Page 138 of Commander in Briefs

I flee from the room in search of Hayes and leave Cade’s sweet laughter behind.

“Connor Hayes!” I shout, taking two steps at a time.

He pokes his grinning face around the corner of the landing. The mischievous look in his eyes tells me he already knew the plan.

“We’re going on a vacay,” he sings, jumping in front of me when I reach the top of the stairs, grinding my hip in a ridiculous dance move. His excitement at seeing a live game (something I recently learned he has never done before) is contagious. I return his silly moves with equally stupid ones of my own.

Eventually, we scatter when Cade barks for us to get a move on. Hayes and I retreat to our rooms, and I throw entirely too much shit in my suitcase. We convene at the top of the stairs and I hand off my suitcase with a smile so he will carry it down. You have to train them up right, ladies. They will not read your mind and offer, no matter what romance novels tell you. You have to tell the little panty droppers what needs to be done. Then, reward them for their good behavior.

Hayes gives me a wink before hurling my suitcase down the stairs. I’m just about to shove him down after it when I hear a grunt at the bottom of the stairs. Mason caught it. I give Hayes a dirty look.

Sneaky.

Roaring out laughter, he throws his suitcase next before bounding down the stairs like a little kid. “Let’s go, Commander! Time’s a wasting.”

I can’t keep the stupid smile from my face. I don’t think I have been this excited to see a game in a long time.

Colorado’s Coors Field is buzzing with excitement when we arrive. Hayes has been bouncing around like a stripper on a Friday night. It’s infectious. But because the first inning is about to start, we damn near sprint to will call. Thank you very much, Hartsfield Jackson International Airport. No, we didn’t want to arrive on time. How silly of us to think such a thing…

Out of breath, I bark out my name to the attendant.

He gives me a fake smile and types my name in his computer. Then he looks up with a genuine smile. “There’s a password on the account.”

Fuck you, Theo.

Hayes looks at me, confused.

I shake him off and with a deep breath mutter, “Theo is the best I have ever had.” No, this isn’t the first password incident. Theo likes his games.

The attendant’s smile grows wide. Hayes starts to laugh but disguises it as choking. Traitor. The attendant slides the VIP tickets under the window with a bemused chuckle. I snatch them without a thank you.

Fuck guys and their pettiness.

I elbow Hayes in the ribs, effectively calming his giggles. “Come on,” I order, taking his hand and pulling him in the direction of our seats.

As we make our way down the steps, a Sasquatch blocks our path. I don’t even need to look up. I know it’s Thor, Theo’s security. The tickets must have had a note to call him if I showed.

“I brought my own security today,” I say, trying to shove past him. It’s like ramming into a cement column.

“I see,” he drawls slowly, eyeing Hayes with scrutiny and something like disgust before continuing, “however, that doesn’t change anything.”

Someone is all business today. Whatever.

I shrug. “Do what you must but we’re missing the game dealing with your attitude.”

Thor grunts but moves to the side, bringing up the rear. “Let the boy go first. You in the middle.”

Hayes’ eyebrows shoot up. Now it’s my turn to laugh. “That’s right,boy. Get a move on.” I slap his ass with a snicker and the tips of his ears turn red.

Thor offends everyone. Thor is not even his real name. I doubt Theo remembers what it is. He gave him the moniker on his first ever shift with him. Theo did something crazy and as you may have guessed, Thor roared and hauled Theo out of his precarious situation with brute strength, like Thor. I think his real name is David. But David, here, has been a real pain in my ass for the past couple of years, so I join in his humiliation and refer to him as Thor, too. Secretly, he probably likes it. Guys like those impressive nicknames. Makes them feel powerful.

The music starts to pound, rocking the stadium into a frenzy. Hayes, not immune to its pull, starts swaying his hips down the stairs. My coveted two seats behind home plate call to me like a beacon.

These seats are for the wealthy businessmen who like to impress clients. I don’t know how Theo scores them in every city but I bet it isn’t cheap. Most of the players’ friends and families sit up in the family box. Theo doesn’t even try to convince me to sit there. I like to watch the game. I don’t want to hear about ole girl getting her face peel and how she thinks her husband doesn’t find her attractive anymore. I’m not one to keep my opinion to myself, so things get a bit awkward after I let her know she isn’t getting laid because her husband is plowing every Hooters girl he can get his dick in at away games.

Yeah. It’s good to be down here with the fans.

“This it, Commander?” Hayes nods his head toward two empty seats right at the net.

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