I’d managed to make contact my last two at bats, but the hits didn’t go anywhere...a line drive right at second base and a long fly ball caught by the center fielder on the warning track. That last one had the distance, but not the location. If it had been a little to the right or left, it would have been at least a double.
Moving through the rest of my routine, I watched Monte take two strikes followed by two balls. He fouled a couple off, giving some happy fans souvenirs, then took two more balls and jogged down to first base.
I banged the handle of the bat on the dirt and dislodged the doughnut. With the bases loaded and one out, I walked toward the plate and stepped into the box. A loopy curveball came in wide for ball one. The pitching coach called time and ran out to talk to the pitcher. It was only his second inning and he seemed to be losing his shit. A fact I planned to take full advantage of.
I stepped out of the box, leaned the bat against my hip, and tightened my batting gloves. Looking around the stadium, I zeroed in on Hannah sitting in the owner’s section right next to Kenny and Mr. Hanover. She had her head turned, listening to Kenny speak, but suddenly looked in my direction, as if I’d pulled her attention to me. I smiled and felt all warm inside when she smiled back. I have no idea what it is about this woman, but she makes me feel things I’ve never felt before.
Like the raging jealousy that tore through me the next second as Doug Luna plopped down in the seat on the other side of her. He leaned closer to her and said something. She looked over at him and replied, making him chuckle, but he didn’t move away. Instead, he rested his elbow on the arm rest.
Didn’t the mother fucker ever hear of personal space?
The umpire stepped into position before I could see her reaction. I got into the box and took my stance. The pitcher looked over his shoulder at Monte then stepped his foot off the rubber.
Seriously?
The bases are loaded. It’s not like he’s going anywhere until I hit the ball.
As everyone got back into position, I fought the urge to glance over at Hannah to see what’s going on. While my reaction to her is new, I can’t have it interfere with baseball. As I’ve been doing since I was thirteen, I channeled all my emotions into the game.
I stepped back into the box and glared at the pitcher. He glared back. Throwing from the stretch, he released the ball and I knew from the minute it left his grip, the pitch was my idea of perfect. A fast ball, waist high, right between the center of the plate and the outside corner.
The feel of the ball hitting the bat vibrated through my hands a millisecond before the satisfying crack sounded in my ears. I took off toward first base and looked up just in time to watch the ball sail over center stadium wall. Slowing into my home run trot, I circled the bases and stepped on home plate. My teammates congratulated me with fist bumps, chest bumps, and pats on the back that could dislodge a lung. The crowd continued to cheer so I tipped my helmet then looked over at Hannah and smiled. Her smile widened and she continued to clap and jump in place.
I have no idea how she normally reacts to home runs, but based on the look Kenny was giving her, I’m thinking this isn’t it. I stepped into the dugout and tossed my helmet to the batboy.
Dan came up behind me and squeezed my shoulders.
“You know you’re fucked, right?” He tossed the words I’d said to him right before coming up with the plan to get Sabrina back into his life. I should have wanted to punch the knowing smile off his face, but instead I returned it and shrugged.
Chapter 18
Hannah
The Waves won, thanks in part to Jack’s grand slam. He’d also made some amazing plays, letting nothing get past him. One time he dove deep into the pocket, grabbed the ball, and fired a one-hopper from his knees that Monte picked to end the inning. He ran onto the field with gauze on his forearm the next inning, so he must have torn it up on that play.
After the game, I watched Jack talk to one reporter after the other. I’m sure his grand slam would top the baseball news for the night. When the ball is hit out of the entire stadium, it usually garners some attention, even if it happens in spring training.
Mr. Hanover left as soon as the game ended and Kenny and I chatted for a while, trying to figure out the source of his bad mood. The book may have him a little upset, but it can’t be the only thing bothering him. In all the years I’ve worked for the Waves, I’ve never seen him so short-tempered and miserable.
I mentally shrugged as I made my way back to my office. Kenny can figure it out. I like Mr. Hanover, but we really only have a professional relationship. A friendly one, but professional nonetheless. I’m not someone he’d confide in. Give orders to? Definitely. And as long as I follow those orders, I’m doing all I can to keep him happy.
After booting up my computer, I made some phone calls, sent a few emails, and updated my calendar. I sat back and glanced at the clock and was surprised to find two hours had passed.
I’ll admit, I was worried being here would mess with my normal work routine, but so far, so good. I have my own office and the rhythm here is the same as at First Allegiant Bank Park so I have plenty of quiet time to get things done before everyone else shows up and after they leave.
I tilted my head from side to side, working some of the kinks out of my neck. My whole body is achy today. A few amazing orgasms apparently take a toll on unused muscles. Not that I’m complaining. Last night was worth every ache and pain I’m feeling. I made a mental note to pick up Epsom salts on the way home. Maybe a long soak will fix me. Or maybe I just need to work those muscles more.
Jack had lived up to my every fantasy, and Lord knows there’ve been many through the years. I swear he could make me orgasm with his voice. Hell, with this scent. Speaking of his scent...I sniffed, catching a hint of that spicy sweet smell I love. Looking up, I found the subject of my thoughts lounging against the doorway.
