Page 53 of Delayed Penalty

Then I remember the look in his eyes. The mortification. The remorse. The utter disappointment. As much as I wanted it, it was wrong. We shouldn’t have done it. And I should have come to my senses alot sooner than I did, certainly long before I wrapped my leg around his waist and dry-humped him.

I don’t know Hutch and Auden all that well, but I could have kissedthemfor coming home when they did and putting a stop to it because I have no doubt our clothes would most certainly have come off if they hadn’t interrupted. I cannot repeat the mistake of sleeping with my boss. I need this job far too much to let something like my unchained libido get in the way. So what if Hayes is easily the hottest man I’ve ever seen? I cannot and will not climb him like a tree…even if I really, really want to.

He must feel my stare on him, because when he looks up, our eyes collide, and I swear I see his brows cinch together more. I’m relieved by it. It’s better than what I’ve been getting sinceThe Kiss, which has been him fleeing from every room I enter and ensuring we are never, ever together alone. At least if he’s scowling at me, he’s back to not liking me. I can live with that.

“Oh, boy. Thatisthe man you’re nannying for,” Gina says, her voice all breathy now, and I don’t entirely blame her. “You’re right. I don’t feel bad for you at all.”

I chuckle as Hayes approaches, his tall frame casting a shadow over us.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

Is he here to check up on me? To see if I’m taking care of Flora okay? To make sure I’m doing my job?

He shrugs. “Called it good on practice a bit early, and I saw your text. Figured I’d stop by.”

He looks over at Gina, then does something I’m not expecting—he smiles. And not just a small,Hey theresort of smile. It’s arealsmile—a big one. The kind I bet he’s used many times on many women before. One he has a hell of a track record with.

“Hey,” he says smoothly, still grinning. “I’m Hayes. Nice to meet you…”

“Gina,” she offers with a smile of her own. “You’re not Hayes as in Adam Hayes, are you?”

“Depends on who’s asking.” He winks.

He fucking winks!He’s flirting with her. He’s being playful. He’s being…well, fun.

What the hell? Am I in some sort of alternate universe? The Hayes I know doesn’t do that. He just sulks. Am I… Am I the reason he’s like that?

Gina throws her head back with a laugh. “Oh, you’re slick. I like that. My husband probably wouldn’t, but I do. He’s a big fan, by the way.”

“Yeah? Here.” He reaches behind him, producing a hat he must have had stashed in his back pocket. “Take this, then.”

“You…what?” Her jaw drops as she takes it from his outstretched hand. “My husband is going to faint. Hang on, I think I have a pen somewhere if you wouldn’t mind signing it.”

“Not at all.”

As she digs around in her bag, Hayes looks out to the playground, searching for Flora, I presume. I can tell the moment he spots her, his megawatt grin back in an instant. He’s not here to check up on me. He’s simply here for Flora.

“Oh, found one!” Gina exclaims, shoving a pen Hayes’s way.

“Great.” He takes it and scribbles his name across the bill of the hat, then hands them both back to Gina. “You guys got tickets to the home opener on Saturday?”

She shakes her head. “We have four children. We can’t afford that.”

“Well, here, let me give you this number.” He reaches behind him again, this time producing his wallet, then pulls out a card and hands it to her. “Call this guy and tell him I said to give you as many tickets as you need for the game, and we’ll make it happen.”

“Holy shit.” She grabs her chest. “You’re about to give me a heart attack.”

Hayes laughs. “Don’t do that. Then you won’t be able to see us win on Saturday.”

He winks again, and I swear Gina swoons.

“Mom! I have to pee!” A little girl who looks like amini Gina comes rushing over. “Hurry! I’m gonna pee my big-girl panties, and if I do that, I won’t get ice cream, and Ireallywant ice cream!”

Gina rises to her feet with a huff. “Duty calls.” She looks at Hayes. “Thank you so much for your kindness. It…” Her eyes shine with emotion. “Well, it means a lot. These last few months…they’ve been so difficult, and this kind of thing never happens to us.” She turns her attention to me. “You lucky girl, you.”

I laugh. “It was great meeting you, Gina. Maybe we’ll see you around sometime.”

“I’m here nearly every day,” she says as her daughter grabs her hand and drags her toward the bathrooms. She rolls her eyes, then gives us a wave before rushing along so there are no accidents.

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