She loved to watch him play; he was larger than life. As soon as he stepped onto the field, the fashionable, polished luminary celebrated his truest essence. Not an act, but the ultimate extension of everything he was, minus the baggage of being a role model. He played hard but he wasn’t intense. He didn’t punch or throw things, never mouthed an obscenity or took on an umpire past a polite inquiry. He was carefree and playful, enjoying every moment of being a grown man lost within a boy’s game. It was incredible to witness. Amanda roamed the stadium, finding her way to the bleachers and the upper decks to watch him on the big screen, secure in the knowledge he had no idea where she was. It gave her the opportunity to let her guard down and observe him in his element without any regard to his focus being on her. He always watched her. Whenever they were together, she was always in his sight line, often with the same look he wore the first night at the Cold Creek. But from the cheap seats, she was able to spy on him with thirty thousand other people; only the rest of them had no clue as to what they were seeing.
She was there waiting for him when he came out of the locker room, because she liked the thought of his seducing her most of all and couldn’t wait to clue him in. First, she had to dutifully fade into the background while he met his responsibilities to be accessible to his fan base. She offered to take some of the pictures in the spirit of being a good sport. She ignored the rush of peevishness that accompanied watching him do the familiar arm curl around another woman’s waist. Having to endure the few women who insisted on kissing him presented more of a challenge.
Chase didn’t kiss back, but graciously presented his cheek. Then his eyes met hers and he gave her a little wink, the affectionate reminder that he appreciated her tolerance. It teasingly conveyed that he knew about her jealous streak. It also reminded her that he was thrown temptation on a regular basis, and by the time they finished dinner, she had waffled on the topic again. But after he walked her to her door and gently drew her into his powerful arms it was impossible to think of anything at all. Each kiss was more electrifying than the first had been, since he had started brushing his tongue across her lips and sometimes into her mouth, all smooth and warm and soft. His fingertips traced down her spine and came to rest on the small of her back. Both nights she was dizzy afterward and was left wondering if the entire day had been a dream and her gentle giant nothing more than a mirage. But the text would soon arrive afterward, confirming her reality: “That was fun. Can’t wait to see you again.”
He left that Thursday for a short stint in Boston, and in his absence, Amanda gave herself the “fish or cut bait” lecture. He was who he was, and nothing was going to change that. She couldn’t keep viewing women coming on to him as a roadblock. If they were to have any hope at a relationship, she would have to get used it. He had kept his promise and was willing to abide by her timetable. He couldn’t keep that promise and hit on her at the same time. She was going to have to make it obvious she was ready. Whatever his flaw was, it was becoming less important. On a balmy Sunday evening in June, while he was finishing up game three with the Sox and she was still feeling the afterglow of a particularly romantic phone conversation from the night before, Amanda impulsively referred to Chase as her boyfriend.
The repercussions soon followed.
Luckily the following stormy Monday changed the game again.
She hadn’t answered his call all day or the night before, either. Vexing but not surprising. Amanda often neglected her phone. Still, he wasn’t used to people ignoring his calls and definitely not women. As soon as word came down that the game had been officially rained out, Chase quickly showered. Then he went straight to Amanda’s apartment, knowing the Cold Creek was closed. He would surprise her, offer to take her to dinner. Have her for dessert. Four days with nothing but her occasional voice over the phone only heightened his resolve. And he decided the weeks he spent at the restaurant winning her over counted as time served. He had just about reached the end of his rope when it came to waiting her out. She’d put him through his paces longer than any woman before her. He’d been patient, respectful. She was a good girl, not a tramp, he got it. But even he could tell there was more passion building up when they were together. She had to be convinced by now that he was more than just a muscle-bound overindulged jock. Tonight Chase had every intention of breaking through the cool exterior to what he just knew was a sex goddess underneath. She might even find herself on the receiving end of a hand tattoo. He jumped out of his car and, whistling his way through the building, stopped in front of her door and knocked.
The door opened as far as the chain lock would allow. Round blue eyes widened in surprise as they peeked through the gap in the door.
“Chase!” she gasped, and then failed at the recovery with a stammered, “H-hi.”
“Hi yourself.” His smile was strained. She was still behind a fully chained door and hardly appeared happy to see him. “My game got rained out. I thought maybe you’d like to go have dinner.”
“I-I wasn’t really expecting you.” Amanda continued to stutter, making no move to unchain the door. “I wish you had called.”
He did call. About fifteen times. His face clouded over with the realization. She had no intention of letting him in. Then his eyes flashed with anger. Maybe she was entertaining. He still couldn’t see anything past the crack in the door and her dismayed cobalt blues. For all he knew, she was buck naked behind that door, ready to get busy with someone less “complicated” than a playboy baseball player. That would certainly be a reason to avoid calls and be so distressed by his arrival. He could feel his blood starting to boil.
“You’re right, of course,” he said, stiff and restrained. “I didn’t mean to surprise you. This was a bad move on my part. Good night, Amanda.” Chase turned on his heel to make a hasty exit out of the building before he did something he knew he’d regret.
Amanda quickly unchained the door and pulled it open, stepping out into the hall.
“Chase, wait!”
Chase stopped. He clenched, then unclenched his fists before turning around, determined not to let her see just how furious he was. Damn, he cursed himself, why didn’t he just keep walking? Because he knew even now, there was just no way to deny her.
His jaw went slack as soon as he pivoted and got a decent look at her.
“Holy hell,” he breathed, rushing back toward her. “What happened to you?”
Amanda peered up at him sheepishly, still keeping her head down in the effort to continue hiding the damage. “I committed the cardinal sin of the restaurant business last night. I tried to go in the out door.”