Full Count (The Catcher Series Book 1) Read online

  When she approaches the hot tub, everyone moves to make room for her as I stand up and reach out my hand to escort her inside like I’m Prince Charming in a horse carriage. “The name’s Skyler,” I say desperately. Leah just walked us around back and texted her friend we were here, so our introduction is a little out of order since I’m already in her hot tub.

  “Makenna Wayland,” she replies with a rasp in her voice. My immediate thought is that she better not smoke. Sitting down beside me in the boiling water, she slides her hand onto my thigh. Whoa. “So you’re the famous Skyler?”

  What the fuck? She knows we aren’t alone right? I mean, this hot tub is at capacity. “Famous?” I chuckle, glancing at Leah knowing that she obviously talked me up to this girl. I try to play it as cool as apparently Leah made me sound. “Yeah, I guess you could say that.”

  “He’s not usually this conceited,” Leah tries telling her.

  “Yeah, he’s usually worse,” Benny mumbles, and everyone erupts in laughter.

  “I’ve heard all about him,” her voice trails off but her eyes remain on my chiseled chest. She’s making my body heat more than the hot tub. Usually I don’t mind being devoured like a shoe sale at the mall, but the way Makenna is looking at me is like a lion preying on a piece of meat, just waiting for the right time to pounce and tear it up. I have to admit I’m a little turned on.

  Within a few minutes she tones it down, and after about a half hour of us cooking like noodles, we escape into her basement to dry off and change. When I open the guest bedroom door, I see a girl changing across the room.

  “Sorry!” I call as I slam the door shut to wait for her to come out. Why didn’t she lock it?

  A few seconds later the door opens again, and I’m pulled inside. Makenna is in her silky bra and thong underwear as she closes the door and locks it behind her. I guess she wanted me to walk in on her.

  “No need to apologize,” she beams. Before I can even make my next move, her hand around my neck pulls us together. I’ve only kissed two other girls before Makenna, and they both felt dry and meaningless. Every time I near a girl in an intimate way, it feels forced and very unnatural. It’s not that I don’t like girls; fuck, I love them. But I just never feel anything more than physical attraction. I can never open up to anyone the way I see Alex do with Leah. I don’t know if it’s because I feel like my first kiss got robbed; it should’ve been with Buzz at the lake or in the park the dozens of times she’s pitched to me blindfolded. Instead it was cliche and insignificant at the end of the night with my homecoming date. Timing with Buzz is never right even though the sparks are always there. It’s the complete opposite from any time I’m ever with another girl; with Buzz I feel everything but never do anything. With those girls I do stuff even though I don’t feel anything. My actual Fuck Me Now Club is still at zero. At the moment, Makenna is a decent kisser, so I play along and kiss back; I think I might as well enjoy the hot body in front of me. She guides us back towards the queen bed in the center of the room where she slithers her long legs around me, pulling me on top of her. Okay, she’s clearly experienced. Thanks for the heads up, Leah. The more she runs her hands over my back and ab muscles, the more I want to be touched. To make this happen, I somehow flip a switch into a new state of mind: if you touch her, she’ll touch you.

  I reach under her ass and squeeze my hand before pulling her to switch places with me; I want her on top to see what she will do. Keeping one hand on her ass to massage it, I run the other one across her bare back, slowly moving it to her front as she allows for some space between our chests. Her breath deepens as I caress one of her breasts, so I know she likes it. Then she does something she must know I will like. She starts rocking against me, her southern lady part pressing on my hardness beneath her. I’m only fifteen and very inexperienced in the bedroom, so it’s a little like the World Series came early this year. I can’t imagine what sex will feel like.

