Page 135 of Wild Pitch
I widen my eyes and mouth awhat?
Whatever it is, it’s good news going by the smile spreading on Cade’s face. “Thanks, man. This is great. Yeah, you deserve a raise.” He snorts. “‘Kay, I gotta go tell the news to my girlfriend.”
A pause in which my jaw drops.
Cade winks at me, making me wish I could touch the cold glass of his drink against my face. I down my champagne in one swig instead.
Finally, he clicks off the call and pockets his phone again. “What did he—” The rest of my question dies off as Cade takesmy champagne glass and sets it on the dirt between some tree roots along with his glass.
“I have great news.” He grins and spreads his arms wide. “The temporary injunction against my stalker is approved, if she doesn’t contest it in fifteen days it turns permanent and I’m officially free of the weird fan.”
Gasping, I drop the silly purse where it falls and jump in his arms, crashing into his chest. “Aleluya!” I say in Spanish, wrapping my arms around his neck. “This is the best freaking news ever.”
“Right?” He curls into me, his face falling on my bare shoulder and he presses kisses against my skin. Wait, the kisses climb up my neck. His hand shifts to hold the back of my head as he arcs me back, his lips softly tracing my jaw until they find my lips.
But he doesn’t kiss me. His lips just hover over mine.
“Thank you, Hope.”
My eyes flutter open. “What for?”
“Caring about me as much as I care about you.” His smile touches my lips. “Now, shall we give them a show?”
“Give who a show? We’re all alone here,” I tease.
“Oh yeah?”
At long last, his lips crash on mine and I groan in victory. Who needs revenge when something much better, something as pure as this feeling between Cade and I comes along?
We hang out with Kelly and Mitch for one hour and some change, enough to watch the sunset over Lake Alfred together while we make plans for this year’s Friendsgiving. The four of us decide to leave together, and Kelly’s tipsy enough that she proclaims to be Team Cape—Cade and Hope—loudlyon the way out.
“At least Friendsgiving won’t absolutely suck thanks to Kelly and Mitch, huh?” Cade says as he drives us back through the dirt road.
I snort. “Oh yeah, they’ll make it worth it. I also can’t wait to meet their little one. It’s a shame I missed the birth.”
“You have plenty of time to be an auntie.”
“Who would’ve thought?” I say in a light tone, watching him from the corner of my eye. “That this year I’d earn two brand new titles. Auntie and girlfriend.”
Unlike how any other guy could possibly react, Cade smiles.
“Is that okay?” he asks.
“Are you sure?” I ask pointedly. “We’ve only had like two dates and some minimal PDA.”
He shoots narrow eyes at me for a short stretch of the road. “Challenge accepted, then.” He stretches his right arm toward me and I watch as if in slow motion, only lit by the dim lights from the dashboard, as his big hand falls over my left thigh.
But that’s not all, he slides it slowly to my inner thigh, pressing firmer until his fingers are wedged between my thigh and the seat, his thumb pressing into my muscle.
“Is that boyfriendy enough?”
Oh, yes. Especially how it’s making me lose my mind.
I squeeze my thighs together and trap his hand. “Girlfriendy enough?”
Groaning, Cade shakes his head and focuses on the road more intently. “Woman, do you want me to crash this truck?”
I laugh. “Well, you started it.”
