Page 25

25

BARRETT

I sat on a stool in the clubhouse kitchen, leg bouncing a mile a minute. I’d texted Levi the second I realized I might have gone too far, and that Stetson might need a different approach to aftercare. The boy could want nothing to do with me and I’d deserve it. The fury in his eyes wasn’t anything new; I could handle that. But when he used his safeword and those baby blues looked at me utterly broken , I knew I’d fucked up.

I hadn’t intended on pushing him to that point. Truthfully, I thought he’d fold way sooner.

Then again, I was dealing with Stetson Holloway. I should have known better.

Levi emerged from the showers first, beelining for me and pulling me into his arms. “I didn’t mean to,” I whispered.

“I know that, Bear.” Levi splayed his fingers through my hair and kissed my neck, instantly soothing me. “But he doesn’t. He’s agreed to hear you out but you need to tell him everything .”

“I will.”

I caught movement out of the corner of my eye: Stetson. His wet hair tickled his chin, dripping onto his tracksuit top and darkening the gray fabric. His eyes were red, his cheeks flushed. He watched me warily, like I was going to lunge across the room and attack him. His gaze darted to Levi before returning to me.

“Do you want me to stay?” Levi asked.

Without breaking eye contact, Stetson shook his head. “We’ll be okay.”

He crossed the room, folding into Levi’s outstretched arm. He pressed a kiss to Stetson’s lips, then mine before taking a step back. “I’ll see you two at home.”

Stetson and I stayed frozen in our spots until the clubhouse door shut. Stetson fidgeted with the tie on his sweats, seemingly waiting on something.

Oh, right. I was supposed to be the authority figure. Look where that had gotten me.

I offered Stetson the stool I’d been sitting on. “Sit down. You should eat.”

Instead of immediately reaching for the plate, he grabbed the bottle of Gatorade I’d set out, chugging almost half of it before coming up for air. He eyed the food, still not saying a word. I rounded the island to give him some space and nudged the plate closer. “Eat,” I told him, resting my elbows on the counter. “There’s ‘I’m Sorry’ bacon, ‘I Was an Ass’ fruit salad, and ‘Please Don’t Hate Me’ protein pancakes.”

The boy snickered, and my stomach fluttered. “How long did it take you to come up with all that?”

“Longer than I care to admit.” It wasn’t until he took the first bite that I realized I’d been holding my breath. With a long exhale, I said, “I’m sorry, Stetson. I never intended to push you so far.”

“It’s okay. I shouldn’t have gone out drinking last night. I knew that before I did it.”

“Then why did you do it? We’re about to go into the most important games of the season. You have the whole world watching you right now.”

“Except for one of the people I want the most.” Stetson spoke into his plate, refusing to look at me

I didn’t need him to elaborate. His behavior had proved that he wanted my attention, and I’d been too wrapped up in my own shit to see it. I had tunnel vision, and the only thing I could see at the end of it was that stupid trophy. It was standing there, looking at the broken boy in front of me that I realized I’d fallen for him. I loved Stetson, and it killed me inside to know that I’d been the one to break him.

But there was so much that he didn’t know. It was time to tell him the truth. I took a deep breath, steeling myself, and blurted out. “I’m retiring.”

“ What ?” Stetson chewed on the last bite of his pancakes.

“I decided before this season even started that it would be my last.”

“Who else knows?”

“I told Levi first. Then my agent and my coach. And now you.”

Stetson’s eyes hardened. “So I’m officially the last person in your life to know.”

I blew out an exasperated breath. That type of reaction was exactly what I was trying to avoid. “It’s not like that, Stetson.”

“Then what is it like? Because from where I’m sitting, it certainly seems that way.” Stetson’s voice increased in volume with each word, and I was grateful for the early hour that ensured we’d be alone.

“That’s…” I groaned, pushed off the island, and started to pace. “This wasn’t part of my plan. None of this was part of my plan.”

“None of what?”

I stayed silent, trying like hell to fight the words sitting on the tip of my tongue. Stetson continued his interrogation.

“For the love of God, Barrett. Stop treating me like a child. I know I haven’t been the most responsible lately, but I am an adult, a pretty successful one. I promise I can handle whatever it is.” He stood in front of me now, halting my movement.

