Page 70 of The Show

My heart stuttered. I didn’t know what to make of his words - the ones he’d spoken and the ones he’d leftunspoken - but whatever it was, I immediately became conscious I was wildly underdressed. I knew without looking my nipples were harder than pebbles, and clearly showing through the thin cotton of my top. Following my shower, I’d changed into my usual ‘at home comfies’ of the softest shorts and tank top, so perhaps I was giving off the impression I was seconds away from throwing myself at him.

Not that it was miles away from the realms of possibility.

I thumbed behind me before I did just that. “I’m going to grab a sweater. Are you hungry? Shall we order food?”

He dropped his hands. “Sounds good to me. I’ll be in charge of that while you do what you need to.”

I ran off up the stairs to my bedroom, gasping for breath by the time I reached it, which had nothing to do with taking them two at a time and everything to do with the man standing in my living room.

I wasn’t imagining this, this chemistry. I could see it in his eyes, in the way his hands held the tiniest tremor when they touched me, in the way his voice deepened right after he kissed me.

How could I have possibly missed it?

I stood in front of the long mirror in my dressing room. Did I look different? My cheeks were pinker, my skin was glowing, my eyes were bluer - but that wasn’t it. There was something tangible, like I’d been hot-wired and was suddenly coming to life, and now had the ability to see what had always been in front of me.

I stared at myself for as long as I could before he’d wonder what was taking me so long, threw on a light sweater and yoga pants, and rushed back downstairs.

I found him opening a bottle of wine. I took two glasses from the cupboard and placed them down for him to use.

“How was the rest of your day? Did you find what you were looking for?”

When Penn had left me earlier, he’d dropped me off with a proclamation he was going on a treasure hunt that only Rafe could help him with. He hadn’t offered up any more and I hadn’t asked, but more than once this afternoon, my mind had drifted to what he’d been searching for.

“I did.” He poured out the wine and handed me a glass. “When I saw Jupiter Reeves, he gave me a condition to his coming to New York.”

I sipped my wine, savoring the rich berry notes on my tongue while I waited for him to continue.

“He wanted me to find a woman for him, someone he’d once loved. He said he’d come to The Lions if I found her.” He narrowed his eyes at me for a reaction, similar to what he’d done earlier in the archives, giving me the distinct impression he was jealous.

Jealous of Jupiter Reeves… because of me.

My insides warmed and I held onto the smile I wanted to display so he could see I was taking him seriously.

“And you found her?”

He nodded, a proud grin breaking across his face. “Yup. I haven’t spoken to her yet, but it’s a starting point. Now all I need to do is offer her a job, or create a job for her. I basically have to give her whatever she wants.”

“Wow, you’re an actual romantic,” I teased, making him laugh.

“I never used to be, but maybe I am.”

“Though I can’t decide if it’s more romantic that you want Jupiter to find his long lost love, or that you love Jupiter enough to do this for him.”

He dropped his head with a shake. “Me either. But… do you know what would be really romantic? In fact, it could easily be in the top five most romantic occasions ever.”

“What?” My eyes opened wide.

He stepped round the counter and wrapped his arms round my waist.

“The Lions are playing tonight; we should snuggle up on the couch and watch them.” He looked at his watch. “In fact, if I’ve timed it right, which I believe I have, our food should arrive right before it starts.”

He was so genuinely pleased with himself it set me off into peals of laughter that had me wiping my eyes. “If that’s in the top five, what’s number one?”

“Being there in person,” he grinned.

“I hope you’re patient. I have a lot to learn about baseball.”

He kissed me; his lips pressing against mine, both soft and firm at the same time, but he pulled back before I could sink into him like I wanted to. “For you, Lowe, I have endless patience.”

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