Page 31 of Challenge Me

It was impossible not to laugh. “Okay, fine. You should shower. In your bathroom.”

I closed the bedroom door behind me and took an extra second to make sure it was locked.

“Chasing balls, swinging dick,” I repeated to myself as I undressed. What a fucking madman.

*****

“And you said Jeffrey is the one missing a pinky,” Remi confirmed. “How does he throw a ball?”

“It’s his catching hand. He’ll tell you all about it.”

“Prepare me. I hate surprises.”

I smiled as we walked up to the bar. He was smoking a cigarette, so I stepped off to the side to give him another minute.

“Long story short, Everclear and fireworks don’t mix, especially when grown men are shooting them at each other. I doubt he learned anything from it, though.”

Remi dropped his head back and laughed. Like that, his Adam’s apple was prominent, the column of his throat bared to me. When he leveled his gaze with mine, he perched the cigarette between his lips. The habit didn’t appeal to me, but some people had a way of making it look seductive.

“Who else?” he asked.

“Trav and Roman.”

He lit up. “Oh, good. Names I’m familiar with.”

“Roman’s only recently out, so try not to make him uncomfortable.”

“You’re only recently out too.”

“Like I said before, I’ve never been scared of being gay. I was just navigating it once I figured out that I was. There were a couple more complications for me to consider.”

“Yeah, I get it.”

“What about you? You have a coming out story?”

Something about it made him laugh as he blew out smoke. “No, not really. I never hid that I was gay, but I didn’t announce it either. Not until I was sixteen.”

“What happened at sixteen?”

“Freedom.” He snubbed out the cigarette and dropped it into the receptacle. “Ready, baby?”

“Don’t do that.”

He smiled in a way that was far too warm. Too mature. In his signature flannel, he was picturesque. “I’m in boyfriend mode. I’m generally horrible at it, but I’ll do my best.”

“Well,” I said, ignoring his outstretched hand, “I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

It wasn’t as awkward as I thought it would be to walk into the bar. Most of the guys were already seated at a table, talking and laughing like always. We didn’t get together often, but spring training always started off with us intermingling, regardless of team affiliation. Healthy competition and all that.

Jeffrey spotted us first and lifted his four-fingered hand in a wave. Everyone else followed suit. A couple of them whistled or made inappropriate remarks, but I ignored them.

Trav jumped to his feet and wrapped me in a hug.

“Hey,” I said. “Missing Georgia yet?”

He laughed the too-loud laugh that was unique to him. “If I ever miss Georgia, you’ll have to drag me out and stage an intervention.”

“It’s not bad,” Roman countered beside him. His dark hair had grown longer, brushing his temples with a soft wave that framed his sharp cheekbones. In a t-shirt, biceps on display, he was pretty damn intimidating at first glance. “The scenery is beautiful.”