Curveball (For the Love of the Game #3) Read online

  “What the hell is going on, man?” I finally blurted out.

  “Yeah, bro! I feel like you’re about to ask us to help you hide a damn body or something?” Glen chimed in with a joke, but Nate didn’t even crack a smile. Whatever it was, this was big. He looked like he was about to throw up.

  “Come on. I’ve got to show you guys something.”

  Nate stood and started back the hallway to his bedroom. Glen and I followed closely behind him. I could feel adrenaline pumping through my veins. Anything that could get Nate this worked up was sure to be something terrible.

  Once we made it to his room, Nate glanced down the hallway and closed the door behind him and started reaching into his pocket. Glen threw his hands in the air and quipped, “Hey man, I don’t know if you know this, but I’ve already snuck glances at your johnson in the locker room. I already know I got you beat. I really don’t need an up close and personal look at it.”

  “Shut up, Glen.” I chided when I saw that Nate was still unphased by Glen’s attempts to lighten the mood.

  Nate slipped his hand from his pants pocket and revealed a small black velvet box rimmed with a thin gold line. Glen and I examined it for a second before Nate popped it open. A large sparkling diamond was displayed atop of a small silver band in the middle of the box. Nate’s breathing grew rapid as evidenced by the sudden rise and fall of his shoulders. He looked like he was trying to swallow, but his mouth seemed to have run dry.

  “I’m going to propose to Raegan… tonight…” he gulped. His large hand was trembling as he continued holding out the ring. Wow. I always knew they would end up together. Hell they were perfect for one another. It just caught me by surprise that he was proposing now. Like tonight.

  “Damn man. That’s awesome! Congratulations!” I wrapped my arms around him and patted him firmly against his back. I felt him release a deep breath that he must’ve been holding the entire time he was gauging our reactions. “I’m really happy for you guys.”

  “Ehhh… I don’t know man,” Glen started cautiously from behind us, rubbing his hand up the back of his neck. “I mean… you’re talking one… ” He raised his pointer finger at us to emphasize the number. “One snatch for the rest of your life. Are you sure you wanna go through with this?” he muttered, disbelief thick in his voice. It was clear that monogamy was a forgein concept to Glen.

  We both chuckled at his idiocy before Nate finally responded, “Yeah, buddy. Thanks for the warning, but…” he turned his attention back to me. “I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life. When you know, you know.”

  And just like that, the collected and confident Nate that I know had returned.

  The night went on as expected. People ate, and drank, and danced, until there were only a few of us left. Nate approached Raegan who was doing some cleaning up in the kitchen. He gave me a nod indicating it was time so I turned down the music and found a place beside Quinn. I slipped onto the couch beside her and pulled her down onto my lap just as Nate was leading Raegan into the room.

  I smiled brightly at them when Raegan looked around the room inquisitively. She had no idea what was happening. I caught a glimpse of Quinn’s profile that showed she shared in Raegan’s confusion. Nate cleared his throat and the few people left got quiet. He turned Raegan to look at him as he pulled the ring from his pocket and lowered himself to his knee. Her eyes doubled in size and began to glisten with tears and her jaw dropped open.

  “Raegan, I have loved you since the moment I laid eyes on you. You support me, you challenge me, and some days you infuriate me…” he chuckled lightly and the rest of the room followed. “But damn you’ve got a hold on me that I don’t ever want to break. You make me feel things that I simply can’t explain and I want to spend the rest of my life supporting you, challenging you, infuriating you, and spoiling you,” he grinned at her fondly knowing how much she hates to feel spoiled. “Will you please… for the first time in our relationship… agree with me on one thing… please, woman! Will you marry me?”

  Tears flowed freely from her eyes as she excitedly shook her head yes and dove into his arms smashing a kiss against his lips. The room overflowed with cheers, hoots, and hollers for the happy couple. I squeezed tightly to Quinn and she twisted around in my arms so she could plant a kiss on my lips.

  “I love you, Tucker,” she beamed at me.

  “I love you too, baby.”

