Page 30 of Double Play

“About Jim. Every time his name hits the news, bing! It comes to my phone.” She stared at the message. “Friars’ new shortstop Jim Lieberman makes PopSugar’s list of Major League Baseball’s ten hottest ballplayers.” Her face fell. “Great, now even more girls willwanthim.”

“He said he’d wait for you,right?”

“Yes, but he didn’t say anything about other girls. And he was very…um…uncomfortable when he left. You know,” she lowered her voice, “blue balls. Maybe they’re changinghismind.”

Maggie laughed. “Don’t worry. If blue balls were enough to change a guy’s mind, don’t you think Dwight and I would have gotten somewherebynow?”

Maggie made light of the situation, but the truth was, every day that passed, she got more confused about where things stood with Dwight. She’d never felt this way before—on top of the world one moment, in the depths of despair the next. When Dwight put his hand on her lower back as they walked into a movie theater, her spirits soared. The warm touch made her giddy with anticipation. When he held her hand, softly running his thumb across the fleshy part of her palm, she pretty much blanked out the entiremovie.

But then he’d take her home and…nothing.

Okay, not nothing, exactly. They made out so much they steamed up the windows of the Audi. Each time, they’d go a little further, like following a treasure trail. A caress on her inner arm led to a kiss on the crook of her elbow, which led to a skimming of his hands along the curves of herbreasts.

Which led to a short, searing goodnight kiss and…nothing.

She was losing her ever-lovingmind.

Finally, one night, after a night at an arcade, where she kicked Dwight’s ass at every game and he was so funny about it, she nearly peed her pants with laughter, she’d finally hadenough.

As they left the arcade, his hand naturally slid into hers, as if they’d been holding hands all their lives. He strolled next to her, all muscles and charisma, offering that killer smile to every Catfish fan who recognized him. When she walked alongside Dwight Conner, the world held a magical edge, as if a miracle might appear at any given moment. People were drawn to his air of open friendliness, to his laughing ease, and as a result, things like free drinks and life stories came his way. Hanging out with him was an unpredictableadventure.

And she was falling in lovewithhim.

The knowledge made her pull her hand from his in ahurry.

He paused mid-stride. Other pedestrians stepped around them. It was still only around nine o’clock, and the heat of the day had finally faded into something more like “balmy.”

“What’s wrong?” He cocked his head at her, concern shining from his warm brown eyes. He wore a lightweight cotton shirt that hung loosely enough to keep him cool, but still managed to outline the powerful muscles of hischest.

“I’m going to ask you some questions and you’re going toanswerthem.”

“Okay…”

She took a deep breath. Maybe this would be like inputting data into a program, then asking for a specificresult.

“Do you think I’mattractive?”

“Yes.”

Ah-ha. It was workingalready.

“Do you want to have sexwithme?’

His mouth twitched, as if he was working hard to hold back asmile. “Yeah.”

“Then whyhaven’twe?”

And there, her computer-model approach ground to a halt. He took her hand, engulfing it in his broad palm. “It’s not that simple,Maggie.”

“Why isn’t it? Do you always wait this long before you have sex with someone you’reattractedto?”

“No,” he admitted. “I don’t usually wait at all. But you’redifferent.”

“Different!” Her whole life, she’d been called “different.” She’d fled all the way to Texas to shed that label. But of course it had followed her. “I’m a woman too. I have all the parts any otherwomanhas.”

“I noticed. Fine ones too.” He cast a glance down her body, so intent it made hershiver.

“So what makes me so different? Is it because of my graduate degrees? Is that intimidating? Or are you afraid because of my heartcondition?”

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