Her mother gave her a sideways look. "I assume this isn't simply a 'what if' situation. You have a certain someone in mind."
"I do."
"You know you're always welcome to bring someone over to meet your father and me, Aubry. Who is he?"
She debated telling her mother. She'd been debating this for a while now. But it was time. She looked around to check her father's whereabouts. He was seated at the far end of the owner's box, talking up the sponsor, so he was out of earshot. "Tucker Cassidy."
Her mother beamed a smile. "Good choice. Nice young man."
Aubry relaxed her shoulders. "Thanks. I think so."
"How long has this been going on?"
"A little while now. I like him, Mom."
"Obviously you do, since I don't recall the last time you brought someone over for dinner."
"Dad's not going to like it."
Her mother dismissed that statement with a wave of her hand. "Your dad wants you to remain single--and his baby girl--forever. He'll get over it."
"He's always talking about how I should focus on medicine, to the exclusion of a social life."
"He worries about you, and your father is a career man. That's always been his priority. But he likes Tucker. I don't see this as a problem."
They talked dates that would work, and she felt a lot more at ease about asking Tucker to officially have dinner with her parents.
"Hey, sweetheart." Her dad finally came over, leaning down to kiss her cheek. "I'm sorry I was tied up earlier."
She smiled up at him. "It's not a problem. I knew you were busy."
"Shouldn't you be getting some rest, or studying?"
She patted her father's arm. "I'm good, Dad. I wanted to catch the game."
"Well, I'm glad to see you. Just don't stay up too late."
When he walked away, she looked at her mother and rolled her eyes. "It's like I'm eight years old. He'll never see me as a grown-up."
Her mother laughed. "He's always worried about you. And it's his prerogative as your father. Indulge him."
"Fine."
She settled in to watch Tucker pitch. He looked good tonight, in more ways than one. In typical fashion, he looked hot as hell in his Rivers uniform, commanding the mound with his body. He'd given up several hits, but overall his pitches were hitting their mark.
Aubry had always watched games with a detached, slightly disinterested concentration. Now, with Tucker pitching, she took more of a vested interest, her stomach tied up in knots each time Tucker took the mound. She leaned forward, observing his movements, the release of the ball and the batter's reaction to it.
It was nerve-wracking. She didn't know how Tucker did this.
By the middle of the seventh, the score was six to two in favor of the Rivers. It was a comfortable lead for Tucker, but Aubry was still nervous. She got up to stretch and grab something to drink.
Her father came over to stand next to her as she looked out the windows.
"How was work today? Anything interesting?"
"We had an appendicitis attack, a few broken bones, a chronic migraine, someone who had fallen off their stepladder at home and strained their back and a woman pregnant with triplets who came in with premature labor. A pretty routine day."
He put his arm around her. "You're doing so well, Aubry. But I'm worried about you."
She tilted her head back to look at her father's face. "Why would you be worried about me?"
"You work so hard and such long hours. And here you are at the game tonight when you should be at home sleeping."
She smiled and leaned her head against his chest. "I'm fine. If I'd been exhausted, that's where I would have gone."
"Still, it's unusual for you to come to so many games."
She laughed, then stepped away. "Maybe I've taken a sudden interest in baseball. And maybe I just need to spend a little less time working and sleeping, and get out more. See my family. Is that okay?"
He studied her as if he could read her mind. He'd always had that uncanny ability. "It's more than okay. You know your mother and I love to spend time with you."
"I'm glad to hear that. The Rivers are looking good."
"That they are. I think we have a team that'll be in contention this year."
Glad that she'd managed to get her father off the topic of her and on to his team, she listened while he talked team statistics for a while, then made her way back to her seat to watch the rest of the game.
Tucker ended up pitching through the eighth inning, and the closer came in to finish off the ninth. The Rivers had won without giving up more runs. Tucker had looked sharp, his pitches hitting where they needed to.
He should be happy.
She sent him a text message letting him know she was at the ballpark. She knew he'd be busy giving interviews for a bit, so she visited with her parents awhile until her phone rang.
"Are you still in the park?" Tucker asked.
"Yes."
"Meet me downstairs by the locker room in ten."
"Okay."
She hung up, said good night to her parents, then made her way down to the locker room hallway.
Tucker was already there, waiting for her.
He came over and kissed her. She had to admit, watching him tonight made her hungry for more than just a good baseball game. She slid her hands up his arms, feeling the muscle that had thrown those amazing pitches.
"You did well tonight. Congratulations on your win."
"Thanks. I could have done better."
"Are you serious? You won the game."
He shrugged. "My curve has been a little off."
"Really? Not that I noticed. You looked really sharp out there tonight."
"It's not a big deal. I'll work it out. Thanks for coming to the game." He swept his hand over her hair. "Aren't you tired?"
She laughed. "Now you sound like my father, who told me I should be home and in bed."
He brushed his lips across hers. "You should be home and in bed."
She lingered at his lips. "Then take me there."
"Let's go." He held her hand and led her out the door and to his car. "I'll drive you to your car."
He dropped her at her car, then followed her to her condo. She got out and waited for him to park, enjoying the way he walked as he made his way to her front door. He pushed her against the door, his body crowding hers in the best possible way as he pressed the length of his body to hers and kissed her.
