Page 34 of Tame the Player

I nod and lean down until my lips are almost touching hers. “Yep, mine. You may be fighting it, but you’re going to be mine, Cat.”

She takes in a shaky breath, and I can’t hold back any longer. I press my lips to hers, and it’s only when I feel her arms circle around me and her fingers dig into my skin that I let myself go and show her exactly how much I want to claim her.

There’s a car horn that goes off somewhere in the neighborhood, and I reluctantly pull back. “Don’t go. I’ll get rid of the guys and—”

She cuts me off. “I have to go… Cole’s practicing and—”

“I’ll tell them I have to leave and I’ll go with you.”

She shakes her head, smiling. “No, you need tospend some time with your teammates. I know you’re missing the game, Holden. Go in there and talk to them. I’m picking up dinner, can I bring something for everyone?”

I grumble, and it’s then I know I’m losing it. Even the thought of her doing something—even as little as bringing food home—for another man makes me crazy. “Nope, they’ll be gone by then. I’ll grab me, you, and Cole food. I want to hear about his practice anyway.”

“Holden… I can buy dinner.”

I run my finger across her now swollen lip. “Not when you’re with me, Cat.”

She rolls her eyes. “Fine. We’ll be home around seven. Now go and enjoy being with your teammates and tell them to get their game together. I can’t do another nine innings of sitting on the edge of my seat. They barely squeaked out that last win.”

“I’ll tell them.”

I kiss her again and stand in the driveway waving at her until she pulls out. I have a whole new fire under me. It’s only now, after hearing her talk, that makes me want to be on that field and her cheering for me. I want that… I want to look up into the stands and see her and Cole and know they’re there for me. As I make my way back inside, I’m determined to light a fire under my teammates because one way or another, they’re getting to the playoffs, and I’m going to make sure I’m there to play.

20

CATHERINE

“Have you told him yet?”

I laugh and shake my head. I’ve never seen this side of Holden. He’s so excited that he can barely contain himself. “No, I didn’t tell him. I thought you should be the one.”

He walks to the door of the kitchen and hollers up the stairs, “Cole, you about ready?”

Almost instantly I can hear Cole stomping down the stairs, and he comes into the kitchen with his backpack on and a smile on his face. This has been planned for a week, and he’s excited to be going to his friends’ house to spend the night. “I’m ready.” He grins.

Holden is nodding his head. “Okay, so I know you’re staying the night at Brad’s, but I waswondering if you two would like to do something before you went to his house.”

My laid-back child shrugs his shoulders. “Yeah, sure. What’s up?”

Holden leans against the wall. “Well, I thought you and Brad may want to go check out the Bears game tonight.”

Cole’s mouth drops. “The Bears game? Tonight?” His mouth is hanging open, and he’s so surprised he doesn’t know what to do.

Holden smiles, nodding his head. “Yeah, I thought we could get there early and I could give you a tour of the locker room before the game. And then I thought we’d sit in a box—”

Cole’s eyes get even bigger. “Like a VIP box?”

Holden nods. “Yep, I had them stock it with food, but of course you guys can order whatever.”

Cole literally clutches his chest. “Are you for real right now?”

Holden nods. “Yeah. You want to call Brad and see what he thinks?”

I’d already called Brad’s parents so they knew what was happening, but I let Cole walk out of the room to call his friend. As soon as he’s gone, I put my hand over my heart. “Do you have any idea what you just did for my son? Thank you, Holden,really. Thank you for doing this… I hope you guys have a great time.”

Holden shakes his head and walks over to a box on the top of the kitchen counter. “You act like you’re not going.”

I point to myself. “Oh, am I invited? I just thought…”

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