Am I that tuned into him that I can pick up his scent from across the room?
“Jack.”
He pushed off the doorframe and slowly walked toward my desk, dropping the duffle bag that had been slung over his shoulder to the floor just as he reached me. His gaze didn’t leave mine as he placed his hands on the arms of the chair, leaned down, and softly kissed me. He tilted his head to the other side and kissed me again, lingering just a bit longer. Pulling back, he nipped at my bottom lip and the corners of his eyes crinkled with his sexy smile.
“Hannah,” he said and his warm, minty breath brushed against my face.
The man is a walking, talking wet dream. I took in a deep breath, filling my lungs with the scent of fresh-from-the-shower Jack.
Mmm, so good.
I didn’t realize I’d said that out loud until he chuckled. “Thank you.” He straightened and took a step back. “You wouldn’t have said that about a half hour ago. Be thankful I hit the showers before coming up here.”
I’ve been around Jack post-game and he smelled amazing despite the dirt and sweat. But I won’t share that with him. It might sound creepy.
Instead I said, “Thank you for the shirt.”
His eyes took a lazy tour of my body, slowly down then back up again, lingering on my breasts, making my nipples tighten and tingle. My face heated as he raised his gaze, pausing at my neck, where his mark lingered beneath the silky blouse, before looking into my eyes again. A small smirk had played at the corners of his mouth during his perusal, but he was full-on grinning now, a naughty sort of smile that made my thighs quiver.
“You’re welcome,” he said. “Do you have plans tonight?”
It took me a couple seconds to catch up with the change of subject.
“No.”
“Dan and I are grilling some steaks at my place. Want to join us?”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” I said.
I sat forward and shut down my computer. Grabbing my laptop case from under the desk, I put my calendar and a few files in, then undocked my computer and secured it in the padded s
ection of the bag. Jack’s hand covered mine just as I zipped it closed.
“Hannah.” He didn’t speak again until I looked at him. “It’s just Dan, and he won’t make a big deal out of this.”
Whatever this is.
“This is you and me, getting to know each other better, enjoying ourselves, figuring it out along the way,” he said.
What is it about this man that makes me lose control of my inner dialogue?
I closed my eyes and shook my head.
“I don’t know if I’m ready to announce this to the world. It’s too new.”
My entire body broke out in goosebumps as Jack’s fingers skimmed my cheek then stroked my jaw, his thumb resting under my chin, tipping it up slightly until I opened my eyes.
“No matter what he thinks, Dan is not the world,” he said around a soft chuckle. “But seriously, we’ll grill some steaks, drink a few beers, and relax.” His eyes shifted away and he took in a deep breath then slowly let it out before meeting my gaze again. “I wasn’t going to mention this because it’s really not a big deal, but Dan saw you leaving my place last night.”
I groaned. “What did he say?”
“He dished out some payback on the ball busting I gave him about Sabrina.”
“I thought you liked Sabrina.”
“I do, and I really liked watching him get whipped by her. Still do,” he said. “So I guess I deserve the payback now that the tables are turned.”
Is he implying that he thinks we can be like Dan and Sabrina?
Thankfully I didn’t utter that thought out loud.
He took my hand in his, raised it to his mouth, and placed a kiss right in the middle of my palm, then curled my fingers closed as if to hold it in place.
“Hannah, I’d like to spend time with you, see where this goes. But we can’t live in a bubble. If we don’t sneak around and make a big deal of this, maybe no one else will either.” Those soft hazel eyes broke down every last bit of my resistance. “So whaddya say?”
“What can I bring?”
Jack
“Promise me you won’t be a dick tonight,” I said to Dan.
“Why would I be a dick?”
“Because for some reason you think this is hysterical.”
I handed him six potatoes and pointed to the sink. Taking the hint, he turned on the water and rinsed them off.
“For some reason? Seriously Jack?” If he wasn’t my best friend, I’d punch the smartass smirk right off his face. Hell, if he pushes me or makes Hannah feel uncomfortable tonight, I might anyway.
After finishing his job, Dan placed the wet potatoes on a plate then proceeded to poke the hell out of them with a knife.
“You don’t need to kill them,” I said. “Just make a few holes to allow the steam to escape.”
He stopped murdering the potatoes and leaned his hip against the counter. Crossing his arms over his chest, he watched me unwrap the cowboy ribeyes from the butcher paper and place them on a cutting board.
“Do you really not know why I find this thing with you and Hannah so amusing?”
He crossed his arms over his chest and stared me down as I sprinkled a generous amount of seasoning on the steaks. When I finished, I mimicked his pose and waited for him to answer the question my raised brow was asking.
“I’ve seen you with a lot of women over the years, some I think you’ve liked more than others, but not one of them even put a dent in that brick wall you have around yourself,” he said. “But since that event at Lucca, I’ve watched you knock it down piece by piece and let Hannah in.”
I’m not a big drinker, but this is way too heavy of a conversation to have without at least a beer in my hand. I walked over to the refrigerator and grabbed two Blue Moons, twisted off the caps, and handed one to Dan. I downed half of mine in one long chug.
