“I think six, maybe? It’s not bright out yet, but the sun is coming up. And someone is making coffee.”
She cracks one eyelid open, and even in the dim shelter of the tent, the light blue looks like diamonds. The subtle curve to her lips tips toward a bashful smile. She shifts her naked body against mine, careful to keep herself covered with the top layer of the sleeping bag, and when our eyes meet again, she quickly drops her forehead to mine and closes her eyes. She’s adorable when she’s embarrassed.
“You want coffee?” I sweep the stray hairs from her face and smooth them behind her ear before guiding her head to my lips and pressing a soft kiss to her skin.
“Yeah, that might help,” she says in a whisper.
“I’m going to assume you mean help with waking up and not help processing what went down, because I have zero regrets.” I’m being honest as I pull the top of the sleeping bag open so I can get to my feet. I reward myself with a solid glance at her naked body, however, and take a mental snapshot of her ample breasts and the thin trail of hair that leads to her fucking goddess of a pussy.
“I’ll answer that after the coffee,” she says, which feels a bit like a backtrack. I wince as my back is to her while I pull my jeans on and shove my feet into my still-damp shoes.
“If I learned anything on this trip, it’s pack backup shoes,” I grumble, my feet squishing against the sole as I amble my way through the tent opening with my shirt in my hand.
“Well, good morning, stud,” Adler teases. He’s in charge of the coffee, it seems, which is fitting since he probably knew he’d need to nurse a hangover this morning. He pours a cup from a large silver pot and hands it to Brooks, our rookie shortstop. I played with Brooks in high school, and he went to Iowa for college. He’s quiet, though it looks like Adler may have gotten him to open up last night, probably more than he wanted to. Brooks seems to be paying the price this morning, too.
“Hey, can I get a cup?” I ask, snagging a black travel mug from the top of the now-empty cooler and hold out it while Adler pours.
He gives me side eyes, and his smirk seems to be holding something back. I think I know what that is.
“No, this coffee is not for me. Yes, Renleigh is in my tent. And no, I am not going to give you any more details.” I take a sip from the full mug and keep my lips closed as I swallow down the hot, strong drink.
“Dude, you may just be a legend. Renleigh Blackwood hates ballplayers,” he says through a gurgled cough-laugh.
I gesture the mug toward him and squint one eye.
“Maybe she just hates bad ones,” I tease.
“Fuck off. You lucky fuck.” He tosses a hand towel at me that hits my back when I turn to walk away.
I leave the two of them with their hangovers and coffee, then dip my head as I slip back inside the tent. Renleigh is fully dressed when I get inside, and I’m not even shy about being disappointed.
“It’s not a nude camp, Hunter,” she scoffs, teasingly.
“But it could be,” I say, quirking a brow.
I kneel next to her as she slips on her boots, and offer her the coffee. She clutches it in both hands once her boot is tugged up her calf, humming as she takes a long sip.
“This is so terrible but so very good.”
I chuckle.
“Adler made it, and I have a feeling he just boiled coffee grounds into liquid.
She nods, still sipping, and utters over the rim of the mug, “Makes sense.”
I lower myself to fully sit on the ground, and I’m about to swing my leg around her so I can hold her against my chest, when she gets to her feet and backs up a few steps.
“So, this is Roddy’s stuff, huh?” She gestures to the rumpled sleeping bag that, in the light of day, is clearly too small for a couple. It’s barely big enough for a single, and definitely not one my size.
“It is. I borrowed it. I wanted to look like I knew what I was doing . . . with the whole camping thing.”
I grab the back of my neck as Renleigh smirks at me. I think I’m blushing because my cheeks feel tight. What the hell?
“You knew what you were doing. I mean, in here. The whole camping thing was a bust. But in here . . . it was good.” She’s blushing now.
“Good, huh?” I’m fishing for more. I’m fishing foragain.
She waggles her head side to side as she pulls her phone from the back pocket of her overalls.
