The Ace (13 page)

Even though she and Jerry had never said they were exclusive, for some reason Karen wasn’t even interested in meeting anyone else. She kept telling herself that she wasn’t in a committed relationship and she was free to see whom she wanted, but she just couldn’t muster up any enthusiasm about it. It wasn’t because she had feelings for Jerry, because she definitely didn’t. It was only because of the amazing sex they’d had. So she’d canceled her date with the bartender without a second thought, telling him—and Maddie—that she’d had a last minute meeting with a client.

“I wonder what’s up with Jerry,” Maddie wondered aloud.

Karen forced her expression and voice to remain disinterested. “What do you mean?”

“Well, there’s obviously something going on. He’s not pitching like he used to. You can see that. I mean, who can’t? Everyone’s asking about it, speculating on it. Before this season, I don’t think I can ever remember him not going a full eight innings.”

“It probably just wasn’t his night. He can’t be perfect all of the time.”

Maddie stopped and turned with her hand on her hip. “This is Jerry we’re talking about, remember? Of course he has to be perfect.”

“Why do you say that?” Karen asked as she stood next to her at the counter. “I think he’s realistic in what he can accomplish.”

“What I mean is, while you’d never know by how he’s always joking around and being goofy, Jerry puts a lot of pressure on himself and he takes all this very seriously. In his mind, he has to be perfect every five days when it’s his turn in the pitching rotation. Hell, if he doesn’t have a shutout every time, he thinks that’s not good enough. Especially now with this contract.”

“What about his contract?”

Maddie gave her a look of disbelief. “Where have you been? He signed like the biggest contract ever offered to a pitcher in Detroit. Didn’t you hear that?”

“No, I meant what does that have to do with it?”

“Well, at the time, Chase was worried that all of the attention from it was going to impact Jerry’s game, put too much stress on him. Maybe that’s what we’re seeing. He hasn’t been himself in his last few starts, that’s for sure.”

“Huh...maybe...” Karen mumbled.

“What?” Maddie asked, eyeing her sharply. “Do
you
know of another reason why his game is off?”

Karen stepped back from the force of her gaze. “No! Why are you looking at me like that? Why would I know anything? I’m just his real estate agent, for freak’s sake, not his shrink.”

Maddie narrowed her eyes before turning back to the sink. “Humph.”

“What does that mean?”

She whipped around and pointed a wet finger at her. “I’m not sure I believe you, Karen Bently. You two were definitely acting pretty friendly at the engagement party. I can’t believe you would lie to me. Me,” she said as she poked her chest with her finger, “of all people.”

Karen refused to feel guilty. “How am I lying? I don’t know what’s going on in his head.” That was true, at least.

“You’re not telling me something and you know it.” Before Karen could say anything, Maddie waved her off. “Don’t bother denying it anymore. You’ll tell me in your own time, I guess.”

The phone on the wall in the kitchen rang and saved Karen from having to continue her fabrications. Maddie reached for it and beamed as she answered it, knowing who it was from the caller ID.

“Hi, honey. How are you?”

When Maddie sat down at the table to settle in as she talked to Chase, Karen grabbed her purse and kissed her cheek before heading out the front door. She climbed in her car and let out a breath.

She would not feel bad for wanting to keep what was going on between her and Jerry quiet, especially since it was only sex. Nothing else. Others didn’t need to know about their business and she knew if she did say anything, Maddie would start trying to set up double dates and wanting to have a double wedding or whatever else that could be doubled. They were two consenting adults and what happened between them was just that—between them. There was nothing else to discuss.

Stepping into her house, Karen walked into the kitchen and placed her purse on the table. She grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge and turned as she took a sip, eyeing the front pocket of her handbag. Unable to stop herself, she pulled out her cell phone and checked the display for any missed calls. Seeing none, she quickly bit back the disappointment and shook her head.

“Why would you think he would call you?” she muttered. “You’re not his girlfriend, idiot.”

Walking into the living room with her bottle of water in one hand and her phone in the other, she sat on the couch and closed her eyes. She was beginning to expect things out of Jerry that was beyond what they had agreed to—beyond what she even wanted. Why would she think he would call her from the road? She didn’t even want that. She wanted things simple and carefree, and that’s what she was going to get—no promises, no responsibility and no commitment. They’d had sex—incredible sex—and that was all she needed. She could use him until she was done with him and then toss him out and move on to the next model. It was how she’d lived her life so far, and there was no reason to change it now when it worked. No one got hurt and everybody came out a winner.

