CHAPTER 13 BENNETT
BENNETT
OC: What are your thoughts on vibrators? As a man, would you use one?
Graydon: Why is this something you’re texting us?
OC: Because we’re in a sacred group together, the Gladdy Daddies if you don’t recall, which means it’s a safe place and we can talk to each other about these types of things.
Bennett: I’m all for them.
OC: See? A confident man, talking about things that he’s not ashamed to talk about.
Graydon: I’m not ashamed to talk about them. I just don’t want to talk about them with you.
OC: Why not?
Bennett: Maybe because—and I mean this in the nicest way possible—you tend to make a big deal about things, and if Graydon were to say he likes playing with a vibrator on himself, you would probably wave a flag around with the news printed all across it.
OC: DOES HE LIKE TO USE A VIbrATOR ON HIMSELF?!? Did he tell you that? I will fucking flip my shit if he told you that.
Graydon: I did. Bennett and I have a separate thread that doesn’t include you and we discuss use of vibrators without you.
OC: I am dead inside.
I laugh to myself as I slip my socks on, getting ready for the game tonight.
Bennett: He’s kidding, we don’t. We just talk about sexual positions.
OC: I’m not kidding, I will not be able to handle the demise of the Gladdy Daddies. It *will* be the death of me.
Graydon: Then get your shit together and stop asking us about things I don’t want to talk to you about.
OC: To be fair, I wasn’t aware vibrators were off-limits with you. I did hear you have sex six times the other night when I stayed the night at your place.
Graydon: And didn’t I say to never fucking talk about it?
Bennett: He did.
OC: Sorry that I was impressed. Six times…I think I’ve gone five. That’s a lie, it was four. Fine! It was three, but I could have gone four. She was just raw.
Graydon: For the love of fucking God.
Bennett: Dude, the raw comment…not necessary.
OC: You’re right, that was on me. I retract the raw comment.
Graydon: You can’t retract. It’s already out there.
Bennett: We already saw it.
OC: Then I’ll be sure to never say it again. Please don’t punish me. You’re all I have.
Bennett: Shouldn’t your season be starting soon? You need more friends.
Graydon: I second that.
OC: Fucking rude, my guys. We have bonded over so much. The zoo, the use of vibrators, Maple and Graydon’s love affair that I had a hand in making happen, and you can deny that shit as much as you want to, but it’s true. And Bennett’s sister’s friend…
Bennett: You’ve done nothing for that.
Graydon: Because you haven’t told us anything.
OC: Graydon, I’m clutching my pearls, as that sounds like interest to me.
Bennett: Nothing is going on. So drop it.
I set my phone to the side and lean back in my chair just as Nolan walks up, holding a burger in one hand and a Coke in the other.
“Peanut butter burger with pickles. Dude, it’s blasphemy that this is so good.” He holds it out to me. “Want a bite?”
“I’m good.” I study the meal. “Are you going to be okay to play? That’s pretty heavy, dude.”
“I once had a twelve-ounce steak, fries, and a giant slice of chocolate cake before a game. I hit two doubles and made a diving play. Nothing is going to stop this brick house,” he says as he takes a seat next to me and kicks his feet up on the locker.
“How’s life, my man? You never told me how the date went for your girl. ”
“She’s not my girl.”
“Not yet.”
Yeah…not yet.
“So, how did it go?”
I shrug. “They have nothing in common, but they’re going to casually see each other while seeing other people.”
“That’s fucking great,” Nolan says.
“How is that great?”
“Simple—she can still see him, find out how much of a douche he is, while you swoop in and continue to charm her. She’s going to be in your arms in no time.”
I mean, she was sort of in my arms the other night when I stayed at her place. I pushed my limits and placed my hand on her hip, hoping that I wasn’t going too fucking far, but she didn’t seem to mind. I probably wouldn’t have been able to stop myself either way.
“Don’t know about that. She still sees me as a friend.”
“Then text her a dick pic,” Nolan says, mouth half-full of burger.
“Have you lost your fucking mind? You should never send an unsolicited dick pic to anyone, let alone to your sister’s best friend.”
“Pretend like it was an accident and that you meant to send it to someone else.”
“Get the fuck out of here.” I push at his chair, rolling him away from me.
“Ask anyone. It’s a great idea.” Just then, Asher Peppers walks by in nothing but his baseball pants and socks. “Right, Peppers? Dick pics are where it’s at.”
