Indulgent Pleasures (35 page)

Worry gnawed at his gut but he ignored it. He had no idea if she would appreciate putting their personal life so much on the line. But that had already been done for them, hadn’t it?

And instead of leaving it as a sordid, purely sexual coupling of two people hot for each other, he wanted to prove to the world there was more between him and Stephanie. There was more to their relationship than just hot sex in public locations.

Justin grimaced. He wanted to prove there was genuine love between them. And he wanted her in his life.

No matter what.

“I think you’re fuckin’ insane but hey, what do I know? I sure hope your lady likes it.” Assistant coach Rodney Tillman shook his head and spit a wad of chew onto the ground. “You fuckin’ rich boys wantin’ to impress your lady friends. I think you’re all a bunch of nuts.”

“You’re telling me your wife wouldn’t appreciate a grand gesture?” He’d met Carolyn Tillman before. She was an attractive woman who looked at Rodney as if he hung the moon and the stars.

“We’ve been married too many years. If I did something like you’re about to do, she’d ask me why I wasted so much money on a ring like that when we could’ve gone to Hawaii or bought a new car instead.” Tillman laughed and Justin laughed with him though his laughter was nervous, edgy.

“Well, I am doing it,” Justin said once the laughter died. “And I hope like hell Stephanie likes it.” The nerves climbed upwards, toward his throat and he swallowed hard, trying to push them down.

“If she’s a smart girl, she’ll like it. I’ve never seen you look at any woman like you looked at her that one time you brought her around,” Rodney admitted.

Justin was quiet as he watched the game unfold, the roar of the crowd almost deafening as yet again a Miner scored. He was off duty tonight. He’d asked for a temporary reprieve from his broadcasting job just for one evening while he went ahead with his big plan.

They’d gladly given him the night off, knowing that ratings would swing like crazy whether Stephanie voiced a positive or a negative answer. They’d practically rubbed their hands together in glee when he gave them a brief description of what he’d planned.

Damn, he really hoped this didn’t backfire. It sucked that she wasn’t actually here and in person when it went down but he’d talked to her roommate. Sia had actually been a big help, assuring him Stephanie would be home and by the phone when he made his call. And the TV would be on the game so she could watch it all unfold.

Everything was in place. And now it was up to him to set the plan into motion. He was living on faith Stephanie wouldn’t turn him down.

He didn’t know what he would do if she turned him down.

The seventh inning stretch was announced and the crowd yet again roared with enthusiasm, upbeat since the Miners were winning by a landslide. Tillman slapped Justin on the back, muttering a, “Go get ‘em, tiger,” and Justin headed out onto the field, his cell phone clutched tightly in his hand.

It was do or die time. He was about to make the most important declaration in his life in the most public of venues. In a venue he’d called home for the past ten years.

The crowd cheered as he walked to the center of the field and he reached toward his neck, flicking the little mic clipped on his shirtfront on. When he called out a “can you hear me?” the crowd went wild, letting him know they could definitely hear him.

And now his moment to shine or go down in flames was about to begin.

* * *

“Sia, what are you doing? You never watch sports.” The sound of a baseball game echoed down the hall, filtering into Stephanie’s bedroom and she walked out into the living room to find her roommate sitting on the couch, completely absorbed in a playoff game.

A playoff game with the Miners involved.

“It’s the playoffs. I always like to watch the playoffs. Especially the Miners.” Sia shrugged and popped another Cheeto into her mouth, chewing noisily. “Want a beer?”

“No, thanks.” Stephanie told herself to walk out. Go back to her bedroom and shut the door, tune out the game. She didn’t need any more reminders of Justin and what she didn’t have. She had enough of those reminders bouncing around in her head on constant rotation.

But she sat down next to Sia, her eyes glued to the TV. Her hand automatically sank into the Cheeto bag and grabbed a bunch, her fingers covered in Cheeto dust. Sia giggled, seemingly glad to have someone share in her baseball/Cheeto love and the both of them glanced at each other, little smiles on their faces.

Her heart ached for Justin, though. Reminders of him were everywhere, calling to her throughout the day, every single day and she couldn’t shut him out even if she wanted to. He’d become such a part of her life, her routine and she missed him with a pain that was physically debilitating.

Of course, there were also his calls. And he called her every single day without fail. Asking about her life, checking up on her, giving her small details as to what was going on with him. He never pushed, he never asked her how she felt about him, about them but she knew what he wanted.

He wanted the two of them back together. And no matter how much she wanted the same thing she wasn’t quite ready to put her heart back on the line again. Not until she was sure how he felt.

“I’ve never seen you watch baseball. Ever,” Stephanie couldn’t help but say again, wondering what Sia’s motive was. Did her roommate want to torture her? Make her crazy with wanting Justin back in her life? She did that pretty well all by herself. She didn’t need any help.

“I told you, I like watching the playoffs. I like to keep tabs on who’s winning so I know who to root for when the World Series starts.” Sia glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall and stood, stretching her long, thin frame. “I need another beer. I’ll be right back.”

Stephanie shoved another Cheeto in her mouth, her eyes glued to the screen and she watched as a tall, broad shouldered man walked out onto the field. He wasn’t a player, he wore no uniform but he was clad in form fitting jeans and a navy blue polo shirt with the Miners’ emblem just above his heart.

The way he moved was familiar even though he was just a tiny speck on the screen, his back to the camera as he jogged out to the center of the field. But the camera zoomed in and when his voice rumbled out across the stadium Stephanie’s heart nearly froze in her chest.

It was Justin, his face clean-shaven once again and heartbreakingly familiar. And he was talking to the audience.

Oh my God, he was talking about
her.