  We watched Nate and Raegan celebrate their engagement for a few more minutes before they made it clear that they were ready to celebrate alone.

  Quinn and I walked to my car together. She was just a step ahead of me and I watched her hair float all around her in the summer breeze as Nate’s words echoed in my mind. I have loved you since the moment I laid eyes on you. You support me, you challenge me, and some days you infuriate me…

  All true for how I feel about Quinn.

  But damn you’ve got a hold on me that I don’t ever want to break. You make me feel things that I simply can’t explain…

  Also true for Quinn and I. It’s like Nate had a direct line to my thoughts and put words to everything I had been feeling about Quinn since the moment I’d met her. I know it’s crazy because we just started dating, but… could I want to marry Quinn? I entertained the thought until we reached my car and I pulled the door open for her and helped her inside. Then another idea crossed my mind.

  When I hopped into the driver’s seat I peered over at her. I couldn’t suppress the grin that bloomed on my face.

  “What?” she asked carefully.

  “I have a surprise for you.”

  “You know I don’t like surprises,” she whined.

  “You’ll like this one,” I assured her before taking her hand in mine and rubbing her soft knuckles across my lips.

  We pulled into the pitchblack parking lot and I hurriedly grabbed a blanket from my trunk. “What are we doing here?” Quinn whispered as she quietly closed the car door, looking around nervously.

  “C’mon.” I held out my hand and she smiled and took it without hesitation. I led her through a side door that I knew would be open. The lock was broken years ago and was never fixed. I pulled her along as I navigated the dark eerie hallways. It was definitely harder to find my way in the pitchblack than in the daylight, but we managed. Quinn clung tightly to my hand and my arm as we followed the path that led to the opening I had been searching for.

  I led her through the long tunnel and out onto the field. It smelled exactly like I knew it would—ball park hot dogs and fresh cut grass—but tonight it was topped off with a sweet scent that was all Quinn.

  “What are we doing here, Tucker?” I could tell by her tone she was nervous, but also excited. But then, so was I. I felt giddy. Like a kid on Christmas morning who was about to open the greatest present ever.

  When we reached home plate I released her hand and fanned out the blanket I’d brought with us, laying it flat on the ground. Other than a few emergency lights that illuminated the edges of the stadium, it was ink black. I took a seat on the blanket and pulled Quinn down next to me before laying back and drawing her into my embrace. We laid back together and admired the bright stars that danced above our heads in the night sky.

  “This is so wonderful, Tucker. Thank you. This view is incredible,” she whispered quietly after a few moments.

  I squeezed her tighter and planted a kiss on her head. I love this woman. There’s nothing in this world that I am ever going to want more than her.

  I gently traced the curvature of her form with my fingertips. First over her shirt, then under. And I felt her skin come alive beneath my touch. Goosebumps sprouted everywhere my fingers had been. I felt her breath grow shaky the more brazen my touch became until I finally heard her release a small hum from her throat. I rolled so I was on top of her looking down.

  “It’s nowhere near as incredible as my view.”

  Her face bloomed a gorgeous rose color before she wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me int
o a kiss. I retreated from her and gently pressed her flat on her back as my body slid down the length of hers so my nose lined up perfectly with her waist. I drew up the fabric of her t-shirt and began trailing kisses and licks along the waistband of her jeans.

  She inhaled sharply as my tongue circled her navel and pushed her shirt up to her neck. I grasped the material of her bra, scrunching it up to expose her perfect round breasts. When I rolled her nipples between my fingers the buds hardened for me and I instantly had to have a taste. I took one into my mouth while I massaged, tugged, and teased at the other. She arched her back pressing her soft warm skin against me, arousing me further. The more she squirmed beneath me the tighter my pants became.

  “Ohh, Tucker,” she moaned as her hips began to swivel.

  “What is it baby? Tell me,” I commanded before taking her nipple into my mouth once more and sucking hard.

  “Ahh, please! Stop teasing me.” She cried out, arching her hips again to find friction wherever she could.

