My head was dizzy from what he was doing to my body, but not lost enough to answer. “I don’t want that, Luke.” My words stilled his body, and I shook my head. “I need that. Always.”
Something low echoed in his chest before he moved inside me again. Neither of us lasted long after that, his climax spurring mine. The entire time, his eyes stayed above mine, unwavering.
Only after our cries had receded and the silence had settled around us again did his eyes close. Leaning his forehead into mine again, I felt his sweat slide against my skin. He stayed deep inside me, like separating in that way would be the catalyst for waking up from the dream we’d found ourselves in.
“I have scored plenty of times on home plate, but this”—Luke’s sweaty forehead left mine as he hovered above me—“this is a first.”
My hands curled into his backside, holding him in place when he tried to shift his weight. “Is this a last?”
“Hell, no.” Luke leaned up just enough to stare at me naked and spread out beneath him. “This is the start of a great tradition.”
My hands formed around his face. “This is the start of a lot of great things.”
THE SHOCK HAD made it to the big game. It had been one hell of a season, and this game had stayed with the same theme. It had come down to the last inning, the Shock and the Miners going back and forth leading the series. I’d never been so nervous watching a ball game, and I wondered if by the end of this, I’d have any functioning nerves left.
We were the visiting team, so we were last at bat in the ninth, and we needed a run to tie. Two to win. Archer was next up with one on base.
After those two games where Archer had not been the number eleven fans had come to know, he’d come back with a vengeance. There wasn’t a ball a pitcher could throw that he couldn’t hit. He was back, but that wasn’t all. He’d come back even better.
He’d already sent two balls over the fence this game—and we could really use a third.
“Why don’t you run out there and give him one of those big kisses with that look in you women’s eyes that says there’ll be more of that to come if you hit a homer?” Reynolds sat down beside me in the dugout, taking a break from his pacing.
“I’m working, Reynolds.”
“I know, I know. You’re the team’s athletic trainer first on game day, Archer’s girlfriend second, but come on, Doc.” Reynolds waved at the giant scoreboard that seemed to loom above the outfield. “This is the last inning of the last game of the biggest series in our lives. A little motivation couldn’t hurt. Compliments of your lips and feminine guile.”
“Feminine guile?” I blinked at him. “Who’s spending their nights reading romance novels?”
Reynolds snorted. “The most action I see during the season is on those pages. I’ll take what I can get.”
I gave him a look that suggested conversation time was over, and I got back to focusing on number eleven’s bat as he took a few practice swings before stepping into the box. After both of us had sat down with Coach to divulge our relationship—he’d basically responded that as long as it didn’t affect our jobs, he could give a shit who we played footsie with—Luke and I went public. We knew it would get out sometime, and we both felt more comfortable having it come out the way we wanted instead of the way the press would spin it.
Luke had given a small press conference and started with mentioning that I was the best damn athletic trainer he’d had the privilege of working with. He followed that up with admitting I was the best damn woman he’d had the privilege of falling in love with. It was short and simple, and after the country had buzzed about Luke Archer’s swoony confession, the story died down and life had gotten back to normal. Except now Luke and I shared a hotel room when we traveled, and we didn’t have to worry about sitting next to each other at some team meal.
I loved not having to hide our relationship anymore. I loved how certain he’d been about wanting to announce it. I loved him.
I’d known this season would be life-changing. I just hadn’t known it would be because I’d fall in love with a great man who would manage to help guide me through the minefield of my fears until we’d reached the other side.
Something else had changed after that night under the stadium lights—Shepherd had gotten his marching orders. Which was kind of ironic since he was the one who’d told me that’s what I had to look forward to. Coach had been madder than a badger when he found out what had happened, and when Luke straight up told Coach he would not play on the same team as that kind of man, Shepherd was gone so fast most of the players didn’t realize it for a few games.
The viper was gone, and even though I’d never let anything anyone said to me affect my trust in Luke again, it was a relief to not have to share space with Shepherd twelve hours a day.