Page 27 of Second Down Darling

She trots up to me and puts her hand on my arm. “Want to hang out a bit? I don’t have to be anywheretonight.”

Buffy is beautiful. A solid ten by anyone’s measure. But I’m not going to fuck the babysitter. That spellsdisaster.

I gently remove her hand. “I have a busy morning, so I have to call it a day.” I really hope I don’t have to deal with this every time she watches Asher. I’d be more discerning in who I hire to babysit, but I don’t have a lot of options at the moment. At least my son is safe. That’s all thatmatters.

Jutting out her lower lip, she pouts, her fake eyelashes fluttering. She has no idea how much that turns me off. Dakota did shit like this. Not that I plan to date anytime soon, but if I eventually do, I want a woman who doesn’t play games. Someone who says what she means. Someone who won’t try to lead me around by mydick.

Once I pay Buffy and make sure she gets to her car safely, I flop on my bed. I replay that conversation with Charlotte in my head. Even though I’m exhausted, a part of me wishes I could run back to her apartment and make her listen to me. So I could explain a few things and apologize for my shittyattitude.

It’ll have towait.

She looked gorgeous tonight. Makeup-free. Just wearing a tank top and shorts. Her hair in that ponytail. Looking so damn cute with that dog dragging her down thestreet.

When I close my eyes, I’m suddenly assaulted with the memory of Charlotte taking Babcock’s hand. Him kissing it and her blushing. Him mauling her in thepark.

My chest goes tight, and I force a breath into mylungs.

Fuck.Please don’t tell me I’mjealous.

Charlotte Darling is the last woman I need to have feelings for. Even if I am harboring some fondness for her, likely because I haven’t seen her in so long, I could never get involved withher.

Because if Dakota finds out, she’ll burn us both down to theground.

No, Charlie and I will never happen. It looks like she’s moved on with that asshole Babcockanyway.

That’s a good thing,I tell myself as I unclench my fist. It’ll give me time to get over whatever weird possessiveness I have about her. And we’ll both get on with ourlives.

What I don’t understand is why he’d bring her to the Rise ’N Grind when he knew I was interviewing potential babysitters there. I’d been talking about it at practice, asking if the guys had friends who might be interested. Giving out all thedetails.

It’s almost like he wanted me to see them together. Am I throwing off jealous vibes and he wanted to rub it in my face? What adick.

Regardless of my feelings about the guy, I need to apologize to Charlotte for how shit’s gone down since we ran into each other in the park. I’ll give her a few days to cool off and then I’ll track her down again. Maybe she’ll even let me do that photoshoot. If it’ll help that animal shelter she obviously cares about, I’d like tohelp.

Even if that means I have to sit by and watch her date that asshole Babcock, I’ll do it forher.

11

JAKE

“You okay, man?”Camasks.

“Yup,” I mumble as I try to shake off my latestfuckup.

Ezra Thomas throws the perfect spiral pass over traffic, and I’m the idiot who drops the ball.Worse? It was third down, so now we have to punt and lose possession toIowa.

I unclip my helmet and brush the sweat out of myeyes.

“Ramirez!” Coach shouts. “Get overhere.”

Fuck. I prepare myself for an ass-reaming.

He doesn’t look up from his clipboard. “Son, what’s going on in your head? You’re amess.”

“I’m sorry, Coach. That won’t happen again.” I refrain from telling him how Asher wasn’t feeling well this morning and didn’t want to stay with Yvette. I was so tempted to beg Miss Louisa to swing by before I remembered she’s out oftown.

But I can’t get my son’s teary expression and desperate wails out of myhead.

And underneath it all, I keep thinking about Charlotte. It’s been nine days since I gave her a ride home. Is that enough time for her to get herbearings?

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