The Ace and The Assistant Read online

  A small smile pulls at the edges of Casey’s gorgeous lips.

  And there it is, that instant connection I’ve always felt between us. The difference is now, there’s attraction on top of that and I know it’s not just one-sided because when our eyes meet, I see the desire I was hoping for earlier. It’s there, but it’s buried beneath something I can’t put a name to.

  “I miss you,” I whisper, leaning forward until my lips are at her cheek. Brushing a kiss across her jaw, Casey sighs. “But I don’t want to push, so if you want me to back off and we go back to just being friends, that’s cool.”

  When I stand to my full height so I can look down and see her face, there’s so much indecision there.

  “I don’t want…” Casey starts, then stops and causes my heart to fall to my feet, until she continues, “I don’t want to go back to just being friends, but I need some time.”

  Time is fine. I can give her time. I can give her anything she needs, all she has to do is ask.

  “Whatever you need,” I assure her.

  She places her hand on my chest and my entire body responds to her touch. We just stand there in the middle of the kitchen, having a moment until the backdoor opens and closes, causing us both to take a step back.

  Thankfully, it’s just Phil and he finds what he needs, nodding to both of us before going back outside.

  The interruption is enough to clear some of the tension between us and I decide to take this opportunity to talk business, since we probably won’t be discussing our relationship any further tonight.

  “I want to offer you a permanent position as my personal assistant… life manager… whatever you’d like to call it,” I say with a chuckle. Now, it’s my turn to be nervous. “I realize we’ve crossed some lines and this is kind of unconventional, but I can’t imagine handing all of my personal information and decision making over to anyone else right now. If you don’t think you can do it, I understand, but I’d really love for you to.”

  Casey’s gaze flits from me to the floor and then back.

  Worried she’s getting ready to turn me down, I decide to sweeten the deal. “Along with the salary we agreed to, I’d also like to offer you the guesthouse, for as long as you want it.”

  Her eyes grow wide as she chews on her bottom lip. “Well, I… uh,” she starts and then blows out a breath. I can see the wheels in her head turning and I hope she’s not trying to think of an easy way to let me down.

  “I’ll accept the permanent position… working for you, that is.” She nods as if she’s making an agreement with herself. “But I’m going to have to pass on the guesthouse offer… for now.”

  “Okay,” I tell her, wanting to fist pump the air, but refraining. I’d love this even more if she’d agreed to moving into my guesthouse, but I knew that was a moonshot.

  Chapter 16

  Casey

  New Orleans swept San Francisco in their first homestand. Last night’s game was a nail biter that went into extra innings and ended with Mack hitting a walk-off homerun.

  Look at me and all my fancy baseball lingo, I think to myself as I park in front of Ross’s house and open the car door.

  The team leaves later today for Colorado and will be on the road for ten days.

  Since I agreed to a permanent position as Ross’s assistant—personal assistant, whatever you want to call me—I figured I should be here to make sure I know everything that needs to be done while he’s gone.

  His parents flew back home early this morning and I’m officially out of reasons to avoid him.

  Knocking on his front door, I feel awkward because for six weeks, this was basically my second home. But since Ross is here, I can’t just barge in.

  When he doesn’t answer, I knock again and after a more than acceptable amount of time, I decide to use the key he gave me and let myself in.

  “Ross,” I call out as I peek my head into the foyer.

  Glancing around, I notice that the house is still in immaculate condition. Not that I thought Ross was throwing ragers in the days I’ve been gone, but it’s nice to see he’s staying on top of things. I’m sure his mom did her fair share of chores while she was here.

  As I step into the house and close the door behind me, there’s a sweet aroma in the air.

  Groaning, I close my eyes and inhale.

  Cinnamon rolls.

  And coffee.

  According to the books I’ve been reading, caffeine is something I’m supposed to be limiting, but I still allow myself one cup in the morning, when I’m feeling up to it.

  “Ross,” I call out again, stepping into the kitchen and placing my bag on one of the barstools.

  The blender he always uses for his green smoothies is drying on the sideboard and I can tell at least one cup of coffee has been drunk from the pot, but there’s no other sign of him.

  In the middle of the island, there’s a note.

  Looking over my shoulder and around the corner, I decide to read it. Maybe Ross had to go somewhere and left it for me?

  We enjoyed our visit so much!

  Give Casey our love and share the cinnamon rolls with her!

  Hopefully, we’ll see you again in a month or so.

  Love,

  Mom

  Smiling to myself, I place it back on the island and walk over to the cupboard to get a mug for some coffee. The cinnamon rolls are on the stove behind me, calling my name, but that’s not what gets my full attention.

  Ross Davies is outside the kitchen window, throwing balls into a net.

  Shirtless.

  And all I can think about is how amazing he felt …

  Under me.

  On top of me.

  The weight of his body on mine.

  Being pressed against the wall as he thrust inside me.

  His capable hands bringing me to the best orgasms of my life.

  Orgasms.

  Plural.

  That was definitely a first for me. During my other sexual encounters, I was lucky to get one good orgasm. Sometimes, in the past, when my boyfriends would go to dispose of the condom or take a shower, I’d finish myself off.

