Page 71 of Sliding into Love
"Have you?" They squeeze my hand. "Because it doesn't sound like you have."
Damn them for seeing right through me.
"My father was thrilled," I admit, the bitterness creeping into my voice despite my best efforts.
“Oh, I bet he was if he’s anything like your mother. All the disrespect intended.”
I snort at their boldness. "He finally had an excuse to pull me out of that 'foolish sports nonsense' and get me into business school where I belonged. He paid for the surgery, paid for the medical bills, and in return, I agreed to give up baseball and focus on the family business."
"That's why you took over the team. You couldn't play anymore, but you found another way to stay close to the game," Royce says, understanding dawning in their eyes.
I manage a small smile. "Pretty pathetic, huh? Couldn't hack it as a player so I became the guy writing the checks instead."
"That's not pathetic." Their voice is firm, almost sharp. "Kenneth, you've done incredible things with this team. The improvements you've made, the culture you've built. That matters. That's real."
"I know," I sigh, running my free hand through my hair. "Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I'd just refused to throw that pitch. If I'd listened to my body instead of trying to be the hero."
"You were a kid! A kid under pressure from your coach, your team, probably from your family too. You can't blame yourself for that."
"Can't I?" I look at them, really look at them. "I made a choice, Royce. I chose to push through the pain, to ignore what my body was telling me. And it cost me everything I wanted."
Royce is quiet for a moment, their thumb rubbing small circles on the back of my hand. It's soothing in a way I can't quite explain.
"You know what I think? I think you're exactly where you're supposed to be. If you hadn't gotten injured, you wouldn't havetaken over this team. You wouldn't be here right now. You wouldn't be…" They trail off, a faint blush coloring their cheeks.
"Wouldn't be what?" I prompt, my heart rate picking up.
"You wouldn't be with me. And I know we're still figuring this out, and I know I said I'm keeping my guard up, but Kenny, I can't imagine my life without you in it anymore. Even if nothing had happened between us, I wouldn’t have come out of this the same way I came into it. So maybe that injury wasn't a tragedy. Maybe it was just redirecting you to where you needed to be."
The words hit me square in the chest, and for a moment I can't breathe. Because no one has ever said anything like that to me before. No one has ever looked at my biggest failure and suggested it might have been necessary.
"Your Majesty,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. "You can't just say things like that when we're at work."
A smile tugs at their lips. "Why not?"
"Because it makes me want to kiss you, and we agreed to keep things professional during business hours."
They lean in closer, and I get lost in their eyes. "Did we? I don't recall agreeing to any such thing."
"Royce," I warn, but there's no heat in it.
"Kenneth," they counter, their voice dropping into that commanding tone that makes my stomach flip. "If you want to kiss me, then kiss me."
I don't need to be told twice.
I lean forward, closing the miniscule distance between us, and capture their mouth with mine. The kiss is softer than the ones from the other night, less desperate and more tender. Like we're taking our time now, learning each other at a different pace.
When we pull apart, Royce is smiling, their hand cupping my jaw.
"For what it's worth," they murmur, "I think you would have made an incredible professional player. But I'm selfish enough to be glad you're here instead."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." They kiss me again, quick and sweet. "Now, we should probably get back to work before someone walks in and catches us making out in your office."
"Our office. It's as much yours as it is mine now. Soon it won’t be mine at all."
Their expression softens. "Our office," they agree.
