“Oh?”
“See, if you’d been the one saying all those suggestive things, I’m sure I would have found us a room to make them happen.” He loved her blush. “But you’d know better to ask than right after a game. I mean, then, it’s all about baseball. Not about how you handle my bat.”
“Or balls.”
He blinked. “Huh?”
“Your bat and balls. I’m trying to go with all the baseball references.” She smirked.
He started laughing, amused, turned on, and having the best time of his life sitting with the woman he wanted like no other.
She really was The One. What would it take to make her see what he knew to be true?
Chapter 9
Once the knucklehead stopped laughing, Piper looked him dead in the eye, her heart racing a mile a minute. “What has your life been like playing ball? Your personal life, I mean.”
Digging into his business was a big step for her to take, because if she could ask the tough questions, it was only fair he be able to do the same. Piper had some raw spots in her not-so-distant history, but she’d discussed it before. She wanted to know more about Grant before she made the determination to sleep with him.
For her own peace of mind, at least. She wanted—no, needed—to know all she could about him.
“Dating, you mean.” At her nod, he shrugged. “Sure. I already told you about my gaffe with the reporter. That’s probably the biggest issue I’ve had in the seven years I’ve been in the pros. Women come on to me a lot, I won’t lie. But I’m never sure if it’s for the money and fame or for me.”
“Or for your looks,” she had to say. “Come on, Grant. You’re attractive. You know that.”
He flushed. “Well, I guess. Though Cade got more girls to like him than I ever did, and he never played pro ball.”
“That’s because he’s a big flirt.”
Grant grinned. “That’s true. I’m an honest type of guy. So sure, there have been a few women over the years. No one steady. I’ve dated a couple of woman for more than a few months. Not many, though. Training and playing during the season take focus.”
“If you want to be the best.”
He nodded. “Yeah. I don’t play to earn a paycheck. I play because it’s fun, because I’m good at it, and because I like the challenge to be better than good. If you don’t play to win, then why bother?”
“That’s the Grant I know.”
“I’m the same man I was when I lived here. I was just younger then.” He sounded earnest and looked boyish, until he tilted his head and gave her the full effect of the charming West Wind.
“Uh-huh. So you never got engaged or wanted to get married?”
“Not yet. It has to be the right woman. Not just the right woman for now, if that makes sense.” He paused. “But you got engaged.”
She sighed. “I guess you want the story.”
“Yep.”
No wheedling or pitying expression. Just a question demanding an answer.
She could handle that. She relaxed a bit. “I met Sam three years ago. He’d just moved to town and was making a name for himself as a financial consultant. A nice guy, he and I mingled at various events. I’m heavily invested in this town.”
“Socially and economically, I’d imagine.”
She noted Grant watching her, his eyes clear and interested. He seemed as if he genuinely wanted to know about her, and she didn’t know how to feel about that. Flattered and a tad... scared?
Not liking the fear, she straightened and looked him in the eye when she answered, “Yes to both. Hope’s Turn is a part of me. I love this town. I love the people in it.” She frowned. “Most of them.” After a pause, she added, “Eventually, we got to talking one night at a party. And we connected. He asked me out. I said yes. Dates turned into something more serious. Before I knew it, we were engaged.”
“You fell in love with him.”
