More than the Game by Jenni Bara

22

@Politico:Getting close to Decision Day! Will McGomry go with the ultra-conservative Campbell or the moderate Bennett?

Marc sat on Beth’s sofa with Mandy and one of the mutts on his lap. Beth was beside him, talking continuously, but Marc was trying hard to tune her out. He looked across the couch at Steve, who met his eyes in silent agreement; neither of them cared about the orange throwback uniforms the players wore that Beth was complaining about nonstop.

“Sweetheart,” Marc interrupted. “We can’t hear the game.”

“Oh, sorry,” Beth mumbled.

Life had gotten quieter with beefed-up security in the streets around both their houses and Marc’s own policy of not feeding the gossip. Their relationship was good and seemed solid to the world, so it became uninteresting, which also helped.

For the last few weeks, the standard nightly routine was Marc and Steve pitching the ball for a while, and then dinner. While Beth went for a run, he watched the kids, followed by sitting with them watching TV, with Beth or Mandy talking over the television.

Beth had no desire to watch stupid shows. She was okay with baseball, golf, or NASCAR. And although he couldn’t hear the announcers over her talking most of the time, it was usually at least somewhat relevant to the game. Nights at Beth’s house weren’t like nights with his parents, some tacky reality show on the television while his mother bitched at his father. Nights in Beth’s home were nice.

Marc’s relationship with Will, Clayton, and Danny hadn’t changed either. After the stories he’d heard from Beth about them chasing boyfriends away, he had been worried they would try to scare him off. But they hadn’t. One night, he’d even begged Will to watch the kids so he could get some time alone with Beth. Unfortunately, that had been almost a week ago, and he hadn’t gotten her naked since.

“Mandy needs to go up anyway,” Beth said, hopping up off the couch while Mandy gave Marc a goodnight hug.

Once the girls left, Steve looked over nervously at Marc before quickly turning away. This happened a lot. At first, Marc had assumed that Steve would get over whatever it was. But after a month and a half, it was time to talk about it.

“Hey, kiddo,” Marc said, drawing Steve’s attention away from his uncle’s pitching. “It seems like sometimes I make you nervous.”

Steve’s eyes widened.

“I thought maybe if I knew what I did, I could try to fix it,” Marc added, figuring it was better to blame himself. “I’ve noticed it’s when your mom’s not around.”

Steve mumbled something, looking at the couch cushions.

“Sorry? I didn’t catch that,” Marc said.

“I don’t want to make you mad,” Steve whispered.

“When did I get mad?” Steve had never made him mad. Frustrated maybe, but more at himself than at Steve. Helping Beth with the kids was like shooting in the dark, although he was getting better at it. It was like learning a new pitch: You had to work on your rhythm, but things went smoother once you got it down.

“Not you,” Steve said.

What? “Not following you here, buddy,” Marc said.

Steve was looking more embarrassed by the minute. “Sometimes people are nicer to me when Mom is around, and when she’s not, they get mad if I bother them,” Steve admitted.

“Who makes you feel like a bother?” Marc asked, but he had a general idea. He could imagine men tried to use Beth’s children to get her attention.

“People like Paul,” Steve said.

Marc suppressed his frown. The fucker who worked for Beth’s father didn’t sit well with him. His ‘relationship’ with Beth only had a few more weeks before it was over, but Marc needed to have a one-way conversation with that asshole and remind him how to treat Beth and her kids.

Steve continued, “I don’t like him very much.”

“I don’t like Paul much either,” Marc said.

“You don’t? Doesn’t everyone like him?” Steve asked.

“Not really. He’s a di—a dork.” Marc smiled as he caught himself, then hurried on to the critical issue. “But I enjoy it when we hang out, even if your mom’s not around.”

“Really?” Steve asked, looking up hopefully with those green eyes that reminded Marc so much of Beth’s. It had surprised Marc to learn he was a bit of a kid person—at least with good kids. Ones like Steve and Mandy.

“Of course. Why do you think I make time to play baseball?” he asked, rubbing Steve’s head.

“What if I didn’t like baseball?” Steve asked, glancing away.

“If you’d rather do something other than throw the ball and watch the game, we can. I thought you liked it,” Marc said, putting his arm around and Steve tucking him to his side. “We could play Switch or go to a movie, or there’s that water park we could try one day. I even have a motorcycle we could take for a ride.” Marc tried to pick things he thought Steve might like.

