Love Me Like I Love You

by Willow Winters

  The third pitch was no different. The batter was out, and the next two following him suffered the same fate. Three up, three down.

  Leighton tucked two fingers between her lips, releasing a loud whistle as the boys jogged off the field. “Way to go, Billy!” she yelled, swollen with pride.

  Aaron threw his arms out to the side, giving her a what-about-me look.

  “You too, baby!” she giggled, blowing him a kiss.

  Aaron grinned, and I chuckled beside her, clapping my hands, unsure which team I should be cheering for as Wes’s team took the field. Wes winked at me, shooting me a grin. I shook my head with a half-amused smile, reminding myself to schedule a doctor’s appointment for that man and his overly active eye.

  Without thinking, I glanced over at the dugout where Billy stood, leaning forward, his arms resting on the top rail of the fence as he watched the opposing team take the field. His eyes shifted, connecting with mine, the heat in them sending a prickling across my skin. I rubbed my arms, tearing my gaze away, my stomach rolling with regret as I registered the anguish in his expression. I’d hurt him out of spite, and because I’d thought he was with Lauren. An immature move. One I wasn’t exactly proud of.

  “I’m a horrible person,” I whispered to myself, but not quietly enough.

  “What are you talking about?” Leighton asked, her eyes flicking to me after cheering for the first hit of the game. The ball went sailing to the outfield and the batter made it onto second base.

  I groaned, dropping my face into my hands.

  Leighton bumped her shoulder with mine. “Talk to me, girl.”

  I lifted my head, looking her straight in the eye. “I may have let Billy believe I slept with Wes.”

  Her mouth fell open and her eyes nearly bugged out of her head. “Did you?”

  “What?! No! Are you insane?”

  “Oh, come on, Hannah. It’s not that crazy of a question. The man gets around, and it’s not like he isn’t hot as hell.”

  “Yeah, until he opens his mouth.”

  “True.”

  We both laughed.

  “How did this even happen?” she asked as our laughter died down.

  “I may have opened the door with only a robe on after my shower…at Wes’s house.”

  “You have some explaining to do, sister.”

  “It’s not what you think… Unfortunately, we’re roommates for the next few weeks. The water heater went out in the house I was staying in and apparently the only other spare house is being remodeled for your brother. Which, by the way, thanks for telling me he worked for the Monroes.”

  She shrugged. “Sorry, figured you knew already. It’s pretty common knowledge.”

  “Yeah, well I’m not from around here, so no. I didn’t.”

  “Why don’t you just stay at Lottie and Tucker’s?”

  “Uh”—I squirmed in my seat, clearing my throat—"that’s a story for another day.”

  She eyed me suspiciously. “Does this have anything to do with why you’re avoiding my brother?”

  I averted my eyes from hers, looking back out at the ball game. And by the grace of god, I was given a way to distract her. “Hey, look your man is up to bat.” I pointed to the field, where Aaron was digging the toes of his cleats into the dirt next to home plate, taking a few practice swings.

  Leighton stood, cupping her hands at her mouth. “Let’s go, baby! Hit a homer, and I’ll let you get to home base later tonight!”

  Aaron turned to look at her, giving her a sexy grin, his eyebrows bouncing up and down. She blew him another kiss, and the crowd around us whistled.

  “Get’er done, Bradley!” an old man in the bleachers behind us yelled out.

  Aaron saluted the man, touching the bill of his hat before focusing his eyes back on the pitcher.

  Good grief was nothing sacred in this town?

  I had no idea when I started to actually enjoy baseball or how. Maybe it was the contagious excitement of the fans surrounding me. Maybe it was because for the first time, I actually knew a few of the players I was watching. Maybe it was because the current pitcher was only one out away from pitching a perfect game and everyone was on the edge of their seats, including me… Or maybe, and most likely, it was because that certain pitcher was Billy Miller, the one man I couldn’t seem to take my eyes off the last few hours no matter how desperately hard I tried.

  “He’s on fire tonight, huh?” My eyes remained glued to the game as I asked Leighton.

