Rosalie's Player (3 page)

Idiot!

“The game was great tonight,” Rosalie said, trying to distract herself. “Awesome play in the third inning.”

“Thanks. I messed that play up once, and after the fans freaked out, I swore I’d never do that again.” Ryder laughed, his boyish looks coming through in his smile. “It was all over Sports Center every hour on some blooper reel.”

“Eww, that must have sucked.”

“Big time.”

“How’s the team?”

“We’re good.” He chuckled as he glanced at the bar. “Holt’s good.”

“I didn’t ask about him.”

“That’s what you want to know.” It wasn’t even a question. Was she that obvious?

The waitress set two bottles of beer in front of them. She lingered for a few seconds, wiping the table and setting a fresh coaster under Ryder’s drink.

“Thanks, Casey.” He watched as she cleaned the table before smiling at him and sauntering away.

“Do you like her?” Rosalie asked.

“Who?”

“The waitress?”

“That’s Casey Bennet. Her dad owns this place. I see her around from time to time.”

“Are you interested?”

“I don’t know.” He leaned back in his chair. “She’s elusive.”

“Be more assertive.”

“I’ll think about it.” He shot her the most adorable grin and she remembered why she enjoyed him so much. “Aren’t you going to say hello to Holt?”

“I will.”

“So what happened between you two back in January?”

“What do you mean?” She puckered her cheeks when she sipped the ale. She wasn’t much of a beer drinker. No matter how much she tried in college, it always tasted so bitter.

“You two seemed to hit it off that night we played pool here. You left with him, but then that was that. Neither of you mentioned the other again.”

“Really?” She didn’t know why she was let down. It wasn’t as if she expected Holt to talk about her to his teammates, especially since she hadn’t given him any locker room fodder. “I guess we weren’t compatible.” She brought the beer to her lips, but then stopped because she wasn’t ready to taste it again. “I don’t know.”

“Holt’s compatible with everyone, at least for one night.”

“That’s probably why he didn’t hit it off with me.”

“Ouch.”

“It’s all good.” She laughed because she didn’t want to appear disappointed. “We weren’t on the same page.”

“I heard you’re coming on the road with us.”

“Not every away game, but Sage thought it would be fun for me to hang out this summer and help her. Pick out her clothes and manage her schedule. Things like that.”

“That’s cool.”

“Hey, you two.” Holt pulled up a seat from a vacant table and sat between them.

She spied some new black ink peeking out of the top of his shirt by his shoulder. His baseball cap was on backward, sporting the number thirty-six, his number, on the back. She caught the scent of his fresh soap and crisp aftershave. When she saw him on the mound tonight, he’d been sweaty and covered in brown dirt from sliding. He cleaned up nice she thought as she checked out his biceps popping out of his sleeves.

“Holt.” Her stomach did a flip when he smiled at her. Any thoughts of acting casual around him went right out of her head.

“This is a pleasant surprise, princess.”

She could smell the beer on his breath as he leaned in and kissed her cheek. When his stubble grazed her skin a charge of desire coursed through her.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming back to Kingston? I would have arranged for a carriage to pick you up at the airport. You know, like a glass one or something.”

“Funny.” She chugged the sour beer, crinkling her nose as the cold liquid slipped down her throat.

“Ah, you know I’m just kidding.” He took the bottle from her. “Ryder, get the lady a martini. She doesn’t drink beer from a bottle.”

“I’m fine,” she said, encouraged he remembered she wasn’t a beer drinker. “I’m driving, so I really shouldn’t drink anything else.”

“I’ll get you home,” he offered.

“That’s sweet of you, but someone may have to get you home.”

“Maybe.” He downed half her beer. “You staying?”

“In Kingston?”
Would he care?
“For a few months while I figure out what I want to do with myself.”

“Perfect.” He touched the ends of her hair, gently tugging on them before pulling away. Even the most subtle of his actions made her insides jump to life. “I might like having you around.”

“You’re real smooth.” Ryder laughed. “It’s a good thing Rosie’s too smart for you.”

“Shouldn’t you be chasing after Casey Bennet?
Rosalie
and I would like to be alone.”

“Casey’s working.” He glanced in the direction of the pretty waitress. “Rosalie and I were in the middle of a conversation.”

