Page 13 of Bad Ball Hitter
His expression looks pained as he croaks out, “I need you to know how much you mean to me.”
And just like that, my anger takes a backseat as my world soars. This is it. I finally have someone, and not just anyone—a freaking beast of a baseball player—paying attention to me. “You mean everything to me, Drake. Kaplan is just a client, nothing more.”
“I want this to work between us, Miranda.” Drake’s eyes search mine, myriad emotions swirling in their depths—fear, hope, longing. “I want to trust you. I want … I want this to be real. Not just some casual fling, but something permanent.”
My head spins, and not just from the alcohol. “I want that too, Drake. And I promise, I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me for as long as you have me.”
A shuddering breath escapes him, and he crushes me to his chest, burying his face in my hair. We stay like that for a long moment, clinging to each other as the world falls away, leaving only the two of us and the unspoken promises hanging between us.
A giddy excitement bubbles inside me as I pull back, my hands sliding down Drake’s arms to lace our fingers together. “Come home with me tonight,” I murmur, my voice low and inviting. “Let’s get out of here, just the two of us.”
Drake’s brow furrows, hesitation flickering in his eyes. “I need to be at the stadium early. My place isn’t far.”
“Mine’s closer.” I lean in, my lips brushing the shell of his ear as I whisper, “I don’t think I can wait. I need you inside me now.”
A shiver runs through him, his grip on my hands tightening. “You’re impossible to resist, you know that?” he breathes, his resolve crumbling under the weight of my persuasion.
I grin, triumphant. “Is that a yes?”
He chuckles, shaking his head in amused surrender. “Yes, you temptress. Let’s go to your place.”
Nothing, and I do mean nothing, will bring me down. I tug him toward the exit, my mind already racing ahead to the promise of the night to come. Drake is in my clutches, and I will never let him go.
CHAPTER FIVE
Drake
What the hell? I jolt awake, swatting at whatever poked my face, and peel open my eyes. Instant regret. My head throbs in protest, the taste of stale beer and regret thick on my tongue. I grimace and slam my eyes shut as a blur of bad decisions filters through my thoughts.
Okay, but where the hell am I? Sheets unfamiliar, scent not my own. Miranda’s bed. Her room. That’s right. She wanted me to come back to her place. Apparently, my apartment was too far away for her liking.
A sudden giggle breaks through my foggy thoughts.
Running a tattooed hand across my face, I open an eye and peer into dark brown ones, staring at me with question. The fuck? I quickly check to ensure the sheets cover my junk and toss a silent thanks to the heavens when I find I am covered.
Is Miranda a mother? Sweat breaks across my forehead as I try to get a handle on the situation. I’m down for a girlfriend, but adding a family to the mix…? That would be a hard pass.
“Hey, buddy.” My voice cracks as I try to play it cool. His little fingers prod my cheek with a childlike boldness that doesn’t match the situation. I should be used to curveballs, but this one came out of left field.
“Who are you?” the kid in question asks. He’s little. Cute, with questioning eyes framed by a mop of disheveled brown hair, he looks around six or seven years old, definitely too young to be left alone.
“I’m Drake. Who are you?”
“Jake.” He giggles more. “Our names rhyme, but yours is kinda lame.”
“Yeah?” Where did this kid come from? I nudge Miranda’s side to wake her, but she just groans. The sound stirs memories of last night. Jesus. We weren’t exactly quiet. I wouldn’t have agreed to come here had I known she had a child. But who did she leave him with?
“Yeah. So what’s your last name?”
“Gunner,” I say, mouth twitching.
“Hmm, I like that better. From now on, we’ll call you Gun Man.”
Seriously. What is with this kid?
“Miranda.” I try jostling her awake, but she simply rolls over and continues sleeping.
“Mom says she sleeps like the dead. You should come and eat breakfast. We’re having pancakes today.”