Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

QUINCY – AGE 21 { RIPLEY – AGE 16}

C aleb bro hugs me. "Good luck, buddy. Bring some of that West Coast fun to the pros."

I chuckle. "Thanks, man. Let's hope it actually happens. If not, I'll be back sharing a bathroom with your smelly ass."

"Nah, man, you're the real deal. This is happening for you. Today is the day dreams are made of. Live it for all of us."

I slap his back. "Your time will come. Thanks for waking up so early to say goodbye. Wherever I end up, you'll come visit, right?"

"You know it. Now put on a fucking shirt and get out of here. You know you have to wear a shirt to play pro ball, right? There are no topless leagues."

I wink. If I'm not playing ball, I'm usually shirtless. I'm always so hot. The guys make fun of me for it, but I'm more comfortable that way, and now I do it half the time just to get a rise out of them.

After slipping on my T-shirt, I get in my car, which is packed to the gills, and pull out for the last time. I hope .

I'm on my way home from college. It's a several hours long drive from Southern California to Northern California, so I left early this morning. Very early.

Even though I only just completed my junior year at UCLA, I've cleared out my apartment on campus. The Major League Baseball draft is today and, according to my new sports agent, Tad, I'm going to be selected either late in the first round or early in the second. If that happens, I won't go back for my senior year of college. I'll head straight to fulfill my lifetime dream of becoming a professional baseball player. A pitcher in the big leagues. It's hard to believe.

My sister, Arizona, has organized a huge draft day party at our house. Yes, my sixteen-year-old sister had to do it because my parents can't be bothered. They own a furniture business that they eat, sleep, and breathe. It's their favorite child. I can count on one hand how many baseball games of mine my father has attended. My mother came to a few more games than him throughout my life, but not many. Neither have been to a single college game of mine, claiming that they can't leave the store unattended.

I haven't been home in a long time. I visited for one day over Thanksgiving and another day for Christmas, but I otherwise haven't spent time in my hometown in at least a year and a half. If it wasn't for my sister, I'd never go back.

Arizona visits me at school when she can get away, which isn't often enough. She's the one I miss the most. She's a phenomenal softball player, which keeps her busy, but she sits in the stands for as many of my college games as she can get away with.

It's late morning on a warm July day as I pull into the driveway. I see balloons and banners everywhere. I knew my sister would go all out. That's the kind of person she is. My success is her success. I feel the same way about hers. I have zero doubt that Arizona Abbott will light the world on fire one day. She's a superstar through and through.

I walk toward the front door and am immediately flooded with memories of Diamond greeting me. She died my junior year in high school. My parents refused to get another dog because they said I was leaving for college and wouldn't be here to take care of it. All I want is to have my own house so I can get another dog just like Diamond.

As soon as I walk through the door, I'm greeted by a big, round ass up on a ladder, hanging another banner. It's definitely not Arizona. She's not that round. My sister is a true leggy California blonde. Unfortunately, she's stunningly beautiful. Despite the five year age gap, I've been hearing it from my friends for years. I have to play bodyguard every time my college teammates see her, threatening bodily harm to anyone who goes near her. She always laughs it off. I think she's used to the attention.

My eyes move up from that plush ass until they meet the gorgeous red hair of Ripley St. James, my sister's best friend. She's in jean shorts and a T-shirt.

She startles at the noise I make and begins to wobble. I quickly rush to her to make sure she doesn't fall.

She turns and slips off the ladder just as I catch her. Our bodies are now pressed together. I can't help but look down at her chest. Last time I saw her, she was still a girl. Not anymore. She's a woman now. All woman. I look back up at her face. She's fucking gorgeous. What the hell?

I can't help but inhale her aroma. She still smells like strawberries. Yum. So many fun memories are immediately triggered by her scent.

I smile down at her in my arms, "You're clumsy, Shortcake."

She blushes at the nickname I've called her for over ten years. She always has.

I suddenly hear a voice. "Is there a reason you're groping my bestie?"

I quickly release Ripley and step back, realizing our close proximity. I playfully narrow my eyes at my sister. "I just saved her life."

