7. Lance
seven
Lance
Present
“It’s hot as balls out here.” Lifting my hat, I swipe my wristband over my sweaty forehead and run a hand through my hair, then place my cap back onto my head.
Sweat drips down my back as I lean forward and rest my forearms along the top of the fence beside Cam. We’ve been watching Nico answer questions for the marketing team while one of the Evaders’ assistant coaches inserts balls into the pitching machine for him to hit.
Nico cranks a ball over the outfield fence, towards a group of waiting kids. They all scramble for the ball until one comes up victorious and holds their trophy into the air.
Cam chuckles and mentions how he can’t wait to see his nephew in a few hours. His entire family is about to arrive in town for his wedding this weekend.
“Are you ready for this weekend?” I ask.
“Hell fucking yes, I am.” Cam grins, getting that dopey look he always gets when he thinks about his fiancée.
“I figured you would be.” He talked about marrying his girlfriend before he had even proposed.
“You have no idea, man. I’m the luckiest bastard on the planet. I can’t wait to call Talia my wife.”
“I bet you do,” I say, making him laugh.
I never thought I would see my friend fall so hard and fast for a woman, but I’ve met Talia, so I understand.
She is cool as hell and wicked smart. And she doesn’t take crap from Cam or Nico.
I was surprised to learn how sweet Talia is, compared to her rude, grumpy-dick brother.
I shouldn’t talk shit. I’m no better. It’s not that I’m grumpy; I just don’t have a lot to say. Besides, people are going to see what they want to see. No use arguing about it.
The Evaders’ marketing manager throws her head back and laughs, drawing my attention. I couldn’t keep my eyes off her even if I wanted to. I’m attracted to her like a moth to a flame. Her light taunts me to come closer. To pull me deeper under her spell.
Gwen Montgomery is a fucking witch, and I’m powerless against her magic.
From under my hat, I let my gaze roam over her body.
Like every other day we’ve been in Arizona, Gwen looks hot as fuck wearing a powder-pink tank top that hugs her pert little tits, and a sexy pair of cutoff jean shorts that show off her muscular legs.
All morning, I’ve had to watch her stand behind the batting fence and ask my teammates questions, while taking videos for The Evaders’ social media accounts.
Having to watch the way the guys flirt with her has got my blood boiling. Gwen has been a constant professional, but I still had to walk away a few times, afraid I might say something stupid or beat a friend with my bat.
She’s driving me crazy.
Nico has Gwen laughing again, and I can’t tear my eyes away from the sight of her long curly hair brushing the top of her ass. An ass I have every inch of memorized.
Don’t think about her ass, I mentally chant.
If I do; I’ll get hard.
I need to keep reminding myself she’s off-fucking-limits. It doesn’t need to be said, but sleeping with the team owner’s daughter is a quick way to get traded.
It’s irrelevant anyway. Gwen wants nothing to do with me. She’s been avoiding me since we got here, and I don’t blame her. I cornered her in the conference room, accused her of being a liar, and then acted like the biggest dick.
I instantly regretted my behavior, but her sudden appearance threw me off.
For months I searched for her, and then there she was, standing in the conference room, looking like a goddess sent straight from the heavens to find me. I was so happy to see her. Then she said, “Good morning, gentlemen. I’m Gwen Montgomery.” And I was crushed.
I found her and lost her all in a matter of seconds.
My surprise turned into hurt, and that turned into anger. For an hour, that anger simmered until I exploded. The look on her face when I told her I wished I could take that night back haunts me.
I don’t want to take that night back. If anything, I want the opposite. More nights with her. Not just because the sex was out-of-this-world amazing. But because Gwen is amazing. She comforted me when I was hurting. She saw the real me, not a baseball player.
We sat on the rooftop, talking—just the two of us, hidden away from the rest of the world—until we went back to my hotel room.
I’ve wracked my brain for weeks, and I still can’t figure out what I must have done or said wrong to make her leave without saying goodbye. Without leaving a way for me to reach her.
“You okay, Taylor?” Cam asks.
Eyes still on Gwen, I answer, “Yep. I’m fine.”
“Doesn’t seem like you’re just fine, Captain.”
“Well, I am fine,” I snap, fighting the urge to roll my eyes at the Captain comment.
Cam has called me Captain since I joined the Evaders. He thinks I look like the actor who plays the superhero, but I don’t see the similarity.
I’m way prettier. Okay, that makes me sound like a dick. But it’s true.
“If you say so. But you’ve been ogling Gwen since we got here, and I’m pretty sure I saw little hearts in your eyes.”
“I think you’re seeing things. Just because you constantly stare at Talia with heart eyes doesn’t mean I’m doing the same now,” I lie. The last thing I want is for people to notice my infatuation and figure out that something happened between us.
My eyes find her again, and this time her aqua gaze flicks to mine.
A bolt of lightning hits me square in the chest. I grip the fence to avoid rubbing the growing ache behind my ribs, all while my cock twitches behind my cup.
Gwen quickly looks away, and I don’t know what’s worse: having her look at me or pretending like I don’t exist.
