Thrown by a Curve

TWENTY-TWO


GARRETT STEPPED UP TO THE FRONT DOOR OF GAVIN Riley’s beach house with more than a little anxiety.

Gavin was, after all, Alicia’s cousin. Family. Protective of Alicia, no doubt. Plus, he was Garrett’s teammate. They’d been playing together for years, had gone out for beers after games, had gotten along well. Garrett had to be able to count on Gavin at first base, needed to know Gavin had his back. Relationships in baseball were everything. So was trust.

All things Garrett hadn’t thought about when he’d dragged Gavin’s cousin to bed. Of course, Gavin hadn’t been front and center on his mind when he’d gotten Alicia naked.

“Are you okay?” Alicia asked as they waited at the front door.

He stopped staring at the door long enough to slant his gaze toward her. She looked beautiful tonight with the sides of her hair pulled up, the remainder of it cascading down her back in loose, soft waves. He wanted to bury his face in her hair, then tangle his fingers in it. But he kept his distance.

“I’m fine. Why?”

“You look nervous. I told you not to be nervous. This is going to be fun.”

Yeah. Like a beheading was fun.

The door opened and Elizabeth Riley stood there. He’d met her several times before, both with Gavin and accompanying his agent, Victoria, since the two of them were not only peers, but friends.

“Hey, it’s about time you two showed up,” Elizabeth said.

“We’re not late,” Alicia said, hugging Elizabeth as she walked in. “You know Garrett.”

“I do. That bitch Victoria has you as a client. You’re not currently pissed at her or anything, are you?”

“No.”

“Dammit,” she said, then winked at Garrett. “Who wants a drink? I have beer, wine, and tea.”

“Beer’s good for me,” Garrett said as Elizabeth led them toward the kitchen. Wearing capris, a sleeveless silk top, and ridiculously high heels, Elizabeth was a stunner with knockout red hair and curves any man would be happy to get his hands on. Gavin was a lucky man.

She handed him a beer. “Thanks, Elizabeth.”

“Call me Liz. The other is way too formal.”

Gavin came in from out back. “Oh, you guys are here. What’s up?” He shook Garrett’s hand and caught Alicia around the waist, pulling her in for a hug.

“You’re tan,” she said to Gavin.

“Went out on the boat for a while today since we had an off day.”

“I, of course, am not tan, being one of those fair-skinned redheads who burn. So I lathered on the sunscreen and tried not to fry out there. Lord, it was hot.”

“Bitch, bitch, bitch,” Gavin said, but gave Liz a wink.

“Yeah, but who caught the fish today, stud?” she asked.

“You did, my beautiful but not tan wife. And you’ll never let me forget it, will you?”

“You bet your ass I won’t.”

Alicia laughed as she gave Liz an incredulous look. “You caught fish?”

Liz pulled out a chair at the bar. “Sit. Make yourselves comfortable. And yes, I caught fish. I’m getting pretty damned good at this fishing thing.”

“She’s even learned to bait her own hook without cussing or complaining,” Gavin said, taking a long swallow of beer.

“Or wanting to throw up,” Liz added.

“Yeah, that, too.”

“I’m so proud, Liz,” Alicia said. “We’ll have to go to the lake in the summer. I love fishing.”

Garrett looked at her. “You like to fish?”

She lifted her gaze to his. “I love it. My family always used to camp. My dad taught Cole and me to fish when we were kids. Do you fish?”

“I’ve done it here and there.”

“You’ll have to come, too.”

She made it sound like he’d still be in her life in the summer. Would he? He hadn’t thought much beyond the here and now, because that’s the way his life had always been. Relationships had never been long-term for him, which suited him just fine and had fit with his career goals. It was hard to have a relationship and do what he did for a living, always being on the road. Plus, he’d never known if someone was in it for him or for who he was and what he did.

Alicia was different, though. Their relationship had been anything but traditional. They’d never even had what he would consider a date. He didn’t know how he felt about what was going on between the two of them. The sex sure as hell was smoking hot, and he definitely felt something, but what was it?

Maybe it was time to start figuring it out, because at some point this whole therapy thing was going to be finished, and they’d be left with . . .

What?

“I’ve got steaks out on the grill—except for you, Alicia, of course,” Gavin said. “You’re having this amazing pasta salad that Liz fixed for you.”

Alicia grinned at Liz. “Awww, you cooked.”

“I boiled, mixed, chopped, and tossed. Gavin will be cooking,” Liz corrected.

Jaci Burton's books