Page 70 of Force At Third

“Are you telling me your dick was small before we met?”

His lips touch just behind my ear, and he releases a sound that’s something of a laugh but more like the rumbling of distant thunder, warning of a storm approaching. “You need your focus.” He nips at my earlobe. “And I need a few minutes to let the Gwendolyn effect die down.” He steps into me, hard cock poking me in the back. “Go eat, Gwen.”

* * *

With the players at the stadium, I make CeCe’s Saturday rounds. I stop at Wags and spend an appropriate amount of time there. Then I hit Costco, which is necessary because those boys can eat. Then I head back to her place to throw together Mom’s mac and cheese crock pot recipe and a chuck roast that will be ready to shred after the game, and then I can make sliders when we all get back.

“Make sure to caramelize onions to top them with,” Mom says, and I look up at the screen to see her grinning.

I point the spoon in her direction. “This is for me and Marks.” Lie. Leland loved it when Mom made sliders and mac.

“But with the boys there, knowing how much Leland loved caramelized onions on his?—”

“Isn’t it enough that I’m making enough for everyone?”

She nods. “You look happy.”

“We’re steps away from getting this bastard, Mom. Janice will lead us to him. We’ll wrap all the evidence up nicely for the police, and then we’ll be back at Walton for a much-needed rest and moms’ time.”

“How long do we get you two for?” Annie asks.

“You know I can’t answer that. If something comes up that we both want in on, we’ll jump.”

“But no installs, no personal security jobs?”

“Nothing for at least two weeks.”

“We’ll take it. And Gwen, just so you know, you’re glowing.”

I roll my eyes, and they laugh and throw me kisses.

“It’s not like that, not at all. It’s just nice to think he and I can finally be cordial.”

* * *

The game is insane, but crazier is how vested I am in these boys after last night. Watching AJ play the position that Locke just left and doing it really good—not Locke good, but MLB good—and knowing his personality a little bit, makes him much more entertaining to watch. Rudy G., I don’t know much about him except he’s young and promising. Vander … yeah, well, I’m not a fan. So, my focus is on how well the infield works together. And tonight, the Brewers are making them work.

Feeling eyes burning into the side of my face, I turn to Whit. “What?”

“Haven’t seen you love a game this much in … forever.”

I’m not even going to pretend to be annoyed. I flat out tell her, “Last night, getting to know the rookies a little bit more gives depth.”

“Which one’s your favorite?” she asks, looking out at the field.

“Rome is. We love him.”

Whit takes a sip of her water. “That we do. Let’s hope CeCe allows herself to.”

“AJ is entertaining, half the time. You’d think it was because he’s not too bright, and the other half, you wonder if he’s playing the role to get away with being a jackass. But he’s sweet, too.”

“They’re terrified of putting him on the press rotation.” Whitley laughs.

“Bennett and I butted heads when he demanded to know what was going on or he was going to leave. We had to let them in on a lot, but I warned him that I would make him my mission if he leaked a damn thing.”

“How’d that go over?” she asks.

“Good, which is why I like him now.” I nod.

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