Page 48 of Off Pitch

“I’m also turning twenty-six in August,” I add. “The only baby here is Rory.”

“You’re literally four months older than me, Lo,” Rory says, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes at me.

“What I’m hearing here,” Lucia chimes, “is that I’m still older than all of you.” Lucia applies a shade of red to her lips that matches her dress perfectly. “Here, Lo,” she says, tossing me the tube. “This will go great with your heels.”

“You don’t think the red is too much?” I ask. “I’m not sure I can pull it off.”

“Harlow,” she says with a pointed look, “you can pull off anything. The blonde waves, smoky eyes, and red lips? You’re a total bombshell.”

“I don’t know about bombshell,” I say with a dismissive laugh while I turn to the mirror and apply the red lipstick. “Ooh, I think I actually like that.”

“Like Lucia said,” Rory adds from her position at my feet. “Total fucking bombshell.”

“Just wait until Knox gets a look at you in that,” Ella says with a bright smile. “Man’s not going to want to take it slow anymore, that’s for damn sure.”

Oh.

If only she knew the real situation. Then she’d understand that literally nothing can happen between us.

As if sensing my thoughts, Lucia walks up behind me and whispers in my ear. “You really should just go for it, Lo. Youknowit would be good.”

Shut up, Lucia!I say in my head.Do not tempt Horny Harlow.

Horny Harlow is the one that wants to jump on his dick and ride him until we’re both out of breath.

Horny Harlow is the one that wants to get on her knees and have him mouthfuck me with his cock.

Horny Harlow needs to sit her ass down.

I can want him more than anything right now, but I’m sure as hell not making any type of move on him. I’ve been feeling more confused around him this week, and sex would only complicate things. We’ll just keep this arrangement to business.

Ugh.

“Alright, ladies,” Ella says, spreading her hands over the blush pink jumpsuit she’s donned for tonight. “How does this look?”

“Fucking amazing,” I say enthusiastically. “Josh is going to lose his damn mind when he sees you tonight.”

“Oh, he loses his mindeverytime he sees me. The damn man’s insatiable.”

“Insatiable only foryou,“ Lucia says with a smile. “He did put a ring on it after all.”

“He did,” Ella smiles. “God, I can’t wait to marry that man.”

I walk over and throw my arms around Ella’s shoulders. “Just seven more months, and you get to do just that.”

“Alright, ladies,” Lucia chimes. “Let’s hit the town!”

I slide on my strappy red heels before we make our way down to the street and hail a cab. My feet are already killing me, so I’m ready to drink enough to forget they even hurt.

twenty-one

Knox

“Cheaters. Every last fuckingone of you,” Lane says, pointing at each of us around the table. Because what do four professional baseball players do when they have two nights off? They play Monopoly, apparently…

“You landed on a property with hotels, man,” Josh says to Lane. “That’s how the game goes.”

“The hotels are on fucking Boardwalk. You’re robbing me blind, Garro.”

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