“Go get a beer.” Holt nodded toward the bar. “You’re almost finished.”

“If you want to be alone, then just say it.” Ryder stood, taking his beer with him. “I’ll go hang out with Pax and Nic.”

“Good idea,” Holt said. “Don’t let them bore you with baby pictures and girlfriend talk.”

“Bye, Ryder.” Rosalie waved. “See you tomorrow.”

“Sure, Rosie.” He headed toward the bar. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“I thought he’d never leave.” Holt moved closer to her. “What’s tomorrow?”

“Ryder and I are going running by the lake.”

“I run.”

“Then come with us.” Maybe having him join her and Ryder would be a safer way to see him. Why did she want to see him at all?

“It’s a little too crowded for me,” he said. “What’s up with you two?”

“Nothing.” Did he care? “We’re just friends.”

“Since when?”

“Since I left in January.”

His expression held surprise as he strangled the neck of the bottle in his palm. Ryder must not have mentioned her.

“We’ve been texting the past few months. Ryder persuaded me to come back to Kingston. I could have gone to Italy with some friends for the summer.”

“But you chose Kingston instead?”

“I did.” A nervous giggle escaped her lips. If he only knew the real reason she came to Rhode Island. It had nothing to do with finding herself, and everything to do with the complicated, irritatingly crass, sexy, irresistible man sitting next to her. “I like baseball.”

“Hmm.” He leaned back in his chair. “I think you like baseball players.”

“You might be right.”

“So, we gonna pick up where we left off?” He traced a circle over the back of her hand before taking it in his. “I think I’d like that.” When he brought her knuckles to his mouth a quick shiver ran down her spine.

“Where did we leave off?” She glanced down at his mouth on her hand. “Exactly?”
Stay focused. Don’t let this man reduce you to a groupie. He has enough of those.

“Why don’t you let me take you home and refresh your memory?”

“As enticing as that sounds I think I’m going to have to pass.” She wasn’t going to let his smooth tongue persuade her. No matter how tempting he was. She’d been in town half a day. If she gave in now, he’d be done with her and she’d be miserable. That would make for a very long summer.

“Why?” He let go of her hand and rested it in his lap, so close to his... “What’s the problem?”

“I’m not looking for a one-night stand.”

“Who said it has to be one night?” He twisted his fingers in her hair and guided her mouth to his. “It could be more than
one
night.” He brushed his lips across hers, making her forget they were in a crowded bar. “Do you think about that night at the cottage? How I made you feel?”

She nodded, her body a quivering mess of arousal and adrenaline.

“You got inside my head.” His warm breath floated across her lips. “That never happens. I tried to push you out, and I did a good job too.”

“And now?” She couldn’t stop focusing on his mouth, remembering how forceful his kiss was. The sting of his eagerness lasted for hours, leaving a memorable impression. One that sent her running straight back to the source as soon as she could. “Are you still doing a good job?”

“What do you think?” He tightened the grip on her hair as he pressed his mouth to hers. The impact excited her. The way he wasn’t ashamed to show his raw need did things to her. Things she’d never experienced except one time. That cold night in January. The night she regretted sending him away.

The kiss deepened fast, spiraling out of control before she could rein it in. His free hand was now in her lap, hidden below the table as he snaked it under her skirt. The darkness of the corner they sat in concealed them from prying eyes. No one paid them any attention, but the thrill of knowing people could watch them fueled her lust for him as she scooted to the front of the chair, forcing his hand even further up her tiny skirt. What had gotten into her? Why did she encourage him?

As his tongue meshed with hers, he explored her upper thigh with his fingers, inching closer to her...

“Rosalie.” When Sage cleared her throat Rosalie jumped back.

Awkward.

“I didn’t see you come in,” she managed to breathe out, the embarrassment heating the back of her neck.

“I guess not.” She smiled and then looked at Holt. “Nice pitching tonight.”

“Thanks.” He finished Rosalie’s beer before hopping off the bar stool. “I’m gonna go hang out with the guys. I’ll see you around.”

“Okay.” Rosalie watched as he strolled across the restaurant and back to the bar area. What did he mean by ‘see you around’? Had she inspired him with that kiss? Did he think they were going to pick up where they left things at the cottage?

