Stealing His Heart (The Kingston Heat Series) (7 page)

He retrieved a bottle of water from the fridge and brought it out to her. She was still sitting where he had left her. He took that as a good sign. At least she hadn’t bolted. He noted the way her damp, long black hair curled at the ends. It was a subtle change from her usual sleek, straight locks, but it suited her. She gazed up at the moon through the screen and he wondered what she thought about.

He flipped on the gas fireplace because he didn’t want her to get cold. “This will heat up the porch pretty fast.”

“Thanks.”

“Here you go.” He handed her the water as he sat down next to her. “Are you feeling any better?”

“I’m sorry.” Her voice was soft. “You must think I’m a real idiot.”

“I think you’re perfect, and I’m sorry if I did something that offended you.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong.” She sipped her water. “I panicked and said something I shouldn’t have. Can we forget I said anything?”

“I don’t think so.” He stroked her cheek, trying to relax her. “We should probably talk about what you said and why you said it.”

“I was afraid you were going to say that.”

“What made you panic?”

“You.”

“I get that, but what about me?” He needed to figure out how to continue with her. “Am I moving too fast?”

“Not really.” She shrugged. “I don’t know what too fast is.”

“You’re losing me.”

“I don’t have a whole lot of experience when it comes to men.”

Oh, crap!

The thought of her being pure and virginal had his dick doing flips in his pants.

Down, boy! We have to get through our dirty past first.

“When you say you don’t have a whole lot of experience do you mean...”

“I had a boyfriend in college. I’m not a virgin, but he was my one and only.”

“Did you just break up?”

She shook her head and then looked down.

“You don’t have to be embarrassed.”

“Maggie says I’m the only girl who doesn’t have sex on a regular basis. She was the promiscuous one and I was the conservative one. In high school I was all about abstinence. Even in college, I thought I would wait for the right guy.”

“What happened?”

“I didn’t have very good judgment.”

“And now you’re here with me.” How did he get so lucky?

“Ironic, right?”

“Sort of.” He laughed because he’d never been in a situation where he had to work for sex. Not that being with her was work. He liked the change of pace. The expectation was a whole new game. “I do have a reputation.”

“A very public one.”

“The media really has nothing better to do.”

“The thing about the two girls...is that true?”

He was ashamed to tell her the truth. It was one time, a few years ago. He’d just been drafted to the big leagues after a few seasons down in the minors. He celebrated a little too hard that weekend. His friends thought it was cool so they leaked it to the papers. He thought everyone had forgotten. He wished he could.

“I can’t take back the things I did, sugar. I wish I could, but social media and the paparazzi make sure my every step is well documented.”

“I don’t think I’m the right girl for you.”

“How do you know?” He tilted her chin and looked into those gorgeous eyes. There was no way he was letting her walk out of his life.

I surrender...

“I wanted to be able to come here tonight and just lower my inhibitions and go with it. I was at that bar the night we met to get it over with. I wanted so much to do the things other women my age do.”

“Have a one-night stand? Meaningless sex?” His standard MO wasn’t going to work. Not this time. For the first time in his life he wanted to savor the moment and see what came next.

“Something like that.”

“Why would you want that?”

“I don’t know.” Her tanned cheeks held a hue of red.

“I’m not letting you off the hook. Why would you show up to that bar to have sex?” The thought of her leaving with one of his teammates infuriated him. Any one of those man-whores would have gladly indulged her little fantasy. All but...

Me.

That was a first. He’d put her in her car and sent her on her way. Not because she wasn’t attractive or he didn’t want inside those panties. It was quite the opposite. He’d been pondering his actions for days. What was it about her that had him twisted in knots?

“I just thought that going to a place filled with all of those ballplayers would be the thing I needed to get back into the swing of things. Two years is a long time.”

“You were just going to leave with the first guy who asked?” More infuriation filled his system. “Do you know how dangerous that would have been?”