  “You don’t like to be teased?” I grinned back.

  And suddenly she sat up, took me by the shirt and flipped our positions so she was now on top of me. She’s grown so bold. Amused by her bravery, I lace my fingers behind my head and laid back.

  “Go ahead. Do your worst.” I challenged her, giving her free reign to tease and torment my body like I had done to hers many times before.

  She smiled down at me seductively as brown strands fell to the sides of her face. I pursed my lips at her in cocky confidence, but seeing her looking at me like that made me realize this may be harder than I’d thought. She straddled over me and reached behind her back unhooking her bra completely, freeing the beautiful mounds that now floated just within reach, and I couldn’t resist. I grasped both breasts, full palms, but she quickly swatted my hands away and pulled them above my head, holding them in place.

  She waved a finger in front of my face. “No touching,” she smirked. “Eyes on me, baby.” Hearing her say those words caused tightness to coil in my gut. She slid her hips back so her center was grinding against my erection. She glided her small hands up her torso and massaged her tits before she tipped her head back and ran them through her long hair. I bit fast to my bottom lip threatening to break skin just to keep from taking a hold of her.

  She flipped her hair over creating one of the sexiest sights I’ve ever seen as the flash of chestnut strand whipped past my face. Leaning over me, her lips ghosted my own, I could taste her sweet breath on my tongue. I licked my lips in anticipation, ready to taste her and claim her mouth, but just as her tongue was about to reach mine she turned away and began trailing kisses and sucking up the side of my neck.

  I growled in my throat as the anticipation built to almost painful levels in my pants. Every stroke of this siren's tongue against my neck, along my earlobe sent rockets of pleasure aimed directly at my erection. I gripped tightly to the hair on the back of my head to keep from moving. Is this what I do to her? The thought excited me to new levels. She slid herself down my body, her ice blue eyes never leaving mine, and started to undo the button on my jeans. As soon as she got them undone I leaped up and flipped her back on the ground beneath me.

  She squealed and giggled with surprise.

  “Okay. That’s enough. My turn,” I exclaimed, the promise of submerging myself in her warm soft wetness becoming unbearable now.

  “Okay, but if you get two turns, so do I,” she warned and I grinned back at her. I love these games we play. Ohh, you won’t make it that long, baby.

  I made quick work of her jeans and slid them down her legs one at a time before tossing them over my shoulder. I positioned myself between her legs and stared up at her. I ran my nose through her apex and inhaled deeply breathing in the delicious scent of her pussy. I watched her eyes grow wide. I loved it when I could shock her like that.

  “Eyes on me, baby. Watch me work.” I licked my lips as I slid her panties down her legs until they reached the top of her knees. I ducked my head underneath them and glided my tongue up the center of her folds. I felt her entire body tense. Her breathing grew sharp the moment I tasted her. I spread her open and began rolling my tongue around her clit. Over and over again.

  “Oh God, Tucker!” She moaned appreciatively as she grasped a fistful of my hair. I dove back in, adding more pressure this time and slipping two fingers inside of her. “Ahh! You can’t do that. That’s not fair!” she protested and I just chuckled.

  “All is fair in love and war, right baby?”

  I thrusted my fingers in her deeper and faster while circling my tongue over her again and again. She arched her back and her body tensed up and I thought she was about to come for me, until she suddenly dug her heels in and pushed herself away.

  “Okay. Okay. Okay.” She repeated, barely able to catch her breath. “My turn again.”

  I laughed out loud in both amusement and surprise. She clearly has more willpower than I’d given her credit for, but I complied and laid down beside her, bringing my hands to rest behind my head once again. She immediately went right for my pants and fumbled with the button and zipper. I watched her as she struggled to get them undone.

  “Don’t look away,” she taunted from between my legs.

  “Oh, baby, I couldn’t pull my eyes away from what you’re about to do even if I wanted to.” I wet my lips as I waited patiently for her to free my erection from the restricted confinement of my jeans. As soon as it sprung free she sat up on her knees and stared straight back into my eyes, her deep blue eyes causing my chest to get tight. She gripped my shaft and slowly slipped the tip of my cock through her warm soft lips. Her tongue slid down my length as she took all of me into her mouth.