Ripley lets out a laugh. "I was two feet in the air. I think I would have survived the fall."

I shrug. "Next time I'll be sure to drop your ass." A fucking phenomenal ass.

My sister smiles as she jumps into my arms for a hug. "I'm happy you're home and so excited about today. I'm proud of you, Q."

I squeeze her in return. "Thanks, Z. I can't believe this day is finally here."

"Me too." She rubs her hand over my hair. "It's getting long. You look like a girl."

I smirk. "Chicks dig it."

I see Ripley nodding in agreement. "I love it. The curls in the back are amazing. I didn't even know you had curly hair." She starts to run her fingers through it but then catches herself and quickly pulls away. " Sorry."

"Don't be. It doesn't bother me." In fact, I think I like it.

I take the opportunity to really look Ripley up and down, head to toe. She's truly blossomed into a full-blown sexpot. When did that happen? She's never been petite, but now it's just sexy curves for miles. I can't fathom how many guys must chase after her.

I turn to Arizona. "Are Mom and Dad here?"

Her face falls, and she subtly shakes her head. "They're working. Mom said she'd try to make it in time."

I let out a long breath. "Their son might get drafted to play pro ball, and they can't take a few hours off? Typical. I should have known."

She scrunches her nose. "Sorry, Q. Forget them. Half the town is coming. Everyone is excited for you. I'm just praying that you get drafted by a team close to home so I can watch you play."

I'm filled with warmth for my amazing sister. She's the only reason I'm doing this here instead of at school with my teammates.

"I have no idea if, when, and by whom I'll get drafted. I hope I don't let you down."

Her face softens. "Not a chance. My fucking brother is about to become a major leaguer. You're living both our dreams. I wish there was pro softball so I could play after college."

"I think there will be someday soon."

Ripley nods in agreement. "My mom thinks so too. She said there's a lot of chatter about it in the softball world."

While Ripley's mother is a little nutty—well, a lot nutty—she does coach at the high school and coaches Arizona and Ripley's club team. They travel all over in the summer playing against the best teams in the country. They're both undoubtedly going to get college scholarships for softball.

I smile. "See, it's going to happen. Plus, the two of you are shoo-ins for the Olympic team one day. I have no doubt."

They have been talking about being in the Olympics together for as long as I can remember. Crazily enough, it's not unrealistic. They're among the top players in the country for their age.

The front door opens and a tall guy with short, dark hair walks in like he owns the place. He looks my sister up and down as he makes a beeline straight for her and kisses her. Hard.

I grab him by the shirt, pull him off her, and shove him into the wall. "Who the fuck are you? Keep your hands off her."

Arizona slaps my hand. "Cut it out, caveman. This is my boyfriend, Noah."

I scowl at Noah. "How old are you?" He looks like a grown man.

With a fucking smug look on his face, he responds, "Eighteen."

I turn to Arizona. "He's too old for you. And he's a dipshit." Looking back at him, I growl, "Get the fuck out of my house."

Arizona grabs his hand and pulls him toward the kitchen. "Ignore him, babe. Come help me put the beer on ice."

I shout after them, "Beer? You're sixteen."

She shouts back, "Did you drink beer at sixteen?"

Hmm. She's got me there .

Ripley gives me a small smile. "Noah isn't a bad guy. He worships the ground she walks on. They practically run the school. They were the prom king and queen."

"Prom queen? She was only a sophomore this year."

Ripley raises an eyebrow. "She looks like a model and is the most popular girl at the school. You must know that."

I run my hands through my hair. "When did my sister grow up so much? I can't believe she's dating a grown man."

Ripley lets out a laugh. "We're growing up. Like it or not."

I nod as I unashamedly move my eyes up and down her body again. "You look good, Shortcake."

Her cheeks redden and she bites her lip. "Thank you."

And then it occurs to me. Does she have a boyfriend? And why does the thought of that make me…angry?

"Do…do you have a boyfriend too?"

She shakes her head. "No, I don't."

I mumble. "Good."

