Rosalie's Player (14 page)

It was hard to believe they had been doing this relationship thing for over a month. When he showed up at her cottage telling her he wanted to try a new approach, he never expected to be with her this long. They were from different worlds. He thought he would show her a good time, hooking up for a night or two. Possibly meeting up when the situation called for it, but that wasn’t how it played out. She was supposed to enjoy the sex and be happy when he gave it to her. That wasn’t what happened at all.

The sex was off the charts. Neither one could deny that. But somehow, between that first date and tonight, things had gone completely off course. The interesting thing was that instead of walking in the opposite direction, like he was so convinced he’d be able to do, he was running toward her.

“Are you going to come down here and join me or just stare at me all day?” Rosalie called to him.

“I like the view.” He moved closer to her, carrying champagne and two fragile glasses. “I had to sign for this.” He placed the bottle in the center of the blanket, delicately resting the crystal flutes on the picnic basket.

“Someone sent you champagne?”

“And those dainty glasses.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

She scrunched her nose. “That’s an odd gift.”

“They’re from my mother. Her way of congratulating me on my nomination into the All-Star Game.”

“Oh, well, then it’s an awesome gift.”

“She thought we could share it together.”

“Both of us?”

“We were photographed at the press conference the other day. When she saw the picture, she got excited and sent the package.” He lay down, resting his head in her lap. “Then she called and yelled at me for not bringing you home to meet her.”

“All that because of a picture?”

“She always claims to be perceptive. According to her, our body language in the photo told her you were more than a casual friend.”

“I like her already.” When she smiled her whole face lit up. He was already certain his mother would love Rosalie’s sparkling personality, strong-willed independence, and the way she took care of her son.

“Good, because she’s meeting us in Atlanta in a couple of weeks. She says she’s coming to watch me pitch, but I know she wants to meet you.”

“I look forward to it. My parents are coming too since Nic is in the game. Maybe we can all go for dinner one night.”

“That’s a good idea.”

“You really think so?” She laughed. “Weren’t you the one who didn’t like meeting parents?”

“I’ve already met your parents. Now you can meet my mom.”

“Is she coming alone?”

“You mean is my father coming with her?”

She nodded, biting her lip, probably wanting to take back her question.

“My parents rarely travel together, unless it’s for a political appearance.” He stared up at the gazebo ceiling. “I’d rather not have my father there. It would make my mother uncomfortable, and then my whole All-Star experience will be tainted.”

He hated having to experience his parents’ relationship firsthand. When they were in each other’s company they barely spoke. It was torture for all of them.

“It works best when I visit with them separately.”

“I can understand that,” Rosalie said. “It must have been difficult growing up that way.”

“It wasn’t always this bad. My mother tolerated it when I was a kid, and now I realize that was because she was trying to do ‘normal’ for me. I noticed just how much things had changed between them my first summer home from college. It was as if all of their communication had just shut off. They weren’t even going through the motions anymore.”

“Why do they stay together?”

“Money and power do strange things to people.” He hated thinking about how his parents had created a life where they thought they were stuck.

“Your mom is that dependent on his money?”

“His money?” He laughed. “No, my mother has all the money. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of getting anything from her if they divorced. And she likes the status of being a senator’s wife. If my father does decide to go all the way, she’s invested too much time not to be there with him.”

“Like the White House?”

“It’s been on the table for a few years. The timing hasn’t been right. My dad is still young, so anything is possible. With my mother’s financial backing, he has a pretty good chance.”

“That’s...wow. I had no idea he had those aspirations.”

“I wish he put as much effort into his family as he has into his career.”

“I’m sorry.” She swept the hair from his forehead, leaning down to kiss him. “Not all relationships are that way. Your parents...”

“Don’t apologize.” He moved off her lap, pulling her down to lay on his chest. “They have an arrangement that I don’t care to know the details of. It’s between them.”