I swallowed hard against my suddenly dry mouth. Stetson peered at me through his lashes, and I was a goner. I had been from day one, and I kicked myself for ever thinking I stood a chance, for not telling him the first chance I got. I thought I was doing this for Levi but this man had me hooked from the first word out of his bratty little mouth. He was soft and sweet when he needed to be, but a beast on the field, challenging me in ways I’d never been tested before.

“Barrett—”

“Falling in love with you.” It came out as nothing more than a whisper, but Stetson’s breath hitched. He’d heard me loud and clear. “Falling in love with you was never part of my plan.”

“I…” he huffed, chest heaving. “Um.”

“You don’t have to say it back. You don’t have to say anything at all. Not until you’re ready.” I took a risk, letting my fingers trail over his jawline and cup his cheek. He leaned into my palm, and my heart warmed. “Right now you need to eat, and I’ll take you home so you can rest. I pushed you way too far today.”

Instead of returning to his seat, Stetson moved in closer. He tipped his face up, and I knew what he wanted. “You brushed, right?”

He rolled his eyes. “Shut up and kiss me, you dick.”

Well, how could I refuse that?

I leaned in, tentatively sealing my mouth over his. Stetson sighed into the kiss. His arms wrapped tight around me. When his tongue licked over my lips, I happily granted him entry. I hummed, the taste of him washing over my tongue. Sickly sweet syrup from his pancakes nearly dominated the mint from his toothpaste, but neither taste hid the true flavor of Stetson , not from my eager tongue. I plunged it deep into his mouth, threading my fingers in his hair to hold him close. He whimpered and tugged, telling me without words that he wanted to take this elsewhere.

Reluctantly, I broke off the kiss. “Not right now,” I told him. My cock throbbed in protest, but it wasn’t the time. “You’re not in the right headspace. Finish your breakfast, and maybe you’ll have time for a nap before practice.”

He licked his lips, as if he were soaking up every taste of me he could. “Only if we can do that some more later.”

I tried not to let on how much my body loved that idea. “Yes, we can do that some more later.”

As he reclaimed his seat, pushing fruit around his plate, he squirmed. “Does Levi know what you just told me?”

To have something to do with my hands, I grabbed his Gatorade and picked at the plastic label. “About me retiring? I told you he was the first to find out.”

Stetson laughed. “Wow, I thought you’d be better at deflecting than that.”

I crooked a brow, keeping the act up. Truthfully, I felt vulnerable, and I hated it. It had only been a couple of months. I hadn’t planned on falling in love with Stetson at all, definitely not so soon. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He leveled me with a glare.

“Okay, okay.” I slid his drink across the counter. “He does. I haven’t said it in so many words but I think he knew you were perfect for us before I did.”

Stetson blessed me with a rare sight then. He ducked into his plate, and a beautiful pink spread across his cheeks. He didn’t let that cocky demeanor fade very often. “You think I’m perfect?”

“Let’s get one thing straight, Stetson Holloway…” With a newfound confidence—and the reassurance that he didn’t hate me—I stepped into his space. My chest bumped his shoulder, his body heat seeping through my clothes and warming me from my sternum down my midsection. I watched, amused, as his breathing increased and his chest rose and fell in rapid succession. I placed my hand on his lower back, and he shuddered. “I know you’re perfect, Levi knows you’re perfect. Hell, you’re one of the cockiest brats I know: you know you’re perfect. Anyone who doesn’t see your perfection is a fool.”

Stetson let out a shaky breath, and I took a step back. “You’re set on retiring then?”

I sighed. “I am. It’s not a decision I came to lightly, but most pro athletes retire by the age of thirty, and I passed that years ago. The pressure, the traveling, it’s all too much. I want to be home more. Especially since I’ve got two of you keeping me on my toes now.”

Stetson smirked. “So I only get one chance to kick your ass in the World Series?”

I returned the gesture, and his mouth widened into a full smile. “Better make it a good one.”

Once he finished his breakfast, I sent Stetson ahead of me to the car with the excuse of cleaning the kitchen. Of course it was an excuse. The moment I heard the clubhouse door shut, I called Britney. Being so early in the morning, I wasn’t sure she would answer, but I was relieved when she did. “I have a plan.”