Free The Shortstop by A. M. Madden

their exclusive story. I’m thankful to have my father with me. He’ll always have my best interest at heart. I just want to play ball and do it well. I also want to make a ton of money doing it. I’ll leave that to my support team to figure out how.
    I finally have a night off. Mentally, I’m exhausted. I want nothing more than to relax with Annie in our apartment. I plan on spending the night reminding her how much I love her. I debated taking her out since our last real date was the night I proposed, but I quickly decided that I’d much rather be alone with her.
    She’s on her way back from the beach. She has no clue I’m home tonight. I texted Daphne to be sure she brings her straight home. It’s a good thing I did because Daphne had plans for them later. Unlike Annie, Daphne loves the beach-bum lifestyle, but she does get bored…and when Daphne gets bored, I worry.
    She and Billy are kind of back together. After we’d left Florida, they spent a few weeks bonding. They decided to try again, and Billy will be moving to Delaware in a few weeks. He’s studying to be a CPA and will continue his education with Annie at the University of Maryland this fall.
    He does love Daphne, that much I know. He wouldn’t be moving up here if he didn’t. Daphne understands that to be true as well, and we think his decision to move has humbled her. She’s so used to being alone and guarded because of her past love experience that Billy has been a very positive influence in her life. I wish them all the best.
    “Q?” Annie walks into a romantic wet dream complete with dimmed lights, flowers, and her favorite band, Devil’s Lair, on the iPod. I even ordered in a gourmet dinner. A sexy smile spreads across her sexy face. “You’re here. What’s all this?”
    “Night off.” I walk straight toward her, taking her bag off her shoulder before wrapping her in my arms. “This is to show my girl how much I’ve missed her.” After a long, hard kiss, I bury my nose in the curve of her neck. “Mmm, you smell like coconut and beach. We may have to eat later.”
    “Eww, Q. I’m all beach-gross.” She giggles as I continue to nuzzle her neck.
    “No, you’re not.” Within thirty seconds, I have her shorts and T-shirt off, and I’m working the strings on her tiny bikini. “You wore this?” I ask, admiring it before tugging on the strings at her neck.
    “No, I had a snowsuit on, but I left it in the car.” She rolls her eyes, adding, “I thought you liked this bikini.”
    I ceremoniously drop her top onto the tile floor leaving her exposed. “I love it as long as I’m with you.”
    “Q, enough with the jealousy thing...”
    When I attach my lips to her nipple, her words are replaced with a soft moan. That sound is enough for me to hoist her over my shoulder. She squeals and squirms against me. “Food can wait. I’d rather eat you,” I say before biting her ass and carrying her into our room.
    “You’ve missed me, Mr. Lawson?”
    “Every fucking inch of you.” Once I have her on the bed, I tug the two side strings of her bikini bottom.
    “Can I take a quick shower?”
    “Later.” An amused smile plays on her lips as she watches me strip out of my shorts and T-shirt. Without a word, I align myself over her and slip right into her warmth. “Oh baby, I missed you.”
    “I missed you, too,” she says lovingly. She watches my face while I slowly slide in and out of her. Her blue eyes shine brightly as I make love to her. She reaches for my hand, entwining our fingers and resting them above her head.
    My Annie seems to be back. I’m hoping, with time, she’ll figure things out. In the meantime, I’ll keep doing what I do best…playing ball and loving her.

    “When did you become so…domesticated?” Daphne asks Annie with a scowl. “The only thing missing is a frilly apron and pearls.”
    Annie laughs while chopping vegetables for the salad. “Shut up.”
    “I think it’s sexy as hell,” I admit before