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"You’ll have to forgive us for acting so surprised, but Jason doesn’t usually bring anyone with him on Saturdays," Leah elaborated

"Or any other day for that matter," Jamie added

"So I understand I…I take it he doesn’t date often?" Charlotte asked In soh women like water But in her heart she kneasn’t true If anything, it was just the opposite Charlotte didn’t want to hear that, either, didn’t want to know she was special, because itso much more difficult

"Let’s put it this way," Ja her elbows on her knees "We’ve been co out here for what, two, three suht a woman"

Charlotte drew in a slow, deep breath

"I don’t re a wo positively delighted Her eyes sparkled "I’d say it was about time, wouldn’t you, Jamie?"

"About tirin

From his position on the diamond, Jason could see his two sisters-in-law on either side of Charlotte No doubt they were pu to know every reat for him to be able to read Charlotte’s expression

If he had half a brain, he would’ve realized what he was doing before he invited her to join hiame? Clearly he needed his head examined Only an idiot would thrust a la

He’d told her his family would probably be curious about her, but he’d said it casually in the parking lot after they’d arrived It wasn’t like he’d given her

His family was far too nosy By the end of the afternoon, Charlotte would be so sick of answering questions, she’d never want to go out with hih force to make his oldest brother remove his mitt, shake his hand and cast Jason an odd look

Jason was angry But it wasn’t the way Leah and Jamie had surrounded Charlotte that had set hi Charlotte and Carrie to this gaue leaders and likely to be soundly defeated If he was going to ask soainst a teaood, not like a bunch of fools The outco

Not only were they likely to get their butts kicked, but Charlotte was going to spend the entire tiated First by Jaame was over, by his brothers They wouldn’t be subtle about it, either The first wo his family had been trained by the CIA

Even now, Jason wasn’t sure what had prompted him to ask Charlotte to coht he’d done it…

They’d been sitting in the car outside the apartery She’d been shaken by the accident, struggling to hide howto kiss her again She’d known it, too His lips had brushed hers Lightly Briefly He had sensed she was still frightened--of him? Of their mutual passion? Of her own desires? Until she was at ease with hied in any kisses more sensual or seductive than those he’d shared with Charlotte

He could tell she was a novice when it ca That surprised him because she’d beento wait until she was coh to talk about it on her own But from what Carrie had told hie had been short and disastrous

Jason was convinced Charlotte hadn’t realized howher satisfied hiic that had ed hiaed Charlotte into an ilad they ith hi Charlotte and her daughter to his family Some other time, when he’d be at her side to ward off their curiosity

"Jase!" Rich’s voice shot past his ear two seconds after a ball nearly creamed the side of his head

Stunned, Jason took two steps backward

"What’s wrong with you?" Rich demanded furiously

"You mean you don’t know?" Paul shouted from the shortstop position He looked pointedly toward the stands "It see his head knocked off by a fly ball, Jason focused his concentration on the ga badly Every now and then he could hear a high-pitched shout, which he’d like to think ca the score was tied

Jason came to bat at the botto The score remained tied and there were already two outs Either he pulled off a hit or they were going into extra innings

Charlotte was sitting in the stands almost directly behind him He set the bat over his shoulder and eyed the pitcher The first pitch was a fast ball and Jason swung, determined to hit it out of the field More to the point, he was hoping not to be e of the wood against the ball and he dropped the bat, then started running as though his life depended on ot there that he realized he’d hit a home run He felt jubilant as he rounded the bases

He cast his eyes toward the bleachers to find Charlotte on her feet, cheering and clapping Her face was bright with excitement In all his life, Jason had never felt such elation