Clutch Hit by Faith O'Shea (most popular ebook readers txt) 📗

mentoring Mr. Heart.”

“I will be glad to. What position does he play?”

“Infield. I’m afraid he might beat out Nap, which weighs heavily on my conscience.”

Her tone was tinged with regret. She wasn’t as hard as nails as some thought but a lot more empathetic than she let on.

“It will ultimately be Mac’s decision, won’t it?”

“Yup. That’s why he makes the big bucks.”

He heard some kind of rustling, which prodded him to ask, “Where are you?”

“Hotel room. I have an early morning flight to San Juan, so I’m getting my clothes ready so I don’t have to make decisions before coffee. I’m enjoying the weather. It’s balmy, palm trees swaying in the breeze instead of being covered in snow. I heard you got several inches.”

“We did. It is warmer when it snows than when it doesn’t. How can that be?”

“Have no idea. Ask Fiona. She’s become our resident scientist.”

“I will if I ever see her again. She’s barricaded herself in her lab, and after we had dinner Rique went over to see her.”

“You guys had dinner together?”

“Yeah. We commiserated about our women being unavailable.”

“What did Seb commiserate about?”

“Must I remind you of my promise that what happens in triumvirate land stays there?”

“It appears you do. And I respect that. But I’m curious. You can trust me.”

“I can, yes. With my heart. With my friends’ confidences, not so much.”

He heard a huff of breath and then a bristling accusation. “If Rique starts cheating on Fiona, you’ll keep his secret?”

The words were tightly restrained, and it sounded as if she was clenching her teeth when she’d asked.

There was no need to defend his friend. Besides, he knew where this was coming from. Her own fear. He stated without reservation, “I don’t believe that will ever be a problem.”

“Says a man. I know what that feels like to be the object of pity.”

“And I’m sorry that you were. But Rique loves Fiona. When there is true love and a steadfast heart, such a thing can’t happen.”

“Says Rumi?”

“Says me.”

“I don’t want to argue about this. I just need you to understand, there’s a men’s club among the players, and its members prohibit infidelity from getting out.”

He understood that, for her, in her position with the club, it would be far more humiliating than for other wives. What she needed to understand is that he could not be friends with someone who could play that kind of game.

“Alicia, I am not a member of that club. If Rique did something like that, I would not allow it to go unchallenged.” He paused and asked, “If Casey started cheating on her husband, would you tell him?”

“Casey would never do something like that.”

She sounded insulted that he could even suggest such a thing.

Softly, he said, “I feel the same about Rique. I’d like to know how you’d handle it if the situations were reversed.”

There was a hesitation and finally the admission, “I don’t know.”

She’d finally started walking in his shoes.

“Would you let it continue without saying anything to her?”

She was quick to reply, “Absolutely not.”

“Then we are of the same mind, querida.” He chuckled and said, “If I could not convince Rique of his wayward ways, I would take it to the person in charge of personal development and let her make the call on what to do.”

“I have it on good authority she’d slap him silly.”

“And I wouldn’t allow anyone to stop her.”

“Glad to know you have my back.”

“Always.”

He heard her yawn before she said, “I’ve got to go.”

“I’ll be thinking of you while I try to sleep.”

“I’ll be trying not to think of you so I can.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Allie flipped onto her stomach, her hands bunching the pillow beneath her head. She’d been tossing and turning since she shut off the light, unable to shed thoughts of Mateo from her mind. Her body was in revolt right along with it.

She finally gave it up, put the light on, and texted him, hoping he was asleep and wouldn’t answer, needing him to be awake so he did.

Just as she put the phone down to wait as patiently as she could for his response, she heard the ping. The smile was automatic.

You cannot sleep either?

Your fault.

How is that?

Nights with you are too intoxicating to sleep alone.

I feel the same way, querida

What am I going to do?

I could make a couple of suggestions but I’m not sure you’d be willing to go along

Give me what you’ve got.

I could fly to San Juan tomorrow after practice and we can pick up where we left off.

That’s not going to help me sleep tonight.

Phone sex?

She re-read it, sure her mind was playing tricks on her. He hadn’t just asked that, had he? Flustered, she replied.

I’m not putting any nude shots out there for your benefit. Too many of them end up viral.

I remember vividly what you look like without clothes. I don’t need pictures.

As she got ready to type an answer, another thread came through.

If you need them, I’m happy to comply. I have no inhibitions in sharing my body with you.

Don’t you dare. You’re mine and I don’t share well with others.

She couldn’t believe she put that out there. As she was about to add for today, the phone pinged.

Should I mention now that I don’t, either?

Are we really going the monogamy route?

You’re the one on the road. It’s gratifying to know it’s me you want.

So badly she could feel the spasms ready to quake.

About this phone sex?

You’d have to be willing to listen to my voice and use your hands in place of mine.

What was he saying? She thought they’d just talk to each other in sex speak, describe what they’d do to each other when they were back together. This… This was a whole new level of intimacy for her. Had he done this with someone else? A bubble of irritation began to pop.

You sound kind of experienced. How often have you done this?

This is a first, querida. And I’m only willing in order to satisfy my wife.

That word