Page 38 of Coach Me (Boston Blues #2)

Lucie

Well, today just keeps getting better and better. I knew coming to the stadium early was a good idea.

My smile at Dex’s text about him throwing some balls was downright cheesy. If he wants to keep playing, I want him to be able to pursue that. Even if it’s selfish on my end because I really like watching this man throw some baseballs.

Even if it’s just hitting practice, and I can tell he’s not actively trying to strike people out—well, except for Beck, Adam, and Tripp. I’m not exactly sure what happened there, but Dex throws hard every time they step up to the plate. It’s been quite comical.

By the time I’m finishing the final touches on the first crochet turtle, Dex starts rolling his left shoulder. I reach for the second kit and start on it as he continues throwing.

I could actually be getting the hang of this. Will it be a hobby I continue? Probably not, but I think Miles will love it—and that’s all that matters.

I make some good progress by the time Dex starts to full on stretch his arm. Someone might be a little out of practice .

I watch as he tosses a ball off to my brother to take over, but before he walks off the mound, he looks up toward me and winks. I’m not entirely sure if he can see me up here or if these are tinted windows, but I wave anyway.

When I see him disappear into the dugout, my heart rate kicks up. I really hope he’s coming up here. I didn’t necessarily want to be a distraction for him today, but I also couldn’t sit in that penthouse without him there for a minute longer.

I make a few more passes on the turtle before I hear the office door open. I spin around in his chair to find Dex absolutely beaming.

This man. I swear, if I can’t talk him into playing again, I might just ask Olsson to draw up a contract and I’ll forge his signature myself.

I put on my best fan girl voice. “Oh my gosh, it’s the Dex Larsen. Pitcher for?—”

Dex cuts me off the moment he reaches me, his hands threading through my hair, and gives me a lustful kiss that sends shockwaves through my body.

When he pulls back, he rests his forehead on mine.

“Looks like you still have some of it left in ya, Coach.”

Dex chuckles softly, then scoops me up from the chair and promptly sits back down with me in his lap.

“I think that was another crack at our age difference.”

“What? Me? No. What age difference?”

Dex shakes his head as a smirk tugs at the corners of his mouth. “You still working on these for Miles?”

“Yep.” I reach over to my canvas bag of stuff and Dex’s grip tightens instinctively so I don’t roll out of his lap as I grab the one I finished. “ Ta-da!”

“Hey, it actually looks like something now.” Dex takes it from my hand to look closer at it. “So, is this Pip or Pop?”

“Considering I bought two of the exact same turtles, I figured they’ll get mixed up anyway.”

Dex kisses my head. “He’s going to love them. Thank you for thinking of him.”

“He’s too cute not to think of,” I say, taking the turtle back and setting it back in the bag. “Who knows, maybe this will keep my actual turtles alive in their tank and not thousands of feet in the air on a plane full of baseball players.”

Dex shakes his head. “You and those fucking turtles. I can’t believe I caved on those things.”

I snort. “I asked nicely. It works every time.”

“No, baby, you could have demanded to bring those things and I would have said okay. You could have said you’re bringing a circus, and I would have said there’s room. I would only be saying no in my head.” Dex leans in to whisper in my ear. “But what would come out would be ‘anything you want.’”

I giggle at the feel of his words so close, but the moment Dex hears my laugh, he cups my face and kisses right where he just whispered. “Fuck, that laugh.”

A blush comes to my cheeks as he lets my face go. “And here I was, thinking you were this prickly man who didn’t want to hire me.”

“Oh, I didn’t, but not for the reason you’re thinking.” Dex tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “Hey, I actually have something to run by you.”

At the change in Dex’s tone, I clip my last loop and set down the unfinished turtle to give him my full attention. “What’s up?”

“So, when I dropped off Miles, Kate mentioned that she would be in New York this weekend and wants to come to one of the games to spend more time with Miles. The thing is, she wants to come for the whole day. I told her you’re the person in charge of him, you know how it is on game days and the schedule of everything. ”

“Oh, Dex…” I bet that went over well.

“I know, I told her we’d talk about it because I don’t want to keep Miles from his mom, but I have to set boundaries somewhere. That was her whole thing to begin with. She still has Miles call at the scheduled times, but I’m supposed to bend whenever she wants me to?”

I place my hand lightly on his chest and feel his heart beating fast. “Dex, it’s okay. You’re doing what you think is right. I’m assuming, since you're bringing this up, that she does actually want to come to one of the games?”

“Yeah, on my way up here, she sent a text saying she wants me to pick Miles up after breakfast tomorrow and that she wants one game with him this weekend.” Dex exhales.

