Beyond the Play (Out of Reach 3)

“Come on now,” I say when we reach the bar. “Don’t be like that.”

“Hi, I’m Autumn.” The friend offers me her hand. I open my mouth to tell her my name, but she beats me to it. “Holden, I know.” She smiles and turns to raise her hand to get the bartender's attention.

He sees them and rushes over, ignoring all the other assholes of the male variety trying to get their attention. “Ladies,” he greets. “What can I get you?”

“Two Long Islands,” Autumn orders. She glances over at me. “Holden?” she asks.

“I’m good.” I ditched my glass of club soda during my little trek around the club, looking for her.

“I’m Holden.” I offer my hand to the woman who I can’t stop thinking about. “I think we’re way past the time for me to properly introduce myself.”

“Parker,” she replies but doesn’t take my offered hand.

Placing my hand on the small of her back, I lean in close. “Nice to meet you, Parker,” I whisper with my lips close to her ear. I see the small shiver that races through her.

“So, Holden, what brings you to town?” Autumn asks.

I’m a little surprised by her question. Usually, it’s an autograph or a selfie request. I don’t think I’ve ever had just a casual conversation with a woman, not since before becoming well-known at college and now in the professional league. “Family.” It’s not a lie. My parents have lived here their entire lives. It was me who moved away to college, and when I was signed in the professional league, it was my career that kept me from home. Well, until now. I’m no longer a Tomahawk. I’m a Blaze, living in my hometown for the first time since graduating high school.

“What about you? Do you ladies live around here?” I ask. I really only want to know about Parker, but her friend is cool. She’s keeping me here with them, so there’s that.

“Yeah. Born and raised. We’re both seniors in college. We live just across town.”

“What’s your major?” I ask Parker as my hand rubs circles on the small of her back.

“Public relations.”

“And you?” I lean in close to Parker to speak to Autumn. I don’t miss her slight intake of breath at my nearness.

“Accounting.” Autumn shrugs. “I like numbers.”

Before I can reply, a guy, one I recognize who was here with them last week, walks up. He drapes his arm over both of their shoulders, and they both have smiles for him. It’s awkward because my hand still rests on the small of Parker’s back, but I’m not moving it. She’s here standing next to me, letting me touch her. No way in hell am I giving that up. Not yet.

“Bailey.” The guy nods at me.

I return his nod, and I realize that none of them seem to give one single fuck that I’m a professional baseball player. “You ladies want to dance?” the guy asks.

“What are you doing here, Troy?” Autumn asks him. “I thought we told you it was girls’ night?” She raises an eyebrow, and though her gaze isn’t even directed at me, I fight the urge to squirm.

“It’s guys’ night too.” He points at a table just off to the right where a group of guys sits with beers. A few have scantily clad women on their laps. I do a double take when I see the blonde from earlier getting felt up by one of them. She doesn’t seem to mind as she sips the drink in her hand.

“Poor guy.” Parker turns so that she’s facing him. This brings her back to my front, and I don’t hesitate to move in close, placing my hand on her hip. She doesn’t even react other than the way her shoulders slightly stiffen. “Troy boy, we love you, you know that, right?” she asks him.

I don’t let the “we love you” part offend me. She’s not mine. Not yet. Hell, I don’t even really want her to be mine. Not really. That’s not how I roll, but I do want her.

“However, Autumn and I are girls. That means we don’t have the twig and berries like you do.” She reaches out and pats his cheek. Troy tosses his head back in laughter, and I find that I’m biting down on my cheek to keep from laughing as well. Parker’s got spunk. I like it.

“Do you need me to show you?” Autumn chimes in.

Troy’s eyes heat. “Come on, crazy girl.” He laces his fingers with hers and leads her to the dance floor.

“What do you say, Parker? Should we join them?”

The woman who has been monopolizing my thoughts for the past week turns and smiles. “You think you can keep up, Bailey?” she teases.

I lean in close, our lips a breath away. “Let me show you.” Just another inch if that, and I could press my lips to hers. I ache to taste her, but it’s too soon. She still seems to be unaffected, and that needs to change. It’s time for the player to step up his game.