“What’s up?” Sage asked as she took a seat.

“Not too much.”

“Hmm...” Sage glanced in Holt’s direction.

“What?”

“Wasn’t it just six hours ago that you told me you weren’t interested in Holt? That you didn’t come to Kingston for him?”

“I didn’t.”

“Things looked hot a few seconds ago. How’d that happen so fast?”

“He makes me crazy.” Rosalie adjusted her skirt. “I promised myself I wouldn’t get sucked into his good looks and raw magnetism, but when I’m around him I can’t control it.”

“You and every other girl.” Sage laughed. “He’s a wild one. He may not be able to settle down any time soon.”

“Who said he has to settle down?”

Sage tapped her fingers on the worn wood of the table, waiting for Rosalie to give it up.

“What?” Rosalie asked.

“You’d be okay with casual?”

“Sure.”
Liar!
“Like how casual?”

“Ha! You’ve never been around a bunch of sex-crazed athletes on the road. They can get out of hand. Some of them have no problem with the ‘different city, different girl’ rule. It’s a game to them.”

“You think Holt would mess around with other girls with me on the road?” Not that they were exclusive by any stretch of the imagination. They weren’t anything at all to one another. They shared a few steamy moments, but Rosalie couldn’t deny she felt something strong for him.

“That kiss may have meant more to you than it did to him.” Sage thought for a moment, probably trying to choose her words carefully. “I’ve been traveling with the team for a few months. I observe things. I’ve interviewed them on intimate levels and dug into their pasts. I’ve researched their childhood, interviewed family members and friends.”

“You know Holt?”

“I know his type.”

“Do you think he’ll always be a player?” Rosalie asked.

“Always is a long time, but right now, he’s having too much fun to stop.”

“Pax had to be one of the league’s wildest bad-boys, and now he has a wife he adores and a beautiful daughter. Not that I’m looking for something like that with Holt, but...” Bad-boys could be reformed. Not that she wanted to change Holt, but people could settle down with the right incentive.

“Pax is a few years older than Holt. He fell hard for Sophia. I did a feature on their whirlwind romance. It was the stuff dreams are made of, but not every girl who finds a baseball hunk is going to end up married and living the fantasy. I know you, Rosie, you dream big. You want the fantasy. You want what Pax and Soph have. Not what Holt and every other girl in every city has.”

“What’s wrong with that?” She wouldn’t deny she hoped for the whole deal. What girl didn’t?

“Nothing.” Sage patted Rosalie’s hand. “You’re young. Have a good time and worry about the other stuff later.”

“You and Nic are happy and headed in the right direction.”

“We’ve loved one another for a long time. We got sidetracked, but managed to find our way back to one another.”

“With my help,” Rosalie reminded her. “Nic wouldn’t have gotten very far with my stubborn sister if I didn’t work so hard to make you see what you were missing out on.”

“I want to return the favor.” Sage glanced over at the guys laughing and carrying on at the bar. “If you’re in this to have fun, then I say go for it. Just know what you’re getting yourself into before you jump in. You have the whole summer ahead of you. Don’t set yourself up for disappointment.”

“Thanks for the sisterly advice.”

“I want you to enjoy this summer. Not everyone gets to travel with a major league baseball team. Most of the guys are great. Just don’t fall for the wrong ones.”

“Holt?”

“You’re a smart girl. You’ll figure it out.”

Sage was right. Rosalie tended to have high expectations when it came to romance. She had a picture in her head of the way things were supposed to play out, and that often set her up for failure when it came to guys.

Holt was no prince. That wasn’t a secret. She’d have to make a decision, and fast. Could she be with a man who only wanted to have fun? Would sex with a smoking hot baseball player be enough? She couldn’t answer that for sure. But one thing she was certain of...being with Holt Clemson would make for one hell of a summer.

Chapter 3

Rosalie knocked on the door of the brick, two-story colonial that Ryder and Holt shared. She’d been there once before, the first time she’d visited Kingston. It was a real man cave. They had more beer and protein shakes in the fridge than they did food. A pool table dominated the screened-in, heated porch with a massive flat screen and a hot tub big enough for twelve people.