“Liar. You’re worse than Ben and his preoccupation with Camden. What is it about these nerdy chicks you two find appealing?” Davis asks, like he just can’t fathom the reason.
“She hates baseball,” I murmur, mostly ignoring Davis.
“What?”
“She hates baseball,” I repeat and for some reason those three words make me grin.
Probably because I hate it, too. There’s no joy in the sport for me. There never has been. I started playing after Parker got a chance to live the dream Dad always had, which was to be courted by colleges and agents for the sport. Dad pushed me to follow the same path. I did, but I hate every fucking minute of it.
Hell, at this point, I couldn’t even tell you what I do enjoy.
Except maybe looking at Violet.
There’s just one problem. Just looking is getting old. I need to find a way to get Violet into my orbit. She’s staying a good distance away from me and I know she’s doing that shit on purpose. The other day she spotted me leaning against the lockers talking to Reese about some bullshit that I can’t begin to recall. I knew damn well I was doing it because Violet’s locker was close by. When she saw me, she turned around and walked back the other way. I’m either going to have to get closer to her or fuck someone else to get her out of my system. Since my dick is bored lately that last option doesn’t seem feasible.
She’s laughing now. I move my gaze to see what has her laughing. There’s a dog lying down in front of the bleachers. He’s on his back, using the ground to scratch his fur as he moves his body side to side, his big tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth. I’ve seen the hound around. He kind of belongs to the school and just showed up one day. Everyone sort of feeds him. He’s a scruffy beagle that’s older, because you can see the gray in some of his spots.
None of the girls I know from Black Mountain would look at that damn beagle instead of the men on the field, let alone laugh at it. Violet is different, and I’ve known that all along. I need to get closer to her to find out just how different.
I get up and walk through the dugout. Davis is still chattering, but I ignore him. My attention is completely on Violet. I walk with a sense of purpose, headed toward the fence that faces the bleachers. I can tell the minute Violet spots me, because her entire body goes rigid, stiffening before my eyes.
I smile.
She frowns.
When I stop at the edge of the fence, her frown narrows into a glare.
“You’re looking good, Violet.” Her eyes go round as I say her name, the look on her face priceless, and it makes me want to laugh. “Best looking girl in this whole damn school,” I add, and fuck, I think she just blushed. I put my arms on top of the chain link fence, my gaze still locked with hers. “Sexy as hell,” I add. Everyone around us is watching and I know it’s making her uncomfortable. The girls we call bat-bunnies, because they think it’s cool to be seen with one of us players—have all gathered around me and they’re whispering and watching Violet. Her gaze moves from me to look at the other girls, then comes back to me.
“Better watch it, your harem will get jealous.”
That does make me laugh. Apparently Violet Raines doesn’t care who she pisses off, because Lindy is on the squad, and she can be a vindictive little bitch when she wants to be.
“I’m just telling the truth, baby girl. You have the hottest body I’ve ever seen,” I add, and it’s true, but I only say it because I know it’s going to piss her off. I wonder if I can make her flip me off once more. I’m kind of hoping she will. If she does, I might just climb this fence so I can get over to her and spank her ass. I’ve watched that ass of hers. It’s nice and round, juicy as hell, and spanking it has been the subject of a lot of my fantasies.
“Gee thanks, that means so much, coming from you,” she sasses.
“Is that a fact?” I respond with a smirk.
“Yeah, because I know how high your standards are, Mikey,” she mocks, while rolling her eyes.
“Keep it up, baby girl, and I’m going to tame that smart mouth of yours and take you for a ride on the Big Mike train.”
“No thanks. I hear it stays too crowded for new passengers.”
“I’ll always have room to add you, Violet,” I purr.
“I think I just threw up in my mouth,” she replies with a fake shudder.