Jace

It's the first game of the baseball season and I'm sitting my ass on the bench. Kaden is sitting right beside me though and he is fuming. This was supposed to be his year but Coach has been playing the freshman. I'm sure Kaden will get his chance to pitch today, but he is still moping, huffing, puffing, and cursing my ear off.

We are now in the final inning and I have yet to play. I don't really give a fuck. Baseball doesn't make me happy anymore and I've decided that after this season, I'm done.

The crowd boos as the Palm Harbor team gets a home run. Normally I would join in on the crowds' banter, and with the team, but I just don't have the energy.

"Coach needs to put me the fuck in. I haven't pitched all day, what the hell is he doing?" Kaden picks up his glove from off the bench and throws it to the ground at the exact moment Coach looks in our direction.

Coach scowls, shaking his head.

Kaden rolls his eyes. "Bastard. He hates me. I mean seriously, why is he doing this to me." Kaden looks over his shoulder at the stands filled with people, no doubt that he's looking for his father.

His father probably left by now with disappointment seeping out of him.

"Damn," Kaden says under his breath.

I want to console him, but I don't know what to say. I haven't been myself for a while. Not since the night at the bar weeks ago.

The guys can sense something is off. They tried to ask me about Loni multiple times, but I couldn't bring myself to talk about her. I don't want to think about her anymore, but the girl has taken my mind captive.

I just keep hoping I'll run into her on campus, but it's like we have two completely opposite schedules because I haven't seen her once. And when I'm at the apartment, I'll drive to her lot and her car is never there.

I look back out to the field and Coach, as well as a medic, is out on the field. The team is crowding them. What the hell did I just miss?

As I stand from the bench, the crowds' murmurs echo around me. The team disperses and the medic is holding Will Nelson, the shortstop. Will is hopping on one leg with his arm around the medic's shoulders. He got injured in a skiing accident over winter break, tore his Achilles I think. But he's the best shortstop on the team. He probably begged Coach to let him play and probably didn't tell him the full extent of his injuries. But now, he's out.

"I told Will he shouldn't play," one of the guys says behind me.

I walk back over to the bench but hear a whistle and turn around.

Coach's eyes are locked right on me. His finger extended out, and he curls it, motioning me to come out.

I walk out to the field and don't miss the hoots and hollers from the crowds. This is a feeling I've missed. But it's not enough to bring me back.

"You're in," Coach says, crossing his arms.

"You sure?"

He gives me a single nod. "I think you have done enough to prove yourself worthy of being on this team."

I don't linger by his side and take over Will's position on the field. It's just like riding a bike. I've been out of practice, but I know what I'm doing as soon as the pitch is thrown.

The batter hits the ball. It comes right towards me. I catch it, throw it to the first baseman, and...

"Out!" The umpire shouts.

The crowd erupts in cheers again. We win our first game.

The rest of the team runs out onto the field, jumping, and yelling in celebration. God, this feels so fucking good. We enjoy our victory for a moment before shaking hands with the other team.

I follow the rest of the team into the locker room where Coach blesses us with one of his speeches. I'm on such a high right now, that none of what he's saying really registers in my brain.

"Jace, good to have you back," he says. I don't miss that part.

The team claps and Kaden shakes his fingers through my hair. I look at him and he's wearing a grin, but I can tell he's pissed. And he's probably terrified to face his father's wrath after this game. But he continues to smile.

"Does this mean Maxwell won't be our little bitch anymore?" Bryce Dunam, our catcher, calls out, throwing a towel at me.

We all laugh and Coach steps out so we can shower and banter about the victory.

Kaden doesn't stick around though, he follows Coach outside. I hope he keeps his cool and doesn't do anything that will earn him the title of the team's new bitch.

Some of the guys make plans to go out and celebrate at Shakers, but I'm not in the mood. Yes, winning was great, but the endorphins running through my body have worn off and I'm back in my same state of mind.

I miss Loni.

If I'm going to celebrate tonight, I want to do it with her.

I pull my phone out of my back pocket. The screen is blank. I've been checking it so much recently in hopes that she'll text me, but nothing. At this point, I'm looking a little pathetic. Maybe it's time that I just move on.