Steve’s smile was enormous. “Would Mom and Mandy have to come?”

“Well, sometimes, but not always.”

“Mom said you won’t be around forever because you’re getting a new job. Is that true?” Steve asked.

Marc wondered how much Beth had talked to her son about them.

“I’m probably going to get a job with a baseball team,” Marc said honestly. “If I do, I won’t be around as much as I am now.”

“Like coaching?” Steve asked.

“I hope so.”

Steve nodded and turned back to the game, but he leaned against Marc’s side, looking entirely at ease.

“So that was surprising,” Beth said when Marc came downstairs after putting Steve to bed.

“What?” Marc asked. It was the first time he’d gone into Steve’s room, and it had shocked him to see that Steve had Marc’s signed jersey. He hadn’t known. Marc was sure kids all over the county had his jersey on their wall, but because it was Steve, it left him with one of those gut-clenching feelings. And he didn’t know what to do with it.

“He’s never asked you to take him up before.” Beth now looked worried, the same look Steve had given him not that long ago. He could handle her worry much better than Steve’s.

“We talked. Steve thought I was being nice to him to get into your pants,” Marc said as he sat next to her. “I told him not to worry; I already did that.”

Beth’s mouth fell open.

“I’m kidding.”

Her mouth snapped shut, and her eyes narrowed. Now she was giving him the stink-face that her daughter used so often. Marc laughed.

“Not funny.”

“We talked.” Marc reached around Beth, pulling her so she straddled his lap. “Steve asked about me not being around so much in the future.”

Beth’s head dropped to Marc’s shoulder.

“Thank you. I’m worried about them getting attached to you,” she breathed.

“I hope we’ll see each other sometimes.” He went on quickly, not wanting her to think he meant sleeping with her now and again. “You know—beer nights, Steve’s games, things like that.”

She nodded. They might be about to have a serious conversation that he didn’t really want to have. But then she surprised him by turning her head and pressing her lips against his neck, letting her tongue lick his skin. His blood supply went straight south, and he moved his hand to scoot her closer so that she pressed right against his erection. The only thing left between them was his mesh shorts and the thin leggings she had put on after her shower. He ran his hands over her thighs and ass.

“Are you not wearing panties?” Marc asked.

“Nope,” Beth admitted devilishly.

“I suppose it’s too much to hope you’ve changed your mind about the kids being home?” he asked.

Beth chuckled, and her breath brushing over his ear made his cock twitch.

“Maybe we can stretch the rules, just a little.” She smiled at him.

Damn, he wanted her. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re as eager as I am,” he said, then caught the back of her neck, guiding her mouth to his own.

The ringing of her phone made them both jump, but Beth laughed and moved to get it. Marc wanted to shake her. The boys pulled her in twenty directions, and he would bet his left arm it was one of them. He didn’t understand how grown men could be so helpless, but they couldn’t do anything without her. It was a reminder, however, for him to keep his distance. Beth was easy to get caught up in.

“I dare you not to answer that,” he teased as she reached around him for the phone.

“What if I do?” she asked.

“I wouldn’t test me.” It was a warning, not meant to be a challenge. But, too late, he saw that wasn’t how she would take it.

She answered the phone, of course.

Marc groaned. Now what was he going to do?

“Hey, Grant. No, I’m not busy. How’s the farm?” she said, smiling at Marc, her emerald eyes sparkling.

Torture her.

He pressed his hands into her hips, holding her tight as he leaned back against the couch. Slowly he started rocking his hips, moving her heat against him. The first stroke was all it took for Marc to remember precisely the feel of her tight, warm, velvety flesh. The memory, along with the sensation of her rubbing against him, took him from ‘playing around’ to ‘in over his head’ quicker than he would have thought possible. It only took about five strokes before her eyes glassed over, and he couldn’t help but feel smug.

“What?” She sounded dazed and tightened her legs, trying to stop Marc while shooting him a dirty look that didn’t faze him.

She shifted herself slightly, and the angle was perfect. He kept going, speeding up slightly. It was too good, even through two layers of clothes. He could feel the dampness of her leggings as they rubbed against his shorts, stroking him.

Over and over.

It would be easy to get her out of those pants, and he could be inside her, surrounded by flesh. All her wet heat would grip him like a vise. He sucked in raggedly, continuing the motion of his hips against her.

