Throwing Heat: A Diamonds and Dugouts Novel by Jennifer Seasons Page B

smiled innocently.
    She was going to lure him into complacency first. Leaning against the door, she crossed her arms over her chest and asked, “How was the game today?” She’d missed it with all the work.
    Okay, so maybe she’d missed it a little on purpose. Their trip to the mountains had flustered her and she’d needed some space.
    The glass door was fogged up, but she could just make out the shape of his body and knew he was just starting to soap. He rubbed the bar across his chest and then moved lower to the flat plane of his belly. When his hand went even lower lust pooled heavy between her legs and she shifted.
    The leisurely way he was soaping down there made her wonder if he didn’t know she could see him. It would be just like him to put on a dirty show on purpose.
    “The game was good. We beat the Padres 6–1, so we’re moving on from the Division Series to the League Championships next week.”
    “You know that if you win the World Series Mark is going to claim it was all Lorelei’s doing, right? He thinks she’s his good luck charm.” It was sweet really. Wrong, but sweet. The Rush were winning this season because they were a seriously talented team. But if her brother wanted to believe it was because of his wife then so be it. It didn’t hurt anything.
    “C’mon, Leslie. She is his good luck charm.” He poked his head back out and leveled a look at her, water dripping from his nose and the black shadow of his beard glistening wet. “You know that better than anybody.”
    True. Since Lorelei came along her brother was happy. Really, really happy. That did make her good luck, she supposed. Still didn’t mean she was the reason the Rush were on a hot streak. Mark was the superstitious one, not her.
    “You guys are well on your way to the World Series.” She hoped they made it. Really she did. It would be the Rush’s first in a long time.
    Peter had been listening, but now his gaze was roaming all over her body and going lazy. “Hey, pretty lady. Want to climb in and scrub my back for me?” The smile he gave her was anything but sweet.
    She should have known.
    Pushing away from the door, Leslie strode to the shower and pasted on a sultry smile. “Well sure, sugar.”
    His pale eyes narrowed on her. “That was too easy.”
    She shrugged. “I’m turning over a new leaf.”
    He raised a brow, giving her that look , and her knees went weak. “Oh, really?”
    No, not really. “Absolutely. Here, why don’t you turn around and hand me that soap? I can reach your back from outside here.”
    Though he still looked dubious, she knew he wouldn’t be able to pass up the chance to have her hands all over his naked skin. And she was right. He fumbled for the soap and held it out to her, eyes still watchful and shrewd. The sinewy muscles in his outstretched arm made her want to purr. But she ignored the urge because she couldn’t believe that he was falling into her trap so easily.
    Taking the soap, Leslie motioned for him to turn around, and she had to bite her lip to keep from smiling. He spun around and she caught a glimpse of his hard, incredibly tight ass and heavily muscled thighs. Wow. Just. Seriously. Wow.
    It was so much better than she remembered.
    Before she was tempted to do something else with Peter entirely, she took a deep breath and said sweetly. “Give me just a minute, darlin’. I have to do something first.”
    He mumbled a reply that sounded something like, “Hurry,” and she dashed to the sink. Once there she cranked open the handles making sure the faucet was turned on all the way and then ran from the room.
    “ Goddammit, Leslie !” His bellow of outrage and curses followed her into the bedroom and she fell on the bed laughing.
    She laughed until her stomach hurt, she was crying, and her side ached. It was so worth it though, so completely worth it. Because she’d warned him.
    Payback was a bitch.

 
    Chapter Ten
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    T WO DAYS LATER Peter stepped onto the