“So true,” I muttered into my hands.
“We bow down to you, Gram.”
“Thank you. Now shut your yaps and let’s watch some ball. I’m contemplating a new series about closeted athletes. I think my first book will be about a baseball player who resembles our dear Ben. Mmm mmm mmm, that’s a mighty fine ass.” Ben’s starred in enough of my fantasies, so I guess it was easy to see why he was fodder to fuel Gram’s idea for a gay romance character.
As if he sensed my focus, Ben looked over at me from first base and shot me a wink. My stomach fluttered like a hundred butterflies took flight inside it, while my heartrate sped up at the thought of having him all to myself, even if only for a few minutes.
I NEVER WANTEDa game to be over with as quickly as I did that one. I had always been a competitive player, but I turned into a savage beast on the field with the promise of alone time with Xavier in my car bouncing around in my brain.
“You were on fire tonight, bro,” Jack said after we lined up to exchange high-fives. “Bring that with you to every game, yeah?”
“You almost hit for the cycle,” Gray said as he jogged up next to me. “Little extra incentive tonight? Showing off for a certain someone, perhaps?”
“Iwasmotivated,” I told Gray. He was the only person who hadn’t urged great caution when dealing with Xavier. I’m not sure if he was clueless about the condition Xavier was in when he returned home or he simply had more faith in Xavier’s abilities to cope and deal with his issues.
“Good for both of you.” Gray playfully punched me in the arm.
“Thanks for not denting your handsome face,” Chase said to Gray as we approached our small fan club.
“Meh, I could’ve covered up a shiner with makeup for you on the big day.” Xavier’s casually tossed comment made everyone laugh but me. How many times had he covered up bruises that his ex-manager gave him? I refused to refer to that guy as his ex-boyfriend, because a boyfriend is someone who cares about you, not beats you senseless.
“You kids all have fun,” Gram told us when we reached the parking lot. “I’ve got enough material to get an outline done, but not until after I spend some quality time with my beau.”
Hugs and kisses were exchanged with the sweet woman and then we split up into two cars. Gray had originally rode to the ballpark with me so it worked out great that he could ride to Bottoms Up with Chase and I got Xavier all to myself.
“Tell me all about your exciting news,” I said as soon as we climbed into the car.
My heart had done funny things like summersaults and backflips when Xavier told me he had planned on calling me to tell me his news. It was a giant leap in the right direction and did a lot to assuage my hurt over not hearing from him sooner. It was harder than hell not calling or texting him, but I knew that distance is all he wanted from me after the stakeout. He had erected a gigantic wall during the short time I talked to Van next to his car. I tried getting him to open up to me that night, but he refused. Giving him the space he wanted was the only option available to me.
“Several months ago, I submitted an original score that I wrote and produced to a big name production company in LA and my music was chosen for a theme song for a new cable series.” Xavier’s excitement pulsated throughout his entire body so hard that I felt the shockwaves. “God, Ben, it’s a huge fucking dream come true for me. I picked up the phone to call you as soon as I received the email.”
“Xavier, that is fucking awesome.” I pulled up to a red light and looked over at him. He was grinning from ear to ear and resisting him was out of the question. I leaned forward and rubbed my nose against his, allowing him time to tell me no or push me away, but he did neither. I raised his chin with my hand and lowered my lips to his, kissing him whisper-soft. My kiss was about celebration, not passion.
“Ben.” Xavier whispered my name against my lips. He fisted his hands in my jersey and deepened the kiss by sliding his tongue between my lips.
A low growl escaped my throat when Xavier took over the kiss, dominating my mouth. Again, I was willing to follow his lead and hoped it would take us back to my bed. I was just getting into the kiss when Xavier pulled back and looked up at me with hooded eyes. I saw his lips moving, but I was so lost in the sheen of moisture on his lips from our kiss that I didn’t hear what he said.
My cellphone rang through my car radio, startling me back to reality. I saw that it was Chase calling me so I hit the button that answered his call.
“The light is green, dickhead.” Chase burst into laughter and disconnected the call. I looked in the rearview mirror when I heard an engine revving up behind me and saw that Chase and Gray were behind us at the light.
“I’m the dickhead?” I mumbled while Xavier grinned.
I drove to the bar with dread sitting in the pit of my stomach, because I knew they were going to rib me to death over the kiss. I decided right then and there that I’d tell them that whatever was happening between Xavier and I was our business and they needed to butt out. The truth was I had no fucking clue what was going on between Xavier and myself, I wouldn’t have been able to explain much anyway.
We followed Chase and Gray inside the bar and I was envious of the ease in which they held hands and the obvious comfort they found in one another. I wasn’t lying when I told Van that I wanted that for myself when the time was right. I glanced over to my right and looked at the sexy man walking beside me. Was it the right time with the right man? Only time would tell.
The team scattered once we got inside the bar; some of them went to the pool tables, some sat at tables, while others chose to go to the bar. My little foursome chose the latter, but we had to split up into two groups since four vacant seats couldn’t be found together.
I held up my hand and waved the bartender, Liam, over so I could order a beer. Xavier ordered a Coke and it didn’t take long for Liam to bring our drinks to us.
“Thanks, handsome.” Liam winked after I handed him cash and told him to keep the change. I looked over at Xavier and found him watching Liam through narrowed eyes and I shamefully hoped it was jealousy over Liam’s flirting, but then Xavier spoke and killed my hope.
“Why does he look familiar to me? I can’t place the resemblance but he reminds me of someone.”
I shrugged my shoulders, because there was something familiar about Liam to me too, but I couldn’t place it either. “So, what happens next with your song?” I genuinely wanted to know.
“I’m going to call my old agent that I had when I first moved to LA and get some advice or possibly find a lawyer who can guide me through all the contract jargon to make sure I’m not getting fucked.”
