Page 36

THIRTY-FIVE

By the time I reached my hotel room, I was exhausted from celebrating with the team.

We’d won the second game, tying us with LA as we entered the last game of the series.

Despite the amazing turn tonight had taken, I was ready to be home.

The weekend had already been a lot, and I wasn’t looking forward to another game tomorrow.

At the same time, I was still riding high from my home run, my first in the majors.

Holy shit.

The moment my bat collided with the ball, I knew it was going the distance, but I held my breath, hoping it didn’t end up in one of the outfielder’s gloves.

But it soared right into the stands, and when the crowd cheered, awareness prickled in my chest. It was one of those pivotal career moments; at least, that’s what the reporters kept saying when Benny shoved me into the media room to debrief after the game.

But as good as it felt, something was missing—or should I say, someone was missing.

I glanced at my phone, trying to figure out the time back home.

It was late here, which meant it was in the middle of the night back home.

Hadley had sent me a couple of texts during the game, but I hadn’t had time to read them until hours later.

MENACE

OMG SARGE!! THAT HIT!

You were amazing, baby. I’m so proud of you.

I read the messages again, knowing damn well I was smiling like a fool.

God, I was fucking gone for this girl. Even when we lost last night, she was right there, cheering me on, despite being across the country.

Tonight had been the same. When I called Emilia for our pre-game ritual, Hadley showed me their little set up to watch us play.

During the game, she sent me updates of her girls’ night at the house, along with pictures of her and all her friends wearing Hawks jerseys with pride.

In the middle was my little girl, her grin bigger than I’d ever seen.

As if she knew I was thinking about her, my phone chimed with another text.

As I clicked open the attached photo, my jaw tensed, and all my blood rushed to my dick.

Hadley sent a picture from my bed, where she was curled up in the blankets.

She wore one of my shirts, and the hem rose enough that I could see the pale pink of her boy shorts peeking out underneath.

MENACE

Missing you, sarge. Can’t wait for you to come back to me.

Not waiting another second, I clicked on her contact, pulling up a FaceTime call.

My dick hardened as I thought about the picture, wishing I was there to push the fabric up a little further, to explore her smooth, lush thighs with my fingers and tongue.

As the phone rang, I closed my eyes, picturing her perky nipples pebbling in anticipation of my touch.

I loved how responsive her body was, how it ached and screamed for me.

By the time Hadley answered the phone, my erection was ready to bust through my sweats.

“Cam?”

Sleep tinged her voice, making it softer, more melodic. Hadley rubbed her eyes and squinted at the screen. With the way she smiled at me, like talking to me was the highlight of her day, I forgot about my straining cock.

“Sorry if I woke you, baby.” I placed the phone on the nightstand as I undressed, pulling off my shoes and tugging my shirt over my head. “Wanted to say goodnight to you properly.”

“It’s okay. I can’t sleep,” she mumbled. “Keep thinking about you and how empty this bed is without you. It’s too cold.”

“Only using me for my body heat?” I quipped as I grinned back at her. “Should’ve known.”

“You caught me,” Hadley answered. “Well, that and your baseball tickets. I’m getting major brownie points from my students because I get to go to Hawks games.

” She shifted and settled on her stomach.

“Speaking of games—I keep watching clips of your hit. It was so fucking incredible, Cam. I’m so proud of you. ”

“Thanks, Hads. Wish you were here to celebrate with me.”

“Maybe the next one, I’ll be there.”

“If I had my way, you’d be there every time. I play better when you’re watching me.” I studied her tired expression. Her blonde waves fanned out over my pillows, her hands curled up under her head. She looked angelic.

Gratitude settled deep in my chest. How’d I get so lucky?

I could have missed this—missed out on Hadley.

Thank fuck I pulled my head out of my ass and kissed her that first night.

If I hadn’t—I shook my head, refusing to even entertain the thought.

As I pulled off my jeans and laid on the scratchy bed cover, I turned back toward the phone. “Tell me about your day, baby.”

“While you’re sitting there in your boxers?” Hadley rolled her eyes. “My day is the last thing on my mind.”

“Keep your mind out of the gutter, Hadley.”

“Impossible when you look like that, sarge.”

“Hadley,” I snapped, using that no-nonsense tone I knew she loved. “Talk to me, baby. I miss you, miss your voice. Tell me what you’ve been up to all day.”

Hadley sighed but relented, telling me in great detail about her school day. With only a couple of weeks left in the year, she was almost done for the summer, but she didn’t sound excited. In fact, when she spoke about leaving her class, her voice cracked a little.

My jaw tensed, debating whether to push her.

She might not have told me outright, but after reviewing her business plan, I knew it was something she really wanted.

When we were in school, I heard her talk about opening an early childhood center, but I wrote it off as another one of her whims. But there was nothing impulsive in her business, another clear sign I’d been so wrong about her.

It was easy to buy that she was just another party girl, not looking for anything serious in her life.

After all, she almost always wore a smile and never seemed to let life get in her way.

But now, I saw the woman underneath, the one who kept fighting even though life had failed her so many times.

It took so much strength to keep going after dealing with her circumstances, and it only made me respect her more.

And what was even more impressive—she wanted to use her past to help others, to make sure other children got the support they needed to achieve their own goals, for parents to have a support system in place to help guide them through the challenging parts of early parenthood.

