Page 56 of Elevator Pitch

Still, I ache for her.

“No. Don’t say it,” she mutters, burying her face into her pillow. Disappointment rings throughout the bedroom. Both hers and mine.

“I don’t want to hurt you. But I need to keep my eyes on the ball.”

Devotion. Drive. Determination.

“It’s okay,” she mumbles, her face still aimed into her pillow. “I only have a few days left in Arizona anyway.”

She doesn’t understand. I’m not rejecting her. Not in a traditional sense. I want her, I just . . . I’m messing up. I’m sending her mixed signals.

Hold or steal the base? Can I risk more right now? Should I only lead off a little or rush toward the next base and hope the slide doesn’t burn?

Fuck, I’m so confused, and I’m not ready to let Vee go which makes me selfish. Hell, I’ve been greedy from the start. Hadn’t I known, deep down, we might come to this point? This moment where I’d want her physically. Emotions were not supposed to get in the way of things. But I treasure her friendship.

Quickly, I roll toward her, perch up on my elbow, and press on her shoulder, forcing her to look at me. Which she won’t. Tears fill her eyes, and she closes them.

“I hadn’t thought about us leaving.” I need more time. I’m not ready to let her go. “The Anchors don’t fly out until Monday night.”

“I leave early Saturday morning.”

“I don’t want to think about saying goodbye yet.” I swallow hard. Will we have to say goodbye? “Sweetheart, I have this Tuesday off. Go out with me.” Spend more time with me. More than this bed. More than late night wine and movies on the couch.

Vee finally opens her eyes and briefly meets mine.

“What about practices? A meeting or press conference? Spring training is so short. I’m surprised you have any time off at all.”

I brush back her hair, my fingertips skating over her collarbone. It isn’t fair that I keep touching her, and yet I don’t want to stop. “The days off are rare. Spend it with me. We can do anything you want.”

Then I’m tracing her face with my finger. Starting between her brows, I round her eye, down her cheek, and draw to the tip of her chin. Then I circle over her opposite cheek, around her other eye, and return between her brows.

Her face is a perfect heart. Fuck. You’d think I’m a connoisseur of romance novels.

With her gaze landing on my face, suddenly I can’t look her in the eyes.

“Have you heard of the Hole in The Rock? I’ve been wanting to go there,” she says.

“I have heard of it, but I haven’t been.”

“I’m not athletic like you, but I’ve read it has low peaks which are easy to climb.”

“Hey,” I quietly state, forcing us to look at one another. “Don’t sell yourself short. You don’t need to be athletic. And a hike sounds great. We can go at our own pace. Maybe grab lunch afterwards.”

“Sounds like a date, Coach.”

“Definitely a date,” I say, meeting her eyes, wanting to kiss her but stopping myself.

This date won’t be one in a swanky restaurant or one with hopes of publicity shots. This time will be just an average day, doing something outdoors, and enjoying the company of a woman I don’t want to let go of yet.

Because I’m not ready to consider what happens next.

+ + +

I hated leaving Vee. Especially as I’d disappointed her. I’d disappointed myself as well, but I didn’t want to use Vee to relieve the ache in my cock, even if my desire for her was the cause of that tension.

After she agreed to our date, I was almost giddy. I’d wanted to linger in bed, maybe grab breakfast together. I could hardly wait until Tuesday.

But like I told her, I needed my eye on the ball, and we had another game today.