Chapter 17
17
Anais
All night long, I have done everything I could think of to get Bishop’s attention. I flirted with Dex all throughout the game. I touched his arm frequently, I laughed a little too much at his stupid jokes, I smiled and batted my eyelashes anytime I thought Bishop was looking my way. But no matter what I did, he never budged.
I expected him to lose his shit, much like he did on campus a couple days ago. Instead of stomping over like a caveman, he stayed stoic and silent. Only smiling or laughing when one of his friends would engage with him.
We’re at the same bar as last year when the team won the World Series, and I’m allowed in with Luca’s approval and under the agreement that I would not drink. I had no problem because I was driving my brand new baby, and I wasn’t stupid to think I could drink and drive back to campus. Plus, Uncle Nix is watching me like a hawk.
Dex is underage and even though I begged Uncle Nix, he wasn’t about to “let someone else’s kid in a bar and get arrested”. He said I was his responsibility but he didn’t know this “kid” from a houseplant, so he couldn’t come.
He told me he was going to a house party and I should call him later and maybe meet up there. When I said I would, I meant it. But now that I’m sitting here, watching Bishop ignore me, I just want to crawl into my bed and cry.
I finish my sparkling water and set the empty glass down on the table I’m sitting at with various people. Viv is close by –I know this because I can hear her– but I’m not sure where everyone else is. I decide to find Uncle Nix and tell him goodbye and head back to my dorm. Maybe Keyara is back from her date and we can binge Netflix and ice cream.
“Is this seat available?” A voice asks from beside me.
I look slowly over my shoulder then up and up until I meet the blue eyes of a beautiful stranger.
“No. I mean yes. The seat is available.” I blush at his dazzling smile, feeling a little starstruck because I’m pretty sure this guy plays with my uncle.
“Thanks,” he says, pulling out the chair and sitting down right next to me. “I’m Cole.”
He holds out his hand to me and I shake it. “Anais. Congrats on the win.”
A crooked grin marks his handsome face and it makes him look younger than he probably is.
“Thank you. I didn’t get much play time because I’m a rook and these big wins go to the vets, but it’s pretty damn surreal.”
“I’m trying to place your position. Centerfield?”
He nods, the smile growing wide. “Yeah. You watched the game?”
“Of course I did. My uncle would kill me if I didn’t watch it long enough to give him a rundown on the big plays.”
“That right? Who’s your uncle?”
“Phoenix West,” I tell him, and I watch the guy's face turn pale and his smile fall.
“You’re Nix’s niece? Uh, I better go–”
“No. Don’t leave. Please. We’re just talking.” I place my hand on his as he begins to stand. “C’mon. He’s really a softie. He only looks cranky. ”
Cole’s eyes are large. “Um, didn’t he beat the shit out of two guys last year? Rami and Manny? His teammates.”
I roll my eyes and shake my head. “Yes, but they were talking shit about his girl. What would you do if you heard two guys –teammates or not– saying some pretty bad shit about your girl?”
Cole rests his elbow on the table and brings his bottle to his mouth. “I don’t have a girl but if I did, I’d kill ‘em with my bare hands.” His eyes sparkle and he bites his lip before taking a long pull of his beer.
I mirror his lip bite and feel the apples of my cheeks heat up.
“Would you like a drink, Anais?”
I shake my head and decide to keep the fact that I’m only nineteen a secret. “I’m driving tonight. No drinking for me.”
He leans in close and whispers, “Are you sure it’s not because you’re not old enough to drink?”
I laugh, pushing on his shoulder. “If you knew I wasn’t twenty-one, why’d you ask if I wanted a drink.”
He shrugs and throws back another swig of his beer. “I wanted to see what you would say. See if you’d tell me how old you really are.”
I arch a brow and purse my lips. “You trouble maker.”
He looks down at his beer bottle as he plays with the label. “So. How old are you? Please tell me you’re over eighteen because if not, I’m going back to my apartment and pout that the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen isn’t even old enough to vote yet.”
“I’m old enough to vote.” I steady him with a look and roll over the lie that I’m almost twenty-one in my head before deciding just to tell him the truth. “I’m nineteen.”
He bobs his head up and down for a moment, his eyes wandering around the club, then looks at me again.
