33. Lucia
thirty-three
Lucia
“I’m so glad I finally have my girls down here!” I chime, looking around my hotel room at all of my friends. “Spring Training is always such a sausage fest.”
Ella falls back on the bed in laughter. “The Stars really need to get some more vaginas on their staff.”
“I honestly have no idea how I’m the only woman,” I sigh. “Outside of Logan, I don’t feel like the culture is dismissive of women.”
Harlow shrugs. “Maybe it’s that not many women are applying for these positions. Sports are still largely male-dominated.”
“Women’s sports are on the rise, though,” I add. “And I don’t think anybody knows better than you, Lo, that women are gaining interest in sports at a rapid pace.”
Lo’s whole blog— Starred and Fast —is catered to women wanting to learn all about baseball. The blog has taken off over the past few years, and she now has hundreds of thousands of women regularly visiting the site.
“That blog was a godsend for me,” Olive laughs. “The only reason I know as much as I do right now is because of Lo.”
Harlow smiles in pride. “You’re right. Maybe there’s something you can do about this, Luc.”
“What did you have in mind?”
“Ooh!” Rory says excitedly. “You should work on outreach. I’m sure you could talk to Dr. Coltrain about speaking at some of the local universities. Women belong in sports, and I think you could be a massive influence on the ones who are too nervous to take that step.”
Ella claps loudly. “Oh my God, yes, Luc! That would look so good, too, when you’re being considered for Head Trainer.”
“I never thought of that,” I admit, bracing my hands against the desk behind me. “Do you think I should try to do that?”
“You should!” Liv exclaims. “Luc, you’re probably the best person to do that. You’ve never let a man walk over you, and you could give other women some pointers.”
I don’t think I ever would have considered something like this, but there’s no denying that it’s an incredible idea.
It will look good for me, sure, but more importantly, I can help more women occupy the spaces that men have claimed since the dawn of time.
Women deserve a seat at the fucking table, and I’ll do whatever I can to help achieve that.
I can’t help but smile. “Yeah, I’ll talk to Dr. Coltrain.”
“That’s my girl! Ella shouts. “Dismantling the patriarchy one woman at a time.”
I’ve always loved my career, but I haven’t felt this good about it in years. The prospect of bringing other women into the field is exciting, and I can’t wait to start.
“Well,” Harlow says, gathering our attention. “Sounds to me like we should celebrate at the club tonight.”
I laugh lightly. “We’re literally supposed to be getting ready to go out right now.”
“And now we can celebrate you and everything you’re going to do for women, Luc.”
“And dance our asses off,” Ella grins. “I’m ready to just let loose. I’m finally not stressing, and I really need to have some fun.”
“So, taking a break is helping?” I ask her.
“A lot,” she admits. “It’s draining—physically and mentally—to learn your body, and when you have the best chance to get pregnant. And then it’s defeating when it doesn’t happen. We still want a baby, but we don’t want the stress of trying right now. Josh could see how much it was weighing on me.”
“You’ve got yourself a good one, Ell,” Olive chimes, putting an arm around Ella’s shoulders.
Her smile is so wide. “He’s the best one.”
“I’m glad you aren’t trying right now,” Rory pipes in. “Maybe we can actually be pregnant together.”
All eyes immediately focus on Rory.
“Rory…” I say as she starts fidgeting with the hem of her shirt, realizing what she just said. “What does that mean?”
“Um…” She bites her lip as she tries to come up with an answer before settling on the truth. “Cole and I are going to start trying toward the end of the season.”
The fact that the mirror doesn’t shatter with the pitch of Harlow’s squeal is honestly a miracle.
She immediately runs over and throws her arms around her sister-in-law. “Oh my God! I’m so excited for you to have babies!”
“Slow down,” Rory laughs. “We’re not trying yet.”
“Wear something hot tonight, and I’m sure Cole will fuck you like you are,” I smirk.
