“There he is,” Garrett said.
Gabriella looked up. He hadn’t seen her yet, so her heart stumbled a bit to see the happy grin on his face. A grin that slowly faded when he finally noticed her.
Oh, yeah. This had been a horrible idea. She shouldn’t have come. Damn it. Why had she listened to Devon? She suppressed the urge to kick Devon in the shin.
Tyler approached, greeting Devon and Garrett first. When his gaze landed on her, all she could think to say was, “Hey.”
Tyler blinked, then blinked again as though he couldn’t believe she was there. “What’re you doing here?”
Oh god. Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t cry.
Devon stepped in front of her. “She went through a lot of trouble to be here, so don’t be a dick.”
Tyler shoved Devon aside. “I’m not trying to be a dick. That came out wrong.” His steely blue gaze focused back on her, making butterflies dance in her stomach. “I’m having sort of a surreal hour, so please forgive me. I’m surprised to see you, that’s all.”
Now that he was in front of her, Gabriella forgot every last thing she’d practiced to say to him. She went with something easy. “That was a nice hit earlier—the home run in the seventh.”
“You saw that?”
She bobbed her head, latching onto the topic. “And the two runs you scored in Baltimore. And the double play you and Garrett made in Atlanta.”
“Hell yeah, that was a great play,” Garrett said. Devon held up a palm and Garrett slapped it.
Tyler ignored them, keeping his gaze on her. “You’ve been watching.”
“Every game since you … since I last saw you.”
“It was a long road trip.”
“Tyler.” His indifference was killing her. “I’m sorry. Is there somewhere we could talk? Some place private?”
He nodded abruptly. “We’ll catch up with you later,” Tyler said to the guys. Gabriella expected him to lead her from the building, so she squeaked in protest when he laced their fingers and practically dragged her into the locker room.
“Wait! Where are we going?”
“You said you wanted to go somewhere private.”
“I thought maybe we could go to your condo. I didn’t expect you to—”
He whirled around and swallowed the rest of her words with a brutal kiss. Hard, almost cruel. No tongue. It ended almost as abruptly as it began, leaving her shaken. A few masculine chuckles reminded her where they were. Her cheeks burned as Tyler continued to tow her along behind him.
“You wanted somewhere private,” he told her. “This is the closest place.”
She kept her mouth shut. His legs were much longer than hers, so she had to half-jog to keep up. After what felt like an eternity—the place was huge—Tyler pulled her into a room and shut the door behind him. Silence greeted her as he sank back against the only exit, crossing his arms as though daring her to try to escape.
Gabriella bit her lip, far too turned on at the image he posed. Angry, arrogant male. It gave her hope, though. He wouldn’t be angry if he didn’t care about her, right? It was a stretch, but at this point, she’d take what she could get.
“I’m sorry,” she started, proud her voice didn’t crack.
“You said that already.”
“I’ll keep saying it if that’s what it takes.”
His brow arched. “If that’s what it takes for what?”
So much for not being a dick, but okay. She could take her lumps. “For you to forgive me.” She took a step toward him, changing her mind at the last minute. If she touched him, she’d be a blubbering idiot within seconds. Best to just forge ahead with her plan. “I brought you something.”
Her hand trembled as she held it out, but she didn’t back down. This was it. Her grand gesture to let him know how sorry she was. And that she loved him. It hadn’t taken her more than a minute after he left to realize what a jerk she’d been.
“What is it?”
“It’s a key to my apartment. It’s yours … if you want it.”
He stared at her, perplexed. “Why?”
She folded her fingers around the key, dropping her hand back to her side. Tears burned her eyes, but she fought them back. This was her fault. She had no one to blame but herself if he didn’t want her anymore.
“You were right, Tyler, and again, I’m sorry. I’ll say it as many times as you need to hear it to believe it’s true. You were right. I was comparing you to Roger, without even realizing what I was doing.”
She glanced around the room. It looked like a medical exam room. There were first aid materials on the counter, a long exam table in the center, and nothing else. Not even a chair she could sink onto. She tucked the key into her front pocket. Tyler’s gaze tracked the movement, but he remained silent. She stepped back and leaned her butt against the edge of the table.
“My heart broke when you left,” she continued. “But your anger was justified. It wasn’t as though I didn’t discuss dinner plans with you. I made a huge, life-changing decision and I didn’t share that with you. I wasn’t fair to you, to what we were building between us. It’s a mistake I can’t take back, but I hope you’ll give me a chance to prove to you it won’t happen again. The key was supposed to serve as my commitment to you. To us. I’m not asking you to move in with me. That’s a decision I hope we’ll make together, when the time is right. I only wanted to share a piece of myself with you. To let you know you would not be a guest in my home, but a partner in it.
“I was worried about making the same mistake with you that I made with Roger. I swore I’d never move for another man, but I was wrong to think that way. Without realizing it, I was planning for a future in which you leave me behind.” The first tear broke free. “And that’s not the future I want to plan for. I wish I would’ve done things differently, but I’m not sorry I moved to Boston. I don’t want to be hundreds of miles away from you. And I’ll move again, if you get traded. Whatever it takes, Tyler.”
