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Kelsey

C rew was asleep when we arrived back at the hotel. Patty and Tom had an easy night with him, and he hadn’t even fought them when they tried to give him a bottle. With all the new people in his life, Crew had easily expanded his trusted circle.

“He’s a good sleeper, huh?” Patty asked.

“Thankfully, yes. Sometimes, he can be unpredictable on travel days,” I answered.

“You’re a good mom,” Tom said, meeting Sam’s gaze.

“The best,” Sam assured him.

“You’re in town tomorrow?”

“Yes, then headed to LA and finishing in Seattle,” Sam answered.

“I still have about a month before training camp. Would it be okay if I joined you at some point? We haven’t formalized the plan yet, but I’d like to spend as much time with him as possible, especially while you’re on the West Coast.”

“Monica usually handles all of Kelsey and Crew’s travel. You can contact her, and she can assist you with booking,” Sam said .

Patty and Tom checked on Crew one last time before reluctantly leaving for the night. Once we were alone, I was overcome with an intense need to be as close to Sam as possible.

“Come here,” I said, tugging on his shirt, slipping my hand under the hem, and untucking it from his jeans.

I pulled on his belt, freeing it before making quick work with the fly of his jeans.

We were still in the middle of the suite's living room, and if I had my way, we wouldn’t make a bed.

Sam’s jeans fell to the floor. He lifted his legs one at a time, kicking them away and watching me as I palmed his cock through his boxer briefs.

When he tried to kiss me, I dropped to my knees, sliding his underwear down and discarding it alongside his jeans. He hissed as I grasped his cock in my hand at the root and ran my tongue along the underside, swirling it around the head before taking him deep. “Fuck, Kels. What brought this on?”

By way of answer, I took him deep into the back of my throat, tears springing to my eyes as I gagged in response to the invasion.

And when I looked up into his eyes, I recognized the moment he understood what this was.

He pulled me off of him, lifting me up so I had no choice but to wrap my legs around him as he supported me in his eyes.

“Kelsey, trust me, baby, I love when you’re on your knees, but not like this. Blow jobs are not transactions; they aren’t a thank you, and if you ever feel like sucking my dick because you owe me, please don’t.”

I buried my head in his shoulder, tears running down my face, the culmination of the day’s emotions as he carried me over to the couch. He sat down, settling me on his lap, and pushed my hair out of my face .

“Tell me what you’re thinking. This was anxiety, wasn’t it?”

“Maybe? I don’t know. I just needed some way to show you what you mean to me.”

“That’s not how, love. God, baby, I don’t need that. You’re my equal in this. I don’t give you gifts and take care of you guys expecting sexual favors.”

“Sam, I bring nothing to the table except a ton of baggage.”

“You and Crew are everything to me. I didn’t realize how lonely I was until you both entered my life.

You not only gave baseball back to me because it wasn’t fulfilling before this summer, but you gave me something to look forward to outside of baseball.

You also made me realize I could do both.

I can have a family and my career simultaneously, and that career will make it so I can support our family.

And you gave me hope that once my career is over, I will find meaning. ”

I wiped my tears on his shoulder and met his eyes. “When we were talking about your parents, I realized something. You’re my end game, too.”

“Kelsey, you’re my whole game. You, Crew, and all the beautiful babies we will have.”

“Sam, can I be honest about something? I don’t know if I want to go back to school. I feel like I should because I thought I needed to do it. But I love being home with Crew, spending my days with him, and taking care of our home. Would you think less of me if I decided that was enough?”

“I want you to be happy. If you want to wait until I retire and go to school? Great. If you never decide to go back? I only care if you aren’t choosing this for yourself.”

“When I returned to work, everything I did was for Crew. But it all required me to leave him with someone else. I love my father but don’t want him raising my son. I want to be there for him.”

“I agree you should be home with him if that’s what you want. But if you ever decide it’s not enough or that you need more, you need to tell me.”

“And I love Boston. I love living in the city, but I also kinda want to live in Concord.”

“That’s very specific, Kels,” Sam said with a chuckle.

“I might have it on my Pinterest vision board somewhere. But again, not something I felt I could say.”

“OK, how about this? You keep telling me about your dreams, and I try to figure out how to make them come true.”

“Damn, baby. And I don’t even need to get my knees all dirty.”

“You’re gonna get your knees plenty dirty, but not because I bought you a house in Concord, but because you like it.”

“Oh, Sam, I do like it.”

“Good, then we’ve got most of it figured out. As for the house in Concord, we can meet with my financial planner at the end of the season. He’ll help us figure out a budget and long-term planning. I went big on the place in the city, and keeping both places might not be worthwhile.”

“Are you saying rooftop patios don’t come cheap?”

“Private rooftop patios are a luxury we might not need if we have our dream home in the suburbs.”

“And a pool,” I said matter of fact.

“See? I knew you liked Josie’s place.”