  Of course, I’d never admit that out loud, but it’s true.

  But with Ross, I never felt more cared for or desired.

  And as I stand here and admire the beauty of his long, lean muscles and the way he uses them so precisely, I can’t help but want to feel those things all over again. But I can’t, at least not until I’m ready to be honest with him.

  There’s no way I can be in his bed under false pretenses.

  I would never taint those memories with lies or secrets.

  Which is why I should leave and call in sick or make up an excuse why I can’t stay, but just as I’m getting ready to bolt, Ross heads for the backdoor. When he enters the kitchen, I’m frozen in indecision as his eyes lock on mine and a gorgeous smile spreads across his face.

  “Good morning.”

  You can do this.

  You’re a grown woman.

  You’re a grown woman who is growing a baby.

  HIS baby.

  Which is a pretty freaking adult thing to do.

  You can handle being in the same house as Ross Davies.

  “Hey, good morning,” I say, sounding much more in control than I feel. Letting out a deep, cleansing breath, I turn my attention back to the coffee pot and pour some. “Can I get you a cup of coffee?”

  I swear I hear him let out a low chuckle behind me, as if he can sense my nervousness, but I don’t turn around. I can’t. Because he’s still not wearing a shirt.

  “No, I’ve had my cup already this morning.” Footsteps come up behind me, hesitate for a moment, and then shuffle over to the stove. “But I do think I’ll have one of these cinnamon rolls. My mom made them this morning before she left. She must’ve woken up at two in the morning. But she always loves to leave something behind when she goes.”

  I swallow and brace myself before turning around to face him. “Yeah, I s
aw the note. She’s the sweetest.” Averting my gaze, I take a sip of my coffee.

  “She is and she’s totally sweet on you,” he says, his tone dripping with honey and making my insides flip. “You’ve become her new favorite person. I mean, you were always on her good list, but now, you hold the top spot.”

  I feel my cheeks pinken.

  “Nothing to see here, just doing my job,” I blurt out, turning back to the sink and busying myself with watering the small plants in Ross’s windowsill. They’re something I added while he was gone and I’m happy to see he didn’t toss them or let them die.

  “Thanks for those, by the way,” he says, saddling up beside me and invading my space. His smell is intoxicating and I really need him to put on a freaking shirt.

  Feeling totally flustered, I dump out my remaining coffee and rinse the mug before opening the dishwasher and putting it in the top rack. “I’m going to the office to get to work. I know you’re leaving later today, so if there’s anything you need me to work on while you’re gone, let me know.”

  Thankfully, Ross doesn’t follow me and once I’m in his office, I flop into the chair and exhale… then inhale slowly… and exhale…

  Just a few more hours.

  “Knock, knock,” Ross says a couple of hours later.

  Glancing up from the laptop in front of me, I nearly swallow my tongue.

  Ross is no longer naked from the waist up, but the deliciously tailored suit he’s wearing is possibly worse. Good Lord.

  “Hey,” I say dumbly, lost for words.

  Ross gives me that glorious smile and I’m even more dumbfounded. “I’m packed and thought maybe we could talk for a minute before I have to head out. Mack and Bo are hitching a ride to the airport, so I have to leave a little early.”

  He’s leaving.

  I know that’s what I’ve been counting down the hours to, but now that it’s here, I already miss him.

  And he wants to talk.

  I should’ve seen this coming. Ross is not the kind of man to leave things unattended. He’s confident and sure of himself. When he’s faced with a problem, he tackles it. And even though I know he sees his divorce as a failure, I don’t. Because I know how hard he tried to make it work. I observed it and I’ve heard Bo talk about it.

  “Okay,” I finally say, pushing away from the desk as Ross pulls up the leather chair from the corner and sits in it across from me.

  “I know we had a brief conversation last night, but I still feel like there’s something going on that we need to discuss.” His eyes are locked with mine and I love how direct he’s being. Even though it makes me uncomfortable, it’s really attractive. Any other time, I would be the one to confront the issue. But when I’m the one holding the secret, it’s not so easy.

  And now would be a good time to tell him, but I can’t.

  He’s getting ready to go on the road and I haven’t even had an ultrasound.

  “I’m sorry I’ve been acting so weird,” I tell him, letting out a deep breath. “It’s just… your parents were here and I’m not sure where we stand or how to do this…”

  Ross nods, a serious look on his face. “Yeah, I get it,” he says. “And I don’t want to put labels on whatever is happening between us, but I do want to see where it goes. If you’d feel more comfortable about it, I’ll talk to Bo…”

  “Bo?” I ask with a frown. “What does Bo have to do with it?”

  He sits back against the chair and cocks his head. “Well, you’re basically his little sister and—”

  “I’m an adult,” I tell him, feeling my hackles rise. “And I make my own decisions.”

  “Right,” he says. “I just thought you were afraid of him and Lola finding out.”

  Unable to help myself, I bark out a laugh. Oh, God. If only that was it. “Uh, no. I thought maybe you were wanting to keep it quiet because…” I stop, not knowing exactly what to say.

  “Because I don’t want my private life to be public information,” he says sharply. “But that’s the only reason. What I do with my time is no one else’s business but mine.”

