Since he didn’t look any too happy about her laughing fit, she tried to regain control. Finally, she was able to gasp, “I’m sorry, Matt.” She used a lengthy pause to finish catching her breath and then went on. “It’s just that I feel like I’m the one who should be saying that to you. Despite my current condition, I don’t sleep around. Yet I jumped into bed with you without a second thought, except for how good you’d make me feel.”
“And did I?”
“Did you what?”
“Make you feel good.”
She swatted at his arm with her free hand. “Stop fishing for compliments, buddy. You already know the answer.”
He grinned. “I guess I do.” Lowering his voice, he leaned close to her to whisper in her ear. “You came twice that second time, didn’t you?”
Meg’s cheeks heated. “How’d you know that?”
“Like it or not, I’m in tune with you, Meg.”
She might as well be honest. Withholding the truth did no one any good. “I think I like it.”
Matt reached out to tweak her nose. “You’re cute when you turn pink.”
She smiled. “Thanks, I think.”
“Oh, it was definitely a compliment.”
Meg shifted in her seat, uncomfortable with the praise. “A thank you is in order, then.”
“No thanks necessary. My uncle used to tell me beautiful women deserve to be complimented well and often.”
Meg wrinkled her nose. Her hair might have been greatly improved by its encounter with Stan’s scissors, but she still had no illusions about her beauty. Even so, she was willing to let the unnecessary flattery slide—this time. “What do you say we head back to your hotel room?”
Matt’s eyes flew to his watch and then back to her face. “I’d love to, but don’t you have to go to work?”
“Work?”
She heard herself repeat the word as if she’d never heard it before. What was it about this man that made her stupid? She’d like to say it was the same thing that had appealed about Tim: the spontaneity. But, jumping into bed with her notwithstanding, she doubted Matt had an impulsive bone in his body.
No, this time Meg was the one who wanted to be impetuous. She had precious few months left to be wild and carefree. “I’ll call in sick.” Her lips curved into a sly grin. “I’ll just say the doctor ordered me to stay in bed for the rest of the day.”
Matt whistled and squeezed her hand. “Tempting. But I don’t have the afternoon free. I have to get over to campus for practice this afternoon. It’ll be at least three hours.”
“I’ll come watch,” she offered. The more she thought about it, the more playing hooky from work appealed. She’d been gone half the day already, and there was nothing on her plate that couldn’t wait another day. Besides, she had a boatload of sick time coming to her because she’d only used about five days in six years.
And she was curious to see Matt in action, to find out if he was as good as he claimed. She smiled to herself. What a silly question. He’d already proven he was no liar about his skills.
He inclined his head. “If that’s what you want.”
“As long as you’re sure it’s okay for me to hang out in the stands while you practice.”
“You won’t be the only one there. Training camp is open to the public.”
Fifteen minutes later, Meg exclaimed, “Open to the public? You weren’t kidding,”
She’d spent the last ten minutes driving around campus in a futile search for a place to park. “I think everyone in town is here.”
“Looks that way.” He checked his watch and groaned. “I hate to ask, but can you drop me off by the field? I still need to change, and practice starts in five.”
She glanced at him. He sounded so calm and matter-of-fact. She was the one who was panicking at the thought of his being late.
Maybe that’s because being late has a whole new meaning for you these days.
She made a U-turn to head for the practice field. After letting Matt out steps from the field, she managed to find a parking spot a couple of blocks away. Not for the first time, she thanked her lucky stars that her Bug was compact. A larger vehicle wouldn’t have been able to squeeze into the space.
After a short walk, much needed after the huge lunch, she was at the foot of the bleachers, scanning the crowd for a place to sit. Even though she’d welcomed the exercise, she knew she couldn’t stand all afternoon.
Someone wearing a pink baseball cap and dark sunglasses stood up and started waving. “Meg! Over here!”