  Makenna is very convincing; therefore, I end up taking her to the formal the next day. It helps that Alex is going with a date, too. Just like homecoming, we line up in another backyard to take stupid fucking pictures with our dates like it’s someone’s wedding. Where’s Buzz making silly gestures behind our moms like she did at homecoming? I wonder, beginning to look around. We’re down the street at Benny’s house, but literally everyone is here except for her. Our dads hang out by the outdoor bar with drinks in their hands - drinks meaning sodas; our parents do not condone underage drinking, so they don’t keep any alcohol in any of our houses except for Beth’s wine, which is disgusting. Buzz and I tried it once. The moms are, of course, busy taking our pictures like paparazzi, and our younger siblings are literally running around the outside of the house screaming. If they weren’t as tall as they are, I would think they are all five year olds being obnoxious for no reason. But then I see that Sam has a giant super soaker antagonizing Tiffany, Baylee, and Savannah. While it may seem to everyone in the backyard that our entire group is in attendance, I notice that one is not. I know at homecoming she was upset after seeing me with my date because Benny made a quick comment about it in the car on the way to school, but I can’t be certain that’s why she didn’t come today.

  Me: Where you at?

  I wait for Buzz’s response as we take one more group photo. Then my phone vibrates in my pocket and Makenna feels it, squirming to glare at me. Quickly I step away from the group to pull it out and read it, completely ignoring Makenna’s bitch face.

  Buzz Ferrari: Home.

  Me: Why didn’t you come? Everyone is wondering where you are.

  Buzz Ferrari: Liar. No one even noticed.

  Me: I did.

  That night after the dance, Alex’s mom Beth picks us up to take us to their house to sleep over. We have baseball practice in the morning, so we aren’t planning on staying up too late. Once the guys each see Buzz passed out on the living room couch on the main level, they journey to the basement. I’m torn on whether or not to wake her up and make sure she’s okay or leave her alone like she’s just my best friend’s sister. She’s right that no one else noticed her absence before the dance, but why am I the only one that did? I shouldn’t be the only one to care about her, but as we get older it seems as though she continues to push away from everyone.

  5 Bianca Ferrari

  The day after school lets out is the first of Skyler’s sweet sixteen birthday parties. He chooses to have half the school come to his house in Hinsdale and then celebrate with just our families at the lake house next weekend. Sam, Tiffany, and I are the only non high school attendees at his party, but it’s only natural since Sam’s his brother and we are basically his sisters. I can tell Tiffany is excited to be invited to a high school party, even if it is just Skyler’s; however, I’m not too thrilled. I would rather go on a road trip with him across the country. Crowds are not my thing. Our parents would kill us, but that doesn’t mean the option should be ruled out.

  Susie and Stephan gave Skyler his gift of a new Jeep yesterday on his actual birthday, but we all know it’s intended to be more of a present for his mom so she has him to run her errands and pick up his brother and sister from their practices and friends’ houses.

  When Tiffany and I walk up to the Swansons’ house, people are scattered everywhere like it’s a frat house on a college campus. Every balcony is lined with people who look years older than me, and I immediately feel uncomfortable walking into one of the houses that has practically felt like an extension of mine for as long as I can remember.

  “Let’s just find Skyler, say happy birthday, and go,” Tiffany suggests, clearly feeling the same vibe as me.

  “What? You’re not excited to be here anymore?” I antagonize her, nudging her with my elbow almost forcing her to run into someone that looks like a linebacker.

  She scurries away from him but reaches her hand out for me to follow as she scratches her neck with her other hand. She tries to hide it by turning away from me, but I can hear her fingernails against
her skin.

  “Tiff,” I glare at her, giving a warning for her stop her nervous habit.

  Over her shoulder she reiterates, “Let’s go.”

  We have a game plan, but we resort to Plan B, which is trying to fit in with the crowd because we can’t find our brothers or Skyler anywhere. I head towards the stairs to the basement when a giant, very good looking guy steps in my way. He has on a backwards white baseball hat, which is one of my many weaknesses. I blame Skyler for that since that’s how he always wears his, even under his catcher’s helmet during games. Even though the theory is mine, I always seem to forget about baseball hats making guys more attractive and end up hypnotized to anyone that’s sporting one.

  “Where you going, cutie?” backwards baseball hat guy questions me, sliding his hand around my waist like he’s about to escort me somewhere; I only hope it isn’t a bedroom. He could do so many things to me that would make me terrified to say no. Damn baseball hats.

