32. Callaway
32
CALLAWAY
“Looks like Big D is trying to mack on your girl over there.”
Everyone seems to be choosing violence today.
“Hey, Gus?”
“Yeah?”
“Shut the fuck up.”
His laughter cuts through. “I’m just sayin’. And Kodi girl sure doesn’t seem to mind. He’s a good-looking dude.”
I’m now down one less friend.
Goodbye, buddy.
“He doesn’t have a chance.”
Gus is laughing hysterically before I have a chance to explain further. I’m fuming; my body is physically shaking. It took all of my self control not to burn the fucking island down to get him away from her, his fucking mouth by her ear, his voice bringing her laughter. “Big D” almost lost teeth the closer he advanced on her, making me want to rampage like a goddamn primate.
I know her well enough to see she’s only being kind by entertaining his conversation, but knowing I can’t have her the way I fucking crave is sending me into a downward spiral.
This is my repercussion for turning her down when we first met. Now, there are too many obstacles standing in our way. Not that I give a shit, but she does. And I love that about her.
I’m still pursuing her despite all the reasons I shouldn’t. I can sense she’s craving affection, and I’ve refused to touch her that way until she agrees to date me. That doesn’t look like it’s happening any time soon, but I refuse to let another man swoop in and “shoot his shot” with my girl.
Do I need to bend my own rules for her to give herself over to me entirely? I’m losing sleep, losing my sense of logic, and losing my goddamn mind over this woman.
Maybe because she’s perfect.
Despite working with Dakota, she would never betray Navy that way, and I respect the hell out of her for that. I hate it.
At this point, I need her to breathe with me. Air is useless, and my lungs don’t work without her. That may be pathetic, but I’m past the point of no return with her.
Jethro emerges, standing between Gus and me with his arms thrown over our shoulders. “Hate to cut in, my man, but homeboy out there looks like he’s putting some plans on lockdown with our girl.”
You wish she were your girl.
I don’t give him another second of my attention before I whip my head out of the tent and set my focus on my brown-haired beauty.
Not a fan of the view.
She looks to be holding someone else’s phone, unfortunately, probably Devin's, and inputting her number before handing it back to him .
Forget red; black is the only color fitting enough for the violence I feel.
I need to think this through .
Reacting will only make her resist and refuse me more. But am I capable of ignoring them? I don’t even recognize myself. For someone who has been with a lot of women—although it’s been a while— this is a first for me. It’s not like they’re publicly fucking; so, help me, Jesus, if they did. But I can’t stand seeing them even remotely close, more so because I can guess his intentions. Dakota is a knockout, and any man would be a lucky son of a bitch to be with someone as special as her.
Before they have a chance to notice my stalking, I shift back into the tent, and I’m stopped short by absurd hooting from the man-children who I consider my friends.
Idiots .
Jethro is singing like a little frat girl, “I just wanna stay in a whipped pussy Hayes .” He’s so fucking stupid. Gus isn’t much better because he’s dry humping a makeup chair and howling out groundbreaking moans. “Oh, oh, Dakota. I want your pussy so bad but I’m too chicken shit to take it. Oh, oh, mhm, who’s your Daddy?”
Jesus.
“Eat shit.” Maybe that will shut them up.
Ignoring them further, I decide I need to consider a plan.
Something needs to change. I just don’t know what yet.
What I do know is that my angel needs my attention.
“Callaway Hayes, you’re up. ”
Here it is. The moment we’ve been waiting for—such a cryptic thing to say but true.
“Yes, sir. Where do you need me?”
Blair, the production director, is instructing me on liability terms regarding the shoot. Nothing I’ve never heard before. He leads me to the side of the island where the shooting setup is staged.
The minimalist in me really appreciates the simplicity of this. Although, for as little as I’m going to be wearing, the crassness of it feels like a weighted blanket. I’m not ashamed of my body in any way; actually, I’m really fucking proud of it. I maintain a healthy and balanced diet, exercise religiously, and take my vitamins; all those things help make my outward appearance look as taken care of as the inside.
