Page 88 of Defensive Zone

Chapter 16

“Well, don’t you all look lovely,” his mom said a few nights later when Gabi and Ava walked into the living room.

He couldn’t look away from Gabi as she smoothed down her shirt. It pulled over her breasts and his mouth watered.

Dammit. He was dying for her. It’d been six days since he’d had her in his bed, and then his parents had arrived the following day and he’d only managed to sneak a few kisses with her since.

It was brutal.

But tonight his parents had demanded that they go out and have some fun. Not just the two of them, of course. Ava was coming, too.

He didn’t have a game tonight, so he’d readily agreed when his parents had offered to babysit the kids. Ava balked at leaving Elise, but it was good for his sister to get out, so he’d encouraged her to join them.

That would put a damper on making out with Gabi, but he’d figure that out.

A bunch of the guys and WAGs were going to C&B tonight, so it was perfect. Low-key, fun, with maybe a dark corner where he could kiss Gabi until they both couldn’t breathe. Adam probably wouldn’t mind if they snuck into his office. It wasn’t like he’d be the first Striker to hook up in that small room.

“Ready to go?” he asked when Ava stopped next to him.

“Are you guys sure about this?” she asked, looking at their parents.

“Go. Go. You need a break. That’s why we’re here. It’s not like we’ve never been around babies before,” his mom said.

“And they’ll text you if they need to. Come on. It’ll be fun, and we won’t stay out too late,” Max said.

“You stay out as long as you want. We’ve got this, honey,” his dad said to Ava. “Connor and Amelia are already in bed, anyway.”

“Okay,” Ava said.

“Great. Let’s go,” Max said, ushering Ava and Gabi to walk ahead of him. He couldn’t stop himself from trailing his hand over Gabi’s waist when she passed him. He felt her slight tremble, but she didn’t turn to look at him.

A short while later, they were walking into C&B. He almost jumped when he felt fingers brush his side—his ticklish side.

He met Gabi’s gaze, but she smirked and linked her arm with Ava’s like nothing had happened.

So that’s how they were going to play it?

Challenge accepted.

He greeted a few of the regulars and some of his teammates as he ushered the women toward the bar.

“Look who finally decided to come out,” Sully said. Then he spotted Gabi. “Oh, now I know what got him to leave the house.”

“Shut up,” Max said.

“I told you I didn’t want to cramp your style. You don’t have to always be at home with us,” Ava said. Apparently, she hadn’t noticed Gabi’s pink cheeks and Sully directing his gaze toward her.

Thank fuck for that.

“You’re not cramping my style, Av. The kids are way more fun to hang out with than these hooligans,” Max said, smiling down at his sister.

“Hooligans? We are upstanding gentlemen. The only troublemaker in this bar is you,” Harty said, walking over to them with Penny next to him.

“Hi, Ava. Gabi,” Harty said. “Nice to finally see you at the official Strikers’ bar.”

“Hi, guys,” Penny said, leaning in to give Ava and then Gabi a quick hug. “I’m just glad we got you both out of the house.”

“My parents are watching the kids. I can’t remember the last time I was out without them,” Ava said wistfully.

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