No reason his ass. But he wasn’t going to question her further because he didn’t want to encourage her stupid notion of him and cooking and making anything promotional out of it. Wasn’t gonna happen.
“Lizzie?”
She turned to face him. “Yes?”
“Drop this idea. I mean it.”
She lifted one shoulder. “Okay. Sure. If that’s what you want.”
“It’s what I want. I cook because it’s fun and relaxes me. I don’t want you exploiting it.”
She nodded. “Understood, Gavin.”
Somehow he didn’t think she really understood. Elizabeth with an idea was like a dog with a meaty bone. Once she got hold of it, nothing was going to make her let go.
And that worried him.
TEN
THE SUN CAME OUT AGAIN AND BASEBALL RESUMED. Elizabeth was glad to get out of the house. She’d always hated being cooped up. Even in Saint Louis, she’d go out in the rain or snow if she had to.
Now that the preseason was in full swing, she actually enjoyed the crowds and the atmosphere of the games. For the past few days the Rivers had played on the road, which meant Elizabeth had stayed at the beach house while Gavin traveled. It gave her time to catch her breath and do some work.
Today was the Rivers’ first day back on their home field. Gavin had come home late last night. She’d been asleep. He’d woken her up by crawling into bed and making love to her. She hadn’t minded that at all. In fact, waking up to his warm hands and mouth on her, bringing her to orgasm before she was fully awake, had been an amazing surprise. He’d slid inside her while she was still climaxing, and he’d fucked her with a slow and lazy rhythm, kissing her neck, whispering that he’d missed her, until they’d both come, then fell asleep wrapped around each other.
She could get used to having him around.
Dangerous thought.
She sat with Shawnelle and Haley, and watched the game. Well, she had her laptop on and her face buried in it. But she was really paying close attention to every aspect of the game. Gavin just didn’t know that. No sense in giving his already healthy ego too much of a boost. He already had her heart. She didn’t want to give up her soul to him.
“Nice to see you back here,” Shawnelle said. “Gavin’s playing much better now that his lucky charm is back where she belongs.”
Elizabeth dragged her gaze away from profit-and-loss statements and Gavin’s position at first base to frown at Shawnelle. “What are you talking about?”
“Oh, everyone knows you’re Gavin’s good-luck charm,” Haley said, leaning forward from Shawnelle’s left side. “He played like total shit while you were gone those few days last week. You come back and boom—suddenly his batting improves.”
Elizabeth laughed. “I don’t think my presence has much to do with his batting average.”
“Uh-huh.” Shawnelle dipped her sunglasses down to her nose and gave Elizabeth a look. “Honey, you have everything to do with how that boy plays ball. We’re not blind. We see how he glances up here to see whether you’re paying attention or not. So pull your head out of that laptop and look at him. Let him know you’re rooting him on.”
“Oh, I’m rooting him on. And I’m definitely paying attention. I just don’t want him to know that.”
“Huh?” Haley’s confused expression told Elizabeth the girl knew nothing about power plays.
“If he sees me hanging on his every play, then he’ll think he owns me. It’s bad enough I agreed to stay down here during preseason. I can’t give him everything.”
Shawnelle arched a brow. “Seems to me you already have, haven’t you? You love him, don’t you?”
Elizabeth looked around, glad no one else was sitting near them. “I do not.”
“Liar. Even I can see it, and I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed,” Haley said.
Elizabeth sighed. “You’re not dumb at all, Haley. And, Shawnelle, you’re a pain in the ass.”
Shawnelle smirked. “Not the first time I’ve heard that. I’m right, aren’t I?”
“Yes.” She stared down at her laptop.
“How long?”
“Five years.” She lifted her gaze to Shawnelle and Haley. “He doesn’t know.”
“Of course he doesn’t. Men are obtuse. You have to beat them over the head with a frying pan to get them to notice things.”
“I proposed to Tommy because he was too shy to ask me, even though I knew he loved me and wanted to marry me. He’s dumb as a cow.”
Elizabeth snorted out a laugh. “What did he say?”
“He said he was gettin’ around to askin’ me.” Haley rolled her eyes. “I figured by the time he got around to proposin’, I’d be too old to have sex. Good thing I took matters into my own hands.”
“Good thing,” Shawnelle said. “And speaking of, how are . . . things between you two?”