  “Who? Billy?”

  I nodded.

  “Seems that way. Something’s definitely sparked him to play like he used to. It doesn’t bode well for the other team either that their star player is currently on his honeymoon.”

  A smile lifted the corner of my mouth. Lottie had told me once Tucker was a natural at every sport. “Like he used to?”

  “Yeah.” She turned to look at me. “Billy didn’t tell you?”

  I faced Leighton. “Tell me what?”

  “That he had a shot at being drafted to the majors. At least, until his injury in college.”

  Shaking my head, I looked back over at Billy. His eyes were glued to the next batter. I held my breath as Wes made his way to the white-outlined box. Even though his team was being shut out, he was his happy, carefree self, all smiles and winks and all of them aimed my direction as he stepped up to home plate.

  Wes got into stance, knees slightly bent, preparing to knock one out of the park. I was conflicted: part of me wanted to cheer for Wes, purely out of roomie obligation, and another part of me wanted to see Billy strike him out the way he had been all game.

  I swore the whole crowd was holding their breaths as Billy prepared for the throw. My heart pounded in my chest, and I almost closed my eyes, unable to watch.

  “Strike one!” The ump hollered louder than he had all game as another fastball soared across home plate, landing in Aaron’s glove.

  The crowd collectively released their breaths, random calls of encouragement for Wes and Billy echoing through the ball field. Wes took a step back out of the box and practiced a few swings as Aaron sent the ball gliding into Billy’s glove.

  Wes adjusted his hat, his eyes finding mine, a slow smile curling his lips. “This one’s for you, city.” He stepped back into the box, and it was as if the hot, humid air thickened.

  My teeth dug into my bottom lip as my eyes connected with Billy’s, a hurricane of tension rolling off of him. With a tight grip on my knees, I leaned forward, waiting for him to throw. The ball went flying fast as ever but veering from its normal path down center plate, curving to the right. Wes ducked, jumping backwards, barely avoiding the ball connecting with his tall frame.

  “Ball one!”

  Mutters, whistles, and hollering erupted through the crowd. With the ball in hand, Aaron stood from his crouching position and walked toward Billy.

  “What’s going on?” I asked Leighton, while keeping my eyes on Billy and Aaron. “Is he hurt? Are they going to pull him?”

  Leighton chuckled beside me. “No, Han. Billy is just fine. And you better hope for Wes’s sake he’s got it out of his system now.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “That pitch was a warning.”

  “A warning for what?” I glanced over at her.

  “Come on, Hannah”—she faced me, head tilted—“I know you aren’t that dense.”

  My heart thumping erratically, I sucked my lips in as I looked back out at the sexy pitcher on the field. “Message received,” I breathed.

  “I think the message was for Wes.”

  She was probably right, but something told me it was a message intended just as much for me.

  I never understood why some women ran knowingly toward heartbreak. It was like they thought somehow they could change the inevitable, only to end up with their souls crushed anyway. I didn’t understand those women at all. Until now. And a small part of me, the stupid girly part of me, felt thrilled at the idea that Billy Mi
ller might just be making it known he wasn’t losing the end game—me.

  “You coming to Dudley’s for drinks tonight?” Leighton asked, garnering my full attention.

  “I don’t kno—”

  “Let me rephrase that…you’re coming to Dudley’s for drinks tonight.”

  Chapter 7

  BILLY

  My eyes still pinned on Wes, I wiped the sweat from my brow while readjusting my hat. Aaron flipped up his face mask, headed toward me.

  Shit.

  I was in no mood. I knew what was coming my way. Another damn lecture from Aaron.

  He stopped in front of me, holding the ball in his grip.

  “You good, man?”

  “Just fucking dandy. How ‘bout you?”

  “Don’t get smart with me, asshole. What were you trying to pull with that last throw?”

  I shrugged my shoulder with a smirk. “Figured Monroe just needed to be knocked down a peg.”

  “Yeah…well, I think you knocked him down plenty. You almost took him out completely. In fact, you’ve been playing like a real prick this whole game. Why don’t you lay off a bit? This is supposed to be a friendly game between old friends. You’re playing like you got shit on the line.”