Meg squinted. It looked like—no, it was—Steph, managing to look quite glamorous, as usual. Stephanie always looked as though she’d stepped off the pages of Vogue. She made her way over to her friend and took the empty seat beside her. “What are you doing here?”
“Same thing you are. Skipping work.”
Meg’s cheeks heated. “I won’t tell if you won’t.”
Stephanie made a zipping-her-lips motion. “Mum’s the word.”
They both were silent for a few moments, taking in the action on the field. Meg picked out Dave and Greg—but where was Matt? He wasn’t crouched behind home plate, where he belonged.
She finally spotted him on the bench and grimaced. Was he being punished for a late arrival? Then again, it wasn’t either of their faults that parking on campus left a lot to be desired. The local paper wrote an editorial about the deplorable lack of adequate parking, calling for a parking garage to be built, at least once a semester.
Meg shook her head and settled in to watch the game.
After a few minutes, Steph nudged her arm. Her eyes were shaded by the rhinestone-studded ballcap she wore, but her grin was mischievous. “Guess I don’t have to ask you how the rest of your night went, since you didn’t make it to work this morning.”
Meg gazed at her with narrowed eyes. “How do you know I wasn’t at work if you weren’t there, either?”
“Oh, I was there earlier. I just convinced the bosses to give me the afternoon off.” She paused to gesture at the baseball diamond and her grin widened. “For research on the Condors campaign.”
Meg giggled. Scheming for extra time off was classic Stephanie. Better yet, their time here could be useful in the creation of an ad campaign. Now, why hadn’t she thought of that? She could have saved half a sick day. “I like the way your mind works!”
Stephanie tapped her temple. “You know me—always thinking.”
“I’m glad one of us is.” After a short pause, she asked, “So how’d your night with Greg play out?”
Steph shook her head. “Don’t try to change the subject, Meg. I asked you first.”
Meg sighed. Fair was fair, she supposed. So even though she wasn’t about to share any of the intimate details, she could satisfy her friend’s curiosity.
Leaning close to Steph’s ear, she whispered three little words. “It was phenomenal.”
When Stephanie’s excited squeal pierced the air, Meg glanced at the crowd around them. No one seemed to be paying a bit of attention to them. “Greg and I knew you two were destined to end up in the sack last night.” She paused to rest her hand on Meg’s forearm. “I’m happy for you, Meg. After Tim, you deserve a guy who’ll make you happy.”
She shifted on the hard metal seat. Tim had no place in her thoughts on this bright, happy day. “Speaking of Greg, did you two have a good time?”
“Not as good as you and Matt, but yes, we had a nice evening. We went back to my place for Irish coffee and watched a movie. Then Greg went back to his hotel room.”
“What? From the way you two were acting at the square, I thought—”
Stephanie interrupted her. “We made out a little during the movie, but that was it.”
Her brow furrowed. Based on the things Matt had told her about Greg, she’d been sure Steph was going to tell a different tale. “You mean to tell me you didn’t—”
“Not even once. He said he wanted to, but shouldn’t while he was in training.”
>
Now Meg was well and truly puzzled. Matt had said nothing about being in training. And he took his job seriously enough that he’d follow any such instructions, had they been given. Even not knowing him all that well, she was certain of that. He was a rule-follower, not a rebel.
She could think of only two reasons Greg would make something like that up. Either he wasn’t as attracted to Stephanie as they’d thought or he liked her enough to treat her better than he did most women.
Maybe you’re not good enough for the same consideration.
Because the critical voice sounded like her father, she dismissed it without answering and refocused on Steph. For her friend’s sake, she hoped it was Choice B. Stephanie deserved to be happy, too.
She gave Steph’s knee a comforting squeeze. “Don’t give up on Greg just yet.”
Stephanie’s merry laugh tinkled through the air. “Don’t worry, Meg. I don’t intend to.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “That man kisses like nobody’s business.”
