Sweet Spot: A Bad Boy Sports Romance (Bad Boys of Summer Book 2) (26 page)

I giggled. “Great. I’ll let Daddy know she’s trying to go cougar.”

Jay laughed and shoved a few of the chips into his mouth. He shrugged and then reached for a napkin. When he’d wiped off his fingers and chased the chips down with a swig from his beer bottle, he looked to Claire. “What do you think? Do I need to worry about this Trey guy?”

“I’d be more worried
for
him. Sounds like he’s got it pretty bad for our little Joey girl here.” Claire sipped her wine. “I haven’t gotten her to confess if the feelings are mutual. For all I know, she might be plotting to break his heart and steal all his money.”

I groaned. “Very flattering, Claire.”

She laughed and feigned innocence. She was just digging for dirt. So far, I hadn’t actually told anyone—including Trey—exactly how I felt about him. It wasn’t that I didn’t know. I’d known for some time that my heart had tipped over the edge and fallen hard for him during our stay in Texas. But, in the months since being back in Oklahoma City, neither of us had said it out loud. It was just kind of there. An unspoken heaviness that gave weight and meaning to all of our interactions. Every kiss felt different. Deeper. When we were in bed together, and our eyes met, a zing of lightning would strike, flashing in our eyes. It was obvious but I couldn’t get the words out.

“It does seem like he’s pretty head over heels. This is quite the party,” Jay said, glancing around the box. I followed his eyes, stopping to look at Danny and his new girlfriend, Sophia from the marketing department at the station. Hallie, from PR, was there too. My other brother, Clarke was glued to her side. My parents were chatting with the bartender, each with a drink in their hand, laughing and smiling. It warmed me through to see everyone together. My third brother, Roger, wasn’t able to join us, but he’d called the night before to ask what I was doing with a pro baseball player. He was the most skeptical of the bunch.

“Yeah, it was sweet of him to fly y’all out.” I nodded and took another long sip. I smiled to myself, remembering the way he’d told me. We were in bed together, after another electric night, and while he was running his fingertips over my bare skin, he asked if I wanted to come to his big game. I of course, said yes, and then he told me, “Good, ’cause I already bought everyone’s tickets.”

It was just another way that he was the polar opposite from his public persona. Where the media wanted to portray him as this selfish, cocky, douchebag, he was actually one of the most considerate guys I’d ever met. Certainly the best man I’d ever been with. All other men paled in comparison to him.

“So, spill!” Claire said, going back to demanding answers. “What’s happening with you two? Are you moving in? Getting engaged? Having a million babies?”

I laughed nervously and looked to Jay, hoping he’d deflect the spotlight, but he was waiting too. “We’ve talked about getting a place…”

Claire squealed and bounced up and down in her seat. Good thing she’d already polished off most of her wine. “I knew it!”

“When he was first traded, he didn’t get a place here. He’s been living in a hotel for the last few months. But, he’s looking into buying a place now, and he invited me to move in with him.”

“So, are you?” Jay prompted.

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I haven’t answered him yet. Things have been a little crazy for me too, with the story and all the publicity. I’m going to be traveling a lot in the next few months on a special assignment. And then, of course, Trey has a lot of traveling to do if this game goes well and they get into the finals. I told him I don’t want to make any big decisions on the future until we get through the next few weeks and see where everything lands.”

Claire frowned at me. It was obvious that she thought I was deranged. “Why must you always be so practical?”

Jay laughed and dropped an arm around my shoulders. “She’s always been like that.”

I smiled at him. “What do you think I should do? Time for a little brotherly advice.”

“If you love him, then I think you should go for it. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen?”

“That’s it? That’s your advice?”

He laughed and pulled me into his side for a quick embrace. “Yep! Thing is, Jo, I trust you have your head on straight. Look at everything you’ve accomplished since moving up here? Was I worried at first? Hell yeah. But you’ve proven time and time again that you can take care of yourself. I’m not too worried about you, baby sis.”

Tears pricked at my eyes. It was one of the sweetest things Jay had ever said to me. I dropped my head against his shoulder for a moment. “Thanks, Jay.”

Claire was still considering me with a careful eye and I could see the wheels turning. I hadn’t actually answered her question.

