Playing the Field: A Diamonds and Dugouts Novel Read Online Free

game.
    She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said, “I played softball all through high school.”
    Her voice was seriously erotic. “Yeah? You from Colorado?”
    Sonny nodded. “Mostly.” A tentative smile cupped her lips. “I know you’re not.”
    “Ever been to Iowa?” He liked hearing her speak so much that he was willing to make small talk. Even if he sounded like an idiot.
    Her beautiful hair slid over her shoulders as she shook her head. “Nope. I’ve been exactly two places in my life. Here and California. But I imagine it’s humid and green and flat.”
    “Pretty much.”
    Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention and he glanced over to see a photographer settle into shooting position. Without thinking, he shifted to allow the guy an unobstructed shot of Sonny and her boy standing with him. Dealing with the media was second nature to him now and most of the time he didn’t mind. They were just part of the gig. He helped them out and they gave him good press, making his agent happy. It was win-win.
    Surprise ran through him though when Sonny shuffled, too, until she was almost standing behind him.
    “I’m just in the way of his shot,” she mumbled and turned her head to look behind her like she was searching for something, effectively shielding her face from the photographers.
    Amused at her camera shyness, JP grinned as he said to her, “It’s okay. I promise they don’t bite.” Then he winked down at Charlie and added, “Not hard anyway.”
    Over the sound of the boy’s giggles he barely heard her mutter dryly, “That’s reassuring.” Then she adjusted her shoulder bag and peered around him at the half dozen media personnel hovering nearby. “I don’t know why they’re interested in Charlie and me.”
    He did. The woman was a breath of fresh air.
    “Why don’t I stand over here?” he said. Obviously all the attention made her uncomfortable and for some reason he didn’t like the idea of her feeling uneasy. Taking two steps to his right, JP checked over his shoulder to make certain she was blocked and saw Kowalskin a few feet away. “Hey, Walskie. Toss me one of the balls you’re holding.”
    The pitcher arched a black brow. “What do you want my balls for?”
    “Ha ha, funny. For real. Give me one.” He had an idea to get the attention off of Sonny—or at least try anyway. Events like these were crawling with media and there was only so much he could do.
    Peter underhanded him a shiny white ball and smirked. “Play nice with it, big boy.”
    With a smile tugging at his lips, JP shook his head and caught the ball. Smartass. “Thanks.”
    Turning back around, he noted the growing crowd of photographers with no surprise. They had an uncanny ability to sense when something was about to go down. Like the time they’d caught Pete with his pants down after giving Drake a well-deserved mooning. His bare ass had wound up on the front page of a big tabloid with some derogatory headline he couldn’t remember now. He just recalled how Pete had laughed hysterically and then had the thing framed and hung in his living room.
    JP tried to be a little more publically reserved than that, but he still got his share of tabloid bullshit. It was just one of those things.
    “Hey, Charlie. Want to see a magic trick?”
    The kid nodded vigorously, “Yeah!”
    Glancing behind him to make sure the photographers were watching, he held up the ball and announced, “Now you see it, now you don’t.”
    That got their attention. Camera shutters started clicking as he went about amazing the boy with the one and only trick he knew. Even Sonny seemed to be fascinated. She kept leaning forward from her hideout a few feet away to get a better view. When he held out his hands in front of him and the ball had disappeared, Charlie’s eyes went wide. “No way!”
    “How did you do that?” came her sexy voice behind him.
    Not finished, JP shot her a wink and relaxed his stance.