Page 109 of Turn Me On
“That so?”
“That is very so,” he says, then gives me the row number and the section. “If you want to watch with my other special guests.”
I arch a playful brow. “I’m your special guest now?”
He stops in the corridor, gives me the fiercest look. “You threw down for me last night. You threw down for me again tonight. You’re my special guest. The most special.”
He plants a possessive kiss on my lips before he turns into the tunnel. Once he’s gone, I run a finger over my bottom lip. I can still feel his kiss. It’s in my bones. It’s under my skin.
I make my way back up to the concourse, then through the crowds at the Bandits ballpark. Along the way, I text Adriana.
Maddox:Zane’s going to be fine. I’ll be joining the Archers. Let’s catch up soon.
Adriana:We better. Vance was sputtering when he returned. He was all…Maddox is with Zane and he quit, and, and, and…
Maddox:Sorry to leave you with that.
Adriana:Please! I can handle him no problem. I mean, I saw it coming last night. But you still owe me details, friend.
Gossip isn’t my thing, so I won’t share all. But she deserves something.
Maddox:I fell in love with him. I’m happy.
Adriana:Stahp, stahp. I won’t cry next to my boss.
With a smile, I send her aThank you for everything, then put the phone away.
As I head down the steps to the third-base line seats, I squeeze past a few fans, then grab the free seat next to Gage. I introduce myself to him right away. “I’m Maddox. I’m seeing your brother,” I say, loving the sound of all those words. And these too. “He’s going to be just fine.”
Gage smiles, bright and genuine. “He texted me and told me. And he told me you were with him too. But, honestly, I figured that out on my own. I saw you take off when he got hit. Recognized you because I looked you up when he told me last night he fell for you,” he says, and my whole soul lights up.
Then Eliza pipes up. “My uncle is really tough.”
“He sure is,” I say proudly, and we watch the rest of the game together. When it ends, with Zane’s league losing, the players come out on the field one more time to wave to the crowd, then fan out to talk to reporters, to head to the dugout, to goof off.
But not all of them. The first baseman for the Dragons points my way. Then he trots over to our seats. He’s sporting a cocky grin. The same one he had the night I met him. “Get over here,” he commands.
I don’t deny his orders often. With a giddy heart, I make my way to the edge of the stands, a smile matching his.
“You want something from me?” I ask playfully.
He leans in, offering me his lips. “I got hurt in the game, and I need you to give me a kiss to make it better,” Zane says.
“You are such a ham,” I deadpan, but I cup his cheeks and kiss him before the entire baseball stadium.
Because he’s my ham.
34
THE OTHER NIGHT
Maddox
After the game, I wait outside the ballpark for a tired but uninjured first baseman. He strides out of the players’ entrance, marches over to me under the streetlamp, and wraps an arm around my shoulders. Apparently, he hasn’t gotten the PDA out of his system, since he gives me another hot kiss. “Making up for lost time,” he murmurs.
“You say that like it’s been years of you wanting to kiss me in public,” I say as I walk him to my car.
“Feels that way to me,” he says with a shrug.