Rounding Third - Michelle Lynn Page 0,84

dinner again if I get a kiss like that afterward,” she jokes, linking the heels of her feet on the inside of my legs.

“We had to order pizza.” I pretend to pout, and she rolls her eyes.

Ella and I are in a good place. I hope we stay there. The charity game has been hanging over me, but tomorrow, I will go back to Mrs. Ford’s to fix up her windows, and I plan on talking to her about it.

A loud roar of laughter rumbles the house, and Ella unhooks herself from me, jumping from the ledge.

“Should I be worried that you’re this excited to see Ollie in his underwear?”

She stops, turning around, holding her hand out. I grasp it, and I allow her to yank me closer.

“This is the second best part of the bet. We get to razz him all night. I do this for you, not me.”

She drags me into the house. Sure enough, there’s our six-five first baseman in his sliding shorts and sunglasses with a bow tie around his neck. Written in what I assume is lipstick on his chest is, Suck Me.

“Hey, that’s my lipstick!” Ella yells over all the girls currently smacking his butt.

“Bathroom is community property!” he screams back. Then, he finds me in the crowd. He points. “This isn’t over,” he says.

But I’m too busy laughing to take his threat seriously.

Ella and I follow him into the kitchen along with the barrage of girls. We reach the doorway, and it’s being blocked by every female in the house.

“It’s over. He’s a sex symbol. Our bet made him even more popular with the girls.” Ella shakes her head. “We need something better for the next time you kick his ass,” she says.

I pick her up and swing her over my shoulder. “God, I love you.”

I smack her ass, and she yelps.

I’m at the staircase because I plan on going upstairs and showing her how much her sassy attitude arouses me when Jen steps into my path. Her eye is swollen, and blood is falling down her lip.

I release Ella, and she slides down my body, confused as to why we stopped. My hands land on her shoulders, and I spin her around.

“Jen!” Ella touches Jen’s face, and she winces. “What happened?”

Seriously, they only got back fifteen minutes ago, tops.

Then, I remember Saucey cuddled with that girl from my first night here. Fuck.

“She and her friends cornered me upstairs.” Jen’s lip trembles. She’d never want others to see her vulnerable.

“Take her upstairs to my room,” I say.

Ella wraps her arm around Jen’s shoulders and leads her upstairs.

“Lock the door. I’ll go through Brax’s.”

Ella looks over Jen’s shoulder, her eyes bulging, and nods in agreement.

I dodge the bodies coming at me and try to get in the kitchen, but it’s wall-to-wall people. Saucey’s in the back, flirting with some new chick.

Fucking dick. Pulling out my phone, I dial him up, but either he doesn’t have his phone on him, or he’s ignoring it.

“Ollie!” I yell over the people.

He actually hears me. Maybe because he’s five inches taller than most.

“Grab Saucey.” I point to the slimeball in the corner.

He nods, turns around, points to me, and Saucey waves me off.

Fucking prick, I swear.

Figuring there’s no way I’ll get into the kitchen, I go outside to the cooler and grab a few beers as well as a handful of ice. I walk up the stairs, and I hear Ella’s voice.

“Get out! You’re not welcome here!” she screams at three chicks.

One is the girl from the first night I met Saucey and Jen.

“Whoa, bitch. Who are you?”

The girl stands too close to Ella for my comfort.

“I’m Crosby’s girlfriend,” Ella says.

I still love hearing those words.

“Well, I’m Tyler’s girlfriend. He’s lived here longer, meaning that trumps your ass.” She places her hands on her hips, circling her head around.

“You should check because you’re one of many,” Ella sneers.

The girl’s hand cocks back.

I run up the last two stairs, stopping her arm before she nails Ella’s eye. My girl would rock a black eye, but let’s not go there.

“I’m guessing this is Crosby,” the girl from behind her says.

I stand in the middle to separate them. Not like I need to worry about Ella going apeshit on the girl. This is Saucey’s problem, and the fact that I’m dealing with it pisses me off.

“That’s me, and as an occupant of this house, I’m going to ask you to leave.”

Polite and courteous.

“Fuck off.”

“Okay, we aren’t going to do this the