He hated being so bitter when it came to relationships. He’d closed himself off from getting emotionally connected to anyone. From the time he was a teenager, he’d always made it about sex. That line of thinking worked. Or at least he thought it had. He glanced down at Rosalie to find her gazing up at him. When he looked into her eyes, all of his expectations seemed to climb higher. His parents’ fucked up life seemed like such a waste of time. If either of them could let go, maybe they could find what he had with Rosalie.
Hell, how did things turn so deep?

“You ready for that champagne?” he asked.

“Yes.” She sat up. “I think a toast to your mother is in order.”

“For what?”

“For raising such a sweet boy.”

“Seriously?” No one had ever referred to him as being sweet.

“I can see how you feel about your mom. You pretend that your parents’ situation is none of your business, and maybe it isn’t, but your mom’s feelings weigh heavily on you.”

“She’s my mother.”

She was a good woman. Holt knew in his soul that she didn’t deserve the life his father had provided for her. All three of them learned how to cut themselves off emotionally. Holt grew up in an environment where love between his parents wasn’t a priority. They tried to put up a front for his sake when he was a kid, but looking back, he realized just how unusual their marriage was. They should have called it quits years ago. Life would have been much more pleasant for all three of them if they had.

“I can’t wait to meet her.”

When she touched his face, he let the unpleasant memories of his parents’ relationship fade away. Perhaps there was more. He had a feeling the girl with all the hope in her heart was going to show him just how much more there could be.

Chapter 11

The photo shoot was just about finished when Holt looked past the photographer and spied his gorgeous girl watching him. He liked having Rosalie with him. Things were getting serious. He didn’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure that out. They had been spending more time together lately, and he found he missed her when she wasn’t around. He couldn’t imagine not having her on the road with him.

“That’s a wrap, Holt,” Jon, the photographer of the sports magazine, said. “We got so many great shots. I’ll send you the proofs once I go through them.”

“I look forward to it.” Holt picked up his bat and glove. “Thanks for making this painless.”

“I told you I would.” Jon handed his camera to his assistant. “I’m going to do some follow up shots this week when you pitch.”

“Sounds good.” Holt gave him the thumbs-up before directing his attention to Rosalie. “There’s my girl.” He smiled as he walked over to her. “I’m glad you made it.”

“I wanted to check out what you were up to.”

“Did you approve?” He put his arm around her as they walked down the hall.

“If you weren’t a baseball player, you’d have a career as a model. The camera loves you.”

“It’s not my favorite thing to do.” He shrugged. “I don’t like the attention. I just want to play ball.”

“No one would know you didn’t like it. I was completely drawn in by you. The pictures are going to be incredible.”

“I don’t have much time before I have to suit up and take the field.” He pulled her into the small dressing room Jon had provided him for the shoot. “We’re welcoming Pax back tonight, so I have to be there for the cameras.” He set his bat and glove down by the door. “The stadium is going to be packed.”

“I won’t keep you.” She wrapped her arms around his neck after he shut and locked the door. “I just wanted to see you before the game. Make sure you’re okay with Pax coming back.”

“It was inevitable, and it takes some of the pressure off me.” He pinned her against the wall, lifting her hands over her head. “I love this yellow dress.” He kissed her neck. “You always look so fucking hot in it. I can’t keep my hands off you.”

“I was thinking the same thing about you and these tight, white baseball pants.” Her breathing picked up when he lowered his lips to her breasts. “Did they have to do the whole shoot with you shirtless?”

“You don’t like me shirtless?” He slipped his free hand between her thighs, stroking her silky panties. “Usually you can’t wait to get my clothes off.”

“I’m not sure I want to share your fantastic body with the rest of the country.”

“Hmm...” He pushed his finger under the elastic of the thin material. “Afraid someone will steal me?”

She tilted her head and stared into his eyes, concern on her beautiful face.

“Hey.” He released her hands so he could take her chin in between his fingers. “I was kidding.”

“It’s just me, right?”

“Since the day you came back to Kingston.” He kissed her. “I swear.” That was the truth. A statement he could never make to any other woman. “No one else. Just like you promised me.”

