by LuAnn McLane
“Nothing.” She inhaled a deep breath. “Now would you please allow me to exit with just a tiny bit of my pride intact?” She tugged and struggled. Damn, he was strong. “This brute strength you’re using isn’t playing fair.”
“I’m not playing fair. I’m playing to win.”
“Win what?” she sputtered.
“Your love,” he replied, and then abruptly set her free.
When Ty turned back to the stove, Jessica stood there uncertainly. She shifted her weight from one bare foot to the other and absently watched him open a loaf of bread.
“Toast?” he asked in a brisk but not unfriendly tone.
“Uh, yes.” Was she supposed to share a casual breakfast after what just went down?
“I hope wheat is okay.”
“Yes. Uh, can I do anything to help?”
Ty shook his head without turning around. “No. Just help yourself to some coffee and have a seat. I’ll handle the rest.”
“Okay,” Jessica answered with a slight hesitation. Her body was still pumping with fight-or-flight adrenaline, but she forced her feet to move. After pouring a mug of coffee, she sat down at the kitchen table and watched him prepare breakfast with surprising efficiency for someone who claimed not to know his way around the kitchen. A few minutes later, he presented her with a plate of fluffy eggs, crisp bacon, and golden brown toast. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. More coffee?”
“Please.”
“Orange juice?” he asked with a polite smile.
“Yes, thank you.” She took a sip of the cold, pulpy juice after he set the glass down in front of her.
“Can I get you anything else?” Ty asked before he sat his down across from her.
“No. This is lovely.” She picked up the bacon and took a crunchy bite.
“Hope the eggs aren’t overcooked,” he said with a slight grin.
Jessica popped a forkful into her mouth and shook her head. “Perfect.”
“Thank goodness.” When Ty made a show of wiping sweat from his brow, Jessica managed to chuckle.
“Seriously, if you ever decide to quit coaching baseball, head on over to the diner and you can be a line cook.”
Ty inclined his head. “Good to know.”
Jessica smiled and they ate in companionship, carefully avoiding any mention of their previous encounter. They chatted about opening day, the weather, and countless other subjects, and ignored the white elephant in the room. And it worked . . . until they both reached for the strawberry jelly at the same time. When their fingers brushed, it was like an electric current, and when Ty’s eyes widened, Jessica knew he felt it too. But when Jessica tried to withdraw her hand, Ty held on to her fingers.
“Hey,” he said gently. “I’ve put myself out there and told you how I feel. I love you.” He paused and swallowed hard. “But I won’t push. I’m going to back off and give you the space you need to decide what you want to do.”
“Okay.”
He squeezed her hand. “We’ve got something good here, Jessica, and we’ve both waited a long time to find it. I hope you can see that.” He paused and took a deep breath. “But if you decide otherwise, I will reluctantly and regretfully let . . . you go.”
Jessica didn’t trust her voice, so she simply nodded. A voice in her head screamed that she was crazy . . . that she should scoot back from the table and slide into his willing arms. But she remained rooted to the spot. “Thank you,” she finally managed to whisper.
“Hey, I’m just protecting my body parts,” he said with a slight grin.
Jessica closed her eyes. “My God, you must think I’m crazy.”
“No.” He squeezed her hand once more. “I watched my father hurt my mother. I know how destructive betrayal can be, so I understand your pain, your fear. But I can promise you this: I would never, ever intentionally hurt you. I’d cut off both of my damned nipples before I’d do that.”
Jessica opened her eyes. She knew he was telling her the truth. “I believe you.”
“Well, I’m putting the ball back in your court. It’s gonna kill me, but I’ll leave you alone and let you come to me when and if you’re ready.”
“I appreciate your patience, Ty.”
He gave her a slow, sexy smile. “Just keep in mind that I am very ready and more than willing.”
Jessica moaned. “There you go again, not playing fair.”
“Sorry, but the stakes are pretty big,” he tried to joke, but Jessica saw the emotion in his eyes. He scooted back from the table and turned away. “As promised, I’ll clean up. I know you need to get over to the diner.”