“I am a man on a mission today. Looking for forgiveness from the woman I love with all my heart,” he continued and she wished she could’ve heard what he said before. “Our relationship has played out in public lately and I wanted to let everyone know that what happened between us, well some of it just isn’t true.”

The rowdy crowd went silent, all of them surely having heard about the articles and the cover story in
City Magazine.
They wanted to hear what their beloved favorite subject had to say, the former golden boy of the Miners baseball team. She knew the crowd, the fans missed him and she was sure they were eating his every word up with rapt attention.

“It wasn’t just about secret interludes and hot sex on the side.” The crowd whooped and hollered, lots of deep male voices yelling in encouragement and Justin smiled, slowly shaking his head.

“I was actually falling in love with her which I didn’t recognize at first because, well, I’d never been in love before.”

Stephanie touched her hand to her chest, her heart beating triple time. He was declaring his love for her on national TV in front of a live audience. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

“And lately I thought I’d lost her, which let me tell you, people, that wasn’t a pleasant experience to go through. Especially in such a public sense. So I thought I would do this in public, too. Considering she still doesn’t believe a word I say, no matter how hard I try to convince her. So maybe now, by me saying this in front of all of you, she just might believe me.”

“Sia, Sia! You need to come here and see this!” Stephanie waved her hand at the TV when Sia ran back into the living room, a little smile curving her lips.

“What’s going on?” Sia’s expression was one of complete innocence.

“I—I don’t know. But Justin’s talking about me out on the field. He’s talking about our relationship. He says he’s going to do something to prove his love for me but I have no idea what.” Stephanie shook her head, shock coursing through her at what was happening before her.

The phone rang, the actual apartment phone which was rare since they usually used their cells and Sia handed it to her, a full blown and very knowing smile on her face.

Stephanie watched the TV, the worried expression on Justin’s face as he held his phone to his ear. His brows were knit downward and a discernible tick showed on the right side of his jaw. He was nervous, she could tell and when she clicked the talk button on the phone, murmuring a soft hello, the relief on his face was evident.

“Stephanie, it’s me.”

The crowd chuckled and she waved at Sia to get her attention, whispering for her to turn the volume down.

“What are you doing Justin?” Her voice sounded all over the stadium and she wanted to die of mortification. This was so embarrassing.

And also so touching.

“I’m trying to show you much I love you, babe. How much I miss you. Do you miss me?”

“Of course, I do but do you have to do this on national TV? In front of a huge crowd?” She really couldn’t believe this was happening.

He laughed, the sound of it warming her insides. “Yes all of the above. I miss you Stephanie, so damn much. I don’t want to live my life without you anymore.”

“Oh Justin,” she sighed and she closed her eyes for the briefest moment.

The crowd was silent again, waiting to hear her answer and tears crowded the corners of her stinging eyes.

“I was wrong babe, but you’ve been wrong, too. Not believing in me, not believing in us when I tell you all I want is you and me together. So you’ve made me come to this,” he explained, his gaze directly staring into the camera.

“Justin, you never had to declare your love for me like this.” God, he looked so handsome, so vulnerable as he poured his heart out to her in the middle of the giant field, in front of everyone. In front of the millions of people watching on national TV.

“Well hell, what better place to do it? And besides, you weren’t listening so I had to find a way to make you listen.” He paused, a sensual smile curving his lips. “Are you listening, Stephanie?”

“Yes. Yes, I’m listening.”

“Then hear this.” His breathing deepened and she watched in fascination as he reached into his front jeans pocket and pulled out a small black velvet jewelers’ box. The crowd literally gasped, the sound reverberated all around the stadium and she waited with held breath as he clutched the tiny box in his big hand. He held it straight out toward the camera.

“I love you, Stephanie. And I want to make you my wife, if you’ll have me,” he murmured into the phone.

The tears started flowing down her face and her voice cracked, a sob pushing out and sounding over his microphone, echoing throughout the stadium.

“Is that a yes, babe? Please tell me you’re not crying.”

“I’m not crying,” she wailed and his expression turned pained. He knew she was lying. “Well I am but it’s happy crying, I promise.”

“So what’s your answer? I need to know. The crowd needs to know. And the game needs to resume, too.”

She laughed through the tears, wondering if she’d ever love this man more than she did at this very moment. “My answer is yes. I’d love to be your wife. I love you, Justin.”

The crowd broke out in loud whistles and clapping, the sound deafening even over his cell phone. She smiled and laughed, wiping at the tears on her face and when she glanced up at Sia who was standing next to the couch, she saw tears shining in her roommate’s eyes as well.

“That was the most romantic thing I’ve ever seen,” Sia confessed in a whisper, sounding like a complete sap.

“Well, everyone it’s been great and all but I need to get to my bride-to-be.” Justin strode across the field, determination filling his every long step and she watched, fascinated as he reached up and flicked the mic off. His limp was prominent tonight and the sight of it made her heart ache with the need to take care of him. She vowed she would the second she saw him.

“Wait for me, babe. I’ll be right there. I can’t wait to see you.” He disconnected the call before she got a chance to say anything else and she tossed the phone onto the couch. With a quick shake of her head, she threw her hands up in the air, amazed at what just happened.

“I’m going to leave, give you two some privacy. I’ll be back in a few hours.” Sia grabbed the bag of Cheetos and rolled it up, setting it on the kitchen counter.

“Were you in on this?” Stephanie asked, resting her hands on her hips as she faced her roommate.

Sia shrugged, her expression sheepish. “Kind of. Okay yes, Justin called me and we planned this all out but I did it for you. I did it for the both of you. You’ve both been miserable without each other.”

Sia was right. Stephanie just wished she’d seen it sooner than now.

* * *

When he saw the door slowly swing open and Stephanie standing in the doorway, her expression shy, hesitant, it felt as if a two ton weight had been lifted from Justin’s shoulders.