Page 61 of Convincing the Catcher

Just the sensation of our palms touching has my entire body buzzing, and the butterflies in my stomach can piss right off because they aren’t helping me with the boundaries I’m supposed to be keeping up. Not one bit.

When we get to the entrance of the hotel, he drops my hand and pulls the door open, nodding for me to go in first.

Though I can’t pay for myself, I walk with him through the lobby and up to the front desk.

“Hi there. Do you have a reservation?” A woman who appears to be in her mid-twenties with bright red lips and eyelashes clear to her forehead smiles.

I don’t miss when she rakes her eyes over Cane, running her tongue over her bottom lip, as if he’s making her hungry.

Join the club, lady. He has the same effect on me.

“Not yet,” Cane says, shaking his head. “We’re hoping to soon though.” He glances at me before swinging his eyes back to her and pulling his wallet from his back pocket. “Do you have a room with two queen beds for tonight?”

The second the words two queen beds come out of Cane’s mouth, her entire body perks up, and she nervously tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Let … let me see what I can find,” she says, swallowing. Her eyes dart from his to mine as she hits some keys on her computer. “Where are you two visiting from?”

“Massachusetts,” I say, choosing to answer, though I have no idea why.

“Nice. Are you, uh, brother and sister or …”

She isn’t meaning to be rude or come off a certain way, I’m sure. When a man looks as good as Cane, why wouldn’t she shoot her shot—especially since I’ll bet, in her mind, she thinks we’re either friends or siblings because why else would he request two beds?

“Nope,” Cane says quickly, but doesn’t elaborate, and even though I know that’s his attempt to shut her up, she may not take it that way.

“Oh, I just thought …” She stops, her cheeks turning bright red.

When I glance at Cane, not having any idea what he may or may not say, I find him leaning against the desk, smirking, and right away … I’m freaking terrified, and awkwardly, take a sip of my refresher.

“We want two beds because after I tie her up on one of them, I’m going to cover her body in whipped cream,” he drawls, grinning sneakily. “The sheets may get messy, so we’ll need another bed for after.”

I chose the wrong time to take a drink, and it nearly comes out of my nose, but I somehow stop myself. The girl’s cheeks are on fire now, and her eyes are wide.

“So, about that room?” Cane says matter-of-factly, sliding his card across the countertop.

“Um, y-yep.” She nods before suddenly, she cringes. “Because of a few different flights being canceled or delayed, we’re practically full tonight. But we do have one.” She pauses, swallowing. “It’s a suite with a Jacuzzi … but it only has one king bed.” She looks up at him, her eyes big and slightly frightened. “It does have a couch though …”

My heart skips a beat, and after a few awkward seconds of silence, Cane glances at me.

“It’s fine.” I shrug, knowing the girl now thinks I’m the sex-crazed, whipped-cream loving girl, and quickly, I begin to back away. “I’m going to wait over by the elevator.”

He grins a wicked grin before nodding once. And to be honest, I’m used to running the bases in absurd times, but even now, I can’t get away from the front desk fast enough.

And yet, when I’m walking toward the elevator, the only thing on my mind is an image of a naked Cane … holding a can of whipped cream.

And suddenly, one bed isn’t looking that bad.

TWENTY-EIGHT

CANE

Harley sits on the edge of the bed, talking to her mom on the phone to update her on our travels back home. I look around the room, and I’m not sure if the universe is pissed at me and wants to punish me or what; even though I’m happy to be spending more time with Harland before we get back to NEU and she inevitably pushes me away, having a fucking suite that looks like it was made for sex because of the giant Jacuzzi tub directly beside the bed … is torture.

It’s only six at night. That’s a long-ass time to stay in here and keep my hands to myself.

That’s also many, many hours that I could be worshipping her body.

She ends the call and sets her phone on the nightstand. The second her eyes are on mine, nervous and shy as she may be, the energy in the room shifts, and I know she feels it too.