Thankfully, the game started, and I was let off the hot seat as everyone in the box turned their attention to the flat screens. I used a pair of binoculars to get a better look at the field. Trey wasn’t out there yet. Coach would probably hold him back until the bases were loaded and line him up for one of his trademark smashes.

And Trey didn’t disappoint. Cody Wright kicked ass on the pitcher’s mound and after he got the other team out, Trey took over cleaning up at the bases. I watched intently, almost as anxious as long-time fans. I might be a new fan, but every inch of me was invested in the outcome. I wanted Trey to take the team to the finals. It would be a nice “f you” to all the haters and media that had shit on him for the past few years. He was primed and ready for a massive comeback, and I would be the girl in the stands, cheering my ass off, and watching him bring it home for the team, the city, and even more importantly, for himself.

My family and friends all locked into the game and watched as the Warriors took over and flattened the hungry—and higher seeded—team.

When the final inning started, the game was essentially over, but I held on, breath baited, every muscle tensed until the very last play. Only then did I shoot to my feet and holler. “They won! The Warriors are going to the finals!”

Champagne flowed and everyone cheered. As I glanced around at everyone’s face, I realized the only thing missing was Trey standing by my side. I hurried to drink my glass of champagne and then raced off to find my man.

Josie

“Okay, we’re here, so just tell me!” I squirmed in my seat as Trey’s truck came to a stop. I reached up to tug at the blindfold around my eyes but Trey lightly slapped my hand away.

“You’re impossible.”

“Hey, that’s my line.”

He chuckled. “Well after tonight, I think you’ve stolen the title.”

I huffed, feigning irritation, but I couldn’t stop smiling. Trey and I had both been ‘working our nuts off’ to use his phrasing, and finally, by some miracle, managed to have a night off together. He teased me endlessly about some surprise plan he’d cooked up, but no matter how hard I tried, he wouldn’t budge on giving up any of the details. I’d even tried withholding sex. Although, that had only lasted about five minutes, Trey can be extremely persuasive with the right motivation.

Trey’s door opened and a moment later, mine did as well. He guided me out of the car and took me by the arm. “Aren’t you worried that someone is going to get a picture of us like this? What would the gossip mags say if they had a pic of you leading some blindfolded woman away into the night?”

Trey chuckled. “I’m not too worried about it. We’re not in a place where paparazzi or fans are likely to pop out from behind a bush.”

“Hmmm.” I tapped my finger against my lips. “Had to be at night time, no people around, and I’m blindfolded. This isn’t something kinky is it?” I asked, even as a thrill went through me at the glimmer of a chance that it was something dark and dirty.

Trey wrapped his arm tighter around my waist. “Maybe a little…”

I laughed and leaned into him. It felt so good just to be together. After the story about the senator ran, the media backlash was like a tidal wave. I made a lot of friends and new connections—but there were some enemies too. Michael Arlington was probably chief among them. But, as long as he left my father out of it, I didn’t care. I was just glad Daddy wasn’t in on his shenanigans. Trey and the Warriors had made it into the finals, even beating out his old team on their way to the top, but hadn’t clenched the trophy. However, while Trey and the rest of the team were upset for a few weeks, they rallied and promised to hit it even harder next season. The Warriors had made it farther than they had in over a decade and had a steady line up to make the rest of the league quiver in anticipation of what would be waiting for them on opening day.

At first, Trey had gone into a little bit of a slump. We’d seen each other as often as possible, but I was spending a lot of time traveling the country, doing an assignment for the station on a new tech corporation that was taking the business world by storm. I’d scored an interview with the CEO and CFO. Trey called often while I was on the road, but had felt a little distant to me. At first, I’d worried that he wanted out. That the idea of domesticity was wearing thin and as he began the house hunt for us, he was having second thoughts. Turned out, he was just upset about the loss, and needed a little space to himself.

Since then, things had snapped back into place, and we were getting close to settling on a large, six-bedroom home just outside the city limits. It screamed
married life
, but neither Trey nor I had let that scare us out of putting in an offer. I tried to convince Trey to let me chip in for the down payment, but he very gallantly refused. Something about him taking care of ‘his woman’ not the other way around.

