Page 109 of Coach Me
I sigh. “I’m fine, really. Miles was excited for today, and I don’t want to ruin it. I just got in my head for a second.”
“Then allow me to pull you out of it.” Dex’s hand traces along my jaw and threads through my hair.
When the smile barely touches my lips, Dex leans in to devour it. The kiss is…it’s just Dex. It makes my stomach flip and my heart beats out of my chest, but I’ve also never felt safer and so completely adored in my life.
“You, Lucie Anderson,” Dex whispers against my skin as he kisses down my neck, “are the woman I want”—he kisses back up and across my jaw—“the woman I need.” He givesone more deep, sensual kiss to my lips, then pulls back to meet my eyes.
He lets out a low sigh. “I want to tell Miles about us, Luce. I know you said you were patient, but I don’t know if I am.”
“Dex…if this is about what Kate?—”
“It’s not. Not even in the slightest. It’s about the fact that Miles knows you as his nanny but you’re so much fucking more.”
“Yeah, I’m also the teacher, right?” I try to joke, but my laugh comes out shaky.
I want to be more. I want to be the one for Dex. I also just want to be the right one for Miles too. I don’t want to replace his mom, but this is such a tricky situation. I can be in love with Dex and still not be the right person when he takes Miles into account.
My love for Miles isn’t tied to Dex either. It could be a fair argument that it’s the other way around, actually.
“You are more, Lucie. I knew you could’ve been more the moment you slid your coffee cup in front of me. I didn’t quite realize how much more, but…” Dex’s eyes track over my face before tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “I think you could be everything that Miles and I are missing.”
My breath hitches as Dex captures my lips again. I melt at this man’s touch. His words. His kiss.
God, I want to stay in here for hours longer with this kiss, but Dex pulls back. “I mean it, Luce. No matter what backhanded, undermining comment Kate says, she’s the one who didn’t want this extra time to begin with. I know today is putting you in a real shitty spot. I know you want to find that balance to make this work, but cut yourself a little slack. It took two people to get you in here.”
I crinkle my nose at the reminder of my near panic attack of coming down here. “I didn’t want to let you down by leaving Miles, but then the comment about Kate wanting to spend time with you…it was just a lot in a really short amount of time.”
Dex chuckles. “I know. I’m sorry I roped you into this today. Just think of Kate as Beck.”
I raise my eyebrow. “Oh, I’m so telling him you said that.”
“Hear me out, she’s a bitchier Beck, but I know he wouldn’t do anything on purpose to put Miles in danger and his opinion about you would never have any impact on the way I feel aboutyou.”
I exhale some of the weight off my shoulders. A grumpy Beck, I can do that.
“I should probably get back out there.”
A smirk plays at Dex’s mouth. “A few more minutes won’t hurt.”
He leans back in for another one of those body-melting kisses. I push him back. “Dex,” I draw his name out with a giggle. “Miles might start to wonder where I am.”
Dex lets out a curse. “Not fair, Luce. Now I'm jealous of my own son.”
I playfully run my hands down his chest. “Sorry, right now I am his nanny.”
Dex lets out a low growl. “Tonight I’m going to fuck the word ‘nanny’ right out of you.”
“I’ll hold you to it, Coach.” I lean into him slightly, and just as he goes in for a kiss, I slide around him with a smirk. “So, does Beck actually need his bat? Or is your ploy to get me down here supposed to be obvious when I go back out there empty-handed?”
Dex shakes his head with an amused grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. He grabs the bat I hadn’t even realized was next to the door the entire time. “I thought ahead, baby.”
I take the bat from him with a sweet smile. “Wish me luck.”
After making my way back out to the field with the mentality of looking at Kate like Beck, things get a lot simpler. I didn’t have a panic attack when Miles wanted his mom to walk him to the locker room to get his glove so he could play catch with Adam. Any subtle remarks she made didn’t hit as hard with Dex’s words fresh in my mind.
With warm-ups coming to an end and the official game-day field events starting, Miles wants us to hide out in the dugout for most of it.
When I notice Dex not filtering in with some of the players, I shoot him a text.
