Page 66 of Convincing the Catcher

“Fuck, you’re killing me,” he drawls. “Absolutely demolishing me, Catch.”

“Why?” I breathe out, still shaky as I crawl beside him.

He flips onto his side, looking at me. “Because how the hell am I supposed to never want to do that again?” he says, his eyebrows pulling together. “You just came on my tongue, and I’m already starving for more.”

I look at him, not knowing what to say before I press my body against his, nuzzling my face against his chest.

I’m already starving for more of him too. Another taste. Another orgasm. Another teaching moment. Any of it. All of it. I want more.

But that wasn’t the deal, and it never will be either.

“I don’t know,” I whisper, sighing. “But we need to figure it out.”

TWENTY-NINE

HARLEY

The clock reads nearly midnight, but here we are, in the Jacuzzi tub together, with my back to his chest and his cheek to my ear. His fingers run up and down my arms, dripping hot water as they go, and I can’t believe that I’m in a tub, naked, with a man who I lost my virginity to twenty-four hours ago.

I guess it’s true that a lot can change in a day …

“How old were you when your dad died?” I whisper, hoping that it’s okay that I’m asking.

He told me he was a kid, but he never said the exact age.

“Seven,” he answers, and I feel the rumble of his voice against my back. “He’s been gone for nearly fourteen years.”

“I’m so sorry, Cane,” I say, wrapping my hands around his arms gently and holding on to him. “You were too young to have to go through such loss.”

For a moment, he’s silent. The only sound in the room is the slight slosh of the water in the tub until finally, he stirs behind me.

“Cash was only five and Avy, my little sister … she was only two.” He pauses. “Sometimes, I think maybe—I don’t know—as fucked as it is, maybe it’s easier on her because she doesn’t remember him at all. She was seven when my mom met Tripp. So, to her, he’s always kind of been her dad.” He sighs. “That’s messed up, I know. I shouldn’t have⁠—”

“No, no,” I whisper, craning my neck to peek up at him. “I know exactly what you mean.” Leaning up, I press a kiss to his jawline. “I’m so sorry that you had to go through that. And being the oldest of three …” I blink a few times when my eyes begin to burn with tears. “That couldn’t have been easy at all.”

“Thanks, but you’re the one who just lost your dad a week ago. I’m not trying to make it about me, I swear.”

It’s obvious that Cane has an issue with the attention being on him. He always wants to be there for others, but when it comes time for others to be there for him, it seems like he freezes up.

“Trust me, I’m okay not to talk about me right now,” I say, smiling sadly. “But I appreciate it.”

“You sure your monitor thing is okay being submerged like this?” he says, and instantly, I can hear the cringe in his tone. “What the fuck am I saying? Obviously, you’d know if not.”

“Yeah, it’s fine.” I smile. “I mean, I haven’t had much experience with taking it in Jacuzzi tubs with naked men … but, I have, however, taken it in the normal bathtub alone and been fine.” I look at him, grinning. “Same thing, right?”

He chuckles as he leans forward and drags his stubbly face against my neck before nibbling on my ear.

“It does things to me that I’m the only man who’s been in a tub with you, Catch.” He slides his hands up my front side, gently cupping my breasts. “All kinds of things.”

I feel his erection gently poke against my back, and I try not to squirm.

“You know, once we get back on campus, things are going to be different again, right?” I whisper, the feeling of dread spreading through my stomach. “You’ll have baseball, and I’ll have softball. Not to mention weight training for both of us and classes.”

“Yeah, I know,” he utters, continuing to hold me tight. “But you have to promise me that you aren’t going to shut me out completely. I want to be there for you, Harland.”

“You have been there for me,” I say quickly, confused.

His silence is deafening, telling me he’s about to say something I may not want to hear.