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Latching his pinky around hers, Austin returned his gaze to the field. The Cubs led Baltimore by one in the sixth inning.
“Take it to the grave, Casey McDaniels.” He huffed out a breath. “My mom made Josh and me take ballroom dance lessons in junior high.” His eyes widened at the admission.
“Oh, my God, Austin!” She cackled, tipping her head back with laughter. “You know, that makes a ton of sense. You were way too good a dancer at Old Crow!” She raised a finger to her eye and brushed a tear of amusement away.
Austin elbowed her in the gut. “All of my Tuesday evening waltz adventures with Mrs. Pennington have really paid off.” He grinned. “If you’re lucky, I’ll teach you the Texas two-step one day.” His cheeks burned with embarrassment.
She snuggled into him, resuming her grip on his thigh. “Actually, I hope my luck doesn’t hold out for that one.”
“You’ll be sorry, Casey girl.” A jolt of pleasure raced along his skin as her fingers explored higher, the light scrape of her nails doubling his heartbeat. Adjusting his hat, he turned to find her blue eyes staring at him. “This was a good idea. Thanks for bringing me here.”
“Well, you’re not a true Chicagoan until you’ve seen a game at Wrigley.” She flicked the brim of his hat and smiled. “And don’t even ask about that other team to the South,” she added.
Austin wracked his brain, digging deep into his limited knowledge of baseball.Why can’t you like basketball?“Oh, umm... the White Sox, right?”
“Shh! You can’t say that out loud here!” She pressed her index finger over his lips.
He pecked the tip of her finger with a kiss. “Sorry,” he breathed. “I’m a Dodgers fan, remember?”
“And it’s the worst thing about you, Mr. Templeton.”
A chorus of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” boomed throughout the park, the seventh-inning-stretch celebrations interrupting their spirited disagreement.
“When did that happen?” Casey wrinkled her nose and scanned the ball field. “You distract me too much.”
An elbow to his right side jabbed him in the gut.Ouch!Austin turned as the woman beside him pointed toward the field at the gigantic screen above the scoreboard. His eyes widened as his and Casey’s image stared back, squarely tucked within the shape of a pink heart, the wordsKISS CAMemblazoned in bold.
Casey roared with laughter and yanked his hat from his head. Her bright blue eyes sparkled in the stadium lights, her gaze hovering over his mouth. Leaning in, Austin pressed his lips to hers as the fans erupted in cheers, their claps freezing the moment. The lights faded. The cold bleachers melted away, and all that existed was the quirky girl in his arms, the girl who had unknowingly mended his soul with the stitch of a baseball. He deepened the kiss, bathing in the sweet contentment consuming his heart.
I think I’m falling for you, Casey girl. Hard... and fast...
––––––––
Austin gripped herhand as they walked down the sidewalk. The streetlamps illuminated their steps, casting shadows on the pavement as they strolled the nearly deserted path in the early morning hours. After eleven innings, Chicago had pulled out a victory.
“What did you think of your first Cubs game, California boy?”
“You can’t call me a Chicago fan yet.” He pulled her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss on her soft skin. “But I can’t complain. The company exceeded my expectations.”
She grinned as her cheeks flushed. “I will admit, I’ve never been to a game where I found myself more interested in the person sitting beside me.”
His heart fluttered. “Well, Miss E. Banks, I think that might just be the highest compliment you can give me.” He smiled and tugged the keys from his pocket, pushing the small gold one into the lock. “After you.” He held the door open.
Casey stepped inside, climbing the stairs as her hands glided along the railing. On the second floor, her feet faltered.
“You okay?”
She turned. “You know, Austin, I don’t think I’ve, er... said the words.” As she shook her head, a curl fell from her ponytail into her face. “I’m really glad you moved here,” she whispered.
The breath caught in his throat as the words fell from her lips.
“I was pretty depressed when Mavis told me she was moving.” Pulling away, she started to climb again, dropping her gaze to the dirty stairs. “And I never thought I’d find someone to take her place. But you kinda have.”
Ignore the irony...
His heart leapt from his chest as he followed, his hand reaching for hers. He gripped her fingers as they arrived on the third-floor landing. “And I haven’t even made you a cheesy sandwich yet. Some roommate, I am.”
She grinned, unlocking the door and pushing it open. “You did promise me a cheesy sandwich, Chef Templeton.” She winked as Austin tugged her hands into his chest, resting them above his heart.
