Stealing Home

Chapter One

The definition of baseball:
A game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players each on a large field having four bases that mark the course a runner must take to score.

OLIVIA

They say diamonds are a girls best friend. When most people use that expression, they think of the overpriced, shiny gems that woman use to show their worth. But when I think about diamonds, I dream about the clean lines of a baseball field. From the way the vibrant green grass in the outfield glows, to the pure white bases... when I think about my happiness I imagine opening day at the ball park. To me, the best diamonds are baseball diamonds. That's where my heart truly belongs.

"Holy shit, this is insane." I whisper to myself as I look around me.

I walk on the freshly cut grass of the outfield down to the dugout, in awe of the scene in front of me. 45,000 fans are on their feet cheering and hollering as each player takes their cap off and waves to the crowd while their name and stats are announced over the speakers. Their crisp clean gray and white uniforms hugging their bodies in all the right places and their smiles as bright as the first day they started playing ball. There was something about the adrenaline I was coursing through my body that made me feel like I was flying, and I absolutely loved it.

I stepped down into the dugout and took a seat next to Peter Bastio the head physical therapist. I was hired this off season as the new Assistant PT and this game is one of my first real tests. He needed to see how I handled the pressure of the commotion going on around me. For being only 22 years old and oh yeah, a female, I seemed to be handling my own rather well. Suppressing my eye roll I hear Peter call out in my direction. 

"Olivia, are you listening?"

I turned to look at him feeling the blush burning my cheeks. I was so busy listening to the announcers and all the screaming fans I forgot to actually pay attention to my boss as he was explaining what I needed to look out for during the game tonight. It was a cool night in San Francisco and I was doing my best not to shiver in my blazer since I had decided on wearing something more professional than the team windbreaker Peter gave me.

Sometimes I wish I could go back in time and slap myself for making foolish decisions like this.
"Sorry, I was listening to the fans. This is all extremely surreal." I try and say to Peter without actually screaming in his face. He proceeded to laugh and nodded at me. He must have understood how brand new all of this was to me, I appreciated him for letting me be in the moment to take everything in before he gave me the low down. I respected him and his ability to treat me like any other physical therapist and not just some woman who had a thing for men in tight pants. Though believe me, when you're pressed up against a baseball players muscular thigh trying to stretch them out, it's impossible not to take notice. However, Peter definitely did not need to know those sordid details.
I looked up onto the field and saw Paxton Thompson tip his hat and wink at the crowd which the fans promptly ate up.

"We love you, Paxton!"
"You're so hot!'
"WINK AGAIN!"

I rolled my eyes and laughed. He was a cocky son of a bitch and he knew how to make the ladies drool over him. He was a rookie last year and took the league by storm.

His stats were phenomenal, and he played baseball like it was what he was born to do. Which, to be honest, he more than likely was. Anyone can look at the man and see that he had the proper build of a baseball player. He was tall, around 6 foot 5, weighed close to 230 pounds and every single inch of him was pure muscle. He was a righthanded pitcher who had a mean curve ball that made all the other teams fear batting against him. He was fast, strong and young. Everything that a MLB coach looked for in a pitcher and his 4-year 12 million dollar contract proved that when he returned this year.

He put his hat back on his head and crossed his arms making his way towards the dugout. While he walked with confidence his face gave way to his inner emotions, did he look confused, or maybe scared? Why was he scared? Pitching for opening day was an honor. Was the pressure getting to him? I made a mental note to watch his body language when he came back into the dugout before the game officially started.

The players were done being announced and the National Anthem has begun. A beautiful trio of woman sang as the crowd joined in. It was a beautiful moment as an F-22 flew above the stadium making the adoring fans cheer louder and louder.

***

The game was about to begin and I hadn't moved from my place on the bench. I studied the players, making sure that I was aware of who looked hurt, or who might need some extra attention, but I found that I couldn't stop peeking at Paxton. His eyes were wide and he kept wiping his hands on his all white pants. His glove was under his arm and his legs were shaking. I wasn't sure what to do, do I ask if he's okay? Do I leave it alone?

Ugh. Fuck me and my heart.

I walked over steadily and stood in front of him. Even in his seated position he seemed to tower over me. I wasn't small by any means but being 5 foot 9 didn't seem to help against this beast of a man in front of me.
I couldn't find any words to say and after what felt like an eternity (you know, 5 seconds) I began to walk away. I felt a rough hand touch mine and my skin burned at the contact. I turn to look at who had grabbed me, expecting to see Paxton but instead I see Jonathan Taylor, the teams left fielder.

"Hey beautiful, I think I need to get worked out after the game. Want to help me out?"

I was paralyzed, stuck in place, starring at him with wide eyes and my feet firmly planted on the ground. Why couldn't I move?

"Come on sweetheart, I'm sure we would have a whole lot of fun together. You just need to get that stick out of your ass."

I snapped out of my daze and ripped out of his grip. I couldn't believe Jonathan was laughing at me with one of the other players. When I turned to look back at Paxton he was gone. Did he hear what Jonathan said to me and left? Or did he not notice me at all?

"You're a pig. Don't pull a hammie tonight." I finally said to Jonathan before I returned to the end of the bench.

I was disgusted but as much as what he said was annoying me, I was more so hurt that Paxton had disappeared. My intuition was telling me that he had heard and didn't want any confrontation with the team.

The announcer introduced the teams and the players took off from the bench to their positions. The outfielders ran to their places and the infielders jogged to their bases. But Paxton, he descended onto the field with such determination. He towered over the other players and I couldn't help but admire him from a distance. The way his shirt fit his body perfectly and that ass... wow. His ass fit those pants so well it looked like a second skin.

He stepped onto the pitcher's mound and kicks some dirt around. He took a couple deep breaths and then looked to the sky for a few seconds, before he slapped his glove on his leg, and turned to look towards the catcher. The catcher threw him a ball and Paxton started his warm up.

The other players are playing catch until Paxton is ready and finally the umpire throws his hands up signaling to the rest of the seven players in the field that he's ready to start the game.

***

The Bears win 5-2 in the ninth inning against the Colorado Snow Leopards and the crowd went wild. Paxton was taken out in the 7th inning with 10 strike outs. Overall, it was a beautiful game.

"Olivia, Jonathan said he needs to be stretched out in the locker room, please."

I tried my hardest to not let my emotions show on my face, because I knew that Jonathan was just trying to hook up with me. That was 100% against my rules, I don't hook up with players and I don't do one night stands.

"Okay, I'll go check on him." I said behind me as I ran to the locker rooms.