“Don’t you do it all the time? Is it dangerous for those women?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because the women I leave with know exactly what they want. They make it a habit of frequenting places where the team hangs out. It’s a game to them.”

“How did you know I wasn’t into the game? What was it about me that made you walk away?”

“Walk away? I didn’t walk away. If I had you wouldn’t be here right now.”

He didn’t think he’d ever had this much of a conversation with any woman. There was never a need to. They both took what they needed from the evening and that was that. That wasn’t the case with a woman like Sophia. He would have to work at gaining her trust.

“My past is sordid at best. It’s all on the internet for you to search out if you really wanted to. I suggest you just ask me what it is you want to know. I don’t have a problem being honest.”

Apparently he was good at this conversation thing because he felt the need to put it all out there. If she kept staring at him with those warm, seductive eyes he’d spill everything.

“I lead a very different life than most guys you’ll meet. The fame, the fortune, and the knowledge that you’ve been signed to do a really big job can go to a person’s head. It’s gone to mine on more than one occasion.”

“Who could blame you? You’re one of the best pitchers in the league.”

“I try not to think about it. I’m just here to do my job, but the temptations and the privileges can get to be too much. Sometimes it’s easier to give in.”

“That’s part of the reason I stopped us in the hot tub.” She played with the ends of her hair. She had no idea how attractive she was but he planned on showing her. “If we would have gotten together the other night at the bar, no strings attached, I might have been able to go through with things, but now…”

She couldn’t stop there. She had him entirely too intrigued. He’d never let another girl get this far. He had to hear what she was thinking.

“Tell me,” he coaxed as he took her hand. “I need to know what you’re feeling.”

Another first.

“I wouldn’t have regretted a one-night stand with you, but now that I know you a little better I’m afraid of getting hurt.”

“I understand.” He leaned into her and pushed her hair to the side of her neck. “I can’t make promises—”

“You don’t have to. You shouldn’t have to change who you are.”

Maybe I want to.

“Shh… I just meant I can’t promise I won’t make some mistakes along the way. I’ve been alone and doing things one way, my way, ever since I’ve become a man. That was my choice.”

He’d never explored a relationship before. He thought a steady girl would make him lose focus and ruin his career. He had to choose one or the other. Maybe he had been wrong. Only one way to find out.

“I’m sorry.” A nervous giggle escaped her throat. “I’m sure this wasn’t the way you saw the night ending.”

“Ending?” He took her hands in his again. “Who said it was over?”

“You don’t want me to go?”

“I don’t want you to go.” He glanced toward the kitchen. “We have cheesecake to eat.”

He’d do anything to keep her with him a little longer. It was clear sex wasn’t in the cards tonight, but he didn’t care. Being around her was all he needed.

“You’re full of surprises.” She kissed his cheek and then whispered into his ear, “I do want to be with you.”

He turned and stared into her eyes. The feeling couldn’t be more mutual. “There’s no rush. We don’t have to do anything until you’re comfortable. We can get to know one another.”

“Okay.” She flashed him her bright white smile. “Why don’t you pour us some more wine and I’ll cut the cake?”

“Sounds perfect, but first I want a kiss.” He cupped her cheeks between his hands. “You wouldn’t deny me that, would you?”

“I’d be out of my mind if I did.”

“Hmm...” He brushed his lips across hers, and as soon as their mouths joined he wanted more. “You’ve already got me going crazy.”

Anticipation...

* * * *

Saturday night Pax cracked open a beer, flipped on the TV, and iced his shoulder. Another eight innings had done him in. He managed to hold the lead long enough for his relief pitcher to step in and clench the win for the team. There were a few tight spots. He’d given up three runs in the second inning but his manager had faith in him. He left Pax in long enough for him to regain the lead.

Old Joe Fanning walked up to the pitcher’s mound at the bottom of the seventh. Pax knew what the veteran player was coming to tell him.

“Thanks, twenty-one.” Joe often referred to his players by their numbers. “Another great game, but I’m pulling you.”

