She could do nothing but laugh in disbelief as he slipped her panties in his pocket, looking so damn sexy as he smiled at her in a way that had the love she hadn’t known she felt brimming to the surface. Yeah, it’d really snuck up on her and grabbed her by the heartstrings.

Which meant in spite of her best intentions, she had a world of hurt coming her way.

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

The charm of baseball is that dull as it may be on the field, it is endlessly fascinating as a rehash.

—Jim Murray

Chipper and the guys were ecstatic at the news that Pace had purchased the park and were arguing over who was going to help him fix up the building while Pace struggled to get his head on straight. Not easy, because Holly stood there in her shorts, once again wearing no panties.

“I’m great with power tools,” River said. “I helped my older brother tear down a car once.”

Jesus. “Stay away from stolen cars, River.”

“ ’Kay. So can I use the power tools?”

“Me, too,” Chipper said. “I’m helping, too.”

“You’re all helping,” Pace told them. “And then we’ll put out the word about baseball clinics, and more kids will come, and maybe we can start a league.”

“Who’s going to coach us?”

“Me. I’m going to coach you, and by the time you get to high school, the coach there will be begging you to try out.”

Chipper grinned and followed as Pace walked Holly out to her car. The others came, too. Pace’s legs were still wobbling from the climax that had nearly blown his hair off. The lack of underwear wasn’t helping, but there was a bigger reason he couldn’t catch his breath or balance.

She loved him.

She.

Loved.

Him.

Never in a million years would he have guessed that they’d get to this point. He felt unprepared and disoriented and . . .

Well, he wasn’t sure exactly. But he had butterflies in his stomach, and somehow his heart had gotten on the outside of his ribs. He might have mentioned these odd symptoms to her, but he had five kids hanging on their every word and a game to get to.

A game he was going to have to prepare for, somehow.

“Okay, well . . .” Holly turned toward her car. “I’ll see you later.”

“I’m glad you took Pace back,” Chipper said. “I’m glad you’re his girlfriend again.”

Pace could tell by the look on Holly’s face that she was trying to formulate a denial, a denial for his sake, to protect him, and that killed him. She was smart and sweet and loyal as hell, and she loved him—not because he was a baseball player, but in spite of it.