The Boy of Summer Ch. 03

Sorry for the wait everyone! I've been so busy with work and school, but here it is! Enjoy the next chapter. And thank you so much to my lovely editor!

***

"Kat, there's someone here to see you," Sarah yelled into the back room. Kat had been going through inventory, trying to decide how much of everything needed to be ordered for the next week.

Someone here to see me? Now that's a new one. Kat walked through the kitchen door and into the shop. Jeremy stood in front of the counter with a big grin on his face. Immediately Kat beamed, she ran around the counter and jumped into his arms, throwing her legs around him as she went.

Jeremy staggered backwards slightly at the surprise of her added weight. "Well, hello to you too," he whispered in her ear. "Not that I mind, but should we be doing this where you work?"

Kat hopped off him, but stayed close. "It's just Sarah and our regular Joe and they couldn't care less." To prove it, she stood up on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a slow kiss. Her lips devoured his greedily. Jeremy's mouth opened eagerly and Kat stroked his waiting tongue with fierceness.

Jeremy groaned into her and she decided that was as far as they could take it. She pulled her lips away, but kept her arms around him. "What are you doing here anyway, shouldn't you be at the field getting ready?"

He had to take a deep breath to steady himself from that kiss before he could speak. "I -- um, I'm on my way, but I had to bring you your ticket. And tell you that I have a surprise for you after, so don't make any plans."

Kat smiled up at him. "I wouldn't dream of it, Mr. Halman."

Jeremy chuckled, then kissed her quickly before untangling himself and turning to leave. He looked back at her from the doorway, he'd give just about anything to take her into the kitchen and return the torture of that kiss. "See you after," he said tentatively.

"Well how else am I going to get my surprise?"

***

It was Sunday evening; the Giants had just had their last regular season game. A late afternoon win seemed the perfect way to finish things before the playoffs started in a few days. Kat sat waiting in her seat for Jeremy, as was their tradition. The hunt for October was going to be crazy and she was glad they would have a few days, and nights, just to be together.

Kat was amazed that this had become her life since she'd met Jeremy in June. The ballpark felt like home and she had a whole new family that fit in it. Not to mention the man that had swept her off her feet.

When Jeremy was in town and not at the ballpark, and when Kat wasn't working, they spent nearly all their time together. Kat went to all the games he pitched in, always sitting with Claire. They had become fast and easy friends. Kat loved having another woman to talk to that could relate to the baseball life style. She liked Ben too; the four of them had a lot of fun together.

There had been a little publicity when the press found out that Jeremy had a steady girlfriend that seem to have tamed him, but mostly they stayed out of the public eye. Jeremy insisted that he wanted to keep her all to himself, but she had a feeling he knew she didn't like the spotlight. Either way, she was happy not being the center of attention, she'd leave that to Jeremy on the field.

Kat was lost in her thoughts when Jeremy snuck up behind her. She felt hot breath on her ear and jumped slightly.

"Whoa, it's just me," Jeremy said, reassuringly. Kat relaxed and leaned back in her seat. She giggled softly when she felt him nibbling at her. "You ready to go?" he asked, his breath whispering past her ear.

Kat laughed. "Anything to get you to stop tickling me." She stood up and turned to face him.

"What? I thought you loved being tickled?"

She shoved him playfully. "No, you just like making me squirm, I never said I liked it."

Jeremy threw his hands up in the air. "Now you tell me."

Kat laughed, he knew very well it drove her crazy. "So Mr. Halman, where are you taking me?" Kat asked as they walked up the stairs.

"I was thinking pizza at Sammie's."

"Pizza, that's my surprise?" Kat looked at him, disappointed.

Jeremy chuckled and hung his arm around her, snuggling her into him. "No, no the surprise comes after. Right now I'm starved."

They were about to get into the car after dinner when Kat felt Jeremy behind her, she turned to look at him but he stopped her, locking his arms around her waist. "Shouldn't you be getting in on the other side?"

"Not quite yet," Jeremy said as he waved a hand in front of her, revealing a scarf.

"Nice, but it's really not my style," Kat said sassily.

Jeremy chuckled, "You want to be surprised, don't you?" He didn't give her time to respond, immediately bringing the scarf to her face and tying it tightly over eyes. Once he was sure she couldn't see, he tucked her safely into the front seat and buckled her up.

