The Life That Mattered (Life #1)(19)

Keeping her hands busy counting my abs, she widened her stance a few inches. I about died when she bit her lip to accent her grin as she glanced up at me.

“I could stay on this base for hours.” I captured her mouth again, swallowing her deep moan.

After she branded me with a kiss unlike anything I’d shared with anyone before her, she pulled her head back abruptly. I groaned my disappointment, pausing my fingers inside of her.

“You just have a mattress … on your floor?”

I chuckled. It was a bit strained because her hands had left my abs, deciding to work the button and zipper to my jeans. “I told you … simple life. I don’t miss a lot of things that—”

Fuck … fuck, fuck, fuck!

“That what?” She smirked, lifting onto her toes to press a kiss to my jaw as her hand started to breach the waistband of my briefs.

My hand cuffed her wrist to stop her while removing my other hand from her pants. “I don’t have a condom.”

I didn’t plan on having sex that night with Evelyn. That earned me extra gentleman points. However, not having any condoms earned me the biggest fuck-up trophy. Every man should plan for miracles.

She dropped flat onto her feet, forehead pressed to my chest as her hands fell from my pants, limp at her sides.

“I haven’t played baseball since I arrived here.”

No excuse. Nope … it wasn’t an excuse, more like an epic man fail on my part.

Evelyn laughed, stepping back. She zipped and buttoned her jeans before straightening her bra and adjusting her sweater. Then she picked my shirt up from the floor and handed it to me. “Let’s go.”

“Go?”

“Let’s go get condoms. There’s a store less than a block from here that’s still open. We can walk.”

Things … all the spectacular things about Evelyn Taylor.

Yet another reason I knew something was special—different about Evelyn. I didn’t hesitate for a single second. I didn’t suggest another night. I didn’t point out the obvious fact that we were on day two of being together and suggest we slow down.

Nope.

Jacket. Boots. Out the door.

“We should jog.” I reached for her hand and started jogging as she held up her phone with the flashlight on to guide our way in the dark.

She giggled. It was a giggle that reaffirmed my life was pretty fucking incredible at the moment. I didn’t want to slow down and think. If we didn’t make sense … then I refused to live my life by any sort of sense or rules.

“There …” She pointed to the illuminated pharmacy sign.

We found the correct aisle. I glanced at her. She glanced at me and shrugged. I plucked a familiar brand from the shelf, took her hand, and pulled her to the checkout. A giddiness filled my belly like a young boy high on sugar that I wasn’t supposed to eat before dinner. Only … Evelyn was my sugar. And maybe dinner was the morning after. If we did it—hit the home run—would we spoil everything for the next morning?

My inclination leaned toward “no.” Regardless of all the threats my mom made about licorice nibs before dinner spoiling my appetite, I managed to eat every bite on my plate.

“Hey, Evie darling.”

Evelyn’s eyes widened at the cashier. “Oh! Hey, Donna.”

The older lady smiled at me, but it faded into a neutral expression when she saw the box of condoms on the counter.

Hello, old lady stranger. I don’t know who you are, and how you know Evelyn, but I’m going to see how many of these condoms I can use on your “Evie darling” before morning. And for the record … it was her idea. I’m just playing the game.

She cleared her throat. “Did you find everything you were looking for?”

I returned a tight grin and a slight nod, internally chuckling. I wanted to say, “We were actually looking for licorice nibs, but we couldn’t find any, so we’re just going to have sex instead.” But I didn’t say that because I wasn’t in the mood to chat with the nice lady. I wanted Evelyn naked in my bed … because we were past the age of being shamed for just hitting the home run.

The thirties were good. Really fucking good.

“We did,” Evelyn replied, hiding behind me with her head bowed.

I tossed cash onto the counter.

“Do you want a sack?”

“Nope. We’re good.” Evelyn snatched the box of condoms, shoved them into her purse, and yanked my arm.

“Evie! Your change!” Donna called as we made our escape.

“Keep it!” She laughed as we flew out the door.

“Shit …” I chuckled, catching up to Evelyn as she sprinted toward my condo, nothing more than a dark figure with a phone light as her guide. “Who’s Donna?”

“My grandma’s good friend … from church. I didn’t know she worked there. Oops …” More soft laughter erupted from her chest as her words became breathless.

When I could see my front door light, I scooped her into my arms.

“Roe!” she squealed, wrapping her arms around my neck.

The second the door closed behind us, she retrieved the box of condoms and tossed her purse on the floor. We shared the most deviant grins as I carried her to the bedroom and kicked the door shut behind us. You would have thought we robbed the store.