Leave it to me to be the only girl in the history of the world to have a one-night stand that didn’t actually include sex. This potential hook-up had all the necessary components: a chance encounter, an intense physical attraction, and an invitation to take things to the next step. Then, there was plenty of kissing and snuggling and he even ended up in my bed, but there was no sex—at least not when I’d expected. Instead, we spent the night talking, and after some convincing, I managed to get Tucker to lay down with me in my bed. I hadn’t lied when I told him I was scared of storms, but that wasn’t the real reason I wanted him to stay. I’d actually enjoyed getting to know him, and I wasn’t ready for our night together to end.

Wearing only his white t-shirt and boxers, he crawled in the bed beside me, and once he was settled, I curled up next to him. As we laid there in the dark, I whispered, “I think I was wrong about you.”

“How so?”

“When we first met, I thought you were an ass.”

He chuckled. “Well, I didn’t give you much reason to think otherwise.”

“I don’t know. I gave you a hard time from the start. I was being hypercritical, and without even knowing you, I judged you by your good looks and made the wrong assumptions.”

“Judged me by my good looks, huh? Hmm … Why don’t you tell me a little more about that?” He teased.

“Are you fishing for compliments, Tucker Michaels?”

“Maybe, but you can’t blame a guy for trying.”

“It just so happens that I do think that you are very handsome, and I think you’re funny and sweet and smart … Yeah, I think I was definitely wrong about you. You really are a good guy.”

“Don’t get carried away now, Kaci. I’m just me.”

“Well, I’m glad I’ve gotten to know you better.”

“Me, too. I’ve really enjoyed this tonight.”

He pulled me closer, and it felt completely natural as we laid there together. It was like we’d known each other for months instead of just a few days, and I liked being with him—a lot. I couldn’t help but wonder how I could’ve been so wrong about him. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“Why did you come here tonight? I mean, I could understand it if you were just looking to … you know … get your freak on.” I joked. “But that obviously wasn’t your intention. So, what made you decide to come back here with me?”

“I’m not gonna lie … I considered it, especially after that fucking kiss. Hell, you had me all kinds of messed up with that, but the fact is, I came back here because I like you, Kaci. You’re not like other women I’ve met.”

In her best male, Latino voice, she said, “’splain, Lucy,”

“I don’t know. It’s hard to explain. I guess I haven’t come across many women who’d try to teach a kid how to play a sport that they didn’t know anything about.”

“Umm ... Moms do it every day, Tucker.”

“Yeah, they do, but you’re not his mom, Kaci. That’s my point. From what I can see, you love that kid with no boundaries, and you’re willing to do anything for him. There’s not many people in the world like that.”

“You’re like that.”

“No. I don’t think so.” He disagreed.

“You’re helping your brother with his team when ...” I propped myself up on my elbow as I looked over to him. “I just realized that you’ve never told me why you’re even home. Kaden mentioned that you were doing physical therapy, but he never really told me why.”

“It’s a long story.”

“I’d like to hear it if you don’t mind sharing.”

As soon as he started talking, I laid back down and rested my head on his shoulder. He described everything that happened the night that he’d pulled his right quadricep, and the amount of pain it had caused. I hated hearing the disappointment in his voice when he talked about being put on the disabled list and the extra work he’d have to put in to get back to the majors. When he mentioned that he would be playing with the Skyhawks for a while, I found myself relieved. I knew it was unlikely that anything would come of our night together, but I found comfort with the thought of him being close. As he continued to talk, the soothing sound of his voice was making me sleepy. I tried to resist, but I closed my eyes as I listened to him. His body was warm, and the rhythmic beating of his heart made every muscle in my body become completely relaxed. My breathing became shallow, and as much as I tried to open my eyes, my efforts were futile. I was already fast asleep.

When I woke up the next morning, I was relieved to find that Tucker was still laying there next to me. I looked over at him and was surprised to see that he was only wearing his boxer briefs. Apparently, sometime during the night, he’d removed his t-shirt, and for the first time, I was able to see his bare chest. Until then, I hadn’t even realized that he had tattoos. With the tip of my finger, I lightly trailed the fine intricate lines of ink and wondered what each of them meant to him. My attention was drawn over to his face when he inhaled a deep breath, and I found myself smiling at his peaceful expression. It was right then when I knew it had happened. I was supposed to have a one-night stand with Tucker Michaels, the sexy baseball player who drove all the women wild; instead, I fell for him, hard and fast. Damn. I just couldn’t get it right.

Maybe I was being naïve. Maybe I was setting myself up for a heartbreak. Or maybe I was just being plain stupid, but I wanted Tucker—simple as that. My eyes dropped to his perfect, full lips, and I couldn’t stop myself from remembering the way it felt when we kissed the night before. I needed to touch him, feel his body pressed against mine again, and I didn’t care about the risk. In my heart, I knew he was worth it. Thinking he was still asleep, I eased up closer and pressed my lips gingerly against his. His mouth was soft and warm, and even though I wanted more, I held back. Just as I started to move, his hand reached for the nape of my neck, holding me in place as his lips took over.

Suddenly, he rolled us both over so my back was to the mattress, and hovering over me, he said with a sexy smile. “Good morning, beautiful.”

“Good morning, handsome.”

He brought his hands to my face, gently cupping his palms along my jaw as he lowered his lips to mine, kissing me with a passion I’d never even known was possible. Our hunger for each other escalated, causing the kiss to become wild and heated. My hands wound around his neck, and my fingers raked through his thick, dark hair as our lips fused together. We were completely lost in each other.

“God, Kaci. You feel so damn good,” he moaned.

His hands reached for the back of my neck while his fingers tangled tightly in my hair as he claimed me with his mouth. I could feel his erection thicken as he devoured me, making me lose what little control I had. Any inhibitions I might have had completely washed away when he moved his hands to the hem of my tank top, pulling it over my head. Once he’d removed my bra, he tossed it to the floor and let out a deep breath as he took my bare breasts in his hands. I loved the feel of his hands on my body, every touch sent me soaring into a new level of ecstasy.

“Been thinking about having you like this since I saw you standing out on that baseball field. You have no idea what you do to me,” his voice rasped.

A needy moan vibrated through my chest when he gently slid my panties down my legs. My entire body tensed with anticipation as he lowered his mouth between my inner thighs. I could feel the heat of his breath on my skin, and I knew what was coming. I waited for it, longed for it, and when he finally skimmed his tongue across my clit, I nearly came unglued. He teased me back and forth in a gentle rhythm, tormenting me in the most delicious way. My breath became short and strained as he worked his finger deep inside me, twirling against my g-spot with a slow and steady pace. Making love with him was everything I thought it would be and more. A satisfied moan echoed through the room when he added another, making the sensation even more intense. My hips lifted up from the mattress, begging him to give me more, and when he did, my back arched as the muscles in my abdomen tightened with my impending release. My breath caught in my throat as waves of euphoric pleasure rushed through me. I released his hair, and my hands dropped to my sides, digging into the fabric as I started to tremble uncontrollably. Bliss. Pure, unadulterated bliss.