Matt rushed down the tunnel to the field at the stadium. Traffic had been a bear and he’d had to cut short his pre-game workout. He smacked a few balls over the right field wall during batting practice and then took his place at short to field ground balls.
He glanced up into the stands and saw all the kids waiting for autographs near the dugout. He’d never forget the excitement of getting his first major league player’s signature on one of his little league bats. Mariano Duncan had done the honors that afternoon. That was the day he swore that if he made it to the majors, he’d always sign for the kids.
A woman with glossy dark hair caught his eye and smiled. She looked like Alana but didn’t have the height. Or the strange allure that he’d felt when he’d caught her in his arms. The adrenaline rush was nothing compared to the hard-on he’d gotten. Alana was beautiful and sexy in a carefree sort of way. Maybe carefree enough to be interested in a few nights in his bed.
But no more than three.
He knew better than to drag a relationship into the miasma of his life. His marriage to Liza had shown him that he didn’t have what it took to be in a relationship.
Maybe he just needed to get laid. It’d been months since he’d hooked up with someone in Philly, a woman he’d known since high school. That had been a disaster. Two hours into the evening, he knew he’d made a mistake. The woman had already pegged him as her ticket to the big leagues. He thought he’d been clear, thought he’d laid it out that it was just an evening of fun. Though she’d smiled and agreed, it turned out she had other ideas. He’d had to block her calls before she got the message that he wasn’t interested.
Alana was a ranch worker, so she might see him in the same light. He wasn’t about to lead anybody on, wasn’t about to be any woman’s big score; he’d be careful about the signals he sent. He could spell out the rules up front. He’d tell her sex only, no attachments. No relationship. It sounded crass, but she’d fired him up in a way he’d never felt before, there was no doubt about that. Maybe he’d give it a go. She could always decline. It’d be her choice.
Matt was cleaned up and back on the field, listening to the national anthem and wondering how the time had passed so quickly. Probably because he’d been caught up in images of a sexy ranch worker. He shook his head to focus his thoughts on the game. And none too soon. The crowd quieted when the second pitch of the game blasted toward him. Sometimes it felt as though the fans breathed for the players. Matt snatched the ball from the ground and tossed it over to first. An exhaled cheer burst out as his teammate Alex tagged the runner out.
Alex Tavonesi was a hell of a first baseman. Nearly every player on the Giants was at the top of their game. They were a tight team—he’d had to play at the edge of his game to match them. But since coming to the team in April, he hadn’t connected with anybody off the field. Hell, not only did he suck at relationships with women, he wasn’t very good with other people either.
Nope, he hadn’t inherited any great relationship genes.
But at least baseball had rules and stats. A guy knew where he stood, and there wasn’t any mystery. Show up, do well, repeat. Too bad there wasn’t a rule book for being a parent. He could use one.
After the game Matt stood under the shower, and Alana’s image rose in his mind. Before he could shove it down, he imagined having her there with him, slick and wet and naked. He grabbed his towel and wrapped it around his waist. How could just thinking about her make him hot and horny? She was like a fastball that sailed high and enticing over the plate, inviting contact. He shook the water out of his hair and tried to clear his mind. Best to skip trouble like that. She probably hated baseball anyway.