Page 112 of Bad Run

“Gwen, I think we can all relate to that,” Savannah says, hiding her laugh with her fist.

“Amen.” Talia laughs.

“Our men are hotties.” Grace grins and winks at me. “Push past that lust haze for a second and think about how you feel when you’re with him.”

How do I feel when I’m with Lance?

Amazing. Happy. Strong. Like I can conquer anything. Lance sees me. He listens. I hate when he’s gone and look forward to his return.

“Like it’s right,” I mumble.

“You have your answer,” Savannah says, rubbing my arm in support.

Is my relationship with Lance really this simple?

As usual, I roll over to find Lance’s side of the bed cool to the touch.

The sound of water splashing forces my eyelids open. Like I do every morning, I climb out of bed and make my way to the patio door.

Through the glass, I watch Lance swim laps. His long, muscular arms rip through the water as he glides across the pool, elegant and strong, looking like an Olympic swimmer.

I slide open the door, tiptoeing my way across the deck and grass, taking a seat on the smooth bricks that surround the pool’s edge. I dip my feet into the warm water and watch.

It doesn’t take long for Lance to notice me. He swims in my direction, slowing as he approaches so as not to get me wet, and takes off his goggles, tossing them to the side.

Saliva pools in my mouth as Lance stands before me, water dripping down the thick, corded muscles of his chest and abs. He’s a real-life, sexier version of Michelangelo’s David.

My tongue tingles with temptation, daring me to lick the water droplets covering his hard body.

Lance slides his hands up my legs. His thick thumbs dig into my inner thighs as goosebumps pimple my skin.

“Good morning,” he exhales as he catches his breath.

“Morning.”

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yes.” I have a feeling it has something to do with the six-five baseball player sleeping beside me.

“Are you ready for today’s game?” I ask. Lance plays midday and afterwards will fly to Detroit for the first part of their away series.

That sinking feeling in my gut returns, sending my stomach into a tailspin. As if I had just ridden a roller coaster backward and gone through five loops.

Get a grip, Gwen. The man has to work.

Lance squeezes my knees. “Ready as usual. I’m used to traveling. It was hard when I first started, but I’ve grown to enjoy it.”

An unwanted feeling of rejection steals my breath and forms a lump in my throat. I force the words past the tightness, doing my best to sound neutral. “That’s good.”

“I will admit, it’s getting harder to leave home these days.” Lance spreads my knees apart and steps between my legs.

Water rains down on me as he tilts my head back, forcing my gaze to meet his. He’s so close our noses touch and I can see the baby blue striations in his irises flicker.

“It is?”

“Yes. Incredibly hard. I’d much rather be home with my wife, watching some deranged unsolved crime.”

I smile. “You would?”