Page 41 of Teasing

“Because I always did the things first and you followed, and I don’t want you to make my mistakes this time.” The waiter comes over with a fresh drink, and Maddox drops a fifty on his tray and sits his empty glass on top of it. “Regret sucks, man”

I crack my neck and drop my empty bottle on the waiter’s tray.

“You’re like a broken record,” I groan.

“What do you have to lose?” he taunts.

“Rosie’s nanny,” I answer, clipped.

The bastard laughs. “Sounds like the possible good outweighs the bad. If this girl is all sweetness and light, like the guys are saying, she’ll stick around until you find someone else, even if you turn into a giant dick and fuck her over. Hell... maybe her brother could set her up with someone else on the team to ease the pain.”

“I fucking hate you,” I tell him as I grab my keys from my pocket.

No fucking way anyone else is touching Emmie Monroe.

I might not be good enough for her, but I’m a selfish bastard, and no one is going to touch her while I’m breathing either.

“I’m okay with that. Go get the girl, Mav.”

“Dumbass,” I groan but leave him behind me as I head for the exit. Not sure I’m ready to get the girl. But I’m ready to stop acting like I don’t fucking want her.

The rain has just started coming down when I pull into the driveway. Rosie’s nightlight illuminates her room, and I smile, picturing her starfished out across her bed before I make a dash for the door. I’m not a running back, but I’m no slouch either, so I’m barely wet when I walk inside and kick off my shoes. Similar to yesterday, the house is dark, but there’s no noise, no light, and no sign of life as I walk through the hall, expecting to find Emmie on the couch.

She’s not there, but the sound of rain is louder coming from the kitchen.

And that’s why... The glass double doors leading to the backyard are open, and the warm glow of candlelight is sneaking around the corner.

I think about going upstairs to check on Rosie, but decide since I’m here, I might as well check on Emmie first... And why am I even surprised she’s outside in a storm?

Quietly, I step up to the open door and find her exactly where I assumed she’d be. Tucked into the corner of my teak sofa, reading a book by candlelight, safe and dry under the cover of the copper roof. The monitor I still keep in Rosie’s room is on the table next to her, a Kings mug sitting in front of it, with a tea bag dangling down the side. Her hair is tucked behind her ears and spilling over her shoulders and down her arms. She looks peaceful and so damn pretty... and man, everything about this just feels right.

Her . . . here.

In my space.

In my life.

With my daughter upstairs, asleep and happy.

It’s like something clicks into place, and my chest tightens and loosens at once.

Emmie jumps when she catches me standing here staring, then relaxes once she realizes it’s me. “Mav?”

Her voice is sleepy and sexy, and I want to hear her say my name like that about a million more times.

“How do you do it, Em?” I cross the patio and sit down on the edge of the couch, next to her.

Careful not to touch.

Not yet.

Not until I’m sure.

“Do what?” she asks, clearly confused. Who can blame her? I’m not giving her a whole lot to go on.

“You always seem so happy. Even now, reading in the dark, in the rain, while you’re watching Rosie so her asshole dad can waste time at a bar. Not many people can pull that off.”

Her shoulders tighten the tiniest bit as she sucks in a quiet breath and closes her eyes. “I choose happy because it’s always the better option. It takes just as much energy to be happy as it does to be angry or sad. Life is too short to waste it on not being happy.” She sets her book down next to the tea and glances at the monitor before pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. “But I’m not always happy. Things get to me too. No one can always be happy.”

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