Asher pauses for a moment and turns on Nolan. The cold, blank stare that he gives everyone, the one that is absolutely terrifying, nearly slices Nolan in half. “Don’t fucking talk to me.”
Then he storms off to the corner, where he secludes himself.
Nolan twirls toward me and mouths Yikes before taking another bite of his burger.
At least we can agree on that.
My phone buzzes next to me and I almost don’t look at it because I don’t want to deal with the Gladdy Daddies right now, but I see that it’s Gabby, so I pick it up.
Of course she’s calling.
“Hey, Gabby,” I say as I lean back in my chair.
“Hey, how’s it going? How is Seattle?”
“Good,” I answer. “Nothing special.”
“Says the guy who hit a home run yesterday.”
“Just another day at the office.”
She chuckles. “I’m not sure if you’ll ever boast about yourself.”
“No need when you do it enough for me.”
“True. Anyway, I know you have to get ready. I was just calling because I was hoping we could visit you when you get back. Ryland wants to take me on a little getaway and thought that a few nights in San Francisco might do the trick since my brother and best friend are there.”
“I’d love that,” I say, excited to see my sister and her husband. “Is Mac going to come too?”
“No, she’s staying with her aunt and uncle. Ryland wants an adult getaway.”
“Enough said…please, enough said.”
She laughs. “We’re going to be staying at Hayes’s apartment because he’s nice like that, but I’d love to get together and maybe come see a game or two.”
“I’ll get you tickets.”
“Get three. We won’t have many nights there, and I want to spend as much time as I can with Bower as well, so I’m going to drag her to a game.”
And just like that, butterflies erupt in my stomach, like they always do when I know Bower’s coming to a game.
“Sure. Just send me the dates.”
“Of course. Ahhh, I’m so excited. I miss you.”
“Miss you too, sis.”
“Okay, I’ll let you go. Good luck tonight. I’ll be watching.”
“Like you always do.”
“Love you.”
“Love you too,” I say and then hang up the phone.
“Ooooo,” Nolan coos. “Who do you love?”
“My sister, you fuck,” I say, throwing a roll of athletic tape at him and making him laugh.
“Is she single?”
“You know she’s married, and even if she was single, you would be the last fucking person I’d even consider letting her date.”
He grips his heart. “That hurts, man. That really hurts.”
Bower: Are you still awake?
Bennett: Just got back to my hotel. What’s up? Everything okay?
Bower: Yeah, everything’s fine. I’ve been attempting to unpack ever since your sister told me she was coming to visit.
Bennett: I told you I’d help you. I couldn’t the other night like we planned because of a last-minute team meeting, but I said I would make it up to you.
Bower: And I told you I didn’t need the help.
Bennett: I’ll be back tomorrow after the afternoon game. I can help tomorrow night.
Bower: It’s fine. I’ve got it. I was texting you because I was wondering if you have any tools.
Bennett: What do you need tools for?
Bower: Hanging things and maybe building a side table.
Annoyed, I exit the text thread and call her.
It takes her two rings before she answers. “Bennett, I will not take a lecture from you about tools. You either have them or you don’t.”
“Bower, I will not take a lecture from you about not needing help. If you’re building things, at least let me help with that.”
“I don’t need some big, strong man to help me. I can do this on my own.”
“You think I’m strong?” I smirk as I lie down on my hotel bed.
“Oh my God, can you hear my eyes rolling? Of course you’re strong. I’d be lying if I said otherwise.”
“You would be. Glad you can admit it.”
“Seriously, Bennett, can I use your tools? I have a date tomorrow morning and want to make sure I hang something before that.”
My brow furrows.
A date?
In the morning?
With whom?
“You have a date?” I ask.
“Yeah, with Cougar. We decided to do a breakfast thing. It was my suggestion. I thought if I took him out of his playboy atmosphere, he might be more down-to-earth and willing to open up.”
Don’t like the fucking sound of that.
“But either way, can I borrow your tools?”
“You can borrow them with my supervision, tomorrow, after my game.”
“Bennett,” she groans.
“Don’t you have other things you can do?”
“Yes, but I don’t want to do those things.”
I chuckle. “Too bad. You’re doing them. When I get back tomorrow, I’ll build and hang your other items, okay?”
“Fine, but only because I’m tired and don’t want to fight anymore.”
“Would you call this fighting? Or me trying to be a good guy and you not letting me?”
