Page 65 of Imperfect Player

“Guess you did do your homework.”

“It’s my job.”

He swings again. Another hit.

Watching him in there, eyes narrowed, muscles taut, bottom lip tucked between his teeth. It’s such a turn on. Sexy as hell. So much so that I suddenly feel the need to petition the league to allow pitchers to bat. A lot.

He makes a few more hits before stepping out of the batting cage. If I thought the crowd cheered for me, it’s nothing compared to what they’re doing for him.

He smiles and waves at the fans, but his eyes are on me. His hand grabs my waist and pulls me against him.

“This your job too?”

His lips slant over mine. My reaction is instantaneous as I slide my hands up his back and fall into the kiss. Into him.

I’m falling and I never want to stop.

“Everyone,” I breathe out.

“Don’t care,” he says.

“But . . . ”

“I want this, Everly. I want . . . ” he hesitates for a moment, his lips forming a smile against mine. “I want us.”

I break the kiss, my hands pressing to his chest. The feeling of him beneath my palms momentarily fogs my mind, but I shake it away long enough to ask if he’s serious.

He doesn’t speak, just nods, his eyes clouded with emotion. His lips quirk into a half-unsure smile as he waits to see if I’m pushing him away or just confirming the truth in the bomb he just dropped on me in front of a large group of people.

“Can we get out of here?” I ask.

Partially because we clearly need to talk. But mostly because that kiss, mixed with those words, lit a match, one that’s about to send everything up in flames.

Only when we turn back to the crowd to say goodbye, to leave, do Ethan’s shoulders sag.

“I, uh . . . ”

“Go. Do your thing.”

“Thank you,” he says softly before heading over to the group of kids holding their baseballs and sheets of paper.

The slight detour doesn’t dim the match we lit, it only intensifies it. Watching him interact with the kids causes my heart to swell. It’s a turn on in and of itself. The way he talks to them, ruffles their hair. Even the way he rises to full height and scans the crowd to make sure he didn’t miss a single one of the twenty plus kids that had gathered.

And when he’s satisfied, he reaches for my hand, laces his fingers with mine, and bids them farewell.

Chapter 18

Everly

When we reach his car, Ethan presses me against it. His thigh is between my parted ones, his hands framing my face.

“Tell me this is real. Tell me we’re really doing this.”

Before I can answer, he kisses me.

“It’s real,” I murmur when he breaks the kiss and rests his forehead on mine.

He emits a sigh of relief that makes me giggle slightly.

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