Page 22 of Last Fall

Leaving me alonewithErik.

“That’s really nice. What you said?” Erik cleared his throat. “About the game, I mean. I think you did a really wonderful job of capturing exactly what it means to all of us.” He shrugged his wide, muscular shoulders and I noticed for the second time that afternoon that there didn’t seem to be a shirt in creation that was loose on hisbiceps.

My mouthwatered.

Then he glanced up and into my eyes. I swear my heart stopped beating all together and this strange fluttering sensation shivered over my skin. “It’s like you’re a brilliant writer orsomething.”

That compliment did things to me. But it wasn’t the words he used. It was the genuine admiration in his voice...in his eyes as they heldmygaze.

I swallowed. “Thankyou.”

“I could never do whatyoudo.”

“And I could never do whatyoudo.”

For some reason his eyes brightened and a cocky little smile lit up his face. “Seems like we have a lot incommon.”

How had we suddenly slipped into flirting? “A ballplayer and awriter?”

He nodded. “You’re good at what you do and I’m good at what I do. And very few people will ever doeither.”

Before I could figure out how to respond to that, a tiny fireball in the form of my other former charge, Sam, came flying across the backyard. “Cake time!” she howled as if birthday cake were the single most exciting thing to ever happen inherlife.

“Well we can’t miss the cake,” Erik chuckled, holding out his hand so that I could go down the porch stepsfirst.

“Thanks.”

He cleared his throat. “Other than becoming highly paid and famous, how wasyourweek?”

I kind of tripped down the steps, giving Erik prime opportunity tosteadyme.

Putting his handsonme.

Yep, I sizzled and zinged in all the right places. Even though I’d studied the biology and chemistry of attraction it was still bizarre to experience those physical reactions for myself. A touch that lit my skin on fire, made my nervous system stand at attention, told my brain to want more of thesethings?

Amazing and terrifying all at thesametime.

“This week has been pretty quiet actually. My friends all knew weeks ago. I mean, everyone was excited to see the official announcement, but I kind of hid in my room andwrote.”

He frowned. “You should celebrate more. Especially somethinglikethis.”

Celebrate?That thing where people put all their attention on you? No thank you. “We’re celebratingrightnow.”

“And it’s wonderful, but it’s notforyou.”

“Exactly the way Ilikeit.”

“It doesn’t have to be about attention,” he said. “It could just be fun. A way to take a moment and acknowledge that you’ve done something monumental. Moments like that should be celebrated at least alittlebit.”

I had to admit his way sounded much less intimidating. “What didyoudo?”

He glanced down at me as he opened the gate and held it for me to pass through ahead of him. “What did Idowhen?”

“When you realized you were going to play Major LeagueBaseball.”

“Oh.” His eyes softened. “I took my family out to the biggest, most expensive dinner they’d ever eaten. And then we got icecream.”

That surprised me. “No fancy cars or nights out withtheguys?”