AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Brad shoved his glove into his locker, then focused on Amanda. The line of her neck was exposed as she laughed at what the rookie was saying. He imagined pressing his lips right there. Inhaling her sweet scent. Hearing her moan with the pleasure he gave her.
His competitive side flared as he watched the rookie work her. This was one battle the kid might as well give up. Brad had already decided Amanda was his.
Shoving aside his pain and fatigue, Brad started walking. Sidestepping a reporter’s question, his attention was on only one thing.
He’d lost his shot at a record today. He wasn’t losing this bet, too.
***
AMANDA KNEW the moment Brad walked into the locker room. No. She felt it. And try as she might to concentrate on the answers coming out of the rookie reliever, Casey Becker, she was thinking about Brad.
Her gaze traveled in his direction, sliding down his long, muscular frame encased in tight baseball pants. Damn, the man was hot. She’d take him dressed over other men wearing only towels any day.
Then again, she wouldn’t mind Brad…undressed.
She swallowed and forced herself to focus on Casey, who appeared more interested in flirting than answering her questions. She was ready to scream. Funny how the banter and innuendo hadn’t bothered her when Brad delivered it.
“I hear you’re pretty superstitious about your pitching,” Amanda commented. “Did luck help you recover from that home run you gave up?”
“What?” Surprise flashed across Casey’s chiseled face. “Who told you that? No, I don’t believe in luck. It’s just me and the batter out there. No false sense of security. Brad’s getting old. He needs necklaces and luck. I don’t.”
The Brad lashing had been unexpected. Hmm. Could someone be a bit jealous? Brad might have lost a shot at a record today, but he’d pitched a good game. Clearly, following in the star pitcher’s footsteps had the rookie a bit rattled.
Amanda decided to leave the nastiness alone and redirect him back to her story. “I heard you’re a fan of Bull Durham. The pitcher in that movie,” she said, “well, he wore garters for luck.”
His face reddened instantly and he threw his hands in the air, yelling out to the locker room. “Who the hell is telling everyone I wear garters for luck again? Tony!” Laughter filled the air but Tony was nowhere to be found.
“Slumming for gossip, I see.”
Jack appeared by Becker’s side, his voice raking Amanda’s nerves.
She opened her mouth to speak, but the rookie intervened. “That’s not a nice thing to say to a lady.”
Jack smirked. “This isn’t a lady. This is the Gossip Queen.”
Amanda felt her temper building. She hated her work being called gossip, but she wasn’t about to let Jack know he was getting to her.
“Yes,” Amanda said to Casey. “I’ve already planned to expose your dirty little secrets. Tomorrow the world will know that you are from another planet and have superhuman strength brought to you by the sun. I’m also going to reveal the really naughty secret. I’m going to tell them about the how silver saps your abilities. Then you’ll never throw another fastball again.”
Casey chuckled. “You’re funny, Amanda.” He gave Jack a pointed look. “You gotta admit, she’s pretty funny.”
With supreme satisfaction, Amanda noted Jack’s irritated expression. She might have pushed him further if Brad hadn’t chosen that moment to appear.
“Jack,” Brad said, giving the man a short nod, before turning his attention on Amanda. The gleam in his eyes was nothing shy of sizzling as he offered her a private greeting. “Hello.” His voice was low, more friendly than when he’d addressed Jack. Even a bit intimate.
He ignored Casey altogether.
“Hi,” she said. “Good pitching tonight.”
“Not as good as I wanted it to be,” he admitted, and quickly changed the subject. “I need to grab a shower before we do that interview. Meet you in fifteen?”
“Okay. Where?”
“Why don’t you join us at Spirals for the postgame party?” Casey interjected. “Then you can interview me, too.” He motioned to Jack. “Your competition will be there, won’t you, Jack?”
The irritation on Jack’s face deepened into a scowl. Any chance to agitate him further added incentive for her to accept the invitation. Not that she would have declined.
“That works for me,” Amanda agreed, smiling at Jack before giving Casey a nod. She turned to Brad. “Does that work for you?”
Brad’s gaze flickered over Casey, and for a moment, she could have sworn she saw irritation in his expression. Before she could be certain, he had his attention on her, his baby blues promising far more than an interview. “That works,” he said. “I’ll see you there.”
His gaze lingered on her a second too long before he departed, walking away, giving her a delicious view of his stellar backside.
“I have real news to report. See you tonight,” Jack said to Casey.
