Page 4 of Swing and a Little Miss

Royce also looked surprisingly relaxed out of the confines of the office. He was laughing with some of the guys from accounting, and I had to do a double-take. He was laughing. Royce Elliot was actually laughing.

"Ready to show us what you've got?" Corrine nudged me with her elbow and handed me a glove.

"Maybe." I grinned as a burst of confidence surged through me. This was where I could let loose and be myself without the pressure of trying to control everyone at work.

When the game started, I was placed at the bottom of the batting order. That was to be expected. They didn’t have any reason to think I could run a base much less hit the ball. Whether I was out in the field or riding the bench, I couldn't help stealing glances at Royce. He was fiercely competitive—almost more than he was at work.

Honestly, I admired that about him. And it was kinda hot.

When it was finally my turn at bat, I gripped the handle until my knuckles turned white and swung with all the pent-up energy I’d been holding in. The satisfying crack of the bat connecting with the ball sent it soaring over second base and into the outfield.

"Fuck, yeah!”

“Atta girl!”

“Run, Abby.”

Several people shouted in my direction as I sprinted around the bases. I didn’t dare glance up to see where the ball was until I heard Royce calling me home.

I dug harder, planting my foot over the plate, and I kept going until Royce’s solid frame stopped me against his chest.

“Safe!” His hands held my shoulders, and he kept me upright. His eyes locked with mine, and I actually saw something other than disdain in them. “You can stop running now, Abby. You’re safe.”

“Yeah, I think I am.” My insides lit up, and I could feel my cheeks burning as he looked down at me. Wait, did I say that out loud? I cleared my voice and pulled away from him. “I mean, sorry about that.”

“Never apologize for doing what you’re supposed to do, sweetheart.” His voice was low, but I heard him clearly. So clearly that I was imagining he meant even more by those simple words. The sweet endearment. The gentle touch.

“Okay, well.” I turned and headed back into the dugout. “I’m just glad to know that if we don’t win, it won’t be my fault.”

“It’s absolutely not your fault if we don’t win.” He cocked his head and winked. “And even if it were your fault, it would be totally worth it to see you running the bases like your ass was on fire.”

I had to laugh because I did go a bit overboard in the running department. Maybe I was a tiny bit competitive too. “What? It’s not my fault the rest of you are slowpokes.”

He chuckled softly and shook his head. “Watch your mouth or I’ll take you over my knee.”

My breath hitched, and my throat was totally dry as I nodded. “Okay.”

4

ROYCE

The moment Abby stepped up to the plate, I knew the game was about to take a turn. She had a determined glint in her eyes that I recognized from all my past encounters with her at work. She was a woman with an agenda, and that meant trouble for the opposing team.

I held my breath when the ball was pitched to her, but my girl hit it with the grace of someone who'd scored a thousand home runs before.

My girl?Where the hell had that come from? She was definitely not my girl. In fact, I was fairly certain she hated me, at least off the field.

And I couldn’t blame her for that. I'd been avoiding her at work, but I had my reasons. Mostly that it wasn't easy being around her when every little thing about her pulled me in and made me more interested. I was trying to maintain professional boundaries, but it wasn’t easy with such a cutie like her. At least out there on the field, I could freely watch her with the excuse of wanting to help her learn the game.

Which might have been slightly believable if she didn’t toss her bat into the air and grab it like a professional player.

On Abby’s second at bat, she slid into home base just as the catcher fumbled with the ball. Our team erupted into cheers and stormed the plate to hug her.

Abby jumped to her feet and dusted herself off with a triumphant grin across her face as the team pulled her into hugs and high fives. Her gaze instantly found mine, and she absolutely beamed.

Fuck, she was gorgeous.

She really was an unexpected ringer.

---