Page 53 of The Hard Hitter

“I’ll order from Luigi’s, it’s my favorite. I won’t get any garlic bread though. I’m not taking a risk of you not kissing me.”

I chuckle softly. “It’s going to take a whole lot more than garlic to keep me from kissing you.”

…from falling for you.

16

Zander

Darkness has fallen over the city as I pull into my driveway and kill the ignition. I cast a glance Sam’s way. “Doing okay?”

“I am. I think I’m just really tied from the adrenaline crash.”

“I can imagine. Stay there, I’ll come get you.”

“I’m quite capable—”

“And I’m quite capable of coming to get you.”

“So bossy,” she says but sits still. I circle the car, help her from her seat and wrap my arm around her as I guide her inside. The lights are low, and I keep them that way. “Why don’t you strip off, jump in the hot tub, and I’ll put our food order in and join you.”

“Done,” she says.

“Not going to argue?”

“Nope.” She peels her top off as she walks toward the back door, and I grab my cell and order all my favorites. I find two goblets, fill them with wine, and step outside.

“Mmm,” she moans and runs her hands around the water. “This is glorious.”

I set the wine down, strip off and join her. “Food will be about thirty minutes.”

“I will be a prune by then.” She glances my way. “I feel bad that you had to take Daisy to Quinn’s though. I know you like to spend all your time with her.”

“It’s okay. Since she’s been home with me all week, she hasn’t seen Scotty, and misses him. I can’t believe he didn’t catch the chickenpox from her.”

“I think sometimes it’s just better to get them early and get them over with.”

“True. Quinn and I had them at the same time.”

“It must be hard being on the road, Zander. Being away from Daisy.”

He takes a sip of wine and sets it aside. “It is. But I have a full-time nanny and Quinn. It’s not the same as Daisy having a mother, but we make it work. I try to Skype with her as much as I can.”

She shifts closer to me, and we lay our heads back to stare at the stars. “When are you playing a pickup game with the guys?” she asks.

“Funny you should ask. Jonah texted me earlier, to let me know it was tomorrow. I don’t have to go. If you want me to take you to the hospital to see your father.”

“No, I want you to go. I want to go, too. Does Quinn ever go? Maybe we can take the kids and go together.”

I smile at that. “I’m sure Daisy would love that. Then maybe we could all come back for a barbeque. Quinn is away for the fourth, and she always has the family gathering, but she won’t be here next weekend, so maybe we can all have an early celebration.”

“That would be fun.”

“I’ll shoot Quinn a text when we finish here.”

I take her hand in mine and she turns to me. I find her mouth for a slow, lingering kiss, one that feels far more emotional than physical. She relaxes into me, and we both go quiet for a moment, lost in our own thoughts.

My mind trips back to her wanting to visit a fertility clinic. I’m not sure why the idea of that bothers me so much. Maybe because Daisy will never know her mother, and I know how much she’s missing out on. I’m not saying I want Shari back in our lives, not the way she currently is, but I don’t want my child to ever have abandonment issues. Sam is young, and sweet, and everything a man could ask for.

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