Chapter 21 #2
“I’m a family man now. All these years, I didn’t really have a chance in hell because she was engaged, but now, I have a shot.”
“You technically have a shot.”
“This is happening. As of today, you’re looking at a one-woman man. I was just filling my time all these years, waiting for her to be single.”
“And by ‘filling your time’, you’re referring to filling your bed?” I ask.
He gives a quick nod of his head. “Yes, exactly.”
Kai and I are wearing fully amused grins, watching his playboy brother turn into a love-struck yet hopeful idiot.
“You can’t blame me for doing my thing when she wasn’t available, but now that she’s single...” Isaiah shakes his head, pointing at himself. “Changed man.”
Indy puts a plate of tacos down in front of Isaiah before giving his shoulders a squeeze. “Happy you’re here, Isaiah.”
“I’ll be here every week!”
I lean into Kai. “Where’s the restroom?”
He points behind us. “Down that hall. Second door on your right.”
“I’ll be right back.”
Ryan and Indy’s home is stunning, modern, and clean, but with plenty of bright pops as well.
I take my time looking at the artwork on the walls as I walk down the hall.
I use the restroom, and as I’m washing my hands at the sink, I can’t help but stare at my child-like grin in the mirror because tonight was fun.
These people are fun. I couldn’t tell you the last time I had dinner around a table where the conversation was about something other than menu changes, seasonal fruit, or current food trends.
It was nice to have a meal where I was simply Miller instead of Chef.
Turning, I dry my hands on the small towel when my attention drifts to the framed piece of cross-stitch hung on the wall. The embroidery on the crisp piece of linen is bright and feminine. The lettering is done in cursive, using a dark pink thread and surrounded by tiny flowers and hearts.
Please don’t do drugs in our bathroom , is hung proudly on display.
It’s so out of place in this dark and moody restroom.
I love it.
On my way back, the conversation continues in the dining room so I slip into the kitchen to grab another margarita.
For being in a stranger’s home, I feel oddly comfortable enough to help myself.
Kai’s friends are laid-back and easy to be around, and it’s comforting to see how much they’ve welcomed both him and Max into the fold.
I give the blender a quick pulse to re-mix the frozen margarita before opening the cabinet to grab a new glass. Except, the shelf at eye level is empty and the only available cups are up high, almost out of my reach.
Lifting on my toes, I stretch as tall as I can, tension pulling the straps over my shoulders and causing my cutoff overalls to ride up my ass.
My fingers graze the bottom of the shelf I need to reach and I use my other hand to push myself off the counter.
I’m so close to getting my hand around a glass when a vein-corded arm reaches over me.
“I’ve got it,” Kai says before his hand stills on the cup, both of us suddenly hyperaware of our proximity.
His body crowds mine from behind, enveloping every inch of my skin, and when he finally takes the glass from the shelf, he sets it down, but doesn’t back away. He keeps his stance, bracketing his palms against the counter on either side of me.
Dropping back on my heels, every inch of his front touches my back. “Thanks,” I somehow say.
“Mm-hmm.” His chest rumbles with a hum and I feel the gravel through each nerve in my body.
My shorts are so far up my ass right now, but I don’t even care with Kai’s body covering mine. Giving him permission to stay, I slightly lean back, my head resting on the broad plane of his chest.
He inhales and speaks in a whisper, his friends in the next room over. “You smell nice. Sweet, ironically.”
“How is that ironic?” I chuckle. “I bake for a living.”
“Because you like to pretend as if you’re all spice.”
I know what he’s doing, trying to break down my defenses, bringing me to a cozy family dinner after his son took his first steps.
Telling me he knows I’m sweeter than I let on.
But I allow it, letting myself indulge in the idea of simple days when I know soon enough, I’ll be back to the chaos of chasing life’s checkmarks in a stressful kitchen.
Wandering, his hand skims over my bare thigh, fingertips grazing the hem of my frayed cutoffs. He follows the line of fabric, the pads of his fingers dusting my bare ass before he pulls the material down to cover me again.
“These fucking legs, Mills.”
Involuntarily, I arch into him. He feels good. He smells good and I’m really tired of his no-kissing rule.
Kai’s hand splays over my lower stomach to keep our contact. “Today was a good day.”
It really was. Simple and good.
Turning, I look at him, our lips almost brushing. “They can all be good days.”
His eyes bounce to my mouth.
“Really? In my kitchen? Next to the food?” Ryan stands in the entryway with his hands full of dirty dishes. “At least use a spare bedroom. We’ve got three more besides the one Max is sleeping in.”