“I’m twenty-three. I’m a rookie playing my first major league season with the Wranglers. I graduated from Oregon State last year and headed to farm league before getting pulled up. I don’t smoke or do drugs. Never been married and never been in trouble with the law. You’re the most jaw dropping woman I’ve ever laid eyes on and I’d love to get to know you. Most importantly, do you have a boyfriend? ”
He rattles off his personal stats like they’re his baseball stats and it makes me giggle. My eyes search for Bishop and see him talking with a player, laughing and not giving two shits about me.
“I do not have a boyfriend,” I tell him, and he beams. “I’m from Slidell, Louisiana. I’m a freshman at Rice. I don’t smoke or do drugs –yay for us. I’m addicted to reading romance novels and unlike my uncle, I am horrible at pitching. I’m more of a second baseman.”
We keep exchanging facts and smiles as we continue to talk, and he quickly helps me forget all about Bishop. Well…maybe not all about him, but enough that I genuinely have a good time with Cole.
“So do you think your uncle would kill me if I asked you to dance?” He slowly begins to stand, his tall body unfolding from his chair.
I look over where Uncle Nix hangs over Viv as they do something that looks like dancing, but it’s pretty wobbly and they look more than a little toasted.
“Well seeing as he isn’t my dad and doesn’t speak for me, I would say that I’d love to dance.” I hold out my hand to him and he takes it, gently pulling me from my seat and escorting me onto the dance floor.
He’s so handsome and nice and sweet, and I could definitely use someone like him to help me get over Bishop. I just don’t know if I could use a guy like that and not feel bad about it.
A club mix of Music Sounds Better With You and Fake ID booms from the speakers and my body rolls and sways. Cole places a hand on my waist and pulls me closer. Not too much to be deemed inappropriate, but close enough that I can feel the heat coming from his body. I slide my fingers along his arm and feel goosebumps spread across his skin.
He leans down and whispers, “I really like you and I don’t want to seem forward, but I would love to go somewhere without all the onlookers.”
He pulls back and I blink, debating on what to do. Honestly, I don’t want to be here any longer under the watchful eye of my uncle and all his friends. I need to get away from Bishop and any thought of him .
I take another look at Uncle Nix and Viv who are lost in their own world, then search for the others who are doing much the same. My eyes begin to wander the room for Bishop, but I stop myself and force my eyes back to Cole.
“Let’s get out of here,” I tell him and take his hand, pulling him off the dance floor and away from the crowd.
When we make it to the elevator banks then I grab his shirt and tug him to me just as my back hits the wall. I pull his face down to meet mine and raise up on my toes, locking my lips to his. It only takes him a moment to unfreeze and quickly wrap me in his arms.
My feet are lifted off the floor and I’m pressed to the wall. My legs climb his body until they circle his waist and my feet lock as I rub up against his tight stomach like a cat scratching a post. The dampness between my legs grows as does the ache.
“Is your apartment close?” I mumble, our lips still locked tight.
He nods, “Yeah, but I didn’t mean that when I asked if you wanted to leave.”
“I did.” I release his kiss and look him straight in the eyes. “Let’s go to your place. My car is in the parking garage.”
“You sure?” He pushes my wild curls from my face and I nod, sliding my hands across his chest. “Okay,” he chokes out.
The bell dings and the elevator doors open. We hurry in and just as the doors are about to close, a hand slams between them, stopping them from shutting and pushing them wide open.
I step further back into the lift and take Cole’s hand in mine, pulling him to me. My heart lodges in my throat when Bishop steps in. His eyes are full of fire and he doesn’t even pass Cole a glance.
“Holy shit. Bishop Michaels,” Cole says, stunned.
That snaps Bishop out of his trance and he looks up at him.
“He’s my uncle's best friend,” I tell Cole. “Can’t you wait for the next lift? We’re in a hurry.”
“Nah. It’s okay. I’m sure we’re all riding down to the same floor,” Cole tries, but I squeeze his hand and yank him back until his back meets my chest .
“Nix wants me to make sure you get home okay,” Bishop says, his intense gaze focused back on me.
“Cole’s already taking care of that. I’ll be just fine. You can stay.”