“Is it a house?” I asked, the idea suddenly popping into my mind. Maybe we were in the underground lot for a swanky condo. We’d gone back and forth on looking for something inside the city or outside. The house we’d put an offer in on was beyond the limits, but close enough that Trey’s commute to the practice facility, and mine to the station wouldn’t be too beastly.

“No, it’s not a house. Now, stop fishing.” Trey said, his tone light and teasing. He was obviously very happy with his little game.

I pouted but didn’t ask anything else. He wasn’t going to give up the goods.

As we walked, I turned my attention to the ground under my heels. Asphalt. We were definitely in a parking lot somewhere. I couldn’t hear much more than the distant hum of traffic. Were we at the private air strip? Was Trey flying me to some exotic locale for a vacation? If so, had he cleared it with Mr. Jones? After my huge story, he’d be an idiot to fire me. But still…I was treading carefully until I built up more seniority. Even worse than never getting my foot in the door, would be to squander my hard work and become the journalistic equivalent to a one hit wonder.

Trey grabbed a hold of my shoulders and stopped me. “Okay, one sec.”

The sound of a door opening caught my ear and I cocked my head, trying to place the sound. Were we at a school? It sounded like the kind of door on a gym or cafeteria. Trey propelled me forward again and we walked for a long time over what sounded like concrete. Finally, we stopped, and Trey reached behind my head to tug loose the black, silky blindfold he’d placed on my head before we left my house.

I blinked a few times as my vision cleared and I adjusted to the new, bright lights. “The stadium?” I glanced up at Trey. “What are we doing here?”

“I’ll show you,” he replied, grinning as he reached for my hand.

“Should I be scared?”

Trey chuckled. “No. It’s a good surprise.”

He led the way to center field where an old-fashioned picnic basket and blanket were laid out. There were candles and an ice bucket with champagne chilling. “What’s all this?” I said, gawking at the romantic scene. It was like being a contestant on
The Bachelor
with a hot guy, perfect, private setting, and all the fairy tale touches. Only, instead of having some production assistant to thank, it was all done by Trey. Oh, and I didn’t have to knock twenty other bitches on their asses to get my chance with him.

He was already mine.

“I thought we needed a change up. Come on, sit. I got all your faves.”

“Trey, this is so sweet.”

He waited for me to take my seat, cross-legged, on the blanket before he sat beside me. He leaned over, a flicker of mischief shining in his dark eyes. “Confession time, I’ve always thought it would be super fuckin’ hot to get it on in the middle of the field.”

I laughed. “So, that’s the kinky part you promised.”

Trey grinned. “I can’t help myself when I’m with you. You know that, baby.”

I kissed him just long enough to let him know that I wasn’t completely opposed to his scandalous suggestion. “We’ll see where the night leads. How many bottles of bubbly you got squirreled away?”

Trey laughed and popped the top on the chilled bottle. “Just the one, so we’re gonna have to make the most of it.” He poured two glasses and then raised his in a toast. “To the most beautiful girl in the world.”

My cheeks warmed as I clinked my glass to his. “To the sweetest badass in the world.”

“Ha! Thanks. I think…”

I lifted my glass to my lips, lingering over the fizzing bubbles as they tickled my nose. It was high dollar champagne and I was going to enjoy every sip. “This is really good.”

“Glad you like.” Trey reclined back onto his forearms and my eyes ran down his body. He was wearing a fitted tee shirt and every muscle was outlined as the fabric stretched over his torso. He sipped his own champagne, staring off into space as I admired him. When he brought his eyes back to mine, he caught me staring at his abs and chuckled. “Damn, girl. You’re just as horny as I am.”

I giggled, but didn’t deny his accusation. “Are we really all alone?” I asked, glancing over each shoulder in turn.

“Sure are.”

“Hmmm. In that case…maybe we should talk a little more about this center field fantasy of yours.” I leaned forward on my knees and walked my fingers up Trey’s stomach.

His eyebrows shot up and he pounced on the opportunity. He captured my fingers with his and brought them to his lips. He pressed his mouth against the open palm of my hand and suggestively ran his tongue in little circles, keeping his eyes locked on mine. I shuddered at the flush of sensations and melted against him. He released my hand and applied his lips to mine in the kind of deep, breathless kiss that always made my heart race and my thighs clench together.