But knowing these photos will be displayed on calendars worldwide is slightly terrifying; when it’s baseball, I’m where I’m most comfortable, playing a game I love. This is different.
The guys and I are doing it for her. She deserves the chance to experience some good and be rewarded for her talent.
Now that I’ve had the pleasure of seeing her work firsthand, I’m confident enough to say she’s fucking incredible.
Blair directs me to stand in the water where the shore meets the seafoam of the waves. Behind me is blue skies, open water, and a glimpse of distant sailboats in the background. I’m still wrapped in a solid white towel, feeling slightly vulnerable. The production crew begins to make their way around the shore, all hands-on deck to support wherever is needed.
Bracing myself for what’s to come, Dakota’s arrival draws my attention towards her.
It’s like she’s trying to get me arrested today .
Goddamn. If I weren’t so angry at the audience, I’d bow at her feet. She’s astounding. Alluring is a mild term to describe her beauty.
However, I’m less than thrilled. My angel must have gotten too hot to handle because she’s no longer wearing her coverup. Nope, she’s baring all her beauty in the skimpiest red bikini. So, help me, if it’s a thong, I may snap, especially since Devin is not far behind her.
Fuck me. Dakota looks sinful, a devil in every sense of the word.
She can’t hear me, but I know her body can feel my eyes on her, soaking up every inch of her tan and glowing skin.
“Callaway, here is your glove and bat.”
Transfixed on my girl, I barely feel Blair place them in my hands.
“Since this is Dakota’s shoot, she will be assisting in prop placement and getting you ready for each pose. Dakota, if you can, come set Callaway up, please.” Blair is waving Dakota over, a look of panic consuming her face.
Ready to touch me, angel?
Blair doesn’t realize he saved the day.
My expectant eyes follow her movements, watching as she walks with elegance in her red bikini, the smoothness of her perfectly sculpted thick legs and tight stomach, inviting me to drag her off this island so that no one can see this part of her. She’s headed straight towards me in the water.
I hate that everyone can see her like this.
Because I’ve never been able to bite my tongue, I call out as she reaches my front, “Where’s your cover-up, Dakota?”
She shoots me a dirty look, looking cute as hell in her anger. I love that it’s directed at me. “What does it look like, Callaway?”
Blair is observing our chatter, most likely confused as to why I’d be so upfront in asking something like that to our photographer.
“It looks like you’re practically naked in front of men with wandering eyes.” I don’t have to come out and say Devin’s name for her to know the meaning behind my words.
Her sass is my favorite thing. “Take a look down, Callaway. If one of us is more naked than the other, I’d say it’s you.”
Shit. She’s right. I’m being overbearing. Do I care enough to stop?
Nope. Never gonna happen.
“Go cover up, Dakota. Today is not the day to test my patience.”
I may end up regretting this. Or getting my balls chopped off by the beautiful woman giving me a silent death glare at the moment.
“I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that.”
She looks away quickly, suddenly ignoring my presence altogether.
Fuck. I took it too far.
Choosing not to spare me another glance, Dakota’s eyes find Blair in question, “Do we have a plan for the shots, or do I have the freedom to choose?”
Brave girl, taking what’s yours.
Shaking his head, likely being thrown off by our bickering, he gives her what she wants to hear. “Balls in your field. Keep things appropriate and make it sexy.” Field? Good one, Blair.
Dakota nods as Blair walks out of the water and onto the shore, letting her do her thing.
She’s focusing on the waves like there’s a chance they’ll take her with them to avoid this moment. Not on my watch. She can ignore me, but there’s no way I could ever pretend she’s not here.
“Where would you like me?”
Bat and glove in hand, I’m ready for her to have her way with me. In more ways than one, but when that time comes, I’ll make damn sure I can give her what she needs. Let’s hope she doesn’t murder me before I have a chance to make good on that promise.
“We’ll start with some simple portrait shots. Make sure to act as candid as possible to ensure the pose looks believable, and then we will move on to the more risqué ones.”
I’m now with professional Dakota.
I can’t help it. I wiggle my eyebrows at her in a more than suggestive gesture. I know she’d kick me if we were alone, and I’d love every second of it.
