Page 12 of Midnight Player

“Why not?” Vanessa tilted her head, concern dotting her brow.

“I can’t believe I missed watching you hook up with a hottie because I was having drinks with that marketing rep.” Mel sighed dejectedly.

“We both missed it. Gah!”

“Tell us everything. Including what he has to do with the baseball game.” Mel pointed at Jake.

HerJake.

Dammit. He wasn’t hers and never would be. Just because their connection had been leagues deeper than she’d ever experienced didn’t mean a thing. It couldn’t.

Because she doubted with the way she’d left his room this morning that he would ever deign to speak to her again. She drank a long sip of her margarita and then divulged the story. Most of it. They didn’t need a play-by-play of their bedroom activities. They didn’t need to know how hung Jake was or how much his dirty talk had fueled her lust to epic heights or how she’d been down for anything he wanted to do.

“Holy shit!” Mel exclaimed and slumped back against her chair in awe.

Vanessa bent her head down. “It’s official. You’re the queen of hookups. We bow before your greatness.”

Willa chuckled at their antics. She loved these girls. They had a blast together when they traveled. “I’m not sure about that title. But was leaving that way the right thing to do?”

It had been on her mind all day long. She was lucky she’d been able to focus at all during her workshop presentation.

“Because you like him, like him.” Mel wiggled her eyebrows.

Bingo. She wasn’t wrong with her assumption. If Willa was writing this story, they’d reached the turning point in the book where the heroine realizes she cares deeply about the hero. And that she’d made a mistake this morning.

“I’ve got to know. What’s he packing?” Vanessa chin nodded toward the television where the camera had zoomed in on him behind the plate.

“Almost too big. Had to be a solid eight—and wide. And he knew how to use it.” She couldn’t help the involuntary shiver at the memory of all those inches. Willa had never come so hard in her life.

“Girl! I’m officially jealous.”

“And you left before he could ask for your number?”

“Come on, you guys. A man like that would never want to be out in public with a woman who looks like me. You know it and I know it.” She was a size fourteen and rather average, but still considered plus size in a world and society that idolized size zeros.

“Willa, don’t talk about yourself like that,” Mel scolded.

“Honey, you’re beautiful.” Vanessa frowned.

She sighed and shook her head because they were both thinner and didn’t get it. “Not when it comes to most of our society.”

“But what if he wanted to be with you beyond last night? What if he wanted to date you?”

Mel’s questions were valid. And Willa couldn’t deny that in her heart of hearts, it was what she craved. “I like Jake. If he had any other job, I could see myself with him long-term. But I can’t handle the constant media attention.”

“You get media attention for your work too. Unless you’re forgetting, MissNew York Timesbestseller,” Vanessa chimed in with a wry grin.

“I know, but I can hide behind my computer. That”—she gestured toward the screen—“is beyond the online articles I’m interviewed for or the book clubs where I appear virtually or even the book signings. Those I can handle.”

“You know what I think?” Mel tilted her head.

“No, what?”

“I think you’re scared. I think you felt something last night. And you ran.”

Willa winced internally. Bullseye. Mel’s insight hit home. “It was just a one-night stand.”

“And you’re glued to a baseball game because you want to know who wins?” Vanessa stated drolly with an eye roll.

---