“When I told you I saw Hannah leaving last night, your first reaction was to worry about how she’d react if she found out I knew. Not to mention the fact that you look at her all sappy-eyed.”
What can I say? I know he’s right. Well, maybe about everything but the sappy eyes. I hate to think I’m following her around looking like a pathetic puppy.
I put the potatoes on a plate and popped them into the microwave to partially cook before I throw them on the grill. I picked my bottle up from the counter and raised it to my mouth.
“I like her,” I said, then finished my beer and tossed the bottle into the recycling bin. “And I have no idea why it took me a decade to notice that, but it doesn’t change the fact that it’s true.”
“Have you told her that?” I nodded. “And?”
I shrugged. “She was here last night and she’s coming back tonight so I guess she’s interested.”
“And are you open to giving this a chance to last beyond September?”
The doorbell rang before I could answer. I’ve told Sabrina that I’m not starting this with an end date in mind, but I’d be lying if I said that didn’t scare the shit out of me. And even though I didn’t say that out loud, Dan seemed to know anyway. Sometimes it sucks to have people know you so well.
I walked across the living room and just before I opened the door, looked back when Dan called my name.
“Just don’t fuck this up,” he said. “I got lucky when Sabrina gave me a second chance. You might not be as fortunate.”
Even though I told her she didn’t have to bring anything, Hannah held a plate of cupcakes as she stepped through the door. The smell of rich chocolate tickled my nose as I leaned down to give her a small kiss. I closed the door and she walked past me to place them on the counter.
Dan had moved from his perch in the kitchen to greet her.
“Mm, those smell amazing. German chocolate?”
She set her purse on a stool and shook her head. “Guinness cupcakes with Bailey’s cream cheese icing.”
“Can we eat dessert first?” he asked.
“You can wait. It builds character,” I said, then cringed. It still freaks me out when I open my mouth and my mother’s words come out. Hannah’s eyes widened and I smiled. “I’m going to go light the grill.”
From out on the balcony, I heard them making small talk. I turned the gas to high and pushed the red igniter button. Once the flames got going, I shut the lid to let the grill get hot.
“So far, I’m having fun down here,” Hannah said as I walked through the sliding glass door. “I see why you guys like it so much. It’s definitely more laid back.”
“Not for you,” I said. “You’ve been working as many hours here as you do at home.”
“No rest for the wicked,” she said around a chuckle.
“Want a beer?” I asked.
“Sure.”
I grabbed three beers from the refrigerator, twisted the top off one and handed it to Hannah, then gave the other to Dan.
“I have to open my own?”
“Don’t be a pussy,” I muttered.
“What was that?” he asked, then settled into the living room chair. “I didn’t catch what you said.”
I flipped him off and set my beer on the coffee table.
“Have a seat,” I said to Hannah. “I’m going to go throw the steaks on the grill.”
“Do you need me to do anything?”
“Just relax. I’ve got everything covered,” I said. “Thank you for the cupcakes. You really didn’t need to bring anything, but they look amazing.” I leaned in for a small kiss then said against her lips, “And I can think of a few things we can do with that icing later.”
I’d love to explore that last thought right now, but Dan is sitting in the living room and I have steaks to grill. I smiled and nudged her toward the couch. She pushed her glasses into place with her index finger. The frames are a soft pink now and match her shirt. She’d had blue on earlier. I’ve met women with a shoe fetish, but have never known anyone who owned more than a couple a pair of glasses. She seems to have a pair for every occasion. I’ll have to find out more about that later.
I grabbed the steaks from the counter as she sat on the side of the couch closest to Dan.
“When are Lexi and Sabrina coming down?” she asked him then took a sip of her beer.
“Next weekend,” he said. “Then they’ll be back again for the last week while Lexi is on spring break and we’ll head home together.”
“Do you have any special plans while they’re down here?”
They continued their conversation as I walked out to the balcony. I threw the steaks on the grill and glanced at my watch. In four minutes, I’ll flip them, turn down the heat, and let them cook for fifteen minutes before flipping again.
Leaning against the banister, I looked out at the water and realized that one nice thing about hanging out with Hannah is that she knows my friends and their families and they like her. I won’t have to make sure I’m with them every second to run interference. Some of the women I’ve spent time with didn’t always mesh well with my friends or their wives...especially their wives. Things got real awkward when I didn’t stick by their side.
I checked my watch, pushed back from the banister, and opened the grill, the aroma of the steaks making my mouth water. After flipping them, I closed the lid, and stepped back inside.
Taking a seat next to Hannah, I grabbed my beer, twisted the top off, and took a drink.
“We’re all set, right?”
Both Dan and Hannah looked in my direction and I realized the question was directed toward me.
I swallowed my beer and said, “With what?”
“The boat to go to the Keys.”
“Yeah, we’re set.”
“Are you coming along?” he asked Hannah.
She choked on a sip of beer then composed herself.
“I uh, I don’t think so.”
I glared at Dan. I’d mentioned a possible trip to Hannah before we got involved, but not since. I’d like to think her answer will be different now.
Waste of Handsome (Carolina Waves #2) Page 15