“A skin-tight, long-sleeved black leather dress should do it,” she replies, and Harlow shudders next to her.
“Enough chit-chat, ladies,” Ella states. “We need to get ready before our men wonder what we’re up to.”
“I don’t have a man,” I remind her.
She smirks back. “Sure you don’t.”
I roll my eyes.
Ari is not my man.
He’s my friend that I have incredible sex with.
That’s all it is.
That’s all either of us wants it to be.
True as that is, though, I can’t help the smile I wear when I think about getting to see him tonight.
Rory is right.
That dress is definitely enough.
Honestly, she might be pregnant already with the way Cole has been eye-fucking her all night.
It’s true for the rest of our friends, too, though.
Knox hasn’t taken his eyes off Harlow in her little strapless pink dress.
Lane’s eyes have been fixed on Liv’s chest with the bit of cleavage she’s showing in her shimmery red dress.
But Josh? Oh, Josh is already salivating while he watches Ella. Her black halter dress is short and skin-tight with a deep cut down the front, coming about halfway down her torso that shows off ample cleavage.
Wouldn’t be surprised if they end up doing what Ari and I did on New Year’s and finding a supply closet.
Speaking of Ari, though, he’s acting weird. He’s hardly looked my way since we got here, and I’m not sure why.
Everything has been normal between us throughout the week. I was a little less busy, so we managed to hook up a few times, including last night after all of our friends flew down here.
And I know I look hot tonight. My dress is black with silver sequins, long sleeves, and a deep V cut. Combine that with the smoky eyes and red lipstick, and I know Ari should be looking at me.
So why isn’t he?
And why can’t I stop looking at him?
His look is more casual, but he still looks so damn good. Black jeans, a white T-shirt, an unbuttoned light denim button-down, a pair of white sneakers, and a silver chain around his neck.
I take a sip of my vodka soda with lime before I make my way over to him when the rest of our friends are preoccupied.
“Didn’t think I’d ever see Casanova so averse to my presence again.”
Ari chuckles lightly, taking a sip of his beer. “You must be watching me if you’ve noticed that I’m not looking at you.”
“Don’t turn this on me,” I huff before showing a bit of vulnerability. “Did I do something?”
He sighs before looking at me. “It’s nothing you did.”
“Then what is it?” I come to stand in front of him, demanding his attention now.
Something flickers in Ari’s gaze, and I realize now that my initial thoughts are way off. “It’s the fact that you look like that, Spitfire. I’m trying not to be rock-hard in the middle of the damn club.”
“So I’m too hot for you,” I say with a playful smile.
He licks his lips as he reaches around and squeezes my ass. “Don’t tempt me, Lucia. I’ve fucked you in a supply closet before. I’ll happily do it again.”
I drape my arms around his neck, pull him closer, and roll my hips against him. “Think you lost the battle tonight, Ari. I doubt that’s a flashlight in your pocket.”
“I was fucked the moment you walked over here, sweetheart. Do you have any idea how fucking stunning you are, Lucia? I can’t control the way my body reacts to you. I’ve never been able to.”
“Even right now?” I ask, gesturing down to my strappy heels. “I’m like two inches taller than you.”
“I know you are,” he breathes, ghosting his lips over mine. “It’s fucking hot, Luc. I like tall women.”
His candor takes me by surprise.
I’ve always been tall, and when I’m in my heels, I’m over six feet.
I never stopped wearing them, but it’s always made my exes insecure. I was always told it was emasculating for them to be seen with a taller woman.
But Ari actually likes it.
“Dance with me,” I blurt out.
Ari raises his eyebrow questioningly. “You want me to dance with you?”
“We’re at a club,” I shrug. “Let’s have some fun.”
He spins me around, pulling my back flush against his chest. “I’ll never say no to having fun with you.”
He takes my now-empty glass and puts it on the table beside us with his empty bottle. His hands find my hips, and he grips them firmly.