Then why did she feel a slight ache in her chest that told her she missed him? Why did she find her thoughts continuously returning to him, wondering what he was doing and whether he was thinking about her?

Karen glanced back down at the cell phone in her hand and tossed it into the corner of the couch with a huff. She was starting to get clingy in her old age and that just pissed her off. She didn’t do the insecure, dependence thing—not anymore. She had to put a stop to things before they became even more muddled, and she would—the next time she saw him. She’d had her taste of Jerry, and although it was the best she’d ever had, it was time to move on, and that was what she was going to do.

Chapter Thirteen

A loud pounding broke through Karen’s deep sleep and she shot up in bed, confused. She tried to hold her breath, listening for the noise that had woken her, but her heart was thudding so loudly in her chest that it reverberated like a jackhammer, making it hard to hear anything else. She shook her head as she tried to shake off the sleepy fuzziness, not certain whether the sound she’d heard was real or from her dreams.

She took another deep breath, trying to calm her erratic heart, and waited for the noise to repeat. When it did a couple of seconds later, she glanced at the clock. Who the hell would be at her door at two in the morning? Only a serial killer, in her opinion, but she seriously doubted he’d announce his arrival, so it had to be someone she knew.

Stumbling out of bed, she staggered through the darkness clothed only in her violet silk pajama top with small pearl buttons down the front and matching bikini underwear. As Karen passed the kitchen, she gave a quick thought to retrieving the newly purchased Taser from her purse, but then decided against it. As much as she wanted to Tase whoever it was pounding on her door this late for waking her, she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

Reaching the picture window in the front room, she lurched for the blinds and peeked out. When she spotted the familiar silver Porsche sitting in her driveway behind her car, she stepped back stunned. What was he doing here?

Jerry banged on the door again, somewhat louder this time, as she ran her fingers through her hair before unlatching the lock and opening it for him. He was dressed in loose jeans, flip-flops and a navy crew neck T-shirt that hugged his muscles and made her want to cuddle right up against him. He looked at her with a big grin and stepped in.

“Wha...” she started to ask, still in a state of shock but then quickly recovered. “Is this a booty call?”

“It’s more like a booty visit,” he answered simply.

“Jerry, it’s two in the morning,” Karen stated as if he had no idea what time it was.

“I’m aware of that. I’m sorry if I woke you.”

“You’re sorry if you... What the hell else would I be doing besides sleeping?” She ran her fingers through her hair again, trying to brush out the snarls created by sleep. “Jesus, I must look the mess.”

His face was lit by the bright moonlight filtering through the blinds and she watched as his eyes slowly trailed over her body. They came back up to meet hers before he smiled again and stepped toward her. “I think you look delicious. Barney has nothing on you.”

“Really? You’re comparing me to a big, fat dinosaur? You really know how to smooth-talk a woman, Jer. Especially one you’ve just woken up at two in the morning.”

His dimple flashed as he put one hand on the small of her back and pulled her closer to him. “If you want me to leave, tell me, but I really don’t want to.”

“Well, now that I’m awake neither do I,” she said as she reached up, put her arms around his neck and snuggled against his long body. She would end things later. One more time wouldn’t hurt. “I might as well get something out of being so rudely woken up and compared to Barney.”

Jerry smirked as he let her tug him toward her bedroom. “I’ll make sure I make it up to you completely.”

She fell back onto the bed, pulling him down with her. “Oh, believe me, you will.”

They had their clothes off in no time and were at each other as if they hadn’t been together in years. She ached to feel him and couldn’t wait any longer.

“Jerry...” she pleaded between kisses. “Please...now.”

“I know,” he murmured before lifting up and reaching toward his wallet.

“What are you doing?” she asked, somewhat startled by the sudden separation.

“Condom,” he said as he stopped mid-reach and looked back at her.

“Screw it,” she said as she pulled him back down to her. “I’m on the Pill and clean. You?”

“I’m not on the Pill, but I’m clean,” he said before driving into her.

They rode each other without pause before collapsing, each of them struggling to catch their breaths. When she felt like her spirit had reconnected with her body, Karen lifted her head and glanced at where he lay facedown into the mattress.

“You okay over there?”

Jerry turned his head back toward her. “Yeah, I think I’m good. You?”

