“I take it, I’m your new Bob,” I said to him, referring to my host-brother and batboy in North Carolina who had the scoop on everything.
“You seem to be handling your new duties well.”
◊◊◊
The crowd at Minute Maid Park was disappointing. We drew about as many people as we did in North Carolina, but here, it felt like the park was empty. Two thousand fans didn’t even make a dent in the over forty-thousand-seat ballpark.
The park wasn’t set up for the long ball. To straight center field, it was 435 feet with a 25-foot wall.
We were up first. Coach Kingwood pulled me aside to give me directions before I stepped out there.
“This first game will set the tone for the rest. Expect them to challenge you on the first at-bat, and I want you to show them we’re going to own them.”
I chuckled.
“What’s so funny?”
“I can just hear Dave saying ‘you can’t say that’ about owning the other team.”
“Get your head in the game,” he said, getting serious. “Expect them to throw you fastballs early. If you get one you like, I want you to tear the cover off it.”
I nodded and trotted to the batter’s box.
“You ready for some baseball?” I asked.
Everyone ignored me. I closed my eyes to visualize my five steps for hitting. When I opened them, I felt myself drop into the zone and took my stance. Their pitcher put his toe on the rubber and threw to home. Everything slowed down as I watched him overstride to get as much as he could out of the ball. I knew when it came out of his hand that I was swinging. If I’d waited a split second to decide, it would have been too late. Later I learned that they clocked the pitch at 96 miles per hour, probably the fastest I’d faced in live batting. Fortunately, the Lincoln High Booster Club had bought top-quality pitching machines, so I was prepared.
I knew that if my mechanics were correct, this ball would fly a long way. I admit that I put a little extra in the cut as I swung at the ball. But when I heard that satisfying sound of a well-hit ball, I knew I hadn’t needed to.
“Shit!” was the eloquent response from their catcher.
It was hit to dead center field, so I ran hard to first, thinking that even my best-hit ball might not make it out. The center fielder ran back and then just stopped, turned, and watched it. I made a little hop when it disappeared over the fence.
Our bench was waiting for me when I came home. I received my congratulations and saw Coach Kingwood tip his hat to me.
Our bats didn’t come alive until the fourth inning when we put four on them. I had a weird night at the plate. I batted five times and only got one hit. They walked me four times, which turned out to be a mistake because I stole second three times and accounted for two more runs. We won 6–3 to ‘set the tone,’ as Coach Kingwood put it.
◊◊◊
They’d set up a pizza buffet with salad and soft drinks for both teams. I didn’t feel like eating pizza that late. To tell the truth, it didn’t look all that good. I got permission from Coach Kingwood to go back to the hotel. Fritz pulled the car around, and we drove back.
When he dropped me off, Kelly was sitting in the lobby, reading a book. She saw me and smiled. I’d planned to slow things down, but when she stood up and smiled at me, I had second thoughts. Kelly just looked so happy that I couldn’t find it in me to turn her down.
“Take me upstairs,” she told me.
We stood outside my room while I fished for my key card. I knew it had to be in my duffle bag.
“Are you sure about this?” I asked.
“God, yes, I’m sure about this.”
Kelly grabbed my duffle bag and reached in. As if by magic, she found the key card and pushed it into the slot. She grabbed me, dragged me into the room, and pushed her body against mine as I leaned against the closed door. Kelly pulled my head down to capture my lips. Her hands ran all over my arms and shoulders. I wanted to throw her down right there in the entrance hall and have my way with her on the hotel carpet.
“You’re so good-looking,” Kelly said. “You have the nicest eyes I’ve ever seen.”
She pushed her chest against me, and I felt her nipples drill into my chest.
“Do you feel that?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“Feel how much I need you. How much I want you.”
I felt my desire ratchet up.
“Yes, yes,” I managed to get out.
“Do you want me?” Kelly asked.
“God, yes,” I hissed.
“Say it. Say you want me,” she ordered.
“I want you.”
Kelly’s mouth, reckless and possessive, found mine. I picked her up, took her to bed, and gently laid her down. She watched as I undid my jersey to take it off. I then took off my protective t-shirt so I was bare-chested. I reached down and unbuttoned her shirt with one hand, and I let my fingers of my other hand linger tantalizingly on the top of her breasts. She squirmed as I teased her chest.
Kelly sat up and pulled her shirt and then bra off. When her breasts were finally exposed, I leaned down and lavished them with attention. She groaned and whispered my name.
“Please,” she begged. Her eyes showed her desire.
“Please what?” I asked.
“Please.”
“Do you want me to touch you … here?” I asked as I cupped her big firm breasts and ran my thumbs over her extended nipples.
“Yes,” Kelly hissed.
“Here?” I asked, letting my right hand slide down her belly as she squirmed with passion.
“Oh, yes.”
“Do you want me to go lower?”
“Please.”
I undid her jeans and slid my hand inside her panties. My fingers slid through her bush, and I found her aroused sex.
“Oh, yes,” Kelly groaned.
“Here?” I asked as my voice became gravelly.
I toyed with her delicate folds with my long, thick fingers. She whimpered as I slid a digit inside her. She was ready for me.
“I love your muff,” I announced.
I half-expected that my statement would surprise her, but she just moaned louder as my fingers pushed deeper, filled her, stretched her, and stroked her. When I found the rough little patch at the top of her wall, I began firmly to rub her G-spot. She was losing her mind as she made little yelping noises and said my name over and over again.
“David, David, David … I want you,” she begged.
I worked my magic and helped her reach her first one. Enough with the preliminaries, I decided. She saw me take the rest of my baseball gear off. While I did that, she got naked, and I grabbed a condom and put it on.
When I turned back, I took her in. There was raw lust radiating from her every pore. I crawled on her and felt myself sink into warm, slippery goodness. If I thought the first time was good, I’m not sure what you would call this. I settled on fun. Kelly wasn’t in the same class as my girls back home, but I wouldn’t turn her down. What was it that Kendal’s grandpa said? If they’re passing around pie, you eat pie. If she wanted to have sex with me, I would have sex.
I heard the keycard enter the door, and Allard came in.
“I hoped you two were here,” he said as he began to get undressed.
The Alpha Male in me surfaced.
“Wait your turn,” I said, not interested in sharing at the moment.
He lay back on his bed and stroked himself while Kelly and I had sex. It was distracting, to say the least, and I found I just wanted to get this over with, so I went to pound town. Dear Lord, Kelly liked that. I had to clamp my hand over her mouth before her screams got us in trouble.
I felt the wonderful feeling deep inside, slammed home one more time, and became rigid as nirvana overcame me.
“Damn, that was hot,” Allard observed.
I rolled off Kelly and got up to take care of the condom.
When I came back from the bathroom, I found her in Allard’s bed as she rode him. I noticed he hadn’t put on a condom.