Page 126 of Wild Pitch
He lifts those killer blue eyes of his to me. “You have good friends, Hope.”
“I know, but they’re embarrassing me right now.” I huff and pretend like heat isn’t settling on my face right now.
“To answer your questions,” he says, redirecting his focus to the two wannabe murderesses. “Yes, my intentions with Hope are serious. Although I want both of us to have fun too. And I don’t know how to be ‘a good one’ but I’m more than willing to learn for her.”
Silence.
A little mewl like squeal ensues, and it can only come from Rose.
Audrey throws her hands in the air and whirls around. “Sorry, Hope. I’m defeated.”
Rose collapses against the door frame. “Listen, Starr. Any chance you have a clone hanging around?”
“Sorry, not that I know of.” He stuffs his hands in the pockets of his joggers and that’s when I realize he has chosen the exact same level of comfortable as me. Black joggers that cinch around his ankles and show off his powerful calves and thighs, a blue sports T-shirt that is going to retain most of my attention because it doesn’t really hide the shape of his body, and some sneakers that match both pieces like he actually put some thought to the outfit.
I press my lips tight not to squeal too.
“Bummer.” Rose drags her feet back to the living room, declaring, “All yours, Garcia.”
“Thank you.” I shake my head and quickly step out of the house, closing the door behind me because I’m sure the roomies will snoop. Before Cade can react, I grab his hand and pull him away. “Hurry, before they start taking pics paparazzi style.”
He snorts but falls into step easily, and for a second everything’s perfect until he shifts his hand, lacing his fingers with mine. His are so big that the way they stretch mine apart feels uncomfortable at first, and I stop to admire the phenomenon with my very eyes.
“What?” Cade asks.
I mutter, “I think this is the first time we hold hands.”
“Verdict?”
“Takes some used to. Your hand is huge.” I clear my throat when I remember the random women at a bar yesterday were talking about his hands, precisely.
“Hmm.” Cade lifts them up for an inspection, twisting my arm slightly as he observes my smaller hand. “How about this, then?” Slowly, almost like he really wants me to feel the friction between his calloused palm and mine, he changes the grip again so that my fingers are free and his hand is wrapped around mine. It strikes me as the couple version of a handshake, still close contact but way less…
Intimate.
Heat rises up my throat. I never would’ve guessed that just holding hands with a guy could get me going, but here we are.
Taking a deep breath, I stretch my hand open forcing him to loosen his hold, and turn it so I can lace my fingers through his again.
Yep, this is what I want with him. The intimate version. The gives-me-so-many-butterflies-I’m-at-risk-of-barfing version.
“Nah, this is better,” I say boldly, lowering our hands again.
Cade’s expression is serious, intense, eyelids half mast like when we’re kissing. My tongue turns into lead just from this alone. And then he brings my hand up and presses his hot lips on my skin, eyes still fixed on mine.
I deserve an award for keeping upright after that.
Wordlessly, he tugs gently and we keep going. His truck is parked right by our curb and he recovers verbal ability before me. “So I have a suggestion regarding the door conundrum.”
“Door conundrum?” I sound sleepy already but not from boredom. All of this just feels like a beautiful dream I don’t want to wake up from.
“For you to open it, or for me to open it, therein lies the conundrum.” He turns slightly to lean his hip against the door behind the passenger’s, our joined arms extending like a hammock. “How about you open your own door and I wait right outside to make sure you go in safe?”
These damn butterflies in my belly are so annoying. I need them to let me think straight.
“Hmm, I’m not discarding this suggestion but I’m perfectly able to get into a car without banging my head.”
“Certainly, but hear me out. What if an alligator pops out behind you as you’re climbing into the car? Wouldn’t you rather it jump me instead?” He punctuates the question with a cheeky grin that shows all pearly whites.
