15

MAGICAL

Amanda

“I’m so excited!” Rae does a little happy dance as we walk toward our seats.

It’s in the reserved section for family, though it’s not with the WAGs this time, which I’m grateful for. They haven’t been mean to me, but outside of a couple of the people I’d already met—or the wives of a couple of the players I’d met in the past—most didn’t go out of their way to get to know me. Which is fine.

I have my tribe, even if they aren’t always here.

Jamie’s parents surprised us by flying out with the kids to see Jamie pitch his first game—which he won. He said he savored the boos from all the L.A. fans, and I believe it because that cocky smile was firmly in place all night. And it might have been a bit of a turn-on.

Which means I might have blown him in the hotel room before we met his family for dinner.

I’m a slut for seeing my man happy and confident. The only thing that turns me on more is when he’s all innocent and blushing. Hot as fuck.

Today is Jamie’s first home game pitching, and Rae and Aaron came down for it, along with Trevor and Chelsea. I love having part of my tribe by my side for the game.

I started paying closer attention and learned more about baseball because of Jamie, but I fell in love with it because of my friends, before Jamie and I were ever together. Some of my favorite college memories are nights shivering under a blanket together at the college games.

Aaron and Trevor are both looking around the stadium in awe. They both got to play here for Aaron’s bachelor party, but for two guys who have battled injuries and lost the ability to play like they once could, seeing their friend living the dream hits different. They’re proud and excited, even if it hurts a little.

Rae elbows me when we sit down. “You’re beaming, proud girlfriend. I love seeing it.”

“Me too,” Chels says.

The girls have been my rock, as usual, while dealing with this transition. They video call me when I’m not here and make it a point to find me and spend time with me when I’m back home. And when they found out about that article and all those comments, they were ready to go No Body, No Crime on the people who said that stuff. I love them for it, and Goddess knows I’d do the same for them.

I should probably take a harder look at why that protectiveness and ferocity doesn’t translate to my own life, but the easier thing to do is plow on and ignore it.

“I can’t help it. He always looks hot when he’s pitching, but sitting in a sea of people who are all staring at him and knowing he’s mine does things to me.”

Rae and Chelsea look at their guys and smile the same way. No matter what they’re doing, when you love your partner, seeing them do something they love and succeed makes you happy too.

The guys line up outside the dugout, as the singer prepares for the National Anthem. Jamie’s eyes sweep the section, and I feel the heat of his gaze the second it lands on me .

I give him my sultriest smile, and a tiny wave before he looks away, and I swear I see the faintest hint of color on his cheeks.

Through all the chaos of the last couple of weeks, these are the moments that make it worth it.

I think I’m going to enjoy being an MLB girlfriend.

Jamie

“You losing your spark already, kid? One win and you have to fight for the next one?”

“What can I say? I feed on the tears of the losing team’s fans. There are fewer of them here.” I spin to face Declan Lowery, the third baseman and a shit-giving grump most of the time. “I think you’re still mad about the first time I pitched in this stadium and struck you out.”

There’s a chorus of “oohs” from around the dugout.

Yeah, I’m never going to let anyone we played against for Aaron’s bachelor party forget that a bunch of ragtag small-town kids beat their asses. Plus, I know he’s trying to get under my skin.

Yeah, my first game was a clear victory for the Metros. I only had a handful of hits and only let one run through over the course of eight innings. I was pissed when they pulled me, but these days, complete games are a thing of the past. I was lucky I got any of those on the Knights. They’re strict about it at the collegiate level too, and it makes me that much more grateful I didn’t go for college ball. This is where I’m supposed to be.

Today’s game has been more of a pitcher’s duel. Again, I’ve only let one run through, but the team has also only scored one.

“Maybe one of you should get out there and hit the damn ball,” Marc Demoda says. As pitching coaches go, he’s been great. Not that I have a ton of experience. No one compares to working with Aaron, but Marc comes close. I think it helps that he’s still close to the game. He isn’t a decade removed from pitching. He still remembers what it’s like. “Stop psyching your pitcher out or you’ll screw us all over.”

“Yeah, behave, Dec,” Ryan Daily, one of the other starting pitchers says.

Declan just rolls his eyes.

“Maybe you should all shut up and pay attention,” Marc says.

I smile to myself. Close games like this are stressful, but they’re also more rewarding.

“Might pull you after the next one,” Marc says to me.

“After the sixth? Really?”

“You want the win?”

“Obviously.”

“Then trust me. We’ll see how you do next inning. If it’s easy, we’ll keep you in.”

“So bring my A game. Got it.”

Marc nods approvingly, and when I have a second of quiet to breathe, I let out a shaky breath as I stare out at the packed stadium.

It’s a lot to adjust to, but I’m loving every second, even if sometimes I need to take a breath, ground myself, and remember why I’m here, how hard I’ve worked, and how important it is to enjoy having what I’ve worked so long for.

“Here’s to win number two for the Metros’ star pitcher!” Aaron says, raising a glass.

Everyone else here is already twenty-one, but being the Metros’ newest pitcher comes with a fun perk of not being carded.

The game continued as a pitcher’s duel. I stayed in through the seventh, then they had one of the relievers come in. The other team wasn’t as smart. They let their pitcher go an inning too long, and we scored three more runs between the sixth and the eighth. We ended the game four to one, and I walked away with my second win of my major league career. Not that I’m counting.

We all clink our glasses together, but I shake my head. “Not star. Not yet. I haven’t earned that.”

“But you will,” Trevor says. “And it’s an honor to watch while you do it. Proud of you, man.”

“Thanks. I appreciate you all being here.”

“I think that deserves one more toast,” Rae says. “To friendship.”