  Right, okay.

  “I want to be with you,” he continues, catching me a little off guard. “If you want to be with me too, I’d like to see where this goes.”

  Swallowing, I nod. “I’d like that too.”

  His teeth come down on his bottom lip as a slow grin starts to spread. “Good,” he says, standing from the chair and adjusting the waist of his slacks that hug his muscular thighs. “We’ll pick this up in ten days. I expect you to be here when I get back.”

  Sir, yes sir.

  Chapter 17

  Ross

  “Why do you have that goofy-ass grin on your face?” Mack asks, plopping down in the seat beside me with a groan. I swear I can smell the booze on him. I wouldn’t be surprised if he never made it home last night to shower.

  Obviously, we spent our off day a little differently.

  “Why are you still making rookie mistakes and getting shitfaced before an away game?”

  “Why do you sound like my grandpa?”

  The pilot comes over the intercom to let us know our flight has been cleared for takeoff. Most of the team will sleep for the three-hour flight. I’m feeling well-rested and thanks to my conversation with Casey before leaving, my mind is quiet. Sure, I wish I could’ve had more time with her, but I’m happy with how we left things and it makes me hopeful for when I return.

  Opening the email app on my phone, I type out a quick message.

  Subject: Don’t freak out

  But I already miss you.

  Ross

  My thumb hovers over the send button as I stare at the words. I don’t know if this is normal. I don’t know what the rules are. Shit, I don’t even know what game I’m playing. But one thing I know for sure is I miss Casey.

  I’ve been missing her since the day I left for Spring Training which is now approaching the two-month mark. The entire time I was in Florida, I kept telling myself I’d see her when I got back, but now that time has come and gone and I still haven’t been able to spend any quality time with her, so the void hasn’t been filled.

  It helps knowing she’s at my house and that she’s agreed to see where this thing goes, but it doesn’t keep me from missing the shit out of her.

  Before I chicken out, I hit send and tuck the phone in the breast pocket of my jacket.

  It’s tradition for us all to wear suits on our first road trip of the year. The reporters eat it up. Photos from today’s departure and arrival will show up on every media outlet that covers Revelers baseball.

  “You never answered my question,” Mack says, sounding half asleep. “What’s up? Did you bang Casey?”

  My elbow meets his rib cage and he lets out another groan. “Fuck, man, what’d you do that for? It was a simple question.”

  “My arm slipped,” I smirk, directing my gaze out the window as the plane ascends. I love seeing all the green and blue of the Louisiana landscape. And for every second we’re gone, that’s a second closer to being back.

  “You did, didn’t you?” Sitting up straighter in his chair, he leans forward. “What are you not telling me?”

  Turning to face him, I exhale and swipe my hand across the scruff filling in on my jaw. Now that we’re on a winning streak, I won’t be shaving until we lose. My hair is also coming back in quite nicely. “It’s none of your business,” I tell him.

  “You know if you don’t come clean I’ll make my own assumptions,” he deadpans. “Do you really want that?”

  “And you know what they say about people who assume,” I retort.

  Mack laughs, slapping me in the chest. “You are an ass, that’s for sure. Now, spill.”

  “Fine,” I say barely above a whisper, hoping everyone around us is asleep. “We… you know.” When I wave my hand around in the air, he just gives me an incredulous look.

  “Had sex,” he offers.

  “Yes.” Although, I don’t like talkin
g about it. What happened between us wasn’t just sex. It was different and if I tried to explain it, I know it wouldn’t come out right or I’d end up sounding like a pussy-whipped motherfucker.

  “Last night?” he asks, resting his elbows on his knees as he leans forward. Thankfully, we’re in the first row, so there’s no one in front of us.

  Shaking my head, I look behind us before answering, “Before Spring Training.”

  Mack’s eyes grow wide. “Are you fucking with me?”

  “No, I’m not fucking with you and please keep your voice down. And this stays between us.”

  When his wide eyes are replaced with an even wider smile, I groan. I was hoping if I gave him a little, he’d be satisfied and leave me alone, but it’s obvious all I’ve done is wet his appetite.

  “So, that’s why you were in such good form when we showed up in Tampa.”

  Rolling my eyes, I try to hide my smile, but it’s impossible. “I guess.”

  “You guess?” he asks. “I’ve been trying to get you laid for the past five months and all I could convince you to do was go on a couple of measly dates. This is huge.”

  “I told you I wasn’t ready and that when I was, I wouldn’t need your help.”

  He settles back into his seat, stretching his legs out in the extra space in front of us. “I can’t believe you’ve been holding out on me. So all that bullshit the other night at Bo’s was a front… you lying sack of shit.”

  Chuckling, I shake my head and lean my head against the seat. “It wasn’t a front. She’s been acting… off since we got back from Spring Training. While I was gone, we talked every day, usually a few times a day, either on the phone or through email. And then when I got back, it was radio silence.”

  “But your parents were here.”

  “Yeah, they were, but it didn’t mean she had to freeze me out,” I say, sounding like a petulant child. “We’d talked about picking up where we left off and then it’s like she got spooked or something. I don’t know.”

  “But you talked before you left?” he asks.