"Is this really necessary?" Kat asked in annoyance.

"Of course, don't think I don't know how you like to cheat."

"Damn, and here I thought I was always so sneaky about it."

The car ride was silent, only the sounds of the radio and the street outside hovered between them. Shivers ran through Kat as Jeremy lazily traced a finger over her hand and wrist. Just when Kat thought she couldn't stand much more, the car came to a stop and the engine was shut off. Kat fidgeted slightly as she waited for Jeremy to help her from the car.

Jeremy fit Kat's hand comfortably in his own, guiding her through doors and down hallways. Kat's mind raced trying to think of what the surprise could possibly be, but she always came up blank.

Jeremy broke the silence between them to warn her there were stairs. A few more steps and Kat felt him stop her. He came and stood behind her, gently untying the scarf and lowering it from her view.

Kat blinked a few times letting her eyes adjust to the light. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion; they were back at the ballpark, standing on the field near the dugout. "I don't get it, we were just here," Kat said, turning her face up to him.

Jeremy laughed. "I thought we could have batting practice."

A giant smile spread across Kat's face and she jumped up into his arms. "You remembered!"

"Of course I did. I think about that night all the time." Jeremy smiled down at her warmly. "Plus, I could use all the help I could get going into the playoffs."

Kat giggled at him and hopped down. Looking around, she noticed the field was set up for batting practice; a large netted dome stood around home plate and there was a pitching machine out on the mound. "As amazing as it will be to get a hit in a professional ballpark, you know we could have just gone to a batting cage."

"You must not know me at all if you thought I'd ever take you to some dirty old batting cage. I'm Jeremy Fucking Halman, everything I do is over the top. And who said you were going to get a hit?"

His reference made her smile. "You're underestimating my skills, Mr. Halman."

Jeremy hugged her close to him and whispered in her ear, "Trust me, I would never underestimate your skills."

Kat sucked in a breath, knowing he was no longer talking about how she could handle a bat. "How over the top are we talking here?"

"Well, there is absolutely no one else here. Everything was set up just for us."

Kat pulled out of his embrace and walked over to where several bats lining the outside of the cage. She looked them over carefully, reading the weight and length of each. She picked the one she liked best, then reached for a helmet and secured it on her head. She casually turned back to Jeremy, tossing the bat over her shoulder and jetting out one hip. "So stud, you gonna show me what you got?"

Jeremy smiled at her sass. "You don't want the machine?"

"Are you kidding me? I want the real thing. It's about time I found out what all the fuss is about. I mean, you can't be that good." Kat couldn't finish with a straight face and started laughing.

Jeremy laughed with her and started walking towards the mound. "As long as you can handle the heat." Jeremy turned his head slightly, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively at her.

Kat broke into another fit of laughter as she readied herself at the plate. "You know I can," she retorted, while sticking her ass out and swinging the bat as if she were a bit ditsy.

Jeremy tossed a ball casually in one hand as he stood on the mound. "Okay, enough games. You ready?"

Kat took a more serious stance and nodded she was ready. Jeremy lobbed a lame pitch at her with a giant grin on his face. "I thought you said enough games?" Kat called to him.

"Just checking," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. His next pitch was more than serious; it was 90 mph fastball serious.

Kat's only response was to stick her tongue out at him. Jeremy chuckled, he loved her for that response; most women would have bitten a guys head off after that, but she took it all in stride. It was all a part of their game.

After that they settled into a groove; Jeremy only pitched to her stuff she could hit and Kat impressed him by hitting most of what he served up for her.

When Kat had had enough, she called out to him, "Alright, it's your turn, time to whip that bat of yours into shape."

They set up the pitching machine and Kat started feeding him balls. He may not be a great hitter by major league standards, but he could sure put the rest of the world to shame. About two-dozen pitches in, they got a surprise when the sprinklers started going off.

Jeremy was ready to swear, he was pissed their date had been ruined, of course no one had thought about the sprinklers. He looked up to apologize to Kat, only to see her smiling back at him. He knew that smile, it was her I've got a very wicked idea smile.

He watched as she walked backwards off the mound, unbuttoning her shirt and kicking off her shoes as she went. When her shirt was finally undone, she tossed it aside and went running into the outfield.

