Page 48 of Played
“You don’t—” she grinds out, but I cut her off, holding up my hand.
“No need to thank me. It’s my pleasure.” Atpleasure, I drop my gaze to her mouth and bite my bottom lip. When I raise my eyes to hers, pleasure and a wariness that I can relate to shadow them. “Just say thank you, ma.”
I wait, everything in me stilling. Don’t ask me why it’s important that she comes to one of my games. Why I want her to see me in my element. Prove to her that her lame-ass Patriots don’t have anything on me.
Experience the side of me that’s important in my life.
Like I said, I don’t have an explanation why I want her there. It just is.
“Can she sit in the box with me and Grammy and Grandad?” Khalil asks. Turning to Adina, he raves, “They got popcorn and hot dogs in the box, Ms. Dina!”
If my stomach hollows out, then fills with apprehension at the thought of her sitting in the luxury box with my in-laws, I for damn sure hope my face doesn’t betray it. Their reaction to seeing Adina at one of my games, alone, should be enough reason not to press that. Shit, to rescind the offer of tickets.
Should.
But it isn’t. And I don’t.
It’s not like we’re dating or even fucking, for that matter. But both me and my dick know that last one is on borrowed time. Especially if she’s near me again.
That knowledge doesn’t make me back off either.
“Hey,” I say, voice low. But she hears me, and her head jerks toward me. “The tickets are yours and will be waiting on you. No pressure if you don’t want to come.” I pause. Fuck it. “But I want you to.”
She briefly closes her eyes, exhales on a long breath.
As if sensing her weakening, like a shark scenting blood in the water, my ruthless son grabs her hand and pulls on it.
“Please, Ms. Dina. Pleeease.” He drags out thepleaseto about five syllables, and when she sighs, I know he has her.
She shouldn’t feel bad. Not many people can withstand that whining with the addition of looking into those big, wide green eyes.
“Sounds good.” She smiles at Khalil. “I can’t wait.”
Yeah, li’l mama is gonna have to work on lying. I don’t buy that for one second, and from Jared’s low chuckle, he doesn’t either.
And when he murmurs “You father and brothers are going to disown you,” I know I’m not wrong. The thought of her family—except for her mother, she adores me—up in their feelings because Adina’s going to a hockey game sends a trickle of joy raining through me.
“Who’s going to tell them?” She narrows her eyes on Jared, and he shrugs, that wide grin saying he most definitely will.
“Khalil, tell Mr. Jared and Ms. Dinasee you later,” I say, remembering Khalil’s earlier correction.
“See you later! At the game!” He grabs my offered hand, wrapping his fingers around mine, and waves to them with the other.
I nod at Jared and then look at Adina.
“See you later, Dina,” I murmur.
“Yeah, later.”
We stare at one another, and fuck if I don’t want to lean down and take another of those wet, too-damn-hot kisses with me. Especially when her lips are still puffy from my mouth and tongue. But I don’t. Once was temptation enough. And I need to prove to myself that I’m capable of not getting lost in her. If this is headed where I think it is—and it is—Ihaveto prove that to myself.
Because there will come a day when I’ll walk away from this, from her, without looking back. And there’s no better time than the present to start practicing it.
Khalil’s hand in mine, I give her a chin jerk and lead my son down the driveway toward the car. But I still catch Jared asking Adina “Am I supposed to pretend I didn’t see what I saw?”
“You saw nothing,” she hisses back at him.
I smile.