Kai takes a step back and I create more distance. The last thing I need is his friends comparing their situation to Kai’s while they’re getting married and having babies, and I’m over here only allowing myself to indulge in his lifestyle for my brief stay.
“You guys could sleep here, you know?” Ryan sets the dishes in the sink and starts to clean them. “That way you don’t have to move Max.”
And dear God, that sounds couple-y as fuck, spending the night at his friends’ house after we’ve all had dinner and drinks together.
Kai quickly glances my way, most likely noting the look of absolute terror on my face. “Thanks, man, but we leave on a road trip tomorrow, so we should get back.”
It’s one of the few times I’m thankful he can read my mind.
Max is still passed out on his dad’s shoulder by the time we get to the front door of their house. Kai unlocks it, standing back to usher me inside.
But I can’t go in. It’s almost as if there’s a force field keeping me out. After tonight, things feel too sticky, too connected for me to go inside with him.
Running my hand over Max’s hair, I place a quick kiss on his little forehead.
“I’m gonna...” I toss my thumb over my shoulder towards the side gate that leads to his backyard. “I’m just going to go to bed.”
“Mills.” Kai’s tone is somewhat begging. “Please don’t sleep out there.”
God, that plea hits me right in the heart, cracking a bit more of the armored shell that surrounds it.
And for that reason, I take two steps backward toward the side gate and slip into the backyard without another word.
“Miller,” he whisper-shouts. “Are you serious?”
I get myself inside the van, immediately locking the door behind me, needing to create some sort of barrier from the domestic, homey, and settled feelings that have invaded my chest tonight.
I just need to sleep it off. Maybe I’ll take a drive tomorrow before the flight and remind myself that there are places other than Chicago, the city I’m leaving in a month.
I just need a bit of fresh air to remind me who I am, that I don’t care about his friends’ opinions of me or the fact that I’d really like to see those girls again.
I can be by myself for a moment, just the way I’m used to living.
Shaking it off, I reach for my toothbrush next to my sink, but come up empty.
That’s weird. I put it right back where I always do after I used it this morning.
Searching around my tiny van, I don’t find it anywhere. Nor do I find my skin care, my toothpaste, my goddamn slippers.
Me: Did you steal my toothbrush?
Baseball Daddy: You didn’t even say goodnight.
Me: Malakai Rhodes. Where’s my toothbrush?
Baseball Daddy: Oh, she full-named me.
Me: Kai!
Baseball Daddy: Next time, don’t leave before saying goodnight.
Me: Goodnight. Happy? Where’s my fucking toothbrush? And all my other shit.
Baseball Daddy: I think I saw it in my guest room. Can’t be sure, though. You should probably come inside and check.
Me: You’re going to move me into your house without asking? Seriously?
Baseball Daddy: I’ve told you I don’t like you sleeping outside.
Me: You’re annoying.
Baseball Daddy: Back door is unlocked.
As soon as I step through the back slider, I find Kai already stripped down to his boxer briefs as he stands in his kitchen, ankles crossed with the electric tea kettle heating up next to him. “Chamomile tea? It’s good for the nerves.”
“I think I hate you again.”
He simply wears a proud smile.
I charge right past him towards the guest room. “I know what you’re doing, Kai. Dinner with your friends, moving me into your house.”
“I’m not doing anything. It was dinner, a meal you eat every day. And big surprise, I don’t like you sleeping outside. That’s all entirely casual and rational stuff. If you’re overthinking it, then that sounds like a you problem.”
I don’t have the energy to argue with his completely sane logic. Maybe I am overthinking it all, but this weird ball won’t unfurrow from my chest. It feels like homesickness which makes no goddamn sense. I don’t have a home to miss.
Kai’s guest room is the first door to the right past the kitchen, across from his spare bathroom.
One of his team shirts is folded neatly on the duvet for me to sleep in and my slippers are lined up next to the door.
Quickly undressing, I leave my underwear on and slip his shirt over my head.
Kai’s huge and I’m not, so this shirt is practically a dress falling around mid-thigh.
Stomping across the hall to the bathroom like a child, I find my toothbrush and toothpaste sitting in a cup by the sink and my skin care thoughtfully laid out on the counter.
Through the mirror, I find an almost naked Kai behind me, long arms hanging onto the top of the doorframe, satisfied grin on his lips as he watches me brush my teeth.
“You’re annoying,” I mumble past the suds in my mouth.