Page 5 of Hard Ball

He raises a single eyebrow, smirking.

“Work on that swing. Last time I watched a game, you’re timing seemed off.” I’m half teasing. I do think his timing is off, and there’s not a question in my mind that he already knows this. But that look of shock on his face, the one that tells me a woman has never really talked to him like that before, is worth it.

“You wound me!” He chuckles as I give him a small wave and make my way to the back of the bar in search of my best friend and try not to think about the fact that I might have turned down a very good thing.

I finally find her in the bathroom, applying more makeup and giving herself a once-over in the mirror. “Can we leave now?”

She smirks at our reflection as she applies even more lipstick. I know the look she’s giving me, and I know it means she’s not going anywhere.

Great.

“You’re not leaving… are you.” It’s not really a question because I know the answer. And as she shakes her head, placing the tube of lipstick back into her purse, I take a deep breath. “Mel, please. Let’s just go home. I’m tired, I’m not even a little bit buzzed, and I have to open the gym tomorrow.”

She rolls her eyes, knowing how much I love my sleep and knowing how awful I can be if I don’t get enough of it.

“I can’t leave, Harp, I am this close…” She holds out her fingers inches apart from each other. “To banging the Henry Cavill wannabe out there. You know it’s been my dream to sleep with a movie star…”

When I give her a questioning look, she laughs.

“Well, it’s the next best thing! If I can’t have the real thing, why can’t I have fun with the carbon copy?”

I roll my eyes as I lift myself up and sit on the counter next to the sink.

“What about the blond guy? You guys seemed to be quite chatty…” The inflection isn’t lost on me as I avert my eyes, looking through my purse for my phone, knowing that even if Mel stays, I’m leaving. “He seemed hot and very into you!”

There is no way in hell I’m telling her about Josh. I’ll never hear the end of it, and I’m not ready to open that door. Not tonight.

“Before you start planning the wedding, I’m not into him,” I lie. I’m very into him, which is the fucking problem. She eyes me skeptically but realizes I’m not giving anything up, so she goes back to inspecting herself in the mirror.

“You know, I saw the way he was looking at you. It wouldn’t be hard to convince the man to rock your world for one night… no strings.”

I shiver at the prospect, but I know without a doubt that one night with Josh Anderson would never be enough.

3

Josh

Fuck.

Watching her walk toward the back of the bar and into the bathroom is one of the best and worst experiences of my life. Who the fuck is this girl? All I can think about is the fact that she smells like strawberries and her skin felt like silk against my fingers.

“Josh!” someone screams from behind me.

It takes everything I have not to tell them to leave me the fuck alone so I can go after her and feel what that gorgeous blonde hair feels like running through my fingers.

To my left is the same group of women that interrupted Harper and me earlier, and I try and fight the scowl that threatens to take over my features.

“Do you want another drink… or something to… eat?” a brunette with huge tits asks as she pushes herself against me. I know what she’s offering is not food and I couldn’t be less interested. I take a long swig of my water as my eyes raise to hers.

“No, I’m good. Thanks, though.” I didn’t even want to be here tonight. It’s our only day off this week and Cam decided it would be a good idea to do a “team bonding exercise” which is just us hanging out and trying to get laid. That’s not me. My idea of a good time does not consist of coming to a bar with a bunch of cleat chasers, trying to fend off advances. All I want to do is go find the girl who insulted my game and made me fantasize about what she would look like on her knees.

“You sure, sugar?” she whispers, her hand sliding strategically up my thigh and getting dangerously close to my zipper.

My hand grips hers before it can go any further and from the blazing look in her eye, I know she thinks this is her shot. She leans forward just as I push her hand away.

“Darlin’, if I wanted what you were offering, we would already be fucking in a bathroom stall.”

She gasps and I berate myself for a split second, thinking it was too crude, but at a certain point you just get fed up with the advances, and right now I’m fed up.

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