But he’s a player.
But he has nothing to do with your team.
But he’s a player.
But you’re both here, away from real life, away from baseball.
But he’s still a player.
I don’t realize how caught up I am in my internal debate until Ronan’s hand lands on my arm, and I register the look of concern on his face.
“Everything okay?”
“Yes, sorry.” I nod, then shake my head, then nod again with a small laugh. “Wow. Guess I had too much sun today.”
“Shit, do you need to sit down? Let me get you some water.” Before I can protest, he’s guiding me straight past the barrier across the bar entrance, over to a chair near the edge of the group of people who are obviously celebrating the happy couple.
“Ronan, I’m fine.” I find my voice and try to remove his hand from my elbow. “Seriously, I was just distracted. Go back to your friends, to the wedding.”
He studies me carefully, and it’s sweet, really. How worried he is about me. Except I don’t want him to be sweet. I want him to do something awful, something terrible to make me not be so attracted to him.
“Honestly? You’re kind of giving me the perfect excuse to get away from some dude-bros that don’t understand personal boundaries.”
His statement is delivered so dryly, a laugh bursts free from me. Clapping my hand over my mouth, I slowly shake my head back and forth.
“Seriously?” I ask when my mirth is under control.
He nods, his face an expression of complete solemnity. “Yeah. The number of times they’ve almost outright asked for game tickets or insider info on trades. It’s disgusting.”
Shit, thatisgross. “I’m sorry.”
His shoulders lift and fall under the slim-fitting white shirt. “Comes with the job, but I’d hoped to escape all that for a bit when I came here. At least my buddy who got married and our other friend know better. They’re as pissed as I am at those idiots.”
He sits down in the chair beside me, and for a quiet moment, we just watch the other wedding guests enjoy themselves from a distance. Then, shifting in his seat to face me, Ronan holds out his hand. “Dance with me.”
“What?” I ask in surprise. He swiftly stands up and moves in front of me.
“Dance. With me, over there.” He nods his head toward the small dance floor. “Please?”
I don’t even bother trying to hold back my smile this time. Who am I to refuse such a lovely invitation? Standing up, I smooth my hands over my skirt before taking his outstretched hand. “I’d love to.”
His answering smile is dazzling as he leads me to the edge of the dance floor before spinning me under his arm, then pulling me into his hold. He keeps a reasonable amount of space between us, ever the gentleman. As we sway back and forth, the sound of the musicians, the ocean waves, the murmur of the people around us, all of it fades away. His captivating blue eyes never leave mine, and the romance of the moment sweeps me up in its grasp.
As much as he’s remained respectful and hasn’t pushed anything on me, I know without a shadow of a doubt that Ronan’s interested in me. He wants me. For what? I don’t know.
But finally, right here in this moment, I’m ready to admit to myself.
I want him, too.
Chapter six
Ronan
Early morning runs are just better when they’re on a sandy beach at sunrise. And today, I pushed myself even harder — ten kilometers instead of my usual seven to warm up before a session in the gym with some weights. All to try and outrun the memory of finally having Willow in my arms last night.
Fucking hell, did I ever want to kiss her. But she’s like a stray kitten; earning her trust is a long game. And kissing her last night would have destroyed any trust I’ve already built. Of course, the fact that I only have three days left here in Hawaii isn’t lost on me. If anything is going to happen between Willow and me, the clock is ticking.
I’m covered in sweat, my legs aching, but my mind is finally calm when I reach the open-air lobby of the hotel. As soon as I step inside, my ears pick up a familiar voice, only this time, it sounds frustrated. My gym session is instantly forgotten as I zero in on Willow.