  “Aahh, fuck, Quinn!” I moaned, loudly. This only encouraged her to pick up her pace. I felt her lips tighten around my cock as she started to suck. Hard. Her head bobbing up and down to a delicious rhythm. She continued twisting and turning her head. Working my dick and making certain she didn’t neglect a single inch of it. I reached down and pushed the loose strands of hair back that were blocking my view of her beautiful mouth wrapped around me. The sight was almost enough to cause me to blow.

  I quickly grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back.

  “Okay. You win! I need to fuck you. Now!” My voice was hoarse and barely recognizable, but I was desperate to be inside of her. To feel her warm wet walls constricting around me. I quickly grabbed a condom from my pants pocket and worked it over my erection before grabbing her by the legs and sliding her closer. In a second I was inside her. Pumping hard. Her nails raked deep into my back stoking the flames that were already burning inside of me.

  I began swiveling my hips to catch a rhythm that matched hers. One that allowed me to fill her deep enough that I could give her clit the friction I knew it was craving. Quinn’s head fell back as she cried out in pleasure and I knew I was hitting her spot.

  “That’s it, baby.” I panted, coaxing her to reach her orgasm as I chased my own.

  “Ahh, fuck me, Tucker! Fuck me hard and don’t stop!”

  Her dirty plea heated me up from the inside out. I repositioned myself to get better traction and started slamming into her as deep, as hard as my body would allow and suddenly, her pussy felt better than it ever has before.

  Tighter.

  Warmer.

  Wetter.

  I felt her insides quiver around me as she reached her orgasm, calling out my name before I threw my head back crying out in the throes of my own orgasm as I came violently inside of her.

  I laid on top of her for a few moments trying to catch my breath. She laid there quietly beneath me as she absorbed the aftershock of her climax. I dripped soft, gentle kisses along her collarbone as my breathing returned to normal. Once I’d regained enough strength, I’d lifted myself up and sat back on my knees. She winced slightly as I pulled out of her.

  And that’s when I noticed it.

  The condom.

  It broke.

  * * *


  Tucker

  Sunday

  4 Weeks Later

  The next four weeks were the longest of my damn life. After Quinn’s missed period two weeks ago we were pretty sure she was pregnant, but now as we stared at that little blue plus sign, we were more than pretty sure. And the reality hit me like a fucking mac truck. I immediately felt the blood drain from my face. I leaned against the wall and allowed the weight of my body and this news to force me to the floor as I slid to the ground. The tile floor of the bathroom was cold against my feet and legs.

  I stared at Quinn as she sat on the edge of the tub, cradling her head in her hands. She seemed defeated. I saw it in the slump of her posture and the shake of her shoulders. She wasn’t ready for this either. What have I done to her? A lump formed in my throat threatening to cut off my air supply.

  I roughly ran a hand through my hair and down my face as I blew out a pained breath. This is all my fault. I slid on my knees across the floor until I was kneeling in front of her. I pulled her trembling body from the edge of the tub and into my embrace. She curled into a ball in my lap as she started to sob. Resting my face against her dark soft hair, I felt the tears begin pooling in my eyes as I tried to soothe her with a rocking motion. I attempted to process our situation, but questions flew through my mind at rapid rates and I didn’t have answers to any of them.

  What are we gonna do? What if she wants to keep it? What if she doesn’t? What about baseball? Would she come with me? What about her finishing school? How am I going to raise a kid? Do I even want to have a baby? Does she? How am I going to be a parent? Would I even make a good dad?

  I still haven’t even talked to Quinn about Seattle yet. How could I when my mind, my every waking thought has been completely consumed with the potential of us becoming parents? I was suddenly overcome with a sense of urgency. Whatever we decide to do, we have to decide soon. Graduation is only two weeks away and after that, I’m supposed to be leaving for Seattle.