  “Just thought I would see what was going on downstairs,” I answer firmly, not reciprocating his flirtatious aura.

  “Mind if I come with you?” he asks.

  “You just came from down there,” I remind him nicely. I don’t want to be one of those girls he’s probably used to falling all over him. “Clearly there’s nothing interesting you.”

  “Yeah, but now you’ll be down there,” he points out, and I can’t help but smile at that smooth comment. I’m not trying to flirt with him, but when someone says something like that, fake or not, it’s hard to play it cool. He takes this as me accepting his offer, so he cuts between me and Tiffany to guide me down the stairs. The room is filled with people playing pool and video games while listening to music over the speaker system. I look around for Skyler, but this new, older guy distracts me. “Do you want a drink?” he asks me.

  “This is practically my second home; you don’t need to offer me a drink,” I sneer.

  “Oh. Are you the girl Skyler’s been hiding from everyone?” he blurts out.

  I’m sure my face turns into a tomato, which somehow he thinks confirms his assumption, so he removes his hand off my back. “Wait,” I stammer. “He’s dating someone?” My voice cracks. For some reason it hurts, and I think it’s just finding out this way, from a total stranger. I know Skyler couldn’t ever be into me; to him, we’re practically brother and sister. But I thought I would hear about if he’s dating someone, even if he’s trying to hide her from whoever else. He shouldn’t hide her from me of all people. We’re supposed to be best friends.

  “Oh. I’m sorry. I thought it was you. I heard he was helping you with your pitching for next season,” the guy explains genuinely.

  “He is, but we aren’t dating,” I assure him. So much for keeping that a secret, Sky.

  “So I can kiss you then?” he forwardly implies. Before I can answer, he swoops in and presses his lips on mine. They taste like booze, and I suddenly wish I was tipsy so I could at least half-enjoy my first kiss. Such a disappointment.

  “Buzz?” I hear from behind me, but the other guy has me in a pretty strengthened hold. I try to struggle away from him, but he’s too powerful. In less than a second, Skyler yells, “Enough!” and pushes the guy away from me. “What the fuck are you doing to her?” He’s level with the guy, but I’ve never realized Skyler’s true size until he’s standing like he’s going to beat this guy’s ass who’s like Godzilla next to me. Sky never makes me feel small like that even though he stands at 6’2”, seven inches taller than me.

  “What did it look like? I was kissing her,” the guy laughs, not backing down.

  “Well clearly you suck at it,” Skyler snaps before walking away from him and taking me under his arm. I look around for Tiffany, but she’s disappeared from my sight, especially with Skyler’s body blocking half of my vision. “Let’s go wash your mouth out.”

  “You didn’t have to do that,” I mumble as we walk up the stairs to the main level and head for the second floor. I’m so embarrassed that Skyler just watched that happen and then suddenly goes all big brother on me. Disappointment number two of the night.

  “Don’t tell me you enjoyed that,” he pleads, expressing his clear dislike for the guy.

  “Well… no, but-” I try as we enter the upstairs bathroom. He hands me mouthwash as he continues his plea bargain.

  “That was Josh Thompson,” Skyler starts as I swish the liquid around my mouth unable to speak. “You do not want to get involved with JT. He’s the captain of the baseball team and just graduated and is so stupid he couldn’t even get into U of I. And to top it off, he’s slept with half the cheerleading squad and half of the softball team. You can’t seriously think about talking to him.”

  I bulge my eyes out and make some noises that are supposed to be words but they’re just little moans because I’m still sloshing around the mouthwash. I grunt a full sentence that would be translated into words as, “I was looking for you and ran into him; I didn’t even know who he was,” but Skyler obviously doesn’t understand.

  He continues after my spree, “B, don’t make me… I won’t let you date him.”

  Oh my God. Enough! I spit into the sink and rinse out my mouth before shouting, “I don’t like him! I don’t even know him, and I don’t plan on it either!”

  “Why didn’t you just say that then?” he sighs, resting his hands on my shoulders and looking me dead in the eye.

