“Even if I push you too hard?”

I nod. “Even if you push me too hard.”

She lightly smiles and then yawns. “I’m tired. Getting a bloodhound to give you his best angles is not easy.”

“Which reminds me, you’re going to get that suit dry-cleaned, right?”

“No, that’s Herman’s suit now. You have ten in there. Do you really need one more?

“I don’t have ten.”

“Ten, two, whatever.” She shrugs and fuck I just want to kiss her when she does cute shit like that.

“Herman can’t have that suit.”

“Ugh, fine.” She closes her eyes and nuzzles into the pillow. “I’ll get it dry-cleaned, but I will say this, I bet Herman rocks that suit way better than you ever did.” She peeks one eye open and smiles.

I just shake my head at her and close my eyes as well, happy and content that Kinsley is once again, in my bed, holding my hand. Do I want to lean forward and taste her lips again? Caress her gorgeous skin? Fuck. Yes. But holding her hand in my bed? Going to sleep with my girl in my bed? Fucking fantastic. I’ll take that any day.

Chapter Thirteen

MADDOX

All-Star breaks are never as long as you hope them to be. Four days. That’s it. That’s all we get and then we’re back to the grind of showing up at the ball field, getting a workout in, reviewing tapes, reading up on the opponent, basically going through the daily routine of preparing for a game. It gets monotonous after a while, and it’s why a lot of us break it up with charity work. That, and the desire to give back to the community, because that too is a privilege of the game.

It’s why I’m at the Children’s Hospital with Cory Potter this morning.

Cory has made it his mission to help clean up the stereotype surrounding the Rebels franchise, and he’s doing it one event at a time. He’s chosen to hang out at the Children’s Hospital, handing out Rebels gear, and he asked me to come with him. It was an easy yes.

“Coach doesn’t care you’re going to miss pregame?”

“As long as I’m there to take some BP, that’s all he cares about.” He looks me up and down as we quietly talk to each other while maneuvering through the stark, taupe walls. “Must be nice to be a pitcher, just lazing about all the time.”

“Fuck you,” I whisper softly. “You know that’s not what we do.”

“I know, but I like seeing you get all riled up about it.”

“You’ve been hanging out with Jason for far too long.”

We turn a corner and someone opens a door for us as we head into the children’s wing. “He is my brother-in-law after all, so I really don’t have a choice. That and he seems to have some unusual man crush on me, which makes it pretty difficult to shake him off.”

“Right this way,” one of the assistants says, directing us into an empty family room. “We’re going to prepare some of the families. Hang tight for a second.”

We both thank the girl and when the door clicks shut, Cory leans against the wall and asks, “How are things with Kinsley?”

“Fine,” I answer, looking away.

“Just fine? Right. The truth?”

I scratch the side of my jaw and say, “With Natalie, you were friends, right?”

He smiles. “Sort of, but not like best friends or anything like that. More acquaintances that had to room together.”

I twist my lips to the side trying to figure out how to put this. “Kinsley and I have been best friends since we were five. I always thought she was beautiful, but never made a move because she was my Kinsley, my rock. I didn’t ever want to fuck that up. I needed her strength and friendship more than I needed to satisfy my dick.”

“Understandable,” Cory replies, intent on listening to me.

“So I always dated others girls and in high school, I had a serious relationship with a girl named Jamie. When things got twisted with her, Kinsley was there to pick up the pieces and I think that was one of the first moments I ever thought about kissing her.” Cory smiles. “Figured I was vulnerable and shit, so I never dove too deep into that gut instinct.”

“Until she moved in with you.”

“Exactly.” I breathe out heavily. “It didn’t take fucking long either. Immediately, I had that gut instinct again, the one that’s telling me to make a move, to tell her how I feel. But I don’t know how to cross that line, you know?”

“You’re scared.”

“Fucking terrified. What if she doesn’t want what I want? I don’t want to fuck up our friendship. Did you ever feel that way?”

