Page 10 of Fake Dates and Home Plates (Way Off Base #1)

Chapter Ten

Theo

It’s almost a week before I see my fake girlfriend again. Henley’s training schedule and our classes have kept us both busy.

Plus, we’ve finally started up baseball practices again, which means my afternoons are spent on the field or doing conditioning with the team.

Somehow, I convinced her to come to Bash and Sunny’s game night with me. The twins usually team up to save us from their overcompetitive sibling rivalry.

Being an only child, I grew up wishing for a sibling, mainly because it meant someone to hang out with while my parents were busy attending galas and making their tee time with business partners rather than parenting.

But watching my teammate and his sister threaten to end each other over a board game makes me think I’m lucky.

“If things get too intense, give me a signal, and I’ll make up an excuse to leave,” I say as we walk down the hall.

Bash and Sunny share an apartment. Apparently, a contract had to be drawn up and signed prior to moving in because they both have very similar social lives.

She can’t fuck any of his teammates.

He isn’t allowed to fuck her friends.

Neither of them is permitted to make the other witness or hear their…activities.

Henley eyes me curiously when I reach for her hand.

“United front,” I say with a wink.It’s the first time we’ve held hands, and I struggle to hide a smile when her fingers interlock with mine.

When I land a quick knock on the apartment door, I feel Henley lean into me.

She doesn’t seem nervous. She probably knows at least a few of the people here anyway, having met them at previous parties or gone to high school with them, like me.

“Theo Fucking Barlowe,” my teammate says as he throws open the door.

“Bash,” I say with an eye roll as I lead the way through the doorframe, “this is Henley.”

“You mean your girlfriend?” Bash asks while wiggling his brows up and down.

Henley laughs at his antics but doesn’t let go of my hand or deny it. I guess she’s a pretty good actor.

“Sebastian, can you try not to overwhelm our guests? Maybe you could try being a little more hospitable and offer them a drink instead of teasing them like it’s middle school,” his sister says as she joins us.

Without breaking my hold on Henley, I give Sunny a side hug with my free arm.

“Hi, I’m Sunny. Sebastian’s way prettier, more talented, and definitely smarter sister,” she introduces herself to Henley before diving in for a hug. “Thank fuck there’s another girl joining this crowd on a full-time basis.”

Henley does break our hold to hug Sunny back, but I quickly reach for her hand as soon as it’s over.

“I’m Henley, Theo’s girlfriend.” She smiles up at me before returning her attention to Sunny.

I see the way Henley relaxes almost instantly, like she put on a mask for a part she’s way too comfortable playing.

Bash studies Henley before asking, “Have we met before?”

Sunny pretends to puke. “Oh no. Please tell me you two haven’t…”

Her voice trails off, but we all know what she’s implying. A sour taste fills my mouth at the implication of Henley sleeping with my teammate.

But it’s gone just as quickly as it arrived, because I know Bash would never.

He’s known about my crush on Henley since we roomed together freshman year.

It’s the only time Sunny and Bash didn’t share a living arrangement, as the campus rule required freshmen to live on campus.

Their parents prefer to pay rent on one apartment; it makes it easier to see both Bash and Sunny when they visit.

“Nope. Not me.” Henley shakes her head.

Sunny squeals. “Good. Because we’re totally about to be best friends.” She grabs Henley’s free arm and drags her away, once again disconnecting my hold on her, leading Henley into the kitchen.

I watch as she goes, her laughter traveling through the room. My hand feels empty now that it’s not holding hers. Without her next to me to concentrate on, I can finally hear just how loud it seems to be in here.

“You okay?” Bash asks, giving me a normal look.

I nod. “Great.”

He eyes me suspiciously. “So what magic hat did you use to pull out your dream girlfriend?”

“If I told you, I’d have to kill you,” I say, deadpan.

“Don’t worry, I’m not looking to steal it,” he says with a laugh. Bash means it, though. He’s not interested in settling down with one girl any time soon.

“It’s not real,” I tell him.

He takes a pull from his beer before he looks at me, his eyebrows crinkled in confusion.

Taking a look around, I double-check no one can hear us. “Me and Henley. It’s not real. She wanted to get back at Dakota, and I volunteered to help.” Technically, it was all my idea, but I don’t want to hear about how much of whipped loser I am right now.