We're both silent, staring at each other. She bites her lip again, and I feel it in my cock. I suddenly want to bite that lip too. It's red and full and…Ah, stop it. It's Ripley. Arizona's ever-present sidekick. I bandaged her knee when she fell off a bike, and I took her to her first father-daughter dance.

She fidgets with the bottom of her shirt. "Congrats on your success. I'm happy for you, Quincy. You deserve it."

I can only manage a nod as I come to terms with the fact that I'm suddenly having this intense attraction to my sister's best friend. After a few awkward moments, I say, "I'm nervous for today. I hope it goes well. I don't want to disappoint anyone, especially Z."

She smiles. "It will go fine. Any team would be lucky to have you. I've...umm…seen a few of your games on TV. Your curveball has gotten really good. Your changeup too. I see you moved from a two-seam fastball to a four-seam. It's given you a little extra pop. I told you so."

I can't help but smile. I nearly forgot what it was like to be around girls who know baseball. Arizona and Ripley are as knowledgeable as any of my teammates.

I let out a laugh. "You're right. You did, in fact, mention it when I was in high school. I should have listened then. You certainly know pitching grips."

If eyes could smile, hers do at the compliment. Were they always this sparkly blue? How have I never noticed how pretty her eyes are?

Before I know it, my house is full of people. Most faces are familiar, but some aren't. We're all downing beers, crowded in front of the television as pick after pick is made without my name being called. I can feel the intensity of the glares from people each time my name isn't called. Looks of pity. Maybe it's all a mistake. Maybe I'm not getting drafted.

My agent, Tad, the only person here in a business suit, has been on the phone the whole time. He's trying to figure out who will draft me and when.

At some point, my mother runs into the house with a frantic look on her face. "Did I miss it?"

Arizona clears out a spot for her on the sofa. "No, Mom. Not yet. Any minute now. I can feel it."

Arizona nods at me in reassurance. I'm doing my best to look confident. I don't want to disappoint her.

My mother walks over and hugs me. "I'm so proud of you."

I kiss her cheek. "Is Dad coming?"

She gives me a sad smile. "He can't leave the store, sweetie. He said to call him as soon as it happens."

"Yep. Your son getting drafted to play professional baseball happens every day. I'm sure the end table he'll sell this afternoon will be worth missing it."

My mother gives me a disapproving look. "He's doing his best. We have Arizona's college tuition coming up. We need the money."

I roll my eyes. They're clueless. "She's one of the best softball players in the country. She'll be going to college for free. If you bothered to watch her play, you'd know that."

Arizona elbows me. "Leave her alone. It's a good day. Let's focus on that."

The first round ends, and I haven't been drafted. I'm disappointed and feeling anxious. What if it doesn't happen at all? All these people came to see me get drafted. I can feel the sweat dripping down my back. Would it be in poor taste to remove my shirt? I'm guessing it would be.

There are a few picks in the second round before Tad gets off the phone with a huge smile. "Turn the television up. It's showtime, buddy."

I look at him, wide-eyed. He winks and gives me a small nod of encouragement. The baseball commissioner stands at the podium. "With the tenth pick in the second round, the Houston Hurricanes select Quincy Abbott, right-handed pitcher from UCLA."

The whole room stands and erupts in loud cheers. Everyone pats my back and hugs me. I look toward the front door, willing my father to have snuck in and saw the moment, but he didn't. He never does.

Arizona leaps into my arms with tears streaming down her face. "You did it! Ahh. I'm so happy right now."

" We did it. Most teenage boys pitch to their dads in the backyard for hours. I'm probably the only one who pitched to his little sister. The only one whose little sister could actually catch for him. Thanks for all you did, Z. All the early mornings. All the late nights. All the bruises from targets I missed. I wouldn't be here without you."

She humbly nods as she continues to cry tears of joy for me.

The next few hours are a blur of elation and celebration. My father eventually came home and congratulated me. Too little, too late. I ignored him.

As the daylight bleeds into night, most people have left, but there are a handful still here, and we're sitting in the hot tub in the backyard. My sister has had too much to drink. I've been watching Noah like a hawk. His fingers are all over her bikini-clad body, making my blood pressure skyrocket.

