Free Breaking His Rules (Feeling the Heat #4) by Alison Packard

is the one who isn’t sure.”
    “A lot more people are choosing to not have kids. Raising children is a big responsibility.”
    “Actually, Paige used to babysit when we were in high school, and she’s wonderful with children, but she’s decided to pursue a career in law enforcement and that’s her total focus right now. She’s studying like a madwoman for the recruit exam in July.”
    “I hear that exam is pretty tough. And the academy can be brutal from what Justin told me. He said it was similar to an armed forces boot camp. Then, add in all the laws, ordinances, the tactical stuff the recruits have to learn. Graduating is no easy feat.”
    “Paige is a lot tougher than me. I’m sure she’ll do great on the test and in the academy.”
    “Don’t sell yourself short. You’ve handled everything I’ve dished out and survived. I’m no hard-ass Marine, but I’ve put you through your paces. I’m proud of you.”
    Melissa flushed. Jake’s praise meant the world to her. Actually, it was more than Jake’s words that meant the world to her. It was Jake himself. Now all she had to do was make sure he didn’t discover how attracted to him she was. The last thing she wanted to do was to compromise his professional ethics or make him uncomfortable. She cared about him too much to do that.
    * * *
    The weather in San Francisco could be unpredictable, but the late spring day was warmer than usual and featured a deep blue and completely cloudless sky. It was a perfect day for baseball, and sitting beside Melissa in the primo field level seats near third base that J.T. had given him, Jake couldn’t think of anywhere else he’d rather be.
    Despite the fact the game was a nail-biter with the score tied at two all in the top of the eighth inning, Jake was more aware of Melissa’s denim-clad knee pressed against his and the pressure of her upper arm on his than he was of the three-two count Trey Gentry, the Blaze’s young gun pitching prodigy, was facing against one of Atlanta’s best hitters.
    As starting catcher Matt Scanlon trotted to the mound for a pitcher-catcher conversation with Gentry, Melissa turned to him. “Gentry should go low and inside to this guy. That’s one of his weaknesses.”
    Jake knew that Melissa loved baseball but today she’d surprised him with her in-depth knowledge, not only of the Blaze, but of the game and all its intricacies. It wasn’t often he met a woman who harbored a real love of the game.
    “I’d go with the breaking ball. It fools him every time.”
    “But Gentry’s already struck him out two times with the breaker. He’ll probably be looking for it. Low and inside will catch him off-guard,” Melissa replied.
    “She’s right.” The guy to Melissa’s left inserted himself into the conversation. “I’d go low and inside.”
    Jake fought off a scowl. The guy, who’d been conversing on and off with Melissa for the entire game, was getting on his nerves. Melissa, friendly to everyone and still of the mindset that men looked past her because of her weight, seemed oblivious that the guy was flirting with her. Jake craned his head and took off his sunglasses. The dude, who in the first inning, had introduced himself as Mark, encountered Jake’s steely glare and his grin faded. Yeah, so maybe Melissa wasn’t his girlfriend, but Mark didn’t know that, and flirting with a woman when she was with another guy went totally against the bro-code. Obviously, he needed to be reminded of that fact. Mark’s neck flushed red and he turned to the guy sitting to his left as Jake slipped his sunglasses back on and turned his attention to the field.
    Two minutes later, Melissa nudged him with her elbow. “I told you so.”
    Jake grinned as the batter stalked toward the Atlanta dugout and the Blaze players trotted off the field. “Hasn’t anyone ever told you that gloating isn’t attractive?”
    Melissa laughed as she pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head.