Bash looks at Henley talking with his sister in the kitchen before looking back at me.

“Dude,” he says with wide eyes. “That’s genius. But are you sure that’s a good idea? I mean, you’ve been making heart eyes at her since I’ve known you.”

I roll my very non-heart-shaped eyes. “It’s fine. Besides, if this is the only way I get to be with her, why not?”

I mean it. If the only way I get to be with Henley Harkin is under false pretenses, I’ll just thank whatever lucky star gave me the chance. Being in her orbit, in her light, is an adventure worth risking myself for.

I just hope I remember that when this is all over.

Bash slaps me on the shoulder before using his grip to steer me closer to the kitchen. “Alright, lover boy. Let’s get this game night started.

After introducing Henley to a few more of my teammates, we settle in for the game of the night.

Maybe warning Henley wasn’t necessary. Maybe I should have warned everyone else about her. I underestimated her competitiveness by…a fuck ton.

Sunny stole my partner, so not only do I not get to have Henley sitting in my lap for this game, I also have to deal with my broody, sore-loser teammate.

Her team is leading with two points, and she’s called Bash and me at least four different insults. The worst part is, she isn’t wrong; he missed an obvious answer and cost our team a point. Then, he drew something he didn’t understand, so I didn’t have a chance in hell at guessing.

Ezra, our team's shortstop, finds her insults hilarious, so much so that he and his partner, some random guy he brought along to the party as a date, haven’t even tried to take the game seriously in favor of cheering the girls on.

“Okay, it’s a movie,” Sunny says as she watches Henley make a gesture. “No? Not? Never?” She continues guessing until Henley nods, confirming the last word was correct.

Henley’s lips start making a kissy face.

“Duck?” Sunny says, clearly confused.

Henley shakes her head no and looks at me.

“Boyfriend?” she guesses again.

“Oh, fuck it,” Henley says before she rolls her eyes and marches over to me, mouthing the word, “Sorry.”

“Hey, no talking!” Bash shouts, but I’m not listening.

Because Henley kisses me. Not a full on make-out session—our lips don’t even really move against each other—but it’s definitely a kiss.

“Oh!” Sunny shouts. “ Never Been Kissed .”

Henley turns away from me to face her partner, and they celebrate another point.

Standing, I look to Bash with an apology before saying, “Girls win. We gotta go!”

I grab Henley’s hand and lead her behind me as we leave the party. My teammates all shout different remarks, from demanding we return to encouraging our sudden departure. I’m sure they all think I’m taking her home so we can fuck.

But they are wrong.

Henley follows without question, but the second we’re away from the noise, she tugs gently on my hand. “Theo, I’m sorry.”

I don’t let her finish.

Spinning around, I press her back against the hallway wall, my hands rising to beside each side of her head. Her eyes widen, breath catching.

“Tell me I can kiss you. Please.” My voice is shaky and desperate, but I don’t care.

She doesn’t give me an answer. Instead, her lips meet mine again.

This time, though, it’s real.

It’s a real kiss. My lips move against hers hungrily as one of my hands moves behind her head so my fingers can tangle in her hair. When I gently tug on the dark waves, she gasps. I use that opportunity to brush my tongue against hers.

Using my foot, I kick softly at her ankle until she spreads her legs a little bit for me. My leg squeezes between hers, applying a gentle pressure to her core.

She moans softly against my mouth, and the sound wrecks me. Her hands move under my shirt, her palms warm against my skin.

I lose track of everything but her.

That is, until I hear a whistle and turn to find Ezra and his date watching us.

“I thought you two would be long gone,” he says with a wink.

A noise comes out of my throat that sounds a lot like a growl, and it has his eyes widening.

“Oh, okay. Yeah, nothing to see here in the hall. Got it.” He grabs his date by the hand and hauls ass out of the hallway.

We’ll probably never see that guy with Ezra again.

He’s a love and leave everyone kind of guy, hooking up with people regularly but never seriously.

Unlike Bash, he believes in repeat performances, but only until the guy or girl starts to catch feelings.

I take a deep breath and turn back to Henley. Her cheeks are flushed, her hair a mess. There’s a grin on her face that has me smiling back at her.

Fuck, she’s beautiful.

“Come on, I’ll get you home.”

I need to get her home safely so I can get home and take care of myself.

I’ve never been so fucking hard in my life.