Soft Sounds of Pleasure by Eden Connor Page B

score book. "We only need three runs and we have all night to get 'em."
    "Ball four, take yer base," the umpire called in a singsong voice a few pitches later. The kid never offered to swing at a single pitch, much to Reggie's vocal disgust.
    The crowd was making so much noise Colton could barely hear her next words. The bases were loaded now, and the Tigers still had just the one out. "Relax, and breathe," she leaned forward and said to the next batter. She released Colton's arm, and the crimson half-moons throbbed in time with his groin every time his heart took a beat as he tried to take her advice as well. He stared at her, adoring the animation on her face as she talked her nonsense through the fence. "He's mad now and he'll be humming the ball. But anything out of the infield scores Jonah, and there's two more outs to play with. Relax, son. No pressure here. Don't be afraid of an out. Think RBI."
    Reggie was yelling something different. So were most others, demanding the batter put the ball over the green outfield wall.
    The kid, the second of Reggie's twins, struck out with three hard swings, nearly screwing himself into the ground with the last one. But Lila was already talking to the kid in the on-deck circle as she calmly recorded the second out. "Put it where you've put it all night, that big gap in left. You own this guy, Dustin."
    Dustin did exactly that and two runs crossed the plate, tying the score as the ball fell into the grass close to the outfield wall. The kid she'd ordered not to swing was on third, the winning run. Colton was starting to catch on.
    The next kid walked right up to the fence, looking to her, not Reggie, who'd bent his ear and jerked him roughly by the arm before stomping back to the coach's box.
    "I can't hit this guy," the kid said in despair, his eyes anxious above two thick streaks of smeared black.
    "Don't have to," Lila said with a confident smile. "All we need is a run. Lay it down the first base line and run like your pants are on fire."
    "They'll throw home," the kid argued.
    "They won't see it coming, the pitcher won't cover," she assured him. "Keep it fair, though."
    Colton saw him search her face as the umpire yelled for him to get in the box. He also saw Reggie's dark scowl as the coach watched the exchange at the fence. Lila nodded confidently. The kid stepped to the plate, and Colton held his breath, his nails digging into her arm this time. The ball flew toward the plate, he saw the bat come up and began cursing inwardly because the umpire's ass was blocking his view. The catcher jumped from behind the plate, scooping up the ball that Colton now spied rolling to a stop just inside the thick line of white chalk. The catcher whirled to throw home to make the out, but there was no one from his team at the plate to catch his throw. Holding the ball as he watched the winning run cross the plate in disgust, the sweaty kid in the awkward-looking catching gear then fired the ball at the pitcher while yelling at him for not breaking for the plate to receive the throw home for the out, costing the bigger, better team the game they'd already counted as theirs.
    "Yes." Lila pumped her fist one time. Colton marveled at her restraint, he wanted to throw a party.
    "Ball game," the umpire bellowed, jerking off his mask. The gray and blue-clad man strode to the fence, a big smile on his face. "Welcome back, Lila. You haven't lost your touch, I see. Pete always called you his secret weapon."
    Lila laughed as the Tigers celebrated. "Thanks, Joey. You think I can make the truck before Reggie sinks his teeth in me?"
    "Good luck with that," the umpire said after a moment's thought as he stared into the riotous dugout. "Idiot should thank you." He gave Colton an appraising look. "You might have to be the protection."
    "He'll never touch her," Colton promised hotly.
    The burly blonde umpire burst out laughing. "I meant you might need to protect Reggie. Lila can take care of herself, but Reggie's