  I roll my eyes and land them on the mouthwash on the counter before letting out a slight giggle. All the tension has washed away. He catches my drift, so I wrap my arms around him as he does the same around me. “Happy birthday, Sky,” I smile up at him.

  “Thank you,” he chuckles, not letting me go. We’re in a position to slow-dance with each other, and I’m almost peeing from excitement.

  “I think I’m gonna go before anymore of your older friends hit on me again,” I joke.

  “What? No,” Skyler pleads, increasing his hold on me for a second before opening the door. “Here, come with me.” He grabs my hand and leads me downstairs where he takes his car keys and pulls me outside to his Grand Cherokee. Usually it’s me pulling him along on my adventures, so this is a change of pace.

  “Sky, what are you doing?” I question him. “This is your party; you can’t just leave.”

  “You’re right; it is my party. So I can do whatever the fuck I want. Now get in,” he insists as we approach his Jeep in the street. He pays no consideration to the people on the driveway trying to get his attention; he just starts the Jeep and takes off.

  Even with the windows open I can still smell the scent of “new car.” While most people like that smell, I don’t particularly care for it. I’d rather smell the memories I’ve made and the adventures I’ve been on in my car. If I have anything to say about Skyler’s new car smell, it won’t last for very long.

  “At least tell me where we’re going,” I beg as he turns out of our neighborhood. He just got his license yesterday, so I guess I’m his first official passenger outside of his parents. At least I’m his first with something.

  “Where’s the fun in that?” he smirks.

  A few minutes later we pull up to the high school baseball field, and he takes two gloves out of his backseat. Slightly confused, I follow his lead onto the field. Handing over a glove and a softball to me, Skyler enlightens me, “I want to catch you.”

  Catch me? I try really hard not to smile at his comment because I’m sure he doesn’t mean it to be flirty, but I fail. It’s not a full blown “I just won tickets to a Garth Brooks concert” smile, but he definitely sees the crack before I turn away and walk out to the pitching mound.

  “It’s your sweet sixteen birthday party, and you want to catch me?” I question.

  “I’m not a fucking girl who actually cares about my ‘sweet sixteen.’ The party is more of a kick off to summer,” he brushes the focus off him. I throw some warm up pitches to him as we continue bantering about his birthday and me pitching. Then he asks, “Are you
ready?”

  Nodding, I take my place on the mound and focus on his glove. After the first night where he blindfolded me and I didn’t hit him in the balls, Skyler always takes his normal catcher’s stance behind the plate. He never wears a cup even though I’m throwing a softball sixty-five miles an hour at him. I guess, to an extent, he trusts me.

  “Why did you want to catch me tonight?” I rephrase my question when he walks the ball back to me after I throw a dozen pitches to him.

  “JT is a bad guy, and I don’t want you with him, or with anyone else for that matter,” he tells me. What? Holy shit my heart is pounding. Sighing, he closes his eyes for a few seconds before quietly murmuring, “I need to ask you something, and I don’t want you to be embarrassed… but was that your first kiss?” My heart feels like it’s been dipped in ice cold water, and I can’t help but let out a mortified chuckle. I drop my head into my open glove as I try to hide my tomato face. “Buzz, you don’t have to be like that with me; I told you not to be embarrassed.”

  “I didn’t mean for that to be my first kiss though!” I shriek until I hear my voice echoing in the distance. Can this night get any worse? “I’m gonna go, but I’ll see you next weekend at the lake,” I say in a quieter and calmer voice.

  “At least let me drive you home,” he offers.

  “It’s fine. I want to walk,” I argue, shoving my glove back into his chest.

  “B, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you,” he apologizes, trying to keep up with my quick steps heading back towards the parking lot.

  Taking a deep breath, I reply, “I’m not upset. But your girlfriend might be when she realizes that you left your party.”

  He jumps in front of me and holds me by my shoulders as he looks directly into my eyes. They’re hard and angry and would scare anyone who didn’t know him. But I do, so I’m the one who’s mad. He startles me by jumping in my pathway, so I have to stop walking. “Okay, seriously, I’m not leaving you when you’re fucking like this.”