Page 98 of Coach Me
Dex runs his hand lightly on my thigh. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to put you in this situation, Lucie. If you’re uncomfortable with it, please tell me. I’ll take care of it.”
“This might sound really weird to hear, but in a way, I kind of need to be a teammate to Kate too. Us aside?—”
“No, not us aside,” Dex interrupts, and while it’s a sweet gesture, there’s more to it than us—there’s no other way for me to look at it.
“Not entirely what I meant. Look, Dex, Kate’s a part of your team whether either of you likes it or not. Actually, scratch that—we’re all on Miles’s team. I can spend the daywith Kate and try to find the balance of not overstepping her role on this team and still keeping your boundaries. Will it be awkward? Probably, but you also walked in on me juggling on my first day. I don’t think I’ve ever felt more awkward in my life than at that moment.”
Dex shakes his head with a small laugh. I know this is hard for him, and just as he thinks he’s figuring out a good routine with Miles, it shifts.
“Miles is the priority here, Dex. You know that, I know that. I believe that Kate knows it too.”
Dex cups my face. “You’re incredible.”
I shrug. “What was incredible was watching you pitch again.”
Dex rolls his eyes playfully. I knew he enjoyed it. He just needs a few nudges, and I think I could talk him into it.
“Any reason you threw harder for Beck, Tripp, and Adam? I didn’t think the purpose of batting practice was to strike them out necessarily.”
“Eh, they made a stupid bet. They all owe me fifty bucks now.”
“Aren’t you all, oh, what’s that word again? Rich? Millionaires?”
“Yep.” Dex places a kiss on my forehead. “They started it.”
I shake my head. “Boys.”
Dex and I spend the next hour watching as warm-ups change from the Blues to Baltimore's team. I work on Miles’s last turtle and I swear I’m never doing this again. Dex gets a good laugh every time I miscount my stitches and nearly scream in frustration.
By the time I finish the body, Dex has to head out for his meeting with Olsson.
“You going to stay here for a little bit longer?” Dex asks as he stands us both up.
I set all of my stuff back in my canvas bag. “I think I’ll go find Callie, maybe walk around with her for a bit.”
“Okay, Luce, after you.” Dex motions for me to head out first, but then his hand catches my arm. “Shit, hold on.”
“What’s up, Coach?” I chuckle at his abrupt change, but Dex doesn’t say anything, he simply reaches for his duffle bag on the floor and pulls out his hat from last season—hislast season.
Yesterday, when he gave me his hat to wear, it felt tense. Even though I know now why it was tense. This time, he’s looking at me like it means something to him. Which is good because this means a lot to me.
Dex places his hat on my head gently, then softly brushes my hair to my back and slides his hands slowly down, causing chills to pop up on my arms.
He lets out a small exhale. “That’s better.”
My heart nearly explodes, considering I snarkily asked him yesterday if he was better after I put on his hat, and he told me no.
I can feel the blush coming to my cheeks. “Yeah, it is.”
I agreed to moments with Dex because I think he’ll be worth the wait. I don’t need him to make all these big declarations, and, yeah, I love the grand gestures, but these small ones seem to pack a pretty good punch too.
Dex’s eyes slowly trail down to my lips.
I’m not entirely sure what it is, but I need him to kiss me. I should probably be tapped out on make outs and orgasms with him for at least a little bit…but I’m not. I want more.
Dex must clearly feel the same as he snakes one arm through to the small of my back, pulling me to him while hisother hand threads through my hair, knocking the hat he just placed on my head to the floor before claiming my lips with his.
I wrap my arms around his shoulders with a pleased hum as I lean my body deeper into his. Dex’s hands find the back of my thighs, picking me up and setting me down right on top of his desk.
