Page 62 of For the Win

I want to break all the speed limits on the way home, but I force myself to act casual and drive appropriately.My insides are jumping around like popcorn.

I park on the street.I have no idea what Ash’s schedule is like.He works from home a lot, but he’s covering the Dodgers this summer and he’s been going to a lot of games.

Luck is with me, and we’re home alone.The alarm beeps when we walk in and I enter the code to disarm it.

“I share this place with my brother,” I tell her.“I guess he’s out.”

“You haven’t said a lot about the rest of your family.”She follows me in, looking around.“Nice place, by the way.”

“Thanks.”I’m uncomfortably aware it’s messy—books, magazines, newspapers, and golf equipment litter the living room on our left.The dining room on the right is tidier.She peers up the oak stairs with the wrought iron railing, then moves into the living room.

“Love the fireplace.”She trails her hand over the oak mantel.

“Yeah.I’ll show you around.”I lead her past the stairs and down the hall.“Ash’s office is that room, and my bedroom is the next one.He has the whole upstairs—the master suite is really nice.”

“How come he gets it?”she asks teasingly.

“Because he lives here all the time, and I’m only here part-time.I have an apartment in Pasadena too, that I share with a teammate.”

“Ah.”

I turn into the kitchen, cringing at what it might look like.I left early to get to the arena.

Luckily, Ash must have put the dishes in the dishwasher and it’s not bad.“Kitchen,” I announce unnecessarily.“A little out-of-date, but okay.Now for mojitos.We need mint.”

I open the back door, which leads out into our tiny yard.There’s a patch of mint growing like crazy right near the door.I pluck a few sprigs and step back in.

“Can you grab two glasses from that cupboard?”I nod.

Arya gets the glasses while I rise off the mint then muddle it in the glasses with sugar.I retrieve a couple of limes from the bowl on the counter and the bottle of rum from another cupboard, and soon we have our drinks.

Arya sips hers.“Yum.Good job.”

“Thanks.Let’s take them outside.”

It’s a nice warm day, the sun shining right on the seating area out back.

“Oh, pretty,” she says, following me.

The yard is tiny and there’s no grass, but curved red brick outlines a few flower beds containing shrubs, and the red brick patio holds modular patio furniture with thick, gray cushions.We sit on the couch.

“This is so nice!”Arya looks around.

I point upward.“There’s a deck off the master bedroom up there.”

“Cool.”

“I think Ash sunbathes in the nude there.”

She laughs.“I really didn’t need to know that.”

“Fuck.I’m such an idiot.”I rub my face.

She sets her glass on the outdoor coffee table, turns to me, and leans in.My body electrifies in shock as she kisses me.

When she eases back and meets my eyes, I blink.“Um...”

“I’m nervous too.”

---