Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 82132 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82132 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
“Give me a minute, Carter,” I say.
I grit my teeth so I don’t curse.
“I’m sorry,” he says. “You gotta catch with the glove and not your face.”
“Excellent advice.”
“Yeah, I should’ve told you that before we started. I learned that on that popper.”
Slowly, my vision comes back, but the stinging is still present. Carter is gazing up at me with concern written all over his little face.
I squat down to his level. “Believe it or not, I played baseball when I was little—from the time I was five or six until I graduated high school.”
“Really? What happened?”
This little shit. I shake my head and chuckle. “Look, rule number one in baseball is always watch the ball. I didn’t do that. And rule number two is to not throw the ball at someone unless they are looking at you. And you didn’t do that.”
He closes one eye and narrows the other. I’m not sure if he’s thinking or mocking me. I don’t ask.
“Baseball is a team sport, and we weren’t really operating like a team today,” I say.
“Okay. So the next time we play, which is probably tomorrow, we need to be a team.”
His eyes sparkle and I can’t argue with him, or even correct him. He’s too damn cute.
“So,” I say, “let’s not—”
“Mom! We need some ice over here.”
I follow his gaze to the back deck of his house. Gabrielle stands on the deck, in about the same spot she was standing the first day I saw her, with a puzzled look on her face.
“Why? What happened?” she asks.
“Jay wasn’t watching the ball and it hit him right in the eye. Pow!” Carter takes off running toward his mom. “I warned him I have a good arm on me.”
I walk across the yard, wishing I had two good eyes to see Gabrielle. Her hair is in a messy knot on top of her head. A T-shirt hangs off one shoulder, highlighting the sweet curve of her neck. Those lips, the same ones I want on me immediately, are curved into a frown.
“Oh, Jay, I’m so sorry,” she says, wincing. “I had no idea he was going to get you to play.”
“It’s fine.” I rest my forearms on the railing and look up at her beautiful face. “We’re just going to have to issue some ground rules next time. Like no throwing it when someone isn’t looking.”
She fights a giggle and fails. The sound goes straight to my cock.
“Keep it up,” I say quietly.
“And what?”
“And I’ll—”
“Hey, can I have a piece of candy?” Carter pokes his head out the door. “Just one. Pleaseee?”
Gabrielle grins before turning her attention to her son. “No. Dinner is almost ready.”
“Fine.” He perks up. “Hey, Jay! Why don’t you eat with us?”
His little eyes are trained on me like he’s watching for me to slip up.
“Thanks, Carter, but I can’t—”
“Why?”
Gabrielle holds up a hand before clearing her throat. She pivots slowly to me with a hefty dose of hesitation in her features. “You know, we do have plenty if you want to come in and eat.”
“Yeah. Come on, Jay. You can sit by me. And if you can’t see out of your eye, I’ll help you eat.”
Gabrielle giggles.
“Carter, my man, that’s a great offer. But . . .”
I’m ready to turn them down again. Gabrielle and I agreed to take things slow until we knew what we were doing—if anything. But the way she looks at me, like she hopes I say yes, stops me in my tracks.
Is this her way of declaring her intentions? Is she trying to tell me she’s ready to be more forward about our relationship than we planned?
My mind races nearly as fast as my heart.
I have two choices. I can retreat, backing out of this and going home. My life will be what it’s been for the last four years. Or I can take the invitation, go inside, and share a meal with a woman who intrigues me. The only woman who’s made me even consider something like this. Does that say something?
“But you have to help me do dishes,” I say, hopping over the rail.
Gabrielle’s smile could light up the sky. Carter’s emphatic attempt at negotiating dishes echoes across the lawn. And the beating of my heart is so hard that I’m sure Gabrielle can hear it as she gets in a quick hug once Carter’s back is to us.
I brace myself, but I’m not sure why. Am I nervous this is going to go terribly wrong?
Or am I excited it might go terribly right?
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
GABRIELLE
Ihope you aren’t expecting anything fancy,” I say, turning on the tap. “We’re having burgers and potato chips for dinner. And before you come for me that there isn’t a vegetable on the plate—I know, and I don’t care tonight.”
“Are we eating now?” Carter asks.
“Go wash your hands and face. And change your shirt,” I say. “Then get Dylan and tell him he can come down to eat.”