CHAPTER SEVEN
The next morning, I’m awakened by someone knocking at the door. At first, I think it’s Sierra and maybe she’s accidentally locked herself out. She’s more of an early riser than I am but when I see her bedroom door is still closed, I can’t imagine who else would be out and about so early.
As soon as I open the door and see my brother, Morgan, and Breah standing on the front porch, I am overcome with emotion. I immediately embrace them, paying no attention to how cold it is outside or that I’m standing there in my sweats and socks.
“You guys,” I manage to say. “Why didn’t you tell me you were still coming?”
“We wanted to surprise you,” Breah says and pulls her coat across her chest to block the wind. “And it looks like we did exactly that.”
A fresh layer of snow covers the ground and I wonder if Sierra has seen it yet. I typically don’t get worked up over the white stuff but it’s actually really pretty. Thank goodness Morgan and Breah didn’t encounter any issues driving in it.
“Miles?”
I quickly turn around when I hear Sierra call my name from the hallway.
“Is everything okay? It’s really cold with the door open.”
“Sierra, my older brother and his wife just showed up. I…I can’t believe they’re really here. Come over here and let me introduce you to them.”
I can tell that Sierra feels a little awkward since she’s still wearing her PJs, so I suggest letting her have first dibs on the bathroom while I spend some time catching up with my family.
“I’ll put on a pot of coffee for everyone, then you all can help yourselves when it’s finished brewing,” she says and disappears to the kitchen.
By noon, the four of us are downtown walking through the various gift shops and sipping hot chocolate so we can stay warm. It may be a gorgeous day, but it’s bitterly cold. Much colder than it was the day before.
“Have you had a chance to go skiing?” Morgan asks, stepping to the side to allow a few guys wearing snow boots to pass.
“Except for last night, this is the first time we’ve actually gotten out to do anything.” It’s been several years since I’ve actually put on a pair of skis and as much as I’d like to give it another try, I can’t. I can’t risk an accident right now.
“I’m surprised there’s not something in your contract about it,” Morgan mentions, exchanging glances with Sierra and me. “But hey, I can’t blame you for staying indoors. I’d have this woman between the sheets too.”
I stop in the middle of the sidewalk. I’m literally at a loss for words.
My brother has some nerve insinuating that anything more has been going on between Sierra and me.
Even if it was, it’s not something to poke fun about.
I’m embarrassed, to say the least. I am, though, partly to blame for not saying anything to Sierra sooner about the whole baseball thing.
The confusion on her face says as much. I grab hold of her hand and allow my brother and Breah to walk on ahead of us.
“I’m so sorry about my brother’s comment,” I apologize as soon as he’s out of earshot. “He was way out of line to disrespect you in that way.”
“It’s okay,” she says, a hint of moisture in her eyes. She quickly looks away, pretending to be interested in something else.
“No, it’s not okay.” I come to a complete stop and place my hand on her shoulder. “He owes you an apology for saying something so stupid. As for the contract he’s referring to, I didn’t think it was that big of a deal.”
“Oh?”
“Sierra, I’m a professional baseball player, okay?
I don’t get a lot of playing time, but I’m hoping to change that next season.
When people find out that I play for the Florida Firebirds, they immediately want to look up my stats.
They’re not bad, but they’re not great either.
I simply don’t get to play as much as I’d like to. ”
“I…I had no idea. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone famous before.”
“That’s just it. I’m not famous. Not even close.
I’m just a guy who went to this rural high school that managed to catch the attention of a few scouts.
I went to college for two years then got picked up to play AA and AAA.
I’m praying like hell they don’t send me back down to the minors again.
It’s the chance we all take, I get that, but I don’t want to take steps backwards.
I want to excel and go forward. Even if it means going somewhere else. ”
“I’d love to come watch you play,” she says and swipes her gloved hand across her cheek. “I’d sit in the stands and cheer for you every time you come up to bat. I’d even make one of the posters with your name on it.”
“You crack me up, you know that?” Her comments makes me feel a little better about the situation.
“Is there some reason why you didn’t want me to know?”
“It’s not that I wanted to hide it from you.
You’d eventually find out at some point if we remained friends, but I didn’t want it to be the only reason why you stuck around.
It’s a stressful job and you can’t afford to lose your focus.
Women come and go, especially when they realize you can’t always give them one hundred percent of your attention.
It’s even harder when they find out you’re not making as much money as some of the top players. ”
“That makes sense. I just didn’t understand when your brother mentioned your contract. I was like what contract is he talking about?”
“There’s usually a clause they add in about doing certain things that could be dangerous—sky diving, rock climbing, you get the idea. I’m nothing more than an amateur skier. I fall down more than I stand.” I can’t help laughing. “Yeah, I’ve busted my ass more times than I like to admit.”
“Can I ask you something?” Sierra stops walking and steps off to the side.
“Yeah.”
“I know we just met and the way we met is…well, I’ll just say…it makes for a great story, but I feel like maybe we were supposed to cross paths. Perhaps it was fate?”
