Page 32 of Offsides Attraction

“Nothing, but I’m feeling a little naughty sneaking behind the garage with you.” He didn’t believe her, but naughty was more tempting than interrogating her.

He slowly dragged her arms overhead. Her breath hitched. He nuzzled the side of her neck. “You’re practically vibrating with energy.”

“Mmm, I am when you do that.” Bash leaned his forehead on hers and growled her name in warning. He’d rather kiss her than talk, but kissing wouldn’t get him through the meeting. “I got a letter today.”

“And?”

“Gloria Sebastian is coming to Get Lost for a book signing next month. Two weeks before Christmas. It’s the sales boost we need.” Penny’s voice was at a tween-squeal decibel by the time she finished. His ears rang, but it was worth it to bring this happiness and relief to her.

She and Elspeth were worried about the store. Like most retailers, the time between Halloween and Christmas was make or break time. They lost money throughout the year, and they counted on holiday sales to make up for the loss and add some extra padding moving into the new year. Bash had been there enough nights at closing to know Get Lost wasn’t different. He’d hated seeing the worried look on her face, which was why he’d called his mother last week and dangled the ultimate bribe in front of her.

They’d turned down his initial offer to visit. His father would to be in Europe, and his mother hated traveling without him. Bash didn’t care. He needed her at Get Lost sitting at a table with a smile slapped on her face and a pen in her hand. “Mom, it would mean a lot if you came. You don’t need to stay long. Consider it a strategic strike.”

“Sebastian, you know I hate strange places and I’m behind on my draft.”

“I’d be there so it wouldn’t be so strange, and you’re always behind, but you always pull it off,” he’d said.

“I’m more stuck than behind. It’s hard to catch up when you don’t know where you’re going.”

“Maybe a change of scenery is what you need to get the ideas flowing again?”

“Maybe,” she hadn’t sounded convinced, and Bash scrambled.

“What if you do the book signing, then go to San Francisco for the game and take in Alcatraz, which should give you lots of ideas, and then borrow the Duchene’s house in Napa? I bet a change of scenery with no interruptions would help.”

“Maybe,” she said, this time sounding more convinced, but still on the fence. He’d thrown a verbal Holy Mary pass, but she still hadn’t committed. Bash dug deep. He needed to win this for Penny.

“And I’d like you to meet someone.” As soon as he’d dangled that carrot in front of his mother, she was packing her bags.

And now he basked in Penny’s dancing eyes and sparkling smile. He wanted to join in, but he needed to play it cool. And he didn’t want to dig himself a bigger hole. There’d be hell to pay when Penny learned his real name. “Hey, that’s great news.”

“It is. And totally out of the blue. I mean, they’d sent me that lovely rejection letter. I wonder what changed their mind.” Her smile faded as she bit her lower lip.

“Don’t overthink it. Consider it a gift.” His free hand traveled down her arm and wrapped around her back as she arched into him. “I hate all these cold weather layers,” he mumbled as his hand burrowed under her jacket, sweater, and shirt. “I miss the tight T-shirt and shorts you wore hiking.”

“Liked those, did you?” she asked, kissing the underside of his jaw while his hand snaked around her rib cage.

“I could barely form words.” Bash grazed the side of her breast and captured her mouth, as his mind went blank and slipped into bliss, forgetting all his problems and concerns.

Chapter 15

“I picked up a growler of kombucha from one of Maggie’s farmers’ market friends. Want some?” Cal asked, peering around the corner from the kitchen to the living room.

“Sure,” Bash said, not looking up from his laptop. If he tore his eyes away from the financial report, he’d never go back to reading it and he promised himself he couldn’t read the launch schedule until he had. He mumbled, “Thanks,” when Cal set it next to him.

“Nanna wanted me to tell you that dinner’s at five on Tuesday and then the great re-creation is Thursday after practice.”

“The what?” Bash sipped his kombucha and grimaced. “How big is a growler?”

“The three of us will knock it back in no time.” Ha! Cal doesn’t know how big it is either.

“Lucas isn’t a fan, and this will turn him off kombucha for life,” Bash said.

“A spoonful of honey will take care of it.” Bash chuckled at Cal’s optimism. Thistlestone honey was the cure for whatever ailed a Buchanan. Cal put it in the herbal tea Elspeth made from the ranch’s flowers and on his cuts and scrapes.

“So, back to your earlier comment,” Bash said, hoping to limit Cal’s interruption. “I’m invited to the ranch for dinner?” He closed the laptop’s lid. He didn’t need Cal seeing the report, and he’d read enough to get the gist of it. They weren’t on the brink of disaster, but they weren’t safe either. Situation normal.

“Thanksgiving is on Tuesday and then the great re-creation is on Thursday.”

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