SIXTEEN
For an hour after Brianna left my apartment, I lay in bed, replaying our morning together. The pillow on the opposite side of the bed still smelled like her—a subtle floral hint that followed her path. Like a chump, I pulled it closer, holding on as if it were Brianna’s curves instead.
The woman was going to be the death of me, that was for sure. She might have only wanted me for one night, but after everything we’d shared, there was no way I’d let her go that easily. Maybe I shouldn’t be having those types of thoughts, especially when Brianna made it clear she wasn’t looking for anything more than a hook-up, but the idea of never seeing her eyes light up in pleasure again made my stomach sour, and I desperately wanted to call her back into my bed.
Looking over at the other side of my bed, I smiled to myself. I’d never be able to walk through my apartment without getting a semi again. She’d infiltrated my space, and for the first time, I didn’t mind.
When it came to women, I had a lot of rules to protect myself.
Number one—no one cameto my apartment.
This place was my solace, the one place in the world where I didn’t have to perform. Being a professional baseball player was the goal, but the cameras and attention drained me. When I was in the public eye, every move was orchestrated, every smile practiced, especially with Melanie’s warning about my reputation. I needed a place that was just mine, and this was it. Nestled in the city’s heart, it reminded me of what I worked hard to achieve but also allowed me to drop the mask inside its walls.
But last night, I didn’t hesitate to bring Brianna here, to let her into my inner sanctum. I didn’t want to think too deeply about why that was.
And then, there was her spending the night, a first in a long time for me. Part of always going to the woman’s place meant leaving as soon as we were done, no awkward cuddling with a ticking clock above my head. However, when Brianna tried to leave, I pulled her back, unwilling to let her walk out just yet.
What the fuck was that?
An alarm blared out from my phone, alerting me it was time to get ready for the game tonight. As I shifted to turn it off, there were already dozens of texts in our team group chat, trying to confirm our usual pre-game rituals.
CAM
You alive, cap?
PARKER
Holy shit. D’s not the first one texting? Send an SOS
BENNY
How do I keep getting added to this bullshit?
Benny Weber left the chat
Parker Drobrek added Benny Weber to thechat
PARKER
Our fearless leader needs to be a part of this.
BENNY
Fucking children, I swear.
CAM
Seriously—D, are you okay?
ME
Yeah, slept in a little. Heading to the stadium in ten.
PARKER
Sign of life!
I groaned as I placed my phone back on the nightstand and ambled into the bathroom. Bypassing the mirror, I headed straight toward the shower, letting the water warm before climbing into the glass enclosure. The water rained down from above me, washing away all traces of Brianna from my skin. As much as it needed to happen, I almost wished I could hold on a little longer, unable to get her out of my mind.