I don’t recognize the song that’s playing, but it’s got a good beat, so I start swaying my hips, effectively grinding against Ari.
“Shit,” he hisses, stopping me. “You keep moving like that, and I’m going to come in my pants. I’d really rather not.”
I roll my hips over him with a mischievous smile on my face. “Edging is one of your kinks, right?”
“Right.”
“Then welcome to torture, Ari. I’m going to edge you all night.”
“Suddenly, I’ve decided that this kink is actually evil.”
I throw my head back and laugh. “I’m going to keep dancing. You just let me know when I need to stop, baby. You’re not allowed to come until I tell you to.”
This time, Ari helps me move over him, and I can feel how hard he is with every motion.
Fuck, this might actually be torture for me, too. I think I’ve ruined my thong with how wet I am right now.
I rub my ass against him again, and he steadies my hips to stop me. “Fuck, stop. Shit.”
Ari takes some deep breaths and wills himself down before letting me move again.
And we repeat the process another four times until he’s practically whining behind me.
“This fucking hurts, Lucia.”
“Do you want to come, Ari?”
His eyes heat, and my core throbs. “You have no fucking idea how badly I want to come right now.”
My breathing is heavy as I stare at him. “Do you have a condom?”
He smirks at me. “I carry multiple anytime I’m with you, sweetheart.”
I lick my lips before kissing him. “Put it on.”
Ari stares at me like I’ve got two heads. “Right here?”
I turn around and rub my palm over his erection. “Right here. Our table is backed into the corner. Our friends all dispersed into the club. No one will see us.”
“You’re serious?”
“Deadly serious,” I muse, unzipping the front of his jeans. “Put the condom on, Ari, and I’ll make sure you get to come.”
He may have been surprised when I said it initially, but he doesn’t hesitate to do what I ask. I already know we both have an exhibitionism kink.
I stand close to him so no one can see and watch as he pulls his cock through the unzipped part of his jeans. He sheaths himself in the condom quickly. “What’s your plan, Luc?”
I carefully turn around and press my ass against him. “Slide inside me. No one will be able to see through my dress.”
In a dark corner of the club, Ari moves my panties to the side and pushes inside me, going slowly to make sure neither of us creates attention.
He brings his hands to my hips and his lips to my ear. “Have I told you how much I like being with you?”
I smirk. “You’re about to like it a whole lot more, Casanova.”
With careful movements, I grind over him, and Ari bites my shoulder to keep quiet.
We’re literally fucking in the club, and I think the man behind me is about to lose his mind.
“That feels so good, Luc,” he breathes.
“So good,” I say lightly. “God, you’re so hard right now, Ari.”
“I’ve never been this fucking hard. I’ve been close to coming so many times tonight.”
“So it won’t take much, will it?”
“Baby, I’m already close. Being inside your tight pussy with people all around us has me ready to fucking explode.”
I roll my hips against him and have to bite my lip to keep from crying out. “So come. Come like the depraved slut you are. I want to feel you twitching inside me.”
Ari groans into my neck. “Keep doing that, then.”
I move over him for another minute before he grasps my hips firmly, panting into my shoulder as he finally comes.
He takes a moment to recuperate before sliding out of me, carefully tucking himself back into his jeans and zipping them up.
“That was fun,” I smile.
“Lucia Torres, that is the hottest sex I’ve ever had.”
“And no one saw, just like I told you.”
Ari nibbles on my ear, and his breath sends need coursing through me. “I’m going to get rid of this condom, and then we can find our friends. But when we get back to the hotel, we better both be naked in your bed so I can fuck the absolute hell out of you.”
He leaves me to myself as he walks toward the restrooms, and I take notice of the way my heart beats wildly in my chest.
I’m sure it’s just from the thrill of what we just did because it’s certainly not because I’m with Ari.
And in my head, I pretend I’m not staring toward the hallway he disappears down as I wait for him to come back.