The Trade(35)

I close out the article on my phone, silently swearing to myself. Sex addiction? Jesus Christ.

Taking a deep breath, I try to calm myself just as the crew starts to filter in.

“Good morning,” I say over a cup of coffee as Milly and Carson walk hand in hand up to the large table I snagged for the group.

“Morning,” Milly says. Carson flops down in a chair and stretches his arms above his head. His hair is rumpled, he’s wearing athletic shorts and a tank top, and he looks like a very, very happy man. How can I tell? Because he can’t seem to keep his hands off my sister as she takes a seat next to him.

They’re married.

They’re married.

I need to keep reminding myself of that so I don’t feel the need to be overprotective and tell him to step away.

“Get any sleep last night?” Carson yawns while draping his arm over Milly’s shoulder. He’s always been touchy-feely with Milly, besides the first time we met him after graduation. He was reserved of course, not wanting to maul his girl in front of her family, but ever since we’ve been on vacation, it’s like he needs to have his hands on Milly at all times. This happens right before the season starts up. I brought it up to Milly once when we were in the cages and she shyly smiled, her face turning bright red.

She said Carson’s territorial instincts intensify right before the season starts every year because as he puts it, he needs to soak her in as much as he can because the season is long and there are road trip stretches that will prevent him from being near her, so he takes advantage when he can.

Hell, I’d do the same thing if I had a girl.

If I had a girl . . . why does that sentence immediately make me think of Natalie?

Maybe because she destroyed me last night with her cute charm and polka-dot pajama set. Other girls in her position—girls I’ve come to know quite well—never would have hung out with me, makeup free, and chowed done on a simple children’s dish with no shame. But there she was, not a care in the world, totally being herself in front of me, and it made me ache for her even more.

When we went to bed after my victory it was hard for me to calm my racing heart from our interaction, from seeing her pure, beautiful smile after I teased her for losing so badly. It was next to impossible to erase the image out of my head. It’s why I have a giant cup of coffee in front of me and plan on taking a nap by the pool later. I am dead tired.

Not even trying to lie to Carson and Milly, I say, “Zero sleep.”

Milly cringes while Carson laughs—the asshole.

“Did she parade around in some skimpy piece of clothing?” Carson asks, enjoying my misery way too much.

“No, worse . . . she acted like herself, as if I wasn’t even there. After she woke up looking like Godzilla’s bride with half her face melted off, she took a shower and then ate her chicken fingers like it was her job . . . in a robe.”

“Oh shit.” Carson laughs some more.

“Then she changed into her pajamas, which was some matching T-shirt and shorts combo with polka dots.”

“Oh hell.” Carson scratches the side of his cheek. “Sometimes those matching sets are more of a turn-on because they’re cuter.”

“Seriously?” Milly asks.

We both nod. Women think they’re being casual, but casual means you’re cuddle-able. Cuddle-able for a guy who appreciates holding the soft, supple body of a woman . . . yeah, way more of a turn-on. Don’t get me wrong, if Natalie walked out in a negligee set, I’d find it hard to not have my jaw unhinge in lust, but that matching shirt and shorts combo, the way it clung to her curves but was also loose, it was as if she was teasing me the whole night with that thing. Which I know she wasn’t, she was just trying to be comfortable. But still . . . torture.

“They can be dangerous if worn right,” I say, looking over at the open restaurant where the breakfast buffet is set up. “And last night, polka dots were worn correctly.”

“You sorry motherfucker,” Carson says, shaking his head, completely understanding. “Where is she now?”

I nod at the restaurant. “Getting food with Jason and Dottie. Knox and Emory haven’t emerged from their room yet.”

“Doubt they will,” Carson says, pouring him and Milly some coffee. I watch how he expertly prepares her coffee just the way she likes it, and then I watch as my sister looks at Carson as if he walks on water. She’s so in love, which makes me really happy.

“Understandable.” I push around a strawberry on my plate, waiting to digest some before I go for seconds. I stacked my plate pretty high, but not high enough to deter me from round two. “I’ll be spending most of my time outside of the room. If I can avoid that space as much as I can, I will.”

“Is it terrible?” Milly asks, her face full of worry and concern. I know she’s feeling bad because she invited me, but she never could have guessed that Jason and Dottie were going to bring Natalie.

To ease my sister’s caring heart, I shake my head. “It’s not completely terrible. I actually had a really great night last night. We played war out on the balcony, laughed, and talked about stupid shit. Nothing of importance. It was nice.”

“So how is that terrible at all?”

Carson leans into Milly and presses a kiss to her neck before saying, “Remember how I told you it was torture for me to go through batting practices with you before we admitted our feelings?” She nods. “That’s what Cory is going through. He likes her, finds her attractive, but now he’s forced to keep things on lockdown.” Turning toward me, he continues, “Honestly, I think you should just go for it and give in. Could make your vacation that much better.”