Page 11 of Stick Play

“Manny?”

“Male nanny,” I explain and the corner of his mouth turns up.

“You’re not asking.” He lowers his head even more, his warm breath on my face.

“We’re not even really friends.”

“Yeah, Gina, we’re friends.” His big hand lands on my hip again. “We slept together last summer, remember? Right here on this kitchen table. I think that kind of makes us friends.”

“Friends with benefits,” I mumble, testing that out on my lips as I watch for a reaction.

“Yeah.”

There’s always something so sexy, almost devilish and mischievous in the way he says that one word, and it really gets to me. God, I really am in bad shape here. “Actually, I don’t remember us doing any sleeping on this table,” I tease as a warm front nestles between my legs. So much for a cold front going through.

“What do you remember?”

“Everything,” I blurt out, breathless and aroused and wanting. “It was…so good.”

“Yeah.” I melt a little more as his grin widens. “Just so you know, you can ask me anything you want.”

I swallow. Hard. “Yeah?”

He nods. “Is there anything you want?”

“Yes,” I say quickly. “Lots of things, but this…” I nod toward the living room as the kids giggle about something. “This, though…it’s too much.”

“I’m sure you’ll find a way to pay me back.”

His body brushes mine, and that’s when I feel his arousal. Oh God, he’s thick and hard and if I didn’t have a houseful of kids I’d push him down on the table and climb on board.

“I could never pay you back for something this big.”

Clever boy that he is, he grins, knowing full well I’m half talking about the favor he’s offering and half talking about his lovely erection. But who am I to tease? My nipples are so hard, they could score glass.

His grip on my hips tightens. “I’m sure we can find a way, and make it…mutually beneficial.”

“Mom…”

Damn.

4

Ash

I can’t believe I’m going to be babysitting three small kids—who all scare the crap out of me—for the next few days. How did I get myself into this, anyway? Oh right, Gina needed help and I’m not a guy to turn his back on anyone in need—especially a friend. Yeah, we’re friends now. Plus, there was something about payback being mutually beneficial. Let’s be real here, I’m not one hundred percent altruistic.

But now here I am, sleeping in Gina’s spare room alone after I helped her cook dinner and feed three hungry kids, because the Department of Transportation warned everyone to stay off the roads due to ice.

After the dishes were done, Gina gave me the rundown on meals, snacks and naps, then took the three to Zoe’s room to read them a bedtime story, only to fall asleep in her daughter’s bed. I called Dad to let him know where I was in case he needed me. Then I waited for Gina to meet me in the living room—before I knew she’d passed out.

When I told Dad I was simply helping out a friend, he wanted to know all the details. I love the man, I really do, but he needs to stay out of my private life. I know he wants what’s best for me, and he also knows the promise I made to Coach. So, what’s best for me right now is not getting into a relationship—I never should have driven to Gina’s earlier, I know.

Gina…

God, what am I even doing? I don’t know but I do know this is all crazy and risky. I should have left, would have left if I could have. Maybe I wouldn’t have. Fuck. All I know is before she took the kids to their room, we’d talked about watching a movie, and of course I had other things on my mind, and when she didn’t come back, I went searching for her. When I saw her sleeping, so tired and run off her feet, I didn’t dare wake her. She’s always taking care of everyone else, and dammit, I want to take care of her. She just doesn’t usually let me. But she let me help today when she was in a jam, and she finally caved when I insisted I could babysit. Why again was I so persistent?

Right, not altruistic.

---