“I wasn’t!” Kai protests, and I feel Dan’s lips land on my bare shoulder, making me shiver.
“Aww, look at you two. Freaking finally.”
That comes from Willow, who walks over with Sadie, Maverick, and Ronan. I feel Dan inhale, and his arms tighten around me.
“Okay, let’s get this over with. Lark and I are together. Yes, finally. Yes, it’s real, and amazing, and everything I’ve ever wanted. No, you cannot give her a hard time about taking so long to realize Baron was a fucking douche canoe. No, you cannot give me a hard time about being too chicken to tell her how I felt. Yes, you can be happy for both of us. Got it?”
Mav starts a slow clap, a rare smile just barely crossing his lips. Pretty soon, the others join in. While I can tell my face is flaming with embarrassment, it also feels pretty great, finallyhaving everything out in the open. Knowing the team is aware of our change in relationship status and are seemingly on board with it is a relief.
And hearing Dan sound so calm, confident, and most of all, happy when he made that declaration to everyone?
Well, that might be the best feeling of all.
Chapter twenty-three
Monty
“Why are you so nervous?” Yami punches my arm as we walk up to the cashier at the grocery store. “Big plans for tonight?”
Yeah…like having the woman of my dreams in my bed, making me no longer the oldest virgin in the major leagues.
“Dinner with Lark,” I answer instead, dumping the items in my arms onto the conveyor belt. I mentally review my list, double-checking I’ve got everything.
Sparkling wine…ingredients for my mom’s famous pasta primavera…two chocolate cupcakes…and licorice.
I got the condoms in an online order that arrived yesterday, saving me from explaining that purchase to Yami. Granted, he probably wouldn’t bat an eye at me buying them, likely assuming I’m restocking, rather than purchasing for the first time.
“Things are goin’ good with you two?” he asks, leaning against the checkout counter. I’m starting to regret agreeing to hang out today. I’m not exactly interested in casual conversation right now. Not while my stomach is churning and my mind keeps running through my plans for tonight.
“Yeah. Fine.”
“Great chat, pal,” he says sarcastically, and I return his earlier arm punch with one of my own.
“Listen, I agreed to go to the gym with you. You chose to invite yourself along for my errands, so don’t give me shit when I’m distracted, thinking of everything I need to do.”
My words come out sharper than I intended, earning the raised eyebrows Yami gives me. Normally, we’re pretty well in sync. Pitchers and catchers have to be. The good ones, at least. Rafe and I had it, the magical dynamic that allowed us to read each other like an open book. Yami and I are getting close, but we’re not quite there yet.
And thank fuck for that, because if he knew about my internal panic, I’d never hear the end of it.
We finally reach the cashier, and I quickly pay for my groceries, throwing them into a bag that I snatch up before walking swiftly to the exit. Outside, it’s freezing and overcast, and I turn up the collar of my coat as we hustle to my truck.
“Jesus, it’s colder than Satan’s balls out here.”
“Does Satan have cold balls? Wouldn’t they be hot?”
I huff out a laugh. “Good point.”
“Seriously, Monty. What’s going on? You’re not yourself. Is it Lark? You sure you guys are good?”
The genuine concern in his voice makes me pause. Maybe we’re not as far from the magic as I thought.
I lean back against my seat, the truck slowly warming up with the engine running. I consider the guys on the team my friends, hell, my family. But other than Pops, none of them ever knew my secret. It’s not exactly something that comes up easily in conversation.
Yeah, I’m a twenty-eight-year-old virgin. Nah, not for some religious reason, just because my entire life has been ruled by baseball, and when I wasn’t on the field shagging balls, I was a science geek with zero game.
Nope. Not something I have ever been open about with a group of professional athletes who have enjoyed more than their fair share of cleat chasers.
But Yami, he’s different. Sure, I’ve witnessed him flirt with countless women, even taking a few of them home. But he’s never been in a relationship as long as I’ve known him, and for the most part, he seems like a respectful guy. Maybe he won’t give me too much shit.
