Page 54 of The Shake Off

“Was it worth it?”

“Oh, yes,” I nodded slowly. “Very much so. Ace Watson is one eager learner. He was really gunning to be teacher’s pet.”

Kit let out a loud snort. “So has lesson time finished then?”

I nodded, putting my glass down. “It was a one-time deal, and it looks like he’s got his game back now. Plus, I’ve dropped off all the signed merch to Nathalie Cheung’s P.A.”

“Still can’t believe you met her,” she sighed.

“I know,” I replied with a grin.

“Anyway,” she waved her hand at the screen, and Ace, “this is only his first inning. He could crumble again.”

“He’s thrown well. He’ll go back to charming his way around Manhattan, only better this time.”

“Pay, you realize what you’ve done?” she giggled.

I frowned. “No, what?”

“If Ace really thinks you’ve been responsible for his bad pitching or whatever, then you have sex with him and he miraculously goes back to playing like he did, all the credit will go to you.”

“Don’t be stupid. I’m not telling anyone about this, and you promised not to either.”

She zipped her fingers across her lips and handed me the invisible key. “I promise I won’t. But who’s going to tell Ace?”

“Tell him what?

“That you don’t have a magical vagina.”

I rolled my eyes. “Now you’re the one talking crazy.”

She picked up the remote and turned up the volume, just as Ace threw a fast ball which clocked in at almost a hundred miles an hour.

“Whoa, Mark, would you look at that? Ace Watson goes from his performance so far this season where he could barely make the strike zone, to this.”

“You’re right, Aaron. Whatever’s turned his game around, I wanna bottle it and sell it for millions.”

Kit turned back to me with a grin so wide it was in danger of splitting her face.

“I’m not sure what point you’re trying to make, but last night was a one-time deal. I’m not having sex with Ace Watson again.”

“Want to bet me a lot of money that you’re wrong?”

My eyes flicked back to the screen where Ace was walking back to the dugout. His head was down, but no one could miss the broad smile, or the way Parker King flung his arms around him for a big hug. He looked relaxed, happy.

He looked like the guy who’d walked me to the door and kissed my cheek this morning. The guy I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about all day.

I couldn’t have had less conviction in my response if I’d tried.

“No.”

TEN

ACE

Jee-zus.I could pull a hamstring trying that.

I turned the page ninety-degrees adding a head tilt; didn’t make it look any easier.

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