She giggled and turned her attention back to the field. Matt was just coming off the bench. He settled into place behind home plate and the game resumed.
As she watched Matt in action, Meg realized—again—that he wasn’t exaggerating. He was good. Really good. Too good to be stuck playing minor league ball.
She shivered in the warm spring breeze. Had she just made another monumental mistake by deciding to let Matt into her life?
For now. You’re not making a lifetime commitment, remember?
She remembered, all right. Too bad it was so damn easy to envision a distant future that included the brown-eyed table thief.
Chapter Eight
After practice, Matt showered quickly and raced back out to the bleachers, where he knew Meg waited.
Sure enough, she was sitting about halfway up, chatting with Stephanie. He slowed his steps and shook his head at how that had turned out. Greg apparently went against type so both he and Steph had gone to bed alone and frustrated. Greg hadn’t shared that with him, but he’d mentioned it to Dave, who remarked to Matt that perhaps “young Greg was finally outgrowing all those one-night stands.”
Matt thought it wiser to stay out of that minefield altogether. When he neared the girls, he nodded to Stephanie and grinned at Meg.
“I’m glad that’s over.”
“Me, too,” Meg replied. “Wait. That’s not entirely true. I had fun watching you out there.”
He tried to keep his chest from puffing out with pride. He’d just about succeeded, if the amusement dancing in Meg’s eyes was any indication. His own grin widened. “You shouldn’t keep handing out compliments if you don’t want my head to swell.”
She looked up at him from lowered lashes and his heart jumped. Her lips curved in a knowing smile.
He shrugged and sank down beside her. “When you look at me like that, what do you expect?”
Stephanie cleared her throat. When they both turned to look at her, she pointed toward the dugout. “I think I’ll wait for Greg over there so you two can be alone.”
“He said to tell you he’d be along soon.” He hadn’t. But Matt had overheard Greg bragging to Jim and a couple of other rookies that there was a hot chick waiting for him. Since Meg and Stephanie were among just a handful of females left in the stands—and many of the others were senior citizens and tweens, he felt pretty safe in telling Steph that. Though why he did, just moments after vowing to stay out of whatever was going on between those two, he had no clue. Maybe it was because he knew it would make Meg smile. She deserved to be happy in every way.
He didn’t bother to wonder why Greg was trying to make it sound like something more was going on. The man had a reputation to uphold, after all. “Bartlesby’s babes” were a legend in some circles.
Not that he wanted any part of that. He’d never had a desire for groupies. That was one of the reasons he was so attracted to Meg. Until yesterday, she’d had no idea what he did for a living.
But once she did, she jumped right into your bed.
He frowned. Sure, they’d ended up in bed last night, after he’d been forced to confess his secret. But he knew for a fact she’d been attracted to him before she knew what he did for a living. Their kiss in front of the hotel Friday night was all the proof he needed of that.
Besides, Meg had confessed a secret of her own. If she were trying to trap him, she’d have just waited until she started to show and then told him the kid was his.
Right?
He glanced back at Meg, who was still studying him as if he were a five-star meal she wanted to devour, and told himself he was right. Meg Malone was no baseball babe. A sexy mama-to-be, yes. But not a slut who threw herself at anything in a pair of cleats.
“Let’s get out of here.”
She put her hand on his upper arm and smiled. “I thought you’d never ask.”
****
Later that night, as Matt watched Meg sleep, his thoughts raced. The Condors left Flagstaff in a couple more weeks. Before that, he had big decisions to make about Meg and her plus-one.
He checked his phone. It was just after nine—still early enough to bounce ideas off Dave. Time for Dave to repay him for some of the advice he’d given.
He got up carefully, so as not to disturb Meg, and threw on a pair of sweats. Then he headed down the hall. When he rapped on Dave’s door, it opened right away.
“Keep it down, will ya?” Dave whispered. “Tara just fell asleep.”
“She’s here?”
Dave nodded. “She and Mel came in today for a long weekend.”