She felt wrapped up in him. All of him, from his mouth to his thighs to all the delicious parts of him in between. She breathed him in as he wound his tongue around hers, sucking her tongue in his mouth, making her moan with desperate desire.
She pressed her keys to his chest, a silent signal to get them into the house right now.
He broke the kiss only long enough to open her front door and pull her inside. He shut the door, locked it, then pushed her against it--this time inside, where it was private, where they were alone. Then his mouth was on hers again and he was touching her, making her acutely aware of all of her senses.
She wondered if she'd ever grow tired of this--of sex with Tucker. It seemed like every time they were together, all she wanted was for him to kiss her, to touch her, her thoughts straying to the two of them shedding clothes and getting naked together.
Grow tired of him? Not anytime soon.
He cupped her butt, lifting her against his erection. She dropped her purse to the floor, kicked her shoes off, wishing she could will herself naked so he could touch all of her skin. She reached for his shirt and slid her hands under it to feel the warmth of his body, rewarded with his insistent groan.
When she palmed his shaft through the denim of his jeans, rubbing where it was oh so hard, he deepened the kiss, making her feverish with need. She was suddenly too hot with all these clothes on. She pushed him back and pulled her shirt off, then undid the clasp on her bra and removed that, too.
Tucker's gaze consumed her, all that raw heat
and desire devouring her. He took a step forward and captured one of her aching nipples between his lips, flicking it with his tongue before drawing it into his mouth to suck.
All she could do was hold on to him as pure, delicious sensation rocked her straight to her core, making her tremble as he licked and sucked her nipples, teasing her until she thought she might die from the decadent pleasure.
When he pulled away, she thought he'd lead her to the bedroom. Instead, he undid the buckle of his jeans, then the zipper, pulling his cock out for her. She licked her lips and dropped to her knees, engulfing him.
"Christ, Aubry. That's good. Suck it hard."
She gave him what he needed--what she needed. She was so far gone, so in rapture of what they gave each other, that she would have taken him right over the edge if he had let her. But he pulled her up and kissed her again, tugging at her hair in a way that let her know this ravaging passion she felt wasn't one-sided.
And when he dropped to the floor and pulled her there with him, she knew they'd never make it to the bedroom.
"Condom's in my pocket," he said, reaching there while she wriggled out of her jeans and underwear.
Tucker had put on the condom, so she straddled him, balancing her thighs on either side of his hips. She leaned forward, splaying her hands across his chest as she slid onto his cock.
She quivered as she seated herself fully on top of him, her body achingly filled with his cock. She dug her nails into his chest. "That's good," she said.
"That's oh so good."
He gripped her hips and lifted into her. "Yeah, it is. Now ride me and make us both come."
She rocked against him, her body clenching as she rolled back and forth. And when he reached up and grasped her breasts to tease her nipples, sparks of sensation shot like an out-of-control fire right to her sex, making her gasp and writhe against him.
Rubbing her clit against him was exquisite, a brutally sweet sensation that drove her close to orgasm. She could feel her pussy tighten around his cock, could feel the way he swelled impossibly larger inside of her each time he thrust, dragging her closer to the edge.
"That's it, babe," he said, his fingers digging into her hips. "Make us come."
She was panting, her body on the ragged edge where reality was no longer possible. She was all nerve endings, every part of her tuned in to their connection, to the intense way Tucker made eye contact with her as he drove into her. She wasn't just one person any longer--she was part of him, just as he was part of her.
And when she came apart, when her orgasm tore through her, she cried out as wave after wave of undulating pleasure rippled within her.
"That's it," Tucker said, thrusting rapidly, then groaning as he came with her.
She collapsed on top of him, still feeling the quaking aftereffects of one very sublime orgasm.
After a few minutes, she came to the realization that they were on the hardwood floor in the hallway.
She lifted up. "This has to be uncomfortable on your back."
He grinned up at her. "My back wasn't what I was thinking about when I was inside you."
Warmth spread through her and she leaned down to brush her lips across his.
She climbed off and they headed down the hall, cleaned up in the bathroom, then collapsed onto her bed.
"That was nice," she said as they both lay on their backs staring up at the ceiling.
Tucker rolled over on his side and smoothed his hand over her breasts. Her breath caught.
"Just nice? Not phenomenal or earth-shattering?"
She rolled over to face him. "Oh, the earth definitely moved for me. It always does when I'm with you."
He didn't smile or make another joke. Instead, he kissed her, this time a soft, gentle kiss that made those flutters in her heart go a little crazy.
When he pulled back, she said, "I didn't get a chance to ask you about Leo's game earlier. How did he do?"
"They won by four runs."
"That's great. I'm so happy for him."
He kept touching her, this time tracing the outline of her hip with his fingers. So distracting, in the best possible way.
"How was work today?" he asked.
"Busy day, like all of them are. Nothing eventful."
"Good. But not easy, either, I'll bet."
She liked that he understood her job, that he knew just because it was a regular day didn't make it easy.
"I'm used to it."
"And now I've kept you up late."
