Page 16 of Stolen Bases

My brother cuts me a look, and I trap my lip between my teeth. Fighting with him right now, while he is fuming, isn’t worth it. He won’t listen to reason.

Besides, I know I messed up. I committed the worst act of betrayal in his book—I kissed his enemy. The guy he hates as much as the father who abandoned him.

Tears prickle my nose as I turn away and stare out the window.

I hurt my brother, and something tells me I hurt the sexy, sweet man I kissed back at the bar too.

After an hour of driving around while Nico’s agent searched for an available hotel room, my brother had no choice but to return to the house—the same house Cameron is staying in.

I’m not surprised, but I didn’t bother saying a word. It’s spring training. All the hotels in and around the Phoenix area are fully booked. I’m just grateful Nico didn’t tell Damien what happened. I don’t want to make that kiss a bigger deal than it already is.

How did I get myself into this mess?This is so unlike me.

I stare out into the darkness as Nico cuts the engine next to an unfamiliar car parked in the driveway—no doubt Cam’s. It’s just another reminder of what happened tonight. There isn’t anything more I can say to Nico at this point. I already apologized, and to be honest, I’m mad at him for treating me the way he did.

He had no right to manhandle me and call his agent to find me a hotel room.

The silence is thick with unsaid words as we sit side by side.

“I’m sorry, Lia. I shouldn’t have touched you when I was angry,” Nico says, breaking the tension.

His sad gray eyes find mine, and my earlier irritation falls away. This is the side of him I love—the big brother who would do anything for me. I let him down tonight.

“That guy … just pisses me off. I hate him.”

“Why?” I ask, truly curious.

Cameron Miller is nothing like my brother described.

Was he flirty? Yes, but so was I.

When I said I knew who he was, Cam’s shoulders stiffened and he plastered on a fake smile like he was preparing to get propositioned. The tension in his shoulders only relaxed after I started joking around with him.

Then, when I told him about Kyle, he was genuinely angry on my behalf. I was afraid he was going to march over to the douche and punch him. Not that I would mind. Kyle deserves a good smack upside the head.

My brother described Cameron as someone who sleeps around with no regard for women. A guy like that doesn’t react the way he did to my story. I believed Cam when he said he’s never left a date to sleep with another woman.

When Cam suggested we kiss to scare off Kyle, I knew I shouldn’t have agreed. I was playing with fire—a fire I’d willingly touch again. The only thing I regret is not telling Cam who I was sooner.

I will never regret kissing him.

“Why? Because he’s an asshole, Lia. All he cares about is himself. He’s a playboy and no good for you. I need you to promise me you’ll stay away from him.”

Hearing Nico warn me away from Cam has my chest caving in and tears pooling in the back of my eyes. For some strange reason, the idea of staying away from Cam doesn’t sit well with me, but I can’t let Nico down either.

My brother has been there for me, taking care of me and our family even when he didn’t have to. I can give him this, right?

Right.

It’s probably for the best that I don’t dig into the reason why my stomach is in knots and my chest is tight with panic when I say, “Yeah, okay. I’ll stay away from him.”

The words taste like ash on my tongue. I should hate Cameron for whatever he’s done to hurt Nico—sibling loyalty and all that—but something deep inside me will never agree. I want answers.

No, Ineedanswers. From my brother. From the man himself.

I need to know because connections like the one Cam and I shared tonight don’t happen very often. Especially to me.

Don’t go there.

---