Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 85838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 429(@200wpm)___ 343(@250wpm)___ 286(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 429(@200wpm)___ 343(@250wpm)___ 286(@300wpm)
Bring it on.
Tanner Sloan bounds up the home team dugout’s steps and gives me a chin nod and an important look. “Archer. Just the man I’ve been looking to see.”
“Aww. You miss me, Sloan,” I say to the Comets star shortstop. “Don’t worry. I’ll blow you a kiss when I whizz past you a few times while I’m scoring.”
He rolls his dark blue eyes. “Maybe you forgot who has the better record,” says the cocky asshole. Man, I love this guy. He backs up his bravado with his big bat. We played in Triple-A together a few years back. Birds of a feather, since his brothers play baseball too.
I scratch my head, ready to smack talk him back, when…fuck it. I don’t feel like talking trash anymore. I’m still in a good mood from that call. “How the hell are you, Tanner?”
He closes the distance between us, knocks my fist in greeting. “I’m good. Pretty good. But I heard some shit about how they’re treating the Mud Dogs down in Bakersfield,” he says.
My heart sags a bit. “Yeah, they’re barely paying a livable wage.”
He shakes his head, huffing out an angry breath. “I don’t like it, man.”
“I don’t either. But what can you do?”
“That’s the thing—I want to do something. I need to work on some plans. Maybe rattle some cages. Can I count on you for help?”
I’m not sure what I have to offer other than support. But maybe that’s what he needs. “I’ll do what I can when the time comes.”
“Thanks, bro,” he says, then heads to the field to stretch.
I continue toward the visitors’ dugout, breathing in the scent of fresh-cut grass, savoring the late afternoon sunshine. But I stop when I catch sight of a gorgeous man parked casually in a chair along the first-base line.
My heart slams at the sight. Maddox is here, and he looks so damn good. He wears tailored slacks and a crisp white dress shirt I want to rip off him. No tie for the ballpark. Maddox’s casual game-wear is so very him, and I love it.
But the best part?
That satisfied grin. I want to jog over to him, take his chiseled face in my hands, and kiss him in front of anyone.
I want to declare all these wild, crazy feelings for him.
But I won’t. Since Maddox shared his fears in San Francisco, I’ve been worried sick about what might happen to him if we were caught. I always knew he faced the bigger risk, but I didn’t know how dangerous I was to him till then.
I’ve got to keep my feelings in check. I vow to do that as I drop my bat and trot over to him.
But it’s hard to rein in my emotions. His smile undoes me. It simply unravels my heart.
When I near him, he stretches and moves to the edge of the stand, parking his elbows there as he looks down at me. He sure as shit looks like a man who just pulled off the heist of the century.
His grin is downright infectious. “What the hell are you doing here?” I ask, hoping it’s to share good news. But as I lock eyes with the stunning suit who came all the way uptown to tell me something, I realize the good news I want is just one more chance to see him. However I can. Even if it’s this brief encounter here at the ballpark. My heart’s sprinting from being near him, but it’s not for the money he might come bearing. This too-big feeling is all for him.
“Oh, I just had something to tell you,” he says, all cool and casual.
“Stop being so secretive, man,” I tease. “Tell me.”
He shrugs, blows on his nails, then laughs. “The deal’s done, Zane. I just emailed the document to you for your signature. It’s everything you wanted,” he says, then rattles off the terms.
Wow. He pulled it off. Every. Single. Term.
I am awestruck. I want to yank him onto the field and hug the fuck out of him. I want to pop open a bottle of champagne and celebrate all night long. I’m elated and blame all those fizzy feelings for the next words that come from my mouth: “Can you stay for my game? I really want to see you in the stands tonight,” I say. But that’s only the beginning of my desires. I take a chance and finish the thought. “And I want to take you out afterward and celebrate.”
My entire body is strung tight as I wait for his answer. One more chance to see him. One more moment to be in his company. I am on edge, waiting, hoping.
Maddox is quiet, his smile disappearing slowly till it’s just gone.
Shit. Did I push him too much? I hold up a hand. “Just as agent and client. That’s all. I didn’t mean to pressure you,” I say, backpedaling.