I manage to unclench, just a little, but still, the feel of his body curved around mine is overwhelming—in all the best ways. Broad, muscled,taut… I feel small in his arms, protected. Have I ever been up close to a man like this in my life before?
No. The answer to that question is a resounding no.
Because I have a sneaking suspicion that I’ve never met a man like Austin before.
“There you go,” he says. “Feel that?”
Yes. Yes, I do. “Uh huh,” I manage, my head spinning from his nearness. And other parts of me…?
Well, they’re waking all the way up.
He nudges my arms, moving the bat a little higher. “Try to stay relaxed.”
I bite back a strangled laugh. Relax? With six-foot-two of bronzed muscle wrapped around me, so close I can feel his breath hot on my cheek?
I’m feeling plenty of feelings right now, and not one ounce of them is ‘relaxed’.
“There. Looking good.” Austin steps away, and I stifle a sigh of disappointment losing the contact. But I don’t have time for regrets, because the machine spits another ball at me, fast.
CRACK.
This time, I somehow manage to connect—barely, and the ball flies off to the right side. But Austin whoops like I just hit a home run.
“You connected!” he cheers. “Now, next step, we put some force and direction behind that swing.”
He steps close to adjust my stance again, just as I’m turning to look.
And just like that, I’m in his arms, our faces only inches apart.
Double oh.
I feel his startled inhale—and see the way his gaze drops to my mouth, something flaring in those blue depths. A spark, temptingly close.
Impossible to resist.
The bat falls from my hand, but I don’t even notice, I’m too lost in the sensory overload as Austin’s hands close around my waist, and my body automatically stretches up to him, and our mouths meet in a breathless, sizzling kiss.