Page 10 of Stolen Moments

“Why do you think I want something?”

Because you’re you.

I don’t even bother answering, letting my silence speak for itself. Utensils on dishes clink under the overwhelmingly loud voices of people in the background. I wait him out until he breaks.

“Okay, fine. I wantsomething.”

“What?”

“I need you to come join me at Umi.” Umi? Damn. That’s the most expensive sushi place in Los Angeles.

“Why?”

“Because my date brought a friend, and I need someone to distract this chick so I can get her friend alone.”

“You’re on a date?” I ask, shocked by that piece of information.

A date is new for my playboy brother. He is usually the “love ‘em and leave ‘em” type. I’ve never heard of him wining and dining the women he takes home—not that he has to try very hard when he’s one of the best pitchers in the league and women are constantly throwing themselves at him.

“Yeah, I know. I’m trying something new, alright? Can you please come save me or not?”

“Where’s Eli?” Cam usually calls him for stuff like this since he’s a much better wingman, whereas I’m not.

I’m not a people person at all, and I can’t even remember the last time I was on a date. Unless I count my recent encounter with a stunningly beautiful brunette.

“He’s at some work thing with his number one client.” That’s code for “Eli is on babysitting duty”.“Please. You haven’t been out in forever, and this chick is … hot. You need to let someone play with your dick before it falls off. So why not her?”

“Not helping.”

“Mase, just get over here now, and I’ll owe you one,” Cameron growls into the phone. He really must be into this woman if he’s asking me for help.

“You already owe me a thousand, but fine. Only because I know you’ll keep hounding me if I don’t. You’re paying for my dinner, dick.”

The sooner I get this over with, the sooner I can get back to work.And back to daydreaming about Emery.

“Done. You’re a lifesaver, brother.”

Twenty minutes later, I arrive at the busy restaurant. I would have made it sooner, but I decided to self-park in case I want to make a quick getaway. I check in with the hostess—a young woman with slicked-back hair and a bored expression.

“Hi. I’m meeting someone.”

“Name?” she asks, uninterested in our exchange.

“Miller,” I grumble.

She looks at her computer and purses her lips. “No Miller here.”

Fucking Cam. He’s messing with me.

There’s only one other name he’d use.

Jace started calling Cam “kid” back in high school and instead of complaining, he embraced it, like everything else. Cameron’s every bit the quintessential last child. Wild, funny, and absolutely outrageous.

“How about Kid Fantastic? Is he here?”

The woman fights a smile, and I know I’ve gotten it right.

“Right this way, sir.” She leads me to a table in the back, near the wall of windows that overlook the patio seating and have a perfect view of the beach. Cam is sitting next to a blonde, who is talking her head off as she rests her tits on his arm and twirls her hair around her finger.