It was all Jessica could do not to walk over and slide her arms around his waist. But it suddenly hit her hard that her heart wasn’t the only one at risk. She had the power to hurt him as well. He was giving her the space she needed, and when she knew she could keep the demons of her past at bay for good, she was going to come to him with open arms and never look back.
18
Sweet Southern Comfort
“Logan, seriously, you’ve got to put some clothes on.”
“What do you mean? I’m wearing clothes,” Logan protested innocently when he was anything but. For the past week he had been parading around in nothing but gym shorts in an effort to get Bella’s attention. This whole platonic agreement they had going on wasn’t really working out for him. He stretched his legs onto the coffee table and crossed them at the ankles before pointing the remote at the television.
“I mean it.”
Logan slid his gaze over to Bella and sighed. “Maybe if you wouldn’t keep the heat turned way up, I’d wear a shirt.”
“The heat isn’t turned on!” Bella tapped her bare foot on the hardwood floor and folded her arms over her chest. She was wearing black leggings and a sweatshirt that covered way too much of her body for his liking.
“Oh . . . well, it’s hot in here,” he protested.
“Then open a window!”
And have her bundle up even more? No, thank you. Of course, it was probably that he simply got hot every time he looked in her direction. In fact, he might just have to grab asofa pillow to hide what she was doing to him right now. “Look, I’m probably just overheated from another long-ass workout today. Coach McKenna has been running us like dogs, getting ready for opening day Saturday. The man has been in a pissed-off mood lately. I think he needs to get laid.”
“Logan!” She fisted her hands on her hips, looking all feisty and flustered, and damn if he didn’t want to kiss her.
He shrugged. “I’m just sayin’. I thought Ty was all into Jessica, but I haven’t seen them together lately. Do you know anything about that?”
“Some.”
“Has Jessica been in a pissed-off mood too?”
“Not pissed off. Jessica doesn’t really get that way. Just, I don’t know . . . sad.” She looked down at the floor and sighed.
“You’re worried about Jessica, aren’t you?” Logan clicked mute on the remote and gave her his full attention.
“Yeah.” Bella looked across the room at him with stormy eyes. “I know she wants to be with Ty and she just won’t give in. It’s driving Madison nuts too.”
“I can tell that you care,” he said quietly.
“Jess has been like a mother to me. I want to see her happy.”
“What do you think is holding her back?”
“Fear. She’s been hurt. I can relate,” Bella said darkly. “Oh, and speaking of mothers—mine is coming in for the game Saturday.”
Logan raised his eyebrows. “Will she be staying here?”
“Yes.” Bella nibbled on her bottom lip.
“Bella, you have told her about me, right?”
“She knows I have a roommate.”
“A guy roommate?”
Bella lifted one shoulder slightly. “Not so much.”
“Bella! Don’t you think that’s a detail you should have told her?”
“It just never came up in the conversation, okay?”<
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Logan slammed his feet down onto the floor. “No, it is definitely not okay.”
“She’s my mother. I will handle it.”
Logan narrowed his eyes.
“Are you ever going to put a shirt on?”
He arched one eyebrow. “Does it turn you on?”
“No!” she sputtered.
“Then why do you care?”
Her chin came up. “I don’t. Forget I mentioned it.”
Logan grinned. “I think you do.”
She stomped her foot. “I don’t! You could be naked, for all I care.”
“Really?” He stood up and put his hands on the waistband of his shorts.
“Oh, stop! What are you—twelve?”
“Inches?”
“Oh, in your dreams!” She gave him a head bop.
“In your dreams . . .” He arched one eyebrow.
“Yeah, right! You are getting under my skin something fierce!”
“Oh, I bet you’d like me under your skin.”
“You are so . . . cocky!” she said between clenched teeth.
“Wanna see?”
“Oh, my God!” She raised her palms upward. “I’ve got to get out of here.” She turned and marched out of the room.
“Where are you going?” he called after her.
“Away from your adolescent crap.”