Cory shakes his head. “No, Natalie and I weren’t that good of friends. We were in different places in our life, but I can understand the fear of crossing that line. With Natalie, I didn’t want to cross the line over to intimacy because I knew if I did, I wouldn’t be able to stop from taking everything I wanted.”

“What made you finally give in?”

“She did,” he answers on a chuckle and a shake of his head. “The girl is fucking persistent. She knew what she wanted and she took it.”

Damn . . .

“From the look in your eyes, I’m going to assume that’s not what you wanted to hear,” Cory says, eyeing me.

“Not really. I honestly think Kinsley is completely oblivious to my feelings.”

“Have you told her how you feel?”

“Fuck no,” I say quickly, making us both chuckle. “But I’ve been, you know, touching her in different ways, holding her. I mean, hell, we fall asleep in my bed every night, holding hands.”

“Just holding hands? Dude, that’s friend-zone material.”

“I know,” I groan while dragging my hands over my face. “Fuck, I know. But then yesterday, she brought home this dog—long story—and I told her he could stay with us for a bit and she fucking kissed me on the lips. Jumped up my body and kissed me on the lips.”

“Oh damn, really?” Cory looks excited. “What did you do?”

“Nothing. I was so shocked, I just stood there and before I could react, she hopped off me. I mean, what was I supposed to do, kiss her back, grip the nape of her neck so she couldn’t move, press her up against the wall and really take what I want?”

“To name a few things.”

I look down at the ground, feeling at a loss. “I don’t know, man. I’m really fucking terrified that she’s not feeling the same way and if I make a bold move, I might scare her away. I can’t lose her.”

“Then make small moves.”

“Small moves?”

“Yeah, test the waters. See if you’re what she wants. Touch her differently here and there, gauge her reaction. Maybe instead of holding hands at night, pull her into little spoon position. Kiss her neck good night. Subtle fucking moves that are toeing the line but not completely crumbling over.”

“Subtle moves.” I give it some thought. “I think I can do that.”

Cory just laughs, a good hearty laugh while he stares at me in disbelief.

“What?” I ask.

“Never in a million years would I have guessed that Maddox Paige, the bad boy of baseball, is a fucking softy with a heart. Nor would I have ever bet that you would come to me for girl advice.”

“You don’t need to rub that shit in.”

Cory pushes off the wall and says, “After all the crap you put me through my first season with the Rebels, yeah, I’ll be rubbing it in.”

Okay, I deserve that.

Subtle things. It’s what I keep saying in my head over and over again as I walk down the hall to my apartment. Knowing Kinsley is home, I don’t bother checking the lock but open the door and find Kinsley and Herman sitting together on the couch, followed by Joan and who I’m going to assume is her husband sitting across from them. Everyone has a coffee cup in hand, while there’s a spread of breads on a tray in between them.

What the fuck is happening?

Immediately the hairs on the back of my neck rise as I slowly shut the door.

There are strangers in my apartment. People I don’t know, invading my space.

My home. What the actual fuck?

“There you are.” Kinsley stands. “Congrats on the win. Linc pitched one hell of a game.” She takes me by the arm and leads me into the living room. “Maddox, you’ve met Joan, but I don’t believe you’ve met Melvin.”

The curmudgeon glances up at me and then waves his big paw before turning back to a piece of bread he seems to be enjoying.

“Uh, Kinsley, can I talk to you for a second?”

“Yes, in a bit. Joan was just telling a story that has me on the edge of my seat. Sit down.”

Kinsley yanks on my arm again and sits me next to Herman, who automatically rests his head on my thigh. Tense and very uncomfortable, I sit there, ramrod straight as I stare at two complete strangers, in my living room, my personal space. The only sacred space I have in Chicago. This is not okay.

“So you were saying, Melvin was about to bungee jump blindfolded.”

“Yes,” Joan says, setting her mug on the coffee table. “And as they were counting down to his plummet, he called out to me, that he loved me. It was the first time he ever said it.”

“Ahhh.” Kinsley clutches her heart. “That’s so sweet.”