  I scoffed a humorless laugh, my eyes drifting to the bleachers. I had what felt like my whole world on the line. And the cocky asshole waiting at home plate was standing in the middle, keeping me from it. I reached out my palm for the ball, not bothering to respond to the bullshit Aaron was spouting off, even if he was right.

  I was playing like a prick.

  I knew that. As did every other man on this field.

  I hadn’t intended to, but seeing Hannah show up here with Wes only reminded me of what I’d walked in on the other day. Not that I needed the reminder. That image was burned into my mind permanently. Finding her that way and knowing he’d put his hands on her body drove me fucking mad. I wasn’t a man quick to use his fists, but in that moment, I was more than willing to let them do all the talking for me, followed by telling Monroe to take his job and shove it. Luckily for Wes, Aaron had talked me off that ledge.

  Tonight’s game, though, was different. There was no holding me back this time. It’d been a better release for all that pent-up anger and tension I’d been carrying around all week. I didn’t have to bring the heat I was, but it felt damn good letting that ball fly with everything I had left in me.

  Aaron gave another disapproving head shake before slamming the ball into my hand. “Ease up, asshole.”

  “You expect me to let him get a hit?”

  “Would it kill ya?”

  Yeah. It would.

  “Shit,” Aaron grumbled, glancing over his shoulder. “I get it man. It’s Monroe, so I won’t tell you not to strike him out. But at least try not to take his head off with the next few throws.”

  “No promises.” I smirked as he retreated.

  “Good game, brother.” Leighton grinned, walking up to Aaron and me, slipping under his arm and into his side. He dropped a kiss on her lips, and I peeked past them, hoping to see a certain sassy, blond-haired beauty following behind her.

  Disappointed as hell, I looked back at my sister, half-attempting a smile. “Thanks.”

  She frowned, her eyes homing in on my shoulder. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt? Is it your shoulder?”

  Instinctively I rubbed at it. It was sore, but nothing a little icy hot couldn’t take care of later. “My shoulder’s fine.” I lowered my hand, stuffing the last of my gear into my bag, feeling both of their gazes on me.

  “I’m gonna load up. Meet you at the truck,” Aaron spoke in a low voice to Leighton before walking off.

  Lifting my bag over my head and across my body, I turned to go too. Leighton blocked my path, hands propped on her narrow waist, annoyance radiating off every inch of her. Tiny but mighty, that one was.

  “You’re coming to Dudley’s tonight,” she demanded.

  It was aggravating how well she knew me. I didn’t even have to tell her I planned to bail. “No. I’m not.” I tried stepping around her.

  Blocking my path again, she glared up at me. “The hell you aren’t. I’m tired of this, Billy. I’ll respect that you don’t want to talk about what happened between you and Hannah, but I won’t allow you to skip out on a tradition because you’re determined to avoid her.”

  “This has nothing to do with Hannah.”

  “Sure, it doesn’t,” she scoffed. “I’m not an idiot, Billy. Don’t treat me like one.”

  I scrubbed a palm down my face, letting out a heavy sigh. I was too exhausted to deal with Leighton. And there was no way in hell she was convincing me to sit back, sip beer, and watch Monroe with his hands all over Hannah. “I’ve gotta early morning tomorrow.”

  “You always have an early morning. And don’t act like you have it harder than anyone else. I’m the one that’ll be dealing with screaming kindergartners and a hangover tomorrow morning.”

  “You aren’t letting this go, are ya?”

  “Nope.” She grinned annoyingly.

  “Fine. I’ll see ya there.”

  I stepped forward to leave once again but she didn’t budge. Instead, she wrapped her arms around me, lifting to her toes to kiss me on the cheek.

  “You two are the biggest idiots if you don’t get your shit figured out,” she whispered, hugging me tight.

  “I never claimed to be smart.” Most days, I was pretty sure Leighton had been the one to get all the brains in the family.

  Her face fell as she backed away from me. I hadn’t meant for her to see my sad smile.

