Page 88 of In The Game

All my possessive brain hears isflirty—and thathe’sthe one supporting her, not me. I want to fly off the handle, I know that’s some toxic masculinity bullshit, but it doesn’t change how I feel. She’s been sacrificing her work environment to make sure Arthur is well cared for. She’s a damn good mom. But Rob’s taking advantage of the situation by offering an exceptional salary—which she deserves—though I suspect he enjoys making her dependent on him. If she’d let me take care of those things, she could work wherever she wanted.

“If money wasn’t an issue, would you still be working for Rob?”

She cocks her head to the side. “Nice try.”

“What?”

Her laugh makes me smile. “Don’t ‘what?’ me. I can see the wheels turning in your head. Laying it on pretty thick, buddy.”

Now I’m the one laughing and shaking my head. “We aren’t buddies.”

She rolls her eyes but keeps the grin on her face. “Why don’t you tell me aboutyourjob?”

I give her the lowdown on how the team is doing after our L, and what Camp Conway’s goals are this year. It’s a pleasant conversation. I try to keep it brief because there’s been an idea rolling around in my head about my plans for the summer, but I need the right time to bring it up since I want them to be a part of it.

She dabs the cloth napkin against her mouth and sets it on her plate.

“So… what do you want to do next?” she asks.

My arm snakes behind her and I let my hand linger below her hip. “You don’t want to know the answer to that.” I can think of a hundred things I want to do to her.

“Bet.”

I pull my arm back and put some space between us. After swallowing a bite, I sit back and look at her, narrowing my eyes, unsure if this is a trap.

“I’ve still got…” I look at my watch. “Four hours and thirty-eight minutes until I need to give you back to Mini Bear.”

“That’s a lot of time to kill.”

Not near enough.Fuck it.

“Come back to my place for a drink.”

She nods. “Okay.”

I get the check, and thankfully, they pick up on the urgency. She adjusts her dress, pulling it back down a little more once she gets to the edge of the booth. With my hand resting above her ass, I escort her back to my car.

Pulling up to my house feels like déjà vu. The last time we were here together, neither of us knew that night would change our lives forever. I park in the far-left stall of the four-car garage.

It may be too soon, but I’ve already visualized moving them in with me. My mom’s been telling me for years it’s too much house for one person, that I need to fill it with a wife and kids. Raleigh’s the only one I ever pictured here.

“It looks different in the daylight.” It won’t be long before the summer sun begins to set. I have to remember what changes have been made in the last few years.

“Yeah, the shake siding is new. Well, new since you’ve seen it.”

After a bad hailstorm two summers ago, I had the exterior remodeled, though the lakeside is mostly windows. The property is on a private peninsula, which makes the house feel more like a secret hideaway. It makes a good home base. Other than traveling, I’m settled here. Plus, I love the lake.

We smirk in the entryway, and I’d put money on her thinking about the first time we stood here when I spun her and pressed her against the wall… We pass through the foyer and into the kitchen. It’s an open-floor plan and a few lamps are on timers to make my home feel more welcoming when I come home alone. I pull out a bottle of wine and show it to her for approval.

“Oh, that’s a good year,” she says.

Turning my wrist, I look down at the label. “Is it?”

The corners of her mouth tilt up. “No fucking idea, it just seemed like the right thing to say.” I grin and pull a corkscrew out of the drawer. She wanders around, taking in the space. I wonder what she’s thinking. Does she like the furniture and decor? Would she ever keep a toothbrush here for herself or Arthur? I’d like to get some things to keep here in case they ever stay overnight.

“Have you dated at all? Since he was born?”

I pour two glasses and pass one to her. Her plump lips match the wine. I stare as she takes a sip. Then blink a few times to clear the sinful images from my head before taking a drink.

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