled. “It’s okay,” I said, not wanting him to feel bad for such a nice gesture. “There’s actually a really nice lake near this mountain. It’s quiet, so we can sit there and watch the sunset on the water.”

  “Even better,” he said.

  We drove for a while, until I directed him to a good spot for stargazing.

  “Do you think this is private enough?” he asked.

  I looked around. “I think so. I don’t see anyone else around here.”

  He spread out a blanket from the back of his car on the soft grass. It looked like a hotel comforter.

  “Turkey and avocado good for you?” he asked, handing me a wrapped sandwich.

  “Great,” I said, tearing off the paper.

  We sat on the ground and ate as the sun started to dip below the trees. The air was starting to get chilly, so Chris found a spare sweatshirt in his car and draped it over my shoulders.

  I loved wearing guy’s sweatshirts. Not only did it smell good, but it had been freshly washed and folded neatly. I liked a guy who knew how to be an adult and take care of himself. My school still had too many guys who still took their clothes home for their mothers to wash.

  I also liked that he realized I was cold, and gave me his sweatshirt. It was a nice gesture. It made me feel like he was the kind of man who would be perceptive to my needs and take care of me.

  Before I knew it, we had slowly inched our way together, and were both reclined on the grass. He put his arm under my neck, and my head rested on his bicep. I can’t explain why, but something made me want to get closer and closer to him.

  “Has your dad said anything else about me?” he asked, pulling me in a little closer.

  “Not really. He just asked me what I knew about you and told me to be careful. Typical dad stuff.”

  “Oh,” he said quietly. “And what do you know about me?”

  “Everything you’ve told me. I also looked up some of your stats. I hope you don’t think that’s weird.”

  He smiled. “No, I think that’s cool.”

  We were silent for a moment until he continued his thought.

  “I think your dad might know a little more about me than you do,” he said.

  “Like what?” I asked.

  “It’s nothing big, but I have a reputation in the league for being a big partier.”

  “Is it a bad reputation?” I asked, not knowing what to think.

  “Depends on who you ask. I just like to have fun. That’s the reason why I can’t stay on with my old team. The guys in the front office wanted me to be a better role model for kids and be more wholesome, but that isn’t me. I’m still young and I want to enjoy everything that comes with the sport.”

  “Okay,” I said hesitantly. “Is it, like, a problem?”

  “No, no, no, nothing like that,” he said quickly. “Sure, I’ve dabbled with illegal substances and gotten photographed blackout drunk, but never anything that I can’t control. I just want to find a place where I can be accepted for me, and not have to conform to anyone’s idea of what I should be.”

  “I understand,” I said. “I always feel like people expect me to act a certain way too, just because of my family.”

  “I’m glad someone gets it,” he said. He lowered his head and gave me a soft kiss on the lips. It sent a chill through my body. I felt nervous, but in a good way. I let him kiss me again, this time, it was more passionate.

  He slowly lowered his body until we were lying on our sides, facing one another. Chris pressed his body against mine and I kissed him harder, our open mouths pushing against one another.

  He wrapped his arm around my back and I followed suit, slipping my arm around his waist.

  I was feeling things I had never felt before. I suddenly couldn’t get enough of him, and it worried me. What if I couldn’t control myself around him?

  I pulled back, smiling up at him.

  “What?” he asked.

  “The stars are out now,” I said, looking up at the dark sky. Tiny flecks of light illuminated the dark expanse.

  We laid in silence for a while, just marveling at the night sky. It was something you couldn’t see in the city.

  After a while, Chris got up and walked to the water’s edge, sticking one hand in.

  “What are you doing?” I asked.

  “It’s pretty warm,” he noted, sounding surprised. “Let’s go in.”

  “I don’t just carry my swimsuit around with me,” I said.

  “Neither do I.”

  Without saying another word, he stripped completely down and walked in to the water. It was dark, and he was facing away from me, but the tiny glimpses I could see in the moonlight were very nice.

  “Come on,” he said. “I promise that it’s not that cold.”

  “I don’t care,” I said. “I’m not doing that.”

  “Skinny dipping?” he asked. “Have you never been before?” he spoke as if he were discovering a scandalous secret about me.

  “Not with a guy, no,” I called.

  “I’ll turn around,” he said. “No peeking until you’re underwater. It’s dark, anyway.”

  I had to think about it. Here was a guy that I had only known fo
r a few days, and he was naked in the lake, asking me to do the same. Morally, I didn’t know if it was the right thing to do, but something inside of me longed to be so close to him with nothing in the way of our bodies but lake water.

  “Okay, fine,” I said. When he turned around, I quickly pulled off my clothes and splashed my way in.

  “See,” he said. “It’s not so bad.”

  He was right. The water was warmer than the air. The moon reflected off of the water, leaving streaks of light in an otherwise black lake.

  “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” I said. “I think your wild ways are rubbing off on me.”

  “Good,” he said. “You deserve to have more fun.”

  He started paddling closer to me until we were nearly touching. A voice in the back of my mind kept telling me to get closer, to touch him.

  His leg brushed against mine, and the sensation sent a shock of energy through my body. I had the urge to wrap my limbs around his body.

  Luckily, he made the first move and kissed me again. I parted my lips so he could find my tongue with his. We made out, him holding onto my waist and I gripped his shoulders with my hands.

  He started sliding his right hand to my hip and I moved closer, welcoming his touch. His hand continued to move, first to the front of my thigh, and then closer inward. I kissed him harder, wanting to know what his next move would be.

  He touched me carefully, seeing my reaction before moving any further. When he could tell that my body was eager for more, he slipped one finger inside of me, and then another.

  I had never felt a sensation like that before, and I didn’t want him to stop. He moved his fingers with the precision of someone who knew exactly what they were doing. At first, I was a little nervous to be in such an intimate position, but as he got going, it just felt right.

  My hand brushed against his front, momentarily feeling his member. I wondered what it would feel like inside of me.

  The sound of a car honking in the distance caused me to jump. I had completely forgotten my surroundings.

  “Oh, shit,” I exclaimed.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked, letting go of me.

  “What time do you think it is?”