His hands suddenly disappear well below the waterline. I'm about to reach my breaking point and kick him out when Ripley notices and intervenes. She has a towel wrapped around her, only sticking her feet in the water, but she grabs Noah's arm. "She's had a lot to drink, Noah. Why don't you head out? I'm going to put her to bed."

He smirks. "I'll put her to bed."

I shove him. "Get the fuck out. Stay away from her."

After retrieving a towel for Arizona, Ripley pulls her out and guides her into the house. Once they disappear, I grab Noah by the back of the neck. "I'm not fucking around. Stay away from my sister. She's too good for you."

His eyes practically bug out of his head before he wiggles away and finally leaves.

My remaining friends eventually say goodbye, and I'm left alone to reflect on the day.

Surrounded by the steam of the hot tub, I tilt my head back and take another gulp of my beer. Holy shit. I can't believe I'm going to get to play professional baseball. I'm living my dream. I'm living the dream of every little boy in this country. In the world. I'm still finding it hard to believe.

A few minutes later, Ripley walks back out. "Arizona is asleep. I'm going to head home. Congrats again, Quincy. I wish you all the luck in the world."

"No need to rush. Get in. We barely got to speak today. Let's catch up, Shortcake." For some reason, I don't want her to leave.

She hesitates briefly before sitting back on the ledge, still with her towel wrapped around her, and places her feet in the water. I wonder why she won't get in.

"Get in. It feels great."

She squeezes her towel even tighter and looks down. "Not right now. Maybe in a bit."

Suddenly it occurs to me. She doesn't want to show me her body. She's insecure. I can't imagine why. Yes, she's bigger than most girls, but not in a bad way. Women are supposed to have curves, and she's got them in spades.

I turn around to get another beer from the cooler behind me, pretending to be searching for the one I want so my back is turned for an extended time. When I turn back, she's in the water, mostly covered by the darkness of the evening. Though I can see the tops of her breasts just above the water. So fucking hot.

I snap out of my thoughts and make eye contact with her. "Catch me up on all things Ripley St. James."

She smiles as she gathers her flowy red hair into a messy bun and ties it in place. A few stray curls fall out. Her blue eyes are shining extra bright in the water. She's so beautiful. My heart is suddenly beating too fast.

"It was a fun year. Lots of parties. As you know, we won the state championship for softball. Your sister had a great season."

I let out a laugh. "I followed the season, Shortcake. You only let up three runs the entire year. It sounds like it was you who had the great season."

The corners of her mouth rise in amusement. "We both did."

"How's your mom?" June St. James is a character, to say the least.

Ripley rolls her eyes. "If you're asking if she still loves to bring home random guys and publicly embarrass me, the answer is yes."

I chuckle. It's all true. "You're starting to look like her." June is an attractive redhead.

"I don't see it."

"That's because you have a much better body." My jaw drops. I can't believe I said that out loud. June is tall, like Ripley, but doesn't have the sexy curves.

Every inch of Ripley blushes at the compliment. It's adorable.

I need a subject change. "What's with Noah? I hate him. He's a douche."

She giggles. "You'd hate anyone she dated. Noah isn't bad. He's whipped. She's not. He leaves for college next month. At her suggestion, they're breaking up before he leaves. They have an expiration date."

"Good. What about you? You mentioned not having a boyfriend right now, but what about this year?" For some reason, I need to know.

She shakes her head. "No."

"Why not?"

She looks down again. "I'm not exactly high school desirable. Guys aren't into me. I think I outweigh most of them. At least the guys my age."

"High school boys are idiots. A real woman should have curves, and real men appreciate them. You've grown up a lot since I last saw you." I reach over and tilt her chin up so I can look her in the eyes. "Ripley, you're stunning. I thought it the second I walked in this morning. Don't ever think otherwise."

She blushes and then visibly swallows. "Thank you. I'd rather not waste my time on guys my age anyway. I've always had my eye on a slightly older guy, but he doesn't see me that way." She briefly pauses. "At least he hasn't in the past. I've saved myself for him. I've saved my firsts for him."

