9. Monroe

CHAPTER 9

MONROE

" C ome on." Everly pulled on my arm so I'd stand. "We'll go down to wait for them."

No one questioned Camden, Everly, and me about why we were anywhere. I assumed that this was a lot like a concert, where you had to have a special pass to get anywhere. When I glanced at Camden, I realized she did have a special pass hanging around her neck.

Answered my own question.

"I usually wait for him here." Everly stopped several feet from a door. "If you wait right outside the door, then everyone passes by. It's weird."

As the players began trickling out, that made sense. There were a lot of them and I wouldn't necessarily want every one looking at me the way Everly had described.

Then a man who looked a lot like Cobb came out, glancing around, seeing us then coming our way. He slid a hand around Everly's waist then leaned down to kiss her.

"Hey, baby," he said, then he looked up, like he'd just noticed that Camden and I were standing there. This was Urban Briggs, Everly's boyfriend. With as similar as they were, I was concerned I wouldn't be able to keep them all straight.

"This is Monroe," she told him, pointing at me. "Cobb's… friend."

"Hey." He reached his hand out for me to shake and I did. His hands were large like Cobb's but meatier, if that made sense, and definitely felt like he could crush mine without thinking about it. "Nice to meet you."

"You, too," I squeaked out. There was nowhere in my imagination that I'd even considered I'd be meeting more of Cobb's family tonight other than the sister he'd said would pick me up.

Then more guys came out and I met Silas then Brooks, who had the widest shoulders of the bunch. They greeted me but didn't offer a hand to shake.

Finally, Cobb came over to us and slid in beside me. "Fuck. Did any of you even shower?" he asked his brothers. All their dark hair was slightly damp, so they must have.

"Yes," Brooks told him. "We all did. Because we actually played."

Camden snorted on the other side of me.

Cobb held his hands up. "It's not my fault I'm only allowed every fifth game."

"Fuckin' pitchers," Silas said with a grin. "Have to baby the shit out of them."

Cobb shook his head. "Blame the game for pitchers to be the most important part of the team."

The rest of them groaned, making me believe this wasn't the first time these things had been said. They were brothers giving each other a hard time. I might not have had siblings, but I knew people who did.

"Are you all done comparing dick sizes?" Camden asked over the noise. All at once, the guys' tone changed. Gone was the playful verbal sparring to be replaced with disgusted noises in the backs of their throats.

Cobb was the first to speak. "I could go my whole life without hearing you say the word ‘dick' like that."

She cocked her head to the side and said, "Like what?"

"Without you're being a before it," Cobb explained. The guys chuckled.

"Whatever." She took two steps away from us backward. "I've delivered the lady— ladies to you like I said I would and now I'm going to go." She turned so that her back was to us and began to make her way out of the park, but then called over her shoulder, "I'll text you, Monroe. We'll get together and do something."

I didn't have time to respond before she turned a corner and was out of sight.

"Let's go," Cobb said quieter so that I was probably the only one to hear him. His hand was on my lower back as he led me away from the group but then dropped once we were away from any crowd.

Damn. I missed the pressure of his hand on my back.

It wasn't until we were inside his car that I said, "I'm sorry you lost."

He shrugged. "They played better. Not sure what was going on with the third baseman, but it's fine. You win some. You lose some."

"Still. It was fun to watch."

He raised an eyebrow and glanced at me before focusing on the road again. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. Camden explained some things as they came up. I knew a little, but I think I learned a few things today."

"That's good. It's the best sport around."

Quickly, I wet my lips and twisted my fingers together in my lap. "Camden said to ask you why you became a baseball player. All she said was that it wasn't a choice, so I think it's because your dad is one."

"It is because my dad was one, but he put us on the baseball conveyor belt early. He had a plan that all of his kids were going to go pro and create some fucked-up baseball dynasty."

"And you all did?"

"I guess. But Camden fucked his plan up because she's a girl and can't go pro. At least not yet."

That gave me something to think about.

"Are you hungry?" I asked when he pulled up to my house.

"Always."

"I have some delicious leftover lasagna that I was going to heat up tonight and if you're really nice to me, I'll share it."

Cobb smirked then ran his tongue over his bottom lip. "I'll be very nice to you."

The words had so much double meaning that goosebumps skittered across my skin and a chill ran up my spine.