Again, we all clink our glasses, but as we do, Amanda’s phone rings.

She digs it out of her bag and puts it to her ear while apologizing. “Amanda Hamilton.”

I watch raptly as she switches into business mode. It’s ridiculously hot.

“Yes. I’d love to. Tuesday morning—yes. I can do that. Are you sure you don’t need to see—oh. Well, that sounds great. I’ll see you then. Take care. Bye.” She stares down at her phone with wide eyes. “Wow.”

“What?”

She turns to me, eyes alight with excitement. “When I had lunch with Mark, he mentioned one of his teammates needed help with some event coming up that the previous planner had to back out of for health reasons. He didn’t mention it was for Wendell and Alannah Pierce.”

My eyes fly wide. Wendell is one of Mark’s teammates, and one of the first people to sign with the Bandits when the team started twelve years ago. It’s widely reported this season will be his last. His wife is a former model, and they had some epic love story years ago. Unlike a lot of people in those positions, they still seem really happy and they do a lot of good.

“I need more context,” Rae says. Unsurprising. Rae is a baseball girl through and through.

“It doesn’t really matter except that the foundation the gala is for is their foundation. The one they started in honor of their daughter when she came out as trans. It helps support trans youth and young adults, particularly the most at risk who may not have safe environments or home lives.” Amanda sucks in a deep breath. “So, no pressure,” she squeaks.

I wrap my arm around her and kiss the side of her head. “I’m so proud of you. You’re going to rock it.”

She lets out a shaky breath. “I hope so. Oh my gosh! I hoped I’d find a couple of events to work on down here, but I wasn’t expecting it to be this .”

I grab my glass again and lift it. “To living our dreams.”

Amanda smiles up at me as everyone else toasts to that. Instead of tapping our glasses together, she leans up and kisses me.

A lot of good things are happening right now—the building blocks of our future in many ways—but none of it means as much as having her by my side through it all.

I don’t love this apartment. It’s never felt like home. It feels a little too sterile. Like a vacation rental. A place you stay temporarily, but never get cozy in.

Tonight, though, at least there’s enough space for Trevor and Chelsea and Aaron and Rae to stay the night and not have to shell out for a decent hotel here in the city.

Them being here tonight means a lot to me. They’re part of why I’m here right now—especially Aaron. If I’m ever lucky enough to win any kind of award someday, I’ll be thanking him. Seeing the pride in his eyes tonight was indescribable. I’m living a dream we all had at one point, and so far, I’m kicking ass at it.

Just like my girl is kicking ass at her dreams. The event she’s taking over is an entire charity gala. That’s huge. Especially because it’s not a small-town rich ladies’ gala, but a massive New York City gala with a lot of super rich folks attending. This could change everything for her .

“I’m proud of you,” I whisper as she crawls into bed. Sound carries like crazy in this apartment, and it drives me nuts, especially with people here.

She shrugs. “I got lucky.”

“You worked hard. You have worked hard for years. And it shows.”

She climbs on top of me and runs her hands down my chest. “So have you. And it shows .”

Her lips brush mine, and I have to fight back the instinctive moan. Wrapping my arm around her waist, I flip her over.

“Can you be quiet?” I whisper against her lips.

I swear we can hear if someone is talking quietly two rooms over. So with Trevor and Chelsea in the guest room across the hall and Rae and Aaron on the sleeper sofa in the living room, we have to be very quiet.

Slipping her underwear off, I push one finger inside her. She bites her lip as she arches beneath me.

“I don’t know,” she breathes. “Can you?”

Then she leans up and sucks on my neck just below my ear—the spot that makes me crazy.

“Only one way to find out.”

Stripping my shirt off, I lean back and shove my boxers down, then pull her barely-there underwear off. She shimmies out of her shirt, as I grab her hips, then thrust into her hard .

She slaps a hand over her mouth trying to cover her yelp.

I silently laugh, but she gets me back by reaching for my balls and gently massaging them. I barely contain my throaty moan, then relent.

“Okay. I’ll be gentle.”

Holding her tightly, I pull out and thrust in again, but not nearly as hard this time. With our bodies flush, the intensity is still there. Then she smiles up at me. It takes a second to figure out why. She does some sort of witchcraft and tightens the muscles of her vaginal wall .

My eyes roll back at how good it feels. She must like it too because a haze settles in her eyes.

We continue like that, small, perfectly positioned thrusts and the tense and release of her pelvic floor muscles.

It shouldn’t feel this fucking good, but it does, and we’re both barely keeping it together. We’re drenched in sweat, slick bodies gliding together as we get close to the edge and fall away again.

My orgasm hits out of nowhere, and my whole body locks up. It’s all I can do to keep from screaming her name, but I can’t hold back my repressed grunts.

I stay inside her, angling my hips and continuing the shallow thrusts as I work her clit with my thumb until she’s falling apart under me, face twisted in ecstasy as her mouth falls open with silent screams. She milks my sensitive cock, almost making me come again.

She sighs contentedly as I flop down next to her.

“I need another shower,” I whisper.

She laughs, still quietly, but louder than a whisper. “That was so much hotter than I thought it would be. I think we edged ourselves.”

“Just a bit. I didn’t know your?—”

“Pussy is magical?” she asks with a sweet smile.

“Oh, I knew that,” I sigh, kissing her neck. “Love you, baby.”

“Love you too. I know I need to get up and clean up, but I don’t want to. Just… hold me for a few minutes?”

“I’ll hold you all night.”

Wrapping my arms around her, I tug her close, burying my face in her hair.

How did I get this lucky?

Not only have I made it to the majors, but I have an incredible woman next to me who is living her own dream.

It’s only been a couple of weeks, but I think this is a sign that we’re going to good places.