Over the Fence: Lyssa Layne's Baseball Romances (26 page)

I pick up my phone and find her number listed under Amelia Tomko. Quickly typing in a text, I decide not to send it and look totally pathetic. Instead, I pull up my old college teammate’s number and shoot him a text instead.

Thanks for the realtor rec. She’s going to work out great.

Standing up, I toss my phone on the bed and pull on a t-shirt and hoodie since I’m headed back to the tundra of Wisconsin in January. I throw the last of my belongings in my suitcase and zip it up as my phone beeps with an incoming text.

No prob. Amelia’s the best there is. We’ll do drinks when you’re back in town.

I send a quick reply then grab my stuff to head downstairs and catch the shuttle to the airport. Staring out the window, I try to figure out exactly what drives me nuts about Mia. Her looks are a no-brainer. A guy would be an idiot to not be attracted to her. She’s more knowledgeable about sports than half my old teammates, which is extremely hot. Her Corvette, damn, it’s almost as fine as her. But no, it’s none of those things. Closing my eyes, I picture her smiling at me. Her perfect smile and those unusual grey eyes makes all the blood rush between my legs.

The driver lets me know we’re at the airport and I exit the small bus. I can’t pinpoint exactly why I
need
this woman around me. Yes, need. It’s that strong. Less than twenty-four hours with her and I want as much of her as I can get. I want to know everything about her. What makes her laugh, how she takes her coffee, what she looks like sleeping, what she’s afraid of.

I glance at the departures board and see my destination flashing before me. I have unfinished business back in Milwaukee, but with Mia in L.A., maybe the move won’t be as bad as I originally anticipated. Walking through the security line, my phone beeps with another text.

I can still taste you on my lips.

I run my tongue over my own and her distinct flavor is there—sweet strawberry. I’ve never liked the fruit before but I’m thinking I might soon have a change of heart.

CHAPTER 4

Mia

One of the perks of my job is that I can work from home, which is why I’m sitting in bed at two in the morning perusing house listings on my laptop. It’s true that I’ve always been a workaholic, but in the past week, I’ve taken it to an entirely different level. I want, no
need,
to see Tate James again and it’s not going to happen until I find him a house. Unfortunately, my business partner and I are flipping three houses at the moment and my client list is getting longer by the day. This is great for business so I shouldn’t complain but it’s keeping me from the new baseball player in my life.

Beep!
The red light flashes on my phone, alerting me of a text message. A smile creeps on my face as I know only one person that would be texting me at this hour. Scrolling to the message, I read the text.

You up?

Yes. Why aren’t you sleeping?

Can’t get the most beautiful woman off my mind.

Grinning, I type back:
Truth or dare.

This is another part of the reason I haven’t made much progress on Tate’s house hunt. Every spare minute he has, which is many more than I do since he’s still in the off-season, we’ve spent talking, texting, Skyping, playing Twenty Questions and Truth or Dare. I know more about this man than my ex-husband and I’ve barely known him a week.

Truth
.

First thing you’re attracted to in a woman.

Closing my laptop, I set it on the nightstand along with my glasses—glasses I never wear in public due to one too many four-eyes jokes from middle school. I never even wore them at home when I was married, but somehow I don’t think I’d mind wearing them in front of Tate. I stretch out my legs and smile when he texts back.

Honestly or the gentleman’s answer?

Laughing, I touch his name on my screen and the phone dials his number. It barely rings and he’s already picked up.

“My lucky night, I get to hear your voice,” he greets me.

“Well, I’m only up because of a client who won’t let me rest,” I respond and smile when his deep throaty laugh comes over the line.

“I’ll take care of him for you.”

“Don’t try to distract me. You picked truth, now answer…honestly.”

He hesitates then answers, “With you, it was your perfume that caught my attention and once I saw your face, I couldn’t take my eyes off that adorable nose of yours.”

My index finger runs down my thin, pointy nose. I never thought much about my nose until I got married. My ex-husband hated it and begged me to get plastic surgery. I smile, glad that I never gave in to the pressure he put on me to have it done.

“Your turn, Mia. Truth or dare.”

Yawning, I know we’ll be on the phone for at least another hour so I pick dare to try to keep me awake.

“Send me a picture of what you’re wearing right now.”

Laughing, I respond, “Tate, that’s not a dare.”

“I know but I want to see you.”

“I sent you a pic earlier.”

“But that was when you were at work. I want to see you, the real Mia.” He pauses then adds, “The Mia I want to wake up next to.”

Suddenly, I can barely hold the phone because my palms are sweaty. His words make me gasp and I can’t talk, much less breathe. I’ve only seen this man twice but I want the exact same thing.

“Mia? Fuck, I shouldn’t have said that, I’m sor—”

“Give me a minute then check your email.”

Standing in front of the mirror, I stare at the reflection in front of me. My awkwardly tall self in boy shorts and a light pink tank top. My hair knotted high on my head, my midriff exposed, and I don’t have on any make-up, not that I normally do, but still, this isn’t what I used to wear to bed, it’s just me being comfy. In my previous relationship, I always wore some sort of uncomfortable lingerie, which I honestly believe was not meant to wear for longer than five minutes. 

