Page 44 of I Need You Tonight
Nicole said goodbye to the women and promised to keep an eye on their men. “Don’t worry, I’ll fight off the groupies with my bare hands if I have to,” she said, smiling.
“What, not only are you our social media person,” I said, “you’re also Nolan’s and Jared’s bodyguard?” I grinned and addressed the two of them. “You guys need to develop some fucking balls if a bunch of barely dressed women scare you.”
I reached back and removed my wallet from my pocket, then pulled out two bucks and handed the money to Logan. I figured using “balls” in the context that I had would result in a penalty, like saying “fucking” did. Might as well save me time—and a lecture.
I pretended to look remorseful as I gave him the money, but then winked at him. He giggled—with Jared no doubt mentally cursing me for corrupting his son.
“You’re really good with Logan,” Nicole said as we drove back to my loft.
“He’s a cute kid.”
With a sigh, like the one all women let out when they’re fantasizing about having children one day, she shook her head. “That’s true, but you’re also a natural when it comes to kids. Just like you were with Bree the other day.”
I barked a laugh. “I somehow think Jared and Callie will disagree with you there.”
“But not Logan. He looks up to you.”
“That’s because I’m six-two and he’s barely three feet.” Although I couldn’t see Nicole because I was watching the road, I was certain she was rolling her eyes.
“That’s not what I meant and you know it. It’s hard to explain, but it’s like he worships you.”
“That’s because I’m unofficially funding his college education with my inability to quit swearing around him.”
Nicole’s laugh was possibly the hottest sound I’d ever heard, and my dick got excited. Like it normally did whenever she laughed. “I’m sure that doesn’t hurt either. But like I said, you’ll make a great father one day.”
No, my dad had been a great father, even if he did turn his back on me. But that was completely my fault. I couldn’t blame him for that. Until I screwed things up for the tenth time, he had always been there for me. If I had a child, I wouldn’t be around for him the same way my father had been there for me. The band came first—always would.
As we drove Nicole and I lapsed into silence, but not the uncomfortable kind. The kind that felt like everything was all right with the world, even when it wasn’t. “So how come I didn’t know you played soccer?” I finally asked. “You impressed the hell out of Nolan.”
“I don’t know—it just never came up. So, does that mean I’m now in when it comes to the job? That’s what the meeting was really about, wasn’t it?”
I’d hoped it wasn’t so obvious. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“C’mon, Mason. Are you seriously telling me that tonight wasn’t the first time they’d heard that I’d accepted the position?” She didn’t sound pissed, so that was good. Actually, she seemed more curious than anything else.
“We did need someone to help us out, but we hadn’t gotten around to hiring anyone. I just took the initiative and hired you for the interim. Besides, you’re qualified for the job.” Other than the part where I’d been fucking her during the past few days. “Your credentials speak for themselves. Plus Callie and Hailey like you, so that made it a done deal in Jared’s and Nolan’s eyes.”
“And it didn’t hurt that I could play soccer, huh?” she said, laughter in her voice.
“If you could play hockey, I wouldn’t be surprised if Kirk offered to marry you.”
“He likes hockey?”
“That would be like asking if penguins like cold weather. Rumor has it he was headed to play in the NHL.”
“So what happened?”
I shrugged. “No one knows exactly. He doesn’t talk about it.”Time to rip off the Band-Aid.“There’s one thing I should tell you.” I briefly tore my gaze off the road and looked at her. She was watching me expectantly, her slightly parted lips begging me to skim my tongue over them and taste her.
I pulled my attention back to the road. “After tonight, we can’t do what we’ve been doing.”
“You mean we can’t be friends with benefits?”
My ego might have felt a whole lot better if she could’ve at least pretended to be disappointed at the news. “That’s right.”
“Why after tonight?”
“I was hoping we can still screw around tonight…” One side of my mouth curled up. “For old times’ sake.”
She laughed. Despite the bruising my ego had just taken, I took this as a good sign.