My car is one of the last ones in the lot. The sky is swirled with hues of dark blue and the moon is out. It's a beautiful night.

I slide into my truck and wait a minute before I start it. I let out the breath that is weighing on my chest.

"Fancy seeing you here."

I jump, startled at the sound of Loni's voice behind me. My face flushes as I turn around and she giggles.

She's sitting in my back seat wearing a blue tank top showing off her beautiful breasts and a jean jacket. She looks absolutely stunning. Breathtaking.

I'm not kidding, I can barely breathe, and not just because she scared the shit out of me.

"What are you doing in my car?" I ask with a laugh.

She shrugs playfully, her lips drawn up in a crooked grin. "I need to apologize to you." She climbs over the center console and sits in my passenger seat.

This is bringing up some fun memories which makes me laugh under my breath.

"I've been a shitty person."

"No, you haven't—"

"Yes I have," she says, holding up her hand so I won't cut her off again. "What we were doing wasn't fair to either of us. And I went a little crazy with the terms and the no strings attached." She shrugs, looking at me seriously with emerald eyes that still light up even though the inside of my truck is pretty dark. "I've been lying to you and to myself pretty much the whole time. I was pulling away from you because you were right, I was scared. I was scared of facing my feelings for you because I fell for you a long time ago."

She looks down at her hands, but I need to see her face. I put my finger under her chin and tilt her head up.

"Jace I—"

"I love you, Loni."

"You..." She stops breathing and her lips part slightly.

"I love you, pretty girl," I say again. I can say it a million times and the fact will never change. I am in love with her. My thumb grazes her cheek. Even if she doesn't say it back, I don't care. Nothing will ever change how I feel about her.

"I love you," she says softly. A smile caresses her lips. "I've been keeping my feelings to myself because I was so scared that you wouldn't feel the same way and I just—"

My thumb tugs on her bottom lip. "Truthfully I think I fell in love with you from the first moment I laid my eyes on you. Why do you think I came up with this whole plan?"

She laughs. "Well, aren't you cunning?"

I chuckle and lean in, pressing my lips to hers. God, this feels so good. I missed the feeling of her breath on my skin, her taste, her smell. I guess she missed me too because when I bite on her lower lip, she turns savage.

Loni wraps her arms around my neck, leaning over the center console. Her tits rub against my chest. She's not wearing a bra and I can feel her nipples harden under the fabric.

I've been waiting for this moment for so long, and I refuse to let it slip away.

"Get in the back seat," I tell her, refusing to break our kiss.

Her tongue slides into my mouth quickly before she jumps into the back seat.

By the time I get back there, her shorts are off as well as her jacket. She spreads her legs for me and I nearly fucking faint. She's not wearing any panties and my mouth waters at the sight of her pussy, wet and open just for me.

I kneel in front of her opening. Sweetness fills my tastebuds as I press my tongue against her. She moans and bucks her hip while I push my tongue deeper inside her. As she rides my tongue I reach up, finding her nipples that are still concealed behind the fabric. I pinch one between my fingers.

"Jace," she cries out, and I do it again.

She loses control when my teeth wrap around her clit and I tug the swollen bundle of nerves. She comes instantly, and I lick her up.

Before she can completely come down from her first orgasm, I take off my pants and slip my dick inside of her. I groan and still for a moment, taking in the amazing feeling.

I love her. I fucking love her.

I go slow at first and find a steady rhythm. My legs hit the seat, preventing me from going all the way in.

"Fuck, go faster," she commands desperately in my ear.

I do what she says and drive into her faster.

"Yes, yes!" she moans.

I suck on her neck and her pussy clenches around my dick. I throb inside of her. I'm so fucking close. I would have liked this to last a little longer, but fuck, I need this release. It's been too long.

As though she can sense my building orgasm, she cries out. Her pussy clenches and pulses around me and she comes apart. I follow soon after, grunting as my orgasm rips through me.

I say inside of her, my dick twitching, while I bury my head in her tits. Her heartbeat rings in my ears. Or maybe it's mine The adrenaline moving through my veins right now is unreal.

"I fucking missed you," I mumble against her chest.

"I missed you too."