I knew that struggle all too well. While I wouldn’t trade Emilia for the world, becoming a dad was the scariest moment of my life.

I was only nineteen and had barely done anything with my life—made countless mistakes because I thought I knew best. The moment Victoria showed up at my door and showed me those two pink lines, my life’s course changed irreparably.

Many dreams got shelved, pushed aside for a stable life for my daughter.

Even playing ball had been put on the back burner.

Before Emilia, I’d planned on signing up for the draft, wanting to go pro as soon as possible.

With an infant at home, though, it wasn’t an option.

Luckily, things worked out better than I’d imagined, but what if they hadn’t?

Would the resentment and regret have eaten away at me until I’d transformed into a shell of myself?

I glanced back at the phone and stared at Hadley once again, amazed by what she’d already accomplished on her own and hoping I’d be there for whatever she decided to do next.

Her dark blue eyes searched the screen, and I smirked back at her, a devious plan forming in my mind.

I’d do anything to erase those worried lines from her face, even if I couldn’t physically be with her right now.

I shifted onto my side. “Did you do anything else tonight, Hadley?”

She furrowed her brow. “What do you mean?”

“You sent me that photo knowing damn well what it would do to me. Did you touch yourself in my bed, baby? Did you play with your clit, knowing that perfect pussy was aching for me?”

Hadley’s mouth fell open before she shook her head. “I didn’t—I didn’t think you’d be okay with that.”

“About you getting yourself off?” I grinned as I flipped onto my back.

Hitting a button on the screen, I flipped the camera to show the effect the idea had on me.

“Baby, picturing you in my bed, touching yourself until you come, is making me hard as fuck. Are you going to be mad if I jerk myself off to thoughts of you? If I grip my dick wishing it was your tight little cunt?”

“No,” Hadley breathed. “Fuck, Cam. You’re killing me here.”

“Are you wet, Hadley?” She nodded. “Good. That’s so fucking good, baby. Now, stick one of your fingers inside yourself and show me. Show me how much you want me, even from far away.”

Hadley chewed on her lower lip as she propped the phone up on her pillow. She dragged her finger down, lifting my shirt up to expose the bare expanse of her stomach. She continued down until she reached the edge of her boy shirts, smirking as she glanced back at me. “Keep fucking going,” I growled.

“So bossy.” She grinned, lowering her hand until it disappeared under the pale pink fabric. When she brought it back out, the tips of her fingers glistened with her desire, and my mouth watered at the sight.

“Suck on them,” I said, tugging my sweats down my legs. “Taste yourself, baby. See how fucking incredible you are. Sunshine and goddamn honey.”

Hadley didn’t hesitate, sticking out her tongue and dropping her finger on top of it.

God, my dick was practically stone. When she sucked it into her mouth and moaned, it took everything in me not to come.

My fist tugged on my shaft as I watched her, wishing more than anything to kiss away the flavor, using my tongue to lap up every spare drop.

“Fuck, baby,” I groaned, quickening my movements.

“Touch yourself. Please. I need it. I need to hear you come, baby.”

“Cam,” she breathed. Her cheeks brightened, turning a darker shade of red as she toyed with her entrance.

“Move the phone down, Hadley. Now.”

She did as I asked, using her free hand to shift her phone so her pussy was on full display. Her fingers worked in and out of her core as her thumb circled her clit. She was so wet, probably aching for release.

“God,” I groaned as my fist tightened around my cock. “Look at you, baby. So fucking needy, dying to come already. Are you picturing me there with you?”

“Yes,” Hadley whispered, her fingers quickening with my words. “I wish it was your mouth on me. You make me feel so good, Cam.”

“Same,” I bit out. “I wish I had your tight pussy clenched around me right now. I need it. Nothing I want more than to sink deep into you and make you scream my name.”

“Cam,” Hadley called out, and her body pulsed with a mind of its own.

“Fucking come for me, Hadley. Let me watch your beautiful face when you do.”

Hadley’s hand shook as she adjusted the phone, highlighting her panting face.

I wanted to lick every drop of sweat from her skin, to lap up her release like the sweetest candy.

As her back arched off the bed and she chanted my name, my balls tightened, that familiar tingle of ecstasy cascading along my spine.

Hot, thick cum coated my stomach and hands as Hadley crashed over the edge with me.

As our breathing slowed, we stared at each other, both wearing matching smirks. Hadley’s blue eyes sparkled in the darkness, and I couldn’t look away. She’d become my personal addiction, so fucking beautiful, it made my chest clench in appreciation.

We both turned away from the camera to clean ourselves up, but neither of us moved to disconnect the call.

When I returned to the hotel bed, Hadley’s face was the first thing I saw, and I couldn’t hold back my grin.

She was quickly becoming everything to me, and even though there would definitely be an uncomfortable conversation with Victoria in the future, I didn’t regret what was happening between us.

Not for one moment.

No matter what happened next, I would fight to hold on to Hadley.

I’d learned the hard way that baseball and relationships didn’t mix well, but for her, I had to try.

There wasn’t an alternative. Her eyes drifted closed with a satiated smile on her lips.

I reached out, and like a sap, I traced her cheek with my finger, counting down the minutes until I could hold her for real.

Hadley might only be mine during stolen moments and hidden nights right now, but as I drifted off to sleep, all I could dream about was how I wanted so much more.