The Hot Corner by Amy Noelle

interact with anybody off the field. He came to work every day, did his thing, and left. He never went out with us, and he just seemed removed from it all.”
    That didn’t sound anything like the Brad I knew in the past or present. “What changed?”
    “I don’t know. One day, he just decided to go out with us.” He paused and grimaced. “How much do you want to hear?”
    Here we go again. “I’m not here for some whitewashed version just so my delicate feelings will be spared. I’m fine. Brad and I have been over for a long, long time.”
    “Could’ve fooled me,” he said quietly. “Okay, then. Well, we went to the bar, and within minutes there were women all over him.” Naturally. “You know there are girls who just love to hook up with baseball players.”
    “Baseball Annies, I’ve heard the term.” And dealt with the college versions of the bitches when I was with Brad.
    “Right. Well, there was one—Mary—who drove us all crazy, but she rarely put out.” He shrugged when I shot him a look. “You asked. Anyway, one word from Brad, and they were out of there.” Of course he’d get the unattainable one. “The next night, he went home with a different one, which pissed off Mary, let me tell you. Brad just ignored her when she went off on him. He didn’t bat an eyelash when she hooked up with another teammate either.”
    From the look on his face, I had a feeling I knew who that teammate was. “You?”
    “What can I say? She was hot.” He grinned.
    “You guys are incorrigible. I don’t know why any self-respecting girl would throw herself at you guys, just because you play baseball.”
    “She was trying to get his attention. I didn’t mind helping. And after all, look at you and me right now.”
    Oh, hell no. “Are you comparing me to her? Sorry, buddy, but I was never going to sleep with you.” I was about to walk out of there, and he must have sensed it because he held up his hands in surrender.
    “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that, and I would never presume you were going to sleep with me to make Brad jealous.”
    “You just wish I was,” I shot back.
    “Well, yeah, I mean, have you seen you? Fiery red hair, light blue eyes, killer body?” I glared at him and he shrugged. “But I am sorry. I didn’t mean you were just out to land a baseball player. I was just letting you know that if you wanted to use one of us, I’m first in line. Please, don’t leave.”
    “Are the lot of you manwhores, or just you and Brad?”
    He laughed, unconcerned that I’d just called him a whore. “Some of us like to have a little fun. There’s nothing wrong with that. Others are happily married. Others are married and still have fun. I don’t judge.”
    “Well, you should. Especially the cheaters.”
    He shrugged. “It’s the lifestyle. The wives and girlfriends—they know what they’re getting and most turn a blind eye to it, as long as it doesn’t come too close to home. Cody has a girlfriend in just about every city we go to.”
    “And you?”
    “I have girls I can call, but nobody I’m committed to, and they know it.”
    “You and Brad are two peas in a pod.” And, of course, I was out with the not-nearly-as-good-looking pea. Lucky me.
    “You’d think so, but not really. Brad’s more selective. I guess when you’ve had the best, present company included, you don’t like to settle.”
    Brad had certainly had had the best, and I wasn’t talking about me. “Still, you hit clubs and bars together?”
    “Sometimes. Brad puts baseball first, so he doesn’t go out as often as some of us, and when he does, it’s usually not for long.” Probably because he finds someone and takes her home. “More often than not, he goes back to his room alone.” Okay, maybe not. Lance sipped his beer. “And he stopped doing anything with us these past few months.”
    “Did he?” Well, I guess when you have Pamela Baxter to hook up with, why mess with easy bar girls?
    “I figured he