“I love how hard you come,” he whispered in her ear when she finally collapsed against his shoulder.

“I love how hard you make me come,” she said, feeling her face flush even as she still sat there swaying her hips with him inside her.

“I think we have time for a few more rounds.”

Addison giggled since her body was still riding high from that first climax she knew was just the beginning of her evening with her beautiful boyfriend.

Chapter 12

AJ

Curious—not worried or concerned—was what AJ had been when it came to Addison’s past and her reason for having taken a job in Chicago to begin with. He was also curious about what made her decide to make such a life-changing move back to San Diego. She’d since explained about wanting more time with Clair. The position in San Diego allowed her to spend more time working at home. The perk was one AJ was very grateful for as well. Because of her job’s flexibility, she was able to fly out and meet with him at least a few days a week while he was on the road. So he now understood why she preferred this job over the one in Chicago. She’d also mentioned how she’d gotten living in Chicago out of her system.

She told him that when she was a little girl and she’d travel there for some of her dad’s games, there was something about the city she really liked. She just hadn’t anticipated how tedious the snow would get once she was forced to live and commute in it day after day. Even if she didn’t have to report into work five days a week, she did have to take Clair to and from school five days a week.

“It was always exciting in the beginning of winter,” she’d said with a bright smile. “That first snow was so thrilling. But after a few weeks and months of it, we were over it and we still had months of it to come.”

Her explanation had snuffed the notion that had begun to fester. It was convincing enough. AJ had never been a fan of snow either. More than anything he knew if she were holding out on him, if her being out there had anything to do with her ex, it would mean their entire relationship was starting off with a lie. The thought was not one AJ was willing to entertain.

It was the first game of a three-game series he had in St. Louis. Like AJ did when he was home, Bigsby had come over to the Padres’ side of the field to bust some balls. AJ was feeling anxious and not really paying attention to all the guy was saying because it was the first game Addison would be at this week. She’d had to fly home from Pittsburgh early last week. Some big shot was going to be visiting her office that week and she needed to be present. It was one of the few times she said she was ever forced to be in the office almost the whole week: whenever one of these out-of-town big wigs showed up for days at a time.

AJ couldn’t even remember the last time he’d been this anxious. It’d been just over a week since he’d last seen her—touched her—and it was already wreaking havoc on his impatient heart and body.

“So Coke is calling?” Bigsby said with a grin. “I love it.”

“Yeah, I knew you would,” AJ said, rolling his eyes as he swung his bat, warming up.

Pepsi had been a longtime sponsor of Bigsby’s. Now that Coke was courting a deal with AJ, he and Bigsby would have opposing commercials and billboards to compare—just another thing Bigsby could playfully take as a competition and likely milk during these warm-ups.

“Make sure you make it worth your—”

Bigsby stopped talking, and AJ looked at him, wondering why. He was staring at something behind AJ. AJ turned curiously to see what it was. Clair stood a few yards away, watching them a bit apprehensively. Immediately, AJ smiled and glanced around for Addison, but she was nowhere around. The disappointment was just as instant. Had something delayed her being here today?

When he looked back at Clair, he noticed her strange expression. It was troubled—or something—and it made AJ uneasy. He motioned for her to come over, but she shook her head then walked away toward Coach Lara.

“Cute kid.” AJ had forgotten all about Bigsby until that comment, and he turned back to him. “Coach’s grandkid, right?”

“Yeah,” AJ said, a bit absentminded; then he had an alarming thought.

What if something was wrong? Is that why Addison hadn’t made it out?

“I gotta go,” AJ said, rushing toward Clair and the coach.

Clair stood behind her grandfather, still staring in the direction where he’d been standing with Bigsby. Had she not seen AJ walk away from the opposing team’s players?

“Clair,” he called out, and she turned to him then back to Bigsby and a few of the other Cardinals who’d come with him. They were now heading back to the Cardinals’ side of the field.

“Where’s your mom?”

She glanced back at him then behind her. “Around here somewhere.”

Relieved that Addison was there, AJ searched the crowd for her too. His heart thudded the moment he saw her beautiful smiling face through the crowd. But it flattened slowly when he saw who she was smiling and giggling with: a couple of the umps. One of the umps, Caan, was an older veteran AJ knew was married, but the other one was a younger one and still a rookie to the big leagues. AJ didn’t know anything about him. All he knew at the moment was he hated the way the rookie ump was making eyes at and smiling at his Addison.

“There she is,” Clair said, pointing at what AJ had already spotted.

AJ straightened out, mindful that Clair was watching him and was far more perceptive than most seven-year-olds. He brought the bat he was holding over his head and rested it on his shoulders, holding it at either end. With a deep breath, he tore his eyes away from Addison and the younger ump, even as Caan walked away, leaving them alone to chat now.

“Did you two just get here?” he asked as calmly and indifferently as he could.

“A few minutes ago,” she said, pulling her notebook from the small satchel she carried everywhere and started talking stats but not about St. Louis.

Clair was convinced the Dodgers were the only team they really had to worry about this year. Los Angeles was their next stop on the road before heading home again. AJ half listened, glancing back at Addison and the ump who had his phone out now and was tapping the screen.

With another deep breath, he gripped the bat a little tighter. He’d raged about many things in his life, mostly on the field, but off it as well, if it ever came down to protecting his loved ones.

Never over a girl.

He already knew what his reaction would be to hear anyone disrespecting Addison. That was different. He’d been looking out for Clair’s mom, the coach’s daughter. As far as he was concerned, the coach and his wife were like family to him—loved ones. That made Addison and Clair two people whose backs he’d have by default as well.

The type of rage he already knew he could feel over Addison possibly exchanging numbers with his guy was one he was certain he’d have very little control over.

Nathan came to mind suddenly as AJ’s eyes locked on Addison and the still-grinning-goofily ump. Since AJ had gone on the road, he’d checked in with his siblings several times as he always did, but the last time he’d made sure to ask Isaiah how things were going with Nathan and Kelli. The night of Nathan and Kelli’s hasty exit from the gathering at their house he hadn’t come home. So AJ hadn’t had a chance to say good-bye to him before he left. The next morning he and Sabian were up early and in a cab to the airport before Nathan got home.

According to Isaiah, it seemed everything was good, but AJ had wondered even then how much Isaiah had left out for the sake of not worrying him. Nathan tended to drink a little too much sometimes when he was pissed. He’d been stupid enough to drive a couple of those times he’d been drinking. He’d since assured all his worrying siblings he wouldn’t be doing it again, but AJ wasn’t so sure. Normally, Isaiah would elaborate more. This time he’d been pretty close-lipped about the whole thing, even changed the subject a little too quickly.