“If it makes you feel better, I don’t make a habit of pulling over or turning around for just any stranded motorist. In fact, I think you’re probably the first person I’ve actually stopped to assist. And even then, I couldn’t offer you much in the way of actually doing anything other than offering you a ride. ”
“My parents really harped on me as a kid about stranger danger. So getting in the truck with you wasn’t something I took lightly.
Dad was sitting on one shoulder shaking his finger at me while mom was perched on the other side telling me what a nice guy you seemed to be. Life’s all about taking chances, huh?”
“Come on, let’s catch up with Morgan and Breah before they come back looking for us. If my brother doesn’t apologize to you before the day is over, I’m going to take him out behind the cabin and beat his ass.”
“I’m sure he didn’t really mean it the way it came across.”
“Regardless, he shouldn’t have said it.”
“Isn’t that one of those fudge shops up ahead?” Sierra points to a building with swirls and designs painted on the front glass. “Because I’ve been dying for some peanut butter fudge.”
“Get out of here. Do you really like peanut butter fudge?”
“It’s the best!”
By the time we make it back to my truck, we’re both loaded down with shopping bags full of gifts and knick knacks. They’re mostly hers, but I managed to find a few things for some of my friends back in Florida.
Rather than eating out tonight, we grab a couple of steaks for the grill. The girls work on a few side dishes in the kitchen while my brother and I take turns flipping the meat. I use the time to remind him of what he said earlier and how hurtful it was.
“Bro, I’m sorry. Seeing the two of you together…you both look so—”
“We both look what?”
“So happy together.”
I figure as may as well tell him the truth and start with me pulling over for gas.
“Are you kidding me? The two of you just met?”
I nod. “Yep. We’ve only known each one another for a few days.”
“Had you not told me, I would’ve never known.”
“Please don’t say anything to Mason. He’s given me hell since we first started planning to come here. I was on the verge of making up some ridiculous story and then she practically appeared out of nowhere.”
“That’s crazy as hell.”
Sierra walks onto the porch and hands me a beer. “I thought you might like one.”
I bring my hand to her lower back and pull her close. “Thanks, babe.”
“Everything is ready inside. All we’re waiting for is the steaks.”
“Shouldn’t be but a few more minutes,” Morgan speaks up. “If I don’t get Breah’s done all the way, I’ll never hear the end of it.”
“That makes two of us,” she says.
When we’re done eating and the kitchen is clean, I dig out the box of Dominos I brought with me.
We pull the cushions from the sofa and gather around the coffee table for a few rounds.
Breah is the first to lose out, even though we’re not technically keeping score, and disappears to their room.
Not long after that, Morgan says he should probably turn in as well.
With the cushions strewn about on the floor, Sierra and I exchange glances. “So much for sleeping on the sofa again tonight.”
I’m not sure what she’s implying but I may as well find out where she’s headed. “We could always pull them over in front of the fireplace. I’d probably need to thrown in a few more logs though. So we don’t get cold.”
“Okay. I’ll grab a few more blankets.”
I make sure the cabin is closed up nice and tight then pull the bean bag over in front of the fireplace. A few minutes later, Sierra slides underneath the blanket and scoots up next to me.
“You have to keep me warm,” she says and rolls onto her side so that our faces are inches apart.
I trail my fingers down the side of her cheek while the shadows from the fireplace move about the room.
This is one of those ‘first time for everything’ moments and I wonder why I’ve never felt inclined to sleep in front of a fireplace until now.
The crackling sounds, the dancing flames, this beautiful woman… it’s truly a magical moment.
“This is such a lovely place. I’d love to own my own cabin one day. Up in the mountains, away from everyone. The more secluded, the better,” she says barely above a whisper and slides her hands under my shirt.
I pretend not to notice that her fingertips are ice cold and move my mouth to hers. “Mmm,” I moan after sliding my tongue around inside.
It doesn’t take long for me to break out into a sweat and I pull away long enough to slip my shirt off.
“I’m a little warm too,” she says, pushing me onto my back.
She climbs on top of me and I carefully lift her top, exposing one of her breasts. Even in the firelight, I can see that it’s perfect, perfect for wrapping my hand around. I give her nipple a squeeze and she arches her back almost immediately.
“Do you mind if I take your shirt off?”
“No, not at all.”
It’s the most beautiful sight, Sierra straddling me while her breasts fall victim to my hands. When I pull one to my mouth to softly suck, I can’t help noticing her grinding against my pelvic area.
“You’re so gorgeous,” I manage to say between moans.
“Please forgive me. It’s been a while and my panties are a little—”
I lower my hand and sure enough, the fabric is soaked from her juices. All I can think about is sliding my fingers inside of her. Feeling her warmth. Sending her to another world. “May I?”
She manages to push them off without moving from her position on top of me. When my fingers graze the outside of her pussy, I don’t know who moans the loudest—me or her. She orgasms not once but twice before collapsing on my chest. “Give me a minute to catch my breath.”
Except it’s more like thirty seconds. And when she slides down on top of me, I’m the one who whimpers. I pray my brother and Breah don’t hear us.
I use my hands to lift her hips up and down. It’s the best ride I’ve had in a long time. When the walls of her pussy tightly clench my dick, I know she’s content.