Logan plopped back down onto the sofa and sighed. “Well, that little plan sure didn’t work,” he muttered. He sat there for a minute and frowned down at his stomach when it rumbled. Maybe Bella will go with me for a bite to eat, he thought. But when she failed to reappear, he figured she must have had a change of heart. With another dejected sigh, Logan picked up the remote and was about to turn the sound up when Bella walked into the room.
“Holy shit,” Logan whispered when he got a look at what she was wearing. He was used to seeing her in her all-black hostess uniform or in sweats around the condo. And he had seen her in the hot little dress at Jessica’s birthday party. But seeing her in low-slung, tight jeans and a body-hugging blue sweater had him all but swallowing his tongue. The V-neck showed off the soft swell of her breasts, and a delicate silver necklace shimmered against her skin. To top it off, she wore some sexy-ass black heels that made him want to groan.
“Why are you groaning? No more South Park on tonight?”
Oh, shit. I really did groan. “Very funny,” he replied sullenly. “Where are you going dressed like that?” he demanded.
“Jeans and a sweater?”
He pointed to her shoes. “And those ridiculous heels! And your boobs are hanging out.”
“These are Kate Spade shoes and my boobs are not hanging out!”
“Where are you going?” he asked again.
“Who are you, my mother?”
Logan didn’t think he was capable of blushing, but damned if he didn’t feel heat creep up his neck. “You’re just a barrel of laughs tonight.”
“Well, you’re sure not. I’m going over to Sully’s, if you must know.”
“Sully’s? Oh no, you’re not.”
“Excuse me?” She put her hand on one jutted-out hip.
“Dressed like that?”
“Jeans and a sweater?” she repeated and shook her head up at the ceiling. “And here I thought my mother wasn’t coming until this weekend.”
“Bella, this isn’t a birthday party at Sully’s. This time of night there will be lots of local dudes playing pool and getting their drink on. At Noah’s insistence, Coach McKenna gave us the day off tomorrow, so there will be lots of ballplayers there, whooping it up.” And hitting on you, Logan thought with a grimace. “It’s not like happy hour in a martini bar in Chicago. Things can get a little rough.”
“Pete keeps an eye on things. Come on, Logan. You’re being unreasonable,” she accused, but he saw a little flash of uncertainty in her eyes and he knew she wasn’t as confident as she wanted him to believe. And while he might be a bit overprotective, he wasn’t all that out of line. Sully’s was a honky-tonk bar, and on a typical Thursday night it could indeed get rough. Not a place for high heels and French nails.
“Fine, but I’m going with you.”
“The hell you say!” she sputtered, and then she grinned. “Wow. I’m already starting to sound like I’m from here.”
“But you’re not.”
“I’m outta here,” she said with a flip of her hair.
“Wait for me!” Logan jumped to his feet.
“No, Logan. I don’t . . . Hey, what’s wrong?” she asked when Logan grimaced and grabbed his thigh.
“Nothing,” he lied through gritted teeth. He had a sudden charley horse that was killing him. But Logan was so conditioned to ignore pain that it was still difficult for him to admit the agony the hard knot was causing. Giving in to pain was considered weakness by his father. “I’m fine,” he tried to say in a normal voice, but it came out gruff with suppressed pain. “It’s just a little cramp. It’ll pass.” He waved her off. “Go on to Sully’s. I’ll be over there in a little while.”
“Logan, sit your butt down.”
“I’m fine.”
“Would you stop! You’re in obvious pain. Sit down and tell me what to do to make it go away.”
“Go on! You’re hell-bent on getting out of here. It’ll pass,” he said, but had to grit his teeth to keep from moaning. Damn, this was a bad one. “Just too much of a workout. When I stood up so quick, my leg cramped up.”
“Damn you, Logan!” Bella’s heels clicked on the hardwood floor as she hurried over to him. “Sit down.” She gave his chest a gentle shove and he gratefully complied. “Prop your leg up and tell me what you need to make it better,” she added in a gentle tone.
Logan leaned back against the cushion when a muscle spasm caused white-hot pain to shoot up his leg. He closed his eyes and swallowed hard.
