“Don’t even think about it,” he said firmly.
Mitch snorted. “Just because you think you own Haley doesn’t mean that you speak for her.”
Jason took a sip of his drink, nodding slowly before he placed his cup on his knee. “How about this, then? I know you and there is no way in hell that I’m letting an asshole like you near her.”
“So, let me get this straight. I’m good enough to be your friend, but not good enough to go out with Haley?”
“Exactly. Glad we’re on the same page.”
“Why is that exactly? You don’t like the idea of some other guy swooping in and getting her first?”
“Because you sleep around, don’t care about any of the women you fuck, and you treat them all like shit. I’m not letting you do that to Haley. She deserves a nice guy,” Jason informed him with a look that told him that he wasn’t kidding.
“Oh, like you?” Mitch snorted. “You treat women worse than I do.”
Jason barely held back his temper. “No, not me. I’m not interested in her like that. She’s a friend, nothing more.”
“Yeah, okay. Keep telling yourself that, buddy. Anyone with two working eyes can tell that you’re getting ready to pounce.”
“That’s bullshit and you know it. If I wanted her, I would have had her by now,” Jason bit out through clenched teeth.
“Yeah, whatever,” Mitch mumbled. “She’s a grown woman. If she wants to go out with me, she can. You have no say in the matter.”
“We’ll see,” he said, knowing if Mitch tried anything that he’d beat the shit out of him.
“See what?” Haley asked as she squeezed into the small aisle, juggling her beer and a tray full of food in her arms.
“If the Yankees can get this game back under control,” Jason said smoothly.
“They will,” Haley said firmly. Jason had a funny feeling that if they didn’t, she would go beat the shit out of someone.
When she sat down next to him, he placed his piss-warm beer on the floor and grabbed hers while she settled the tray on her lap. He took a sip of her cold beer while she took a bite of her hot dog topped with sauerkraut. She closed her eyes as she savored the treat.
“That is really good,” she nearly groaned in delight.
“Give me a bite,” Jason murmured, watching her lips as she savored the treat.
Haley nodded absently while she watched the game. She held out the hot dog for him. He took a big bite. While he chewed, he sat back and couldn’t stop smiling when Mitch frowned at him. For the next ten minutes, he held the beer for her to sip while she held food for him.
Jason wasn’t even sure if she realized what they were doing. Her focus seemed to be on the game. When their cup was empty, he put it down and turned to find another beer vendor.
“Oh, shit!” Brad yelled as he jumped to his feet the same time Mitch did.
Jason turned in time to see Haley jump to her feet and then jump onto her seat, holding her hands out as she mumbled, “Oh, no! Oh, no! Oh, no!” He jumped to his feet at the same moment that something white slammed into Haley’s hands. She held onto the thing for dear life as she lost her footing from the impact of the ball as several men tried to grab it from her.
Before he could push the bastards away from her, Haley was jumping up and down on her seat while hugging the ball against her chest. Her smile was intoxicating when she looked down at him and proudly showed him the ball.
“Look!”
He placed his hands together in front of him and bowed. “Very good, grasshopper,” he said, straightening in time to catch her in his arms. He whirled her around as she hugged him.
“I can’t believe I caught it!”
“You did great!” Jason said, kissing her cheek. The action was so sudden that it startled him. He carefully placed a very happy Haley on the ground. Still grinning hugely, she sat down with a satisfied sigh while he sat down next to her, trying not to think about just how badly he wanted to pull her back into his arms.
After a few minutes, Haley said his name tightly.
“Yeah?” Jason said, glancing over to find Haley staring straight ahead, worrying her lip between her teeth and-
