Page 67 of The Forever Play

Catching his jacket before he can walk away, I spin him around and eyeball him. “This is a playground for little kids. You don’t come charging through here and knocking them off their feet!”

Zoey whimpers, nestling her forehead into the curve of my neck.

The boy scoffs and tries to shake me off him. “Let go, man.”

“I will when you apologize to my daughter.”

His eyes round, his lips parting as he looks up at whatever’s towering behind me.

“We got a problem here?” Wily’s got his gruff voice on, and although I know it’s all fake, his mean face can be pretty intimidating.

The kid swallows and then jolts when Grady flanks my left side and glares at him too. “What’s up?”

“Uh…” The kid spurts. “S-sorry. I didn’t see her.”

“Now apologize to her.” I rest my cheek on top of Zoey’s head, and the boy gives me a pained frown before looking at my daughter.

“I’m sorry. Are you okay?”

She sniffs and nods. “Zoey ’kay.”

The boy’s lips twitch and I let him go, calling out to him and his friends as they run away. “You hurt my daughter again, I will end you!”

“Yeah, we get it!” the boys yell back, running around the fence and passing the basketball between them.

I huff and shake my head, glaring after them before looking down at Zoey.

“You okay?” My voice takes on a soft lilt, and she sits up, her big blue eyes gazing at me—so innocent and pure. “They didn’t hurt you, did they?”

She shakes her head, then wipes her face with her dirty little fingers and asks, “Ice ceem?”

“Oh no, you don’t, you little manipulator.” Sienna appears around Wily. “I know what you’re trying to pull, and you are fine.”

Zoey starts to pout, and Sienna laughs.

“You’ve got these three big Cougars protecting you. You don’t need ice cream right now.”

Zoey pulls a face, which Sienna mimics. It doesn’t take the little girl long to figure out that ice cream is off the menu and she gives up with a sigh, wriggling out of my arms and squealing when Wily pretends to chase her to the sandpit.

I glance down at Sienna, resting my hand on her lower back without even thinking about it.

“All good?” I softly ask.

She gazes up at me with a barely there smile and whispers, “Thank you for protecting our girl.”

“Always and forever,” I assure her before letting her go and walking after Zoey.

Shit, I could have pulled her close right then.

What I wouldn’t give for the chance to kiss those luscious lips of hers.

But what right do I have to do that?

CHAPTER 25

SIENNA

It’s been nearly a week since I saw Zander. We ended up staying at the playground way longer than I intended, and by the time I got home, Russell was in a snippy mood. I couldn’t figure out why, and I wasn’t about to add fuel to the fire by telling him I was at the park with the Football Frat guys.

---