After the last of the players and coaching staff had gone inside and the relief pitchers had come in from the bullpen, Tucker finally moved closer.
“Jawbreaker?” he asked, offering her a plastic bin of candy.
“Don’t flatter yourself,” she countered, then winked.
“I think I might need some special assistance.”
“I won’t disagree.” She hefted the large bag on her shoulder and waited for him next to the clubhouse steps. “Is it something I can help with?” Her tone was coy.
“I got all warmed up…”
“We need to take care of that. It’s bad to go to bed…all warmed up.”
“Have any ideas?” he asked, meeting her near the entrance to the clubhouse.
“I might. But we need to get out of here before I tell you.”
Tucker didn’t drive to the park on game days. It was part of the contract with the Felons that none of their key staff drive to games, regardless of how close they lived. Something to do with the insurance risks if the player was injured on the team’s time.
Since Tucker only lived a handful of blocks from the ballpark, he typically walked to the park and declined the car service. Driving in San Francisco traffic near the waterfront was an exhausting task and tended to take forever, even midday. Walking was often faster than driving.
But Emmy had farther to travel, and nothing in her contract blocked her from driving. So following the basic post-no-game stretches Emmy, Jasper and her crew had to do—especially for the poor starting pitcher who hadn’t pitched—she offered to drive back to Tucker’s condo.
They sat quietly during the ride, Tucker trying not to think too hard about what he anticipated was coming, but he couldn’t help noticing the way Emmy looked at him, angling her head so she could see him without facing him.
All the flirting at the park had been fun, but it was also a safe place—their version of an office—and they wouldn’t act on their attraction there. Tucker had a hard time imagining sharing so much as a kiss with Emmy at the park. There was so much risk of being seen, and he still didn’t know what was going on with them.
And if they did become a real couple? Even then it wasn’t a good idea to act out at the park. They were both too professional for that. But thinking about the way her body had responded when he’d whispered in her ear, recalling their shared dirty secret when Ramon had come up, those things made him wonder if he might not get carried away one day.
A ballpark was full of all sorts of dark and wonderful corners. Spaces unseen, some unexplored by most of the staff of the park, where he could pull her in and have his way with her before anyone knew they were missing.
“You’re smirking,” Emmy said.
“Am I?” He rubbed his lower jaw, trying to wipe away the guilt of his own natural reaction.
“Thinking about anything in particular?”
They were stopped at a red light, and when he faced her, she wasn’t trying to hide her stare anymore. If he’d been smirking, she was outright grinning and not being shy about it.
“You sure look like you are.”
“I believe you were in the midst of making a suggestion earlier before we were interrupted.” The light changed, and she turned towards the waterfront, taking the exit before the Bay Bridge and pulling in front of his condo. He pointed out the guest lot to her, and while they parked, she left her thought unfinished.
Once they’d gotten into the elevator in the parking garage, he came up beside her, bracing both arms on the wall so she was trapped between them. Her grin never faltered. When he pressed against her, she arched her hips to meet him.
“Remind me what I was suggesting,” he said, lowering his mouth to her ear, then planting a kiss where her polo shirt collar parted from her neck.
Emmy placed her palms on his chest. “I wish you’d kept the uniform on,” she replied dreamily, as if her words were spoken without thinking.
Tucker laughed. “You want to sleep with me while I’m in uniform?”
She seemed to become aware of what she’d said, and the familiar blush he loved so much fanned over her cheeks. “Did I say that out loud?”
“You did. Can’t take it back now.”
“Damn.”
“Do you?” He trailed kisses slowly up from her neck, over her now warm cheeks, pausing before he met her lips.
“I guess technically I want to sleep with you out of the uniform.”
He moved his hand so he could give her ponytail a tug. “Don’t play coy.” The numbers on the elevator beeped at each new floor, taking them quickly upwards.
“I might get off on the uniform a little.”