The Perfect Game (The Perfect Game 1)

Within seconds, his knuckles knocked wildly against the front door. “Cassie!” He banged relentlessly as he yelled through the door. “Cassie! Please, Cassie, open up. It’s not what you think. ” So much for Dean not saying anything.

My stomach rolled when the door finally creaked open and I heard him ask, “Melissa, where is she?”

“Kitten? I’m coming in,” he announced from behind my closed bedroom door. When he walked in, my heart skipped a beat at the sight of him. His hair was wild and wind-whipped from the quick drive over from the stadium and he was still in his dress clothes from the airport, although his tie was loosened and barely hanging on.

He ran to the side of my bed, dropped to his knees, and reached out for me. I pulled back before he could touch me, my eyes focused on his as he spoke. “Kitten, it’s not what you think. That girl wasn’t in my room for me. ”

I refused to move, unwilling to be deceived. “Did you hear me? She wasn’t there for me. I roomed with Brett and he met her our first night. He invited her up to our room, but she wasn’t there for me. I just answered the door. ”

“Where’d the picture come from then?” I wondered, the question suddenly dawning on me.

“She came upstairs with a bunch of other girls, but I wouldn’t let them in. One of them must have taken it. ”

“Really?” I asked, my voice filled with more hope than I’d anticipated.

“I swear it. ” He reached out again for my hands and I allowed his fingers to intertwine with mine. He brought my hand to his lips and he kissed it all over.

“So you weren’t with her?” I asked once more, even though I already believed him.

“No. I don’t even like brunettes anymore. I’m into this one particular shade of blonde. ” He gave me a tentative, lopsided smile, and ran his fingers through my hair. “I wouldn’t do that to you. ”

I practically jumped out of my bed and into his waiting arms. He pressed me tightly against his chest before he tipped my head back and covered my mouth with his. “I missed you,” he said between kisses. His tongue parted my lips as I melted into him, the self-imposed stress from the weekend falling from my shoulders.

He pulled away before I was ready and asked, “So, tell me exactly what happened. ”

I collapsed onto my bed, pulling him with me. “Some random chick came up to me on Friday and showed me two pictures of you with this girl going into your hotel room. I pretty much lost it after that. ”

“And you just assumed the girl was with me?” He looked down, picking restlessly at my bedspread, his voice tinged with sadness.

“You two were the only ones in the photos, so yeah, pretty much. ” I shuddered, recalling the pictures in my mind.

“That’s not fair, Kitten,” he remarked, his eyebrows pinched together.

“I know it’s not. ” I looked away from him, embarrassed at my ability to write him off so quickly.

“You have to remember that I’ve been playing ball here for three years now. I have friends in all the places we travel. And sometimes they come up to my room to hang out. I always share a room with at least one other guy. You can’t assume that I’m doing something wrong all the time. ”

“But what was I supposed to think?” I couldn’t help but defend my initial reaction and thoughts. “I saw a girl walking into a room that you were holding the door open for. Then I saw you closing the door behind her, with the world’s biggest smile on your face. ”

“Fuck, Cassie, how about asking me?” His tone changed, anger quickly replacing sadness. “Is that why you never called me? Because you thought I cheated on you the second I left town?” He lowered his voice, the angry tone still present. “We had sex. ”

“I’m not the first girl you’ve had sex with, Jack. ”

“No. But you are the first girl I’ve ever loved. ”

“I just couldn’t have that conversation with you over the phone,” I admitted, guilt careening through my body.

“So instead you had no conversation with me at all?” He eased off the bed and walked across the floor. “Do you know how crazy that made me? I’m trying to concentrate on my fucking fucking ball baseball game and all I can think about is why the hell the girl I’m in love with is ignoring me. I knew something was wrong when you never called. I tried to shake it off, but I couldn’t. You can’t do that to me. Don’t you understand? You can’t fucking do that to me when I’m trying to play ball!”

“I’m sorry, Jack. I didn’t think…”

“This is bullshit, Cassie!” he shouted, his jaw tense. “I haven’t done anything to make you not trust me. ” His eyes widened as the realization set in. “But that’s it, isn’t it?” He nodded his head in understanding, then turned his hurt gaze to me. “You don’t…trust me. ”

I avoided his eyes, the truth in his words resonating deep within me. “Look at me!” His voice rose along with his anger.

I did as he demanded, grateful for the tears blurring my view of him. “What do you want from me, Jack?” My voice cracked with emotion.

“I want you to give me a fair shot, but apparently that’s too much to ask. ” He turned his back to me and threw open my bedroom door. I heard the front door slam shut as I sat stunned in my bed.