Page 49 of Summer Affair
Heather snapped her mouth shut and not a single other parent so much as blinked.
Jillian knew the moment he spotted her by the way he idly tracked her as she walked onto the field. By the flash of male appreciation in his eyes, he liked what he saw. It was stealth enough that no one else noticed, but she did.
She was dressed only in running shoes, yoga pants, and a fitted tee that hadCoachwritten across the back, but she’d taken the time to put her hair into a high pony and swiped on some mascara and lip gloss. She’d like to be one of thoseHear Me Roarsingle ladies and tell herself she dressed up for herself, but she’d done it for him. She did it for the look he’d just given her.
A single look and she was melting faster than an ice cube on the sun.
“Now, I want everyone to grab a ball and team up. We’re going to practice throwing.”
Anxiety thumped at her chest as the kids all looked around the circle to find who they wanted to partner up with. They did a team huddle and shouted “Bullfrogs” on three, then the mad dash began.
Friends calling dibs on each other, others high fiving, some racing around the circle looking for anyone who hadn’t already paired up. One of those kids was Sammy. According to Heather, Sammy was one of three newcomers to the camp, and the other two were brothers. She didn’t want to think the worst; she wanted Sammy’s first day to be welcoming, not a replay of last season.
And then an amazing thing happened, one of the players sought out Sammy. Hair pulled back and a good two inches of height on all the other teammates, they made their way to Sammy, and Jillian saw them high five. It wasn’t until the player turned around that Jillian realized it was Jules, a girl who used to cheer with Kylie.
“The other boys won’t realize until they’re a little older, but Sammy got the better partner. She’s got the best arm of all of them.”
Jillian turned around to find Clay smiling down at her. Even in his green shirt with a cartoon frog on it, he looked like a professional athlete—and a professional kisser.
“You seem to be handling the kids well,” she said. “Most first year coaches would have put in their resignation by now.”
“I’d rather be handling you,” he said lowly.
“You’re going to make me blush, then everyone will know,” she whispered back.
“I love it when you blush, and to anyone else looking on we’re just two coaches discussing our team.”
“Then I guess it’s alright to discuss that if we were alone, I’d kiss you.”
“Cupcake, if we were alone, we’d be doing a hell of a lot more than kissing.”
This time when their eyes met, the air around them wentsnap, crackle, pop.“Maybe you can tell me tonight on the phone exactly what this ‘more’ entails.”
As their eyes held, it produced some serious electricity. His eyes were hidden beneath his ball cap, the bill casting a shadow over his face, but she could see everything that “more” entailed.
“What are you doing this weekend?” he asked.
“I thought you said you were going to be gone this weekend.”
“I leave for Seattle Thursday to go check in with the team doctor.”
She forced a smile. “That’s great news. It sounds like your physical therapist thinks you’re closer than you originally thought,” she said. “How long will you be gone?”
“Just Thursday to Friday, back Saturday morning. But don’t worry, I talked to William’s dad and he’s going to take over coaching until I get back.”
“Oh, okay.” Her feelings were smarting a bit. Not because he was leaving for the weekend, but her feelings felt raw because he hadn’t told her—his assistant coach.
“It’s not like that,” he said softly. “I got the call right before practice and Will’s dad was there and overheard, then offered or I would have waited to tell you first.”
How could she be mad when he put it like that. “Thank you for not leaving me hanging.”
He stepped even closer. “I’d never do that. Got it?” She nodded and he smiled. Half-cocked and fully loaded with charm. “Back to Saturday. Are you free?”
She mentally scrolled through her schedule for the next week. “I have two deliveries in the morning and a tasting downtown in the afternoon, but I’m free after that.” She wasn’t exactlyfree.She had a cake to finish for a Sunday wedding. But it was in the evening and if she baked the cake Saturday night and woke up early enough on Sunday, she could get her work done and go to, well, wherever he was asking her to go.
She’d be exhausted come Monday, but if it meant finding out his definition of “more,” then it’d be worth it.
“I was wondering if you’d like to spend the afternoon with me.”
