Playing Catch: A Baseball Romance Read Online Free PDF Page B

face to face with a large man wearing a baseball cap.
    “You!” She held up the spray. “Stand back.”
    The man lifted the brim of his baseball cap, and the left side of his cheek bunched as he shot her a megawatt sexy grin. “Jeanine. Is that a way to greet friends?”
    It was Kirk.
    Still shaking, she lowered the tiny canister. “Were you stalking me?”
    “Me? No way.” He lifted both hands in an innocent gesture. “What are you doing out here? I thought you’d be working.”
    “Later.” She narrowed her eyes. “But then, how do you know my schedule?”
    “I figure you for a once-a-weeker.” He cocked his head to a slight angle. “Wednesday’s your night off.”
    “You not only have my work schedule down to a science, but my social life, too?” Jeanine quirked an eyebrow. “Do you know what I’m doing here in this sketchy neighborhood?”
    His gaze ran unabashedly up and down her body, and his smile grew wider, as if just feasting his eyes on her got his blood converging to the rod between his legs.
    “Black belt. I’m impressed. Or should I be afraid?”
    “Only if you surprise me.” Jeanine tucked the can of pepper spray back into her purse. “I’m on my way to my car. Anywhere you need a lift to?”
    She might as well offer him a ride to cover up her need for male protection. Despite being a black belt, she was in no position to take on more than one attacker in a street fight without rules and a referee.
    “Sure, I’m free all evening.” He cocked his head as if he’d scored a point. “Wherever you want to take me, I’m game.”
    Jeanine stiffened her voice and grumbled, “This isn’t a date. What were you doing in this neighborhood if you weren’t stalking me?”
    “You really have a one-track mind.” Kirk grabbed ahold of her hand, and Jeanine barely caught her next breath.
    Was he electrocuting her? Or short circuiting her heart? Because seriously, it was just a hand, but then her entire arm glowed with heat, and sparks danced over her shoulders and spread over her body.
    She peeked at him, wondering if he felt it, too, but all he did was smirk, pull the brim of his cap down, and lead her toward the parking lot of the tire store.
    He had to have been stalking her to know exactly where she’d been headed. But she didn’t want to destroy the warm glow between them, and okay, so her heart was fluttering because of that monster truck and the skateboarders, but having her hand wrapped in his big catcher’s mitt felt safe, comforting, and for once in her lifetime, wouldn’t it be great to rely on someone else?
    She leaned closer as the wind picked up and threw long, thin strands of hair over her face. She swiped her hair and tossed it back, shuddering when she spied him staring at her. His gaze moved down to her chest, and she realized the lapels of her karate gi had sagged open, exposing the sports bra which was wrapped tightly around her boobs.
    Heat seared through her veins, and she would have been insulted had he not looked, but she’d only offered him a ride, not a romp in the backseat. She tugged the uniform closed and turned to where her car was parked.
    The sight of the monster truck slammed reality home to her. Trusting someone bigger and stronger was bad medicine. She couldn’t have Kirk with her all the time, no matter how much her body purred its satisfaction as if he were catnip to her inner cat. No, she had to be stronger, a tiger and not a kitty—not when it came to men and their wily ways.
    Jeanine pulled her hand from Kirk’s and groped in her purse for the key fob. The gust caught his baseball cap and blew it from him, sending it scuttling down the boulevard.
    “Just a minute,” Kirk said as he hurried out onto the street to retrieve his cap.
    The kids were gone, so Jeanine ran toward her BMW. She unlocked it, shoved her things in, and tore out of the parking lot.
    Her heart stuttering, she glanced in the rear view mirror, but didn’t see him. Not that it