Rounding Third Read Online Free Page A

up your sleeve.”
    She points to me, and I try to taper down my smile from remembering us together. We were good.
    “Nothing.” I hold up my hands. “I swear”—I make a cross on my chest—“friends.”
    She stares at me for a few beats longer than normal, and I hold her eyes, hoping she sees the ache my body endures for her. If I’m correct and I can still read her like a compass, I take up a big part of her heart as well.
    She blinks, and I assume our moment is over, but she rushes into my chest, wrapping her arms around my waist. Sobs begin racking her body, and it dawns on me that she’s been putting up a front. Our connection is too powerful to ever fizzle.
    “Shh…” I mumble, my hand rubbing along her back.
    Her body nuzzled into mine transports me back to the good times. The way her head easily fits under my chin, giving me easy access to kiss the top of her head.
    “I feared I’d never see you again. I’d heard rumors, but I figured no one really knew where you were,” she says quietly.
    My head lifts unconsciously, my lips about to press on the soft, citrus scented strands of her hair, but I fall short when she steps back.
    Wiping the dark streaks of mascara smearing down her cheeks. “Look at you.” Her hand reaches over and touches my bicep. “You’re healthy, and strong.”
    The first smile breaks her lips, and my whole body heats with want.
    “You look good, too. Beautiful.”
    She shakes her head, dismissing my compliment.
    Stepping closer, I press on, “Gorgeous.”
    She steps back, and I follow, unable to grant any distance between us.
    Just when she’s within a fingertip’s grasp, she plants her hand on my chest. “No, Crosby.”
    I freeze, refusing to move away. “Friends.”
    “Sorry. I shouldn’t have released my emotions, but seeing you after all this time…so much has happened in my life, as I’m sure, in yours, too. I’m with Liam, and just because you’ve floated back into town doesn’t mean I’m going to break up with him.”
    “I’d never expect you to,” I lie because that’s exactly what I expect.
    Then again, seeing her has thrown the little amount of self-esteem I had coming here, back to Millcreek. Naively, I believed we’d have a long talk and be good to go. Now, it’s evident that our rekindling won’t be that simple. She’s the only girl in my future, but if she needs to go slow, we will. As long as she knows, one day in the near future, she’ll be mine.
    She narrows her eyes.
    “Scout’s honor.” I hold up three fingers.
    “You weren’t a Boy Scout.”
    “True.” I shrug. “But I admire them and would never use their oath in vain.”
    She shoves me in the shoulder, like she used to do. “You’re doing that whole humor deflecting thing again.”
    “I’m telling the truth.”
    “Bullshit.”
    She starts walking back toward the house, and I want to beg her to stay outside, to talk things out. Maybe dump her boyfriend.
    “I have to find Jen.”
    “Jen seems like someone who can handle herself,” I remark.
    She spins around, fury swimming in those blue eyes. “Crosby, you’ve had how long to prepare yourself for seeing me?” Her eyes turn to pleading.
    “Two months,” I deadpan, suddenly feeling as small as a mouse with a cat looming overhead.
    “I had no time. Not even one second. So, please”—she steps forward, pressing her palm right below my heart, only spurring a repeating video in my mind when her delicate hand would cover my heart—“give me a little bit of time. We need to talk, but please, I’m begging you, give me some space.”
    “I think you’re convincing yourself more than me.” The right side of my lips turn up.
    Her soft eyes flip back to anger. “Don’t, Crosby. I’m asking nicely. Do not do it.”
    “Do what?”
    “You know exactly what. Let me process this. My mind is like a hurricane. Every wave is crashing to shore with another damn thought or question drowning me before I process the first one. I