Page 19 of Caught Looking

“I’m glad you got to see it.” Her eyes widened as I took her hand in my off hand and threaded our fingers together. Then I threw an arm over her shoulder and dropped a kiss on the top of her head as we started for the bus.

I held her like I’d never let her go. Like being apart was unimaginable. Because it was. Having her tucked into my side just feltright.I liked the odd way I held her hand in mine, the way she fit under my arm. I thought maybe I’d imagined it all on the Fourth, but no. This was damn perfect.

When we reached the doors I pulled her to a stop and hugged her. “Do they insert the tangerine scent into your clothes or is that just you, Annalise?” The shampoo or lotion or whatever it was made me want to lick her.

Which I did not have permission to do.

To my surprise, she hugged me back. Her arms wrapped around my middle, hands splayed on my back, and she tucked her cheek to my chest. We held each other just like that for a long few moments. Then she leaned back but I didn’t release her as she looked up at me. “Thank you for giving me space to work through this. Dinner tomorrow?”

I stared at her, stunned. “I’ll meet you at Dottie’s.” I didn’t like the wariness in her eyes, but the rest? The hope, the curiosity, I liked those a lot.

“You’re playing New York, so I’ll expect you late.”

I barked a laugh. “I promise not to start any fights this time.” Last time we played New York both benches cleared—twice—when I got into it with the pitcher.

Annalise smiled, her blue eyes sparkling. “But then you wouldn’t be you.”

Was she flirting with me for real or for the cameras? “Do you like the guy I am?”

“I’m still figuring that out, Seth Butler. Which is why I’m letting you eat dinner with me again.”

“I’ll take it.” Fuck, how I wanted to kiss those lips of hers.

“Good night.” She hugged me again.

I dropped another kiss on the top of her head and closed my eyes, inhaling tangerine. Storing up anything Annalise would give me until tomorrow.

We hit a speedbump but maybe that was a good thing. She needed the truth. Better it come out and we deal with it before we got too far down this road. I knew this wasn’t going to be easy. And hell, I still wasn’t entirely sure where this was going. Only that I wanted to find out.

“Good night, Annalise.” I watched until she disappeared inside the bus then turned to find Isaac grinning at me like a fool and Kate’s mouth hanging open. “What?”

“Finding that new goal in life, huh?” Isaac punched my shoulder.

“Women aren’t goals, Isaac,” Kate admonished him.

“That’s not what I meant,” he shot back. “Seth knows what I mean.”

That I did. “I found someone to keep me on my toes. She just happens to be beautiful. Not that I’m complaining.” Everything about Annalise felt genuine. From her sparkling eyes to her fury and frustration. Fuck, how I liked that.Cravedit.

“Come on, Romeo.” Isaac pushed me towards the black sedan waiting to take us to the plane. “You have work to do.”

He didn’t know the half of it.

6

SETH

Iscrolled the posts on my phone. I fucking hated social media. My comments were always filled with assholes telling me how to play baseball. But I had a vested interest in opening the apps these days. Every time Annalise and I hit the headlines we had another barrier for Owen to climb.

The photos from Atlanta were gold. They’d caught the look on my face when I saw Annalise in those shorts. I wasn’t just attracted to Annalise. I was a goddamned besotted fool. It was all right there in the pictures. And it was only a matter of time before Rhett put two-and-two together and kicked my ass. I just hoped it wasn’t in the middle of a game.

There was also a shot of both of my kisses. One in particular went super viral. I had my eyes closed.

And so did she.

The upside to having the public interested in our relationship was that I got to see what they did—and what I otherwise would have missed. Fuck, if this was an act, Annalise had a second career waiting. She looked like my kiss was everything to her.

And that made my chest ache.