I'd bet he could be very nice. Too bad that even if I could be convinced for more with him, he wouldn't be. That had been made clear. Even his sister knew he wouldn't get into a relationship right now.

I brought Cobb into my apartment and pulled the lasagna out of the fridge so that I could heat it in the microwave. Once it was done, I cut the giant portion Papa had sent for me in two, my piece being much smaller.

"Normally, I'd do a vegetable with this," I told him. "But it's too late for that."

"This smells amazing," he said as he sat down at the island in my kitchen. I moved my plate over so that I was kitty-corner to him, standing with my bare feet against the cool tile. I'd gotten rid of my shoes and socks as soon as we'd come through the door.

Cobb took one bite, closed his eyes for a second, and said, "Holy shit, that's good. Did you make this?"

I shook my head. "Papa did. He makes the pasta from scratch and the sauce. It's the best I've ever had."

"Me too."

And we were able to eat that lasagna while talking more about the game. Of course, he had insight into all of it that I couldn't dream of having. He'd been learning his whole life, but I was a quick a study. When I told him I always thought the bat would vibrate out of their hands when they hit a hundred-mile-an-hour ball, he said he'd show me how to hold it so it wouldn't.

"I'm not sure I want to get near anyone throwing a hundred-mile-an-hour ball anywhere near my head."

He chuckled. "I wouldn't let it hit you. Hell, I can be the one pitching to guarantee it wouldn't hit you."

"It's a hundred miles an hour," I countered. It seemed like a death defying proposition to me. I didn't like to be put in situations where I had to defy death.

"I wouldn't throw it that hard," he promised. Cobb wouldn't let me get hurt. That much I could be sure of but I still hoped that this was all hypothetical.

"I should go," he said once we'd finished putting the dishes in the dishwasher. "Have to meet my brothers for a workout early."

"Do you work out every day?"

"Yes. I normally take November off, but then I get right back to it. In the off season, it's not every day, but during the season, pretty much. There's always something to work on." He moved over to the door and sat down on the bench to put his shoes on. "Listen, we're off tomorrow and after the workout, we're hitting the pool at my parents' house. My dad's out of town, so we don't have to deal with him. Mom will likely be working, but we're having dinner there. Want to come?"

"To your family thing?" My stomach dropped. That wasn't a friend thing, was it? "I don't think so."

He sighed, then stood and came toward me until he was so close, I had to fold my arms under my breasts to keep from reaching out and touching him. "Listen, it's not a big deal. I like spending time with you and really, I haven't reached out to any of my old friends since I've been back." He wet his lips and put his hands on his hips, like he had to figure out what to do with them. "I like hanging out with you. I think I've already said that."

As I thought about that and the fact that I'd only known him a matter of days but was already attached, I ran my tongue quickly over my suddenly dry bottom lip to think about how I wanted to answer. It didn't take much thinking because of course I wanted to spend time with him.

"We leave on a road trip on Friday," he added and that meant I wouldn't get to hang out with him.

So… "Yeah. I'll come. You said pool. Bring a bathing suit?"

His jaw tensed. "Yeah." I nodded, but then he…

Quickly pushed his hand into my hair and his lips pressed against mine. The surprise took me off guard, causing a delay in my response. Cobb was so much taller than me that he had to lean over, making it so that the only thing surrounding me was him.

Which should've been to push him away. He was going to ruin a perfectly good friendship here…

Instead, I slid my hands up his hard chest until my fingertips met the skin of his neck. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer. His mouth moved against mine and he tasted like the pasta sauce we'd both just eaten. His tongue caressed my lips until I parted them.

When his tongue touched mine, it was like reality set back in and I brought that to an end by stepping away. The heat of my cheeks rivaled the sun.

"Why would you do that?" I demanded, though the only thing I wanted was to do it again. "You said friends, Cobb. You only wanted to be friends. Could only be friends."

He closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. "You're right. I'm sorry, Monroe. It won't happen again."

"But why?"

"You were standing there looking very kissable and… I don't know. The intrusive thoughts won out. I'm sorry." He raised his arms out to the side then let them fall. "It won't happen again. I promise. Please still come to the pool."

I swallowed hard. "I'll see you tomorrow." Because right now, I was irritated. Here I was trying to avoid making a stupid decision and he'd kissed me.

He'd said it'd never happen again.

And that was the last thing I wanted.