His head moves slowly from left to right. “I promised him that I would get you home safe and I never break a promise.”
“Well then I’ll guess you’ll be seeing me safely to Cole’s apartment because that’s where I’m going.” I lift my chin in a challenge, daring him to follow knowing what’s going to happen when we get there.
His nostrils flare and I hear his knuckles crack when he rolls his fists tight. The lift is silent and I feel like it’s the calm before the storm. He stands staring at us, his back to the doors, and I circle around Cole to stand in front of him.
I turn and look up, dragging his attention down to me. “Did you drive?”
“No. I was planning to get a ride home since I was drinking.”
“Well good thing I didn’t drink.”
That crooked grin appears again and I tell myself, yeah tonight is happening, and it’s happening with Cole.
“You didn’t drink because you’re only nineteen,” Bishop snaps.
“He knows how old I am. It doesn’t bother him,” I say, snidely.
I don’t turn around, but I can hear his thick breaths as he fumes.
Cole’s eyes flick to Bishops with worry written all over his face. When they return to me, he says, “You know, we can always meet up another time if it’s a problem.”
“No,” I rush out. “There’s no problem. Just a guy who thinks I’m not able to handle things on my own.”
I play with the buttons of his shirt, lightly scraping my nails down his stomach, and he visibly shivers under my touch. The elevator reaches the floor for the connected garage and I link my hand with his.
“I’m parked down here.” I pull him behind me but hear a second set of feet keeping pace with us.
I keep my attention focused on finding my car and completely off of the stewing giant behind me. When I see my little blue car sitting at the end of the row, I tap the auto start and the lights come alive.
“Nice car,” Cole says with a whistle.
“Thanks. Phoenix bought it for me. It was a gift.”
“A graduation gift. Graduation from high school,” a grumpy voice calls out, his voice echoing in the concrete building.
“Will you stop? We already established that he knows my age. Why are you so fucking hung up on that?” We reach my car and I unlock the doors, and pull the passenger side open. “Get in Cole. Let’s go.”
Cole holds the door, looking from me to Bishop…me…Bishop. “I don’t know–” he starts.
“Don’t worry about the old grumpy man. He’s just sad because he’s going home alone tonight.” I round my car, sliding into the driver's seat without giving Bishop a second look.
Cole hesitantly follows suit and I quickly lock the doors, throwing my car into reverse before peeling out, my tires squealing as they go.
“Where do you live?” I ask him.
He’s quiet for a moment. “The Atrium. Are you sure everything is okay there? It seems like there’s more to the story.”
I look in my rearview mirror and see Bishop standing with his arms across his chest. “Nah. He just likes to treat me like a child. It’s fine. Tell me where to turn.”
He gives me directions and it doesn’t take long for us to arrive at his place.
“Where should I park?” I ask him.
“Just pull up to the curb,” he replies and points to an open spot.
I slow down and sidle up next to the sidewalk without scuffing my rims.
“Will it be okay to park here overnight?”
“Listen Anais,” he starts, and I know nothing good follows those words. “I really like you, but I get the feeling things are a lot more complicated than you are letting on. I’d like to continue this, but not if this is a game to you.”
“Not at all,” I reassure him .
“Good. Then how about I give you my number and you go sleep on it. If you still feel this way in the morning, I’ll take you out on a proper date tomorrow night? Okay?”
I feel the sting of tears in my eyes and I blink them away. Cole reaches over and slides his hand across my cheek until it tangles in my hair. He licks his lips then proceeds to kiss me slow and hard. We moan into each other's mouth and I find myself promptly trying to crawl over the middle console.
Too soon, he pulls away. “Give me your phone.”
I pull it from my purse that I hastily draped over my seat and unlock. He types in his information then hands it back. I get one more chaste kiss, and he’s opening the car door.
“G’night beautiful. Drive safely.” He winks and shuts the door, jogging towards the entrance.
He disappears through the doors and my mood immediately sours. Once again, Bishop has ruined a hookup with his behavior. He’s giving me whiplash. Pull, push, kiss, ignore, orgasms, stay away.
I’m going to have to grow a spine and tell him no more because right now, his attitude is all I don’t want you, but I don’t want anyone else to have you .
Something has got to change, and I guess it will have to be me.