Taking a deep breath, I snap the photo and send it to Tate. I quickly crawl under my covers as if to hide from what I’ve already sent. Tate’s humming to a country song when he stops and I know the picture has arrived. I hold my breath and wait.

In a low voice, almost a growl, he says, “Fuck, Mia. You’re gorgeous.”

I barely manage to whisper thank you, my heart racing at his approval of me, the real me.

“I’m serious, you could be a model.”

The excitement that washed over me by his compliment is gone. My body turns ice cold. The past is the past I try to remind myself, like I do every time something comes back to haunt me. Tonight it doesn’t work; it never does.

“Thanks. It’s getting late so I’m going to go. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” I hang up before he can say anything else.

Turning off the light, I stare at the image on my iPad in the dark of my bedroom. I should be honest, tell him about my past career. It’s not as bad as it seems, but if he finds out before I tell him, it could seem much worse than it actually is. I never wanted to model. He made me do it. He always made me do things I hated. Hitting the delete button, I wish I could delete the past this easily too.

Tate

What just happened?
I stare at the phone. She hung up on me. I told her she was gorgeous, that she could be a model and she hung up on me. Someone explain to me how I did anything wrong.

I look back at her picture and shake my head. She looks amazing in her boy shorts and tank top, her nipples on high alert. I want to kiss those thin lips of hers on the screen in front of me. She’s not smiling, but her eyes sparkle with happiness, making her the most beautiful woman in the world.

She’s busy at work and I’m sucking up all her free time so who knows how long it’ll take her to find me a house. Her business partner sounds like a real ass, leaving her to do all the work of flipping houses yet being more than happy to split the profit with her. I don’t know much about him, but Mia is always quick to defend him.

Once spring training starts, I won’t be able to get to L.A. until pre-season is over. I know I told her I’d come back when she found me a house, but I need to see her sooner rather than later, especially now that I’ve upset her for some unknown reason. Leaving her picture on my screen, I click over to the Internet and pull up a travel site. Less than two minutes later and my flight is booked to the City of Angels to see the Angel Mia this weekend. I don’t want her to think I’m pressuring her about the house, so I’ll surprise her when I get in town.

I close my laptop and turn off the light but it’s too dark, too quiet. I need peace of mind that Mia is okay after she abruptly hung up on me. I send her a text.

Sweet dreams, Mia.

I don’t get the immediate response I normally do but eventually I get one back.

You too.

I sigh. It’s not the text I was hoping for, but at least she’s still talking to me, which is a good sign. Originally, I was attracted to her because of her looks, but as I’ve gotten to know her, it’s more than that. She couldn’t talk on Sunday because she was helping throw a birthday party for kids in an abused women’s shelter. I’ve heard her lay down the law with contractors. She’s smart, independent, strong, compassionate. All the things I want in a woman. Oddly enough, I never knew that’s what I wanted until Mia came along.

CHAPTER 5

Mia

“This is the master suite, which overlooks the ocean,” I say with a sweep of my hand to my newest clients. He’s a film producer and she’s a gold digger. I know, it’s not fair to make those assumptions but I’ve been in this field long enough to call it like it is.

Almost blinded from the sun bouncing off her six-carat diamond wedding band, Anika Dudah frowns before she says, “I don’t know, Amelia. This place seems a little… stuffy.”

Forcing a smile, I nod and make a note in my phone. This is the tenth house I’ve shown them, each one bigger than the last. We’re well over their price limit now, but that doesn’t stop Anika from insisting on seeing “just one more.”

Her husband lets out a long sigh. “Anika, they’re all beginning to look the same to me. Can you just pick one already?”

Rolling her eyes, Anika lets out an exasperated sigh. “Geooorge” She draws out his name for emphasis. “This house has to be perfect. Amelia, wouldn’t you do the same with your husband?”

Instinctively, I run my finger over my own, much smaller two-carat diamond wedding band. My ex insists that I wear it. We went into business together as a married couple so we have to keep up the appearance so we don’t lose clients. It’s ridiculous, I know, but I also know that he can take everything away from me as quickly as he gave it.

My phone buzzes in my hand. I welcome the distraction. “I need to take this phone call. Why don’t you two check out the view on the deck? I’ll be right back.”

George leads his wife outside and I answer my phone without looking. “Amelia Tomko, how may I help you?”

“Yes, Miss Tomko, I wanted to see how the house hunting was going for my place.”

My heart skips a beat. Tate’s voice always makes me smile and this time’s no different. “Well, Mr. James,” I say as I look around the house and suddenly it hits me. This place is perfect for him. “Actually, I think I’m standing in your new home right now.”

It’s exactly what he wants. A built-in grill on the deck with a firepit. A pool to exercise in. He’s told me how much he hates going to the gym so one of the rooms in the basement can be turned into a workout room, leaving plenty of room for company. Suddenly, I’m giddy with excitement, not just because I found the house, but this means he’ll be coming back to town.