Page 24 of The Strike Zone

“Of course,” he spoke finally, before standing up and downing the remainder of his shake. “I’d be lucky to be your friend. And Scout?”

“Y-yes?” I managed to splutter as he loomed above me. Big, strong, muscular.

“When you’re ready to be more than friends, say the word. I’ll sign that damn form any day of the week.”

He walked off without looking back. If he had, he’d have seen confusion all over my face and my hands rammed between my crossed legs to quench the shivers that had shot down my spine.

Dammit.

Developing a crush on Parker King did not fall under the heading of better relationship choices.

I just needed to figure out how to stop it, and soon.

SIX

PARKER

“Hey, has anyone taken my lucky socks?—and my deodorant?—Anyone?—Guys?”

I opened the fridge and grabbed a protein shake, wondering if Tanner would wear himself out with all the yelling before someone told him his lucky socks were in the laundry room where our housekeeper had left them.

Where shealwaysleft them, in the little cubby with his name on it.

Snatching up an apple while I chugged the shake, I watched Tanner sprint across the living room and disappear down the hallway only to return thirty seconds later, skidding to a halt in front of me, socks held high in his fist.

“I found my lucky socks.”

“Were they in the place they always are?”

“Yes. Coincidently, they were,” he replied, hopping about as he pulled them on one at a time. “Now I just need to find my deodorant.”

“Dude, just get some from the club.”

“Nah, I like mine. I like the way I smell with it.” He lifted his arm, sniffing deeply against his armpit. “What’s more, I think Millie likes it too.”

I crunched on my apple. I hadn’t realized Millie had ever gotten close enough to smell him or his deodorant. I was about to ask if that was the case when Ace appeared from his bedroom, and Tanner’s attention was immediately taken.

“What about you? Have you seen my deodorant?” Tanner pounced, before Ace had barely taken a step.

“Yes. It’s in my bathroom where you left it this morning.”

“Next to your shower shoes?” I smirked.

“Shut up. I don’t have fucking shower shoes,” he snapped as Tanner once again sprinted across the living room. “That guy is going to forget his head one day.”

“Yup.”

“Are you ready to go?” Ace dropped his bag on the floor next to mine. “Six days, baby.”

“Excited?”

“Bet your ass I am.” He picked up the remains of my protein shake and finished it. “Aren’t you?”

“Yeah, totally. We’re going to win this year, I can feel it.”

Ace put down the bottle and held my gaze. “Me too. Me too.”

I had the impression he was about to add something more, when Lux appeared with his phone wedged into the crook of his neck. His bag was dumped next to Ace’s before he opened the fridge.

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