She put her head down and stretched her arms out with a satisfied purr. “Oh, yeah.”

“I told you I’d make it up to you,” he said as he rolled, pulling her into his arms.

“Well, I don’t know if that completely makes up for it, especially the Barney comparison, but it’s at least a half payment.” Karen snuggled against him but lurched back when she heard his stomach grumble loudly. “You work up an appetite?”

“I haven’t had a meal in I don’t know how long. I’m starved.”

“Well, why didn’t you say something?” She smacked his butt as she got up and reached for her panties and top. “Get dressed and come out to the kitchen. I’ll make you a snack.”

He propped himself up on one elbow as he watched her dress. “Like what?”

“You’ll have to see. Come on.”

* * *

She walked out of the room and Jerry smiled. He could get used to someone cooking for him, since he definitely wasn’t a master chef or anything. His microwave usually got a good workout.

He walked into the kitchen clothed only in his hunter green boxers and found her chopping up spinach next to already-chopped tomatoes and mushrooms. A container of something white and chunky sat next to the cutting board.

“What are you making?” he asked, eyeing the ingredients with some trepidation.

Karen gave a small laugh and pointed with the knife at one of the wood chairs surrounding the small round table. “Sit down. It’s a Greek omelet. You’ll like it, I promise.”

Jerry raised his brow, not sure he believed her, but he was game to try anything at least once, so he sat at the table and watched her. She moved with confidence, chopping the vegetables with finesse, like he’d seen chefs do on the cooking shows. She had all of the ingredients neatly prepped, ready to go, and when he caught a glimpse inside an open cabinet, he could see that everything inside was neat and organized, just like the rest of the kitchen.

“So this is why you check out all of the kitchens.”

Karen glanced at him over her shoulder as she cooked the eggs. “What do you mean?”

“You like to cook.”

“I love to cook,” she corrected.

She deftly transferred the omelet from the pan onto a plate and topped it with some chopped parsley before placing it on the table in front of him. She reached into a drawer and pulled out a fork. “Here you go.”

He took a deep breath of the steam rising and had to admit it smelled really good, even if he was a bit leery of the ingredients. He started with a slow, cautious bite as she watched while pouring him a glass of water. Jerry chewed slowly, totally expecting to gag from whatever the white stuff was, but he was pleasantly surprised and took another, bigger taste.

“This is awesome,” he mumbled around a mouthful.

Karen set the glass of water down on the table and sat across from him, her eyes filled with delight. “I’m glad you like it.”

“Where’s yours?” he asked.

“I’m not hungry.”

“You sure? After that workout I just put you through, you should be starving,” he said as he plowed his way through the omelet. Jerry smiled when he glanced up and caught her mid-eye roll. “Seriously, this is amazing. You should cook for a living.”

“That was the plan, but it didn’t work out and now it’s too late.”

He frowned. “Why is it too late?”

She huffed out a breath. “It just is. Stop asking so many questions.”

“What? Do you have to go to a school or something?”

“Jerry, stop,” Karen pleaded.

“What? I’m just trying to understand.”

“There’s nothing to understand, okay?” Her eyes were hard.

He sat back in his chair and took a drink of water. There was a story there, and he was curious, but she wasn’t going to divulge it. He’d press on it later. “Fine. I’m sorry.”

Karen picked up his plate and carried it to the sink. “You don’t need to apologize. Really, there isn’t much to tell and it’s boring anyways.”

Jerry pushed his chair away and reached for her, pulling her down into his lap. “I doubt that. Nothing about you is boring.”

She put her arms around his neck and smiled as she leaned in to give him a small kiss. “You’re just drunk on food and sex.”

He shrugged. “Probably, because God knows you bore the hell out of me any other time.” He swiped at the table, pushing the place mat and glass out of the way. Lifting her up, he sat her on the top of it and stood up. “How picky are you about your kitchen?”

“Very,” she answered with narrow eyes. “Why?”

“So you wouldn’t like it if I had you on this table?” he inquired as his fingers hooked her underwear and slowly trailed them down her legs.

Her skin flushed a light pink. “Probably not. It’s not very sanitary.”

“Are you going to stop me?” he asked as he released himself from his boxers.

Her blood surged and she quivered when he nudged against her. “I should try...”

He put his hands on her waist and pulled her onto him. “Too late.”