“I don’t know, Grant.” She sounded drugged. “Just email it or whatever.”

Marc should stop, but he didn’t—or maybe he couldn’t.

“I’ll call you tomorrow and let you know,” she blurted, not giving him a chance to respond.

She dropped the phone on the couch, and he expected her to yell, but she leaned forward and kissed him. A deep, wet, needy kiss, sucking his tongue into her mouth, bringing him deeper into his haze. Her hips started moving on his lap faster, and he lost control of the situation. Yeah, he’d be done in less than a minute, but she would go first. He could wait that long. He bucked his hips against her as she pushed just as hard into him. The motion was driving him wild even as she pulled her lips away, resting her forehead against his.

“Marc… I’m…” She stumbled over the words between gasps.

“Me too, sweetheart,” he said and watched her face as he drove her right off the edge, and fell right along with her.

Beth slumped against Marc’s shoulder. They were both breathing too heavily, and she could feel his arms shaking as they held her. She couldn’t believe what had just happened.

Marc cleared his throat. “I’m not sure if I’m embarrassed or impressed,” he finally said.

“That makes two of us. That was further than I planned on stretching things.”

Marc chuckled. “Yeah, but it proves we need more alone time.”

“Probably.”

“Give me a second,” he said, shifting her off of his lap and heading for the bathroom.

Beth wished she could have alone time with him for a few days. But it was hard, with the kids.

“So what did he want?” he asked, pulling her back onto his lap when he returned.

“Huh?”

“Grant.” Marc’s chuckle brushed against her neck.

“Oh.” She had forgotten about him for a second. “Stuff about the farm. He’s sending papers over. And he wanted to know if you were coming with the kids and me this weekend.”

“You’re going to Grant’s for your birthday?” Marc asked, surprised.

It seemed none of her brothers had mentioned it to him. She’d wondered if they had since Grant had said, “Will told me to invite Marc this weekend; so is he coming or what?”

“Yeah, we all spend my birthday in Pennsylvania every year. We say it’s for the Fourth of July, but since my birthday is the third, they all make sure they’re there by the second and then spend the third playing golf.” She laughed when Marc made a face. “I don’t play. It’s boys and kids only. It means I get a day of peace.”

“By ‘all,’ you mean all your brothers?” Beth nodded. “Including the two I haven’t met?” She nodded again. “Do the boys not want me to come?” Marc asked, forcing her to look at him.

“Uh.” She paused. “I don’t think they mind; Grant invited you.” She couldn’t swear to that, since she hadn’t talked about it with anyone but Grant. And although he had begrudgingly invited Marc, that phone call couldn’t really be called a conversation.

“You haven’t brought it up—so you don’t want me to come?” He was staring at her with the same look he had given her right after she picked up the phone.

“I wasn’t sure how you would feel about it. It’s weird having an expiration date,” she admitted.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, if we were normal-dating, I would invite you, but our agreement’s over in three weeks. And since you don’t want me to meet your family, I wasn’t sure if coming away with us would be crossing some line.” She’d also noticed that he refused to leave anything here—not even his baseball glove. He brought it back and forth, although he and Steve threw every day.

“Do you want me to come?” Marc asked again, cautiously.

Of course she did. Part of her would have loved to spend as much time with him as she could—but then there was the other part, the part that needed to keep some space between them.

“You get along well with the guys,” Beth stalled, and dropped her forehead back against his shoulder.

He said nothing for a minute, and neither of them moved.

“Maybe we should get rid of our expiration date.”

For half a second, her heart stopped.

“What?” Her head shot up as she spoke, and if his arm hadn’t been around her, she might have fallen backward off his lap.

“Whoa, careful. You nearly took off my head,” he said calmly. “I didn’t mean it to sound horrible.”

“‘Shocking’ is more accurate.” Every time she thought she understood him, he threw her another curve ball.

“It changes nothing,” Marc said.

How could not breaking up at a certain point not change everything?

“I don’t…. Do you want to come with the guys? Because if you do, you can.” She sighed. Beth was happy that Marc got along with her brothers, but she didn’t want that to be why he wanted to go.

“No. I like your brothers, but if you weren’t going, I’d have no interest. When you said only three weeks, I didn’t like it. Why don’t we take this like a normal….” He paused, looking like he might swallow his tongue. “You know. See how things go.”