The tears flowed freely now. She swiped at them, frustrated she couldn’t keep the suckers at bay until she was alone and could cry in peace.
“I’m not going to get traded.” He groaned and shoved away from the door. “Come here.” He wrapped her within the circle of his arms. She snaked her own around his waist and pressed her cheek against him, soothed by the steady beat of his heart.
They were going to be okay.
“I love you, Gabriella. I need you to trust me. Do you think you can do that?”
She sucked in a breath. “I can. I do.” She squeezed him tighter. “You love me?”
“Yes.”
“I love you, too.”
For several minutes they held each other, basking in the knowledge they’d shared. Gabriella thought she’d been in love before, but she was wrong. She’d never felt anything as powerful, as real and vital, as what she felt with Tyler. They hadn’t been together long, but she didn’t need time to know what was in her heart. She wanted to build a life with this man.
His arms loosened their grip. He took her hands. “When I walked out of here tonight, I was on my way to see you.”
“You were?” She remembered the smile he’d worn. “How did you know where I’d be?”
He studied her knuckles. “I called Matt. He gave me your new address.”
“Sneaky.”
A smirk played on his lips. “I just found out—and it’s not official, yet—but New York is renewing my contract.”
“What?” She hadn’t meant to yell. She jumped, mashing them together with an oomph, as she threw her arms around his neck. “Tyler, that’s fantastic news!”
Laughing, he asked, “Don’t you want to hear the details?”
“The only thing I care about is if you’re happy. Are you?”
He made a gagging noise. “I’d be happier if I could breathe.”
“Oh.” She giggled and released the hold she had on his neck. “Sorry.”
“I’d get to play out my career in New
York. Are you okay with that?”
“It’s what you’ve always wanted, right? Of course I’m okay with it.”
“God, I love you. I’ve missed you so much. Let’s get out of here. I need to get you naked, ASAP.”
“Your place or mine?”
“Mine. Ours. The condo. It’s closer.”
Gabriella’s heart felt lighter as he led her through the clubhouse.
“Do you think you’ll miss living in Arkansas?” he asked.
“I’ll miss Matt and Lillian. Your family is there. We’ll visit, won’t we?”
“Whenever you want, baby.”
Gabriella laughed and offered a wave to the guard at the door. “As long as it’s in the winter. I’ve had enough Southern heat to last me a lifetime.”
Tyler stopped next to a silver sports car. He pinned her against the passenger-side door, rubbing the rigid length of his erection against her hip. “You sure about that?” he drawled.
“Well, when you put it like that—” Gabriella gasped as Tyler shoved his hand into her front pocket. Her hips rolled into his hand of their own accord, trying to point him in the right direction. She’d never get enough of his brand of heat.
He chuckled and removed his hand, holding up the key she’d placed there. “I believe this is mine.”
The kiss that followed was full of promise. The promise of pleasures to come. The promise of love. The promise that the key wasn’t the only thing he considered his.
The past fell away. Roger, the pain of heartache, her fears about the future. All of it. All that remained were her and Tyler, and the hope for their future.
When he broke the kiss, he wore the smile she had come to love. A smile that was part mischief, part sin, a whole lotta sexy, and all Tyler.
“Let’s go home, gorgeous.”
He opened the door for her. As she slid into the car, she marveled at how quickly things could change. Home used to mean Boston. Her birthplace, the place she grew up, where her family lived. The word had new meaning now. Home wasn’t a place, a tangible mark on some map.
Home was wherever Tyler was, where her heart lived.
Gabriella knew—beyond a shadow of a doubt—whatever the future had in store, they’d face it.
Together.
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling Author, Parker Kincade, writes edge-of-your-seat-sexy romantic suspense, hot and steamy sports romance, and contemporary western romance. Her first novel, One Night Stand, won the 2013 Reader’s Crown Award for Best First Book, the category of Best Erotic Romance in the Celtic Hearts Romance Writers Golden Claddagh contest, and was named finalist in the Romance Writers of America/Passionate Ink Stroke of Midnight contest.
Parker lives in the southern United States. She loves to read, play golf, spend time with her family and friends, snuggle with her beloved boxer, ice cream from the ice cream truck, and watching old musicals.
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Also by Parker Kincade
GAME ON SERIES:
Spring Training
Southern Heat
THE MARTIN FAMILY SERIES:
One Night Stand
Shadow of Sin
SHADOW MAVERICK RANCH SERIES:
White Collar Cowboy
Borrowed Cowboy
Cowboy Redeemed
White Collar Wedding
Shadow Maverick Ranch Boxed Set, Books 1-3
STAND ALONE SHORT STORIES:
Devlin
Two of Cups (Love in the Cards Anthology)
Southern Heat (Game On Book 2) Page 20