car on the way back. Seriously, you just made this kid’s life.”
Enzo shovels the last bite of waffle into his mouth, and I tell him to get in the shower ASAP. When he’s gone, I climb into Ace’s lap, straddling him in my kitchen chair, draping my arms over his broad shoulders.
“You okay going back there?” I ask. “Can’t imagine it’s the easiest thing for you to do.”
He rakes his white teeth across his bottom lip. “Yeah. It needed to happen sooner or later. Can’t stay away forever. Besides, I’m looking forward to reliving that excitement through Enzo.”
“God, you have no idea what this means to him. He is a diehard Firebirds fan.”
Ace smiles, wide, and my heart flutters as I realize I’ve never seen him smile like this before. He’s truly happy, and that makes my heart want to sing like Maria in The Sound of Music, spinning through the hilly Bavarian mountainside.
Kissing his mouth, I move to his ear, nibbling before working my way down his neck, breathing him in all the while.
“You smell like me.” I straighten my posture.
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“It’s not a bad thing. I happen to think I smell like a desert sunset.” I smirk, giggling.
“What does a desert sunset smell like, exactly?”
“Jasmine . . . lily . . . cactus flower.”
“That’s . . . very specific.”
“It’s my soap, okay? Jeez.” I graze his mouth, depositing a kiss, tasting a hint of maple syrup on his lips. He must have gotten some on his fingers and licked it off earlier. “I just like it when you smell like . . . you.”
“What do I smell like?”
I pull in a long breath and grin, my eyes resting in his. “Like a man. Cracked leather and musk and testosterone.”
I’ll bet once upon a time, he smelled like baseballs and dirt and sweat. I’m momentarily jealous of the woman who had him all to herself during those years. I’d have loved to see him in action, but instead I’m relegated to thirty-second highlight clips on the Internet.
Oh, well.
Something tells me I’d prefer this Ace over the other anyway.
“I don’t think you can actually smell testosterone,” he teases gently.
“Whatever. I’m going to jump in the shower,” I say, climbing off my ridiculously sexy boyfriend and brushing messy strands of bedhead from my face.
“I’m going to head home and get ready. I’ll pick up the rental car and call you on the way.” He stands, hooking his hands on my hips and pulling me against him to give me another kiss. He’s addicted to me, but I don’t mind, because the feeling is severely mutual.
Maybe it’s crazy, because he’ll be back here in such a short amount of time, but I feel it necessary to tell him I can’t wait to see him again.
I watch from the kitchen as he swipes his keys off the ledge and jams them in his pocket before slipping his shoes on. He’s still wearing last nights’ clothes: black pants, a white button down. His black jacket is draped over his arm.
His hand rests on the doorknob as he turns to look at me, like he needs to steal one last glance before he goes. But I go to him, throwing my arms around his neck again, smothering his handsome face with kisses like it’s the last time.
Only this time, I know damn well it won’t be the last time.
I love this man.
I love him from the seat of his soul to the depths of his blue-green eyes.
37
Ace
“I wonder if we’ll see Rodrigo Gutierrez?” Enzo hasn’t stopped talking since Aidy buckled him in the back. “How many fastballs do you think Brandon Sousa’s going to pitch today? Can we get a souvenir? Like a cup or something. Something I can show Owen next door because he’ll never believe me when I tell him . . .”
Aidy turns to me in the front seat and we exchange smiles, heading toward the New Jersey Turnpike. Reaching across the console of the rental car, I take Aidy’s hand, giving it a squeeze.
I thought going back to Baltimore would be harder than this. I thought it’d be unpleasant. Honestly, if it weren’t for Aidy and Enzo, I’m not sure this trip would be happening. At least not yet. All I wanted was to make it up to the kid for blowing him off a couple months back and making him cry.
This morning, I woke before the sun came up and headed to the living