  “Billy, you can’t give up.”

  “She’s with Wes.”

  “She’s not. And even if she was, I didn’t expect you to bow out so easily.”

  I wasn’t bowing out. Just because I stepped aside with Lottie didn’t mean I’d be backing down to another Monroe. That was a different story. Lottie was never mine to begin with. She’d always belonged with Tucker. And if I was honest, my feelings for Lottie didn’t run nearly as deep. I didn’t have a chance to say that, though. My attention locked on what Leighton had just said. She wasn’t with Wes? Leighton had no idea.

  “The fuck she isn’t. I saw her with my own two eyes, Leighton.” I shoved past her this time, taking long strides toward the parking lot, not allowing her to keep me there any longer.

  “The same way she saw you and Lauren.” Her voice hit my back, stopping me in my tracks.

  I turned, my chest heaving, teeth grating as I stared at my sister. “I’m not with Lauren.”

  I never was. And I hadn’t touched Lauren since the moment I knew Hannah was coming back to town. I regretted having done it in the first place, especially after Lauren didn’t seem to take it well when I explained things would never go anywhere with us.

  “Duh,” she sighed. “That’s my point, dummy. But to an outsider, say, I don’t know…Hannah, it might’ve looked like it.”

  “Shit,” I muttered, creasing the bill of my hat, dropping my eyes to the ground.

  Leighton strolled up to me, a smug smile on her face, patting me on the shoulder as she passed by. “Just call me cupid. See you at Dudley’s.”

  Mind reeling, head hung, I walked to my truck alone. I’d messed up one too many times with Hannah. I just hoped she could forgive all the stupid things I’d said and done in the past.

  “That was some game.” Her voice drifted across the space between us like a ghost in the wind.

  I stopped, looked up at the vision leaning against my truck less than three feet away—all long legs and unsure smiles—and lost the strength to breathe. My eyes glided up her bare legs, the taut string between us pulling tighter. Somehow, she made looking beautiful seem so effortless. She was natural and classy all at the same time, pulling off casual better than any woman I’d ever known.

  Refusing to overthink another damn thing, I closed in on her. My hands darted out, clutching her face as my lips claimed hers.

  Her
body stilled against mine, her hands gripping my wrists. Begging and praying she didn’t fight me, I slid my tongue along her mouth needing to dive in deeper. As she opened up to me, her body relaxing against me, I felt the weight I’d been carrying for days lift. Her hands dropped lower, sliding to my back, a needy moan escaping through her lips. I stepped further into her arms, pressing her back flush with the truck. There was no way she didn’t feel the greedy bastard protruding between my legs, begging for her touch, the thin material of my pants not much of a barrier.

  Had it not been for the whistles behind us, I would’ve probably taken things a little too far in the middle of the parking lot. Instead, I reluctantly pulled away, taking in her flushed cheeks and the light sheen of sweat on her beautiful face.

  Hannah’s eyes fluttered open, her mouth tipping into another smile. “Well hello there, cowboy.”

  A light chuckle rumbled from deep in my chest as I smiled down at her in response. Learning from my past mistakes, I decided to keep my mouth shut. I screwed up every other time I tried using words to explain to her how I was feeling. I should’ve just kissed her senseless that first night at the wedding. Maybe we would’ve worked things out sooner.

  Blinking up at me with those big brownish-gold eyes that made my world spin, her smile faded, teeth latching onto her bottom lip as she got her wits about her. “Billy?”

  I was losing her again.

  “I’m sorry, Hannah. So fucking sorry. For everything I said. For Lauren. I’m not with her. I mean, yeah, we messed around a few—”

  Her fingers pressed against my lips as she shook her head, silencing me. “I don’t need to know that, Billy. Just tell me you aren’t still.”

  “Hell no.” I pulled her closer, wishing we were somewhere more private. “And Wes?”

  “No. Not even once.” Her cheeks blushed a bright pink, her eyes darting to the side as she tried to hide the shame in them.

  I breathed my relief, my head falling back to stare at the sky with shades of orange and pink streaking across it.