“I have some makeup in my room. Come by before the event, and I’ll fix you right up.” She glanced around and pulled her hand away.
I’d never been so anxious to do a charity meet-n-greet in all my life. The next two days waiting for the event had been killing me. Kat was busy with her interviews, her charity scheduling, and Lord only knows what else. She wasn’t accessible, at least not to me. But today was the day, and I planned to get as much Kat time as I possibly could.
My hand was reached toward her door, clenched in a fist, and ready to knock when it opened. Kat looked surprised as she opened it, her eyes narrowed and her head tilted. “Todd?”
“You told me to come by,” I said, pointing to the marks on my face that were already clearing up.
“Of course, come in,” she said, motioning for me to enter. “I’m running late. I’d forgotten.”
It didn’t make me feel so great that she’d forgotten me, but I was still holding her to our deal. “You pack your bikini?” I asked.
“Bikini?”
“Yeah. You promised to go to the beach with me after the event,” I said, smiling with as much charm as I could muster.
“I said I’d go to the beach. I didn’t say anything about a bikini,” she smirked.
“What else do you wear at the beach?” I asked with a laugh. “A gray suit and heels?”
She stood back, held her arms open and showed me the outfit she was already wearing. White shorts, fuck they were nice and short. And a pink tank top, this one tighter than the other, pressing nicely against her firm breasts. I bit my bottom lip, rose an eyebrow to show my approval, and without realizing it, a growl escaped my throat.
She blushed, quickly rushed into her bathroom, and returned seconds later with a pink zippered bag. “Sit down.”
I sat. Kat fumbled in the pink bag, digging through various tubes and bottles before finally pulling out a small brown squeeze tube. “What’s that?” I asked, suddenly cautious about makeup being applied to my face.
“Concealer,” she replied, pushing her hand against my forehead to tilt my head back to the chair. “It’s nothing that will show. It’s designed to hide blemishes.”
The brush was cold as it slid across my skin, first at my cheek and then under my eye. Her finger was warm sliding across the goo to smooth it. I watched as she moved closer, leaning over me to check her work. Her vanilla scent, her smooth skin, and her warm breath were too much to bear. I gripped her hand as she pulled it from my face, tugging her closer to me. Our lips met, explosions, wildfires, and even volcanoes erupted within me from her touch. It’d been too long. She felt it too, I knew she did.
“We have to go,” she whispered, barely pulling her lips away from mine.
Her eyes were wildly excited, but her actions cold and precise. “Okay,” I agreed, deciding now wasn’t the time to argue.
She rushed me from the room, shared an elevator with me, barely speaking, and then jumped into a black car out front, leaving me to ride with the other players on the shuttle.
My eyes pulled to Kat like magnets to metal as she led the kids in a cheer. “Here.” She handed me a speed gun. My hand grazed over hers as I took the device from her. What was it about her that drove me so wild?
The kids lined up, all taking a turn at the pitcher’s mound while I clocked their speed. One boy, Jimmy, he was a natural, throwing out thirty mile an hour balls toward the batter. “Wow. You got some arm,” I told him, his cheeks rounding with pride.
“You’re really great with these kids,” she said softly, her hand sliding gently up my arm as she spoke.
“I have a surprise for you after this,” I grinned. I knew her curiosity was bursting as she gazed at me with that beautiful smirk and those gorgeous, narrowed eyes.
“Are you ready to watch how the pitcher and catcher work together?” she yelled to the kids, ignoring my comment. They all cheered as Calvin took the mound.
I handed the speed gun to Ace, loaded my gear on, and took my spot at the plate. Kat explained every move we made, giving the kids an insight into how we had to work together. They all oohed and awed at the accuracy in each pitch. It felt good to get the credit for my part, even if only from a group of fifth graders. Kat smiled in my direction as she told the kids to watch where I placed my glove. Calvin slammed the ball into my palm, each time, exactly where I directed him.
The kids had a blast, and I had to admit, so did I. But the tension between me and Kat was growing stronger with each glance, and I was glad it was finally over. “Hang back,” I said as I passed Kat and headed out the door with the other players.
Everyone climbed onto the shuttle, Ace and Calvin expressing excitement to get back to their girls. I envied them. But, for now, I had my girl.
“You comin’?” Calvin asked, holding the door.
“No, I got a ride,” I said, motioning over my shoulder at the red Corvette pulling up.
“Nice,” he said with a wink.
A tall man wearing a suit exited the Corvette, handed me the keys, and had me sign for the car. As he headed to the car waiting for him, Kat walked out of the school. “What’s this?” she asked, her eyes wide and expressive.
“Our ride to the beach,” I smiled.
She seemed reluctant as I opened the passenger door. The shuttle, the team, and any sign of the media were gone. “I’ll take it easy,” I promised.
Her lips tightened, but they were fighting back a smile, I could tell. I laughed. “Baby, you’re gonna have to learn to let go.”
I started the car, revved the engine, and peeled out of the parking lot as Kat gripped the dashboard so tight her knuckles whitened. “You said you’d take it easy,” she squealed.
The excitement in her eyes told me she wanted it, but her tone said something entirely different. I let off the gas and cruised past our condo. “Where are we going?” she asked.
“I have this all night. I’d hate to let it go to waste,” I smiled, moving off the A1A.
Once on the highway, she relaxed. “This is a nice car,” she said, sliding her hand across the leather interior.
“You want to see what it can do?” I asked, grinning in her direction.
“Maybe just a little,” she giggled.
My foot pushed on the gas, speeding the car up to eighty, and then ninety in just a few seconds. The force sent her back against her seat, laughter, squeals, and excitement oozed from her as we raced down the highway. “Faster?” I asked.
Her cheeks were bright red, and her eyes wild as she nodded. A soft squeal escaped her lips as I punched it, sending her back further into her seat. My body rushed with adrenaline, a much-needed sensation I’d missed these last several weeks. Watching her light up, enjoying the speed, and knowing she trusted me made the sensation all that more enjoyable.
I let off the gas, slowed to the speed limit, and watched her eyes move toward the cop sitting along the side of the road. As we passed him, she laughed, “Close one.”
I whipped the car into the parking lot of a jet ski rental shop. “What are we doing here?” she asked, the excitement in her voice turning to anxiousness.