Page 35 of The Virgin Game Plan (Rules of Love 2)
Crosby laughs, clapping Chance on the shoulder. “Never, never leave the Cougars. You’re our secret weapon.”
“Not so secret though. Everyone knows this guy is one of the most vicious closing pitchers in the league,” I say as we make our way through the lobby and into the room where the cocktail fete is winding down.
I give myself a new mission between now and when we face the Cougars—work on hitting the unhittable Chance Ashford.
Already I’m devising a plan to study his games and his pitches, ask one of our pitchers to—
I stop thinking about strategy. I stop thinking about sports, which I didn’t imagine was possible.
My skin buzzes. The air crackles.
I’m seeing a mirage, an oasis in the desert.
A motherfucking vision.
Nearly two years after I saw her last, Reese is as beautiful as she was that day. Maybe more.
My body has forgotten nothing about Reese Fallon as my pulse spikes and a grin spreads unbidden on my face.
Everything else fades away. The party. My friends. The music. “Be right back,” I mutter to the guys, and then I head to the woman I could never completely force out of my mind, no matter how hard I tried.
13
Holden
I go first with a “Hey.”
“Hi,” she says, all soft and breathy.
The sound of her voice is an elixir I didn’t even know I was looking for, but one I want to swallow down whole.
“How are you?”
I can’t stop looking at her. My body is floating, my brain is singing. How the hell could I spend one day with her and still feel this way nearly two years later?
This must be the chemistry talking. That’s the only explanation.
“I’m great.” She can’t seem to stop smiling either, the sexiest grin I’ve ever seen on anyone. “How are you, Holden?”
The way she says my name sends hot sparks down my spine. She says it like she’s thinking of me the same damn way I’m thinking of her.
“Good. Yeah. Really good,” I reply.
Wow. Talk much, asshole?
“What are you doing here?” I ask, trying to form questions, intelligent ones, not grunts and yeahs and wows.
But I am floored by her.
By her presence in this longitude and latitude.
In this city.
In this room.
The music grows louder, and I gesture to a nearby alcove, away from the hustle and bustle. It’s quiet here, and more private.
“I work for a PR firm in town,” Reese answers.
My mind spins like a Tilt-A-Whirl. She can’t have said that—in town. No way is that possible. “You work in San Francisco now?” I hold all the breath in the world. That would be too good to be true.
She probably has a boyfriend.
She can’t possibly be single.
Lightning doesn’t strike the same spot twice.
“I do. I just returned a few days ago. I got this amazing job here, and I’m still doing my podcast.”
My eyes widen. “You’re really back,” I say with wonder. Yeah, can’t make long sentences, can’t hide that I’m awestruck. Nothing to do but forge ahead. “How was it?”
“Amazing. Life-changing. I learned so much. I feel like I can tackle anything, even things I don’t know how to do yet. But that’s the biggest skill I’ve learned.” She grins, then waves a dismissive hand. “I’m going on and on.”
“I want to hear all about it though. It sounds amazing.”
“It was. And you’ve been playing great.” She gestures to me, her hand nearly grazing my chest. Let it graze me, beautiful. “I check in on your stats from time to time.”
I square my shoulders, pride spreading through me. “It’s been a good two years when it comes to baseball.”
“Seems like it.”
I stare, mesmerized, drinking in those blonde waves, those crystal blue eyes, those lush red lips.
“You’re still wearing red,” I say, low and husky.
She tries to rein in a grin, but then she nods, her voice sensual, inviting. “I am.”
Lust trips through my veins.
“You look . . .”
But before I finish the thought with spectacular, gorgeous, like a dream come true, I stop because—what if she’s involved?
She reads my thoughts though. She must because she blurts, “Holden, I’m single,” like it’s a thing she’s been dying to tell me.
Well, it’s the thing I’ve been dying to know.
I inch closer. We’re maybe a foot away from each other here in this nook, away from the party. “Me too.”
“Yeah?” She licks her lips.
“Yes.”
Everything buzzes. Everything is electric. “I feel like I’ve gone back in time.”
“Like it’s that night again,” she says, her words sizzling over my skin.
“Maybe it can be,” I offer.
“What happens next?”
“Want me to tell you or show you?”
“Show me,” she says, so irresistible.
I close the distance, cup her cheek in my hand, then lock eyes with her.
I bring my face close to hers. The stutter of her breath makes me hot, turned all the way on. Dusting my lips across her forehead, I tease her, pressing a kiss there, inhaling her scent.