I royally screwed up when I accused her of withholding the truth. Deep in my gut, I know she didn’t purposely lie to me. I was just caught up in the moment. The anger at finally finding her and realizing we can never be.
It fucking hurt.
I’ve never connected with someone so quickly, but Gwen made it easy. She understood me because she felt the same way. Never good enough.
I force the last conversation with my father back into the dark recesses of my mind.
“Mmm. Sure, sure. I must be crazy then. You know G’s single, right?” Cam says. For some odd reason, the way he says G—as if he knows Gwen intimately—rubs me the wrong way.
“What do I care if she’s single?” My response is harsher than I mean it to be, making Cam chuckle.
“Cool. Then you won’t mind if I share that information with the other guys who are interested. I’ve seen quite a few of them checking her out, and I think I heard Lucas talking about wanting to ask her out.”
The thought of her with another man fills me with unhinged rage. Lucas Snell? Fuck no. I’d kneecap the little twerp with my bat if he so much as touched her.
“He can’t. She works here,” I say flatly, trying to hide my anger.
Cam throws his head back and laughs as if I said something ridiculous.
“So?” He scoffs.
“So? Her father is Ted. Montgomery. You know. Our boss.”
“So? Talia was Nico’s sister.”
“You’re an idiot.”
“Fine. Do nothing and watch someone else come along and snap her up. Just know, being with Talia is the best thing that ever happened to me. It wasn’t easy, but the good stuff never is. So who gives a fuck about a bro code when it comes to the one?”
The one.
We spent one night together. She can’t be the one.
I shake my head at him. “Just because it worked out for you doesn’t mean it works for everyone. Also, this isn’t just about some unspoken bro code. There are rules about dating a colleague.”
“Dude, are you forgetting who Maryse is married to?” he asks.
I run through what I know about Maryse. She’s married to retired Evaders’ pitcher Mateo Diaz. They met and dated while she was an employee and long before he retired.
“That’s different.”
Cam pushes off the fence and frowns. “How?”
“Maryse isn’t the owner’s daughter.”
He shakes his head. “Whatever. All I’m saying is Gwen’s awesome. She’s smart and funny. She’s easy on the eyes.”
I know. Why do you think I slept with her?
I bite my tongue to keep from snapping back. I need to keep my ridiculous thoughts to myself.
Nico and Gwen walk in our direction. I watch as she keeps her gaze on her pink and white sneakers as she talks to Nico. As she gets closer to the dugout, she slowly brings her pretty aqua eyes to meet mine.
This time, when our gazes collide, it feels like a damn gut punch. My lungs constrict, expelling all the oxygen from within.
Cam nudges me with his elbow and whispers, “Maybe she’s worth the risk.”
Gwen approaches the fence line and lifts the clipboard she’s carrying to her chest. “Hey, guys.”
“Hey, G. Are the guys treating you well, or do I need to knock some heads?” Cam jokes, making Gwen giggle.
The sound zaps me to life, and jealousy rips through me.
It should be me making her laugh like that. No one else.
What the hell is wrong with me?
My heart beats in my ears as I grip the fence and try to rein in my emotions.
“Lance?” I jerk my head up to find Gwen watching.
Her pretty little teeth are buried in her bottom lip, and she’s looking at me as if she’s waiting for me to answer.
All I can do is picture her on her knees with those same pink lips wrapped around my cock as I fucked her face. My dick rages behind my cup, making it really fucking uncomfortable for me to talk to her.
Cam helps me out. “Taylor, it’s your turn to talk with Gwen.”
“Fuck no,” I blurt out without thinking.
The color drains from Gwen’s cheeks, and the sparkle in her eyes is snuffed out. Nico frowns and glances between me and Gwen. He’s probably putting the pieces together like Cam.
Fuck.
“Lance,” Cam growls.
With a grunt, I shake my head no. I know I’m supposed to talk to her, but I can’t. Not now, and definitely not with my cock half hard and my emotions out of control.
I look to Nico and with my eyes plead for him to punch me in the face so I can’t say or do another stupid thing. He crosses his arms and shakes his head in disgust at me. Don’t blame him. I fucked up. Again.
“It’s okay.” Gwen flips a switch and plasters on the fake smile I’ve seen before, and I think the smile hurts more than if she just told me to fuck off for being an asshole. “I don’t need him. I think the rest of the team has given me enough to work with. See you guys later.”
Gwen turns on her heel and sashays back to her camera. My eyes stay glued to her ass the entire time.
“Who’s the idiot now?” Cam asks.
“Fuck off,” I growl.
Nico smacks my cap off my head. “Fucking dumbass. Be nice to her, or next time I will punch you.”
“Seriously,” Cam agrees. “Gwen has enough on her plate with her dad. Can you believe the fucker gives his sons executive roles without question, but Gwen has to work a mid-level role. That’s some messed-up shit right there.
She’s his daughter, and super fucking smart. She deserves better,” Cam complains.
Memories of our conversation that night surface. About being let down again by her father and how she hates that he doesn’t see her worth and how hard she works. How sometimes she thinks about running away from it all to get away from him.
The last thing Gwen needs is another man who makes her feel worthless.
Fuck.
I really am an idiot.