Page 53 of Bad Ball Hitter
His fingers gently brush against mine, the touch sending sparks up my arm and making me acutely aware of the space that separates us. He smiles at me, a small, intimate gesture that leaves me breathless with anticipation.
“I don’t want to wait. If things get awkward, you can move in with me.”
“I … what?” I stutter, taken aback by his bold proposal. I gape at him as shocked laughter bubbles up deep within me. “You are insane.”
“Maybe,” he concedes with a nonchalant shrug, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “But I’m serious, Lila. Why wait? You and me, we’ve waited long enough.”
My mind whirls with the implications of his offer. Moving in with Drake Gunner, the very man I’ve been carefully distancing myself from—it’s ludicrous. And yet … my heart flutters at the prospect.
“I … I can’t just…” I start, but the words get stuck in my throat. Drake looks at me with his steady gaze, and everything else falls away for a moment.
“Let’s see what happens after I tell her. Who knows, maybe she’ll handle it well.”
“You don’t know your girlfriend too well, do you?” I take off toward the parking garage. This is wild. Girlfriend. Moving in together. What even is this life?
“Hey.” He reaches out to hold my hand, and I let him. His touch is so familiar; it sends shivers down my spine as memories dance through my mind. “This is just another hiccup we have to endure. We’ll get through it.”
I nod. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yeah, this is fast, but I’m willing to try.” I owe it to myself to see where it leads. Lord knows I haven’t moved on yet. I’ll either find closure or feel complete.
“We’ll get it figured out.”
We reached his car when I remembered my car was back in the parking lot, broken. “I also need to figure out my car.”
“I took care of it.”
“You did what?” I halt and stare up at him in disbelief.
He shrugs, trying to appear nonchalant, but a smug smile tugs at his lips. “I called a tow truck when you were in your meeting. It’s being taken to the shop. They said they’ll have it fixed by tomorrow.”
“Drake…” I sigh heavily, feeling both exasperated and grateful. I don’t know how to deal with this man who seems to enjoy inserting himself into my life without warning or permission. But then again, if he hadn’t shown up today…
I shake the thought away, not wanting to admit how much I needed him earlier. How much I still need him.
“Why did you do that?” I finally mutter, looking away from his intense gaze.
“I told you,” he says, reaching over to lift my chin so I can meet his gaze again. “You deserve someone who wants to be there for you.”
His words echo the ones he said earlier and fill me with a sense of warmth that I can’t deny. I study his features—the rugged sharpness of his jawline softened by the shadowy stubble, the tousled mess of his dark hair, and those compelling brown eyes that have seen me at my best and worst.
“Thank you.”
He opens the passenger door for me, and I slide into the seat.
“Let’s get Jake.”
“Oh, he was spending the night there.”
“I guess all that’s left is facing Miranda.”
“Are you ready for her wrath?”
“Nope, not at all.”
I chuckle as he shuts my door and jogs to the driver’s side. As we take off, part of me knows this won’t end well. There is a lot to work out.