I’ll admit, I’ve been wallowing like a little bitch all night. I know that Isaiah is only messing with me, trying to force me into acting like a deranged caveman by throwing Miller over my shoulder or some shit. But all it’s done is reinforce what I already know—I don’t have the luxury to be the kind of guy she would want.
There’s been an infectious smile plastered on those red-painted lips all night. She’s hardly left the dance floor. She’s fun and magnetic and I want her to pull me into her orbit, but I’ll wake up tomorrow and remember who I am. A single dad with no time on his hands to chase around a twenty-five-year-old.
I haven’t taken my attention off her. I’ve tracked her every move like an obsessed stalker and maybe I am. God, I feel like a creep, but I can’t help it.
I could handle Isaiah dancing with her because I knew he was fucking with me. In fact, I could handle most of the team dancing with her, even though I watched with unblinking attention, making sure not a single one of their hands dropped too low. It’s even come to my attention that Travis was playing me, and there’s a large part of me that’s brimming with the desire to fuck them all up for it.
But instead, I’ll go home and take care of my responsibilities.
I pat my brother on the back as our right fielder takes a turn with Miller on the dance floor. “I’m taking off. Keep an eye on her for me and make sure she makes it back to the hotel, okay?”
“What?” Isaiah turns around in his seat, giving me his full attention. “Don’t leave, man.”
“I’ve been pounding beers to keep me from saying or doing something I’ll regret, so I think it’s time I go.”
“Fuck, Kai. We were kidding. We just wanted you to be selfish for a second and go get the girl.”
Palm to cheek, I tap my hand against him. “Love you. Don’t do anything stupid tonight. Let me know when you make it home safe.”
I connect my fist with a few of my other teammates at the table, saying goodbye, but as I turn to leave I give the dance floor one more glance, only to see Dean Cartwright take Miller into his arms.
You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.
Jaw ticking, my blood heats. I can feel it flowing through every vein, rushing towards my fists. I’ve controlled myself since becoming a parent, but I’m pretty sure I’m about to publicly lose my shit over Max’s nanny.
Dean is smiling like the pompous ass he is, and I can’t read Miller’s expression or body language. They’re talking a lot though and I don’t like it.
“Malakai,” my brother warns, dragging out my full name.
“He better get his fucking hands off her.”
Isaiah steps in front of me. “Don’t.”
I keep my eyes on the two of them as I move towards the dance floor. “I’m just gonna go have a word.”
“Kai, if you fuck up your hand, Monty will literally murder me.”
“I’m not going to hit him.”
Dean’s hand that was on her back drops dangerously lower.
Okay, I lied. There’s a chance I’m going to jail tonight.
It continues south, resting just above Miller’s ass that looks unbelievable in those tight jeans.
I don’t see anything around me other than red, but somehow I keep my steps at a casual speed, even though there’s nothing casual about the pure rage thrumming through my body.
“Get your fucking hands off her,” I say, pushing his chest to break the contact he has on her.
He only wears an arrogant smile as he rights himself. “Kai Rhodes. Shocked to see you out tonight. Shouldn’t you be at home with your son? Wouldn’t want another absentee father now, would we?”
“What the fuck did you just say?” I step into him, but I feel the tug Miller has on my shirt.
Dean has been a nuisance since we were kids. He’s known us long enough that I understand he’s referring to my own father.
“Or let me guess. You’re out here looking for a new mommy for your son.”
This time it’s Miller making a move, but I hold out a single arm to keep her behind me.
“Oh.” Dean lights up, looking from me back to Miller. “Is this Max’s new mommy? C’mon, Ace, she’s far too young to force into that kind of life with you. You’re better than that.”
“Kai.” I hear my brother’s warning voice somewhere behind me, but mostly my ears are pounding with seething anger.
If he talked about me, that’d be one thing. But Max? Not a fucking chance.
I step into him, tauntingly knocking the side of his jaw with my knuckles. “You need another one? Maybe one on the left side to match the teeth I knocked out on the right?”
“Kai,” my brother warns again, but it does nothing to pull my attention away.
“Wow, that was so much easier than I expected.” Dean laughs like the arrogant little prick that he is. “Does your coach know you’re foaming at the mouth over his daughter?”
I shake my head. “Fuck you. It’s not like that. She’s just the nanny.”
I fucking hate the words as soon as they’re out of my mouth.
He simply laughs. “Nice work. You can’t even blame that fuck-up on me.”
Turning, I expect yet dread the idea of finding Miller behind me, but she’s gone. And I know with every fiber of my being she heard what I said.
I catch a flash of dark brunette hair over tattooed shoulders in the distance, exiting the main room and heading downstairs to the bathroom. “You’re a piece of shit,” is the last thing I say to an all too satisfied Dean before I chase after her.
She’s quick but I’m faster.
“Miller!” I shout loud enough for her to hear me, but she doesn’t slow down. “Where the hell are you going?”
“I can take care of myself,” she yells over her shoulder. “I had that handled just fine before you came around and made a scene.”
Is she fucking kidding right now?
“He grabbed you!” I do exactly that, circling her elbow to stop her.
“I can take care of myself!” She turns on me, anger evident. “How many times do I have to tell you that? God, you ignore me all night, then pull that? You’re giving me whiplash.”
“Ignore you all night?”
Fuck, it would seem that way to her, wouldn’t it? Little does she know I couldn’t make myself ignore her if I tried.