Disappointed, he started backing away. If his friend’s fiancée and their daughter were here, he didn’t have time to talk after all. “I’ll just let you get back in there.”
“I’ll always have a minute for you, man.” Dave stepped into the hallway and closed the door behind him.
“Thanks.” Matt was relieved. Now that he’d decided to ask for help, he didn’t want to put it off. “This won’t take long.”
Dave shrugged. “Least I can do after all you’ve done for me. So what’s bugging you?”
He blurted it out. “How’d you know you were ready to be a father?”
“Kind of an odd question from the team’s resident monk.”
“Hey, I’m not that bad.”
Dave crossed his arms over his chest. “Really? How long’s it been?”
“Since I broke up with Lila?” Matt counted in his head. “Almost fourteen months.”
“Did she—”
He rushed to correct that misconception. “God no.”
“Then why are you asking?”
“Meg is.” He saw the question in Dave’s face and staved it off. “It’s not mine.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
He shrugged. “No real problem. Just answer the question.”
Dave chuckled. “It’s not that easy, Matt. You don’t just decide you’re ready to be a father.”
“You did.”
“With my own flesh and blood, I didn’t have a choice. The minute I looked into my daughter’s sweet face and saw my eyes staring back at me, I was a goner.” A goofy grin spread across his friend’s face and then disappeared. “You don’t want my advice. Talk to a counselor or something. Someone smarter than me.”
Matt’s frustration rolled to a boil. “I already know Stan’s thoughts on the matter, and my father would give me the same pep talk I’ve given myself. ‘Big decision. Be absolutely sure. Yada, yada, yada.’”
“Sounds like you’ve covered all the bases.”
He shook his head, stubborn. “You’ve been there. You have to have insight.”
His buddy glanced at the closed door to his room and back. “A kid is a lifetime commitment. If you’re in, you’ve gotta go all in. No half-assing it.”
“I know that.”
Dave shrugged. “That’s all I’ve got, man.”
He sighed. So much for the wisdom that comes with experience. “It’ll have to
be enough. Thanks.”
Matt returned to his own room knowing no more than he had when he left. With his hand on the door, he froze. If he planned to commit—really commit—to Meg, he’d need some grand gesture. Something that said, “I’m ready.”
If he was ready, that is.
“Jury’s still out on that question.”
And he was the only one who could answer it.
****
The rest of Meg’s week passed in a blur. When she wasn’t putting in hours at the ad agency, she was with Matt. Wherever they were—in bed or out—they always had fun. With every minute they spent together, she found herself depending on Matt more.
She wasn’t sure how she felt about him quickly becoming more than a fling. On the one hand, she liked Matt. A lot. His sensible approach to everything, combined with his warm sense of humor, made him the anti-Tim. On the other, he was trying to turn pro, and she worried he’d leave her behind, as Tim had.
“I need a sign,” she muttered to herself before drifting to sleep, comfortable in Matt’s arms.
Hushed voices awakened her the next morning. Matt’s side of the bed was empty. Curious, she crept to the door and peered through the peephole. Four of Matt’s teammates stood outside the door in burgundy sports coats and gray slacks. “What on earth?”
She cracked door to get a better look, and when she did, the quartet broke into the chorus of “Close to You.” Matt stepped in front of them and belted out the lyrics.
There’s your sign.
The sweet absurdity of a bunch of jocks serenading her with such a sappy song hit her all at once and she bit her lip to keep from laughing. As the song’s last note died away, she clapped.
“Bravo!”
Matt jerked his thumb at the dark-complexioned guy on the end. “Luis was off-key.”
“Don’t know how you could tell with such schlock,” the man grumbled good-naturedly.
He waved them down the hall. “Thanks, guys. Your presence is no longer required. Meg and I need some time alone.”
“We do?”
He nodded and pulled her close. “We do.”
Unforgettable Heroes II Boxed Set Page 181