“Okay.” She grinned. “Because I started taking the pill last month and now we can, you know...”

“Yeah?” His dick twitched with excitement.

“Tonight?” She licked her lips. “If you want.”

“Oh, not just tonight.” He guided her over to the sofa and turned her back to him. “You think I’m going to wait that long?”

“Here?” She let out a throaty breath when he lifted her dress over her hips. “Now?”

“Baby, you can’t tell a guy he can go bare and then tell him he has to wait twelve hours.” He shimmied her panties down her legs. “Bend over for me.”

She stepped out of her underwear before honoring his request.

“Hell, you have such a sweet ass.” He couldn’t take his gaze away from her creamy, round bottom as he undid his belt. His cock sprang free when he lowered his zipper and dropped his pants. “I bet you’re ready for me.”

“Ahh...” she moaned when he rubbed his finger along her slit.

“So wet.” He kissed a path to her ear as he took his length in his hand, running the tip at her entrance. “You don’t know how much this means to me.” He thrust his hips forward, stopping to savor the sensation her arousal created when it spread along his shaft. “Shit!”

“Holt.” She squeezed the back of the sofa when he entered her completely. “Oh...” She clenched around him, fueling his desire to push harder.

“Hold on, baby.” He held her waist as he slammed into her. “With nothing between us I can’t control it.”

The more he pumped, the slicker she became. The heat of her sex engulfed him as he closed his eyes and lost himself in nothing but her. The noises that escaped her lips, the scent of her arousal as it swirled between their frantic bodies, and the warmth she created inside him. His head spun as his hormones spiraled out of control. When she went rigid beneath him, he lowered his mouth to the back of her neck as he gathered her hair in his hand.

“Holt...” she moaned his name again just before a hot rush of fluid covered his cock.

“That’s right, angel.” He nipped at her soft skin just above her shoulder. “I’m the only one who will ever make you feel this way.”

“Yes...”

“Do you know why?”

“Hmm...” She shook beneath him, her legs stiffened and her back arched as she continued to let go.

“Because you’re mine.”

“Only yours,” she whispered. “All I want is to be yours.”

“I’m yours...” The words left his mouth before he could process them. Confusion flooded his mind. When had she... How did he let her get inside? “Rosalie, sweetheart. I can’t...” The buildup in his stomach moved lower as he tightened his hold on her hair. He bucked forward and let loose inside her, filling her with everything he had. He bit down on her soft flesh, trying to counteract the roar that begged to break free.

When she let out a low whimper he realized he had been too rough. He flattened his tongue over the mark he’d left with his teeth as the last remnants of his climax left him and entered her. He rested on her as she sank lower.

“I’m sorry.” He smoothed out her hair. “I didn’t want to make noise.”

“Don’t apologize.” She turned in his arms. “No one has ever bitten me before.”

“Sorry.” Kissing over his teeth marks, he tried to soothe her. “You make me crazy.”

“Good.” She draped her arms over his neck. “It doesn’t hurt.”

“You sure?” He gently kissed her lips. “You’re going to have a mark for a few days.”

“That just proves who I belong to.”

She looked up at him with those trusting eyes of hers. Was she waiting for him to elaborate on his ‘caught up in the moment’ declaration? What did she want him to say? He’d never given himself over to anyone before. It wasn’t in his nature to say the words. Once he said them, they couldn’t be taken back. And once he couldn’t take them back, the fun would stop and she’d expect so much more from him. She’d want things he wasn’t capable of giving. She’d look at him with disappointment, and eventually she’d end up hating him. Just like his own parents hated one another.

Why had he let great sex cloud his feelings? Why couldn’t he keep his mouth shut? He didn’t mean to say he belonged to her.
Bullshit!

It was more than that moment. It was every second they had shared since they had gotten together. She took up most of the space in his head. He couldn’t concentrate on anything if it didn’t include her in some way.
Admit it, Clemson. You’re fucked.

“It’s getting late.”
I’m such a pussy.
“I have to get to the stadium.”