“I have a few more pitches left in me tonight.”

“I know.” He looked over at the other team’s dugout. “I’d rather save your arm. We have a whole season in front of us.”

“Let me finish out the inning.”

“What do you think, thirty-three?” He referred to Carlo, the team’s starting catcher, who had joined them on the mound. “Does he have it in him?”

“He can do it.” Carlo nodded. “He’s got some more to give.”

Pax tipped his hat to his friend. Carlo had been catching for ten years. He’d seen many pitchers come and go. If Carlo didn’t think Pax was capable of finishing the inning he would have said so.

“Okay,” Joe said. “Finish the inning, and then I want you to go see Doc. Have him look at that shoulder.”

Pax did as he was told and on his way down to the locker room he found Kenny waiting for him.

“Good game.” He smacked Pax’s back. “You scared me in the second though.”

“Yeah, you and everybody else.”

“What do you want to do tonight?”

“I’m heading to see Doc, and then I’m calling it a night.”

“What? What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing.” He shrugged. “It’s been a long day. I stopped off at the pediatric wing to sign autographs before the game. I want to relax.”

“I know what you need to relax.” He laughed. “I’ll send someone over to your house tonight. It’s been a few days since you’ve had any attention.”

“No.” Pax didn’t want anyone coming to his house.

“Come on,” Kenny said. “You know I wouldn’t send over any stalkers. Just a nice girl. How about that one who sells the beers at the main level concessions? She likes you. I hear she does everything.”

“I’m not interested.”

“What the hell?”

“I’m seeing someone.”

“Since when?”

“Last week.”

“Who?”

“Her name is Sophia. I met her at the bar last week.”

“The one you didn’t leave with?”

“Yup.” The very one who he couldn’t stop thinking about. The girl who had consumed his every thought since meeting her.

“I don’t get it.”

“I don’t expect you to.” Pax didn’t fully get it either. Kenny didn’t believe in settling down. Neither did Pax but something had changed this week. Something major. “I have to get down to Doc before the game is over and the rest of the team bombards him.”

“You sure I can’t send the beer chick your way?”

“I’m sure,” Pax called over his shoulder as he headed to the locker room.

“Everything!” Kenny yelled. “She does everything.”

Pax laughed as he shook his head. He already had everything.

The chimes of the doorbell pulled him from his thoughts. He placed his beer on the coffee table and headed down the foyer. Kenny better not have done him any favors. As he pulled open the door he fully expected to see the fake blonde with the big boobs from concessions standing on his porch. He smiled when he spied his pretty, little Greek goddess fidgeting with her hair. He couldn’t take his gaze away from her. She wore the sexiest pale blue sundress. Her hair flowed over her bare shoulders and down her back. Her perky breasts peeked out of the top of the lightweight dress. He licked his lips before staring into her eyes.

“Why hello, sugar. What brings you here?”

Chapter 8

Soph took her time walking up the path to Pax’s front door. The last time she was at his house she managed to embarrass herself with her lack of sexual experience. He had been more than sensitive and told her he would take things slow. She wondered why a man with his reputation would be willing to be so patient with her.

Watching him pitch tonight, her father noticed he seemed to be struggling a bit with his shoulder. When they pulled him from the game and sent him to see the team doctor, her mother convinced her to go and check on him. She wanted to see him but she didn’t want to bother him. Now that she stood on his front steps, she wished she would have texted him instead.

She paced the porch for a few minutes before working up the nerve to ring the bell. Why did the idea of Paxton Hughes reduce her to a bumbling idiot? When she was in his company she felt more like a high school kid than a woman who shouldn’t be afraid to go after what she wanted.

What do I want? Him...

When Pax opened the front door, the heat of his stare lingered on her skin. He took in every inch of her. Instead of feeling self-conscious, she embraced his hunger. No man had ever desired her the way he had. He proved it with his kisses, his touches, and the way he spoke.