“Oh, Bennett, there’s something you need to learn about women. We are always right.”
“Yeah, Gabby taught me that a while ago.”
“Best you remember it.”
Chuckling, I ask, “How was the rest of your day?”
“Oh, you know, fine, until this guy called me instead of texting me back. You know I don’t like to talk on the phone if I don’t have to, but you and your sister seem to forget that.”
“I like hearing your voice,” I say before I can stop myself, causing there to be a blip of silence between us.
Fuck.
Why did I say that?
I was just so comfortable, so relaxed, that I forgot—
“Ugh, fine, it’s nice to hear your voice as well. I think I’ve become accustomed to it.”
In the words of OC, my dick just got hard.
A huge smile stretches from ear to ear as her words are burned into my brain.
It’s nice to hear your voice as well.
Unsure of the meaning behind all that, but I’m going to take it as a solid win.
“Not a bad thing to become accustomed to.”
“I guess not.”
“Other than the annoying guy with the nice voice calling you, what was the rest of your day like?”
“Busy with errands, of course. Oh, and Gretchen emailed me all the NDA things and paperwork.”
“Did she?”
“Yeah, the basic stuff that you have to sign when working with a celebrity. I sent it to Adalade’s lawyer, who’s looking it over for me, just to make sure I’m not signing my life away to be in a book club with you.
By the way, did she send you the possible names for the book club that she came up with? ”
“No. What are they?”
“Oh my God, Bennett, they’re terrible.”
“Tell me,” I say as I put the phone on speaker and start getting ready for bed.
“Well, the most obvious is Baseball and Books.”
“Oh fuck, she did not suggest that.”
Bower laughs and it’s the most beautiful fucking sound ever. “She did. It was on the top of her list.”
“That’s embarrassing for her.”
“That’s what I thought.” I can practically envision her curling up on her couch in those pajama shorts and oversized shirts she likes to wear, talking to me. Makes my fucking heart all warm and tingly just thinking about it.
“What were the other ones?”
“Bombers Book Club, which is just as lame. And then there was Bennett’s Book Club, which…boo.”
“Yeah, not great.”
“And the best is when she put all three together and suggested Bombers Bennett’s Book Club. Or, if you will, Triple B Book Club.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake.”
She laughs some more as I start to brush my teeth.
“Yeah, it’s so bad. I told her I’d think on it and talk to you.
And I’m telling you right now, I will not be a part of a book club with that name.
I’m just daring enough to go against Satan herself and call it the Kim Halpert Book Club before Triple B. ”
“Is that what we’re calling Gretchen? Satan?”
“Ehh, might be a little harsh, but if she keeps it up with those horrible names, I might call her that out of spite.”
I chuckle and then spit the toothpaste out of my mouth. “I dare you to call her that to her face.”
“Just so she can scratch my eyes out of their sockets? No, thank you.”
“Probably a smart move. Either way, do you have any ideas for the name?”
“I’ve been brewing some things up, but I’m not ready to present yet. In the meantime, are you still reading your assigned books?”
“I am.”
“Did you get to the scene where they’re on the kitchen floor and she sticks the vibrator up his ass?”
“I did,” I say, my cheeks flushing.
“Thoughts?”
“You want the truth?”
“Always.”
Smiling, I lean against the bathroom counter and say, “It made me hard as fuck.”
I wait for her reaction, because I know it’s daring, but I think these are the moves I need to make with her. Get her thinking about me in a different way.
“Oh my God,” she whispers. “Why did my nipples just go hard?”
I let out a wallop of a laugh as I make my way back to the bed and strip out of my clothes, even my underwear. I stretch out along the mattress and place one hand behind my head as I continue to talk to her.
“You trying to tell me something?” I flirt.
“I think my body is trying to tell you something.” She laughs, but it almost sounds like a scared laugh.
“Good to know.” Not wanting to go much further with her, because I think I got what I wanted with that comment, I say, “Okay, I’m headed to bed.”
“Right, me too, now that you won’t let me use your tools.”
“Tomorrow, you and me. It’s a date, okay?”
I hear the smallest intake of breath as she says, “Okay.”
“Night, Bower. Sweet dreams.”
“Umm…night, Bennett.”
I hang up, set my phone down, and then grip my goddamn cock. Because if there is one thing I know for sure, hearing that little gasp at the end of that phone call, it made me hard as stone.