Feeling her squeeze around him, he closed his eyes as he tried to ward off his release, which was quickly rushing toward him. He wanted to make things last as long as he could, never tiring of how wonderful she felt. It was no wonder he’d found himself on her doorstep during the early morning hours.

There was no way he was going to tell her that as soon as the plane had touched down, he’d headed straight over to her house, despite being spent and exhausted after the long road trip. He’d thought about her the entire time and he wasn’t going to wait any longer to have her. He ached for her, needed to touch her, to be with her, and nothing was going to stop him after being away from her for almost two weeks. He’d told himself he would beg and plead if he had to, whatever she wanted him to do. He wasn’t ready to let Karen out of his sights just yet.

* * *

Karen’s head fell back and she closed her eyes at the commanding desire that pulsed through her. It didn’t seem to matter how many times she was with him, each time seemed more powerful than the previous. All it took was a couple of words and a look, maybe a slight touch, and Jerry had her eating out of his hand. She’d never experienced this before and she wasn’t sure she could turn her back on it, even though she knew she should. She had to.

When she looked at him, Karen found him watching her with a dark, intense gaze, as he drove into her. Catching her eye, Jerry pulled her roughly to him, his mouth moving aggressively over hers, nipping her bottom lip with his teeth. His hand left her hip and his thumb stroked her, causing her to shudder and tremble. She moaned and her forehead fell to his shoulder as she pressed against his finger, her climax just frustratingly out of reach. He leaned down and gently bit the side of her neck, which threw her over the edge as she bucked against him, making the table creak and groan. Soon after, Jerry let out a low moan next to her ear and she felt him pulse within her before he stilled.

Stepping back from her, Jerry hung his head and took a deep breath through his nose. She could see the exhaustion on his face and knew he was on his last leg, but her heart tumbled when he gave her a tired smile and gently gathered her into his arms to carry her into the bedroom.

They lay quietly together in the dark before he spoke softly.

“Tell me about your family. Do you have any other brothers or sisters besides Shannon?”

Trying to ignore the alarms going off in her head, Karen turned toward him. There was just enough light in the room that she could make out his eyes, fixed on her. “Why do you want to know about my family?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because it’s...I don’t know...personal.”

“And you don’t think I should know you personally?” Jerry asked simply, but she could hear a slight edge in his voice.

“This isn’t a personal relationship, Jerry. Remember?”

That pushed him over. He sat up on his elbow. “I don’t know about you, Karen, but I think what you and I just did, two times, is quite personal.”

She tried not to let his anger touch her. He was right, but she didn’t want to go along with it. She couldn’t. Maybe he was simply asking about her family as a friend, but she couldn’t help worrying that once that door opened, there was no closing it. She was surprised to find that she wanted to tell him, was touched that he was curious. But it could only lead to bad things, and she’d promised herself she would never open herself up like that again. “It’s different.”

“How the fuck is it different? I just asked about your family, I didn’t ask you to move in with me or get married.”

“Don’t fucking swear at me, you asshole,” she said, her anger, triggered by his, quickly rearing its head.

He laughed darkly. “Oh, you’re a prize, Karen.”

“Hey,” she said as she shot up. “I didn’t fucking ask you to come over here, remember?”

He sat up, as well. “No, you didn’t. I came because I wanted to, but now I’m starting to wonder why.”

“Then get the fuck out,” she said as she pointed toward the bedroom door. “Nobody is keeping you here.”

Jerry studied her for a moment, his eyes hard and cold. The lines of his face were rigid and his mouth tense as he gritted his teeth. She could tell he was working over one retort after another before finally shaking his head. “No, I’m not going, even if you swear more than my teammates, because that’s just what you want. Clean and easy and I’m not giving you that.” He sat back against the headboard, propped up by the pillow. “As a matter of fact, I’m going to sit here and tell you about my family.”

She hesitated a second before grumbling in frustration. “You’re unbelievable.”

“I grew up in Minnesota. I’m not sure if you knew that, but that’s where I’m from, a small town outside of Duluth. My parents are still there and I have a younger brother, Nick, who is ten years younger than me, and a little sister, Amanda. She’s sixteen.” He looked at her and smirked, ignoring her mutters that he’d lost his mind. “I was a mistake, I guess you could say. They’re both awesome and I miss them like crazy. Nick’s in the game too, but he wants to be a shortstop. No pitching for him, even though I think he’d be amazing at it.”