Jeremy stood there mesmerized as Kat wiggled her hips, pealing off her now soaked jeans. He continued to stare as she ran through the sprinklers in nothing more than her bra and panties; until she cocked a finger, beckoning him to join her.

That was all the encouragement he needed to uproot him from his statue like gaze. Jeremy quickly tore away his shirt and kicked off his shoes as he ran after her. Kat launched into a fit of giggles as she watched him try to shed himself of his jeans and simultaneously run after her.

Finally free of his clothes, Jeremy reached for Kat only to have her dodge him and run away laughing. She may have been quick enough to avoid him once, but that was all. Jeremy caught her around the middle, scooping her up and spinning her around.

They landed up against the right field wall with Kat's wrists held above her head, tight in Jeremy's grip. He stared down at her, watching as her chest rose and fell with each struggled breath. Her breasts heaved under her drenched bra, her nipples were hard and pushed tight against the wet material, struggling to get out. Her wet hair clung to the side of her face and beads of water pooled on her skin as if she'd just been caught in a sudden rainstorm. His heated look didn't last long before Jeremy was bending down to devour her lips with his own.

Kat shuddered at the feeling of Jeremy sucking on her lower lip. He slowly licked his tongue across it, soothing any bruising he'd caused it earlier and coaxing Kat to open her mouth to him at the same time. His tongue danced with hers in a deeply hot and wet kiss. His hard body pressing up against her was driving her insane. She needed him to touch her, to fill her, to make her loose herself in him.

His hands rushed down to her breasts, cupping them fiercely over her bra, torturing her already hard nipples. Desperate to free her of its silky confines, Jeremy pulled its straps off her shoulders and down her arms. Kat shrugged the straps the rest of the way off while Jeremy tugged her bra down till it hung loose around her stomach.

Both of them moaned when Jeremy's hands finally made contact with Kat's aching breasts. Neither one could get enough; Kat was lost in the pleasure-pain of Jeremy assaulting her nipples, while Jeremy never wanted to be without the feeling of her amazingly soft skin under his hands.

Jeremy's lips trailed down Kat's neck, licking up the drops of water that had fallen on her sweet skin, until finally he was devouring her breasts. He laved each bud with his tongue in turn. When he felt her start to calm, he nipped and sucked her back into a furry.

Kat's desperation overtook her and soon she was struggling to pull Jeremy's briefs from his hips. She wasn't willing to wait for any slow exploration; she needed him now. Feeling the heat as well, he tore her thong in half and pushed it aside.

Jeremy's hands settled under Kat's ass and pulled her up to him as he sank into her in one swift thrust. Kat screamed in satisfaction; she'd never felt like this before, so wanton and desperate. Jeremy had stirred something fierce inside her that only he could tame.

She half kissed at Jeremy's lips as she struggled to breath at the same time. Her legs were locked tight around his back, holding him close, while her fingers dug into his flesh, signaling her tortured pleasure.

"More," Kat whispered in a breathless kiss.

Jeremy obliged, deepening his thrusts and nipping at her neck. He felt her tighten around him and a deep growl rumbled in his throat. Over and over he sank into her with demanding efforts, until he had her gasping his name and shattering around him. Her fiery spasms and his heated name on her lips instantly had him spilling inside her.

Slowly Kat felt herself begin to slide down the wall until she collapsed in a heap on top of Jeremy. She snuggled into his arms and rested her head against his chest. They sat in silence catching their breath, until Kat suddenly began to giggle.

"What?" Jeremy asked with a questioning smile.

"I don't think I'll ever look at right field the same way again."

"You won't? What about me? I have to work here, you know." Jeremy laughed with her.

"Sorry." Kat's apologized, completely insincere.

"Sure you are. It was worth it anyway. Plus when the guys hear I had sex on the field, they'll be super jealous."

"You wouldn't!" Kat sat up and looked at him with a shocked face, slapping him playfully on the chest.

"Please?" Jeremy looked at her with a puppy-dog face. "I would be a locker room god."

Kat rolled her eyes. "Don't give me that shit, you already are a locker room god."

Jeremy pulled her down to him and nipped at her ear before whispering, "Just Ben?"

Kat groaned even though there was a slight smile on her face. It was impossible for her to resist this man. "Just Ben."

***

It was near closing time at Isabelle's, Jeremy sat at a table watching Kat as he'd been doing much of the evening. He was supposed to be reading stats and watching game footage to prepare for their first playoff game against the New York Mets, but instead he was horribly distracted.