“I want to be flexible when it benefits Miles, but I also don’t want to allow a break in the boundary I set with you being in charge when it’s not legally one of her times to begin with. ”

Dex runs his hand lightly on my thigh. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to put you in this situation, Lucie. If you’re uncomfortable with it, please tell me. I’ll take care of it.”

“This might sound really weird to hear, but in a way, I kind of need to be a teammate to Kate too. Us aside?—”

“No, not us aside,” Dex interrupts, and while it’s a sweet gesture, there’s more to it than us—there’s no other way for me to look at it.

“Not entirely what I meant. Look, Dex, Kate’s a part of your team whether either of you likes it or not.

Actually, scratch that—we’re all on Miles’s team.

I can spend the day with Kate and try to find the balance of not overstepping her role on this team and still keeping your boundaries.

Will it be awkward? Probably, but you also walked in on me juggling on my first day.

I don’t think I’ve ever felt more awkward in my life than at that moment. ”

Dex shakes his head with a small laugh. I know this is hard for him, and just as he thinks he’s figuring out a good routine with Miles, it shifts.

“Miles is the priority here, Dex. You know that, I know that. I believe that Kate knows it too.”

Dex cups my face. “You’re incredible.”

I shrug. “What was incredible was watching you pitch again.”

Dex rolls his eyes playfully. I knew he enjoyed it. He just needs a few nudges, and I think I could talk him into it.

“Any reason you threw harder for Beck, Tripp, and Adam? I didn’t think the purpose of batting practice was to strike them out necessarily.”

“Eh, they made a stupid bet. They all owe me fifty bucks now.”

“Aren’t you all, oh, what’s that word again? Rich? Millionaires?”

“Yep.” Dex places a kiss on my forehead. “They started it.”

I shake my head. “Boys.”

Dex and I spend the next hour watching as warm-ups change from the Blues to Baltimore's team. I work on Miles’s last turtle and I swear I’m never doing this again. Dex gets a good laugh every time I miscount my stitches and nearly scream in frustration.

By the time I finish the body, Dex has to head out for his meeting with Olsson .

“You going to stay here for a little bit longer?” Dex asks as he stands us both up.

I set all of my stuff back in my canvas bag. “I think I’ll go find Callie, maybe walk around with her for a bit.”

“Okay, Luce, after you.” Dex motions for me to head out first, but then his hand catches my arm. “Shit, hold on.”

“What’s up, Coach?” I chuckle at his abrupt change, but Dex doesn’t say anything, he simply reaches for his duffle bag on the floor and pulls out his hat from last season— his last season.

Yesterday, when he gave me his hat to wear, it felt tense. Even though I know now why it was tense. This time, he’s looking at me like it means something to him. Which is good because this means a lot to me.

Dex places his hat on my head gently, then softly brushes my hair to my back and slides his hands slowly down, causing chills to pop up on my arms.

He lets out a small exhale. “That’s better.”

My heart nearly explodes, considering I snarkily asked him yesterday if he was better after I put on his hat, and he told me no.

I can feel the blush coming to my cheeks. “Yeah, it is.”

I agreed to moments with Dex because I think he’ll be worth the wait. I don’t need him to make all these big declarations, and, yeah, I love the grand gestures, but these small ones seem to pack a pretty good punch too.

Dex’s eyes slowly trail down to my lips.

I’m not entirely sure what it is, but I need him to kiss me. I should probably be tapped out on make outs and orgasms with him for at least a little bit…but I’m not. I want more.

Dex must clearly feel the same as he snakes one arm through to the small of my back, pulling me to him while his other hand threads through my hair, knocking the hat he just placed on my head to the floor before claiming my lips with his.

I wrap my arms around his shoulders with a pleased hum as I lean my body deeper into his. Dex’s hands find the back of my thighs, picking me up and setting me down right on top of his desk.

This kiss is more manic than it has been. Something about it feels so demanding, yet desperate at the same time. I don’t even think I need more than this—I just need this kiss to keep going.

Dex pulls my hips to the edge of the desk, then grinds his hard length against me. Yep, our clothes can stay on if they have to. I have no doubt in my mind that Dex can make me come from a serious dry hump and make out sesh.

My hands slide under his shirt, feeling every muscle from his incredible abs to his chest. My fingers glide over his nipples, and I can feel the shiver radiate through him. Dex moans deep against my mouth. “You’re going to be the death of me, baby.”

He yanks my body impossibly closer, grinding against me harder. Our kiss loses the small shred of rhythm we had. It’s messy, yet so hot. I start to roll my hips with Dex’s thrusts. It doesn’t matter that our pants separate us. I’m seconds away, and I know Dex is too.

My hands slide around to his chest again as Dex grabs a fistful of my hair.

“Oh, shit,” a woman's voice cuts through the moment, and our bodies go rigid.

Wait, I know that voice.