“Oh, my God,” Bella said when she felt the hard knot in his thigh. “Will massaging it help?”
“Yeah,” he admitted with a choppy nod.
Bella knelt down on the floor, but when she started massaging the knotted muscle, he jerked and couldn’t suppress a low moan. “Oh, God, I’m hurting you!”
“Not your fault,” he managed, and tried to grin but failed. A bead of sweat rolled from his temple. He felt queasy and had to clench his jaw in an effort not to moan.
“Please tell how to make it better. Heat? Ice?” she asked, and the slight tremble in her voice went straight to his heart. Logan had plenty of trainers tend to his injuries, but the caring tone of her voice helped him to relax like a shot of sweet Southern Comfort. “Heat,” he said, but then a sudden spasm cut off the rest of his sentence. “Ahh, shit!” he growled, and pushed his shoulders against the cushions.
“Oh, Logan!” The distress in her voice had him opening his eyes and looking at her.
“Sorry. I’m being a puss.”
“Shut up! I’d be crying like a baby,” she said, but her tone was tender. “There’s a fucking knot the size of a golf ball in your thigh. Give yourself a break! Do you have a heating pad?”
He nodded. “In my bedroom beneath the bed. I’m—” He had to pause to catch his breath. “I’m probably low in potassium. It got warm this afternoon and I most likely—ahh—sweated out too much fluid. There are sports drinks in the fridge.”
Bella pushed up to her feet. “I’m on it.”
“Thank you.” When she hurried off, he managed to admire her shapely butt in the tight jeans, even through the haze of pain. While he detested this show of weakness, he had to admit that her concern felt damned good. It might not be the best time in either of their lives to fall in love, but something was happening between them. They could fight it all they wanted, but the more he was around Bella, the stronger the feelings got, and he knew she felt the same way. These feelings went deeper than mere sexual attraction. He liked Bella’s company. She made him laugh but she had a serious side that made for lively debate and conversation. She was feisty and tough but had a soft
side that made him want to protect her at any cost. He might have known her for only a few weeks, but it sure didn’t feel that way. In fact, he didn’t think he could handle not having her in his life.
Holy shit, he just might be falling for her.
Okay, he admitted to himself, not might. He was. And he hadn’t even slept with her. Damn, the image of Bella in his bed had him groaning—and not in pain.
“Oh, here I come.” Bella heard Logan’s moan and hurried toward the sofa, almost tripping in her heels. With a curse she toed off the shoes and handed him the Gatorade.
“Thanks.” He untwisted the lid and took a long swig.
“Drink it all.” When he put the bottle on the coffee table, she picked it up and handed it back to him.
“Bella, I’ll try, but my stomach is doing flip-flops.”
“Oh!” She gave him a sympathetic grimace and still managed to look beautiful. “Okay, but try to sip it, then.” She knelt down and plugged in the heating pad, then gently placed it on his thigh. “I sure hope this helps.”
“It’s already easing up. The fluids and the heat will do the trick. If you want to leave, I’ll be fine,” he offered, but hoped she wouldn’t.
Bella gave him a firm shake of her head. “No. I’m not leaving you like this! What do you take me for?”
“A warmhearted, caring person,” he said, and meant it.
She looked from the dial she was adjusting, and he had trouble figuring out how damned David could ever cheat on someone as amazing as Bella. “Thank you, Logan.”
They were so used to bantering back and forth that this unexpected serious moment took them both by surprise. Although neither of them verbally acknowledged it, their gazes locked briefly and something shifted between them.
“I’m only speaking the truth,” he said, and the pain started to subside. Logan knew the Gatorade and heat were helping, but her gentle concern eased a hurt that wasn’t physical. The two of them were bruised and battered in more ways than one, but Logan felt a sense of peace settle over him. Yes, he wanted to make it back to the major leagues, but for the first time in his life, baseball, winning . . . they were taking a backseat to something more meaningful and lasting. He felt some of the constant pressure ease up, and he smiled.