Part 10 (1/2)

This was the guy who signed Ryan's ma.s.sive paychecks. He had to slow down, find a smile, and get out a ”Thanks.”

”I'm looking forward to personally toasting both of you at the team celebration tomorrow night.”

Ryan wanted nothing more than to show Vicki off, to claim her as his in front of his teammates and bosses. Even though she wasn't his.

And he hadn't even come close to claiming her.

Ten rows down from his family's section of the stadium, he could hear everyone talking to Vicki at once.

”Congratulations!”

”We're so happy for you!”

”What's it like to be engaged to the best pitcher in baseball?”

”Have you set a date yet?”

”Where's your ring?”

Ryan tried to hold onto his cool as he forced his way into the crowd of well-wishers. He wished he'd thought this whole thing through better, that he'd realized just how much it would put Vicki into the public eye. Even though he was used to it, this engagement hysteria was pretty brutal.

Smith wasn't anywhere to be seen, but judging by the half-dozen large men in black, Ryan suspected his brother had called in his security staff to watch over Vicki. Lori had her arm around her, and his little sister was doing most of the talking to the crowd. Zach and Heather were flanking Vicki's other side, his brothers and sister doing all they could to watch over the woman who meant everything to him.

For that alone, Ryan owed them so much more than he could ever pay back.

Finally, he was close enough to reach for her, to pull her into him and press a kiss to the top of her head. She smelled so good, like clay and woman, and he closed his eyes for a moment as the pleasure of holding her rocked through him.

When he finally looked up at the crowd, they were all waiting for him to say something. Slipping his hand through Vicki's, he smiled and said, ”Thanks so much for your support and excitement. You've got my personal promise that we're going to do our best to win the playoffs and take the World Series again this year.” He made sure to widen his grin as he said, ”But for the next few days, I'm sure you'll all understand if all I want is to be alone with my fiancee.”

With that, he let Lori, Zach, and Heather deal with the crowd. He moved with Vicki up through the stands and in through one of the back doors into the clubhouse, not stopping until they'd reached one of the private batting cages.

”I was so sure that everything was fine, that James was going to leave us alone,” she said as soon as the door clicked closed behind them. ”And I can't believe he said we were engaged instead of just dating! It's like he knew exactly what to do to try to force your hand and make you admit that we're not actually together.”

Her voice was shaking and Ryan felt like he'd swallowed cement that had hardened in the center of his gut as she added, ”I'm so sorry I dragged you into this, Ryan. If I could do it all again, I wouldn't have told that first lie. I should have known it would spiral off into something bigger. Lies always do.”

The final eight innings of the game should have bought him time to figure out how to tell her the truth without sounding like a complete a-hole.

They hadn't.

”Don't come down on yourself for trusting your instincts about James,” he told her, but even though he meant every word, he knew he was stalling. He needed to just man up and say it already. ”You're right about him being a nasty sc.u.mbag, but he wasn't the one who leaked news of our engagement to the press.”

”What do you mean it wasn't him?”

She was frowning so hard that Ryan had to reach out to smooth his thumb between her eyebrows. He wanted to press a kiss there, wanted all this c.r.a.p to go away so that he could start all over again.

”It has to be him. You and I and James are the only ones who know that we're supposed to be dating.”

”I was trying to get hold of you all afternoon to explain.”

”Explain what, Ryan?”

”Why I had to do it.”

She stared at him in shock. ”You did this?”

”My cousin Rafe is an investigator. He did some looking into James. That guy is a cla.s.s A creep. And I don't want him coming anywhere near you. I was worried that a guy like that wouldn't even blink at playing a boyfriend for a fool. But if he thought we were getting married-” The look in her eyes, horror mixed with anger, stopped him. Had him saying, ”After talking to Rafe, all I could think about was keeping you safe.”

”You should have asked me first.” Each word vibrated with emotion as she took a step back from him. ”Why didn't you ask me first?”

Because I don't want you to leave me.

Ryan ran his hand over his face. ”I'm sorry, Vicki.”

”Did you know they were going to do that congratulations screen...and with me wearing this awful dress?”

”No.” He reached for her and took her hand in his, even though it was perfectly clear just how upset she was with him. But he couldn't stand feeling like he was losing even more of her, not after finally getting a chance to be close to her these past few days. ”I swear I didn't. And you look gorgeous in that dress.”

”I look like I just finished was.h.i.+ng the floor.”

”In that case, every guy who sees a mop from now on is going to get a hard-on.” She just stared at him for several long moments, long enough for him to worry that he'd lost her for good. ”I know I screwed up, Vicki, but I can't stand the thought of anything happening to you.”

Finally, her eyes softened. ”I still wish you had talked to me about it first so that I could convince you not to do it, but I know you had the best intentions.”

Ryan had been working to convince himself of that all afternoon, but the truth was, he'd had just as many selfish motives in doing what he'd done as he'd had selfless ones.

”We need to tell your family the truth, at least.”

”No.” The one word came out sharply. And hard enough that Vicki's eyebrows went up.

”I hated lying to them today.”

”They'd understand if they knew the reason.”

Telling his family the truth felt like the beginning of a slippery slope-one where Vicki ended up sliding out of his reach. But he'd already gotten his way one too many times already.

”I won't lie to your family anymore. I trust them and I know you do, too.” She pulled her hand from his and crossed her arms beneath her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. ”If you won't tell them, I will.”

He knew she was waiting for his answer, but he could barely think about anything but kissing her gorgeous mouth, slightly pursed from her irritation with him. The urge was strong enough that he didn't stand a chance of doing anything but pressing his lips to hers softly.

A surprised gasp sounded against his mouth as her arms uncrossed so that she could steady herself against him.

”You're right,” he told her. ”We'll tell them. How does breakfast tomorrow morning sound? We'll tell my mother, too. I know how thrilled she'll be to see you back in town again and to know we're spending time together. You were the only girl I ever brought home.”

”I was?”

”You were.”