Yanking out of my hold, she charges down the stairs, headed to the women’s bathroom, but my long legs eat up the distance to get myself in front of her and keep her from getting any further. I’m two steps lower than her, putting us at eye level.
She crosses her arms over her chest like a brat and fuck if that doesn’t do something to me. “You gonna follow me into the women’s bathroom now? I’m not sure why you’re so concerned. I’m just the nanny, after all.”
Fucking hell.
I soften my tone. “I didn’t mean for it to come out that way. That’s not what I meant.”
“It’s fine. I was the one who asked to see the old Kai.” She moves to get past me, but I step in front of her, blocking her path.
“That’s never been me. I just . . . fuck, I hated seeing his hands on you. If you want to know the old me, he was known to take care of his people no matter how recklessly he did it.”
My people. Her.
I can see the moment she puts that little piece together.
“I don’t need anyone to protect me. I’ve been on my own for a long time just like I’ll be on my own again come September. I can take care of myself.”
“Stop fucking saying that.”
“Saying what?” she tests. “That I can take care of myself or that I’m leaving soon?”
I run an aggravated hand through my hair, my chest still heaving with anger. “God, you drive me out of my fucking mind, Miller. He was touching you.”
“You know who else you saw touching me tonight? Travis. Cody. Your brother. I didn’t see you do anything then.”
My jaw works. “That’s different. They’re good guys. If you wanted to . . .” I shake my head, unable to even say it. “Dean Cartwright is scum. I’ve known him since we were kids. I wouldn’t be okay with that.”
“Do you think I need your permission?” She laughs without humor. “You are not my father. I can do whatever I want with whomever I want, and I don’t need to explain any of it to you.”
People pass us on the stairwell, suspicious glances thrown our way as we argue in the direct path to the bathroom.
My eyes narrow. “And he’s what you want?”
She throws her hands up. “Oh my God! You’re impossible. You need to go. I’m not your problem to worry about.”
Turning, she heads back up the way we came, but I stop her, pinning her against the wall, the two of us meeting on the same stair. “Yes, the fuck you are.”
She stares right at me, not backing down. “Kai, I am not your problem.”
My attention dips to her lips. “Be my problem.”
Swallowing, she tilts her head, testing me. “Then do something to make me your problem.”
Fuck me. I’m so frustratingly into this woman, so I do just that.
I make her my problem.
There’s nothing soft or sweet about the way my mouth crashes onto hers because there’s nothing soft or sweet about Miller. She aggravates me, pushes me, challenges me.
And according to the way her mouth yields to mine—she wants me.
Cupping her face, she hums as my lips close over hers, like this kiss is the sweetest kind of relief. They’re pillowy soft, just as I imagined, and her tongue. Her fucking tongue. Warm and wet and responsive as it meets mine, pulling a reassured groan from my throat.
It’s almost too much. Too goddamn perfect.
Pushing into her, I take more, bending down and trying to steal as much as I can.
Miller’s hands are over my shoulders. She scrapes her nails against my skin in the most electric way, before pulling at the ends of my hair as if she equally can’t get enough.
“Fuck, Kai,” she whispers against me, her hands roaming with appreciation. “More.”
I couldn’t tell you the last time I felt this way. Wanted. Desired.
Touched and taken care of.
Bodies are passing us on the dark stairwell, but I couldn’t care less. I surge my hips into hers, pushing her into the wall, our mouths frantic as Miller slings a leg over my thigh to get me closer.
Goddamn, the cradle of her hips is perfect for mine.
I push into her, my dick painfully hard and searching for friction even if it’s only from some denim.
She’s so pretty. So shockingly willing.
I thought she’d fight me, battle me for control, but Miller is compliant.
So fucking compliant when I cup her ass and pull her other leg around my hip as well, her ankles crossing behind my back.
Her head falls back against the wall, exposing that slender throat, and I take the opportunity to lick down the column, biting on the delicate skin.
“God yes,” she moans.
I suck and lick across her collarbone, tracing my tongue over the tattooed lines that meet her skin there.
“Fitting, Miller.” I kiss my way over her jaw, finding her ear and biting it between my teeth. “You taste sweet. Like a goddamn dessert.”
She swivels her hips, rubbing her pussy and making me grow impossibly harder.
I wonder if her pussy will taste as sweet as the rest of her.
Taking her mouth again, she moans sweet little sounds into my kiss, and that sound only deepens when I sweep my tongue inside again.
I know it’s possessive and greedy, but that’s exactly how I feel right now.
I want her. I want her for a lot longer than she plans on being here, and if there’s any part of her that’d be willing to want me in return, I’ll be selfish as fuck and take her.
Her body stills, and as if she can read my mind, she whispers against my lips. “Kai.” She adds a soft kiss on my lips, pulling back to look at me. “I’m leaving soon.”
Searching her face, I see it. The gentle reminder for me not to get attached because she isn’t. She’s giving me an out if I can’t handle her, this. More than this.
Like a bucket of cold water, it works.
I’m worried about my son getting attached and I’m over here dreaming up ridiculous scenarios from a fucking kiss.
Exhaling, my forehead drops to hers, my eyes screwing shut with regret. I get her back on her feet as she searches my face, looking for my response to her words.
“I need to go back to the hotel and check on Max.”
A defeated exhale escapes her lips, but she nods and follows me out of the bar.
