Page 12 of Switch Pitching

“Try these. I didn’t have much to work with.”

Ethan gives me a tiny smile before he grabs the clothes and heads into the bathroom to change.

A few seconds later, Ethan comes back out, and damn, he looks great. Those jeans fit him way too well, and the polo highlights his athletic physique. The color also makes his eyes stand out. Sheesh. Ethan’s gonna get so much attention, it’s not even funny.

He glances up at me, eyebrows raised. “So? How do I look?”

“Amazing.”

Ethan raises an eyebrow, half-skeptical. “You think so?”

“Oh, I know so. Trust me, you’ll be popular tonight.”

“Popular? With who?”

Is he kidding me right now?

“From women, of course. Who else, the team?”

Seriously, I wasn’t expecting to spell it out for him like that.

Ethan rolls his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. We’ll see about that.”

My eyes narrow. “We’re leaving Tampa in two days. We aren’t in Vegas, but I’m almost certain that what happens down here will stay down here.”

Shrugging, Ethan downs the remainder of his beer. “Can’t get distracted, man.”

I blink, not fully believing what I’m hearing. “You mean youhaven’thooked up since you got here?”

“No, have you?”

“A few times, nothing too crazy,” I reply. “Like, I’ve been super discreet about bringing girls up to my room because of those rumors, but that hasn’t stopped me.”

“Okay. I guess I just haven’t felt the need to go looking, really.”

This isn’t the time to pick apart our private lives. My reply comes in the form of shoving another beer into Ethan’s hand because 10 p.m. is creeping up on us, and we need to hurry.

Some of the guys pre-gamed too hard and we’re slightly delayed. I lead our group of rowdy baseball players from our meeting point on the boardwalk to the first “bar w great vibes” that Google Maps suggested. The night air is warm against our skin, and Ethan’s got a bit of a buzz—he’s chatting with the team in a way that I haven’t seen before, and honestly, I love to see it.

Once we arrive, I have Ethan set everyone up at our reserved table while I head straight for the bar. James Hernandez is in charge tonight, so the team needs to brace themselves for a good time.

When I head back, the team collectively hoots. I mean, who wouldn’t? I ordered enough shots for everyone to have at least three.

Gabe lets out a low whistle. “Looks like James is trying to kill us with kindness and alcohol poisoning,” he says, elbowing both of the guys next to him.

I nod at Ethan who’s sitting across the table, a single eyebrow raised in amusement. Before anyone can react, I grab a glass and down it smoothly. No lime needed. Reaching for another, I knock back the second shot and glance over at Ethan, daring him to keep up. With my third shot in hand, I lock eyes with him, a playful challenge in my gaze. “Your turn, don’t tell me you’re backing out.”

He takes a glass, feigning reluctance before smiling at me.

“You wish,” he fires back, tossing the shot back in one smooth motion. He grabs two more glasses and downs them one after the other, his expression unchanged.

The team erupts in cheers and playful jeers. I slam my fist on the table, letting out a victorious cheer. “Alright boys, you’re next!”

Everyone laughs as the night goes on, and we’re having an awesome time. Despite my initial sprint, I’m pacing myself and making sure I stay alert, just in case. We’re drawing a lot of attention and before long, almost all the single guys on the team are paired up.

Except for Ethan. He’s talking to Will, and it sounds like they’re deep in conversation about… barbecue grills? I listen in for a couple more seconds and sure, Will’s new grill that just got installed sounds cool. But we’re out. Ethan says he’s single, and he should be having a good time mixing with everyone.

I need another drink, so I slide up to the bar. The place is packed, and the bartender is darting around, barely keeping up with orders. While I lean against the bar and wait, I notice a group of three women standing nearby, all trying to flag him down but failing. They’re laughing, but I can tell they’re getting frustrated.

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