The Perfect Game by J. Sterling Read Free Book Online Page A

what’s your story?”
    “What do you want to know?” I took a gulp of water, casting my eyes away to hide the truth I just might be willing to tell him. 
    “Why haven’t I seen you before this year?”
    “I went to community college the past two years. I just transferred.”
    “Lucky me.” He took another swig of water and placed it back down. “So where are you from?”
    “About two hours northwest of here. Lived in the same house my whole life. What about you?”
    “I grew up ten minutes from here.”
    “Really? So close. Did you even think about going anywhere else? I mean, I’m sure you had a lot of offers for baseball.” I was genuinely surprised, considering what I’d seen of his talent and everyone’s reaction to it. 
    He grimaced slightly before his expression softened. “I got offers everywhere. I could have gone to USC, UCLA, Texas , Florida , Georgia , Alabama …you name it.”
    “So why didn’t you?” I leaned into the table with interest. 
    “I wanted to play for Coach Davies,” he explained. “But mostly I wanted to stay near my grandparents.” His voice lowered with emotion, his eyes focused somewhere in the distance.
    “Oh.” I leaned back in shock.
    “Not the answer you expected?”
    “Not really. I mean, it’s sweet and all, but I don’t get it. Why your grandparents?” I craved honesty from him. Honest words, honest thoughts, honest emotions. 
    “They practically raised me and Dean.”
    I smiled at the mention of his brother’s name. “I like him.”
    “Want me to put in a good word for you? I know him pretty well.” Jack sounded like he was teasing, but there was a bit of a sharp undertone to his offer.
    “No thanks. He’s not really my type. Too nice,” I added, erasing the worry lines from his face. “How’d you both get into the same school, anyway?”
    “It was one of my conditions.” 
    “Conditions?” 
    “Yeah. I only agreed to come here if they agreed to let him in too.”
    My jaw dropped. “You bribed the university?”
    He wagged his finger. “No. I just said I’d come here as long as when Dean was old enough, they’d let him in too.”
    “And they agreed to that?” I asked, somewhat horrified. “I mean, obviously they did ’cause you’re both here.”
    He laughed. “Dean would have gotten in anyway, but I wanted assurance.”
    “Interesting.” I ran my fingers through my hair, tucking the stray strands back in place behind my ear, quietly fighting the sense that this guy might not be so bad after all.
    He leaned across the table, inching closer to me. “What is?”
    “You’re just different than I expected,” I answered, focusing on his full lips.
    “That’s ’cause you’re judgmental.” He leaned back with a smile.
    I closed my mouth and narrowed my eyes, unprepared for the rant that was about to leave my lips. “No. That’s ’cause you’re a pig. You’re typical and selfish and pathetic and you treat girls like shit and…”
    “Hey!” he interrupted, his tone offended. “Who says I treat girls like shit?”
    “Sorry, Jack, but I don’t know anyone who enjoys being fucked one minute and forgotten about the next.” 
    “You make it sound so heartless when you say it like that,” he admitted, my words apparently stinging.
    “Well it kind of is.” I shrugged. “And you wonder why I wanted to stay away from you?”
    “You thought I’d do the same thing to you.” His eyes widened as understanding settled in.
    “I assumed you wanted to.” 
    “Of course I want to sleep with you,” he admitted without shame and I felt my inner thighs tingle. “But I’m not sold on the forgetting about you part.”
    I eyed him warily, my heart racing beneath my shirt. “You probably say that to all the girls.”
    “I don’t have to say that to all the girls.”
    I sat in silence, stunned by his honesty.
    “What are you thinking about?” He reached over and tapped my hand with one finger, bringing me out of my