When Kat was around he couldn't help but watch her. She was so sincere when she smiled at her customers; and the way she navigated behind the counter, filling all the orders, seemed so fluid and graceful. Her hips would sway slightly to the music and occasionally Jeremy would catch her humming. She had him wrapped around her little finger and she didn't even realize it.

He couldn't believe how lucky he'd gotten with her. It amazed him that someone so grounded and genuine wanted to be with him. He loved the ways she continued to surprise him. Never in a million years would he have thought she would go running through the sprinklers in her underwear and then gladly let him make love to her in a public place.

Just as he began to relive their escapade, his phone started vibrating on the table. He looked down at it to see who was calling before he answered. Brett.

"Hello," Jeremy said into the phone.

"Hello? I haven't talked to you in months and all you have to say is hello?"

Jeremy chuckled slightly; only someone in the room could have seen that it wasn't entirely genuine. "What can I say, I've been busy," he answered back.

"So I've seen in the tabloids. I'll forgive you for being monogamous if you promise to come out with me while you're in New York."

Jeremy watched as Kat came over to him; the shop had been all cleaned up and shut down for the night. "Look I've got to go, but I promise." Jeremy hung up the phone and turned to Kat. "You ready to go home?"

"Yeah, who was that?" Kat waited while Jeremy packed away his computer and grabbed his jacket.

"Just an old friend who lives in New York." It wasn't a lie, but there was about a decade's worth of details he was leaving out.

Kat hugged Jeremy to her as they walked out of the shop. "Take me home Mr. Halman, before you have to carry me."

He smiled down at her, the phone call from earlier instantly fading away. "Gladly."

Kat had nodded off against Jeremy in the car. He looked at her and all he could do was smile. She looked so beautiful, even with her hair slightly mussed from the busy day. How had he gotten so lucky to have a girl like her want him and believe in him?

Suddenly Kat jerked awake. "Oh, are we home? Why didn't you wake me?" She turned and looked at Jeremy as she tried to tame her hair. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Jeremy cleared his throat, trying to shake off his unexpected emotions. "Huh? Oh, it's nothing. Let's get you inside."

"If you insist."

Kat staggered into her apartment with a groan. "Ugh, I smell like coffee, but I really don't think I can stand long enough to take a shower."

Jeremy came and stood behind Kat, she leaned against him, letting him support her. "If you ask nicely, I might be willing to help."

Kat turned around to face him, smiling. "Because that would be such a sacrifice on your part."

Jeremy chuckled. "Yeah, well you know me, I'm all about the sacrifice." Bending down, he kissed her lightly and led her backwards towards the bathroom.

Kat stood in the middle of the bathroom looking helpless while Jeremy turned on the shower. "This is all your fault you know," he heard her say over the roaring water.

"My fault?" Jeremy looked at her with a questioning eye as he walked back to her.

"Well, yours and Sarah's. We were up so late last night because of your surprise, then Sarah called in sick so I had to open and close," Kat explained, her eyes struggling to stay open.

"Got it, no more surprises," Jeremy said with a grin as he worked at removing her clothes.

He pulled her shirt over her head only to find her looking at him in annoyance. "That's not what I meant. You know I loved it."

He kissed her forehead in confirmation and then knelt to strip her of her jeans. Kat supported herself on Jeremy's shoulders, doing little to help, only bending each leg to step out of her pants. When he finally had her naked, Jeremy removed his clothes as well, only much quicker.

Taking her hand, Jeremy pulled Kat into the shower until she was standing with her back under the hot streaming water. Jeremy held her in a hug, letting her rest her head on his shoulder while his hands ran over her back, soaping and massaging. A small sigh slipped from Kat as she relished the feeling of Jeremy's strong hands kneading her sensitive skin.

When he was done with her back, his fingers delved into her hair. He combed his way through her curly wet strands, soaping and massaging her scalp. Bending her head back slightly, he let the jet stream of water rinse her clean.

With her scalp free of bubbles, he turned her around, letting her back rest against him. Jeremy slowly rubbed her shoulders, moving lower and lower until he was no longer washing but worshiping her breasts. He filled his hands with them and teased her sensitive nipples, loving the shudder it sent through her. When her breathing became erratic, Jeremy continued on, washing her stomach in lazy circles.