Who wants a little sneak peek at Hit and Run?
Blurb:
The heroine, Piper, works at the stables as a bookkeeper where Beau keeps his horse, Flash--a job she just started last week.
He regularly drops Longhorns tickets off for the staff there, and this time, the owner gave them to Piper, who is a single mom to a six-year-old boy.
She and Beau have met once, briefly, and while they flirted a little, she knows that it didn't mean anything, especially given that his reputation is a mile long.
Little does she know that Beau is in the market for a fake girlfriend--one who will help save his reputation as he nears the end of his contract with the Longhorns.
Excerpt:
“That’s Dylan McCormick,” said Ben, grinning. “He’s one of my favorite players.”
She nodded, wanting to connect with Ben even though she didn’t care about baseball. He cared—a lot—and that was more than enough for her. Besides, given how serious he was about it and how much natural talent he apparently had, she needed to step it up and do her best for him.
“Who else do you like on the team?”
“Hunter Blake. He’s the best hitter and he makes these awesome diving catches sometimes. He’s an outfielder, like Dylan McCormick. Connor Slate is the best pitcher on the team. You should see him, Mama. He’s huge! They call him the Mountain Man because he’s so big. But I don’t think he’s pitching today, I think it’s Nate Pederson. He’s one of the youngest starting pitchers in the American League. My coach says that he’s an example of talent meeting hard work and showing what you can do, no matter your age. I want to be like him, even though I’m not a pitcher. I like playing first base. You get to be in most of the plays when you’re on first base, plus pitchers don’t get to hit and I like hitting. Jordan Miller plays first base for the Longhorns, but he’s just okay.”
She wasn’t even sure he’d taken a breath during all of that.
“What about Beau Beckett?” she asked, wondering what Ben’s impression of him was.
“He plays shortstop and he’s really good, but his hitting is sometimes good and sometimes bad, and sometimes he makes a lot of mistakes. And it’s okay to make mistakes, but like you say, you have to learn from them, and he makes the same mistakes a lot, so maybe no one ever told him that. About mistakes.”
“Mmm, maybe,” she murmured in agreement as she reflected back on all of his public misbehavior. She still couldn’t quite reconcile it with the man she’d talked to, though.
“Look, there he is right there,” said Ben, pointing as a player stepped up out of the dugout and onto the on-deck circle, warming up as he waited for his turn at-bat. Piper’s face went hot at the sight of Beau, looking absolutely delicious in his white Longhorns uniform. The fabric clung to him, emphasizing his broad shoulders, tapered waist, and strong legs. And his ass in those baseball pants…she was dead. Deceased. No longer among the living, it was so mouthwateringly perfect.
She watched as he stretched and then swung the bat easily a few times, his body moving with an athletic grace that had her thighs clenching together. God, he was hot. Really, really hot. The body, the face, the sexy grin, the deep drawl. He was the stuff of fantasies.
As though he could feel her eyes on him—or maybe he was just curious who was sitting in the seats he’d given to the stables—he turned, his blue eyes slamming into her. He had lines of black paint beneath his eyes, and somehow that only made him look sexier. Like a warrior, ready to charge headfirst into battle. A grin pulled up the corner of his mouth, making her stomach behave as though it were on a Tilt-a-Whirl, all loopy and floppy. Glancing over his shoulder at the game, he ambled over, bat cocked over his shoulder. Oh, holy shit. He was coming to talk to them. Which he could do since their seats were practically on the field.
“Piper, hi,” he drawled, nodding at her. She nodded back, trying to unstick her tongue from the roof of her mouth. It had been a long time since she’d been this tongue-tied around a guy. Hell, she’d flirted with him just a few days ago. Before she’d seen the glory he had hidden beneath his uniform. Before she’d known about his reputation. “Who’s your date?” he asked with a playful grin.
“This is my son, Ben,” she said and Ben turned to her, his mouth agape.
“You actually know Beau Beckett?” he squeaked out. “How is that possible? You never know anyone cool.”
Beau laughed as Piper’s face went a little warm, and she pressed a hand to her cheek. “You think I was telling tales when I said Mr. Beckett dropped off the tickets at the stable?”
“Well, no,” he admitted.
“Thank you very much for the tickets,” said Piper, feeling suddenly shy as she felt the eyes of several nearby fans on her. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of someone holding up a phone, taking pictures or a video. “I really appreciate it.”
He grinned again, making her feel like melting ice cream, all sticky and gooey and running all over the place. She was a mess, and that wasn’t like her. It made her wish she’d never seen those pictures of him because all she could think about was how freaking sexy he was.
“You’re very welcome. Hang on a sec,” he said, and then ducked back into the dugout for a moment. When he emerged, he had a ball in his hand, and he tossed it to Ben, who caught it easily in his extended glove. “Whoa, nice catch, little man. You play?”
Ben nodded enthusiastically. “First base. I’m going to Nike baseball camp. I want to play on the Longhorns someday.” More fans turned their attention to Beau, watching him interact with Ben. Even one of the TV cameras had swung their way, making Piper feel self-conscious. She fought down the urge to fidget, focusing on Ben.
Beau smiled, showing off his perfect teeth. “Awesome! You want a little advice?” He moved even closer, so close that Piper could see the pure, sky blue of his eyes. More phones around them came up, recording Beau with his young fan.
Ben nodded, totally enthralled by Beau’s presence. Piper empathized.
“Work hard, listen to your coaches, and don’t give up. You do your best and keep a positive attitude, and you can do just about anything you set your mind to.” Then he tilted his head in Piper’s direction. “And you mind your Mama.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.” Ben cradled the ball in his glove, holding it as though it were the Holy Grail itself.
Beau glanced at her and then his eyes did the strangest thing. After lingering on her face, they flicked down to her left hand. Had he just…had he just checked for a wedding ring? No. That couldn’t be right. No way.
And besides, even if he had, it didn’t matter. It wasn’t as though a man like him would be interested in a woman like her, and even if he was—and he wasn’t—she didn’t date. Her plate was full enough with work and Ben and her designs and everything. She didn’t have room for a man, especially one that would just break her heart.
And Beau Beckett had heartbreaker written all over him.
“Thank you,” she said, meeting his eyes. A zing of electricity passed through her, and she licked her lips. His eyes tracked the movement, so she did it again. His gaze seemed to darken, just a little. Probably a trick of the shifting clouds above. “You’ve made his day.”
“My year!” said Ben, his fingers tracing over the ball’s stitching. Several people around them chuckled.
“I’m happy to. I’ve gotta get back to my warm-up, but y’all enjoy the game.” And then he winked at her and sauntered back to the on-deck circle, giving her another view of his glorious ass in those tight baseball pants. Conversation buzzed around them.
Suddenly, she was a lot more interested in watching the baseball game. In watching Beau at the plate, his muscled forearms flexing as he swung the bat. At his tight ass as he stood between second and third base. She wasn’t as interested in the innings where he wasn’t up to bat. She just wanted to watch him. Watch his brow furrow in concentration, watch his wide grin as he shared a joke with his teammates, watch his body as he ran and slid and dived.
And then, toward the end of the game, he came back over to them and gave Ben a pair of his used batting gloves, enthralling Ben even further. He’d gone out of his way to make Ben’s day and give him a couple of souvenirs she knew he’d cherish. After all, it wasn’t every day that an All-Star major leaguer gave you a pair of his batting gloves, the ones he’d used in that day’s game. It was sweet of him. Kind and thoughtful.
Okay, it was official. She had a crush on Beau Beckett.
A big one.
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