Getting Wound Up: A Sapphire Falls/ Love Between the Bases Novel-- PART ONE by Erin Nicholas Page B

hint that something could happen between her and Eli?
    “Very good point,” Bryan replied.
    Caitlyn froze. Bryan hadn’t freaked out. He hadn’t laughed that off. He hadn’t said, “I’d fucking kill him.”
    She frowned. Wasn’t that what brothers were supposed to say about their friends and sisters hooking up? Bryan didn’t even sound surprised by the idea.
    “So take the edge off with the shots and then be the bossy little thing I know you can be. Tell him to knock off the pity party. Tell him he’s awesome. Tell him he did great.”
    “Bossy little thing?”
    “Yeah, by the way, I’m not missing that while you’re gone.”
    “I’m only bossy when you need it.”
    “I’m fine.”
    She frowned. She wanted to go back to the Eli conversation but couldn’t let this go entirely. “No. You’re not fine. You’re putting on a show for Mom.”
    Their mother was not handling Bryan’s accident and disability well. At all. She was in deep denial, actually, and Bryan was allowing it—encouraging it even. To the point where he also acted like everything was fine when he was with her. Which meant he faked a lot when their mom was around.
    “Just focus on Eli,” Bryan said, sounding very tired suddenly.
    But she’d come home to Sapphire Falls to focus on Bryan . Her big brother needed help, whether he admitted it or not, and not the “everything’s just fine” approach their mother was taking. Bryan needed her . Someone who didn’t have a spouse or kids or a business or even a demanding, challenging job—no matter how much she wanted all of those things.
    Another reason for her to stay unattached to Eli. If Eli was going to stay in Sapphire Falls for good and run the hardware store and make his life in his beloved hometown, then maybe. Maybe they could get involved. But as long as Eli’s attention and hopes and plans were focused outside of Sapphire Falls, she needed to keep her heart safe. Because she wasn’t going anywhere.
    “So after I get him mellow with Jäger and tell him he’s great, then what?” she asked, letting Bryan steer the conversation back to Eli. She’d already done both of those things. She’d love to know what the next step was.
    “You’d be surprised how much a strong shot and a beautiful girl’s admiration can do.”
    She smiled. “Thanks for the compliment. But come on.”
    “Guys love girls who think they’re awesome.”
    Her heart did a little skip at the word “love”. “I do, actually, think he’s awesome.”
    “I know you do.”
    There was something in Bryan’s voice she couldn’t quite put her finger on but that made her sit up a little straighter.
    “Have fun,” Bryan said. “Life’s short. You never know what tomorrow might look like.”
    She felt her heart squeeze hard. No one knew better than Bryan how an entire life could get turned upside down in a second.
    “I love you, Bry,” she said.
    “Ditto.”
    The moment they disconnected, Caitlyn felt her stool being swiveled. She came face-to-face with Eli.
    “Eli, what—”
    He cupped the back of her head and covered her mouth with his.
    It didn’t last long. At least, it didn’t last long enough , in her opinion. But it was…amazing. Yes, that was definitely the word for the day.
    “Did you really memorize each of my tryout pitches?” he asked, resting his forehead against hers.
    She nodded, unable to speak. Because she’d also memorized the feel of his lips against hers. And she wanted to keep reliving it.
    “Thank you,” he said quietly.
    “For memorizing them?” she managed to ask.
    “For caring.”
    She melted a little at that. “I can’t help it.”
    She immediately bit her lip. Crap. She had to stop with the slips. On this one she could blame her kiss-muddled brain, but…
    Hey, he’d kissed her.
    “You kissed me,” she said softly, pulling back just enough to look up at him.
    “I did.”
    She couldn’t help but let her gaze drop to his mouth.
    “And I want to do it