I try to muster a smile, both hating and feeling jealous of this ignorant dickhead. "He's a lucky guy. There's no shame in saving your virtue until this meathead opens his eyes."

"I've saved everything for him. Every thing."

"Not even a kiss?"

She slowly shakes her head.

"Does he know?"

She shrugs. "I don't think so."

"You should tell him. I bet he's crazy about you too. How could he not be?" Or don't tell him at all .

"Do you really think so?"

I nod. "Yes." No. Why am I jealous of this loser?

"I'm dying for him to be my first kiss."

"Talk to him. I'll bet he wants it too. Any guy would be crazy for you."

She slowly moves across the hot tub until she's only inches from me. My eyes widen at the surprise move. "Ripley, what are you doing?"

She tilts her head to the side. "You never knew?"

"Knew what?"

She's silent as she drags her lower lip through her teeth. When it pops back out, along with a sudden stirring in my pants, she breathes, "It's you, Quincy. It's always been you. I promised you all my firsts. I've saved them for you. For years, I've wanted it to be you."

I'm in shock. I had no idea. I've never considered her a woman until tonight. Today.

She looks so gorgeous and innocent right now. Her cheeks are red though not as red as her parted, lush lips. Her hair is messy in the sexiest way possible. Her generous chest is moving up and down at a gradually increasing pace.

I know I shouldn't, but I can't seem to help myself. Running my hand along her soft face, I rub my thumb over her lips. She shuts her eyes and leans into my hand as if she's savoring it.

How have I missed her feelings for me? In fairness, she was never the woman standing in front of me. She was Ripley, Arizona's best friend, who always hung around. But that's not how I'm seeing her right now.

I breathe, "You're so beautiful," as I close the distance between us and softly bring my lips to hers.

The kiss starts off tender, our lips joining together for the first time. She smells and tastes so familiar. It's old and comfortable, yet new and exciting at the same time.

She moves a little closer so that our chests meet. My fingers graze her waist while hers gently touch the backs of my shoulders.

I genuinely intend to simply give her the sweet first kiss she deserves, but she takes things up a notch. She takes them up several notches.

Her tongue gently coaxes my mouth open at the same time she moves to straddle my lap. Crashing down on my suddenly severely hardened dick, she gasps into my mouth.

It seems to embolden her because she begins gyrating over me. The kiss that started tender is no longer that. Not at all.

She grabs onto the back of my hair as our tongues taste each other. The kiss is deep and nearing erotic. It's hard to believe this is her first.

As if having a life of their own, my hands grab onto her ass, encouraging her movements over me. Her ass is soft and fits naturally in my large hands. I don't know that I've ever been an ass man, but noticing hers earlier today and now touching the supple flesh has got me so fucking turned on.

She circles her hips as her moans into my mouth escalate. I think she might have an orgasm from this.

I begin thrusting my own hips up a bit, so my covered cock is pushing through her covered pussy. She breaks the kiss and tilts her head back. "Oh god, I think I'm coming."

Not able to help myself, I pull down the left side of the top of her bathing suit, taking in her rosy, pebbled nipple. I mumble, "So fucking perfect," as I take it into my mouth. As soon as I apply suction, she starts shaking and moans out my name.

Seeing her like this sets me off, and, for the first time since I was probably about thirteen, I come in my pants.

She breathlessly tilts her head back toward me. Her eyes are wide. I think she's in shock too. "Wow. What…what can I do for you? What do you need?"

She has no idea that I came in my pants. She has no idea because she's fucking sixteen and inexperienced. What the hell have I done? She's a kid. The same age as my little sister. My sister's best friend. I've known her since she was five years old.

Shame washes over me as I pull back. "I…I'm so sorry, Ripley. I shouldn't have let it get that far."

She grabs my face, so I'm forced to stare into her shimmering, lust-filled blue eyes. "Don't be. It was worth the wait." She softly smiles. "Best first kiss ever. And…it's the first time I've ever come. Thank you."