She rolls her eyes. “You’re incorrigible.”
I’ll do anything to make her not mad at me anymore. “You can’t be mad at me, sweetheart.”
Grabbing the bat and glove from my hands, she turns back to get into position behind the camera, ignoring me completely and most likely earning me another eye roll.
Fuck. I can now confirm my thong theory.
My frustration is now warranted.
Portrait shots go by in a breeze, while my mind is on autopilot, traveling to another place entirely. Dakota is about to strip me down, and I’m ravenous to have her dainty hands on me. Maybe not where I’d prefer the destination of them to be, but all the same, I’ll take what I can get.
All of this tiptoeing we’ve been doing around our sexual tension is really starting to get to me.
Returning to the water with the wooden bat and worn brown glove in hand, Dakota approaches me with determination and professionalism in her stare. I stand still, waiting for her direction. Her heavy breathing is grounding me. I hope I do the same for her. From the corner of my eye, I catch Devin behind the camera, silently hoping he gets the pleasure of witnessing our chemistry firsthand.
Mine.
“Can we be professional about this, Callaway? As much as I’ve made it clear in the past that I want your cock, let’s not make today the day you decide to give it to me.”
Her gaze intensifies.
I’m overwhelmed with pride for her. She’s come so far, and witnessing it before my eyes is incredible. But when she says she wants my cock, it’s exhilarating.
“Don’t tempt me. I’m not much of an exhibitionist, but for you, I’d consider it.”
She’s so beautiful when she’s caught off guard.
“I didn’t want to get my cover-up wet.” She speaks up at barely a whisper. I have to lean my head forward to make sure I heard her clearly.
“I’m a possessive fucker, Dakota. I won’t apologize for that.”
The brightest pink blush consumes her face. “I don’t mind it. But don’t you dare call me out in front of my superiors or anyone relevant to my career again. That’s a hard no for me, Callaway.”
I now see how wrong I was. It’s like I forget to think around her and just act. “It won’t happen again. At work at least. I make no promises for anywhere else.”
Her silent nod tells me my response satisfies her.
I find myself staring at her again. It’s the two of us in the calm of the water, while the chaos of the production lies ahead on the shore. I’d give anything to stay like this with her. She’s exquisite. My heart is in a constant state of torment, wanting to respect her wishes for us not to be together, but fighting every universal force within me that believes she was handcrafted as my everything.
“Callaway. Focus.”
“I am.” My focus is on you.
Ignoring me, she sets sight on her task at hand, her body framing the perimeters of mine, placing my body where she needs me. The subtle dragging of her hands on my arms and her chest against mine is surely going to make my cock stand at attention.
Lucky for her, unfortunate for them.
I remain still as Dakota positions my right arm bent above and lifted slightly at a forty-five-degree angle with the bat in hand, resting the top against the backside of my neck. I know what comes next and her hesitation shows me she does too.
“Uh, I’m going to need to remove your towel. I’ll stand behind you and you keep the glove in place while I slide it off. Think that will work?” She’s swallowing forcefully like she’s forcing her nervousness down deep.
Down deep.
My cock is really at attention now. I’ll calm my sarcasm in hopes of settling her nerves.
“Whatever you need.”
That seems to resolve her nervous anticipation; I watch as she rounds her tight curvy body behind me, the waves choosing this moment to break rapidly against our bottom halves. She closes the distance, moving her chest directly to my back, the softness of her arms enveloping me; the feel of her breath warms my skin. I angle the bat slightly upwards, doing my best not to knock her in the head. Her face meets directly at my shoulders, and it feels so fucking good to have her close.
“You ready, Ocean Eyes?”
Now, I’m the one caught off guard. Ocean Eyes ?
I will definitely bring that up later, but for now, I’ll agree, “Let’s do this.”
And she frees my towel.
My glove falls into place, and I stand deadly still as the feeling of her arms around me dissipates; the jiggling of her ass in front of me alerts me that she’s heading to shoot.
Get your shot, angel. I’m not going anywhere.