She laughed. "Hey, I'm the one who showed up at your game."
His hand lingered at her hip. "So you're saying you had ulterior motives other than checking out my pitching prowess?"
"I admit to nothing."
"Smart woman."
She was putting this off, but if she was going to do this, the time was now. "I checked out your upcoming schedule and I see you have some away games coming up."
"Yeah. I'll be gone for the next week. Why? Are you trying to get rid of me?"
"After great sex like that, you think I'd want to get rid of you? You're crazy. No, I was wondering if you're free when you're back in town."
He paused and she could tell he was thinking. "My next day off is the Tuesday after we get back. Then I have a Wednesday afternoon game the next day, but I'm free that night." He smiled at her. "Are you asking me out on a date?"
She let out a soft laugh. "Sort of. I'd like to invite you to dinner at my parents' house."
He looked at her and his brows rose. "Huh. Now that is some serious business. Your dad doesn't know about us, does he?"
"Not yet. But after we all have dinner together he will. Is that a problem?"
"Not for me it isn't."
She liked that he didn't hesitate before answering. "Great. Then it's a date. Let's say Tuesday? I have an early day, so I'd be available for dinner that night."
"Tuesday it is. In the meantime, touching you has made my dick hard."
She looked down at his erection. "Oh, that is a problem, isn't it?"
"It is. Do you have a remedy for that, doctor?"
She wrapped her fingers around his cock and stroked him. "I have the cure for you."
He rolled her over and kissed her, and any thoughts besides Tucker, his mouth and his body fled her mind.
AFTER A GRUELING LOSS TO CINCINNATI, TUCKER SAT in a private room in the hotel with several of his teammates. Since they were barred from alcohol while on road trips, he nursed an iced tea and thought about how great a beer would taste right now.
He'd pitched tonight's game, and once again his curve had been off. He couldn't put his finger on what was going wrong. If he couldn't depend on his curveball, his career was in trouble. The problem wasn't consistent, though. And that was the goddamn problem.
They'd been sailing along up by two runs through the first seven innings. Tucker had been in a groove; his pitches had looked good. Then at the top of the eighth, he'd gotten rocked for four runs, including back-to-back homers. And every single one of those hits had come off his curve.
Shit.
Garrett Scott came and sat next to him, not saying a word.
"This really needs to be a shot of tequila," Tucker said, staring at his iced tea.
Garrett nodded. "We all need a shot tonight."
Gavin Riley slapped Tucker on the back. "This loss isn't entirely on you. We couldn't come up with more runs to help you out."
Tucker looked up at Gavin. "Two should have been enough. I had that goddamn game. Sorry, guys."
"Nothing to be sorry about," Garrett said. "Sometimes shit happens and the game gets away from you. We've all been there."
Gavin nodded. "There isn't one of us here who hasn't blown a game either by losing their pitching mojo, or making an error, or with cold bats that can't manufacture runs. So don't take this loss on yourself."
"Gavin's right," Garrett said. "It's always the team who wins or loses. Not one player."
Tucker had heard the pep talk before. He appre
ciated it, but it didn't make him feel better. "I'll try to remember that. But this would be a lot easier with tequila."
Gavin laughed. "I'll drink to that. Unfortunately, I'll be drinking to that with tea."
Losing was part of the game and Tucker knew it. The wins were enormous highs, especially in front of the home crowd. The losses? Those sucked, no matter what stadium you played at, but they were especially bad on the road, when the crowd roared every time you screwed up.
It was still hard for Tucker to deal with, even after five years in the majors. But he normally handled the losses with a shrug. This time he wasn't handling it well, because something was wrong with his pitching and he knew it.
He was going to have to figure it out and soon.
He eventually ordered another iced tea and wandered off to the food table to grab some snacks and look out the window. He took out his phone. It was ten thirty and he knew Aubry had the late shift tonight so he couldn't call her. But, man, he really wanted to. Hearing her voice would help somehow.
Instead, he typed out a text: Thinking about you.
His fingers hovered on the keypad. The text felt unfinished, like there was something else he wanted to add to the message.
A moment later he sent the text and shoved his phone in his pocket.
Quit overthinking everything, dumbass.
He'd been thinking a lot about her invitation to her parents' house for dinner, about what that meant.
A guy typically didn't get invited to a girl's parents unless she was invested in the relationship. They'd never talked about their relationship. It had just . . .
Progressed, he supposed.
Hell if he knew. He hadn't really had many relationships, and never one that had progressed to a meet-the-parents point. And this one? Yeah, this one had the potential to be a disaster, since he already knew her parents, especially her dad.
Somehow he didn't think her father was going to be too damn happy that she was dating him. Or that he was dating her.
He popped some bruschetta in his mouth and pondered it some more.
"Planning world domination over here, Cassidy?"
He turned to look at Trevor Shay. "More like personal shit."
"Oh."
"Aubry invited me to have dinner with her parents."
Trevor arched a brow. "Like in Clyde Ross?"
"Yeah."
Trevor leaned against the windowsill. "That could get complicated. He doesn't know about the two of you yet, does he?"
"No. I mean, for a while, we were light and uncomplicated, not even really dating, I guess. And now . . ."