Page 18 of Naked

A sweet sound of frustration

Hunter

After the game we all went out to dinner.Everyone.We shut down a family style Italian restaurant and gorged ourselves on pasta and red wine. Tilley smiled and laughed more than she ever used to. I think she always held a part of herself back.

But now? For some reason she wasn’t anymore. She laughed and laughed with Emily and Marissa—something I’d never seen her do—and even sat and talked with Joachim for a while.

I couldn't stop watching her.

But then again, it was probably best that we were apart for long stretches. Otherwise I might maul her. As it was I was trying to not get hard watching her walk ahead of me down the hotel hallway. “I booked you onto the same flight as Marissa and Emily. The team plane leaves an hour before yours.”

“You didn’t have to do that.” She stopped in front of our door. “I could have booked my own flight.”

“I got it. I am the one who dragged you across the continent after all. Besides, you haven’t had to do all this before.”

“What about after LA?”

“I booked you a flight with Emily and Marissa. They’ll drop you at my apartment.”

Instead of fighting me she simply said, “Thank you. I appreciate it.”

“And I appreciate you giving us this chance.” I didn’t unlock the door. Instead I slid my hand along her hip and stepped into her. “Can I kiss you?” We hadn’t kissed in hours.

I loved the way her eyes wandered over my face before answering. “Yes. I’d like that.”

I put my other hand on her other hip and kissed her lightly on the lips. No tongue. I liked starting soft and slow because it made her greedy. She always made a noise in the back of her throat—a sweet sound of frustration—and always rose up on her toes to find more.

I fucking loved it.

And okay, there was a certain amount of satisfaction in knowing she wanted me. Seeing and hearing the evidence of her desire made me feel satisfied.

Except right now it was also making me veryunsatisfied. Because all I wanted was more and more andmore.“All right. In we go.” I unlocked the door and pushed it open with my arm. She ducked inside with a shy smile that I wanted to see again, but with her naked.

“Hunter? Is that you?” An all too familiar female voice called from beside me.

I froze. Tilley frowned. I swung my gaze to the right until it collided with Sonja Peters, six foot tall bombshell with Major Leagues TV.

“Sonja. Long time no see.” She was moved from our league to the other, so I hadn’t seen her since last season at least.

“Well aren’t you a breath of fresh air.” She came to a stop inches from our open door.

Tilley still stood frozen and I had no idea what to do. It wasn’t like I wanted to see Sonja and I definitely didn’t want to introduce a woman I once dated to the woman I was trying to date.

So I turned and physically blocked the door. “You working Seattle these days?”

Her red lips turned upward. “Covering for Martinique while she’s on maternity. Started today. You hit well.”

I had hit well. Because Tilley was there and I had to show off. It was like my brain was taken over by my dick and every stupid blaring siren in my body went off. I had more energy, more saves, more throws, and hit a home run in the eighth all because she was there. I wanted her to think I was the greatest shortstop in the history of baseball, which was probably a reach because Tilley had all those stats in her head and could probably tell me I currently sat in 112th place overall, or some shit like that.

“Thank you. Well, I’m headed to bed. Early flight tomorrow.”

She put her hand on my arm and I swear every hair on my body stood upright in shock. “I could keep you company, if you like.”

Suddenly the door disappeared behind me and I just barely managed to stay upright thanks to my hand on the doorframe. Tilley filled the space behind me and she wasnothappy.

Also, she was hot as fuck.

“Hi, I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Tilley Villanueva, Hunter’s girlfriend.”

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