She stared at him. How had she ended up in a relationship with a man who couldn’t even say the damn word?

“I won’t be the guy you grow old with; we’ve agreed on that. But we’re not done yet. After what just happened between us, you can’t think anything different. There’s no reason we have to walk away just because a piece of paper says so.”

“You’re saying we just—what, stay together until one of us gets tired of the other?” Translation: until he gets bored with me and moves on.

“Or I get a job that takes me somewhere else. Because I’m looking, and with all the interest the colleges are giving me, Austin is sure the minors will be sniffing around soon. I don’t want you to forget that I want back into major league baseball. I won’t be here forever.”

“Yeah,” Beth said, but she shook her head again. “I know what’s important to you.” To be back on a team was what he wanted. It was more than playing baseball; he wanted to go back into the only thing he’d ever felt a part of. “Okay, no expiration date. One day at a time.”

It would have been smarter to say no. Because the longer Marc was around, the harder it would be when he wasn’t. But when it came to Marc, it didn’t seem like she could make the right decisions.

Marc smiled. “So, did you want to ask me something?”

Beth rolled her eyes.

Marc loaded the bags into the back of his Jeep, thinking about the morning with his parents. Although he’d tried to see his sister once a week for the past month, he saw his parents as seldom as possible. His father’s continued bashing of Beth was part of the reason. Again today, he’d told Marc to leave her. The only time his father hadn’t been a complete ass was when Marc had mentioned his second interview with the New England Sports Network for the Boston commentary job. Austin was sure that NESN was going to be sending him an offer soon—which thrilled Frank—but Marc didn’t feel excited about it, and he wasn’t sure why.

And it had pissed his mother off that he was going away with Beth’s family when he hadn’t introduced her to his own. She worried Marc was leading Beth on.

He wasn’t.

Their conversation on Tuesday night had thrown Beth for a loop. But it had thrown him for a loop too.

Thinking back left him as mystified as he had been when he sat holding her in his arms. Even as a teenager, Marc had never got off by dry-humping a girl, but the thought of how she’d felt rubbing against him made him hard.

And after that, she looked at him and said they’d only be together for three more weeks?

He wanted more of Beth.

If he was honest, it wasn’t just sex that he wanted more of. Everything with Beth was going great, and Marc wanted to be done when he felt done. He had expected her to be happy about his suggestion, but she’d seemed hesitant. For a minute, while she was staring at him, Marc had thought she didn’t want to keep seeing him, and he could barely put together a sentence. The words he’d been about to say had died on his lips, and he had to take a second to regroup.

Between the potential job and the idea of his and Beth’s relationship, Marc’s head was a mess as he walked back into Beth’s house after getting the car packed. Her dogs were at Corey’s for the weekend, and she was doing a last-minute check to make sure the lights were all off and no water was running.

“Did you guys try to pee?” he asked the kids, and Mandy’s mouth dropped.

“You tant say that, it’s tintle,” Mandy said

“Okay.” Marc mentally cringed at using the word. “Did you try to tinkle?”

“Yes,” she chirped back, and Steve rolled his eyes but nodded.

“Let’s get in the car then,” he said, scooping Mandy up and putting her in the car seat Beth had put in his Jeep.

Marc went around and opened the door for Beth before heading back to his side of the car.

“How come you always do that?” Steve asked once Marc was sitting behind the wheel.

“Do what?”

“Open the door for Mom, like she can’t do it herself.”

Beth’s mouth twitched as she turned to him. She was going to let him field this one.

“Well, my mother taught me that when I meet a pretty girl, I should use good manners to impress her,” Marc said, trying to sound serious. “Opening the door for your mom is good manners.” He hoped they wouldn’t have to get into a conversation about why he was hoping to impress their mother.

“Like not burping at the dinner table or wiping your nose on your sleeve?” Steve asked. The mind of an almost nine-year-old boy.

“Exactly,” Marc said, and reached across the armrest for Beth’s hand as he pulled out of her front gate.

“Just so you know,” Steve added, “Mom thinks it’s important to wash your hands after you go to the bathroom too.”

Marc bit the inside of his cheek. Steve wasn’t trying to be funny, and Marc didn’t want to hurt his feelings.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Marc smiled as he said the words, and Beth squeezed his hand.

He took a deep breath and let go of the jumble in his brain.